This thread has mde me feeel a bit sad. I don't think the world is the same everywhere, maybe some bits of it are, but there's still a massive variety out there. There are lots of undiscovered gems out there. Yes maybe some places are crap but some are amazing. Just go for a month if you're worried about missing out on things back home.
Having said that, I do regret one trip to America because it was dangerous but apart from that no.
I'm mid-30s, married, kids coming shortly... But spent the previous 10 years travelling a lot, while working normal jobs. I get a lot of time off and she works for herself, so we can manage it well. All over the world, from crazy to mundane - would never regret it. I can't speak to the extended travel that some people do - 6-12months or years at a time living/wandering. That's motivated or created from different intentions, realities or from avoiding different things facing you. Ours was planned, scheduled and blended into our normal lives as a continual part of who we are.
Now bringing kids into the world I think I value those life experiences all the more, to be able to influence, educate and guide my kids into a better life. If I'd sat home and gone to brunch, paid for cable TV and done regional road trips, I don't think I'd say the same things.
Gramps wrote:
vivalarepublica wrote:
I have not spent months traveling, more like weeks, but I have never regretted any trip that I have taken in my entire life. Each one teaches me something about a place that interests me and teaches me about how other people make a living in a place that I have not visited. And because my only worry is getting from place to place, I have a lot of time to relax with my travel mates or with my own thoughts if I am traveling alone.
Regret is useless, anyways. The only thing that eats me up inside are the things I did not do, not the things that I did do.
+1
Well said.
This topic wasn't directed at you. He asked for people who spend a LOT of time traveling. Not some guy who travels 2 weeks a year.
Just finished 11 months traveling around the globe (sabbatical). Zero regrets. Do it bro.
My top 5 must see destinations
5. Japan
4. Nepal
3. South Africa
2. Argentina/Chile
1. New Zealand
I used to do a lot of time travelling but in the end it always landed up becoming more and more convoluted and I would spend more time trying to reset my timeline rather than just enjoying the experience.
back in the US now wrote:
going away for a while wrote:
For anyone who's spent a significant amount of time (months to years) traveling, do you regret it at all? Do you wish you hadn't spent the time or money? Would you be better or worse off had you focused more on your career instead?
I traveled and lived abroad (some work, some backpacking) basically from 26 to 30.
If I hadn't done that, would I be "better off" in terms of paying off student loans, moving my career forward, buying a house or whatever it is most people worry about? Probably?
Am I "better off" in terms of getting to know several regions of the world, living in and and visiting dozens of countries, meeting the woman of my dreams and having no regrets? Yes.
I work with a woman with an experience like this. She went to Australia in her early 30s to work abroad. She came back a few years ago and is racing the clock to get married and start a family and trying to make Associate at our company. She loved her time there but says she should have done it earlier in her life.
My trips abroad have been 2 week vacations. We started with Europe and have made two trips to Asia now. No ragrets.
SorryNotForYou wrote:
Gramps wrote:
+1
Well said.
This topic wasn't directed at you. He asked for people who spend a LOT of time traveling. Not some guy who travels 2 weeks a year.
Two weeks: We took the grandkids to Disney World then spent a week up at the lake.
Never owned a passport. Voted for Trump. Have hotdogs and beans every Saturday night, then go to the Legion hall for polka dancing and a few Hamm's beers. Sunday's we go to church.
travel has greatly impeded my plans to die rich and boring.
I went backwards in time and accidentally shot Archduke Ferdinand. None of you know it but he was originally just slapped with the gloved hand of a jealous lover. Instead I shot him and to my surprise WWI happened. All the history books changed at once. Darn!
Strange experience but definitely worth it!
This post was removed.
fingeringbutt wrote:
yesma wrote:
Yes, I definitely regret the amount of time and money I wasted traveling. I feel like I missed out on a lot of life back home. Most people I know now are all about kids. I basically have no friends. I really wish I had only done one year. I wish after that I had gotten a real job and then just done shorter trips whenever I could.
Samesies. I'm not sure my history counts as travelling really, but whatever it is I certainly regret it all (am a pretty regretful person in general though). I left the USA about ten years ago now. I've never dug travelling for travelling's sake, but I've lived for long periods in an embarrassing number of wide-ranging places across the americas, europe, and asia. Am 38 now and while it hasn't left me in any disaster situation (I'm healthy and fit, have zero debt, and am paid to do work which most people find enviable), neither am I anywhere near where I'd otherwise prefer to be in life right now. I definitely regret leaving the USA to go live abroad at this point. The degradation and loss of friendships due to distance has been and continues to be seriously soul-destroying. I've made and lost other friends abroad for same reasons and that too hurts nearly as bad.
I don't own a home and am unmarried with no children which I understand in today's world is likely an asset, but some niggling biological thing inside me fills me with shame for these holes in my life. The constant fight for legal immigration status has taken years off my life for the stress of it all. Certainly gives you a good perspective on what immigrants go through when you are one yourself. I'm now 6 months away from being able to apply for 'permanent' resident status in the european country where I'm living, and even if they grant me it, I'm still trying to return to the USA now. Flying back tomorrow actually for work which I hope to lead into a more permanent situation.
