Ask a person about the most memorable/enjoyable moments of their life, and they’ll invariably tell you a story that involves travelling. It’s one of those that the vast majority of people enjoy doing, and indeed, wish they could do more of. Alas, it’s not as if it’s possible to just pack bags and head off on an adventure whenever we feel like it. For most people, travel is a rare event, and that’s mostly because there are, unfortunately, so many barriers to travel. Whether it’s money or work or something else, there always seems to be something that’s keeping people off the road.
However, those barriers can be overcome with a little bit of know-how. In this post, we’ll run through the obstacles to travel and offer some advice on how to overcome them.
Work Commitments
You can’t travel all that far if you need to be back in the office on Monday morning. While most people do get a fair amount of holiday leave, it’s often not enough to see as much of the world as we’d like to. While it’s unlikely that you can quit your job to travel full-time (but good luck if you do!), you may be able to make your job and travel aspirations more compatible. For instance, you could consider asking your boss to let you work remotely, finding a new fully remote job, or taking a sabbatical if you’ve been with your employer for a long time.
Travel Tiredness
Some people love exploring new places, but don’t love the actual act of going to the airport and sitting on a long flight. Moving from one place to another can be pretty exhausting and to some people, it’s just too much. In this case, it’s worth considering alternative ways to get from point A to point B or looking at ways to make the journey easier. Most people think that travelling has to involve taking a plane, but it doesn’t — you can get to many places within Europe by train, for instance. If flying is the only option, then look at ways to make it as straightforward as possible, such as choosing direct flights and selecting easily manageable flight times (no 6 a.m. departures!).
Family Matters
It’s relatively easy to travel when it’s just the two of you. But when you’re bringing kids into the equation, things become more difficult — and a lot more expensive. Having a family doesn’t have to mean that your travel days are over, however. It just means that they have to change. There are plenty of family-friendly destinations around the world that are set up for adults travelling with their kids. You can even still travel to cities, just be sure to book an apartment for everyone rather than a hotel; It’ll streamline the process, and also allow you to prepare your own meals, which can help to keep costs down.
Double Costs
It can be difficult to travel for extended periods of time once you’re settled in your home or flat. Even if you have the freedom to travel, most people can’t absorb the cost of paying their rent/mortgage and the cost of travelling. But there’s a smart solution for this: have someone else rent your space while you’re gone. That’ll allow you to keep your hands on your flat (if renting) while also ensuring that it doesn’t impact your finances. It’s best to rent to friends of friends and also put as many of your items in a self storage unit so whoever moves in can feel like they’re living in their own space rather than yours. If you can find someone to rent your space from you, then you could feasibly go for months on end before having to come back.
Different Opinions
There’s a lot of value in travelling with your friends and family members, but it can present problems. For instance, when people want to do different things while you’re at the destination. While you’ll likely want to do some of the same things, it’s unlikely that you’ll want to do everything that your loved one wants to do and vice versa. The best way to manage this is to allow people to do their own thing as an individual, rather than as a group. If your partner really wants to go to an art gallery but you want to hike up a mountain, then do your own thing. Everyone will be happy, and you’ll have stories to share once you meet up for dinner.
Cultural Differences
Want to travel to a far-flung destination, but you know they don’t speak much English there, and you don’t speak the local language? It’s worthwhile learning a few phrases so you feel at least somewhat comfortable. For everything else, remember that your phone works as a pretty excellent translating tool!
Anxiety
Some trips are pretty straightforward, and that means that there’s nothing to be worried about. You can plan a trip to Paris and be pretty confident that everything will run smoothly. But there are some trips — such as those to destinations that are far away — that can be a little anxiety-inducing. It takes courage to go on those trips, and some people back down before they get too deep into the planning. If you’re in that boat, then think of this: It’s highly unlikely that you’ll regret going on the trip, but you may regret not going on a trip. You only live once, so go for it.
Other Priorities
Finally, perhaps the biggest reason why people don’t travel as much as they’d like to: it’s not as big a priority to them as other things. Ultimately, travelling the world requires time, energy, and effort. It’s unlikely to just happen on its own. If you make it a priority, then you’ll have the forward momentum required to see the world. You can’t have everything all at once; if you want to visit as many places as possible this year, then make that the number one goal. You’ll find that everything else falls into place once you’re determined.
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