My Blog

Solo Travel Tips for Teenagers

Traveling alone can be scary for some teens and their parents. However, Mr. Kidney a great trainer over at Physique Personal Training in San Antonio says that it’s possible for teenagers to travel alone as long as they know what to do. Here are useful solo travel tips for teenagers.

Get Travel Advice

Before you travel, get advice when planning the trip. Ask as many questions as possible from your parents. Let them know your worries and help you address them. Get as much information about travel as possible. For instance, know the safe places for lodging at your travel destination. Also know the dangers and risks you are likely to face when traveling alone. Know places to avoid and how to get help when necessary.

Use the Social Media Wisely

Teens form a large percent of the social media users. If you are active on Facebook, Snap Chat, Instagram and Twitters, use them wisely when you travel alone. These social networks provide great ways to connect and keep in touch with friends. However, don’t use the social media to tell everybody where you are and what you are doing. Doing so can make you an easy target for bandits.

Take Personal Safety Measures

When traveling alone, you are responsible for your safety. Therefore, keep your backpack zipped. Also have a buddy system, particularly at night. Avoid illegal activities and limit your alcohol consumption. Do not go to the hotel room or home of a stranger or tell a stranger where you are staying. Spend time in safe places and don’t be quick to trust strangers.

Trust Instinct

If something doesn’t feel right, then it’s probably not right. Therefore, avoid it completely. Listen to what you feel and only do what you are comfortable with.

Have Fun

Teen travel should be fun-filled. Therefore, enjoy your time away having fun. Go snorkeling, sailing, and canyoneering. Do things that make you happy but still act responsibly.

By following these solo travel tips for teenagers, you can have an awesome experience that you will live to remember after the trip.

The Motivations of Long-Term Travel

Many people envy long-term travelers. Long-term travelers are people that are always traveling to different places. But, some people are unable to embark on long-term travel for varied reasons including work, education, and family responsibilities. But, the immense benefits of long-term travel are the key motivators that make many individuals spend much of their time traveling.

Here are the major motivations of long-term travel:

Understanding the World

Long term travel gives you many experiences that shape how you understand the world. You leave your comfort zone, face new challenges, and enjoy different experiences. You interact with people that have different perspectives and ways of life. This changes your perception towards the world and people.

Challenging the Common Norms

Common norms in most places are about being born, studying, working and retiring. They do not allow individuals to get out of the routine or do different things. When you travel, you challenge these norms. You do things that give you happiness. You challenge the norms that are concerned with money and careers.

Challenging Stereotypes

Your immediate society may have made you believe things that are not true about other people. Embarking on long-term travel enables you to spend time with the people whose stereotypes you might have heard over the years. Your experience enables you to burst some of these stereotypes on the basis of your first-hand encounter with people that practice different cultures.

Detachment from Stuffs

Sometimes you just want to detach from your immediate environment. This may include your home or workplace. When you detach from your immediate setting, you get a chance to reflect, decide what you want with life and strategize. You also get an opportunity to be away from the things that stress you in life. This enables you to lead a better, more fulfilled life upon your return.

Long-term travelers are scientists, sociologists, explorers and humans that want to live their lives to the fullest. They believe that long-term travel enables them to appreciate themselves and others, get out of their comfort zone, challenge common norms, and burst stereotypes. This shapes their understanding of the world and people.

Why Travel to Corinth Is a Walk Back To History

In ancient times, Corinth was one of the most influential city-states in Greece and the known world. But times have really changed, for the original Corinth (actually, it should be Korinthos) now lies in ruins. Some ancient cities have managed to stand the test of time and transform into modern cities. However, some, like Corinth, have collapsed and left only ruins to tell their stories about the good old days. They used to be wealthy, the poets and singers wrote beautiful titles in their honor, but all that is now irrelevant. Time and forces of nature like earthquakes and fire have ensured that the Ancient City never live to see the modern man.

Some may even say that it’s not the forces of nature, but the gods, who ganged up against the ancient Corinth. In 1858, the old city was utterly destroyed by 6.5 magnitude earthquake. The sons of men, never to be deterred, rebuilt New Corinth to the north-east of the old one. Another earthquake came in 1928 and destroyed the New Corinth too. Whatever was left of it was finally destroyed by fire in 1933. But the sons of men rebuilt it again, and now nobody knows what the gods might do next.

Archaeologists, like earthworms, now rummage through the ruins of Corinth, hoping to discover one more thing about the ancient Corinthians. Many of the excavated artifacts date from the Roman period. Indeed, it was during the period it was colonized by the Romans that Corinth experienced its highest flourishing. It was the administrative capital of Achaea, which was a Roman capital. If you are a lover of history or ancient ruins, you should travel to Ancient Corinth to tour this fallen giant. It is only about 3 KM from the modern city.

You should be able to tour the following sites:

Ancient Corinth

Anyone who goes to Corinth definitely wants to see the ancient Corinth, also known as Archaia Korinthos. The archaeologists working at the site have revealed many interesting findings. The city came under Roman rule in 146 BC. In AD 51-52, Apostle Paul of Tarshis, then already a Christian convert, preached the risen Christ to the residents of Corinth. He had a long interaction with the people of Corinth and managed to learn a lot from them on top of making many new friends. All these later inspired him to pen his masterpiece epistles, First and Second Corinthians, which are among the most influential books in the New Testament section of the bible.

The truth is, there is not much to see in what is left of the Ancient Corinth, but precious gems are remaining. A tour through the ruins will take you to what used to be the amphitheater, baths, a basilica, and a forum. You will also see the Judgment Seat, which is called Bema. It is upon this seat that Proconsul Gallio sat when he threw out the case against Apostle Paul. There is also a well-stocked museum inside the ruins. To enjoy this tour, you should remind yourself that you come to witness what was left of this mighty city, not what is being created.

Temple of Apollo

The most significant feature in Ancient Corinth is the dominant Doric Temple of Apollo, which imposingly stands on a low hill overlooking the sea. Built around 540 BC, you can only now imagine what a spectacular beauty the sailors, coming to the harbor, had to view on the horizon. Today, only seven limestone columns stand to tell the story after the devastating earthquakes. Whatever it is worth, the setting offers excellent picture opportunities and a romantic stroll in the evenings.

Bonus Tip

After touring the ruins, do not forget to cruise through the Corinth Canal in a yacht or boat. Although only about 6 KM long, it is impressive.