travel while you're still young

8 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young

Hi, I’m Tim, the grizzled old editor at the helm of this blog here. I took my first round-the-world backpacking trip in 1993. Yes, last century, last millennium. I was pretty young and fit then, pictured here top left. Now that I’m not so much of either, it’s even clearer to me that you should do everything in your power to travel while you’re young.

I’m saying this as a middle-aged man who’s got enough money to stay in comfort when traveling now. I’ll still check into a cheapie hotel here and there because I write about budget travel and I need to stay in the loop, but usually only when I’m solo. Most of the time, especially on vacation with my significant other, I’m going to be in a nice room with climate control, a proper work chair, and a hot shower.

In terms of experiences though, it’s hard to top the ones I had on that first trip around the world. Then on the two after that. We were backpackers without much money, with a daily budget that seemed laughably low even then, but we saw and did things that will live on in my mind and (film) photos forever. It’s hard to duplicate that now, for a whole lot of reasons, the main one being that old people are not as mobile–in body, in speed, or often even in mindset. So here’s why you should travel while you’re young.

Young Travelers Don’t Require So Many Comforts

When my now-wife was in her 20s and we were traveling around the world, we slept on all kinds of crappy beds in $5 guesthouses, on the deck of a boat several times, and on the sand of the Thar Desert when on a camel safari in India. Later we hiked the Inca Trail together, camping in tents because that’s what you have to do on that adventure.

Perhaps she could still do that if she really had to, but she’s got back problems now and sleeps with a mountain of pillows on an expensive mattress. Earplugs are involved, sometimes a white noise machine. When we have the option of upgrading to a better bus, a better train class, or even business class plane tickets when they’re steeply discounted (like they were during the pandemic), we snag the opportunity without thinking about it. Because we’re old.

Go while you’re young on that big trip around the world and you won’t be missing a luxurious adjustable bed, a house that’s always the same comfortable temperature, or point A-to-B trips that only happen in your nice air-conditioned car. Go when the idea of sleeping in a hostel dorm room with 17 other people doesn’t fill you with dread.

You’ve Got Full Mobility and a Thirst for Adventure

When you’re young, your body is ready for almost anything, especially if you’re not carrying around a lot of extra weight. You’ve got stamina, strong bones, healthy joints, and an immune system that can take on all kinds of challenges. You can scale 1,000 steps and hike through the Alps or Andes Mountains like it’s a walk in the park. You might get a little sore and tired, but the next day you’ll bounce back fine.

I hiked the full Annapurna Circuit in Nepal in my early 30s, back when it was a 21-day walk, and I don’t remember it being all that difficult except for the day we went over the high pass and there wasn’t much oxygen. A few years ago I went back and just did the short Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek and my legs were screaming out, “What the hell?!”

You can also walk for an hour with a 40-pound backpack on your back, stay in a hotel room that’s on the 5th floor of a walk-up, and never have to ask about ramps or elevators. You can sleep all night without getting up to go to the bathroom (if you haven’t been out drinking) and haul ass across an airport to catch your connecting flight.

There’s a reason so many old people travel on cruise ships: they can’t move around very easily these days. They can’t just sling on a backpack and hit the road in foreign lands. Take advantage of your body’s mobility and resilience while it’s still in peak form.

You Don’t Need as Much Sleep

There’s a meme photo going around titled “Why you should travel while you’re young” and it shows two gray-haired retirees asleep on a boat—a boat that’s a gondola going through the canals of Venice. They probably spent years saving for this trip and planning it out, but now that they’re there, they can’t even stay awake for the highlights.

When you’re young, you can catch sleep when it’s available, then rock on for 20 hours straight when there’s something better to do. You don’t need frequent naps or an early bedtime and if you went out drinking the night before with newfound friends, you can still get up and hike three hours to the waterfalls, no problem.

Back to that comfort thing again, you can easily crash on an overnight bus or train while sitting upright, good to go again the next day. You can go couchsurfing in a literal sense and actually sleep the whole night.

You Haven’t Become a Creature of Habit

The older you get, the more habits you pick up and they get harder to give up. You find it harder to go away for long periods, being in a strange place without all the things you’re used to. Some of it goes back to that comfort thing again, like you’re bed set-up or your bathroom with everything in the right place.

Other habits go beyond personal preferences and they actually become requirements: pills you have to take, stretches you need to do each day, lotions you need to apply, or some machine you need to plug in and put on to deal with a medical issue.

You’re Not Tied Down to a Specific Place

While we’ve thankfully sped up the move to remote work in the past few years and many of us haven’t had an office job for ages, that’s still the minority. Most people have a job that requires them to be in a specific place. When they’re not in that place, it’s called a vacation.

If you don't travel while you're young, you get stuck in a rut

The further you go up the career ladder, the tougher it is to drop all the trappings and just take off for an extended period. Even in my late 20s, when my then-girlfriend told me she wanted to travel around the world, my first response was, “What do I do about my mortgage, my car, and all this stuff in my condo?” Now imagine what it’s like when you’re in your prime earning years and you’ve got a big house, kids headed to college, and two cars you’re paying for.

Leave while you can, before you get tied down by a job and your obligations.

You’ll Gain the Top Job Skills of Adaptability and Meeting Challenges

Speaking of jobs, there’s an erroneous assumption by many that if you step off the treadmill and go traveling, your long-term career options will suffer. That may be true in some very specific fields where there’s a defined path—medicine or architecture for instance—but for most people reading this, a year of travel will probably help you more than a year of routine job tasks in a cubicle.

Ask any manager what kinds of skills they are looking for today and the top answers are ones you gain from long-term travel. Every day you are developing the traits that come up most in employer surveys: adaptability, the ability to deal with unknowns, the embrace of change, self-confidence, communication skills, and creativity. By default, you learn the kinds of social skills that executives take coaching classes for, like negotiation, getting help from strangers, and socializing with people you have never met.

When I came back from my third round-the-world trip, I got a job with one of the top tech firms where I lived and my travel experience actually helped my resume stand out. Then after I got the job, they promoted me twice in less than a year I and ended up managing the whole department within two years. I had gained the skills on the road that made me the kind of person they wanted in a key role in their company.

Later I struck out on my own as an entrepreneur, which is an even better match. Every business magazine has run some kind of article on how traveling makes you a better entrepreneur . Many digital nomads I know are making more money running their own show than the ones I know who are still pulling down a paycheck and have never gone abroad for more than two weeks.

You’ll Learn to Budget Well When Money Is Tight

We all spend a crazy amount of time in math classes learning equations and steps we’ll never use in real life. Very few schools offer classes on what we really need though: personal financial literacy and budgeting. Travel won’t help much with the first, but it is a fantastic lesson on the second.

When you take off on a six-month trip with $6,000 after airfare, you’re going to get really good at budgeting in a hurry. If you don’t, you’re going home early. You’ll learn to live within your means, decide when it’s worthwhile to splurge, and figure out ways to cut costs when you need to. All this daily budgeting practice will make you far better off than most adults as you continue on your life’s journey.

You’ll Look Great in Photos if You Travel While You’re Young

When I look back on the travel photos from our early 30s, before digital cameras, smartphones, and Instagram mind you, we’re looking pretty hot if I may say so myself. I’ve never weighed as little in my adult life as I did after being a vegetarian for six months while traveling through India. The food sucked in the Philippines, so my now-wife was looking great there too (on the right in the photo below). Perhaps if there had been social media back then, we would have put ourselves in the frame more often and been wearing skimpy outfits while doing it.

You’re never going to look as good in your 50s or 60s as you did a few decades earlier, no matter how much you work out, how well you eat, and what kind of drugs or creams you use. Gravity and biological breakdowns are going to take their toll.

Sure, I’m in some great photos in exotic places in current times that I’ll be proud to have on a rolling display at my funeral. They would look pretty good in a Ken Burns biography too I guess if I were worthy. But they are cool in a Leonard Cohen/Charlie Watts (both R.I.P.) kind of way, not in a “Wow, look at that body!” kind of way. Strike a pose in foreign lands when you still look young and vibrant.

These aren’t the only reasons why you should travel while you’re young, of course. One other key one is that there’s more chance you’ll be alive. If you wait until you’re retired to travel, you may not make it to the finish line.

What would you add to the list?

About the author.

Tim Leffel is author of five travel books, including Travel Writing 2.0 (now in its 2nd edition), and A Better Life for Half the Price , on living abroad. He is editor of Perceptive Travel online magazine and this blog. He splits his time between Guanajuato, Mexico and Tampa Bay. See his writing portfolio, awards, and links to his books at TimLeffel.com .

As remote working is becoming more popular, do you think we will be seeing more families taking longer trips?

It has been happening for a year and a half now as parents work remote and the kids’ school is remote as well. There’s less reason to stay home with no physical place of obligation, so you might as well spend time somewhere more interesting–and it can be less expensive too.

Why You Should Travel While You’re Young and in Your 20s

Disclaimer: This post might contain affiliate links, which means we get a small commission if you make a purchase (at no extra cost to you).

Yes, millennials would rather pay for experiences.

And travel is the best investment we could make in our 20s.

Here’s why it’s so important to travel while you’re young and in your 20s!

We are so happy that it’s becoming more and more common that young people, especially those in their 20s, want to spend more time traveling and exploring the world. Because let’s face it, a large portion of the millennial generation was raised under intense pressure to follow a linear path to be successful, get a job, and raise a family. Don’t get us wrong, being successful and getting your dream job is awesome and should be your priority!

