backpackers

Common Excuses That Stop You Travelling

Traveling to a new place is something that you might really want to do but you may be making one of these common excuses that stops you from travelling. Seeing the world and exploring the path less traveled isn’t just about leisure you can learn many life lessons whilst travelling.

I’ve actually lost count of the number of people who have told me that they wish to travel the way I am doing but they can’t, and it’s usually followed by the one convenient means of staying away from a challenge – an excuse!

It’s true that setting out on a journey away from your comfort zone needs courage that you might feel you don’t possess. But if you have ever felt wanderlust or dream of waking up far from home, then you should stop making these common excuses and decide to do something that will change your life forever!

7 Common Excuses That Stop You Travelling

1. I just don’t have the time

This one, I believe, is the most common excuse that people give for not traveling. When you have the time for everything else in the world, how come you don’t have time to explore distant places?

Truth to be told, it’s during your late teens and early 20s when you actually have the time to break free and explore as much as you can. Rather than thinking that you don’t have enough time, try and focus on managing your schedule well, so that you can make plans for that backpacking trip which you keep postponing!

2. Traveling is very expensive

When I started traveling, I used to hear comments like “Oh, you must be earning a lot”, “Traveling is a bourgeois pleasure, not meant for all” etc etc. But my question is, have you heard of something called ‘budget trips’?

Most people hesitate to spend on traveling, but never think twice about money while expanding their wardrobe or partying all night! Why not save a little by cutting down on unnecessary expenses? Traveling need not have to include a 5-star accommodation or a luxury cruise trip! You can opt for staying at hostels, book cheap flight tickets, buy food at markets and travel by the local mode of transport while exploring a destination.

Set achievable goals and stop cribbing about not having enough money to travel.

Apart from that, millennials (between the age of 18 to 30 years) also have the option to get a working holiday visa and earn while traveling. What more can you ask for?

3. I don’t have anyone to go with

All I can do is have a hearty laugh when I hear someone saying this! Well, in case you don’t have a travel partner, why not go for a solo trip?

I can understand that the thought of exploring all by yourself can be a little intimidating initially, but then, with no one else’s influence, you have the complete freedom to go anywhere you want, do what you want, and when you want. It’s a feeling of absolute liberation that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life. It’ll also help you to gain confidence and life skills by learning to be self-sufficient.

Remember that traveling solo doesn’t mean traveling alone. You surely set out on your own, but you’ll meet some interesting travellers on the road, make friends out of strangers or bond with the locals of the land you visit. By the time your trip ends, you’ll feel that you know so many people, who will have added so much to your entire journey.

4. I don’t think traveling alone is safe

I can understand that the thought of solo travelling is freaking you out, and you have all sorts of doubts about safety issues on your mind. But don’t let fear hold you back from traveling to your dream destination. No matter how many negative reviews you hear about a place, be sure that there are travellers enjoying your favourite destination right this very minute – and they are absolutely safe!

These days, traveling has become such an easy affair that there’s no reason to hesitate for a solo trip. Plan a trip that you’ve been procrastinating since forever, and do proper research about the place. (See a Travel Agent!)

If you are still not sure, then the best option is to book an exciting and adventurous planned trip that’ll include your accommodation, meals, guided tours, and travel costs while letting you peacefully experience the best that the destination has to offer.

So now is the time when you should stop giving excuses and set out to travel abroad. Not only will it change your ideas about traveling, but it’ll also open several doors that you’ve never tried exploring before.

5. I’m too young / too old to travel

Age is just a number and has got nothing to do with your travel plans. If you go by the data, about 5 million people, between the age of 15 to 22 years, travel solo every year, while an equally large number of elderly folks are traveling post-retirement.

There’s no proper age to travel – you can do it once you make up your mind and feel the zeal to explore. Of course, for young travellers, it’s much easier if they choose adventurous trails for trekking or plan for a hitchhiking road trip. But for the older travellers, peaceful retreats with an adequate dosage of thrill isn’t bad!

Backpackers’ hostels and friendly accommodation facilities across the world have become extremely popular, and they are absolutely safe for solo travellers of any age. If you love your privacy, you can choose a private room at a hostel, and in case you are up for making some friends, you can share a dorm. Well, it’s never too late to make some good friends.

6. My career will suffer if I go for traveling

It won’t, trust me! On the contrary, traveling effectively can help you to gain new skills, be more confident and enhance your Resume. More and more millennials are taking a gap year after their high school, to indulge in responsible tourism and often, they choose to volunteer abroad for a meaningful cause which can boost their CV and gives them first-hand work experience.

If you are working, then seek a sabbatical for a month or more, and explore as much as you can. You’ll still have a job to return back to! Most managers and directors now focus on employee satisfaction, hence, taking a break to travel should never really affect your career, negatively.

7. I’ll travel next year

I think you gave this same excuse last year, and the year before as well! If you think ‘this is not the right time to travel’, then you’ll never really get ‘the right time’, ever.

Procrastination isn’t worthy in this respect and this huge, extremely beautiful world is longing to be explored by you. Know the charm of witnessing the sunset at another part of the globe, meet the natives of a land where they don’t speak your language, walk through a night market where the local items are sold or visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site to adore its beauty.

There will always be an excuse not to do something, but as they say, “It’s bad manners to keep a vacation waiting”.

Author: Riyanka Roy is an ordinary girl with some extraordinary dreams. She loves to believe in the miracles of destiny and wants to travel all over the world, spend time with the natives, binge on local food, and absorb their culture. She feels that she’s born with gypsy blood, and stagnation makes her feel claustrophobic. Life, for her, is like a book, and she loves writing about everything interesting she comes across. She believes that her stories make the chapters of her book more colorful.

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