To ask if anyone else doesn't see the appeal of "Travelling"

[LornaDuh]

So many on MN talk about doing lots of travelling in their 20s. Or their DC "going travelling."

Anyone else not see the appeal of backpacking round Asia sharing hostels with randoms and eating authentic street food?

I've worked abroad but that was an office job not picking fruit or working on a cattle ranch in Australia.

I love going on holiday but like coming home after a fortnight ... months on the road don't appeal.

Anyone else?

“Life is one damned thing after another”

Unfamiliar food is a good thing! And bottled water and medical care are available all over the world. If you’re travelling somewhere really remote and come down with something serious that can’t be treated locally then travel insurance will pay for you to be transported to an appropriate hospital even if it’s in a different country. Most travellers are fine with a few basic OTC medicines in their bag just in case.

@Mercurial123 I partly agree and partly don't. Personally I think it's good for teaching self resilience - but only if you aren't the kind to be phoning daddy asking if he could just transfer another £2k and maybe do a bit of work whilst travelling.

On the other hand as an employer I am very sceptical of under 35s whose CVs seem to have very little work and an awful lot of 'travelling' listed- almost like it's job- just makes me think they are going to work for a year before 'going travelling' again. It's choice, I do get that- but does nothing for your employment prospects if it's not just a one off experience - so depends whether that matters much -

Oh I don't know.

I give you Suffolk Park NSW.
https://www.visitnorthcoast.com.au/see-byron-region/suffolk-park/

You don't need money to go travelling. You can get a job doing all sorts of things to get by. And there's always a way to save money on the way round.

I was ill a few times, and needed the dentist once. It all worked out - medical care and compassionate people exist all over the world

My DH travelled all over the world for work and doesn't want to go anywhere now, he's spent enough time delayed in airports to last for the rest of his life. We're retired now and there are a couple of places I'd like to visit but I'm not keen enough to do it on my own.

I can’t think of anything worse. I also don’t like going on holiday. I don’t like flying. I find it a rigmarole.

I like being at home. I go away a few times a year for about 3 days in the UK and that suits me just fine.

DH was the same, I always imagined that we would travel once he retired but he says he's had enough of it.

I agree, I like being at home too, some people just can't understand this. Holidays are such a performance. I don't enjoy flying and don't think anyone should fly unless they have to.

I have a better life because I travelled.

I grew up being pressured to leave school as soon as legally possible, and get a job in a shop, marry young, and be a SAHM on a low income generated by a husband in a low-paid manual job. That is what I saw all around me, in a deep recession with high unemployment and a lot of poverty, and no expectation a girl would have a career. Some core of stubbornness made me sign up with an au pair agency without telling anyone at 18, and apply for a passport. Those few months living in another culture, around people living utterly different lives to anything I'd ever seen, speaking a different language, coping and thriving by myself, made me realise there was a whole world out there I had thought existed only in the realm of fiction.

If I hadn't travelled, I would have lived the life I saw all round me, that I was intended to have, a life of low expectations, in the same few square miles of the city where my family always lived, doing the same lowpaid jobs or housework, because I wouldn't have known anything else existed.

You have to know other ways of living are possible in order to want them. This was the 80s, so pre-internet, more difficult to know about other ways of life. I had absolutely no idea I was clever, or that I had a gift for languages, or that I would thrive at university, go on to win postgrad scholarships, make lifelong friends from very different backgrounds, live in lots of other countries, and by doing these things make them possible for my younger siblings, too.

I had quite a few opportunities to ‘go travelling’ in my younger years. I didn’t see the point of it either 😂 I went on a lot of holidays, lived overseas for a decade (for work) but was never tempted to live out of a backpack. These days, I’m even less inclined to travel! I like my own bed, pillow, food … and miss all my home comforts when I’m away.

My worst nightmare!

Sounds distinctly unappealing!

I went backpacking at 19 for months and it was absolutely fantastic! No glamour at all in the 1990s, no mobile phone or Internet. Complete freedom, exploration, active, meeting so many different people. Have been since but for shorter periods, always loved it. Complete independence, confidence building, adventure 😀! It was tough going at times but you make do. It's not for the faint hearted or those who care about appearance and glamour. We didn't even take any make up but got so much attention just because we were young and female, no need to flaunt or do the false everything. Others you meet are the same, just looking for adventure, generally intelligent and fun loving.

Not everyone travels the same as not everyone holidays the same. I love travelling and regularly go away for months at a time. Have also worked abroad. Would never stay in a hostel or with randoms though! A month in nice accommodation exploring south east Asia costs the same as 2 weeks all inc in turkey or Spain with the fry up and lager brigade so I’d much rather ‘travel’ than fight over sunbeds with germans at 6am 😂

Lol so closed minded and dare I say boring? Getting out of your comfort zone is good, roughing it, being spontaneous. Xx

I loved it. In my 20s I spent time travelling in North Africa, India and Latin America. I was always on a tight budget and stayed in backpacker hotels, but never shared rooms.

I mostly travelled alone. I never had to wait for anyone else. And never had anyone waiting for me.

I met so many lovely people. And made some lifelong friends.

Visiting places that were so different to home was like being on another planet. It was exhilarating and rewarding.

I leaned a lot about the world. And myself. It shaped my worldview and therefore the choices I made in life. It is a big part of who I was and am.

I learned languages - something I never thought I’d be able to do.

I still love visiting interesting places that are different to home. And I’m lucky enough to be able to travel to some of them with my DP and DC.

If we are healthy enough when we retire, me and DP plan to spend six months each year travelling.

I would encourage anyone to travel.

I’m only happy when I’m planning my next trip and if it wasn’t for my 95 year old dad I would just keep on going 😄

This ⬆️
We met when I was 15, married and had kids in 1985, 1988, 1999 and 2002. Our plan when the kids were grown was to travel freely and live fully before we die. So many wonderful people, cultures and food to try out there, we’ve made a great start and can afford either a hostel (most have private rooms or little flats) or a bit of luxury if we choose. I am 60 next year and have lots of travelling planned to mark the occasion.

I completely agree with you 🙄 I was laughing because your phrasing was amusing! I am sure people could direct many things at me but I am absolutely positive that no one could accuse me of being close-minded, boring, or of not getting out of my comfort zone. Just last September I left my husband and 4 kids behind to go ‘roughing it’ in Peru!

I assume it's something extroverts enjoy. I've never seen the appeal either, but then there's nothing on this planet I'm that interested in seeing.

Why? I mean, it's perfectly valid to not like travelling, but there must be something at home that you want to see?

I don't think travelling is about extroversion or introversion, really.

Why extroverts? Travelling can mean museums, libraries and solo hikes as much as full moon parties.

Not being interested in anything on the planet sounds like depression.

In my early 20s, I did and I loved it. In my 50's give me at least a 4 star and guided tour, thanks.

I went on a scholar visa to America for a bit. Saw some of Mexico. Very grateful for the experience but missed home so much. I didn't have direct flights home so it was a good eye opener for how to navigate in new places.
It made me want to stay home to be honest. I never went to Australia, Asia or Africa. A friend went travelling around Nepal and India and told me it wasn't a good idea for me to go alone because of my very pale colouring and that it was either dangerous or they'd take my picture all the time.

I’m pretty introverted. I did most of my travelling solo. That’s part of the point.

It’s pretty sweeping to declare that there’s nothing on the planet you’re interested enough to go and see. Especially if, as you imply, you haven’t actually travelled at all. How can you have any idea whether there’s anywhere that might be more interesting than wherever you happen to live?

I mean, I love where I live too, but that’s in part after 30 years of living in various other countries.