I'm tired of people saying, "You're so lucky, Tanmaya. You travel so much!" Here's the blunt truth- I'm not lucky. You're lazy. You've so throughly resigned to the rut of your routine, that you've started finding it comfortable. You even go on to make silly excuses to justify your lethargy. "I don't have the money." Really, now? Tell me which ever city you live in and I'll tell you at least 5 day trips that you can make with a frugal budget. Your lack of finances is rooting from your unwillingness to save or a difference of priorities. If my news feed is full of pictures of you drinking at a new bar every week, I'm sorry, I don't see the poverty line you're living under. "I don't have the time." Now this one may he genuinely true for some extremely busy people, but for most people I know, it's again a sad excuse exposing their inability to manage time efficiently. You shake that procrastination off and you'll find the time. I promise. Traveling doesn't need any resource more than it needs your willingness. If you want to go places, just leave! It's really that simple.
Lol. That's right! Nobody should attempt to make you feel guilty about living life the way you want because you are doing it for yourself without making anyone else responsible for your life. People who say things like that don't realize that actually they are doing exactly what they want to do with their time and money. Really deep down they don't want to travel. "The hand does not reach for what the heart does not desire" So they should as you say be content or make a plan. Happy travelling.
I think people always make the excuse of not having money to travel, but there are many ways to do it without going bankrupt. As you said, you have to save and make traveling a priority because after all our experiences are all we take with us. Other common excuse is "I don't have time," but there's always time to enjoy. Life is too short and we have to live it the best way possible!
Most people equate 'travel' with going to see the Eiffel Tower or Times Square. Travel is a state of mind. One can travel from one's own couch too Until I was 21, I hadn't travelled much. I had a hunger to see the world, and I travelled to the US and Europe. I saw many major sights, some other sights, picked up a bit of German and French, made new friends. And then I realized that there were so many places in my own hometown that I knew nothing about. I did not know the history of my own home! I had no idea about how people in a neighboring state lived. The realization was profoundly belittling. I felt like a tiny, tiny person. I resolved to journey into my land's history and heritage. These days, I do most of my travelling from my couch. I read up on the history and sociology of a place, it's geographical landscape and its people. I make plans to travel based on what I read. So when I visit the place, I have so much to learn from it. This kind of travelling satisfies me immensely. I don't need money to read - I need a (relatively cheap) internet connection and a library membership card. I don't need much money to take a bus and walk to a ruined temple 10 km from my house. I have a full time job. I do this because I love doing this. And I love that I can do what I love, if that makes sense. So I do think we travellers are lucky. We are lucky because we make time for it :-D
Starting in 2012, we travel to other countries at least twice a year. We are not rich but we know how to budget our finances. By the way, we purchase only the promo plane tickets so we can save on that - the Vietnam trip this month costs us 13,000 pesos but on the regular price it is worth 30,000. So you can see how much discount we get. Since traveling gives us joy, we give it priority when we plan for the year. Instead of holding a party for birthdays, we just celebrate our birthday with a travel.
I really liked this post. I'm relatively young with really only a backpackers budget but I've managed to see quite a lot of the world already. I honestly think it's about what's important to you. If you really want to do something in life, you'll find the means to do it, and since travel is a passion of mine I always find a way!
If you manage yourself properly, an average individual can travel a few times a year. The only limiting factor is the motivation which people may have to travel. If you do not have your heart into it, then you will not be able to manage it properly. You will end up not going many times because you forgot to plan ahead. The original poster is right, there are no excuses.
You are correct to some extent but I'd like to point out that the mindset required to do what you do is not necessarily achievable by everyone. It's not always as simple as having the money and time to travel. For example, that someone who is 6ft, weighs 70kg can lift 50kg without any training doesn't mean that everyone of an identical build should be able to do the same.
While I do agree that no one should make you feel bad about traveling I think that your being a bit aggressive about it. Sure if someone said that you are so lucky and you don't deserve to travel and get to enjoy things, anyone who does say that is probably not worth your time. A lot of people do like to travel but for most people traveling is not the top priority of there lives. I have a holiday in the next month for my birthday and I am very excited for it.
