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?

I absolutely wouldn't change a minute of the time I spent travelling from 18-25 both backpacking and 18-30 type holidays. Saw some amazing places, met fantastic people (and a lot of weirdos!) had the absolute time of my life
I really think it made me the person I am and gave the ability to be truly independent

Would I want to do it age 43?? Hell No!! Give me a sun lounger and cocktails on tap please!

I have 2 last "roughing it" holidays left in me... Vietnam, Cambodia and loas when I retire in 12 years. Plus husband wants to do a sailboat trip where you work the ship too.

Lol I can drive to Suffolk for the day in an hour. Hardly Australia

Fair. But surely a trip to the Waveney Valley would make it worthwhile?

And you wouldn’t have to sleep in a tent. Or contend with kangaroos, dingoes or funnel webs.

Not worthwhile instead of touring Australia no

I'm the same. No real urge to see the world if it bankrupts me. I have been nice places and felt 'wow this is lovely' so it's not that I don't appreciate new /beautiful places.

I think I have a little homing device,it bleeps when I've been away too long

I don't disagree with you at all - Suffolk's great (Norfolk isn't bad either). But you must admit that your earlier comment did come off as a bit odd?

Unless it was meant as a joke? In which case, I'm sorry, that went over my head.

[EDIT]

OK, I've seen your later posts now and I think I get the joke

👍

I backpacked for much of my 20s, one long trip all the way round the world for 20 months and then sporadic 3-4 weeks here and there whenever I could.

We were on a real budget so I slept in hostels, on buses, in airports and free camping out in the wild. We didn't have a plan for more than a day or two in advance and went wherever we felt/heard was good. This was largely before smart phones and all we had was a paper guide book and the occasional internet cafe trip.

I have never felt more free. And, surprisingly, unstressed. The world was ours and no one to answer to - I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Travelling broadens a the mind. It gives unparalleled perspective and insight into how other cultures live.

I find the ones back home who are very closed minded offensive and full of fear in terms of their views and political beliefs and opinions.

That's not me being mean although I think I understand why some may think it is, it's just a very open reality of what they are like.

You sound judgemental with a misplaced feeling of superiority so I don't quite see how you benefitted from eating with the Inuit or milking yaks or whatever you did on your Travels

Quite the contrary, i ran away from an abusive arsehole and indifferent mum and brother with my own money in my late 20s. Sorry to disappoint you but there was no milking of yaks I'm afraid, just lots of listening and learning, you sound nasty and judgemental as hell.

@katebushh honestly it sounds like the time was wasted. I'm sure you think you're very intelligent and worldly, but you're coming across quite the opposite.

Point proven.

Honestly, @katebushh you're just proving my point with your insults. I guess the problem was you were running away rather than running towards. Still, it's good that you think all that listening and learning helped you heal. All the best.

I did it and absolutely loved it. I would love to do a gentler version post retirement

It makes me shudder.

It sounds like a punishment to me.

I knew someone who went out to work on a kibbutz and loved it. Sounded very difficult to me and hard work , but this why we are all different and like different things. They had some amazing stories.
Wouldn't do for us all to be the same.

I used to joke that it was how shallow people fulfilled themselves. I also remember when people used to put it on their CV to mark themselves out as brave and interesting. I used to wonder what job skills they had learned by going on a long holiday. 😂

@Gogogo12345 the opposite of my niece then, whose parents bought her a flat before she went off travelling / on her long hols.

Money doesn't come into it in the sense of we decide where we want to go and then work out how to do it. We met some great travellers, and saw most of the country. But if you're doing Aus anything less than 2 months is always going to be a bit of a slog.

Language skills? I speak three other than English, and use one in my work. The ability to deal with different cultures? I use that too. Resilience and toughness?

I went to Australia on a working visa and then travelled around S E Asia in the 90s when I was in my 20s, sold my car to help with money. I just remember that feeling of freedom, having no commitments, staying in a hut on the beach knowing I could stay there for weeks or move on somewhere else. Since having kids, I'm so glad I experienced that feeling of no obligations just total freedom.

Yeah completely different lol. My friend had done all the " life" stuff before.

Hence it may have been a " long holiday" for your niece but there are people who actually do travel full time

Why shallow people?

The most shallow people I know are more concerned with stuff like their appearance or what they own

When I was young I went travelling in Canada using greyhound bus and youth hostels. Was one of the best times of my life. I also got together with my ‘travel companion’ and eventually had my four children with him.

Now I’m older I not so keen on ‘rough travel’ but I have taken a couple road trips with local people in US and Canada and been to a wilderness cabin in Canada that we had to get to by a tiny plane that landed on water and travelled through Montana to Yellowstone. These experiences have been amazing.

I will admit I find it harder to imagine not wanting to travel but do understand not wanting to do the backpackers thing that 20yr olds do now I’m older.

Me!

Definite no to hostels and strangers and carrying my belongings on my back. I don't even want to camp for a night. So no backbacker-style travelling for me.

I have many friends who loved it though and I do want to see more of the world.

Fortunately DH and I will hopefully have enough to retire in our 50s, and with the DC well grown up by then (we had them in our 20s), the plan is to visit all the places we want to, but for extended, multi-destination holidays.

But I get that's not the "travelling" vibe - I still don't feel I missed out there, just on experiencing some of the counties some friends have visited.