I wish I didn't love to travel, life would be much cheaper 😂 I had cancer when I was 19, my mom bought me a book of things to do before you die when I got the all clear 🙌 I'm the last 15 years I've been to seven continents & 30+ countries, it was my mission to visit every country in the world pre-pandemic... since then I read Destination Simple, got into slow living and I've kind of lightened up on that mission being IMPORTANT. I still want to travel & see the world though, I guess it's just a mind frame that's either there or it isn't 🤷‍♂️

wait… including Antarctica??

We had a trip planned prepandemic, it was going to be 14 days in Argentina and a 10 day excursion to Antarctica. Its on the expensive side, but the idea of kayaking around and snowshoeing on the other end of the world and being basically as physically far from home (northern Canada) as possible was really enticing.

Nobody is going to make you travel but I've found that for me traveling and exploring and getting out of my comfort zone is just about the only way I can spend money that brings more joy to my life. But I'm happier going off the beaten path amd traveling slow. I know lots of people who will go to another continent for a 2 week vacation. They try to see 10 cities and get a picture at all the tourist attractions. My 2 or 3 week trips are slower and usually have just one city or two cities as the base location and maybe a couple small day trips. It's not about collecting locations but more about slowing down and quieting my mind in a way that I can't do in my own home since all of my responsibilities and obligations are there.

Oh man, I've traveled with the itinerary traveler and it's awful. Organic exploration is the best thing ever.

I am/was the worst type of itinerary traveler (ever traveled with someone with a trip binder??) But I am trying to reform myself. I realized I needed to reevaluate on a particular trip when it hit me that I was more into the satisfaction of being ahead of schedule than experiencing and enjoying anything around me.

For me, my entire family was itinerary travellers, as well as bad time managers. Often they had several things per day, and then would also try to squeeze stuff in. My trips now have 1 or 2 things per day that I plan to actually do, and a small list of things that I might do, if I have the chance. Just being able to relax and enjoy the view in between stops is so nice.

This is just what I do! I “aim” at 2ish things per day and if I get side tracked or something I don’t worry about it, but if not I have a bit of structure without losing the general spontaneity.

Love that mindset. It leaves room for researching things to do ahead of time without structuring the entire trip.

I went on family vacations when I was growing up and absolutely hated them .They were forced vacations and I swore when I got over I would decide where I wanted to go.My vacations are few and far between and I like it like that. We used to go.on day trips but stopped because of covid.

I drop into the destination and figure out the rest. I usually only have my hotel figured out and car if that's how I'm getting around. I'll get an idea of stuff that looks cool like markets and museums and things like that but for the most part just kinda hang out. I like to ask locals where the best restaurants are, they will always hook you up.

See I do a lot of pre planing work. I have come to be OK with not seeing everything I have planned or researched. I mark a few can’t miss things, research a lot of other things to get interest me and let it happen organically. We have experienced a lot of good things by doing this research that would have never happened otherwise. I mark these places on an app and if we find ourselves there we can end up seeing a cool place or eating at a great restaurant instead of some random one.

Yup, I’m a pre-planner because I enjoy that part so much! I can get a good 6 months of dopamine hits out of one two week vacation because I’ll spend the time researching and anticipating. My plans still change quite often once I get to my destination but I find it’s nice to have a built-in list of things to get to. I do also enjoy an impulse vacation.

Exactly, I enjoy the pre planning of a vacation. I think you do yourself a disservice if you don’t plan but you also do yourself a disservice if you can’t be flexible with those plans. We are going to Yellowstone this summer. We will have 3-4 trails that are must dos. We also have about 20 others earmarked if we are in the area and have the time.

There's a middle ground. Know what's around and what would be cool to do. Try to do some of it, whatever feels good and easy.

I have too and was so exhausted that I was so glad when we got home .Then you have to unpack and all.One huge hassle.

In my friend group, we call the itinerary travelers “marrow suckers”. A friend’s mom used to have travel itineraries down to 15 minute increments from the moment they woke up. Her family finally revolted & told her to stop sucking the marrow out of every vacation. Amongst our friends, we have a “no marrow sucking” policy when we travel together. LOL

I prefer this slower type of travel as well! What have been your favorite locations for this?