That's another factor. After you've got sick of being always a foreigner, it's trickier than you think to reverse it and go back home. I've been ten years away, so it's not like I can just book a flight back to my apartment. It's like starting over from scratch, and the USA is not a friendly place these days toward someone looking to ease back into a residential situation there. It's pretty much '2 year lease or nothing.' Finding a job is tricky when you've a long history of living and working abroad (if you were able to find work as a foreigner, which is nearly impossible). And then the culture shock. After a certain extended absence, the place you called home isn't the same as you remember it, neither the people the same as you left them. You have a whole lot of experiences they don't, and probably vice versa, and that drives a wedge between people.
So yes it's all quite tricky and at this point I do regret it. But no going back now. Back in time I mean. Can't reverse the decision. I would counsel anyone thinking about going on some long extended travel thing to think twice and thrice about it before committing. Especially now days, when the world is sadly pretty much the same everywhere. Cities at least, along with all the marquee travel spots which people see on instagram and get inspired to go to all the spots themselves. The world has been ruined by the tourism apparatus, making it easy and comfortable for anyone to go anywhere no matter how clueless. You simply can't escape it without SERIOUS commitment and probably more money than most people have access to. So in short, it's not worth it these days. Stay home, work toward your future, and if you just can't quell the itch, go see the world in short snatches of vacation rather than some years-long trip.
Are you my brother?? You sound identical to him. I love you man.
fingeringbutt wrote:
yesma wrote:
Yes, I definitely regret the amount of time and money I wasted traveling. I feel like I missed out on a lot of life back home. Most people I know now are all about kids. I basically have no friends. I really wish I had only done one year. I wish after that I had gotten a real job and then just done shorter trips whenever I could.
Samesies. I'm not sure my history counts as travelling really, but whatever it is I certainly regret it all (am a pretty regretful person in general though). I left the USA about ten years ago now. I've never dug travelling for travelling's sake, but I've lived for long periods in an embarrassing number of wide-ranging places across the americas, europe, and asia. Am 38 now and while it hasn't left me in any disaster situation (I'm healthy and fit, have zero debt, and am paid to do work which most people find enviable), neither am I anywhere near where I'd otherwise prefer to be in life right now. I definitely regret leaving the USA to go live abroad at this point. The degradation and loss of friendships due to distance has been and continues to be seriously soul-destroying. I've made and lost other friends abroad for same reasons and that too hurts nearly as bad.
I don't own a home and am unmarried with no children which I understand in today's world is likely an asset, but some niggling biological thing inside me fills me with shame for these holes in my life. The constant fight for legal immigration status has taken years off my life for the stress of it all. Certainly gives you a good perspective on what immigrants go through when you are one yourself. I'm now 6 months away from being able to apply for 'permanent' resident status in the european country where I'm living, and even if they grant me it, I'm still trying to return to the USA now. Flying back tomorrow actually for work which I hope to lead into a more permanent situation.
That's another factor. After you've got sick of being always a foreigner, it's trickier than you think to reverse it and go back home. I've been ten years away, so it's not like I can just book a flight back to my apartment. It's like starting over from scratch, and the USA is not a friendly place these days toward someone looking to ease back into a residential situation there. It's pretty much '2 year lease or nothing.' Finding a job is tricky when you've a long history of living and working abroad (if you were able to find work as a foreigner, which is nearly impossible). And then the culture shock. After a certain extended absence, the place you called home isn't the same as you remember it, neither the people the same as you left them. You have a whole lot of experiences they don't, and probably vice versa, and that drives a wedge between people.
So yes it's all quite tricky and at this point I do regret it. But no going back now. Back in time I mean. Can't reverse the decision. I would counsel anyone thinking about going on some long extended travel thing to think twice and thrice about it before committing. Especially now days, when the world is sadly pretty much the same everywhere. Cities at least, along with all the marquee travel spots which people see on instagram and get inspired to go to all the spots themselves. The world has been ruined by the tourism apparatus, making it easy and comfortable for anyone to go anywhere no matter how clueless. You simply can't escape it without SERIOUS commitment and probably more money than most people have access to. So in short, it's not worth it these days. Stay home, work toward your future, and if you just can't quell the itch, go see the world in short snatches of vacation rather than some years-long trip.
+1. Take a couple of half-year trips when you're young, then find something better to do with your life.
Amen to "LivinDaDream"
Haha best thing I've read on letsrun.
Hear hear wrote:
Haha best thing I've read on letsrun.
Only 36% of Americans have passports.
Thats a good thing; screw the rest of the world.
yes
Not a bit. I have a cirrus SF50
I regret some trips. Most were great though. Whether you get much from travelling depends on who you are and how you travel. Some folks from my parents generation did bus tours or cruises everwhere and basically experienced nothing. The only interesting travel stories are about ordinary people in other places. My hiking club is full of "have you been to......." Boooooring.
Someone once said "I've never seen a famous view that wasn't disappointing". I agree.
People, though, are what its all about.
Ivanhoe wrote:
Someone once said "I've never seen a famous view that wasn't disappointing". I agree.
Been to the Himalayas or Patagonian Andes? or Banf? Hard to imagine anyone finding those 'disappointing'
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