One factor that might keep you from independent travel within your country or independent travel throughout the world is fear of certain types of transport.  Transport phobias and anxiety are not limited to fear of flying, either - you might have a fear of car trips, train trips, or bus rides.  

These kinds of fears of independent travel can be difficult to overcome, but they are not insurmountable obstacles.  A key point to remember is that fear comes from ignorance, meaning a lack of first-hand knowledge of the subject you fear (not a lack of intelligence). For example,  you might have a fear of trains or subways based on watching old movies about New York City from the 1970s or 1980s, when train cars were covered in graffiti and supposedly populated by evil characters around every corner.  It doesn’t take much internet research to find out that not only are New York trains cleaner and safer than they used to be, but train travel is statistically safer and easier in many parts of the world than traveling by car.  

If you have a fear of driving or taking a long car trip, try to determine your true fear.  Are you worried about your vehicle breaking down in a remote area?  Look into getting roadside assistance or insurance for your trip.  Do everything you can to prepare your vehicle for a trip, from putting air in the tires to getting the oil changed.  Think about the type of terrain you’ll be driving through (mountains, desert, urban areas, etc.), and map out ahead of time the cities or areas where you might be able to find help if you need it.   Do you suffer from vehicular claustrophobia and don’t like the feeling of being enclosed in a vehicle for long periods of time?  Plan to break up your trip into shorter periods of driving with enjoyable stops in between.  If the weather allows it, open your sunroof or windows.  See if you can rent a convertible, which may even be a similar price to other types of car rentals.  Learn to ride a motorcycle if you feel called to do so (yes, people learn to do this at all ages).   

If you’re an infrequent flier taking a much longer flight than you usually might, visualize your journey.  Find out the type of plane you’ll be riding on, and get a map of your departure airport(s) ahead of time to so that you’ll feel less anxious about arriving at the gate.  12-hour international flights can sound very daunting to someone who has only ever taken a 3-hour domestic flight -  you might picture domestic flights with narrow legroom and no beverage service.  Quite often, airlines that specialize in longer international or transoceanic flights are in fact quite good at making passengers feel comfortable, even if you’re not flying first class.  They often offer additional food, beverage, and entertainment options for all passengers.  

You can learn more about overcoming transport fears and phobias by registering here to receive the completely FREE Top 11 Travel Health and Safety Myths and later on, further instructions on how to register for the Independent Travel Demystified course.  Happy travels, and ZING!