But if you’re like us, there was a point in our lives where we wanted to slow down and fulfill our inner wanderlust that seemed to be bursting at its seams. Life comes at your fast. We wanted to see the world before life started to take over. To us, it’s totally ok to want to slow down and explore the world before you start working full-time, moving, becoming homeowners/renter, or becoming spouse or parent.

In our society today, when young people travel, there is a misconception that they’re putting themselves into more debt and wasting their money away on something insignificant. Or that young people traveling is just a trend for getting Instagram likes that people want to be a part of. This couldn’t be more wrong. Traveling can change your life for the better!

Keep reading to see why you should travel while you’re young and in your 20s!

Traveling as a Young Person

Now is the time.

Life happens fast. You graduate college, start a job, maybe you meet someone and start a family, and then all of a sudden you’re attending your 20-year class reunion. When you’re young, there is more time than you think for traveling. Traveling young is the best time because you have fewer strings attached and less baggage going along with your life. For most people, you only have to worry about you. Taking the time while you’re young gives you the chance to do some growing, exploring, and learning before life takes over.

It’s Financially Smart

Why buy things when you can have once in a lifetime experiences? For us, experiences are a lot more appealing. One of the biggest things about traveling that gets a bad rep is the cost. And as a traveling young person, lots of people assume “their parents are paying for it” or “they’re privileged.” And this isn’t always true. Lots of young people fund their own adventures. And as a young person, you can save money because you’re only paying for yourself and you learn how to manage your money while traveling. You’re making an investment in yourself and your life. Traveling gives you that chance to be a student of the world. We continue to discuss these learning opportunities later in this post!

Because of the costs, traveling as a young person or a student seems so out of reach for some. But student travel discounts are available thanks for third party booking providers and travel agencies like EF Ultimate Break.

Read our guide on how you can find different ways to travel as a student even if you feel like you can’t!

You Gain Independence and Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

When you travel, especially traveling solo, you’ll gain independence. The first time traveling solo might be scary, but it’s totally worth it! Every day you’ll have to make decisions for yourself, get to places on your own, and interact with different people. Traveling alone forces you to be independent. Isn’t that what becoming an adult is all about? Doing things on your own will help you later in life when you’re in a career.

When traveling, naturally, you’re going to be out of your comfort zone. New places can be intimidating, especially when you’re the odd person out and you feel like all of the locals are staring at you. (Commence flashbacks to awkward middle school years) But embrace it! This is a great opportunity to test yourself and maybe get over some fears!

Learn About Yourself

While traveling, you’re going to learn about yourself. You’ll learn things that you like and dislike, new interests you didn’t know you had, and where you can improve yourself. Traveling is an opportunity for discovery!

Experience New Cultures, Languages, and People

Traveling gives you the chance to experience something completely new. You can hear and speak new languages, experience local culture, and cuisine, and meet interesting people. The best way to learn about people different from yourself is to immerse yourself into their world and traveling gives you the opportunity to do so! Learning about new cultures and people promotes human connection and breeds tolerance. In a world that is so divided, listening to other and experiencing different cultures is vital for bettering yourself and society.

See History

When you travel, you’re able to visit landmarks in history. Witnessing history and learning about the past is very important for framing your own worldview and understanding your place in the world. Not only is history interesting and fascinating, but history can also help us make a better tomorrow!

You Can Use the Things You Learn From Travelling in Your Future Job

Thinking about all of these things in this post, traveling is one big learning experience. Throughout your journeys, you’ll learn things that you can use in your everyday life when you go home and maybe even at work. Maybe those few Spanish phrases will come in handy during a business meeting. Or maybe understanding a different culture will allow you to develop better professional relationships. Or all those times you had to talk to strangers helps you become more confident in social situations. The things you learn from traveling help you to grow as a person and a young professional.

So Why Not Travel?

But seriously why not travel while you’re in your 20s?! You won’t regret it!

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4 reasons why you should make traveling a priority in your 20s

Life in your twenties is constantly changing.
Nothing is tying me down.
It's easier than ever to travel on a budget.

The memories are priceless.

Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of traveling across the country and beyond.

Although these opportunities may not have arrived at the perfect time, or for the perfect price, I have made it a priority to seize every travel opportunity that has come my way.

Your twenties may be ever-changing and hectic, but that is exactly why it's the perfect time for personal travel.

Here are some reasons why I'm choosing this time in my life to travel — and why you should too.

Your life is likely already in a constant state of flux.

Your twenties are a time of constant change. Whether you are job hunting, moving, searching for love, or any combination of major life changes, it feels like nothing is ever certain. So why not take advantage of these changes while you can? Travel is a great way to seize control of your time.

Go see the world before your schedule becomes too rigid and you can't escape the monotony.

Nothing is tying you down.

If you're in your twenties, chances are you don't have a mortgage or kids — you may not even have a dog yet. Although this may be the ultimate goal for some, being free of these obligations means you are in the perfect position to travel.

You can pack up and leave without worrying about hiring anyone to watch your kids/dog/house plants. In your twenties, life is already full of new experiences, so why not make some of those experiences adventurous?

It's easier than ever to travel on a budget.

With amazing new sites like Airbnb, Couchsurfing, Lyft, and Uber, hospitality and transportation are easier (and cheaper) than ever before. If Airbnb or Couchsurfing freaks you out, most major cities have hostels as well. They may not have five-star luxury suites, but it's usually a cheap room right in the heart of the city.

Bargain airlines such as WOW and Allegiant also cut major costs of airline travel. If you don't feel like planning a trip on your own, programs like EF Ultimate Break also plan remarkable trips for affordable prices. They will even set you up with a monthly payment plan. There has simply never been a better time for budget travel.

At the risk of sounding totally cheesy, I must say that the memories made while traveling are incomparable. The experiences you have while traveling are completely unique. You step out of your comfort zone to navigate new regions and cultures.

You may choose to travel with close friends, strangers, or take the journey alone. Whichever you choose, you are inevitably making bonds, experiencing cultures, and seeing sights that will stick with you for the rest of your life.

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Main content

10 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young

Traveling is great at any age. And with time, most people do get to travel. But if you’re young, you might be wondering what to prioritize and what to put on hold. Studying and building friendships should have first priority for everyone in the 18-22 age group, but traveling must not be underrated, and there’s plenty to gain from traveling while you’re young. Get a bit of inspiration here!

1 It’s the best way to learn about the world
2 You will learn how to set a budget
3 It will set you up for success
4 It may put away notions of racism
5 Travel gives you courage
6 Meet friends for life
7 Learn other languages
8 Travel brings gratitude
9 When you’re young, you’re full of energy
10 You may want to stay forever
11 You’ll regret it if you don’t

It’s the best way to learn about the world

You can learn a lot from reading books and watching tv. But nothing beats the real thing, and nothing will teach you more about the world than traveling it.

Even if it’s just a single trip, for now, you can learn an endless amount of things. When you travel, you get the chance to dig into a culture, interact with it, and discover new things. Traveling is by far the best way to learn about the world. Even if it starts out as just a little corner of the world!

You will learn how to set a budget

Travel is expensive if you don’t know what you are doing. But if you plan ahead, and you make the right choices along the way, it can be somewhat affordable.

By traveling while you are young, you will certainly learn how to make a budget and how to follow it. If you don’t, well – it will have some clear consequences on your wallet and it may put your trip short. Assuming you’re not rich, you will have to be frugal, you will have to make choices based on what you can afford. Travel is often done within a budget, and by learning to make a budget and by sticking to it, you will prepare yourself very well for future financial challenges in life.

It will set you up for success

What does success in life have to do with travel? Quite a lot, actually!

Traveling lets you interact with strangers, typically in different languages than your own. It lets you face challenges that you are not used to. You might end up being stuck in a bus station in a small town. You might end up forgetting your suitcase in some Airbnb apartment and not be able to get it back for weeks. You might end up getting sick and having to deal with it on the go. Granted, these things don’t sound appealing, but when you can handle such situations, you grow tremendously as a person.

If you can go somewhere new alone and deal with new problems, you will notice how much easier everything is when you’re home. And facing adversity is the best thing you can do to get a success mindset later on.

It may put away notions of racism

When we live in our own countries, we only see life from one perspective. When we travel out into the world, or when we live in another country, we get to feel what it’s like to be away from home, to be a guest in another culture.

It has been seen many times that people lose notions of racism when they have tried traveling. When you get to interact with people from wildly different cultures, and you get to see their way of living up-close, it can take away misunderstandings and prejudices about them and their cultures. Oftentimes, you will find that people in other countries are incredibly friendly to foreigners – something most of us can learn from.

Travel gives you courage

If you travel alone, you surely learn how to be independent. Most young people today are very dependent on others – whether it is family, friends or authorities – so it makes sense to go out into the world alone and stand on your own feet. It forces you to take responsibility for yourself, it forces you to see who you are when you are completely on your own.

You don’t want to sit in a wheelchair one day and wish you hadn’t been a coward.

Meet friends for life

Most travelers don’t interact much with the locals. Avoid being one of them.

Try to meet new people when you travel. It can be locals or it can be other travelers. It’s easier than you would think. These days we get help from the internet where you can chat with people before going and end up meeting.

