| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/2/2008 7:43:07 PM | Rusty says:
"I backpacked all around Europe at 19 (when you could do it for $5/day"
Well, I backpacked across France and Switzerland at 40 (yes, I got some surprised looks) and although I had planned on $5 a day, when it was over I added up and found I had done it for $3.50 a day. How?
- I had the advantage of having visited Europe and lived there previously and understand the way things work and I can adapt quickly.
- Never slept in a hostel, because I object to being told you have to be home by 10 and having some nannie making rules for you.
- Slept on a rooftop at the Sorbonne rather than pay Paris hotel rates.
- Slept in the middle of the landscaping at Brussels Airport.
- Slept in a French forest under the trees.
- Learned to do without a meal and at other times to eat several meals in a row.
- Learned that whatever your goal, when your goal is absolutely clear to you, then you will get there one way or another, often in ways you did not expect.
- Learned to accept what you get and do without what you don't get.
- Let myself shed tears at a mass grave from the Normandy WW2 D-Day invasion, and realized that what I knew as words on paper was real human life and death.
- Used few trains and buses and did an enormous amount of walking.
- Stayed away from tourist traps, penny-catchers and American tourists.
- Thought about the old cliché that the best things in life are free.
- Made some lasting friendships - more per month than in years at home, including a Dutch man and a Swiss woman who visited me in the US in following years.
- Decided that the summer in Europe is one of the best things I had ever done.
So now my message to this thread's header is - GO. If you miss this opportunity you will regret it for the rest of your life. Travel footloose in Europe, with so little money that you don't meet with loudvoiced American tourists in hotels but learn to mingle with the local people, eat their home style food, return their friendship, learn a few words of every language. Go places where any visiting American is a novelty (I was mentioned in the local paper in one place.) Meet the simple people just living their lives, not the people who make their living by serving tourists. But above all, dude, just do it - wait no longer - GO! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/6/2008 2:51:30 AM | | Read The Secret and do it! Of course you can, go for it. Enjoy every moment. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/6/2008 3:20:58 AM | ^^Don't read the secret. Do it for yourself. You don't ead some self-help book to tell you that^^
I was 33 when I went travelling overseas for a year – India (1 month), Europe (4.5 months), Middle East (2 months) and South America (4.5 months)
It was the first time I did a major trip like that. A friend accompanied me for the first two months after she decided she wanted to go with me (she heard me talk about it so many months).
The trip was nothing like I thought it would be; and so much better for it. I learnt a lot of self-confidence; and I met so many wonderful people that I never would.
Friends were amazed I managed to navigate countries like Syria, Peru and Bolivia on my own without speaking the language.
I planned for, and saved for three years before hand; and organized my house and work to fit into the trip. I cut out articles on places I wanted to go and bought travel guide books. I had pre-conceived ideas of where I wanted to go – some I made to and others I didn’t.
But so many people told me of places to visit and go to along the way that I made so many side trips.
My advice is, just plan to do it. Don’t set yourself set dates; just tell your friends this is what you are going to do. One day you will make it and you will not regret it for one moment | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/8/2008 12:47:33 PM | GO FOR IT!!
NOW is the time to do these things.
Don't be like me and get to your 50's and regret that you didn't do the fun things.
Have a wonderful time, meet new and different people, see things you wouldn't see at home, learn, understand, LIVE!!!
May your God always be protecting you.
MoonPie | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/8/2008 6:51:34 PM | missymoonpie
Your age is a poor excuse not to do it. (I dare say there are other reasons you don't travel)
You don't have to be young to travel, the people who inspired me to travel again were in their 70's & there are heaps of people older then you that stay at backpackers etc. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/8/2008 8:33:52 PM | I'm not old and gray, but I've heard that when we are old and gray and are about to move on, we'll look back and we'll regret the things we didn't do much more than that things we did.
Now, just for the sake of taking the other side... you do have to be a bit realistic so I hope you do have some money saved. I've traveled a lot and sometimes on a very tight budget and do know that you do obviously needs some funds to get you going and keep you going when things don't go right. Of course you can work along the way but always have a bit of a back up.
