Do Things That Scare You

When I travel, I always try to include things that are out of my comfort zone. I find that it's something that helps me enjoy travel more and makes me want to do more things and see more places. This past trip to France, I decided to rent a car and do a road trip. At home, this is something I would normally do, but I've only driven outside the country in places like Canada and Ecuador. Europe is different, not least because the roads are much smaller.

I haven't been brave enough to drive in a country that drives on the left, but I think I could do it if I was driving in the countryside. When we were planning our trip to Scotland, we had to fly into London, change airports, and then fly to Edinburgh. We contemplated renting a car to drive to Edinburgh instead, since we were flying back to London after the wedding we were attending, but it cost twice as much to rent and drive. 

This was the walkway and street in front of our France hotel

When we got to Edinburgh and used several Ubers, I was glad I wasn't driving in the city, because everyone drove really fast and wasn't confident I could keep up while trying to see the traffic lights and watch people crossing the tiny streets. Driving in France was much like driving at home, not just because we drive on the same side, but also because most of the city driving was just getting out onto the highway or in smaller towns without much traffic.

We rented the smallest car we could, through Turo, because I needed to be able to park it everywhere. I asked a friend who owns a Smart Car how if she thought it would be a decent car for the two of us and our luggage and she was very helpful. We didn't bring much, so that helped, and I was able to stash my personal item behind my seat, since I needed to sit closer to the wheel than most people. it was also a great place to put snacks and drinks while we were doing our daily trips. 

We stayed in the Normandy region, in a tiny town called Connelles. It was 20 minutes to the nearest grocery store or restaurant, so we spent a lot of time driving on 1- or 2-lane roads through farmland. At times we either had to drive half on the shoulder to make room for a second car, or pulled over entirely when a caravan was coming and cars were parked on both sides of the street. 

Most cars were small like ours though, so that was really helpful. We were also able to park everywhere we went, because the car was tiny, although it felt very roomy and was really comfortable for long drives. 

If you're also looking to step out of your comfort zone when traveling, you don't have to take on driving in a foreign country. You can do something small and work your way up to more scary things like driving and learning to decipher street signs as you go. Here are some other things we've done to push ourselves:  

• Practiced our Spanish and French while traveling in areas where no one spoke English
• Took the bus 2 hours out of London to visit an estate that was recommended to us instead of doing a traditional tourist attraction
• Booked my own excursions though non-cruise companies when we went on a cruise
• Stored our luggage with a UPS Store in Baltimore through an app I found before I left home
• Traveled to Las Vegas on my own, the first time, to go to a convention
• Started ordering food I've never heard of before when I travel
• Went on a road trip with my mom and dog
• Took a solo road trip from Portland to Vegas and back
• Met people I only know from the internet on trips to visit their favorite restaurants, coffee shops, or bars
• Got a ride from a stranger when trying to visit distillery several miles off the main road (probably don't do this, especially if you're alone)
• Got in the ocean by myself
• Went on a snorkeling excursion in a small group of people (where I made friends with a sea turtle)
• Turned out our lamps on a cave tour and didn't die (and made a new friend - not a ghost)
• Got brave and went into the Walking Dead haunted house at Universal
• Went on a dark ride at a theme park by myself
• Explored some abandoned buildings along the Salton Sea outside of Palm Springs/Palm Desert/Indio

Eric and I at Monet's garden

I'm sure there are more things I've done that I can't think of, but it has always been a good experience when I push myself to do something I'm not entirely comfortable doing on a trip. Is it scary? Sometimes. Usually the idea is scarier than the actual thing. The point of travel is not to do the same old thing you do at home. If that were true, then you might as well just stay home. Get out, talk to people, try new things, eat weird food, and show the world that Americans are willing to immerse themselves in other cultures and not expect other countries and their people to cater to their way of life. This is the best way to learn about yourself and the world.

What are some things you've done out of your comfort zone when you've traveled?