Aside from that, simply go to a bar and strike up some conversations. If you don’t drink, it doesn’t have to be in a bar. It can be while sitting in a park, while you’re in line in the supermarket, while you’re waiting for the metro or an entirely different situation. Talk to people, make friends, and some of them might just stick for life!

Learn other languages

If you’re into language learning, there is one thing that is super important to do: Travel!

Either to learn a new language or to apply the one you have already been learning.

In any case, if you’re a language lover, you’ve got to travel as well. Get going!

Travel brings gratitude

It’s quite amazing to have the opportunity to travel. Going back just a few generations, it wasn’t normal at all for people to travel – at least not the way we do it nowadays where middle-class people can easily enjoy several trips per year if they want to.

Overall, travel is something to be grateful for. And this gratitude can easily be felt when you’re on the road, seeing new places. It brings wonderful opportunities, it brings joy to life, and it is something we can easily feel thankful for when we are experiencing these moments.

When you’re young, you’re full of energy

When you’re old, you won’t be able to do as many things as when you were old.

So what happens to all the wild things that may happen on an active vacation? Well, don’t wait too long – try everything while you’re young!

As a young man or woman, you have the necessary energy to fully explore every place you visit. Take advantage of it, and don’t let your early twenties slip by.

You may want to stay forever

Some places can have such a big impression on us that we don’t ever want to leave it again. And some people actually choose to stay. If you really fall in love with a place and with its people, why not give it a chance? Other people have done it – completely without regret! You can always find a job somewhere, or perhaps become self-employed by making your own blog or vlog sharing your experience with others.

You’ll regret it if you don’t

Frankly, if you don’t travel when you’re young, you will regret it later. We’ve heard it so many times. Everyone who starts traveling a lot in the 30s or 40s, perhaps even later – they always come to think “hey, why didn’t I do this earlier? There weren’t really any valid excuses”.

Get out there and enjoy your life! Treat people with respect wherever you go, and be aware of your actions. Let go of the ego, see new places and lift your spirit. Travel will teach you who you are, and it will teach you about other people as well.

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Jacob Jensen

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Topdeck Travel

14 Reasons Why You Should Travel When You're Young.

We’ve all got that friend who’ll make a tonne of excuses for not packing their bags and jetting off on an adventure. They’ll say they want to wait until they have more money, until they’ve bought a house or land the perfect job. Check out our list of reasons that will help you convince them to book that one-way ticket to a far-flung destination, and prove why you should travel when you’re young.

There are epic experiences reserved for the young, wild and free. Have you been clubbing at Berghain in Berlin, sailing around Croatia during Yacht Week or jumped the flaming skipping rope at Thailand’s Full Moon Party? Go on, we dare you.

2. You’ll break down boundaries

Your body is in its prime; you’re fit, strong and up for any challenge. It’s your time to dive in with reckless abandon. Swim with sharks in Cape Town, hike the Himalayas, bungy jump in Queenstown, go white water rafting along the Zambezi and run with the bulls in Pamplona.

3. Travel is the best form of education

We’ve all dozed off during a particularly dull history class, but when you visit Rome’s Colosseum, the Acropolis in Athens or the pyramids of Egypt, suddenly a boring tutorial isn’t about some faraway land but about a place you actually visited last summer.

4. You’ll feast on foreign flavours

Lets face it, your metabolism is never going to be as fast as it is now. This is the time to indulge in foreign food. Enjoy Parisian pastries, pizza in Naples and top-notch fries in Amsterdam . Order off the secret menu at In-N-Out Burger in LA or tuck in to a pad thai from a street vendor in Bangkok.

5. Because what happens on tour…

Your friends just ‘get you’, so who better to embark on an adventure with than your best bud? It’s the ultimate time to travel with your friends before ‘adulting’ gets in the way.

6. You might find romance on the road

We all know that Before Sunrise / Before Sunset are just films, but holiday romance is an actual thing. Perhaps especially if you travel when you’re young. Being from somewhere different, or having a foreign accent, instantly makes you more attractive and interesting.

On the flip side, when you get back home you can impress your date with tales of your overseas escapades. Hey, you could even choose a Tinder profile pic of you crouching with a tiger (Just joking, please do not do that).

7. Because hip hostels are cheap as chips

Who wants to waste their hard earned cash on fancy hotels when you can find a hostel for less than $20 per night? These days, trendy hostels are located in some of the hippest neighbourhoods. They boast cutting-edge design, gourmet food, craft cocktails and complimentary bicycles.

8. Your Instagram is going to rack up the likes

Sunset photos of Santorini, gelato on the Amalfi Coast, glamping in New Zealand or a snap of Iceland’s Northern Lights. Yep, before you know it you’ll be ‘Insta-famous’ and can give up your day job to get paid to travel. Talk about #goals.

9. Because it could be life changing

You’ve visited New York for the first time and fallen in love with city? That brief encounter might alter the course of your entire life. Before you know, it you’ve applied for a visa and are working as a barista in Brooklyn.

10. You can help protect the planet

Once you’ve been close up to the polar bears in the Arctic, swam in the emerald waters of Halong Bay or canoed along the Amazon River – your world has become so much bigger.

11. You’ll make life-long friends all over the world

Before you travel you had a tight-nit group of mates who probably grew up on your block. After globetrotting, you will have new friends all over the world. What’s even better? On your next adventure you’ll have plenty of couches to crash on. What a great reason to travel when you’re young!

12. You’ll be able to brag while watching cult TV series

Interrupt the latest episode of Game of Thrones to tell your flatmates that you’ve been to King’s Landing and that it’s actually in Dubrovnik .

13. Because it looks good on your resume

Whether it’s a semester abroad learning a new language, volunteering in a third-world country or even just showing initiative by travelling solo – companies look favourably on those special skills developed through international experience. Maybe just leave out that ‘hilarious story’ about that time at Oktoberfest …

14. You’ll make memories that’ll last a lifetime

Travelling will create a lifetime of memories that you’ll look back on with a smile. You’ll always remember all the crazy, amazing things you did. What better reason to convince you to go travel when you’re young?

Got itchy feet? Come travel with Topdeck to get your fill.

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Real Life Stories

5 of the biggest reasons to prioritise travel while you’re young

By Emma Calley

Published on Aug 11, 2017 | 4 min

I trawl through the ‘wanderlust’ hashtag on Instagram as if my life depends on it. I love the tales of people who leave stability behind to chase their travel pursuits, and I can’t help but relate this back to my own life… I’m still young. Early twenties. I’m a student and I’ve not yet had a full-time job. Do we all need to go through the motions of study, then career, before leaving it all behind? Of course not! Even in the world of ‘subverting expectations’ and chasing adventures there are still stereotypes that bind us – and I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to follow them. Here’s 5 reasons why you should travel while you’re young.

It’s more affordable than you think

The most common question I am asked by my peers is how I manage to afford overseas travel and my answer is always the same: Save and Sacrifice . I live strictly by the two S’s when I am gearing up for a trip, as they keep me focused on building my savings and allow me to make rough budget calculations prior to departure. Sure, missing a social gathering can be a little deflating, but every dollar saved counts towards gelato cones in Italy or tacos in Mexico . Making yourself a weekly financial plan in accordance with your earnings and aiming to put at least half of it away will grow your balance in no time. Then it’s Hello Holidays!

It Pushes You Outside your limits

If you’ve ever wanted to sky dive or bungee jump, the perfect time to do this is on holiday, while adrenaline pumps through your body and fuels your daring decisions. After all, what’s the use in making your way overseas if you make the same dull choices? Pushing yourself to the perceived limits of your abilities is invigorating. Life changing , even. Try something that makes you nervous. It might end up being the best decision you ever made.

It really is the best time to travel

People constantly warn me that travelling at a young age will lead you to miss out on normative experiences, such as ‘getting a good job’ and ‘settling down’. What many families or friends with good intentions fail to realise is that these may be goals for some, but for others they simply aren’t a priority. In fact, I’d counter that those who sacrifice their bucket list goals and vow to travel later in life are the ones who are missing out! There is no better time to backpack and see the world than while you’re young. Not only are you more likely to seize every opportunity, but you’re physically capable of achieving things you may not be able to tackle when you are older.

Backpacking instills life lessons

I am a firm believer that backpacking is one of the best ways to challenge yourself, both mentally and physically.There are a ton o f Instagram accounts that boast picturesque sights and optimistic captions, but they don’t show you all the work that takes pla ce behind the scenes. In many ways, backpacking is a type of job . You have to plan, b udget, and navigate.

To put it bluntly, the experience is gruelling. Chances are you’ll walk ove r ten kilometres per d ay, haul your suitcase up countless hills and staircases, live off food rations to save money, sleep in cramped dorms often lacking air conditioning and be forced to make important decisions on a few hours of sleep. The misconception of travel being a simple luxury is a myth that must be silenced. If a challenge is what you’re after, travelling may be the option your soul never knew it needed.

It allows you to reflect on your goals

Degrees can get you places, there’s no doubt about that. But our modern society places enormous emphasis on education – and that’s not right. For those that love to study, there is nothing wrong with attending college or university. But if you don’t have a desire to further your education, there’s no problem with that either! Don’t feel pressured to launch yourself into a realm of debt if your heart is not invested.