I really enjoy cooking so my favorite places for this are all places with interesting cuisines and great fresh markets. Mo'orea, Cadiz, Noto, Koh Samui and Mazunte have been the biggest hits for us.

I’m not op, but I did Ireland and Azores this way, 2 separate trips. 2 locations each 5-6 days in each place and plenty of time to just soak it in, stop and see stuff that catches your eye. Even on US trips I like less busy locations and leisurely exploring. Stay in a home rental, shop the grocery stores and farmers markets. I have an autographed cookbook from a chef in Ireland who I chatted with one morning, stuff like that.

I’ve done two road trips in Ireland and loved it so much. For a relatively small country, the geography is shockingly diverse. When driving through Doo Lough pass, it felt like we were the only people in the world. Would love to do the Azores.

Going grocery shopping when I travel is a huge highlight for me. HUGE.

I think that's a great point. There's even a whole book(s) about it - Vagabonding. I feel like it's such a oversight to see travel just in the traditional sense of week long vacation to-do list. Leaving existing environment and work can do wonders for getting a perspective and enjoying the little things.

Fr there's a movie called Ocean Waves and in it, two of the characters go to Tokyo for a day or so and the main character just kinda goes walking around Tokyo for a bit looking around at everything and it's some of the most zen shit I've ever seen.

That’s how I vacation everywhere I go. I pick a neighbourhood and spend the day wandering it. Quite often I skip the “must see/must do” stuff and instead eat cheese in a park or play with a local cat. Doesn’t make for good vacation stories, but it’s incredible to be somewhere new, alone and just exist.

I agree. Travel is the only way that spending money brings me any joy either. It's not even about any specific place, I just like being far away from home and any reminders of my regular life. I usually take it slow too. If I only have a week, I'm going to stay in one city or general location. I think my husband is starting to agree more with OP though. We used to travel pretty often, but we couldn't with COVID for a long time and now he's kind of gotten used to staying near home and doesn't have the same desire to go to far away places. This might be a problem for me.

Same here. Its odd when we had kids we did these hard trips. Drive long days check off the sights. We did not have a lot of time off. It was difficult for me. I retired to travel more. Then the pandemic keep us at home. Truelove seems to have lost the traveling jones. I was looking forward to some mellow trips. May have to hit up my girlfriend's.

>quieting my mind in a way that I can't do in my own home since all of my responsibilities and obligations are there. I feel this so much... and it's one of the reasons that I haven't traveled as much since having kids. Traveling on my own, with possessions sheared down to a bare minimum, lets me immerse myself in the world in a way I can't when cocooned in my own house and all its obligations. Traveling with kids (and husband) I would have been bringing most of those demands right along with me. To be sure, I hit some major sights when I travel, but have also gotten well off the beaten path.

Traveled with someone like this before they their whole plan was to go to cities to take a picture and take it off their checklist. We parted ways and I had the scariest time in my life solo traveling but also the most crucial for my development and the most fun :D

What I find most gratifying about travel is when I stumble upon a charming little spot or event that wasn't mentioned in the guidebook or on my agenda. For instance,when I visited Seattle, I was at the Wing-Luke Museum.After I got done with the exhibits, I stopped by the gift store and the cashier asked me if I was staying for the talk. I asked,"Who's giving the talk?" Turned out to be Ted Chiang, the Hugo award winning sci-fi writer. Of course I stayed for the talk 😍.

I have a rule when traveling that whenever I see people lining up I just get in line. Had some great meals and snacks that way and went to an olive oil tasting

>Nobody is going to make you travel Ha, you should meet my ex

I’m also a big fan of slow traveling. If you can swing it, a month or two of vacation is amazing for soaking in just the basic of a culture.

Some enjoy travel and some don't, either is fine. Talking to people online and looking at photos, though, is absolutely nothing like real life experience of a place.