Have fun!!! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/9/2008 8:58:31 AM |
You don't have to be young to travel, the people who inspired me to travel again were in their 70's & there are heaps of people older then you that stay at backpackers etc.
In Nuweiba, Egypt, I met an 80-something year old German woman who was on her way to Sudan "to climb Jebel Moussa". I'm guessing this wasn't much of a mountain, but even so you had to be impressed. 
I think that's conclusive proof that age is only a barrier if you make it one. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/11/2008 2:06:59 PM | | I left my home country to this far away country when I was 26 of years old. At the time, I didn’t have much money, and I didn’t know anyone here either. Although I could read and write some English, I couldn’t speak, and couldn’t understand what the others talking about. The experience of trying to survive in such a condition has really practiced me become stronger, and open-minded. Your desire is not just a day dream, and the dream keeps you going forward. Once you moved forward the first step, you will find there is a big world out there, and you will not look back. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 3/11/2008 2:48:36 PM | backpacking doesnt have an age limit!! im 46.... although some backpacker accomodation does!! really- old chooks not welcome lol
but i recently slept in airports all over europe and apart from the lack 0f showers its ok (dubai airport had some eyeopeners!!!)
3 meals a day is just what we are conditioned to....its not really neccessary! and i love my food! just eat well when you get the opportunity and find out where the locals eat!!
join those groups (just tag along!!) with a guide who tells you all about the sights! you get a few funny looks when you 1st ask questions and they dont seem to remember you being there before!! but they seem to be happy that anyone is interested enough to ask!
just do it!! even when you get lost or something....what does it matter??? its all new and interesting anyway so dont have too rigid an idea of what you are doing just see where the road takes you.....go!! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/16/2008 9:45:42 PM | I don't mean to neco-bump but I got a good reason!
I wanted to let the excellent people in this thread know that May 28th I leave Orlando and touchdown in Ireland the next day at 7am.
When I got the email confirming the flight I got the biggest ear-to-ear grin! I'm actually going to do this!!!! Most of my things are sold or close to being sold as of the moment.
I am so excited about this trip! I got on Couchsurfers.com (There is a thread I started about it btw) and I hope I can meet some other people that are on that site. Thank you all for your tips. I will defiantly heed the warnings.
I also really liked the idea of staying away from tourist areas. Al tho I HAVE to see certain things like Stone Henge, Eiffel Tower, Sistine Chapel, I want the majority to be away from those. I very much look forward to meeting locals and learning different customs.
Thank you for the last push I needed to do this! Lol, I still got an ear-to-ear grin thinking about it! :)
I hope to see you all around the world sometime! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/17/2008 12:08:27 AM | Congratulations - you will have amazing new experiences and I hope you enjoy Ireland. They love Americans there, the people are friendly and they all speak English.
The first time I arrived in Dublin I was in my hotel room and casually leafed through the telephone book and was fascinated by the beauty of the Irish names. I decided that you could stand up in front of a microphone and just read the phone book and make it sound like poetry. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/17/2008 1:22:48 AM | Hey Man!
Good on ya! 
Just one warning for you, You'll never be the same again! If possible keep us posted here, I'd love to hear how your adventure turns out. I'll be over that way in June, U never know we could cross paths.
Take care  | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/17/2008 1:30:38 PM | Congratulations on making the decision to go. You will know in short order when on the road if a traveling lifestyle is for you, but you likely already know that answer now *wink*.
Now that you have made the decision to go, here are a few tips I learned the hard way:
1. Plan little as plans change on the road based on people you meet and opportunities that you encounter as several posters have mentioned.
2. Travel as light as you possibly think you can. When you have to carry around all you have, you start to look at items you do not use regularly and wonder if you really need them.
After many trips, my latest backpack is only 30% of the size of my first trip's backpack. Carry on luggage avoids any problems due to lost luggage. Smaller than carry on luggage (i.e. 30L pack) can do fine for a long trip. I met a guy on the road for 8 years with a book bag sized backpack. Hand washing clothes and letting them dry overnight takes a lot of excess clothing out of the backpack. If it gets cold, just put on all your clothing.
So what about all those things you think you cannot live without on the road?
