10 Reasons Why You Should Travel...NOW!

I love to travel! That shouldn't come as a surprise to you since I do have a travel blog. A lot of my friends often say to me "I wish I could travel as much as you do". Quite frankly, I don't think I travel nearly as much as a lot of other people I have crossed paths with. I would love to travel even more than I already do, but, financially, that is sometimes not possible. A lot of people usually give me some weak excuse when I ask them why they don't travel, so my post today is all of the reasons I think you should travel now and not wait until you retire, have more free time, etc.

1. No one can predict the future

(View from my friend's apartment in Toronto)

There are a lot of people in our world that claim they can predict the future. I am very doubtful of this as I have yet to meet someone who has predicted mine. A lot of things can happen from now until tomorrow, let alone weeks, months or years down the road. You could get sick and not be able to travel. You could become paralyzed. A loved one might get sick and you may have to take care of them. You just never know. That's why if you have the time, energy and resources, you should go now.

2. You will never have "enough" money

Regardless of how much money someone makes, it seems to never be enough. Even when you are a millionaire, you may complain you don't have enough to do the things you want to do. That's just how people are. I understand there are a lot of circumstances that people truly cannot afford to travel. But there are also those people that complain that they don't have the money to travel, would love to, but can't. These people drive me nuts because they are often the ones who spent $50 on a t-shirt, have the newest phone every few months, go out for food on a regular basis, and spend $5 on a coffee at Starbucks instead of making their own at home. When you learn to prioritize, you are able to do a lot of things with your money, including traveling to exotic places.

3. You will never have the "time"

Here is another one that makes no sense to me..."I just don't have the time". If you really want to do something, anything really, you will find the time to do it. Time is easy to find. Prioritizing how you spend your time is the challenge.

4. You are not getting any younger

I can say from experience that how you travel changes as you get older. I am turning 28 in less than two weeks and I consider myself to be young. I can say that my reasons to travel have changed drastically from when I was in my early 20s. Before I would always want to go and party. Now, I do enjoy the night out, but I would much rather spend the day exploring and learning about different communities and cultures. The older you get, the more difficult traveling becomes due to a variety of reasons.

5. Don't wait until your children are older

(In Greece with my sister and our two friends, Dzenan and Ermin...I'm the baby)

Here is another one I hear. "Well we can't travel because little Johnny is too young". I started traveling when I was in diapers. My cousin has been taking her son on airplanes since he was only a couple months old. It can be done. I loved traveling as a child, and I feel that I learned to appreciate different cultures and places because I was exposed to them at a young age. To the over exhausted parents who are now chiming in "Well Andrea, you just don't know how it is to have a child", you are right. I don't. But I do know when I have one they will be exploring the world with me the first chance we get. Side note: children fly for free up to the age of 2 with most airlines.

6. Traveling is the best education you can get

(On a day trip in Trinidad, Cuba)

If your idea of traveling is booking an all inclusive resort and sitting in one spot for a week, then you haven't traveled at all. If you book a resort and spend some time on excursions or traveling around on your own, then you are truly traveling. You can learn so much by visiting different places and experiencing something new for yourself. I have heard some people make some very ignorant comments about places I have been to, and I find these people to be very sad individuals. You can't base your opinions on what someone else said. You need to base them on your own experiences. You should do your own research, perhaps visit a place, and then you can judge freely. Traveling is truly an enriching experience.

7. Don't be afraid of the unknown

Some people have told me they are afraid to travel to countries that are not English speaking countries, or to countries in which they don't speak the language. This is absolutely ridiculous! If anything, people become even more friendly when they do not have a common language to speak with you in. They will use their hands, feet, arms, and make facial expressions to help you in any way they can. It can be frustrating at first, but you quickly learn to get by.

8. Overcome your fears

(Me near the top of Pancicev Vrh, Kopaonik, Serbia)

If you are afraid to travel because the actual idea of getting in a car, bus, train, plane, or boat scares you, then the best way to overcome your fear is to face it head on. I am petrified of heights, and anyone who has been anywhere high up with me can back me up. I get panic attacks as I climb any tower, or look over the side of a building. But yet I still do it because it is worth every second.

9. You get to meet great people

(My friend Sascha and I met each other in Cuba in 2003. He lives in Germany, I live in Canada. To date we have been to 4 countries together, and are great friends)

I have met a lot of great people through my travels, and some who became some of my dearest friends. I have friends all over the place and thanks to social media networks I am able to keep in touch with them. Also, having a friend in another place has its perks ;)

10. You won't regret it

I have yet to meet someone that tells me "I regret going on vacation". It will be an experience good or bad, and it will leave you with a story to share for the rest of your life.

So there you have it folks, my 10 reasons why I think you should travel sooner rather than later. Do you have any other reasons to add?

Happy Travels!

Andrea

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Drea is a Canadian travel blogger who loves traveling on a budget. She is currently working in Toronto as an adult educator, while following her travel dreams.

3 comments

LauraAugust 9, 2014 at 7:56 AM
I completely agree with #5. Our daughter started travelling at 4 months old. She just turned four and has been to Boston, Maine, New Orleans, Phoenix, Seattle, Asheville, NC, Ireland, Dominican Republic, Mexico and on a Caribbean cruise. We are always grateful for the opportunity to travel and hope this encourages her to be curious, confident and adventurous.
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NaMay 8, 2015 at 3:45 AM
I do love reading your blog. Keep writing, Drea...
Glad to know your adventures.
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