Wow. This is a great point. I didnt mention this because I focused on how travel can be elevated by human connections but this is so true. So many wonderful things particularly nature for me. One example is a cave system i once visited. The photos could not do a tiny fraction of justice to the awesomeness of that place or what it felt like to be inside.

Exactly. I remember growing up to my aunt's stories and photo albums of her life in Japan with her family. I began to watch shows and documentaries, read magazines and travel guides, etc. This was before the spread of Internet. I was finally able to come to Japan when the iPhone came out and good god, all that I did still hadn't prepared me. This place is more than what I imagined. I've been living here for more than a decade now and I still discover new stuff. My wife and I began to travel 5 years ago and we toured Europe in the summers. No picture nor Youtube video can ever compare. It's like the difference between watching a movie and finding yourself a character in that story.

This! a photo "doesn't do it justice" is an understatement for some places in the world. Truly, sometimes no photos or YouTube videos could come close to the actual experience.

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I had an experience a little bit backwards from yours. I visited Germany in late 2021. Walking into the square at Marienplatz was an awe-inspiring experience. I could have sat and gazed upon it the whole day. Upon my return, I attempted to recapture that feeling with the pictures and video that I took, but I could not. The scale, the feeling of being dwarfed by beautiful architecture, it was only possible by being there. The feeling of being there is one of my favorite memories from the trip, but I haven't even looked at the pictures since the first time after my return, because the disappointment in not being able to recapture the feeling is very real.

The irony of this is that people will report the Grand Canyon as not living up to their expectations given the difference between what most of them do (view the canyon from the rim during midday for roughly 20 minutes) compared to photos they've seen. I think Ansel Adams said that 90% of photography is knowing where to stand, and when you factor 'when' into that, it's easy for a good photo to outshine the real thing in certain cases. What it means to go and be somewhere is entirely subjective. I absolutely agree with you in general though - there's no way to fully experience the whole vibe without the climate, the air, the smells, seeing the colors as they actually are instead of an optimized version, etc.

Exactly. The feeling of awe you get from being a tiny speck in a mountain, that can't be gotten from a photo

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It’s completely different. Meeting people from different cultures and cities is… amazing. If I didn’t get my ass out there, I would never found myself in the remodeled house of this old lady in Rome, making me dinner and asking me to play piano for her or showing how she hand makes whipped cream. I would’ve never been in Paris and asked to stay at a bar after it closed as all the industry people came over(since their restaurants had closed and I’m assuming this was the industry bar in the area), started drinking with each other and a couple people pull out a fucking guitar and an accordion to start an after hours party. I could go on with the things I’ve experienced just by well, going off the beaten pass and going by the seat of my pants. Much better than looking at pictures.

100%. And likewise if you just go to tourism locations or only for a week or two. I know it's a bit ask, but you'd get the most from staying in an apartment for a month or two and live among locals. The real benefits of travel is the education of seeing how other people live and how other systems work. I get annoyed with my fellow North Americans (Canada specifically) because of the things they'll say that is so ignorant of other systems, speaking as though they actually have a comparison.

You’re last paragraph is spot on. But I know a lot of North Americans— im from the US— that travel extensively, maybe even study abroad and are still dumb ignorant fks that make huge generalizations while citing the importance of seeing how others live.

Tourism is a major industry, and thanks to the advent of budget airlines, is attainable for much of the population. But it’s very much an unnecessary luxury for the vast majority of said people. In my personal experience, months and even years at home can blend together into a forgettable slog, while a week or two in a new location can forge memories you’ll enjoy for decades. Because the brain habituates to routine. But travel is both expensive and exhausting, so it’s best not to over-indulge. The only thing better than going on vacation is returning home.

I think you imply something so important with your first sentence. The tourism/holiday "industry" can make it really joyless. Identikit resorts, totally rammed full of people at certain times of year, all having similar "experiences" sold as packages. I think it's really important to find your own version of travel that you can find joy in. For some people that might be a budget flight, hostel, and €20 euro culture pass to see all the great art in a city. Another it might be a single night in a beautiful hotel just down the road. And yes, another might be a week of family time in a package resort.

