Nowadays it seems more and more people are ready and willing to up their current lifestyle to go travelling – typically Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia.
Whilst I would love to visit these places on holiday and would love to visit America for a long period one day too, I don’t see the stability in dropping a career/job, savings and potential to buy a place, to go travelling the way a lot of people (often the majority it feels like) do.
Don’t get me wrong, I would love to be that carefree and able! But I’ve got a well (ish) paid job, a decent amount of savings accumulated for a single person hoping to buy their first property..am I overlooking something crucial that travelling could offer me? People talk about life experiences you get from travelling, but I feel like there’s potentially a lot of things that could go wrong, or don’t turn out as expected regarding travelling, that people don’t often say.
(For example, I’m 25 now. If I spent the majority of my savings to go travelling, surely I’d have to start from the beginning – both financially and in my employment? Or is it quite easy to pick up a job after a period of travelling?).
15 comments
You’re falling for confirmation bias and seeing stuff on social media etc. The vast vast vast majority of people will never travel like that.
Travel for most people is a few weeks every few years
This doesn’t really feel like a question. You can not want to go traveling. I went, had a great time
Different people have different likes, dislikes and priorities. Nothing wrong with that but I will say travelling is great and you don’t need to blow your full savings trekking with yaks in the Himalayas, always the option to to have a few small trips instead.
Problem is you’ll get to 60 and you still won’t have done it because there was always something else to do.
You don’t need to spend *the majority of your savings*. When it’s time to change jobs you can apply and then start 2 months later. Or quit your old job early
Travelling doesn’t have to be all out one year around the world. You can have a fantastic travelling experience using your annual time off. Mini travelling.
A month in SE Asia would be fantastic and wouldn’t cost a fortune.
Just a suggestion
I’ve been taking 6-12months off and travel every 5yrs or so. I got on the housing ladder first though and would never do it instead of buying a house or something. But no judgement at all for anyone who doesn’t fancy that. And it definitely has had an impact on my career, I’m maybe a level or two below where i could be if i never took these breaks. But that’s my choice and each to their own. Find your balance etc.
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As someone who’s just spent 5 years travelling, lots of people say they want to do it. Very few people actually take the plunge. Most people don’t realise exactly what’s involved in travelling.
It remains one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. But I can see how it’s not for everyone.
>I overlooking something crucial that travelling could offer me? People talk about life experiences you get from travelling,
Honestly, I feel like I’ve crammed so much life experience into 5 years. It’s hard to be back in my hometown. In 5 years most people don’t change that much. In the past 5 years I’m an entirely different person to the 25 year old who left.
>but I feel like there’s potentially a lot of things that could go wrong, or don’t turn out as expected regarding travelling, that people don’t often say.
Things go wrong all the time, nothing ever goes to plan, it forces you to grow as a person. For me, that’s part of the charm. I enjoyed the Chaos.
Prime example of this, I was in Vietnam when COVID came crashing down.
I can safely say that keeping my cool when having to negotiate my way out of the country and into Europe isn’t something I could have done 5 years ago, I’d have panicked and freaked out. But I kept my calm and found a way to gtfo out of Asia.
(because British people were banned from loads countries, they were very ready to not let me on the plane, took me 3 hours of back and forth with various embassies, immigration and Qatar airways to find a way)
>If I spent the majority of my savings to go travelling, surely I’d have to start from the beginning – both financially and in my employment? Or is it quite easy to pick up a job after a period of travelling?
This is what I’m facing now. Thankfully I had a job in the UK that I’d come back to for summer, that also gave me loads of experience. But I’m back in my Mum’s Attic faced with building a new life from scratch, it’s overwhelming.
Travelling is something that, in my opinion, you have to really want to do. For me it was an obsession for my entire life. I remember being 5 years old pouring over a globe and wanting to see it all.
Nothing wrong with your mindset OP. But don’t let that stop you seeing the world! There’s lots you can do with your annual leave
stability is a fleeting fantasy that can be ripped away from you in moments. Your savings can end up as nothing but someone else’s inheritance and a pile of bricks and a savings account make for crap memories/stories.
Everything can (and invariably does) go wrong for everyone at some point. i preferred being laid in a hospital bed thinking about where or what was next than I ever would if the most exciting prospect was some new wallpaper
I like the destination but the actual travelling puts me off going. People say it will be fine when you get there but I find myself recovering from the hassle of getting there and then worrying about getting back. Teleportation would be great for this reason.
Travelling is overrated.
I was the same as you. Biggest regret of my life. You can make that money again but you’re never going to be young again.
I had what I thought was a lot of money saved when I was your age, would have given me the time of my life. I now can save that amount in a couple of months but I’m too old and have too many responsibilities just to fuck off for a year.
Living elsewhere gets under your skin and forces you to adapt your habits and prejudices. “Travelling” on the other hand mostly involves consuming experiences that were designed on some level
for people like you (with budgets like yours). Unless the travel entails working and interacting with locals on a level playing field, i.e. unless it becomes your “real life,” in the end it’s just a holiday, no matter how long and exotic it is. Holidays are good, but they don’t lead to spiritual enlightenment. And there are many ways to go about them other than splashing all your savings in one go.
Life is short, don’t live in fear. Do the thing you want to do. You can always earn more money.
I have always loved travelling and have done some amazing trips, really the best moment of my life. That’s how I met my SO almost 10 years ago, and how I met many friends. The things I learned and experienced make me feel more in control of my life. Being able to leave everything, figure out your way in strange places, and then come back is a fantastic confidence booster. Also it’s just fun.
You don’t have to leave it all and live from your backpack for a year. You can also just take the train to somewhere else in the UK or fly to some place you’re curious about in Europe. Or take a long break between 2 jobs. Or get a remote job and just travel and work at the same time!
For one of my friends it is what makes life bearable to him. Every three/four years he sacks off his job (last time it was Pret), takes his savings and travels for as long as it lasts. Then he gets back to the UK and has to start all over again and he is older than you.
With his lifestyle I assume he will never own a home or have any significant big purchases e.g. car, TV etc.
The idea of just grinding non-stop until retirement makes him want to off himself and it helps him knowing he can “stop” after 3/4 years and experience new cultures, meet new people, imbed himself into a new life etc. I feel the same except I have not yet found my thing that makes life bearable.