I think another factor is the nature of the job they are into. I know many people who work in MNCs in India who have a tight schedule 24x7 and find it even difficult to spend time with their families. I know many companies too where there is a time to enter the office and there is no time to leave. That means you should be in the office at the right time and God knows when you are going to leave the office. Most of the people are occupied even on Sundays. For them a holiday tour to some far away places is only a dream. Hope they will be able to enjoy it post retirement.
This is so true, we all need to free ourselves from our lives and experience the World once in a while, you only have one life to live and if you give yourself enough reasons, you can easily stop yourself living it to the full until its too late. Wonderful post.
I agree with the OP but sometimes it genuinely isn't that easy. When I was younger and shall we say, care free, I travelled to quite a few different countries and it maybe was as simple as saving up enough for your travel and a bit of pocket money, and away you went. Now I've got a home, a full time job, a wife and 2 children to look out for, so simply going to a place because I want to isn't really an option for me. We plan a family holiday once a year, but that's not the same as just getting up and going.
A family holiday once a year is still lovely! Totally understand the life commitments (job, family, house) that prevent the ease of travel that one may have had without that. But you're still traveling, and with kids, too! That has to be commended!
Like I said, when I was younger I did a lot of travelling, and that's not stopped, it's just not as much now and a different type. When we get rid of the children, I mean...When they grow up, haha, we can travel were we want then and won't be as limited. I do agree with your OP and think a lot of people make excuses not to travel because they get to comfortable and stuck in a rut.
I think this a great discussion as I'm also used to people saying I'm rich so that's why I travel so often. I'm in no way rich but I do things differently. I have a great job an I put in a request for vacation of time off early enough. Part of my budget does go towards traveling so it's really part of my routine. I research and get alerts on offers for lowest fares and hotel deals too. When a ticket will cost $800.00 I'm using frequent flyer miles and getting deals at $500.00. Way too often people think the money they earn is just for bills and the rainy day. I would tell them to save, for sure, but realize that if you can still have fun without winning a lottery.
I think people will have different priorities and while it's important to pay the bills and try and save for the future, at the same time people also need fun in their lives also. There's no point in working every hour God sends and not enjoying life. Travelling is important in broadening people's horizons and if they don't travel they're missing out on what the world as to offer.
I agree with your point that traveling in a very important part of a successful life. If God has given us a life, we need to explore it fully. Otherwise we will be just like a frog in the well, who think there is nothing beyond its limit. Traveling really widen out knowledge horizons. It is also an opportunity to experience new cultures across the world. Sometimes we can also get good tips about improving our own life observing the life style of other people across the globe. Most importantly, we can make good friends.
Traveling is something that we (my husband and I) want to incorporate in our family's life. We try to go to different places in our country as much as time and money permits. It is really difficult to budget the money we have to include finances for a certain trip. But we do make it sometimes, maybe once or twice a year. We travel not to expensive destinations but more to remote, unknown places. We love beaches and wildlife parks. So yes, you're right. It is very difficult to make time and money to give to traveling but it can be done.
I found it interesting how people would recommend all sorts of great things to build self confidence like looking people in the eye and reading motivational books and so on. I've found that traveling, even to another state, has those benefits. We get to engage new people and their perspectives and their openness to life. I now go parasailing, hunting, fishing and am able to walk into a crowded room or office and feel pretty confident. I think that came from getting out into the world.
Traveling is a passion, which could be pushed backward by some demands of life, but the will and wish will eventually prevail if the planning is strong. I have seen many people, who do not fall into handsome earning categories, but they planned their budget in such a way that they could manage to materialize their dreams to go for an outing, at least once a year. Monetary constraints and other barriers of life may restrict you to visit to some exotic places, but proper time and money management will definitely provide the freedom of short holidays, which become the souvenir of life in the coming days.
Travelling can be a way to build confidence, and exploring new surroundings, meeting new people is often the way people begin to realise just how much life as to offer. While due to family and work commitments it might not be possible to just fly off anywhere and everywhere just like that, with a bit of planning I think it can still be done.