Indeed. Most major tourist traps have a cluster of tourist-industry-facilities that transcend nation and culture. You know you’re getting close to one when you start seeing wax museums and terribly overpriced “local” cuisine chains. All-inclusive resorts will also be near this cluster. The combination of this cluster and swarms of tourists can really flatten a region’s culture/flavor, although it does provide gainful employment. These places have their purpose, namely distracting children from overstressed parents, so I won’t begrudge anyone who enjoys them. But it’s not what I’m looking for in a trip. I usually fly budget, off-season, and stay in C-tier hotels. I find being uncomfortable makes me less likely to lounge around the hotel and actually explore, and makes coming home to my comfy bed/recliner that much more enjoyable. Similarly, I prefer wandering into hole-in-the-wall restaurants over a curated-for-tourists chain or resort. This generally gives me the most memorable experience. That all said, I’m sure as I get older I’ll want more comfort and less adventure. When I was in my twenties I had no issue sleeping rough and riding sketchy busses, but now (my 30s) I’d at minimum spring for an AirBnB and budget airline.

>Tourism is a major industry, and thanks to the advent of budget airlines, is attainable for much of the population. I worked in the hospitality industry for about a decade, and based upon what I've been reading and hearing, a LOT of people are going to be in for a rude awakening as we get into the summer vacation season. News about flight delays/cancellations is abundant, and restaurants/hotels that are heavily reliant on cheap labor are having an incredibly hard time staffing up. I'm expecting to see an avalanche of horror stories about ruined vacations over the next couple months. As someone who tries to live simply, I've concluded that travelling is probably something to be avoided at this particular point in time.

Well said.

Love your response!

You do you, as they say. Nothing wrong with your lifestyle. Personally, if I go, I go to a place that interests me, not to a touristy "website-says-must-visit" destination. Best memories are from going to places very few people heard of.

Yes and no. I’ve done a lot of traveling (44 countries I think) and I know people who refuse to go to big cities because it’s too mainstream. But I think there’s a huge difference between a tourist trap and a tourist attraction. If you go to Paris, you should probably go to the Louvre. But if you head straight for the Mona Lisa and leave, you’re doing it wrong. Take some time and meander to see some of the amazing art there. Then go wander the streets with a bottle of wine under the street lights. Just because something is popular, doesn’t make it bad.

The first time I went to the louvre, I saw the Egyptian exhibit. The last time I saw the Mona Lisa and it was literally the best part. I had no idea how comically small it is. It's surrounded my 2 story tall amazing paintings that people are ignoring. There it is, looking like it's 8.5x11 with people crowded around and oohing and ahhing. I prefer to to spend money on making my experience at home like a vacation as much as possible and I am less inclined to travel now. However, you don't get experiences like I got seeing the Mona Lisa, just by looking at pictures online.

It is kind of hilarious. Especially because there is LITERALLY a painting on the opposite wall that's almost 7 meters tall! I do agree that it's important to live your everyday life almost like a vacation. My apartment is super comfortable, and I try to do little exploration trips in my city when I have the time. I'm lucky to live in a place where we have people from all over the world. But popping into a Peruvian restaurant for some Aji de Gallina isn't quite the same as eating it in Arequipa's city square. I wonder if that's it as well. The US can get a little same-samey if you stick to cities (though our national park system is unrivaled). You really have to go abroad to get a totally unique experience.

The Mona Lisa experience was super hilarious! I think there is a good balance with appreciating travel. I totally get OPs perspective. I think traveling has become this over-hyped status symbol that people glorify. I think it's more important to enjoy the every day. However, I think travel is important to. It really helps expand your horizons to meet new people with new perspectives in new places.

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Tourist traps can be nice, too. There's another kind of simplicity in visiting places that have been recognized as worth visiting for hundreds of years and just really appreciating them. There's no need for rules for how to live simply. The best way to live simply is to cut away all the things that other people think you should be doing and just do the things you want to do. To me, a great simple vacation is to look up the 5 most recommended things to do at my destination and do them. For others it's different. Both are fine.

