Traveling is an awesome and fulfilling experience. Although it may not always be smooth, the experiences along the way – good or bad – will help you learn better about the world at large and in smaller details. And besides, the world is too beautiful, wonderful and exciting to stay in one place, right?
Passionate about flying and travel? Then check out the other interesting facts about traveling that may further fuel your wanderlust!
1) The pilot and the co-pilot should not eat the same type of meals at the same time.
Food and flying a plane? That sounds so far-fetched at first, but there is actually a connection between the two. A calm and smooth flight is the key to the safety and security of the airline passengers and crew. So in order to achieve that, the flight crew sticks to specific rules and regulations. One of the rules is that the two pilots should eat different meals while on the job. There’s a sound reason for that: if one of the pilots get sick as a result of eating a certain type of meal (which has gone bad, obviously), the other pilot would take control of the plane.
2) Aviation travel is the safest mode of transport in the world.
This comes as a complete surprise to many. Yes, there may be high-profile accidents and incidences such as the recent disappearance of Malaysian Airlines. People may find aviation safety as open to question and debate, but the statistics otherwise do not lie. Only .24 of every one million departures resulted in a fatal crash, totaling just 761 deaths. It means that the airplane is still the safest means of mass transportation. This is a stark contrast to traveling on the road – about 1.3 million people die in vehicular accidents every year!
3) Scientific research shows that traveling can improve health and happiness.
Those travel junkies surely know how fun, exciting and fulfilling travel can be. And now there are scientific pieces of evidence which prove that traveling can be beneficial to our overall health and well-being. Traveling more frequently can bring positive emotions, help in lowering down stress levels and the risk of heart disease, and help in improving our social skills and relationships.
If you combine travel and exercise together, the better! Even small workouts while on the road will do additional wonders to your health. Check out “Fitness for Travelers: The Ultimate Workout Guide for the Road” to bring fitness activities to your travel agenda.
4) Travel is not always expensive.
You wish to explore far-flung places that you’ve never been to, but you are cowered by the thought that traveling may be too expensive. Well, you are not alone. Money is the main reason why people think they cannot afford to travel. While travel may cost you considerably, it is not always very expensive. There are many airlines with affordable flights and travel agencies that offer cheap tickets and discounted airfares. You can choose hotels that offer incredible discounts, or better yet, opt to stay in hostels (which are definitely cheaper than hotels). The trade-off, though, is that cheaper flights mean slower travel, but you will eventually get the hang of it. Just don’t be picky when it comes to choosing flights and destinations that will match your budget.
5) Jet lag is worse when traveling from west to east.
Every flyer feels jet lag once in a while. But have you noticed that you feel the worse jet lag after flying from west to east than the other way around? And why is that so?
It’s because of our natural cycle of sleeping and waking up (the full cycle is actually 24.5 hours, not 24 hours). Jet lag feels less bad when flying from east to west because this direction means longer hours to our days, which give our bodies plenty of time to adjust. Flying from west to east, on the other hand, shortens our day, making our bodies slower and harder to adapt.
6) The most-visited country in the world (and the least visited)
What’s the most visited country in the world? Yes, your guess is as good as mine — it’s France! A staggering 82 million visit this famous European country every year, despite its reputation as an expensive travel destination. A visit to Paris, known for its famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, is a dream come true for many! Other popular cities include Cannes and Bordeaux.
The least visited country is Kiribati, which is one of the poorest countries in the world. This Micronesian island state receives only about 6,000 tourists a year. This is a good option if you want a quiet beach holiday (Kiribati has seriously good beaches).
7) The most visited city in the world?
Even though France is the most visited country, Paris does not even come close to the world’s most visited city. Bangkok in Thailand, takes the top spot, followed by London, England.
8) The perfect travel destination for introverts and extroverts
This is one really unusual but cool fact: introverts tend to prefer mountainous locations, while extroverts love going to the beaches. That may explain there are more wild parties in Phuket than in Mount Everest.