GO GO GLOBAL GRINGO!: Go Go Global Gringo Travel Pro-Tip: How To Get Stuck

Following up on my three-part post on getting stuck on the island of Lembongan in Bali, Indonesia, I figured I would share my insights on how to get stuck somewhere, even if you're not planning on it. Here's how!

There are worse places in the world to be stuck...

Disclaimer: This type of traveling isn't for everybody. If you're the type of person that needs to have a more structured plan, this type of traveling might not be for you, but that's okay! Different strokes for different folks. However, this guide could also help you should a situation arise where your plans go wrong and you're forced to improvise.

Arrive With No Fixed Plan

Sunsets like this are an addiction

Forget booking hotels weeks in advance. Forget long-term reservations. Hell, even forget doing much research before hand. Instead, arrive at a destination with a clean slate. There's nothing wrong with going somewhere on a recommendation or quickly reading about it beforehand, but if you're really looking to get stuck somewhere, you're better going in with no expectations beforehand.

Otherwise, you risk arriving on a small island, or charming mountain resort only to realize you don't like it. By this point, though, you've already committed yourself to a week-long stay that you can't get out of. Booking one night in a hotel or simply showing up and looking for accommodation keeps you from making a commitment you can't get out of.

Be Prepared To Spend A Little Time Tweaking Your Stay

Planning in advance takes time. You do research on your destination, you spend days looking for flights/tickets, and you take hours skimming through hotel reviews looking for that perfect spot to stay at. When you're going to get stuck, you might have to do some planning, but in this case, it's a little different.

An island like this could inadvertently become your new home

Once you've landed at your destination, give yourself at least a night and a morning to determine if you like it or not. This is the real 'go with your gut' moment where you need to put aside your rationality and listen to what your senses. Do you like where you're at right now? Are you feeling the vibe of your surroundings? Are you interested in discovering more about where you're at or does this place bore you? Does it smell funny? Depending on how you answer these questions, will determine your next course of action.

In short: If you don't like where you're at: leave at your earliest convenience. There's no point in sticking around some place you don't like, wasting your time and money. If you do have a good feeling, either extend your hotel for another night (or more) or look for another place that better suits your fancy.

Keeping Extra Cash On You Could Be Beneficial

We in the West and the developed world have become accustomed to paying for our goods and services with plastic. Cards are so widely accepted (albeit not as much as you'd expect in Belgium...more on that in another travel pro-tip post) that we often overlook the fact that there are many places in the world where cash is the only way to pay your way.

Bring enough moula to make it rain.

This is why, when traveling the undeveloped and developing world, it's always a good idea to keep an extra buffer of cash in the local currency. You might very well wind up stuck at some place that's very remote. There may or may not be an ATM and it may or may not accept your card. That extra cash will come in handy by giving you a time buffer so that you can remain stuck longer than expected. Additionally, you might not be able to use that credit card of yours at hotels or restaurants. That big wad of cash in your wallet will save you the hassle and anxiety of worrying about money.

Also, make sure you're carrying your buffer cash in the local currency. While it's always a good idea to have a safety net of US dollars in your possession, chances are, the more remote you are, the more it will cost you to convert it. Keep those USD for when it counts!

Find out why writing on your money is a bad idea. Click here to see my travel pro-tip.

Forget About Getting Stressed About Tomorrow

You should only be thinking about whether or not you want another coffee
after breakfast (the answer is yes).

So you've gotten yourself stuck...congratulations! You're now living in the day-to-day and are fully immersing yourself in whichever surroundings you've chosen. However, years of living in the real world have filled you with a false sense of urgency coupled with a mildly nagging case of anxiety. Don't feel bad about it, it happens to practically everyone, this gringo included. That doesn't mean it's right though!

The trick to fully enjoying yourself is to switch gears in your mindset. This goes down to living in the moment and taking things for how they are right there and then. This might be knocking on the door of some Buddhist principles, but there's some truth in it. When it boils down, there's nothing to worry about and it's all but normal that time slows down and the majority of your urges tell you to ignore that voice in your head telling you to make a plan. Listen to your heart and your gut and tell that stress to cram it with walnuts.

Accept That Plans Can Change, And That's Alright

Last but not least, the crux to getting stuck is accepting that you can just as easily get unstuck. Plans can and do change and it's important to accept that you might wind up moving just as quickly as you arrived. Maybe you heard about another place you'd like to check out. Maybe you met some new people and want to continue your journey with them. Maybe you just feel like it's time to go and don't want to wait another day to find out if that's the right decision or not. In any case, if you're planning to get stuck, then changing your plans shouldn't pose much of burden to you.

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