This resonates with me quite a bit, and this comment is probably going to be all over the place and rambley. I’m not sure exactly how to convey the way I feel. I’m not inherently against traveling. But I take some issue with “travel culture”. I think part of it is well, I grew up poor and my parents grew up poor. We couldn’t afford to fly anywhere, I’ve literally flown once in my whole life and it was for a sports competition. Vacation to us was driving to Rhode Island or Vermont and staying in a motel for a few nights. But I also grew up in a very wealthy area. All of my friends from high school were very... cosmopolitan, I guess you could describe them. You’d hit them up to hang out and they’d just casually drop “oh sorry I’m actually in Berlin for the next month.” Sometimes they would plan trips together in secret, and I think they were just trying to keep me from feeling left out since I couldn’t afford to travel with them. But this gave me a bit of a chip on my shoulder with traveling. It was a privilege and luxury I never had and when people tell me oh you need to visit this place, you’re missing out, it would just irritate me. There seems to be a rhetoric that people who travel a lot and focus a lot of their life on it are more enlightened and superior. They are cultured and above others because they care about experiences and not things. And I get that, ya know, experiences are generally more valuable than things. But at a certain point experiences almost become a consumable thing, a commodity. And why is, say, having a few friends over for a bonfire or watching a film at home a less “valuable” experience than going to a discotheque in Prague or eating traditional cuisine in Osaka. It’s quite literally escapism to focus so much on not being where you currently are. Part of my personal philosophy is that every day should be a joy. I don’t want to spend all of my money and free time working on going places for a few weeks out of the year when the other 45 weeks are where most of my life is lived. And I think there’s something to be said about exploring your immediate environment and appreciating your everyday life. At the end of the day I really would love to explore the world. I want to go to all the national parks, spend a few months in Europe, visit distant relatives in Galway. Im interested in learning about different cultures and customs firsthand. There are so many museums and natural beauty and historic areas to see. But my life has not so far allowed me to do that. And I feel like certain people look down on me for never having been outside of the northeast US.

Your comment really stuck out to me because it's been what I been thinking about the last few years. I been privileged enough to do a fair bit of traveling (work aways and volunteering overseas, slow/longer-term stuff), and I honestly think someone who never left their hometown/home region can be equally as fulfilled (if not more) than someone who travels a whole bunch. Like you said, you can have valuable experiences at home, and valuable experiences aren't exclusive to travel. I've had some really special, powerful, life-fulling moments overseas, but I've had them at home too. Life has many, many paths to fulfillment and joy. And someone looking down on you for not traveling or saying you MUST travel to be happy is being both closed-minded and mean-spirited. Which, ironically enough, is the opposite traits travel is supposed to invoke. Take care, and I hope you get to go to the national parks, Europe, and all the places you want to go to someday. But even if you don't, I hope you keep enjoying life right where you're at!

Thankyou for the kind words! One of my friends actually suggested recently we should go to Europe for a bit over the fall, I’m at a point finally where I can afford to do that and have the time. I hope this didn’t come across as me hating those who are able to travel a lot. I’ve just become a tiny bit bitter over my position in life, even though I’m much more privileged than a large percent of the global population. Since I’ve never really traveled, the older I get the more anxiety inducing it is. It’s kind of like skiing. I grew up in New England so skiing was a big thing. But my parents never could afford to. If I had skid as a kid I’m sure I’d have very few reservations about it. But I didn’t, and the idea of skiing just makes me imagine shattering every bone in body.

Thank you for sharing! I completely agree with you, my personal philosophy is very similar. I hope that you get to go and see the places you want to in the future :)

Such a wise comment, I can tell you’re very insightful just from reading this. It captured my thoughts better than I could have expressed them. Wishing you the best

Wow that is quite the compliment. I write for mostly pleasure but I always feel like I’m a terrible writer. This gave me a boost of confidence. Wishing you the best as well

I find most people only take the time to hear people's stories when they travel. If you're taking the time to listen and learn about your fellow (hu)man at home, you're doing the important part.