Very interesting. I came to this site wanting to see how someone would go about promoting India. Let's face it, India isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think travel, but since I stopped in at general discussion, I came across a forum that wasn't so much about India, instead it was a debate on whether or not travelling is affordable. So I stopped and read a few posts. 'And you know what? You're right. If you really want to travel, you can find a way, it depends on the amount of priority you place on it. I think what people are envious of, is not just your frequent travels. but what they perceive as the ease with which you do it. (This is directed at the post that launched the thread by the way). It is not just a lack of money that people feel, it is the inability to get time off of work, or for some, to get an international passport (cause really, do you think that they are jealous of your trip to the neighboring city? No, they are jealous of worldwide travel or at least travel outside of their own country) maybe they have a family that will not understand them spending what they have on a trip. People have a lot of resons that they can't just pick up and travel, be thankful your lifestyle allows you to and stop putting down people who say how lucky you are. OK, I got that off my chest. On the flip side, I was a little inspired by that post. A man came into the place I work not that long ago and told me about cut rate cruises people can take. And they are extremely affordable. It seems that there is a way to book onto cruises on short notice and they cost very little. These are all expense paid cruises, the only thing you have to to is pay for your way to where the ship sails. The cruise is probably two person occupancy and he told me about packages for five to seven days that cost as little as $300. These cruises include food and drinks so all you pay is getting to the ship and any tips or things you want to buy at various destinations. So ya, if you put a little effort into it and find ways to get to the destination at a reasonable cost, and it can be done, a great trip could be just around the corner. Thank you everyone who posted, for reminding me of this.
I think sometimes the person does not think they will be able to or it is too much hard work and is going to mean they have to go out of their comfort zone, which will mean adjusting to a new environment and trying things out which they have not or different foods even. It is important to try and get some fresh air and go out of the area you live in from time to time and clear your mind which can be stressed just from doing the same thing or living in the same place and you may learn some new things in your travels. I think that budgeting is important and see what the costs are if flying in a plane, as there could be some cheap rates and you can benefit from that and have enough to spend while you are touring the country or even just the city you travelling to.
Budgeting is very important when it comes to travelling but people should realise that it doesn't have to cost a fortune to have a good time in a different country. There will be a lot to see and do that doesn't cost anything and I think with a little bit of planning, travelling on a limited budget is doable if a person puts their mind to it.
People often think that the others live better than them. Thats why they can go on vacations, buy magazines, books, go to the cinema or theater. But its all about budgeting. If you are middle class and barely getting out of your salary but you want something really really bad you will work for it. You will work and save money for years so you can go on vacation in every 5 years, or buy a new pair of fancy pants.
That's right. I have never heard of anyone at the end of their life saying "gee, I wish I had worked more!" It's usually regrets like "I wish I had seen more of the world" or "I wish I had spent more time with my family" or things of that nature. Don't get me wrong, work is a necessary evil, but I think having balance is a wonderful thing!
The thing about travelling is, there's always baggage literally and figuratively. For one if you have family they all want to come along with you and that can be a detriment. My family members don't stick to schedules, don't pack lightly or just want to sit around while I like to look around the city because that's what travelling is for, right? It's true we all have the time and money but certain responsibilities can hold you back, some have anxiety, some don't have the right VISA, some can't get accomodations (have you tried just winging it in some random town? It's not great. Sometimes you need to bring your own tent because they don't have hotels or it's in the middle of the night and every door you knock on thinks you're a thief). Yes, this is all from personal experience.
One being a lazy may not be the reason that one doesn't get to travel. An individual may not be interested in traveling or it may just be a situation where the work at the workplace takes precedence over leisure time for traveling. As it stands I work 6 days a week and I have a few more months before I'm entitled to apply for vacation leave. I am basically trapped but I've done a lot of traveling locally in my country anyhow.
I understand where OP is coming from but it is definitely not always as easy as OP paints it. Sure, some people do make up excuses, and it is truly their fault, but travel requires a specific mindset not everybody has and even with the right mindset external factors might still be an issue. I also don't see why you get so mad at people saying you're lucky for traveling. Maybe I'm naive but it doesn't seem to me like they mean anything wrong by it,
I don't really do much of the traveling I want to at the moment because I have 3 small children under the age of 5. One that I just had 3 months ago. But like you said there is always something close by that you can do. A holiday doesn't have to be a month long trip to some far away land. We hike a lot at our local wildlife reservation. And are saving up to for a big vacation in a few years when the little ones get old enough to stay with a sitter for a few days. No excuse! If you want something bad enough you will find a way to make it happen.
