GUIDEBOOKS
The best way to begin the process (as you simultaneously determine your goals) is by reading guidebooks on the various world destinations. As you become clearer on your specific goals, you can narrow down your choices of destinations based on the degree to which a certain place fulfills those goals.
There are different type of guidebooks published by several different companies. Each publishes has a unique style and provided different amounts and types of information.
When you begin your search you are usually not focused on a spcific place. At this stage it is best to get a general overview of a place or region of the world. As you become clearer on a specific destination, you can then move into more detailed publications which provide more practical information pertaining to your trip. A few of the guidebook publishers produce high quality books which give a general overview of a place in addition to providing high quality photographs which can help give you a good feel for a place. The Insight Guides are an excellent publication in this realm. These guides provide a strong overview of a place without distracting you with specific details which are more useful when you actually traveling in the place. Insight Guides are written on most countries and regions of the world. It is best to rent them from the library (for free), since you will not take the book with you on your trip. This saves you money (which can be used for your journey).
Once you have narrowed your search to a specific place, you are ready to graduate to a more in-depth guidebook. The best guidebooks in this realm are by far the Lonely Planet guides. These guidebooks provide all of the detailed research you need to navigate through a place. There are lonely planet guides for all navigatible countries of the world. They also produce guides for specific continents, important cities, and distinct type of travel (ex. diving and hiking guides, etc.). In addition, they produce a phrasebook for all of the languages spoken in the places addessed by their guidebooks. Both the guidebook and the phrasebook of the place you will be going should be purchased and taken along for the journey. They are invaluable and will make your journey much more efficient, safe, and fulfilling.
The process of choosing a destination requires that you simultaneously research various places as you determine your goals. There are many factors which need to be considered in determining your goals. Analyzing and making rational decisions based on these factors can make the difference between a fullfilling and safe experience, or a miserable and dangerous one.
The fundamental factors which need to be considered in choosing a destination are as follows:
Economics
Political Condition
Language
Geographic, Religious, and Cultural Sites
Climate and Weather Conditions
There are three major economic factors which need to be considered when traveling to different countries:
1. - How much money do you have?
2. - What do you want to spend your money on when you get there?
3. - How much do things cost in the place you are going?
The cost of living in a country depends on the productivity level and strength of that country's economy. The value of currencies differ relative to other countries. So, the currency of a stronger economy will have more purchasing power when used in a country with a weaker economy. The exchange rate of currency is determined by this major factor. The difference is currency value from one country to another can be significant and can make the difference between financial freedom or dispair when traveling. Since the main goal in your journey is to have as many experiences as possible, it would be easier to do that in a place where your money can buy more and be stretched further. This should therefore be a major consideration when deciding on a destination.
Another major factor which may have a significant effect on the quality of your experience is the political condition of the country you are traveling to. Political instability or turmoil can create a dangerous (possibly life-threatening) situation for the explorer. Being aware of the political condition of the place you are traveling to is a vital preparatory measure.
The political condition of a society is usually related to its economic condition. A nation which is experiencing economic turmoil is likely to simultaneously experience political turmoil. This is one of the downsides to traveling to countries with weaker economies. Although your money has greater purchasing power, there is also a greater chance that you will get it taken. The rate of thefts, scams, etc. are higher in poorer countries. In addition, there is a high level of government corruption in politically unstable countries. This decreases your level of protection and safety.
It is important to be aware of the political condition of the country you will travel to as far in advance as possible. If you study trends which have occured in the past months and years it will give you an even better idea of the potential for future problems. It is also important to be aware of the laws and the political philosophy (democracy, monarchy, communist, etc.) of the country you will visit, since you will need to follow their rules while you are there- and if you get into trouble, there is only so much your home country can do to help you. Information about the political condition of the various world countries can be obtained from you home government. In the United States, the government organization which is responsible for providing such information is the U.S. State Department.
