January 15 2008: The Age Of Discovery
Filed under Travel
My peers and I seem to be at that stage of our lives where we seem to be overseas more often than we are ‘at home’.
At a dinner with friends recently, it was established that the next time all four of us would actually be in the same country would be February 15th till 17th. With one friend off to Thailand for a month, another off to China for a month, and myself off to New Zealand at the end of next month, it’s a truly cosmopolitan crowd. With another group of friends, one is already in Japan for a year, another is teaching in China for six months, and one is always back and forth from Singapore.
It may seem frivolous to some (why spend so much money on travel when you won’t have anything tangible to show for it?), but as far as I see it, if I’m going to spend the money I work hard to earn, it might as well be for an experience that I might not have physical evidence for, but which would remain with me until I go senile. Travel is in fact, the only thing I truly splurge and spend my money on.
And in this era of (relatively) cheap air travel, global communication, and which increasingly seems to cater for the twenty-somethings like myself, if I don’t travel and see the world at length now…when will I do it? In my thirties when I’m trying to establish a career? In my forties when I’m raising children? In my fifties when I’m trying to consolidate my savings for retirement? In my sixties when I won’t have the stamina to do the extreme things that one does on holidays? In my seventies when I’ll (hopefully) be doting on grandchildren? In my eighties when I can’t wipe my own arse?
No, the twenties is the ideal age to travel. I yearn to do as a friend of a friend did – he deferred his university course for two years. Spent the first year working three different jobs to save up money. Sold off all his assets at the start of the second year, and went off to Europe, Africa, America, Latin America for a year with the grand sum of $30,000AUD to spend in having experiences that will stay with him for life.
If only I could do the same. If only.
9 Responses to “The Age Of Discovery”
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All I can say to you and your friends is wow. It really seems like you’re living the life! I’d love to go see the world! And you’re right, twenties does seem to be the perfect time to do that, but unfortunately I can’t :-( I haven’t had a year off since nursery when I was 3, and looks like I’ll be going straight to med school after college, straight to internship and residency, straight to motherhood etc. Guess I’ll just have to squeeze it in from time to time instead of going for a whole year like your friend. Though if I could do what he did I totally would!
And who needs trinkets and souvenirs? The thousands (if it were me it would be hundreds of thousands) of photos that you take during your journeys are more than enough to serve as evidence besides your memories :-)
Kat on January 16 2008 #
At least if all your friends are off travelling, you will deffinately have some stories to exchange about your trips.
Cherry on January 16 2008 #
I agree that the 20′s are the best traveling years; especially if you’re in college — there are so many options for college students! Discounts, foreign exchanges, semesters abroad, student loans and grants… it’s all about knowing where to look. I’m 21 and my ultimate dream is to travel Europe — especially Italy and Portugal. Unfortunately, there was no semester abroad program in my university for either countries; had their been an opportunity, I would have ran away with it no doubt.
Robmarie on January 16 2008 #
I love to travel and I try to do it as much as I can. It’s not always easy to plan it with work etc but I seem to manage OK. Last year I went to the UK and Czech Republic and this year I’d like to go places too although I’m not sure where just yet.
Chans on January 16 2008 #
I completely agree. Unfortunately, this year we (naty and I ) wont be able to go abroad (well, other than Mexico which really doesn’t count to me lol) Because my dad gets really anxious when we do go (He cried when he went to go pick us up at LAX after we got back from Spain and told us we had to take a break) and we want to calm him a bit until we go on the next trip, next year.
Noemi on January 16 2008 #
I’m glad you consider air travelling relatively cheap.
Here in Argentina, it costs ‘an eye of the face’.
Nano on January 16 2008 #
I’m so glad my mom travels so I can tag along. I mean, I guess going with your mom isn’t the most fun traveling can be, but I always figured that I don’t know if I’ll get to travel in the future so I might as well take any opportunity I can when it comes. If I don’t travel later in life..well I’ve already done some with my mom. If I do get the chance then that’ll just mean I get to go there again :D
It would be very fun to delay school for travel, but I think my schooling will take forever (hoping I’ll get outta school before I’m 28-30).
marilyn on January 16 2008 #
Oh wow. That must have been one hell of a trip and some excellent planning!
I see hanging out with friends to be the same, now that I think about it.
I believe it is the memories you have and not the stuff coz you can’t really take everything withyou but… memories and photos on the other hand.. ^_^
Maggie on January 16 2008 #
I’ve thought about this for a few days, and I do agree with you that it’s best to travel when one is 20-something. My parents were always of the mind that it’s best to do everything when you’re young, so I went on a ton of vacations as a kid, but I can’t remember much about them, which is kind of sad. I’ll probably have to revisit all of those places in my twenties.
Kycoo on January 19 2008 #