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Seeing the world. For so many "grown-ups", the idea of the gap year, bugging out, putting it all in storage is the stuff of post-college. Youthful 20-something types who don't care about carrying a pack or sharing a dorm room get to do this, not people with responsibilities or jobs. For those of us with homes and families and obligations, it seems so far out of reach. Now that we're 30, or 40, or 50 ... it's just not something we can do.
I will never tell you that everyone cantravel even while I believe that everyone should travel -- that it makes us better humans. There are a million good reasons why you might not be able to travel. I believe that. But often, the reasons people give for not traveling are a reflection of their priorities, not actual obstacles.
Case Study Number One: 30-Something "Late Bloomer"
"I'm not a 20-something traveler; I'm a 30-something traveler. My style has evolved; I have more focus and direction. It's taken me a lot longer to wake-up, but I'm awake now. It's not all sunshine and rainbows yet. It's still a struggle. On bad days I remember trips to China, Cuba, Scotland or my 5 day adventure to London and Paris. On good days I look forward to the new adventures I'll be having and the start of my RTW trip in August December. I still get a little jealous of the 20-something travelers, but I wouldn't change my life experiences for anything. I'm a late traveler bloomer and I'm okay with that." -- Pam McNaughten, Spunky Girl Monologues
Case Study Number Two: Married Couple
"Being the "in with both feet" kinda people we are, it didn't take much for us to move from traveling around the world for a year to traveling around the world as a lifestyle. And if your lifestyle is travel, you don't really need a house, a car, or many possessions. So we're selling our house and 95% of the stuff in it, including the car in the garage." --Betsy Talbot on Married with Luggage
Case Study Number Three: Family With Kids
"It was April, we could be on the road by June. BigB dashed to get his toothbrush as we discussed the idea while CAM (who is our home-body), dug in his heels and resisted the notion with all of his might. We capitulated. If we were going to travel, everyone would have to be on board for the trip to have any hope of success. In fairness to him, we were springing the idea on him with very little notice.
But I didn't give up on the idea and neither did the WanderDad. It came up in conversation with some regularity, usually with some degree of wistfulness. And then the planets aligned. Or rather CAM seemed to warm up to the idea. His ardent "never" became a
"maybe." That was all that I needed. I was so excited. And so, we started working on a plan." -- Michelle Duffy, Wandermom
Case Study Number Four: 50-Something Woman
"During the initial treatment I was practically bedridden. Since I could barely drag myself from the bed to the couch (much less go to work) I had a lot of time to examine my life. I decided that things had to change. I was like a donut -– a wonderful outer shell with an empty, hollow inside. I could no longer ignore the need to feel that I was living a purposeful life. I needed to fill the hole in my donut. Again I asked myself, 'What brings me joy?' This time, I had some answers. Photography. Writing. And travel. I promised myself that when I recovered I would find a way of living that focused on those things that bring me joy." Barabara Weibel, Hole in the Donut
These people are an inspiration. All of them have very different lives, and all of them decided that travel was important. They created a strategy for dealing with debt, they got rid of their stuff, they engaged their families, they focused on what makes them happy. For all of them, it's travel.
Barbara is traveling now and making the Copper Canyon look oh so appealing. Pam is working on her finances while still taking time for short trips before her big adventure. Betsy and Warren are getting rid of their stuff like crazy,