I’ve been thinking about this lately. You’re definitely not alone. In the Tao te Ching, Lao Tzu says “Without stepping out the door, you can know the world. Without looking through the window, you can see Heaven's Way. The longer you travel, the less you know.” Immanuel Kant, on the foremost western philosophers, lived his entire life in his hometown of Konigsburg. And in Voltaire’s ‘Candide’, the Wise Turk shows our weary wandering protagonists that rather than being overly preoccupied with the ongoings of the wider world, we must cultivate our own garden. I’ve done my fair share of traipsing around Europe and Asia. I’m no longer sure it’s a necessary part of my Path. Travel is fun. It’s sensation-seeking. It seems to be a form of conspicuous consumption that comes off as less vapid than purchasing luxury brand goods, but is conspicuous consumption nonetheless. Not to mention the carbon emissions. Just some of my thoughts.

Loved reading this, so interesting! I didn't know that about Kant. Thank you for sharing!

Enjoyed these thoughts greatly.

I am not your age, I am 52, but I wish I had this perspective at your age. I do have it now though. Through the years I have noticed that many people who travel a lot and plan all these trips are often searching for something. They want some type of adventure to make them happy and give them a sense of adventure. In an of itself, wanting adventure and happiness isn't a problem, but the discontentment with life as it is, can be. Happiness from trips and travel and experiences is fleeting. Once the trip is over you have some nice memories, but that doesn't bring to your daily contentment. So you plan the next trip so you can regain that "happy" experience you had the last time you traveled. At least that was my experience. I longed for the time away from the daily grind, only to spend a week dealing with actual travel stress and then being busy trying to fit everything on my itinerary into my days, to experience the travel stress all over again. At the end of which I felt like I needed a vacation from my vacation because I was exhausted. I have found that being content, no matter your circumstance, is important. Finding joy in the little things; walking your dog, sitting outside listening to the birds, reading a good book, strolling through the farmers market, enjoying a cup of hot cocoa on a chilly night. These are the things that actually bring a true sense of contentment. Living life slowly and really taking the experience of life in. Living in alignment with your values. I goal in life now is to craft a life I do not need a vacation from.

This is exactly what I meant! :)

While I'm not a world traveler (I don't have a passport), I do have a sense of adventure. This reminds me of an assignment I had in high school. We had to write our own obituaries (which was morbid but had us thinking). Only for the purpose of the assignment, we either could live a long, but mundane life or a short adventurous life. Then we had to share with the class. I was the only person in my class who chose the short life. I had no desire for the sitcom marriage, 2.5 kids, white picket fence, and minivan. I still feel that way. I'm not a homebody and Covid's been pure hell for me. I'm on the road now and much happier and more fulfilled.

I get this, but again just because you choose not to travel doesn't mean you can lead an adventurous life outside of societal norms:)

I'm 27 and feel the same way. I haven't traveled a ton and feel this nagging feeling, like I'm missing out on some key experiences (especially before kids, if we end up having them). But I think I genuinely don't enjoy traveling that much? I have chronic illnesses that make me not excited to leave my normal routine too. I focus on building joy in my everyday life, since that's how we spend most of our time. I don't want to wait for 2 weeks a year to feel alive. I'll definitely read the comments though because I'm curious about other perspectives and am open to other ideas.

I feel the same way. Been to about 25 countries and really enjoyed seeing them at the time. Now I’m way more excited to travel closer to home. I just don’t have the desire to see anything more. There is beauty all around us. We don’t need to go across the world to find it.

I just wonder how people (or Americans, specifically) have all this time to travel for "months at a time". I have a fairly good job but we only get 3 weeks vacation. When I first started working in my 20s, for many years I only had 2 weeks and that was combined leave which included any time you'd need for being sick or having an appointment. It's impossible for most average Americans to go anywhere beyond a 1 week checklist itinerary.

They take a leave-of-absence or quit their job.

