• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Destinations
    • Brazil
    • China
    • Honduras
    • Iceland
    • Ireland
    • Japan
    • New Zealand
    • South Korea
    • USA
      • California
      • Colorado
      • Florida
      • Hawaii
      • Nevada
      • New Mexico
      • Washington
      • Wyoming
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Baking
    • Dinner
    • Desserts
    • Salad
    • Side Dish
    • Low Carb and Keto
    • Freezer meals
    • Party Favorites
    • Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot)
    • Slow Cooker
  • Lifestyle
    • Homeschooling
    • Parenting and Motherhood
    • Health and Fitness
    • Home
    • Seasonal/Holidays
  • Shop
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Good Life Xplorers
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Destinations
  • Lifestyle
  • Work with Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination

    August 8, 2016 by Jana Leave a Comment

    Sharing is caring!

    3 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

    Travel is one of the best things in life, but it’s not always smooth sailing. For some travelers, the experience on the road can mean the difference of a lifetime of travel or not. I have experienced both ends of the spectrum and compiled a short list for you.

    1- Expectations

    Expectations are probably the number one reason you might become disappointed by a destination. Expectations come from travel professionals, friends and family, and even from expectations you build while planning a trip. The problem is not the well-intentioned advice you receive, but how you handle the differences between expectations and reality.

    When disappointment sets in, the key is to ask yourself : “Is my disappointment based on actual events or on prior expectations?.”  9 out of 10 times it is the latter. In that case, it’s an easy fix. reset your expectations and see the destination with fresh eyes.

    2- Travel Exhaustion

    If you like to pack as many activities as you can during your trip, chances are, at one point or another, you might suffer from travel exhaustion. Symptoms include irritability, fatigue, dehydration and the immediate need to crawl under the covers and disappear. A tired body and mind can’t deal with the stresses that travel can bring. It’s a recipe for disaster to try to figure out transportation, dietary needs and communication in a foreign country while cranky and tired.

    Fortunately, the solution to this problem is an easy one: slow down and build in some R&R into the itinerary.

    6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination
    From bad…
    6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination
    …to worse. My feet hurt so much, I had to buy cmpression ankle supports. Very fashionable!

    3- Culture shock

    We all experience it, be it in small doses or big ones. There are always differences that make us start comparing destinations and cultural norms, even in places that are similar to home.

    Regardless of the situation, culture shock can lead to many disappointments. If you find yourself comparing places and getting down about a destination, try saying these words: “It’s not better, it’s not worse, it’s just different.”

    IMG_7758

    Silk worm anyone?

    4- Budget choices

    I am sure some travelers will disagree with me on this, but I believe budget choices can directly affect the level of disappointment you experience in a destination.

    I am not suggesting you can’t have a crappy time in a luxury budget, but that downgrading the level of comfort you have grown accustomed to will most likely lead to disappointment.

    Stay true to your comfort needs and ward off the feeling that a destination is falling short.

    6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination, hostel, South Korea, Seoul
    U$20 a night
    Bali, Uluwatu, Travel, good life, pool, hotel
    U$130 a night

     

    5- Local interaction

    Sometimes the only local interaction you have is with the staff in a resort. Other times, the local interaction you have will make you vow to never go back to a destination (read about it here). And then, there are those magical times that local interactions can lead to wonderful experiences (read about it here and here).

    There are a lot of things you don’t see on the news back at home and that are not taught in history class. Things that you don’t learn from a book, but from people. The locals give you a view into your destination from their eyes. You may speak different languages, eat different foods, wear different clothes and have different beliefs, but some things are universal.

    When you have a broken conversation with a local, thousands of miles from your home, it makes the whole experience more worthwhile. So step out of your comfort zone and strike a conversation with a stranger.

    Gyeongbokgung Palace , travel; travel expert; adventure travel; solo female travel; couple travel; vacation; tourism; adventure; World Travel; tips; advice; How to; adventure travel; Asia; South Korea; Seoul; palace; market; museum; village
    Beautiful girls in Korea
    Oiri Sushi, food, sashimi, Japanese, Japan, Tokyo, Restaurant, local, travel, fish, seafood, foodie, blog, tips
    Oniri Sushi
    Himeji, Himeji castle, castle, samurai, feudal lords, Japan, attractions, tourism, travel tips, travel, solo travel, female solo travel, blog, vlogger, travel blog
    My wonderful guide Toshi

    cooking class, WA Experience Kafu,kyoto, travelblog, japan, travel, cooking, food, foodie, japanese, culture, travel tips
    Kimi dishing out dashi!

    6- The order of your itinerary

    This is important in multi-country trips. Even in the same region, countries can have vastly different cultures, customs and levels of development. Going from a less developed country to a more modern one can ease the transition between destinations, specially as travel fatigue starts to set in.

    Take for example the bathroom situation in China, South Korea and Japan. Communal squat toilets are normal in certain areas of China, western toilets are ample in South Korea and high-tech toilets that warm and wash your bum in Japan are everywhere.

    Matsumoto, Japan, Travel, Travelblog, travel tips, adventure, tourism
    Japanese toilet
    6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination
    Squat toilet

    Besides a country’s development levels, during long-term travel, it’s helpful to also consider the weather at the time of your visit so that you don’t end up every possible rain season in the region. Unless, of course, you love rain.

    These are my 6 reasons you might be disappointed by a destination.

    What others would you add to this list?

    YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:

    This website contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other programs, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

    Sharing is caring!

    3 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Filed Under: Recipes

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Jana. I am fueled by travel and everything good about life. If you are infected by wanderlust, love good food and the outdoors, let’s be friends!

    More about me →

    Never Miss a Post

    Products I Recommend

    *affiliate or referral links - which means I might earn a commission from the company on your purchase. This does not mean it changes my recommendation at all. I only promote products I use myself.

    All About Reading

    Latest

    • Best places to visit in Japan
    • What is a Skycouch? And why you should book it with Air New Zealand
    • All About Reading Review
    • Math U See Curriculum Review

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Policies and Disclaimers

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Shop
    • Work with us

    Copyright © 2021 Good Life Xplorers

     

    Loading Comments...