I urge anyone unsure about pursuing a degree to take a gap year and learn more about themselves. Spending time doing the things you love can often put what you want to get out of life into perspective. Perhaps it’ll reinforce your desire to become a doctor or lawyer. But maybe, like me, it’ll teach you that chasing creative passions is just as valid.

While success appears lucrative to some who crave a high-powered career, for many it is as simple as being happy.

Has travel helped you put your passions, goals, or life outlook into perspective? Share your stories with us here and you could see your work published on six-two…

Stop dreaming and make sh*t happen!

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10 Reasons Why You Should Travel While You’re Still Young

(*Disclaimer: The examples in this article are based on the general stereotypes that exist about older and younger people. I realise that there are older people out there traveling and doing amazing things, and young people staying in one place and being boring. I also realise that being “young” is a state of mind.)

Wait, did I just hear a bell ring?

Because it’s time you get schooled, punk! (I’m joking, you guys are awesome, love ya guts).

As far as I can see and have experienced, unless you make deliberate decisions from a relatively early age, there are 2 ways people go in life.

The first way is what I call the “traditional” route. You grow up, go to school, go to university, get a job, get married, have kids, buy a house, make some money, and wait for retirement to maybe go see some of the world. There might be some vacations here and there, there may be some weekend trips and short stopovers. But this is the general path that some people take.

The second option that I have seen and experienced goes like this: You grow up, go to school, (maybe go to university), decide you want to see what’s out there, board a plane, see different things and experience different cultures, decide you love travelling and want to do it forever, work seasonal or odd jobs to save up enough for your next adventure. Rinse and repeat indefinitely until you’re done (“done” is when either you don’t want this lifestyle anymore, or you can’t do it anymore, or you die).

Wait, I just thought of another option:

The third way is if you were “lucky” enough to be born into a wealthy family, and you have no responsibilities and endless access to funding for your adventures. You can travel permanently and never work and just sit on beaches drinking beers and cocktails all day. (Isn’t that the dream?!?). *I don’t think many of us have this option though .

Anyways, there are so many reasons to quit making excuses, quit everything, pack up all your stuff and hit the road while you are young (relative to what you consider young). Here are a few just off the top of my head:

1. You Have the Energy!

I loved my Nana, she was so awesome in so many ways. One of the many memories I have of my Nana was visiting her in the afternoon, and after chats and coffees and cake (this is why Nana’s are awesome, they always seemed to have cake) my Nana would settle down in front of the TV to watch her favorite shows. At least, she would watch the first 5 minutes and then she would fall asleep faster than I could blink.

That’s what I mean when I say; “you have the energy when you are young”. We as younger people have the staying power, the curiosity and the thirst to find out “what’s this over here, can I make it today, I want to go there …”.

We can handle a little less sleep, a little less downtime, a little less rest . We can stay awake to see what we haven’t seen before.

Unlike this adorable couple:

(Apart from being adorable, these guys are missing out!)

2. Young People Have More Time

I feel really bad for pointing this out, but younger people (for the most part) have more time on this Earth.

Let’s assume we’ll all live to 80 years old. Someone who starts travelling when they’re 50, only has 30 years to see and experience the rest of the world. Now someone who starts travelling at 20, has 60 years to see the world. That’s 3 times the amount of time, 3 times the amount of places that they may visit, 3 times the experience they may have.

It’s simply, more time to see and do the things you want. It’s more time to experience things and find out who you are, and more time to decide who you want to be.

Which leads to …

3. Time is Precious

I hate to be “that guy”, but time is precious. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever and you can never get it back.

And wouldn’t it suck to be old, retired, sore (and maybe sick), and wish you had more time. Or rather, that you spent more time doing the things you wanted to do (like travelling)?

Wouldn’t it suck to have regrets, wishing you spent less time at work and more time travelling?

SO what would you rather, spend the one thing you can’t get back at work (usually in the same place, with the same people, saying the same stuff year after year), or should you rather spend that time making memories and experiencing what the world has to offer?

It’s your choice.

4. When you’re young, you will look great in photos.

There is nothing quite like the power and beauty of youth. Your skin is wrinkle-free, you still have all your hair (and with no grey/white hairs), you have muscles and you stay thin no matter what you eat (lucky you).

All of that goes away as you start getting older.

So when you look back at all the photos of the memories you made, do you want to see the young and fresh You, or the older and more mature You? Which one would you want to show off to your grandkids?

5. It’s Easier to Make Money While You’re Young

Imagine this scenario: you own a company that makes shoes, and you’re looking for a casual worker for a 3 month contract to sweep the floors and clean up and help with general duties.

Who would you rather hire, a young worker full of energy or someone older?

Because I gotta say, most company owners and business people will hire the younger person. Yes, it’s biased. Yes, it’s unfair. I know, I know. But it’s just how things are. Younger people will generally get hired in preference over older people.

That means it’s easier for younger people to make money while they’re travelling. They can stay in one place for a while, make enough to last them for a few (days, weeks, months … ) and then they can move on to the next place.

6. When You’re Young, You Are More Likely to Go On “Adventures”

“Going on adventures” is sometimes code for “doing dumb stuff and getting away with it”. And let’s face it, we love doing dumb stuff when we’re young. Like:

“Sure I’ll hitch a ride with this van full of strange looking people, it’ll be fine!”

“Hell Yes I want to jump off this cliff into unknown waters below, looks like fun!”

“Try this funny smell dish that may or may not be cooked properly? Pfft, bring it!”

You get the point.

And while some of these “adventures” may end badly (at the time), and you may be uncomfortable temporarily, no good story ever started with the words ‘No I won’t…’.

Older people generally have more sense to avoid things that will make them uncomfortable.

Younger people generally don’t have that common sense, but as a result will be more uncomfortable and make more stories.

7. You Will Never, Ever See It All

The world is a massive place! It truly is. I know it’s been made “smaller” with technological advances in travel and access to information (the commercial airlines, the internet and streaming data to your phone), but these things don’t change the physical size of our planet.

The point is that even if you were to start travelling at 20 and never stop and only stay in one town just for 2 days, you still would never see everything. There is a finite limit to what you will see, you simply do not have the time to see it all before your time here is finished.

And there is simply no end to what you could see.

There is the spectacular natural scenery (the rainforest, the canyons, the mountains, rivers and lakes, the diving in the ocean) and there is the manufactured marvels that man has created (the Sphinx and pyramids, the Colosseum in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in Paris …). And, the small and special places that we discover accidentally (that special local pizza place in Italy, that fun-filled pub in England, playing football with the locals in a small town in Spain).

As I pointed out earlier, younger people have more time. That means they have more time to try and see everything that they want. Maybe if they’re lucky they will see most of what they want.

But no-one will see it all.

8. You May Just Get Stuck

Picture this: You’re young, and you’ve just finished your education (whatever that may be). You have the itch, the urge to venture out and see what the rest of the world has to offer. So you get a job and start to save money to fund your adventures.

You’re a great worker, so your boss promises you promotions and benefits and everything under the sun to get you to stick around.

So you think, “what’s the harm in waiting a few years, the world isn’t going anywhere and I really like this job.”

A few years pass and you’re making decent money. As the rule goes; the more money you make, the more money you spend. You decide to buy a nice house because you’re sick of living with parents or roommates.

All of a sudden you now have debt to pay off. But it’s no big deal because you’re making decent money.

And then it happens…

You meet someone. Sparks fly, angels sing and bells ring.

Wedding bells, that is. Congratulation, you get married!

And the next logical step after marriage is children! So you pop of a few of those bad boys out.

With a bigger family comes bigger expenses. You decide to buy a bigger house. And a bigger car. You have to work harder and longer to make ends meet.

Before you know it, you’re in you mid-forties and have still never travelled!

Don’t fall into this trap.

Travel while you’re young.

9. The World is Changing

Like it or not, change is constant. Scenery changes, rainforests disappear, different animal species become extinct, local attractions get shut down, areas get forbidden to travel to, local shops disappear and we lose certain parts of the world to change every day.

That mountain you’ve always wanted to climb; may one day be shut off from climbers.

That reef you want to dive; may one day be bleached out and destroyed.

The famous ice-cream place you really want to visit; may go bankrupt.

T he point is, we don’t ever know when the things we want to see and do will be gone.

So don’t waste time and miss out on them, go there and enjoy them while they’re still around.

*Disclaimer: Some things may never disappear. But do you know that for certain?

10. Young Bodies Can Handle the Stress

To be blunt, travelling can be hard, uncomfortable and stressful.

In certain parts of the world, catching a train means shoving yourself as hard as you can into a crowd of people and hoping you all make it through the doors without falling over and being trampled.

Sometimes the only way to see certain attractions is to jump in the back of a four-wheel drive and hang on for 3 hours over (what feels like) the world’s bumpiest road.

Sometimes the only place to stay for the night in a strange town is a “budget” (crappy) backpacker hotel room with 3 other guys. And they all snore. And fart.

Not to mention turbulence, travel sickness, “stomach issues” (diarrhea, flatulence, vomiting …) broken limbs, hangovers, cheap accommodation, crappy roads, and all the rest.

In most cases, younger bodies will handle the stresses and discomfort a lot better than older bodies.

There you go, there’s 10 different reasons to travel while you’re young. If you read through this entire article and found yourself agreeing, I have just one thing to say:

“Stop reading now and start travelling.”

