Everyday millions of people travel, yet a few would relish it as a hobby. Travelling has more risks than pleasures. It is a great health hazard. In certain countries medical care is prohibitively expensive, while in some others it is less than sophisticated.
A tourist may have some knowledge of the countries. During early 1970’s there were forty deaths due to malaria in West Germany, thirty of them involved were tourists.
Similarly, five Austrian tourists returning from a safari tour in East Africa died after being treated fro influenza. In both cases the patient died because no doctor could think that they suffered from malaria.
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Many disease are contracted following insect bites particularly in tropical countries. Mosquitoes are carriers of a number of infections, sand flies can transmit fever. Hence, a tourist will have to be aware of the different disease prevalent in different countries.
As one is not familiar with the ways of life in other countries one makes a fool of oneself. What our Englishman or our American may have thought of the Indian marriage procession band, bridegroom and the followers one can easily guess. Similarly, an Indian who sees the American girls dating will think that there is moral perversion in the U.S.A.
In a foreign country there are many that offends the eyes, offends our moral sense things and offends our tastes. When a vegetarian discovers pork, beef, mutton and chicken on dining table he feels out of sorts. Similarly a non-vegetarian considers vegetarian diet nothing more than herbs, grass and green leaves fit to be eaten by animals alone.
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Language is one of the greatest barriers to communication. When we do not understand other, we do not enjoy a trip to an alien land. Sitting silently in one of the berths of a railway compartment without exchanging notes with the co-passengers is something strange for an average Indian. You can talk to yourself but that does not give what we need for an overseas tour. Even if you know their language you do not feel at home.
A story is told of a Sardarji settled in London; that once he picked a quarrel with an Englishman; some person intervened and
pacified; after retracing a few steps the sardaiji came back and abused the Englishman in Punjabi. When a fellow passenger asked the sardaiji as to why he did abuse in Punjabi, the Englishman who does not understand the language”. The Sardaiji replied, that abusing in English did not give him satisfaction”. One’s mother tongue has a charm for him.
Some say we come broad-minded by travelling abroad. We get the knowledge of those things which we do not need in our own country. Foreign customs, foreign clothes and foreign friends are not adjustable with our own life. So travelling abroad may have some advantages for some but I do not gain any advantage.