Throughout these few years, I would say one of the things that I treasure the most is the time I took to Travel. Referring to the past recent post on 10 things I learnt in university, one of it was about “Everything is just a matter of Perception” And it all began when I start looking at things differently , looking at Malaysia from outside is never the same from within, those who have been studying abroad will know better on this. Well i am not a student studying abroad but rather just “over the seas” Penang Island haha, but surely does my past 3 years I have been travelling frequently under various programs and sponsorships that allow me to engage with a wider audience of local and international participants that I think, that would really be a treasure of all, when you can travel and meet people at the same time at free of charge.
I’m an individual who seeks for maximum experience through minimal expenditure. And i think the plan is highly rewarding because ultimately when you travel you need to face the reality and see real things, not what the country wants you to see., so cut out those high class dine in or hotels, hit the street food.. and to my favor I actually love SEA countries the most. surprisingly not Europe or the West. Furthermore, I am highlighting the word Travel YOUNG! Share your thoughts with me too!
Some say Travelling is a luxury, a leisure thing, honeymoon, or perhaps retirement plan. Some say wait until they earn that piece of money to be able to travel. But the fact is that travelling wasn’t about financial capability at some point of view, it’s not that expensive as you think as today we have budget flights, hotels etc.
I personally think that the approach of saving money for something will never eventually spend on it because you are looking at the amount of accumulating too often than the thought of spending it. I am speaking from the context of career, working the world.. besides that isn’t young anymore anyways. Well unless you are working overseas then that is different. But nevertheless my point here is not about travelling does not need money but by the moment you think you are working for that financial capital to travel, you would probably be close to your 30s. There are a lot of ways to gain free travel, just look for the opportunity. Just never let money suspends your travelling enthusiasm.
This is quite significant. You are mentally young, you question things and you ponder upon many things. If you are someone in your 40s above probably your life has become so focus on something, a specific expertise of yours in certain areas etc, thus will shift your focus towards finding an answer instead of asking yourself the question when you travel. Travel Young because being mentally young means we are still curious to discover things that can be our passion, that we still can juggle our perceptions and not be disappointed. It’s like going to a larger bookstore with a lot of books variety and choosing the best you can get to read it, in comparison with those who doesn’t travel much young, the bookstore would be smaller.
Another important aspect, physically young. Well, who does backpack during their senior years. there is! but rare. For most of the youngsters today, we need not travel itinerary, just simply by guidebooks and travel websites we can create our own and study the maps etc.. and we can just keep on walking and walking for the whole day not knowing the tiredness behind. And as you do it more often, there comes the experience of independent and you will redefine travelling in your own ways, not by some guided group tours that will cost you a bomb sometimes.
Yes, you do have the time, think that you are busy with college or university? then you will NEVER have the time for travelling. Be it summer break or winter break that you want to hit some parts of the world, I know a couple of European friends who will just take one year off to travel Asia. The simple fact is that when you start working with career and sticking your butt to the chair for 24hours a day, never will you even think of travelling because your time every day from then is about work, work and work. So take this time, before your youth has gone and moving into working world. You can rely upon your limited annual leaves but only those in the working world knows how badly they need time for themselves, what more about travelling?
And last but Not Least again, the most important is because when you are young, you have a lesser responsibility, you don’t have a career nor family. Travelling makes easier when you are alone or to the max of 4 people. You certainly can’t do travelling the way you could by pulling along your children hands and being worried for their safety and food and all. Travelling alone means you have more time to discover as well, you can set the pace of travelling your own, spend more time in certain areas if you would love to. And you can even choose to settle for months at a place because you love it because you don’t have career or family to hold you back. I do know friends who travel by staying 1 month in each country, and for example, in Thailand, she learnt kickboxing, then Vietnam she learnt cooking. etc etc.The best experience is when you can indulge into the local routine of the locals. So because you have lesser responsibility during young.. then do it =)
That’s basically all of it, I love the way I travel with this age you can depend on Information Technology very much! I rely a lot on Tripadvisor.com on my travel research and also I have my backpack and DSLR bag on the go to anywhere. Travelling solo via backpack means you have to particular in your travelling items in a way too, in short, I don’t really buy souvenirs except for postcards and key chains! I remember blogging related post on travelling too. Feel free to check them here:
10 Things I do/collect when I Travel Abroad – It’s just my personal guideline to enhance my travelling experience =P
Travelling Tip with ISIC and YHA – Forget your student ID cards when you go overseas, it won’t be recognised most of the time, and there’s an international student card which is ISIC that is internationally recognised. It helped me a lot in getting a cheaper price here and there.
And one reason why I was urged to blog this post because I was so motivated by this quote!