If one of the main goals of travel is to learn about other cultures, then an ability to communicate and share information is the most direct way to achieve this. Speaking the language serves some important functions. First, it enables you to interact directly with the natives of a place. You are then more likely to be included in their social functions. You gain a much deeper understanding of the cultutre in this way. Secondly, it enables you to obtain and communicate necessary information (health/safety, transportation, and other related issues).
As mentioned earlier, one of the most important things you want to do in preparing to explore a foreign place is eliminate as many risk factors as possible. If you can't communicate in a foreign land you will feel alienated and lost. You will be less safe since you can't easily obtain precautionary information or get help when a problem situation arises. Even with a good phrasebook, it is difficult to communicate effectively without extensive experience with the language.
Therefore, it is highly suggested that you learn as much of the main language of a place before going there. Although this is a task which requires considerable time and effort, it will pay off. Since your journey is an exploration of both the external and internal worlds, learning the language is part of the internal (knowledge) quest, and therefore another step in your personal evolutionary process.
Now there are several factors which should be considered in choosing a language. The first is related to reading. It is easier to read and comprehend the words and phrases of a language than it is to directly speak them. The reason for this is that when you see the language, it is easier to understand the context of the words in the sentences. you also have more time to figure them out because you can look at the words for a longer period of time then during the fleeting moments of speech. In addition, reading is a more effective way of learning the language to begin with. Once you gain an understanding of the basic elements of the language, reading easy children's (and then gradually more complex) literature will increase your retention rate significantly.
This leads into the second factor which deals with the alphabet. There are many different languages spoken on the earth (not to mention the dead ones), and many different alphabets to symbolize the sounds in those languages. The differences in the pronuncations and scripts between the different languages can be dramatic, and it is often difficult for a non-native speaker to pronounce certain sounds from a foreign language. So, if you are considering traveling to a place which uses a foreign alphabet in addition to a foreign language, then there is an additional major obstacle which will make communication more difficult, decrease the enjoyment of you experience, and increase your overall risk level. So, it is strongly suggested that you choose a destination where the native language at least uses the same alphabet as your original language. If you must go to a place where the alphabet is foreign, it is strongly suggested that you begin studying the language a few years before taking the trip.
There are different methods to use in learning a foreign language. One way is to buy (or rent from the library) a self-study language book. I recommend buying one, since it is much easier to learn the language if you can write in the book. If you study a language on your own, there is less stress put on you than if you were to take a class. You can also get audio tapes which have native speakers speaking the language. This allows you to learn the pronunciation more efficiently. The downside to self-study is that you don't have a live person to speak to, and there is no pressure for you to endure the more complicated areas of the language (ex. grammar). The second option is to enroll in a language course (high school, college, community center). You pay a tuition fee for the course, which pays for books, knowledge of the teacher, and interaction (speaking practice) with other members of the class. Languages classes are also given in their native-speaking countries (immersion courses). These courses are more expensive because the tuition includes travel, room, and board expenses. An immersion course puts you right in the culture of the language, enabling you to practice in a real life situation. The downside to the immersion course if the high cost, but you also get to travel in the process - and that has great value too.
GEOGRAPHIC, RELIGIOUS, AND CULTURAL SITES
Another factor which should be considered when deciding on a destination is whether there are any specific sites and/or events you would like to see/experience. Certain sites can only be found in a few places (or only one place). Some geographical conditions are only present in certain climates and regions. Religious temples and ceremonies may only be found in the places where those belief systems are followed. So, when considering your destination it is important to figure out which sites you want to see and then consider which destinations will provide those.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
The climate and weather can have several effects on your travel experience. For instance, if you go to a place which has an extreme climate and/or weather conditions (ex. very hot/cold, rainy/snowy) you will need to take more gear and clothing with you. This will put more size and effort demands on you and your luggage, and cause more stress during the trip. However, we are often attracted to certain destinations BECAUSE of extreme climate and/or weather conditions (ex. skiing destinations), and so there is a tradeoff.
As you simultaneously analyze these factors and answer these questions, you will eventually narrow your destination options down to one choice. In the process you will also have gained enough knowledge about this place to move onto the next step - where you decide on a course to take when you get there.