28 Mar Don’t Let These Excuses Stop You From Travelling
Many of us dream about travelling and seeing the world, but very few of us actually do it. Oh sure, we might find the time to go abroad one or two weeks a year for a short-term vacation, but we are talking about something a little more long-term…like a month away from home, or six months, or even longer than a year.
But here’s the thing.
Most of us will come up with some sort of excuse as to why we can’t go travelling (a few popular ones you can see below in this post). Many of these excuses are good ones; in all honesty, we can’t all go travelling at the drop of a hat. But in some cases, there may be workarounds to even our best reasons for not taking time away from home for an extended period.
Consider the following, and if any of them apply to you, use our suggestions to help you reconsider the option of travelling.
Excuse #1: I can’t afford it
This is an excellent excuse; we don’t all have unlimited funds to help us live out our dreams, but there are solutions. The first, of course, is to find ways to save your money. By cutting down your expenses #livingwithless, you will have more to put into your savings account. If you have a destination in mind, figure out the cost of transport and accommodation on your desired route, and start to put money aside when you can. It might take you a year or more to get the money you need, but the wait will be well worth it (trust us – we’ve been there).
Secondly, get the best deals on your travel money: Book in advance to get discounts on your flight and accommodation costs; consider travelling during off-peak times of the year (when flights and hotel rooms are usually cheaper); and use your air points and voucher codes for extra discounts.
Then when you’re away, find ways to live cheaply, such as cooking your own meals instead of eating out all of the time. It also helps to stay in one area for longer, taking the time to explore properly before moving on, as this way, you won’t have to spend money on extra travel or accommodation by fleeting from one location to the next. Some places will also give you a discount if you book longer-term with them, so keep that in mind too!
Excuse #2: My career will suffer
Okay, so you might not be in the position to quit your job, but could your boss give you a sabbatical? Especially if he or she knows that you need to take a break, your employer might give you that time off so you can return to work happier and more productive than ever. If your boss won’t give you time off, then consider quitting your job, especially if you’re not happy at work anyway. When travelling, you will have time to reconsider your life and career, and you might be inspired to do something completely different when you return. This is exactly what happened to us after we watched that amazing talk by Stefan Sagmeister at the Design Indaba conference in 2014.
If we continue with our Stefan Sagmeister example…he once told us that travelling can actually benefit your career. You might take the time to study (at an international school or college, or through an online course that can be taken anywhere) – take a look at this online masters degree in school counseling, as an example. You can work on personal passion projects that might ignite a new skill set or passion. Travelling will also look good on your resumé, as you will be able to demonstrate certain skills gained from your experiences which could be used in the workplace, such as adaptability, self-reliance, budgeting, and communication skills. If anything, no matter where you are in your career, choosing to travel for a period of time will always look good to your future prospects.
Excuse #3: I will miss my family
If you have a partner and children, you might be reluctant to leave them behind for a long period of time. If this is the case, consider travelling for a shorter amount of time, or think about bringing them with you (we all know it’s possible because look at The Bucket List Family…and us). You will have to negotiate with your child’s school, but if you plan on travelling for a long period, there will still be ways to give your kids an education while away. If you do decide to leave them at home, or if you have other family members to consider, remember that they’ll still be there when you get back. Yes, you will miss them while you’re away, and they will miss you too, but you can still communicate with them through Skype, WhatsApp, or a good old fashioned phone call. It’ll also be a good excuse for you to document your travels (in case you were looking for one to finally start that blog).
Excuse #4: It’s just not a good time for travelling
There are good reasons as to why you should delay your travels, especially if you’re due a promotion at work, or if you have any prevailing health issues. But in all other aspects, know this: there will always be something holding you back. It might be your cousin’s wedding in a month’s time, or your great uncle’s birthday in six months. Life is full of busy events, but if you are constantly making this excuse, you will never get to go anywhere.
When possible, work around the events and anniversaries in your calendar, and travel when you have a window of opportunity. If this is difficult, you need to bite the bullet and just set a date – that’s what we did. We knew our apartment’s lease was ending, so we saw this as the perfect time to leave it all behind and jet-set to start #HowFarFromHome. Yes, you will miss birthdays, weddings, and all sorts of other things (we sadly did too), but surely getting the opportunity to travel the world is worth it?! Life at home will go on without you, and while you might miss out on certain things, you will be too busy experiencing all kinds of other events that may end up being even more beneficial for you.
Excuse #5: I have nobody to travel with
If this is your excuse, then think again! Of course it’s rich coming from us, having been inseparable for the last four years, but we have many solo travelling friends who are never shy to share the benefits of solo travel with us; like never having to make any compromises, doing what they want, when they want, without having to worry about anybody else. You will also get the opportunity to learn new things about yourself, because when you travel solo, you will only have yourself to rely on to problem solve any obstacles that come your way. You also don’t need to be alone all of the time. You might make friends while you’re away (we still can’t believe the amazing friendships we’ve made in the last four years), and there are often tour groups that you can tag along with, so you can find company if you need it. Travelling solo isn’t easy, so if this is your excuse, consider what we have said, and use these solo travel tips to help you…and then consider our final point:
Excuse #6: I’m too scared
There may be all kinds of ‘what if’ fears holding you back. What if I miss my flight? What if I get lost while away? What if I get eaten by a shark whilst diving in South Africa, or a bear whilst trekking through Yosemite? There might be 101 fears going through your head, but think about these ‘what if’s’ too: What if you stay at home forever? What if you never see the world? What if you miss out on the many experiences that travel can give you? We appreciate travel can be scary, especially when travelling alone, but there are ways to overcome your fears (as our friend Lydia would agree), so don’t let this excuse put you off. This article has lots of useful tips, so while travelling might take you way out of your comfort zone, you don’t need to let your fears overwhelm you and put you off travelling forever.
Travelling has many benefits: you will grow in confidence, you will meet new people, and most importantly, you will get to see and experience parts of the world that could change your perspective on life forever. So, don’t miss out. If your excuses can be overcome, then start to make plans to travel today, whether you decide to hop on a plane next week or next year. You might only regret it if you don’t.
If you enjoyed this blog post, you may want to follow our journey on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, browse our online photography shop, or get yourself a copy of our TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD eBook where we share many more ideas on getting you on the road full-time.
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