Ever thought of travelling for a while?

I've been traveling "for a while" for the last 4 1/2 years now :p Yes, out did mean packing in the job back in the UK, but that was a relief in the end. Since then I've managed a bar, run a hostel, taught English to adults in private schools and university, part-written a phrase book and have a weird job involving transcribing videos of car reviews.

Zero desire to head home any more.
 
I love city breaks. But the thought of being away from my own home for more than 4-5 nights? No thanks. No appeal whatsoever. Backpacking for months on end through countries where I didn't speak the language would be one of my worst nightmares.

Fair play to people who do it and enjoy it though. Great. It's just not for everyone.
 
I am reaching the end of my working life and have a bit put aside.

If I lived in the USA I would be happy to get one of these and spend the next 20 years or so just touring the mid west.

Unfortunately, Living in the UK, this option isn't really available :(
 
I've only ever done a three week stint around Europe doing hostels, campsites, hotels, a chalet and a b and b. Started off with 4 guys and a car and we picked one more up in Italy halfway through. It was amazing. I would say though that if you do go with other people, try to make sure that there's times when you're doing something by yourself as opposed to always being with your group.
 
I don't even like going on holiday lol.

Travelling doesn't appeal to me whatsoever.

I still go on holiday as the wife and kids do enjoy it, but if I didn't have to I wouldn't.
 
10-15 years ago maybe, never got round to it though, didn't fancy trolling around phony tanned up superficial people on my own, but something did appeal about it.
 
Travelling for 'a while' is one of the biggest cliches of the Western young adult. It can be fun anf it can be a nightmare. It can be enlightening or an utter waste of time(usually the latter).

You can meet new people, do new things, explore new cultures anywhere, including in the vecinity of your home. But that wouldn't be much of a dream huh?
 
I turned down the cliche trip to Far-east > Australia etc, etc for a year when i was in my early 20s.
As Zethor said im sure it can be a life changing experience. Half of the people i know that have done it, come back as complete Acoustic guitar strumming, no shoe wearing, bee keeping "douchenags"

I really don't see it as a big deal now in 2017. 20 or 30 years ago sure it would be a bit more exciting, now you just go online click a few buttons, flight itinerary made, check a few review sites, pick cliche packet of cuddling tigers, AK47s in Vietnam, 3 months picking fruit in Australia. Yeah be worshipped as a Westerner in some poor 3rd world Asian slum countries where they love you for the dollars you carry and only your cheap drug addled inhibitions stop you from the pleasure of the company of FiFi the ladyboy's warm embrace......

For a lot of people is the final fling of teenagehood, before growing up, getting married and ultimately losing your life to parenthood.

As long as you are NOT a parent you can do anything you want when you want.
 
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The_Abyss said:
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.
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This...short and sweet...to the point.

Ive travelled a bit. 4months and then 3 weeks with my partner before we found out we were pregnant this time last year...this time last year id just comeback from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Dubai...loved it...opened my partners eyes to new cultures.

I understand everyone is different, but i feel some people are so blinkered to whats going on here and social media etc. That we lose sight that there is so much more out there.

If i had it my way, id travel 6 months of the year to every corner of the world and embrace it all...its just too unrealistic and expensive.

But go, you wont regret it. You really wont....i have lasting memories, every day i can think of places ive been and experiences and smile :-)
 
Best years of my life were spent traveling I would highly recommend it to everyone exploring new countrys & cultures, meeting people from all walks of life was an amazing experience.
 
I took a year out to travel, did a big bike trip from London to China which I used to post on here.

I really love to travel and have recently made a career change from software engineer to helping run a niche travel agency. I'm away for about four months of the year in various places and it works great for me :).
 
If you can afford it then i'd recommend it.

Though theres a difference between travelling and just living in a foreign country for a while.
 
I did it back in 2008. Only had enough for probably 4-6 months. I had a laid out ticket around the world with certain dates booked but then it all got changed after a few events during the Australia leg and then finding work in New Zealand. Ended up staying away from home for 19 months until I finally had to come home and pay some of the bills I had racked up.

Hong Kong > Thailand > Singapore > Australia > New Zealand > Fiji > New Zealand > Australia > New Zealand > Japan > New Zealand > Thailand > Laos > Thailand > Malaysia > :( Home

Travelled alone the whole time, met some amazing friends along the way, worked for 6 months in New Zealand, had some crazy experiences both good and bad, lived as a pauper and as a king.

2 years later I did another brief stint in South America after winning a trek from one of those online websites so enjoyed 3 weeks between Peru and Ecuador which was equally as interesting but with less fun as it was a tour bus with some real saps on board.

Now that I have a family I do miss it but also now just enjoy 2 weeks somewhere every few years all inclusive haha.
 
I'm similar to some mentioned on here. I like the idea of travelling but have no desire to stay in hostels, backpack it etc i'd rather do it with money in the bank and stay in nice hotels and enjoy a bit of luxury on my holidays.

Most of my friends aren't the same though and are happy to sleep in a tent if need be :p
 
Slumming it is very much a part of the experience for me, I met many amazing people who I'm still in touch with while staying in $3/night guesthouses. Even stayed with one of them last time I was back in London.

But I do get that it isn't for everyone. I probably wouldn't do it the same way now, but it was awesome when I was 18.
 
Travelling for the sake of doing so holds no appeal to me anymore. Throughout my 20s I've been to enough places to realize that it's really just the backdrop changing.

But I constantly consider taking a year or two off work just to sleep late, take up a new hobby, play through my backlog of games and learn a new marketable skill and work a very part time job that requires no brainpower but some public interfacing. I have my reasons for that.

I absolutely have the means to do so yet social conditioning keeps me on the hamster wheel. Classic case of the 'just one more year' sickness. The more money I save/make the more greedy I become. It's a shame really but will probably stand my in good stead in the future. I've all but decided to move back to the UK at some point in the next 5 years and then I can recommence my weekends in Europe lifestyle. That'll be enough for me as far as 'travelling' goes
 
I don't understand why the people that want to travel so much don't get into a job which requires travel. You get decent flights/hotels and get paid to do it. A lot of jobs, especially sales, require international travel.

That's what I did anyway and I've travelled to over 30 countries before I was 30. I take holiday if I get to go somewhere real nice or use lieu days acquired from the flights and add it to part of the trip.
 
Nanoman said:
I don't understand why the people that want to travel so much don't get into a job which requires travel. You get decent flights/hotels and get paid to do it. A lot of jobs, especially sales, require international travel.

That's what I did anyway and I've travelled to over 30 countries before I was 30. I take holiday if I get to go somewhere real nice or use lieu days acquired from the flights and add it to part of the trip.
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I know someone who has visited pretty much every major city in the world but has seen none of them, just hotel rooms and airports. :(

I've never really had the urge to go travelling, don't really like holidays either tbh guess I like my home comforts too much. :o
 
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