Seriously, make plans now. You don’t have to leave tomorrow; you don’t even have to leave in a few weeks. Just know you should start, and work towards it. Pick a destination, pick a time and then make it happen.

Because the world waits for no-one.

Until next time,

Be Wild and Free!

-Aaron and Chiara

Why We Decided to Quit Our Jobs and Travel (and why you should too).

10 great reasons to travel. Regarding #7, I’m still hoping to see it all.

travellingnowherefast

Thanks Nick! Absolutely, we hope to see it all too!!

And from your map looks like you’re very close to see it all! 😀

Now Or Never: 5 Benefits Of Traveling While You’re Still Young

In our generation, we are living in a competitive world and if there is a chance to choose between work and travel , most of us, particularly young people would choose to work. We believe in working hard while we are young can give us good benefits that we can pluck later on, and it is an excellent way for a person to secure their future.

The pleasure and satisfaction in life could be put away with a purpose to savor them after your retirement, but things such as traveling are not one of those. There are various reasons why you should travel when you are still young. Think of it and understand that these opportunities don’t last forever.

That being said, here are the five reasons you need to know to make up your mind to travel while you are young.

A Chance to Savor Great Moment

As you become old, the materialistic trapping increases, a car, a house, investments, loans, etc. There are also additional commitments such as children, partners, with much higher commitments, whether it is financial or otherwise. You’ll have to engage in greater responsibilities, so you might be unable to make traveling as your priority.

Traveling while you are young and still carefree could help you to enjoy the experience and moments without being worried about the happenings back home, or to feel guilty about neglecting responsibilities while you are having a good time.

Become More Responsible and Independent

Traveling while you are young helps you become more responsible for yourself and belongings. If you’re planning to travel , you will learn new things that could show you how to control your time and manage your money effectively.

Things like taking care of your valuables such as your money, passport, and devices could make you responsible and become more attentive to your surroundings. Managing in other city or country which is unfamiliar to you will give you the confidence to take care of yourself and be an independent one.

You Don’t Have To Worry About Health Problems

The most common advantage of traveling while young is that you don’t have to worry about many health issues. As you become old, your body finds it to be more difficult to get by with stress and other harsh activities.

Doing basic work at your home or going on a trip that engages long rides and long flights will be tougher as you grow old . Younger adults pose less of a risk of injury since they are typically more fit and have fewer dietary restrictions. If you don’t have many health worries, you can surely enjoy more activities while you travel!

A Good Opportunity to Find Yourself

Many people need to try other things before they can figure out what they want to do and what they want in life . Traveling is one of the great ways to meet different kinds of people. Those who live differently, who have other beliefs, who do a different kind of works, who look at problems and solutions differently. These experiences could help you determine what your purpose in life is, how you should set your goals and think out how to fulfill them.

It Opens Your Mind to A New Perspective

Younger people are more likely to be open to making some adjustments needed during travel, and see it as a kind of adventure. While older people on the other hand, are more particular about just smaller details such as the brand of a particular toothpaste they use, or even what sort of coffee they drink, and might have some adjustment problems when going to travel. Traveling while you are young helps you to unlock your mind to various options and perspectives.

Remember, life is just too short, and we may never have another opportunity to travel and explore the world. Let’s face the fact that there is nothing we can do to guarantee ourselves for old age or long life. We don’t know what the future holds and anything could happen at any moment and we may not get to see the beautiful places and cities around us, so we must explore, discover, and dream while we are still young.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

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20 reasons to go abroad in your twenties

“twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. so throw off the bowlines. sail away from the safe harbor. catch the trade winds in your sails. explore. dream. discover.” –mark twain.

Make the most of your youth and travel. Recognize that these opportunities don’t last forever and check out these 20 reasons to travel while you’re young!

1. It will expand your horizons while you’re more open-minded

We would like to think that when we’re old and wrinkly we’ll be just as freethinking and open as we are today. This just isn’t true. When you’re younger, you’re more easily influenced and open to new ideas. That means an international experience has the potential of making a much bigger impact on you if you do it while you’re young.

2. You don’t have to finance a trip for a whole family – just you

When you’re in your twenties and relatively unattached, you get to worry about financing an international trip for just one person – you. Once you start adding spouses and children into the mix, going abroad becomes much more of a financial commitment and less of a possibility.

3. You’ll have more independence to do whatever you want

When you go abroad when you’re young, you can pretty much go wherever the wind takes you. Traveling alone gives you the chance to go join a group of friends if you want, or decide to go solo wherever your wanderlust takes you.

4. You’ll meet other young travelers from around the world and form life-long bonds

Because of the solitary experience traveling at a young age can often be, you’re very quick to establish strong and fast friendships with other young travelers from all over the world. These strong connections with people from a multitude of backgrounds are unlike the relationships that you’ll make with any other group and they’ll make you more open to making international friends in the future.

5. You learn to become a good traveler at an early age

International travel can be a difficult art to master. It takes knowledge, experience, a good attitude and adaptability. The earlier you develop these skills, the more years you’ll have to invest in international experiences.

6. Exposure to new languages

Young people can really benefit from hearing different languages and being exposed to new sounds and expressions. Even though 20-somethings don’t have the same capacity to learn a language as a toddler, the younger you start trying to pick up foreign languages, the better.

7. You become more globally conscious at an impressionable age

Ethnocentrism can really skew your perception of international news and issues. It’s important to develop a global consciousness at an early age in order to curtail ignorance. The more you know about the world at a young age, the better.

8. You can try things that you just might not be interested in later on

Some activities just won’t interest you when you’re older. So if you’ve always wanted to ride a camel, learn how to surf or bungee jump – it might as well be now.

9. International experiences and travel can be a huge networking tool as you’re trying to boost your career

International travel connects you to people – people who tend to be more educated and more open-minded. You never know when your experience abroad will end up being a conversation starter with your next boss or best friend. If you and a colleague each spent time in Madrid it’s an instant common ground that forges a unique connection.

10. You don’t have as many responsibilities

Marriage. Mortgages. Monthly bills. Life beyond your twenties is full of wonderful things – but they’re also commitments that make it more difficult to finance an international trip or take a few months off to live in a foreign country. Use the freedom that you have while you’re unattached to become a well-traveled, educated and textured individual. The rest can come after that.

11. You’re a bit gutsier when you’re young

If you wait past your 20s to go abroad, it will be more difficult to make that leap. Your twenties are a bolder, gutsier time when you’re really willing to push your limits in order to grow. Take advantage of that youthful attitude and go abroad while you have the chance.

12. It will boost your confidence and independence

Millennials have the bad rap for being needy in the workplace. Going abroad is a great opportunity to challenge that assumption and prove your independence. It’s the kind of experience that will push you to problem solve on your own and become a more self-reliant person and professional.

13. You’ll become multiculturally savvy

An international experience will help you become more comfortable in international situations, interacting with people from a plethora of cultural backgrounds. This skill will serve you well your entire life – might as well develop it as early as possible.

14. Learning a foreign language is great for your career

As companies become increasingly international, knowing a foreign language can accelerate your career at an early age. The best way to learn a foreign language? Immersion (aka going abroad).

15. Expanding your personal and professional network at a young age

Going abroad, especially through an international internship, is an effective way to expand your list of contacts. Your colleagues and other interns will offer professional insight and a couch to crash next time you’re looking to travel somewhere new.

16. Discounted travel

There are many opportunities for 20-somethings to slash down travel prices because of all the discounts out there that encourage young people to travel. Websites like StudentUniverse, for example, offer discounted international flights to young people 25 and under.

17. You’ll be down for more rustic conditions

Your accommodation and travel standards are lower when you’re younger. That translates into cheaper prices as you travel, meaning you can see and do more while spending less money.

18. You’ll learn to laugh at yourself when you’re young

There’s nothing like going abroad to teach you the importance of having a sense of humor about yourself. It’s impossible to travel abroad without a having few hiccups along the way. You’ll quickly learn it’s not about having the perfect trip – it’s about having the right attitude. Learning that lesson early in life will do you well.

19. With exposure to new countries and continents, you’ll get a better sense of the impact of globalism and the global economy

Once you have some international travel under your belt, you’ll see how international our lives truly are – even when we stay back home. We all consume foreign products, entertainment, music and more. Going abroad helps illuminate that fact even more, which can help turn your focus outwards as you shape your career. A global mindset can lead to more opportunity.

20. You might be able to convince mom and dad to help finance your trip

International experiences often come with a hefty price tag. If you start while you’re young, you’ll oftentimes find that parents, even if they can’t pay for a whole trip, will help you out to make it happen. There’s an understanding today that going abroad is more than just fun – it’s an important educational experience that makes you a more competitive professional and well-rounded human being.

These are just a handful of the reasons why you should travel while you’re young. Apply now and boost your career!

Sources: http://thoughtcatalog.com/matthew-kepnes/2014/01/53-travel-quotes-to-inspire-you-to-see-the-world/

Photo 1. by The Intern Group

Photo 2. by The Intern Group

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6 Reasons You Need To Travel While You're Still Young (And Never Stop)

It’s difficult for me to imagine not being able to travel regularly. I’ve always loved traveling – ever since I was a little lad. I was never one to be scared of leaving home.

Hell, I moved to Europe for a bit, just for the heck of it. Now I’m lucky enough to travel to Turkey a few times a year for business.

