Don’t Let These 5 Lame Excuses Keep You from Traveling
When you look around your cubicle at work, what do you see? Are your walls lined with posters of places you would like to visit “someday,” when you have the time and the money? Or do you have photos of yourself exploring the world and experiencing new things?
If it’s the former, you aren’t alone. Many people dream of traveling, but don’t for any number of reasons. Sometime, those reasons are legitimate. Often, though, the only thing keeping us from seeing the world are excuses — excuses that don’t justify postponing your dreams of jetting off to an exotic land.
Even if your travel dreams are a little less ambitious, and you just want to explore your local region, don’t let these common (and lame) excuses hold you back.
1. I Don’t Have Any Money
Unless your last name is Kardashian, you probably have fewer digits in your bank balance than you would like. When you can barely cover your expenses, the idea of shelling out a couple grand for a vacation probably does feel out of reach.
However, think about how you’re spending your disposable income each month. How much is going toward things you don’t really need, like lattes and new clothes? That money could easily be diverted to your travel fund. Not to mention, travel doesn’t have to be synonymous with expensive, especially if you plan with a discount travel site like Flights.com. If you’re willing to do some homework, be flexible, and be open to new experiences, you can visit some amazing places on a shoestring budget — and still be able to make rent.
2. Traveling Is Dangerous
There’s no denying that some parts of the world aren’t exactly safe for tourists. Were you really planning on two weeks of R & R in downtown Kabul, though? The fact is, most places are perfectly safe for travelers as long as you use common sense and avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations.
Research your destination in advance, follow the advice of the U.S. State Department, and take the same precautions that you would at home, and you can visit almost anywhere without issue.
3. I Don’t Want to Travel Alone
When you want to explore and none of your friends or family can come along, it’s easy to postpone your trip, because traveling alone can be intimidating, and it’s usually more fun to experience new things with others. On the other hand, traveling alone can be a life-changing experience that forces you to get out of your comfort zone.
Not to mention, without having to coordinate your activities or compromise with someone else about what to do when and for how long, you can do exactly what you want to do and have the trip you want. If you are still apprehensive, though, you can always go on a group tour and have built in traveling companions — some of whom could end up being lifelong friends.
4. I Have Too Many Responsibilities
Everyone has responsibilities at work and home. But think about it: If you take off for a few days, is everything really going to irreparably fall apart? You can always find someone to take care of your dog, water your plants, and bring in the mail. Unless you’re in the midst of a huge project at work, and on a deadline, your work can probably wait until you get back. It’s unlikely that your responsibilities are such that heading out of town for a few days will cause major problems when you get back, so relax, ask for someone else to fill in, and take your trip.
5. I’m Afraid I Won’t Understand the Language or Like the Food
This might be the lamest excuse there is for not traveling. Millions of people travel every day without speaking the language of their destination or knowing what they will eat when they arrive. That’s the beauty of traveling: Experiencing new things and broadening your perspective. Sure, you might get a meal or two that you don’t like, or stay in a hotel with weird toilets, or have a few conversations stalled by a language barrier. That’s okay. Chalk it up to experience and laugh about it when you get home. Besides you can find American fast food in almost any city in the world, so you can always revert to the familiar if you’re truly miserable.
For anyone with a case of wanderlust — or even just curious about what’s happening in the world beyond their hometown — traveling can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. If you want to see the world, don’t limit yourself to looking at posters because you think you don’t have enough time or money. When you want to go badly enough, you’ll be able to find a way.
Author Bio: Tatum Carpenter is a freelance journalist and travel agent who enjoys spicy cuisine and outdoor activities. She enjoys researching new places to explore and plans to travel to every country around the globe. Thanks for the awesome guest post, Tatum!
One Response to “Don’t Let These 5 Lame Excuses Keep You from Traveling”
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You covered all the lame excuses why other people don’t like to explore the world. This make me sad because they missed the beauty of life! Looking back I have had many doubts about travelling solo but I’m happy with my decisions to pursue it anyway. I learned a lot of things, I maybe have less money in the bank but I’m rich with awesome memories that I can share to my future kids and grand children!