Why You Should Stop Talking About Wanting to Travel and Book Trips Now!

a woman wearing sunglasses and backpack

If you already travel regularly for fun, this post isn’t for you. This post is for all my awesome friends and readers who say they want to travel the world but are still waiting for the perfect time, the perfect companions, the perfect price.

Stop.

The world is on sale right now! There have been ridiculously cheap (under $500) economy fares to Europe, to South America, to Asia, even to Australia for both Fall 2016 and Spring 2017. It has never been easier to stay in touch with family, and even work colleagues. It’s still relatively easy to travel between most countries. Now is the time to go!

Abandon this idea that you need to spend two weeks in every location to enjoy a place. That would be truly amazing, but who has that kind of vacation time or flexibility? Embrace the idea of a long weekend, and maybe even a long layover somewhere else on the way there and back. If you like any of those places, you’ll find a way to go back for longer!

Look at your list of top 5 destinations. Rule out the ones in political conflict. Now visit the various airfare deal websites — chances are at least one, possibly everywhere on your list is on sale or will be soon. And book. And if you don’t have a passport, get one now.

Embrace subpar weather — sure Europe is often best in the summer and Southeast Asia is better not during monsoon season. But you can still have a lot of fun and probably get better deals. Last night someone recommended I go to Bourdeaux in late March because it’s cold and no one else is there and I’ll get the wineries’ full attention.

Having someone to share your experiences with definitely makes a trip better. But if no one else is free, go solo. It is both scary and exciting and opens up a world of experiences. A friend recently told me they’d just spend the trip feeling lost and lonely. I’m sure I have felt that way at times, but I tend to focus on what I’ve gained and forget what I’m missing. Seeing the sun rise over the statues on Easter Island, driving the tiny roads circling the smoking Mt Etna, seeing the smallest park in the world — these were exhilarating and life changing. Don’t miss out.

Do be responsible though — don’t go into debt for a travel experience. But if you can give up a few Friday nights out and spend a few days on the other side of the country or the world, jump at the chance. If the only thing holding you back is fear or inertia, take the plunge. And let me know how it goes. 🙂

 

 

Full Disclosure: I may receive affiliate credit from links in this post or on this site which will help fund my travels. Thank you for your support!

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3 Comments

  1. I completely agree with all of this, but especially getting away from the idea that you need a proper two weeks to enjoy a destination. I went to Sydney on a mistake fare for a long weekend, spending two days in travel time, and still found it an amazing mini-vacation. It only enhances my desire to go back and take my parents along next time so they can enjoy it too.

    I don’t have the flexibility to take that much time off of work and have other commitments that would take precedence for formal vacations, but a long weekend here and there I can manage.

    Great article.

  2. We used to think that we could never go anywhere due to cost and sometimes available time but we don’t let that stop us now! We hunt for decent airfares and with regards to available time, knowing we American’s only get 2 weeks per year, we look to work in our national holidays into our time off to extend our trips.

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