Traveling is more than just a distraction from your regular life. It’s a learning experience every time you hop onto that plane. Traveling can teach you more in a year than most people will learn in a lifetime.

You don’t only learn about parts of the world and the people who live there. Most importantly, you’ll learn about you.

You’ll see yourself in a way that you have never seen yourself before. Being alone in a strange land is the best wakeup call one can have. But, to get the full benefits of traveling, you gotta travel when you’re young.

1. You get to meet people your age and see how they are living.

This is much more difficult when you’re older, as just about everyone will have jobs and/or marriages. The working and married life looks very similar in most parts of the world.

With age comes responsibility and with responsibility comes a lack of leisure. It’s best to travel when you know you’ll be most likely to meet people who will have time to hang out, to show you around, to talk to you and share thoughts with you. People seem to be less interested in meeting new people the older they get.

2. You can do all the crazy things you know you’ll probably regret.

Luckily you’re young enough and have time to forget them. You’re young and still believe that partying until the break of dawn is a good idea.

Don’t let that mindset go to waste! YOLO it all out until you are forced to find enjoyment in the simpler things.

Not to say that you can’t party it up when you’re older, but chances are that you won’t be as keen to party it up when you’re older. And if you are, the consequences are likely to be grander.

3. You can fall in love with the wrong exotic person and be happy you did.

Let’s be honest with ourselves: We love to travel because we hope we’ll meet some beautiful and exotic person to be our lover for a short duration of time.

We want that Euro-fling. Falling in love with someone you can barely communicate with is really something special – I’m not joking. It shows you how human beings can communicate no matter what language they speak.

4. You can see the world with eyes that have yet to be tainted by false beliefs.

Being open-minded relies heavily on being constantly introduced to different varieties of the same thing.

We have to understand that some of the simplest things, things that we may very well take for granted, are done differently elsewhere.

The older you get, the more set you become in your ways and the less you’ll be open to trying new things and looking at things from a different perspective. There may always be right and wrong, but there is also the simply different.

5. You can eat and drink like you’re in your 20s because you are in your 20s.

From what I hear, our metabolisms will go to sh*t in the next two decades or so. That may change with advancements in medicine, but I wouldn’t bet too much on it.

When you’re young, you can still eat like a pig and drink like a fish with minimal damage and ensuing regret.

Your stomach can take all that spicy, fatty, hard to digest foods now. It can guzzle down a half-liter of sake.

Unfortunately, that probably won’t be the case once you hit 40. You can’t taste life if you can’t taste what life has to offer.

6. You’ll be a better, fuller person for it.

You see, it’s not just about what you learn, but when you learn it that makes a huge difference. Life and the reality you experience is a cascade of sorts.

You are influenced by everything that you experienced and everything that you are currently experiencing is influencing what you will in the future experience. With each new experience comes a tweaked filter to process information through.

Being exposed to diversity at a younger age will literally change the way you see the world and change your life.

This is less of the case once we hit our 30s because we already have lived through so much and have adopted certain habits and ways of thinking.

We should travel and learn at a younger age and then continue to do so throughout our lives – always learning new things from our travels.

Photo Courtesy: We Heart It

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Memento Mori

12 Reasons To Travel While You’re Still Young

Technically, I’m still a millennial, but I’m no spring chicken, and I had quite a ton of life-changing travel experiences in my younger days that transformed me into a better person. If you had the chance to travel more right now, I’m strongly urging you to do it. Not only is travel packed with fun and smiles, but it can help you become a little wiser, stronger and more open-minded as well.

1. Travel keeps you sane

Your life, once you start working, will feel like an endless rollercoaster of meetings, bosses, deadlines and paperwork. Not to mention, your precious free time will be highly limited. Even when you’re not working, chances are you’re still thinking about your assignments, and your email is annoyingly exploding.

When you travel, you get to prevent burnout from your daily grind as well as escape temporarily from the harsh realities of life. Whether you love your job or just doing it for survival, rewarding yourself with adventures, and doing things that are life-altering will make your harrowing workloads a bit more tolerable.

2. The world is wide, and life is short

As the great and notable Benjamin Franklin once said, “don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today”. Life, in my book, is short, and we may never have another chance to explore our beautiful place. I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but the reality is there is nothing your can do to ensure a long life or old age.

3. A world of heart-pumping adventures

There are a lot of different outdoor adventures that are simply impossible to do, when you are older, including epic mountain treks, cliff dives and even zipline rides. However, when you’re healthy and young, your body can handle almost everything your throw it. With a healthy pair of knees and an enthusiastic adventurous spirit, you are going to have dozens of unforgettable and spine-tingling outdoors at this stage of your life.

4. You’ll look good in your swimsuit (not for everybody, though)

5. It will make you more independent

There’s nothing like being a hundred or thousand miles away from home, and realizing how much you have been relying on your family and others. When you travel without the ones you love, you’ll be compelled to find your own way, take care of yourself as well as make yourself more independent.

Can you cook your own meal or your own laundry? Believe me, traveling when you’re young will help you develop a few essential survival and life skills.

6. Climate change

Sadly, with today’s extreme weather and the increasing effects of global warming, there are a few places on the face of the earth that may not be around in the near future.

7. Fewer commitments and responsibilities

Want to backpack across Southeast Asia? Want to explore all the 81 provinces in the Philippines? There’s nothing big that’s holding you back, if you travel at this stage of your life. Unless you’re fostering a bunch of kids, you really don’t have to work so hard, to put food on the table. You don’t have plenty of bills of pay and have no long-term job position that has to be maintained.

8. You have a lifetime of work and stress ahead of you

Don’t get me wrong – I’m not saying that you should resign, and give up your job, so you can travel more often. Let’s face it, we need to work our butts off and earn money to survive in this world. What I’m suggesting, though, is you don’t have to rush things, as far as work. As long as you’re not picky, you won’t run out of job opportunities, even if you’re way past your 30s. And besides, you are going to work for a number of years to come.

Your work won’t end, but your youth does have an expiration date, so enjoy it to the fullest while you can.

9. It makes you more sympathetic and thankful

10. Make connections across the world

You’ll expand your circle and social network as well as meet trustworthy people who might give you free accommodations or tours for your future trips.

11. It’s a little cheaper

When you’re healthy and young, you won’t mind staying in crammed hostel dorms, sleeping a couch or hitchhike your way to a destination on a rugged and dusty truck. In my life as a traveler, I have slept in many uncomfortable places, just to save a buck or two on my vacation.

A few years ago, I traveled to Boracay, together with 4 good friends, to experience this highly praised island paradise. And since we were on a tight budget, we decided to sleep in a friend’s apartment, to reduce our travel expenses.

Little did we know, there was only one bed to accommodate all 5 of us. Honestly, it wasn’t the coziest accommodations, but it did help us a ton of money for our 2-day-3-night Boracay escapade.

And I’ve also done quite a lot of hitchhiking in my life as a traveler. As a matter fact, I’ve just done it recently after our hike in Mount Babag and Sirao Peak with my hiking buddies – Sheng, Christine, Kevin, Wilfred and Donna.

But, I know the gift of youth doesn’t last forever, and sooner or later, I will no longer have the privilege to do these things. As our age increases, comfort starts to become priority, and we may become more accustomed to luxurious stuff, making travel a more expensive pastime.

12. Travel improves your social and problem-solving skills

Travel isn’t always rainbows and butterflies. From language barrier to delayed flights, there are many unforeseen hiccups along the way, on the road. But at the end of the day, these stumbling blocks will teach you some important skills that will come in handy in your life. It has, thus far, improved my problem-solving skills as well as took my confidence level up a few notches. I was an introvert, and travel has drastically improved my social skills.

Aldrich Infantado

Aldrich Infantado is a travel junkie and a writing aficionado who loves to share amazing travel tips to his fellow travelers.

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You have this very good article. Thank you for sharing.

Stella Maris C Bangis

Indeed… traveling is an experience, not an expense 🙂

Adrenaline Romance

We might also add physical limitations. The older you get, the more physically limited you become as your body is assaulted by arthritis, rheumatism, hypertension, etc. So travel young while your body is still capable of doing strenuous physical activities.

Dakilanglaagan

I like number 12 the most!!!! 😀 😀 😀 Can totally relate to it, most specially when the weather and schedule does not fit the itinerary made. 😀 😀 😀

3 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. —Augustine of Hippo

The other night, I had a conversation with a young lady who had a number of decisions ahead of her, which included whether she should go to grad school or travel the world.

I told her to travel. Hands down. No excuses. Just go . The results are worth the costs. And she sighed.

“Yeah, but…”

Never were more fatal words spoken:

Yeah, but… what about debt?
Yeah, but… what about my job?
Yeah, but… what about my boyfriend (or dog or car or whatever)?

“Yeah, but…” is pernicious. Because it makes it sound like we have the best of intentions when really we are just too scared to do what we should. It allows us to be cowards, while sounding noble.

Most people I know who waited to travel the world never did. Conversely, plenty of people who waited for grad school or a steady job and traveled still did those things — eventually.

Be careful of the yeah-but . The yeah-but will kill your dreams. [ Tweet that ]

I was so stirred by this conversation that I shared it with a group of 30 young adults last night, many who were asking these very same questions.

The life you've always wanted

When you get older, life seems to just sort of happen to you. Your youth is a time of total empowerment. You get to do what you want.

But as you mature and gain new responsibilities, you have to be very intentional about making sure you don't lose sight of what's important.

