Your hometown or the rest of the world? That is the question. Every single year, trying to decide between saving a bit of cash and rediscovering your hometown or satisfying the never-ending wanderlust can be a real challenge. The problem is they both have some pretty serious pros and cons. Sometimes it is fine to save the money and not worry about getting lost in a new city, but sometimes you just desperately need a change of scenery. Here are a few pros and cons to help you to get through the decision making process.
Paperwork
Staying in your hometown requires absolutely no paperwork. Hitting up Europe or the USA requires a visa waiver or visa, such as those on this website, so the paperwork is unavoidable. In addition, you are going to want some travel insurance as well, because something inevitably goes wrong when you travel abroad. If you are allergic to paperwork and bureaucracy, you are not going to get very far afield. On the plus side, it is not as if you have to write an essay about your background or provide references for the privilege of international travel.
Money
Obviously, staying home and watching Netflix is far cheaper than heading off on an adventure. If you are trying to watch the pennies, a staycation is the perfect balance of relaxation and saving. Flights, hotels, spending money, and even the cost of meals can really start to add up. It is far cheaper to stay home and eat from a different takeaway each night to save money. However, there just is not the same sense of adventure.
Culture
Chances are you know the culture of your hometown inside out. However, when was the last time you visited the historical or cultural quarter and looked at it through a tourist’s eyes? The thing about a staycation is that it is the perfect opportunity for you to revisit everything you take for granted and fall back in love with your city. Nevertheless, the jury is still out on whether that is a valid alternative to an international adventure. There is no parallel to visiting a new country, a new culture, and experiencing their history and their lifestyle.
Food
While you are at home, you will cook the same meals, eat the same takeout, and shop at the same food shops. When you are away, you are forced out of that comfort zone and forced to try new foods and flavors. Pushing yourself out of this comfort zone is essential to your sense of adventure. So, if you do decide on a staycation, at least try cooking something new or ordering from a new takeaway. In addition, if you decide to travel internationally, try every single cuisine you can – it is a once in a lifetime experience of new smells and flavors.
New experiences
The whole point of travel is getting new experiences, and you just cannot do that from the comfort of your own city. From home, there are no risks, there is no excitement, and there are no new death-defying feats. Experiencing new things is part of what develops our character and us as a person.
In conclusion, staycations are amazing if you are trying to save cash and relax, but there is nothing on earth like the excitement and adventure of international travel.