Life & travel are very much a balance between dangers we perceive, & the knowledge & experience that reduces those danger’s risks. 

Foreign travel means leaving the comfortable, confident security of our  home for something often very unfamiliar: different streets, language, rules, mannerisms, foods, clothing, etc.  

I suggest that all travelers (me) suffer travel anxiety to some degree of anxiety.  

Travelers, both domesticand foreign, by definition, leave the comfortable, confident security of their home environment for something often very unfamiliar: different streets, rules, mannerisms, foods, clothing, etc.   

A foreign country’s culture can differ radically from USA’s and even more so, between other foreign countries. An American in Europe will feel more comfortable than in Asia because the American culture is a somewhat familiar mishmash of the European. 

Anecdote: Egypt 1: Cairo: The Revolution Begins: I arrived at my Cairo, Egypt hotel on 1st day of Egypt’s “25 January Revolution” as tanks began rolling down the street below my window. I was initially very anxious walking in Cairo’s tank-barricaded streets with soldiers everywhere; bearded men & hijab-covered women, both in flowing robes.                                                                      YT VID: EGY

Walking its streets, I respectfully smiled, nodded slightly & uttered “As-salaam alaykum” (hello) to those who met my eyes. Women, I was particularly respectful toward for fear of somehow offending. Men responded naturally; women with a subtle gentle nod. 

Anecdote: Egypt 2: Cairo’s dark narrow street: Walking along a main street. I looked down what was clearly a dark, & to me, an ominous looking street with high buildings that closed the narrow street's shadows.  I strongly debated walking down it, then I did, & it was a great experience seeing the underbelly of Cairo.

One group of men seated on a stoop came unglued when, in passing, I politely said ‘As-salamu alaykum’ (hello), en masse inviting me over to chat for several minutes.” 

After a few days, I realized my presence attracted very little notice presumably because I was just one of millions of foreign tourists who had traveled through Cairo. 

                                                                                                                                     YT VID: EGY

In Asia, the differences in a culture’s language, history, customs, etc. can be even more dramatic: China versus India versus Bali.

Ironically, it is EXACTLY this anxious uncertainty that is an exciting travel benefit, not only testing you, but providing novel, rich experiences. OTOH, it is your knowledge, preparation, experience, character, and prudence that guides & protects you safely. 

I hope my information & personal anecdotes from my experience will reduce your travel anxiety. 😀

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My Anxiety-reduction’ Strategy

Large Bus Touring is one of the most worry, risk-free, modes of travel once you have checked into your tour because your tour company intentionally tries to protect you from unnerving circumstances.

Large Bus Tour operators exhaustively research each tour’s transportation needs & schedules, lodging, tour meals, sites & experiences and skilled guides often testing tour factors on hundreds of clients beforehand.    

I combat my inherent travel anxiety (call it what it is —fear) in several ways: 

A.  Pre-trip Research & Preparation: 
Large Bus Tour operators exhaustively research each tour’s safe, efficient & comfortable transportation needs & schedules, lodging, tour meals, sites & experiences, and skilled guides often test their tours on hundreds of clients beforehand.

 YOU, the guest, need only research & book your flights to & from a tour’s start & end, and lodging before & after your tour. 

Your prime pre-trip responsibility is to:
    1) learn & follow your tour company's suggestions for packing,
        passports, and money etc. Remember, you are not the 1st
        anxious guest they have cared for.
    2) research & book your flights to & from a tour’s start,
    3) book lodging before & after your tour, if necessary.
    4) and equally important, thoroughly review my LBTour Factors to become knowledgeable and answer your questions. I guarantee if you absorb my Tour Factors your questions will be answered & your fears vastly diluted.

 ALL worry-free arranged in advance.

Your Large Bus Tour company intentionally tries to eliminate any unnerving circumstances.