So if you still have a reasonable amount of control over your circumstances, you should do what really matters. Because life won't always be just about you .

During early adulthood, your worldview is still being formed. It's important to steward this time — to give yourself opportunities to grow. A good way to do that is to travel.

So, young person, travel . Travel wide and far. Travel boldly. Travel with full abandon.

You will regret few risks you take when it comes to this. I promise you that. There are three reasons to travel while you're young:

1. Traveling teaches you to live an adventure

When you look back on your life, you will have moments of which you are proud and maybe a few you regret. It's likely that the following won't be on the latter list:

Bicycled across the Golden Gate Bridge.
Appeared on Italian TV.
Hiked a Mayan ruin.
Learned Spanish in three months.
Toured Europe by train.

They're not on mine (fun fact: I've done all of the above). So what, then, will be? What choices will you regret making? Holding back. Being afraid. Making excuses. Not taking more risks. Waiting.

While you're young, you should travel.

You should take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life. It's worth whatever investment or money or sacrifice of time that may be required on your part.

This is not about being a tourist. It's about experiencing true risk and adventure so you don't have to live in fear for the rest of your life. And it's about remembering and sharing your adventure, and inspiring others to step out of that fear, too.

2. Traveling helps you encounter compassion

In your youth, you will make choices that will define you. The disciplines you begin now will be with you for the rest of your life.

Traveling will change you like little else can. It will put you in places that will force you to care for issues that are bigger than you.

If you go to southeast Asia, you may encounter the slave trade. If eastern Europe, you may see the effects of genocide and religious persecution. If Haiti, you'll witness the the ugly side Western paternalism.

Your heart will break .

You will begin to understand that the world is both a big and small place. You will have a new-found respect for the pain and suffering that over half of the world takes for granted on a daily basis.

And you will feel more connected to your fellow human beings in a deep and lasting way. You will learn to care , and you might even find a way to speak up for the people you encounter who need a voice.

3. Traveling allows you to get some culture

While you're still young, you should get cultured. Get to know the world and the magnificent people that fill it. There's nothing quite like walking alongside the Colosseum or seeing Michelangelo's David in person.

I can describe the city of San Juan and its amazing beaches and historic sites to you, but you really have to see it for yourself to experience it. You can read all the books in the world about the Great Wall of China or The Louvre , but being there is a different story.

The world is a stunning place, full of outstanding works of art. See it.

Do this while you're still young. Do not squander the time. You may never have it again.

You have a crucial opportunity to invest in the next season of your life now . Whatever you sow, you will eventually reap. Please. For your sake, do this. Because you won't always be young. And life won't always be just about you .

So travel. Experience the world for all it's worth. Become a person of culture, adventure, and compassion.

“What if I'm not young?”

Travel, anyway. It may not be easy to do, but find a way to get out of your comfort zone. It's really never too late.

But if you haven't gotten sucked into the routine of life yet, I implore you — travel . It will never be easier than it is right now for you to do that which really matters.

Living an adventure is important. But it's just as important to share it, too.

Whether it's to remember it for yourself, to invite your friends and family to share it with you, or to inspire others to have compassion for the things you're seeing, keeping a travel blog can be a meaningful way to share your adventure with the world.

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Pamela Paul

The Joys and Perils of Return Travel

In a faded photo with colors, dissolved birds fly distantly overhead below billowing clouds.

By Pamela Paul

Opinion Columnist

Last week I went to Venice, where I had been invited to participate in an arts conference. It was the first time I’d been back in 32 years.

Venice is one of those bucket-list places, a city so extraordinary, you want to see it at least once. But unless you’re the kind of fabulous person who regularly attends the Biennale or the Film Festival or owns a palazzo, it may not be somewhere you return. It’s small, it’s expensive, it’s overcrowded, and it’s sinking.

Then again, it’s Venice.

For those of us who love to travel, the question of whether to revisit a place is a repeated conundrum. You go back to some places to see certain people or to visit in the company of new people. You return to see what you missed or to see it again. Whichever way, return travel is as much an act of time travel as it is a geographic one.

You’ve changed, and the place has changed. You’re visiting not simply a place but a place captured in a moment in time — one that exists for you in the past and for a past version of yourself.

Travel writers often wrestle with this. “By day I wander the alleys and monuments that had so fascinated me as a young man,” the legendary travel writer Colin Thubron wrote on returning to Damascus in 2017 after 50 years. “Sometimes I find myself gazing through his eyes, remembering the youthful enchantment of entering an old mosque or a sultan’s tomb.”

For me, the simple idea that 32 years could pass since I first went to Venice seemed impossible. Surely my adult life couldn’t contain intervals that long.

I first went to Venice toward the end of a month traveling solo in Italy after a junior year abroad. Even during that “Let’s Go” time when guidebooks still boasted of Europe on $35 a day, Venice was prohibitively expensive. My only realistic option in Venice was a youth hostel housed in a former nunnery on an outlying island.

It rained nearly every day in Italy that June, enough to merit a mention in The International Herald Tribune. Tourism was suffering, and even Venice had largely emptied out. I, too, felt sodden. In Venice, I hadn’t the time or the money to enter the famed basilica, which I admired under a flimsy umbrella from rain-drenched San Marco Square.

I don’t remember much about that visit. When I dug my photo album out from a storage crate before leaving this time, my pictures of Venice were dim and unfamiliar.

Today, of course, our travels revisit us regularly — our photos, more plentiful, are right here on our phones, served to us algorithmically through the iPhone’s Memories function. We watch friends’ and strangers’ Instagram stories of the same locations. It’s become harder to avoid losing your memories altogether.

Over 32 years, new information about Venice had filtered my own. I’d read the travel writer Jan Morris’s immortal 1960 book on Venice and that of the Venice devotee Judith Martin , which I reviewed for The Times Book Review. I saw new movies, from “ The Wings of the Dove ” to “ The Italian Job ” remake, that cast Venice as a place of tragic beauty and elusive wealth. I watched older ones like 1973’s “ Don’t Look Now ,” in which a dilapidated, almost corroded Venice serves as a backdrop to menace and terror, and Paul Schrader’s 1990 “ The Comfort of Strangers .”

It became hard to reconcile my faded version of Venice with all the data I’d absorbed since. Venice, the headlines told me, was flooded ; Venice was sinking ; Venice was possibly saved . The pandemic crushed and then perhaps rescued Venice’s tourism industry . The city had become so overcrowded , it had started charging entry fees yet was conflicted about being treated like a museum rather than a living city.

All this led to a certain amount of trepidation. Had Venice become overly commercialized, ruined in the interim?

Every traveler has been told on one journey or another, “You should have been here 30 years ago.” You missed Angkor Wat when it was largely abandoned. Beijing when the sky was still blue. Iceland before Instagram.

It can seem that you’ve always arrived too late. And if you return, you can’t help but draw comparisons between the way you once saw it and what lies before you now.

Or perhaps not. Late in life, Morris, who died in 2020 at age 94, said she couldn’t remember her first sight of Venice, a city she revisited enough times to fill four books and, in her words, “a couple of million” articles. But Morris said of Venice, “In my experience, anyway, it remains a place of unpoisoned and unmechanized welcome. But there, it’s all in the mind.”

So how did the Venice in my mind compare with the city I returned to?

Venice was not at all what I’d remembered. Nor was it what I feared. The city, it turns out, has not been ruined. It was certainly crowded, but its crowds were tolerable, perhaps because they circulated along the same well-trod paths. And the city compensated, thrumming with contemporary art as much as with its preserved history, its palazzos turned into private museums boasting exhibits by artists like Pierre Huyghe and Christoph Büchel . My 17-year-old son, freshly graduated from high school, came along for the trip, and I got to look on as he saw Venice for the very first time. I, too, felt as if I saw it for the first time. If I never end up returning, I’ll have left with no regrets. This time, I’ll remember it well.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Pamela Paul is an Opinion columnist at The Times, writing about culture, politics, ideas and the way we live now.

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Demi Moore on Full Frontal Nudity With Margaret Qualley in ‘The Substance’: ‘A Very Vulnerable Experience’ but I Had a ‘Great Partner Who I Felt Very Safe With’

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 19: Demi Moore and her dog Pilaf attend a photocall at the 77th annual Cannes Film Festival at the Carlton Cannes Hotel on May 19, 2024 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Demi Moore ‘s new film, the feminist body horror “ The Substance ,” sees her bare it all, with several scenes featuring full nudity. At the Cannes Film Festival press conference for the film on Monday, the 61-year-old actor discussed the “vulnerable experience.”

“Going into it, it was really spelled out — the level of vulnerability and rawness that was really required to tell the story,” Moore said. “And it was a very vulnerable experience and just required a lot of sensitivity and a lot of conversation about what we were trying to accomplish.”

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Try this pro trick for an affordable and stress-free summer vacation

Travelers are facing high prices and crowds this summer.
The best way to get around the high prices and crowds: Be flexible.
There are ways to become flexible during the busiest travel season of the year, from planning your trip to the tools that get you there.

Life is full of compromises, and that will never be more true than when you're traveling this summer.

Flights will be packed. Just before Memorial Day, the Transportation Security Administration set a new record for most air travelers screened. It checked nearly 3 million passengers on May 24, surpassing the previous record set last Thanksgiving. U.S. airlines are projecting a record summer . They expect to fly 271 million passengers in June, July and August, up 6% from last summer.