Truth is, if it is needed wherever you are backpacking, they sell it there. Cold countries sell warm clothing, hot countries sell cool stuff. Local clothes help you blend better with the locals. Try not to carry anything you would be devastated losing.
Less is more is a motto I have come to appreciate over time.
3. Buy and use a money belt to store your passport and valuables. Store important information (passport number, credit card number) with a friend/relative at home. If you have a problem, one phone call can retrieve vital information.
4. If you choose to buy health insurance, read your policy carefully.
Some reimburse you upon your return, which does not help you when the hospital is demanding money on the spot for services rendered. Some pay for you, but you have to call in prior to receiving treatment unless you are incapacitated.
Most policies have exclusions.
That is fine for the Acts of God (hurricane, earthquake etc) and Civil Unrest clause, but less acceptable when hiking in the mountains or sea kayaking is deemed a high risk activity that is not covered by your policy (particularly important to read if you are a licenced diver).
5. Shop around for airline tickets. Bucket shops in hub cities offer amazing deals (i.e. London, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Bangkok).
Have a fantastic time. Traveling is a wonderful way to broaden your perspective on life. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/21/2008 3:50:49 AM | Just go!
Do you want to be 90 one day, look out the window of some overstuffed room and wonder what would have happened if....?
Just make sure all your stuff at home is looked after (pay your debts!!), don't burn bridges, and have a safety net... (people, some money, transferrable skills, not a fuzzy eater, not a fuzzy worker, best not being fuzy at all)
If not now..when then?
Or just start by taking 3 months off..decide then...but I agree with the one fellow - it's hard to go back to 'ordinary'. I am planning my next adventure as I type...
Karin | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/29/2008 9:08:36 AM | Just one warning for you, You'll never be the same again!
That's the truth! It's probably good to know before you start, too... Back when I started planning my travels, I really had no clue how much I would change.
When you come back (if you come back) you'll find the things you used to do are boring. Your old friends and family talk about the same small things all the time and you mostly don't care. You'll realize that all the people around have some common habits which are really stupid but you never noticed until you gained a bit of perspective. After a long time living out of a backpack, you'll boggle at the crass and obtuse materialism of people back home and they won't understand why you don't want to collect lots of junk. Loudmouthed know-it-alls who've never been farther from home than the next city will regale you with their bigoted and ignorant opinions on the rest of the world. It can all be downright frustrating and depressing. It's good to remember the old advice "you can't go home again" and just not try. Keep on looking for newer and better and more interesting things and finding new friends, even if it is back in the USA.
If I'd had any clue back then how much a few years of full-time travel would change my life... I still wouldn't change anything! In fact, I could probably be persuaded to go do it again now. There is a real personal cost and it's only fair to mention it, but I gladly paid it and so have lots of other globetrotters. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/29/2008 5:57:43 PM | Go for it, the more you talk about it the more you'll talk yourself out of it.
Go, enjoy, explore...do it while you can and worse scenario you come back home...
Good Luck! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 4/30/2008 10:09:13 AM | The only sense I could talk into you is "Get going!!!" Good to hear you've got your tickets. I assume you've done the medical stuff-shots and all...
I too am gearing up for a trip. I'm hoping POF can help me find a partner too.
When I was in college, I always thought I'd fly out to Oregon, and ride my bicycle back home to New Hampshire. But I got married instead! Now unmarried, that old dream keeps tormenting me, expanding, burning. I want to ride a bicycle around the world. It could take years!
CouchSurfing sounds great too, as does a similar but smaller bicycle-related site called 'WarmShowers'
Maybe I'll see you out there on the road!
