Ever thought of travelling for a while?

redrabbit29

redrabbit29

redrabbit29

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My friend has a secure and just above average paid job. He has just put his house up for rent for £850 a month and has gone off travelling.

He has an open ticket with a loose plan of a years duration. When I met him before hand he said (loosely) that he's open to several years travel depending on money.

The house he has put on to rent is clearing around £300 more than his mortgage. So he's not got much but is working as he goes along depending on location.

He's starting in Dubai but the main trip begins in Asia where he plans to spend around 3 months there. Then onto Australia. He plans another 4-6 months there and on again.

Easy to get caught up in the dream ...
 
Even when I was younger and had fewer responsibilities the thought of travelling just never appealed. I think it's one of those things where you absolutely want to do it or it holds no appeal at all.
 
I've considered something similar, my workplace allows up to 6 months foreign teaching as a sabbatical, so would be fun.
 
I've met people whilst out in Asia who make this kind of thing work. It's not for me, but if he's enterprising and likeable he shouldn't find any problems finding some work out there to keep him buoyant.

I think there are even websites out there where you can work for free accommodation or something.... some French girls told me last year whilst I was in Laos.
 
[FnG]magnolia;30442040 said:
Even when I was younger and had fewer responsibilities the thought of travelling just never appealed. I think it's one of those things where you absolutely want to do it or it holds no appeal at all.
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First person I've ever heard "say" that. Seriously
 
Travelling is overrated. How many of this generation would bother doing it if they couldn't boast about it on twitter/facebook.
 
Went away for just under 6 months in 2012 alone. I wouldn't change it for the world. The people you meet and things you see/do each and every day is incredible.
I found my mindset becoming so relaxed with zero worries or pressure after about 3 months in, what I'd do to have that level of relaxation every day with no money worries, work pressures etc.

One thing I owe to travelling is the fact that I'd probably still be sat in my old job with zero satisfaction. Within 3 weeks of returning to the office after sabbatical and thinking "**** this!!!", I got myself a new job and had handed my notice in.

Good on your friend, he'll have so many stories to tell :D
 
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I'd like to travel, but I would need bundles of money as I couldn't do it like the backpack generation. The thought of staying in hostels in strange countries has no appeal whatsoever. Or working for free digs. I'd rather my own comfy home. If I did it, it would have to be hotels and lodges, things like that, so I would need bundles of dough.
 
norm said:
Travelling is overrated. How many of this generation would bother doing it if they couldn't boast about it on twitter/facebook.
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Pretty much everyone?

Everyone I know who has travelled (myself included) actually avoided social media altogether whilst away.

It's about experiencing different cultures, meeting new people and having loads of fun. You can't do that whilst staring at your phone.

Being disconnected is actually part of what makes it so great.
 
norm said:
Travelling is overrated. How many of this generation would bother doing it if they couldn't boast about it on twitter/facebook.
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Not all of us share everything on facebook, i travel for me...not for you.

How do people learn without appreciating different cultures, cities, landscapes and people?

Maybe half of the problems we have in the UK could be resolved if people just got away from a narrow minded view and opened their eyes
 
I love travelling, it's the best education you can get, i love seeing different cultures etc, to be fair, i'm not that well travelled yet, but i intend on catching up. I've only really started travelling abroad in the last three years (apart from Ibiza and Majorca in my early twenties).

In the last three years though, i've driven to Barcelona, Paris and Bruges, Paris (disneyland with my kids) again and Normandy this year. I've been to New Zealand to get married, Sydney for new year and Dubai. Then i went to Italy last april (lake garda and Venice). Ibiza at the end of summer. I'm currently in New Zealand again until next Wednesday, then i'll be in Bangkok for a week after that.

When we move to New Zealand at the end of this year, i'll be looking at holidays in Fiji, Hawaii and more of Austrlia, then further to the far east as they are all easier to reach from this side :D
 
norm said:
Travelling is overrated. How many of this generation would bother doing it if they couldn't boast about it on twitter/facebook.
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Yes and no. It was popular amongst the well heeled in times gone by to do a "Grant Tour" of Europe in their early adulthood. It was a sort of rite of passage/cultural education/gap yah sort of thing that has now exploded in scale thanks to cheap travel. Point is, this went on long before social media, the internet, or even the United States was founded.
 
It's a vital life experience. We sometimes host people in exchange for food and board. Usually students but sometimes you get an older person just taking a year off. Get the odd lazy sod who wants to do nothing but lounge in the sun or just moves at a snails pace, but for the most part it's been a success. Probably do it again this summer. .
 
I've visited a huge number of countries and would consider myself well travelled. However, I thought the OP was talking about pack up the job, go travelling for 2 years, then get another job type of 'travelling'. That's what holds no interest for me.
 
I'd advocate travelling to everyone. I was fortunate enough to do most of mine in my late 20s as part of my employment, and it opens your eyes to other places, cultures, opinions, behaviours and attitudes. I'm far more tied to the UK these days but still travel to somewhere new when I can. It is a big world out there, and a very short life in which to experience it.
 
Travelling with a backpack through hostels is great fun and would thoroughly recommend it to any youth but it's certainly not always relaxing... I can't think of anything worse to do as a 'holiday' on a shoestring if you spend most of your days slaving away.

Also there are pros and cons of doing it alone or not. Choosing a good travel buddy isn't as easy as just going with a mate - you have to complement each other on a certain level and be very tolerant of each other or you'll peeve each other off as you never leave their side pretty much. There is the Pro of always having someone with you to share you adventures and be in your corner. But travelling alone you can dump all your baggage and be whoever you want which is very intimidating but leads to some ridiculous situations. By baggage I suppose I mean, in respect of myself, that within certain groups I play up on my 'character' subconsciously and everyone knows who you are and what you've done. Oh the insane mischief I have got up to previously - some very very tall tales :eek: :D

The flip side is travelling by yourself can be really, really crap if it goes to pot or you get ill / in trouble. Character building to say the least.

I'd say travel alone at least once but travelling with a friend is better on balance.
 
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