Six years ago, my buddy Riththy and I planned to travel together to Paris. It was going to be the greatest two weeks of touristy French attractions two friends could ever experience.
We saved money and thought out our plans for months, eagerly waiting for the perfect moment to put our new credit cards to use and buy our travel package deal.
Clearly, we were both excited. That was until Riththy backed out due to work obligations, and my car decided it was the best time to completely breakdown.
It’s situations like these, among other things, that often delay or ultimately break someone’s desire for travel. So what situations exactly often hold someone back from traveling?
1. School and Work Schedules
Between college classes and the pressures of trying to find and hold on to a good job, many people feel they don’t have time to travel in their younger years. This admittedly may be the most difficult obstacle to overcome, but it simply comes down to how much you really want to travel at the moment.
I’ve met so many 18-19 year olds on the road recently who’ve told me school will always be there. Take a gap year, maybe study abroad for a semester, take advantage of a school break and go where you always wanted for a few weeks.
In contrast, I recently met a few older 20-somethings from New York City who decided their travel needs outweighed their well paid jobs. Despite this, both mentioned their respective bosses would welcome them back due to their abilities and the work relationship they’ve built over time. Personally, I also quit my job when I first started traveling, and found myself in a similar situation.
Now you don’t have to quit your job if you don’t want, but take advantage of your vacation time. You can do quick weekend getaways to nearby destinations. If you do consider a career change, there is an endless amount of jobs that allow you to travel, some of which you may already have the skills for.
2. Not Enough Money
“A trip there, that’s going to cost a fortune!”
It definitely takes some kind of budget to travel somewhere, but not as much as you’d think. With the abundance of Airbnbs and budget hostels along with budget travel, you can get where you need to be and stay there at the fraction of the price of typical hotels.
Volunteer opportunities along the way can further stretch the value of your money, usually awarding you with free room and board as well as a few free meals a day.
Cooking your own meals at your hostel and eating like the locals also helps.
Back in mid-July of 2015, I spent two and a half months visiting six countries in Europe with a $3000 dollar budget. I paid less than $300 dollars for a one way ticket to Italy (from NYC), and the same amount for a flight out of the Czech Republic.
The hostels I stayed in while in Italy and Germany (at that time) were no more than $25 dollars a night, with the cheapest being around $12 dollars a night, just a quick bus ride outside of Rome.
I also volunteered (for a free room and two meals a day) at a pretty great hostel in the capital of Croatia for a month.
If you do the proper research with regards to where you want to go and can be flexible at times, you can definitely make whatever budget you have work for you.
3. Fear of “Solo” Travel
The thought of traveling alone can be an intimidating thing. It could be you just never really been in a position to figure things out completely on your own, or you’d like to have a permanent travel buddy from home to share your experiences with.
Truth is, as a “solo” traveler, the majority of the time you are never alone. There are many other independent travels who you will eventually cross paths with along your journey who are looking to meet other travelers. You may even travel with these new friends for an extended period of time, or maybe just experience them for a short amount of time, but this is what makes “solo” travel great.
There may be times of struggle, but ultimately it opens you up to getting to know people, and letting people get to know you. The liberation is rewarding.
4. Not Knowing The Language
I once tried to ask a Spanish man in Barcelona if he sold envelopes in his convenience store for what felt like fifteen minutes. Now, I’ll remember correo for the rest of my life.
Yes, not knowing the local language could be a stressful thing, but there is someone everyone who speaks at least a decent bit of English. Of course, one of the best ways to learn a language is to take lessons in that country and practice with the locals.
Maybe you don’t speak English and worry more about meeting others who speak the same language as you. With so many travelers around the world, you are bound to run into someone who does.
At the least, learn a few key phrases and you’ll be okay. The locals wouldn’t expect you to know their language, but will appreciate you more if you make an effort to do so.
5. Peer Pressure from Home
“You’re crazy! Where will you stay! You’re not going to last out there for that long!”
There’s a high chance at least one person in your circle of family and friends may take your travel ambitions as a joke, or try to talk you out of it. Show them that you’re serious about your intentions. Share with them your initial plans for when you’re away, why you want to travel and so on. Eventually, your skeptics will become your supporters.
Conclusion
If you really want to travel right now, don’t be afraid to make that step. Do what you need to do to book that ticket and get on your way!
What do you guys think? Are any of the five reasons a big hurdle for you to get over? Did you overcome those limiting beliefs, and how so, if you did?
Comment and share.