Roads will be jammed. GasBuddy’s latest summer travel survey predicts 76% of Americans plan to take a road trip sometime between Memorial Day and Labor Day – up 18% from last summer.

Check out Elliott Confidential , the newsletter the travel industry doesn't want you to read. Each issue is filled with breaking news, deep insights, and exclusive strategies for becoming a better traveler. But don't tell anyone!

Hotels are full, too. Average hotel occupancy will rise to 63.4%, the highest level since 2019, according to the consulting firm HVS .

Learn more: Best travel insurance

There's only one way to get around the high prices and crowds: Be flexible.

"With peak season prices, crowds, flight delays and more, your itinerary should be in pencil − not pen," said Bill Smith, CEO of Landing , a company that offers flexible rentals. "Being flexible can help to minimize your travel spend while maximizing your adventure this summer."

There are ways to become flexible during the busiest travel season of the year, from planning your trip to the tools that get you there. Being a more flexible traveler also means thinking about travel a little differently − bending but not breaking.

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Ways to become more flexible this summer

So, how do you become more flexible? Here are a few examples:

Fly to another city. Sometimes, the place you're trying to visit is too popular − and expensive. That's what happened to Phil Strazzulla when he tried to visit Milan last summer. Airline ticket prices were more than $1,000. But he could fly to nearby Zurich for less. So he did. "Not only did this save us more than $300 for each ticket, but the drive over the mountains was spectacular," said Strazzulla, who runs a software review company. "Travel flexibility can result in cost savings − and a unique experience."
Go off the beaten path. Being truly flexible can mean getting outside your comfort zone. "Instead of Rome, Italy, go to the Puglia region," said Lynna Goldsby, a cruise planner with Travel With Lynna. "Instead of London, try Normandy or Bath." Trying these alternate destinations can still satisfy your travel itch but also reduce your expenses for lodging, restaurants, tours and transfers, she said.
Take a detour. Airfares are often less expensive if you fly out of the way through an airline's hub. Don't waste that opportunity, said Linda Robert, a travel coach with Back in the Groove Again. Airlines such as Icelandair, Qatar Airways and Copa have stopover programs that allow you to enjoy a day or two at their hubs before continuing to your vacation destination, often at no extra cost. "This strategy enriches your travel experience and offers a cost-effective way to see more places," she said.

Here are a few useful flexibility tools

There are a few new ways to be flexible.

For example, Landing, which is a favorite of digital nomads and location-independent workers, rolled out a new tool this week. Its 12-month Flex Stay program offers renters the opportunity to save up to 30% on monthly rates by committing to living with Landing for a year, which has locations in more than 375 cities.

"This new offering gives members the freedom to roam throughout our nationwide network of fully furnished apartments as much − or as little − as they’d like throughout the year," Smith said.

Another newish feature is Airbnb's flexible dates search , which lets you select a period of time rather than a specific date, to see more options. Airbnb introduced the feature during the pandemic, and it can help you save as much as 20% on vacation rental accommodations.

One of my all-time favorite tools is available on almost every self-respecting online travel site. It's the ability to search for airfares or hotel rates based on a more flexible schedule. Google Flights and Kayak are great at showing you more flexible options. Pro tip: Don't limit your flexibility to dates; select a region you want to visit, which may include an alternate airport.

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You can also be flexible when it comes to the rate you pay, said Virginia Tech hospitality and tourism professor Mahmood Khan. Hotels cut their rates by about 20% if you pay upfront. (But you have to be sure you're going because those lower rates are usually nonrefundable.)

"At times, selecting a hotel away from busy destinations, yet comfortable for commuting, helps in finding an economical deal," he said.

But how do you put it all together this summer, including the flexible itinerary and the tools? Funny you should ask.

What are some more ways to increase your travel flexibility?

There are also new strategies to increase your travel flexibility, which can help you save money and a big headache when you're on the road.

"A critical skill is knowing how and when to put white space into your itinerary," said Stephanie Chastain, owner of Infinite Ireland Travel, a boutique travel consultancy. "A too-rigid schedule leaves travelers vulnerable to travel hiccups that disrupt well-intended plans."

What is white space? It's literally that − a blank page on your itinerary. An empty afternoon with free time. A leisurely breakfast instead of getting up at the crack of dawn for an all-day tour. It's a rest day every two or three days, to prevent yourself from vacation burnout and to give your schedule some wiggle room.

Even the experts keep relearning the lesson of flexibility. For example, I had to fly from Anguilla to Miami at the last minute recently, and the flights were crazy expensive − around $800 for a one-way ticket. Just as I got ready to book, I realized that Anguilla is a short ferry ride from St. Martin, which has more flights.

Total savings: $200.

Being flexible means thinking about travel differently from everyone else. It's the belief that there are many ways to get to your destination and that if you don't get there on the exact day your vacation starts, it's not the end of the world. Travel companies love sticking it to you when you absolutely must be in one place at a fixed time. Be a contrarian. But don't go too far.

Bend so you don't break

Some of the best travel advice for people who want to be flexible comes from veteran travel adviser Susan Sherren, who runs Couture Trips , a travel agency. She told me lowering your expectations is one of the best ways to stay flexible.

"Life isn't perfect," she said. "Your trip will likely involve unforeseen and unpredictable events."

One more thing: Being too rigid is a recipe for a terrible trip. I've made that mistake before, and believe me, it's no fun.

You don't want to take it too far. By all means, schedule your flight on a weekday to avoid high fares. Try booking your flight by using one of the flexible fare features on Google Flights or Kayak, or check out Landing's new flex program.

But if you make too many compromises, it won't be much of a vacation. You'll end up staying in a motel in the suburbs, far away from all the attractions, and missing all the fun. Be flexible, but be smart.

Bend − but don't break.

Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate, and journalist. He founded Elliott Advocacy , a nonprofit organization that helps solve consumer problems. He publishes Elliott Confidential , a travel newsletter, and the Elliott Report , a news site about customer service. If you need help with a consumer problem, you can reach him here or email him at [email protected] .

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

COMMENTS

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The thing is to foreshorten the space between you and the world, where things happen, where you can happen. Go somewhere you know nothing about. I wrote about this at length, but it applies doubly to travelling when young. There are things you know about the world and the things that have happened in them, and there are things you don't.
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There weren't really any valid excuses". Get out there and enjoy your life! Treat people with respect wherever you go, and be aware of your actions. Let go of the ego, see new places and lift your spirit. Travel will teach you who you are, and it will teach you about other people as well.
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Travel while you're young. 9. The World is Changing. Like it or not, change is constant. Scenery changes, rainforests disappear, different animal species become extinct, local attractions get shut down, areas get forbidden to travel to, local shops disappear and we lose certain parts of the world to change every day.
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Become More Responsible and Independent. Traveling while you are young helps you become more responsible for yourself and belongings. If you're planning to travel, you will learn new things that could show you how to control your time and manage your money effectively. Things like taking care of your valuables such as your money, passport ...
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Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain. Make the most of your youth and travel. Recognize that these opportunities don't last forever and check out these 20 reasons to travel while you're young! 1. It will expand your horizons while you're more open-minded.
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Why You Should Travel While You're Still Young
1. You Have Fewer Responsibilities. There's a reason most people traveling for longer periods tend to be young — it's a lot easier when you don't have responsibilities waiting for you back at home. When you have kids, pets, a house, or a promising career, it's a lot harder to give it all up to stay a year or two on the road.
7 Reasons You Should Travel While You're Young
Here are seven ways traveling changed me forever. 1. Traveling changes the way you relate to the world. I grew up in a tiny rural town. If I hadn't had the opportunity to travel when I was younger, I would have a difficult time envisioning much else outside my comfortable country bubble. When you travel to other countries and see the amazing ...
3 Reasons to Travel While You're Young
Holding back. Being afraid. Making excuses. Not taking more risks. Waiting. While you're young, you should travel. You should take the time to see the world and taste the fullness of life. It's worth whatever investment or money or sacrifice of time that may be required on your part. This is not about being a tourist.
Top 7 Places To Visit When You're Young And Broke
You can easily get by on $40 a day or less in Montenegro, where prices are shockingly affordable compared to many other destinations in Europe. 5. Cambodia. Cambodia is another highly affordable destination in Southeast Asia to visit when you're a young and broke backpacker.
Where would you recommend traveling while you're young?
I also think more adventurous trips are better while young like patagonia or hiking kilamanjaro. You can sip wine in italy when you're 50. Places that are hard to get to or have health risks you can sustain better as a young person (whether particular infections, hotter/ colder weather, high altitude, etc.).
The Joys and Perils of Return Travel
Late in life, Morris, who died in 2020 at age 94, said she couldn't remember her first sight of Venice, a city she revisited enough times to fill four books and, in her words, "a couple of ...
Demi Moore on Full Frontal Nudity in 'The Substance'
Matt Donnelly, Ellise Shafer. Getty Images. Demi Moore 's new film, the feminist body horror " The Substance ," sees her bare it all, with several scenes featuring full nudity. At the Cannes ...
Cheaper summer travel can happen when you do this one thing
U.S. airlines are projecting a record summer. They expect to fly 271 million passengers in June, July and August, up 6% from last summer. Roads will be jammed. GasBuddy's latest summer travel ...