Security-wise (from what I hear), the worst places are near the borders and tourist destinations. Try to avoid them on the weekends or holidays. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/3/2008 11:05:46 AM | | Unsure where to go to from here. Met a gal online back in 1998, my Dad/Grandma passed the same year. Anyhow I left because of the uncertainty of the relationship. Now since November of 2007, we started talking again. She had moved to SWEDEN, been there since 2002, never even knew it. From what I've been told by her she lived in the same town I did for 1-2 years & we never crossed paths, I've worked in the same town she lived in between 2000-2002 since 1998. Well now, since November 2007 we talked non-stop, I went out & bought I don't know how many International Phone Cards, ran up 2 bills over $300 for sure, she flies all the way over from SWEDEN for Valentine's, spends a week with me, it was great, the sex was great all week, the communication skills went 10 fold, I spent $165 for dinner on Valentine's at Minnesota Zoo, we went & bought rings, I called my Mom & told her we got engaged, the reason I left 10 years ago was she was in this big hurry to get married & move in together, so she flies back to SWEDEN for 2 weeks, packs up all of her stuff, 3 boxes of clothes, 2 suitcases, 2 dufflebags, flies all the way over here back to the states, is with me from March 17th, 2008-April 18th, 2008, then she gets a car & splits with friends, she's never home. We barely talk, is it me? I thought there was something there. HELP!!! HELP!!! HELP!!! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/8/2008 7:25:22 PM | OP - if I were in your shoes, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Sure travel costs $$, but there's ways of keeping costs down. You're in your early 20's, you aren't married, you don't have children, and your career hasn't taken off like a rocket. You should do it!!
To get what you want in your life, be it the job, the travel, the spouse, the house, etc. does require a bit of dreaming, and it's taking those dreams and acting on those dreams.
Trust me, I wished I'd done what you want to do when I was in my 20's, but I was married, going to college full time, and working full time. Now in my early 50's, I've got some serious travels (Belize; Costa Rica; Africa; Holland; England; Bahamas; Mexico) under my belt. I am planning a trip to Galapagos Islands for Thanksgiving 2008. I have at least 50-60 more places to go to before I die. So, I'm catching up on my dreams!
Now, whip out those travel books and start planning, then just DO IT!
I'm glad you're going. Keep us posted. By the way, I have some great pics of Stonehenge if you want to take a look at my travel blog. Email me and I'll send you the site. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/9/2008 2:37:06 AM | | Do it and do it now!!!! I have always been a traveller and all the best lessons in the world came from travelling. I will never stop travelling. It's so important to see the world and to open your mind to other cultures and countries. Do it! Especially while you are young!!! True madness is sitting in a job you don't like in a life you don't feel passionate about. I had that life and it was like I was asleep and now every day I am awake, really awake and passionate. I am living life, and I would never trade that. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/13/2008 5:13:36 PM | I have researched plaes i might visit this year after doing a lot of resarch since i retired in 2001.
That actually has been one of my main activites since retirement.
I too am thinking about relocating to a place where they beleive that you work to live and enjoy life. Not live to work and then die with the most toys like so many believe in the US.
I would suggest looking ate two sites because they are great resource sites.
Tales from a small planet. they have reports on nearly every country written by emassey personnel that seem to tell it like they see it.
The second is escape from america.com (all one word with both sites).
I could make some suggestions but I do not know you. But do some homework and be sure to get all the needed documents (not just a passport) but visas and in some cases, proof of vacinations.
Check the internet for document and health requirements. Little things like that can prevent you from entering a particular country. And some countries won't allow you to enter if you have visited a neighboring country.
Also, hostels are a great place to stay. They are cheap and more improtantly, you meet up with like minded people who can become friends. You might find some work listings at hostels too.
Good luck. And if you are really serious-do it. Have that once in a lifetime adventure, maybe meet your fuure wife, and think of the stories you can tell. | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/20/2008 10:06:23 AM | | Hi 7 years ago I quit my big money job sold eveything and hit the road. Moved to Ravenna, Italy to do Mosaic work. Go for it, see the world . I have been to many places so if you need some info. let me know. Ed | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/20/2008 9:04:49 PM | | hey goodonya!! so glad you`re doing it! im on couchsurfers so if you get to oz just yell and you can have a bed - have fun!! | |
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| Talk some sense into me!
Posted: 5/28/2008 3:34:36 AM | Well everyone, the day has come! Counting down the hours until my flight and I take off.
I woke up this morning pretty early. Guess all the excitement and nervousness got to me. Oh well, should be plenty of time to nap on the plane.
Thank you everyone for your tips! See ya around the world sometime :) | |
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