B. Pre-trip history & culture immersion:
The more you can learn about a country’s history & culture and the sites & experiences your tour package offers…. the richer will be your travel experiences & lifetime memories …. AND .… the less ‘travel anxiety’ I can almost guarantee you will have.

The more you can learn about a country’s history & culture…. the richer your travel experiences & lifetime memories will be…. AND .… the less ‘travel anxiety’ I can almost guarantee you will have.

    1. Study a Country's History & your Tour's Sites: After choosing your Large Bus Tour package based, in part on your desired sites & experiences:
        a) briefly Google Search your tour country’s history &
        b) your tour package's sites & experiences so you can more
            fully appreciate your guide's commentary at each site.

Anecdote: 5000 years of Chinese History” video: I watched Professor Ken Hammond’s,  entire video series, “From Yao to Mao: 5000 years of Chinese History” 18 part video lecture series before my 3 month solo independent trip throughout China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWVlOaO8gr0&list=PL-zm2mrr9onY5hrGya2DhgBn_-xUk51p3

In fact, I watched and completely outlined this video series, and then condensed the first outline into a shorter one. Why all this time and effort?

China is a giant country composed of many historically different cultures producing a profound history. A giant country of many cultures intermixing, or not, over 5000 tears. It has controlled countries around it & been attacked & controlled by oters including Euro countries. Obviously, it plays a major role in 2025 world politics.

                        Terracotta Army (1st of several videos)

    2. Read a Country’s or Site’s Classic Novels: A country’s classic novels often reflect the country’s respect & love for its history & culture, kinda-like America’s “Gone with the Wind”. Such novels are a traveler’s fascinating deeper insight into a culture & history. 

Anecdote(s):
           Japan: Shimazaki Toson’s Before the Dawn including the Nakasendo Road.   AND read 1 or 2 additional classical novels 
    Australia: Tom Cole’s “Hell West & Crooked” about an early 1900’s ‘outback life & walkabouts’
    Poland: Robert Michener’s “Poland”, 
    Florence, Italy’s Filippo Brunelleschi-built cathedral dome.                                          
                NOTE: Paul Robert Walker's book: "Feud That Sparked the Renaissance: How Brunelleschi and Ghiberti Changed the Art World" (2002, HarperCollins) is fascinating & inspired my Italy 'Renaissance' trip.

         This YouTube video shows my climb from inside the bottom of the of Brunelleschi's Duomo Dome up the narrow stairs to the top of the dome, including views, etc.

   3) Backdoor:  If truly wise, you will always have a ‘backdoor’: — an escape strategy —  to extricate yourself from dicey situations.

Of course, Large Bus Tour protected tourists seldom have a reason to need a back door UNLESS they enjoy self-guided walking tours on their own during a Large Bus Tour's free time segments.

Anecdote: China’s Longi Rice Terraces:  After a long hike from 700 yr old Dazhai village up & across Longi’s rice terraces with few humans in sight…. at the very top, my path encountered an old road. I turned left away from the old road onto what seemed like my ‘continuing’ trail. 

I hiked for ¾ mi before I realized that having climbed to the ridge's edge to be gin a downward hike, I was NOT steadily descending the mountain to my hike’s end at Ping’an village below.

Fortunately, after years of hiking Utah’s deep confusing slot-like canyons I was always aware of my ‘back door” escape route; sometimes placing rocks in an arrow configuration to point the way back a canyon. Now, I could just retrace my trail back to the old road.

 TIP: ALWAYS carry Tour company AND your hotel's contact info AND cash hidden carefully on your person.  

Wise Tip
Visit my Travel Safety & Travel Healthg sections  
TRAVEL SAFETY  & Travel Health  

Ancedote: Really 'lost' in Rome: On my student trip to Rome, I temporarily got separated from my guide & group in a main square.
I panicked until after a while I looked far down a road leading from the square & saw them going away. Later I reflected I didn’t know our hostel's name or how to find it.
I still have bi-monthly dreams of being lost in a foreign city with no cash & no idea how to find my lodgings.

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