So, You Want to Travel the World?

It wasn’t until I was 18 years old that I really became interested in world travel.  My motivation to travel wasn’t to explore the world or to broaden my horizons.  I had different reasons to want to trek halfway around the globe; a girl.  With my teenage hormones in overdrive, I promised myself that I would save enough money for a plane ticket so that I could sweep the girl of my dreams off her feet and live happily ever after.

It never happened.  It wasn’t for lack of desire but instead, like most people who never traverse the globe, I made excuses about why I couldn’t.  I couldn’t get away from work and even if I could, I didn’t have the money to afford to travel around Europe.  I continued to perpetuate this myth in my mind until the days since I had last seen her turned into years.  When I finally did see her again, I realized that we were no longer the burning flame of lust and passion we had once been.  Time and distance had changed us.  None the less, we remain friends to this day and for that I am grateful.

This is not a story of lost love or teenage angst.  Instead, I want to share with you some insight I have gained since the time I filled my mind with excuses why I couldn’t travel to a time when I can’t find a reason not to.

I want to mention that not everyone has an interest in traveling.  Some people could care less about being in unfamiliar places, amongst unfamiliar cultures & eating unfamiliar cuisine.  That is okay.  I may not be interested in some of the things that you find to be immensely enjoyable.  Our differences contribute to the wonderul diversity of this world.  For those people who have ever wanted to travel the world, this is for you!

Stop using money as an excuse not to travel!  As a matter of fact, stop making any excuse for why you can’t travel.  If you think about something long enough, or hard enough, you can be certain that you will always find a reason not to do something.  In our minds we tell ourselves that a trip to China is too expensive but how do you know?  Have you ever taken the time to check the price of a plane ticket to Beijing?  It might surprise you at how affordable international airfare can be.

Accomodations can be as affordable or as expensive as you would like them to be.  The mistake that most people make when traveling is that they don’t shop around for the best deals.  We prefer convenience and we pay for it.  Take the time to search for local hotels in the area you will be staying.  More often than not, rates are comparable to the smaller hotels found in the United States.  When my girlfriend and I stayed in Aruba, our rooms were about $75 a night compared to the hundreds or even thousands that the larger hotels charged.  A two week vacation, including airfare and hotel accomodations cost me approximately $1,200.  Not bad for “the most expensive island in the Carribean”.

An option that I don’t think many people consider when traveling overseas is camping or hosteling.  These are bare bones operations, and for people who can’t camp without an RV, these are probably not viable options.  Something that is on my wishlist is a compact tent which is small enough to fit into my backpack, or at least be small enough to be portable.  I’ve heard that many cities in Europe have parks where people can pitch a tent for the night.  That is something I look forward to doing someday; getting on the Eurorail traveling from country to country, sleeping in a tent in an old city.

While I have stayed at multiple hostels in the United States, I’ve never done so outside of the country.  I would expect the conditions to be relatively similar to what I experienced in the United States; a bunk bed in a dormatory setting and a common bathroom area.  For about $35 a night, it isn’t a bad trade off.

Maybe you don’t feel like you have the time for a trip around the world.  My advice is simple; make time.  If something is important enough, you will find a way to make it happen, even if that means leaving the office for a week to spend some time in a foreign country.  It is so convenient to convince ourselves that there is no time for a trip, that our work is too important to step away from.  There is time, and your job will not self-destruct without your constant monitoring.

It is important to take a break every now and again.  I’m not saying you need to quit your job entirely and travel the world.  What I am saying is to just make time for other things in life.  If travel is something that you have always wanted to do, start planning today.  Schedule your vacation for next Spring.  Time is more precious than any amount of money and is the only thing in life that we can never get back.  Don’t take it forgranted.  Use it to your advantage.

What else is there?  If you stop using money and time as an excuse, what are we left with?  Your neighbors can watch the dog.  Your mother-in-law can water your plants.  You can hire the neighbor kid to mow the lawn.  Send the kids to Grandma’s house or better yet, take them with you!  Immerse them in the beauty of our world and show them the possibilities that exist outside of the borders of their own country.

Most of all, have fun!  Traveling the world is a great experience and you learn so much in doing so.  Don’t try to plan every moment, take time to relax and absorb the world around you.  This is your time, you’ve earned it.  Enjoy!