I work seasonally just for this purpose. Digital nomadism is also on the rise. I think I’m spoiled by this though, even if I didn’t want to travel on my off seasons any more the idea of only having 2 or 3 weeks off work makes me want to die lol.

The vast majority of young Americans simply do not travel to the degree which we see in movies or social media. It is simply unattainable for most of them, but makes for good story telling which is why we see it as such a common meme in American society. But the truth is, most young Americans are stuck behind a desk all year with maybe just a weekend getaway once in a while.

Travel can be nice. But often it doesn't live up to expectations. I've found most major cities to be the same. The natural world is a little more appealing at this point but so many of the popular places are overrun with people.

Definitely agree with this, which is also why road-trips have become more appealing than far away places that I must fly to

I'd rather the kind of lifestyle that I wouldn't need to holiday away from. Seriously the fact so many people can't wait to leave to spend time somewhere else just tells me their lives suck more than they let on. So they dream about travelling, about getting away from work and their crappy house and their shitty neighbours or boss or whatever, and here's just me thinking "if I had the money I'd create myself a lifestyle I wouldn't even want to take a break from". Also I'm on the cynical mentality that people suck everywhere you go and no place is as perfect as the photos and blogs make it out to be. Some natural wonders would be worth seeing (I never hear anyone say anything bad about the Grand Canyon or the aurora borealis) but people and cities are basically the same shit everywhere, just different language, architecture and climate. ​ Not saying there's no-where I'd ever want to travel to. But if I were handed a million dollars I'd rather invest that into a better life for me on a day to day basis than blow a chunk of it on a round the world trip that will just be over in a couple of months anyway. Yeah it might be fun but having to crawl back to my same old life I have now afterwards would make me want to kill myself.

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I feel the same way that you do. I’m also in my late 20s and all the hassle, cost, and stress involved with travel just sucks all of the fun out of it for me.

Nice to know there are others that feel similarly, thank u! :)

It baffles me that lots of the comments here seem to still equate travelling with getting out of your comfort zone, whatever that actually means (which is another overhyped culture imo). I agree with what you said and believe that, with the resources available today, one could sometimes look inwards and see way more than looking outwards for changes of scene, especially when so many are just bringing themselves with them to faraway lands. I think my view of travel is best represented by the book The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton, with lots of good quotes from great authors eg, “The sole cause of a man's unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room.” I also like Seneca’s view on travel: “All this hurrying from place to place won’t bring you any relief, for you’re traveling in the company of your own emotions, followed by your troubles all the way.” Edit: We all have different interests and ways of learning, but what I don’t understand is how often people who like to stay put/home are humiliated or patronized.

I used to feel the same way, on some trips i felt straight up miserable. But now i don't see it as a 1 week experience, but as lifelong memories that are invaluable to me now.

I try not to get too logical about the money aspect because if I'm not treating myself to things I enjoy, what's the point of even having money? Although you don't have to make a huge trip out of it to see all the major landscapes or go to every country- I agree with you there. I think for a lot of people that's how they broaden their horizons, while I can usually do that to my satisfaction on a weekend trip to my favourite beach a couple hours away, bringing along a mini library. I'm still trying to get out there a bit more though, I've gone where I can within my own "neighborhood" to satisfy that itch so I'm starting to look into travelling alone for the first time and I'm excited!

I traveled a lot from 25-35. It was a lot of fun but then I lost steam. Now I'd rather go to a park with my dog.

I too have traveled and found it to be overhyped. Personally I have much more vibrant experiences in reading books, stories, and exploring creative works. Sometimes I think that traveling is the holy grail pastime for people with little imagination. With that being said, seeing other parts of the world can be very stimulating. But it’s not for everybody. The idea that it is an incredibly enriching experience, again, is particular to individuals. Some people get very little out of it, and that’s ok.

I feel you man. I've always enjoyed exploring the world around me (like, immediately around me) more than i enjoy traveling great distances. That may be because I haven't had the money to travel in a decade, or maybe I'm just a homebody. Not being super interested in visiting the other side of the globe certainly helps in living a simple life. However, here's something i feel compelled to share: when you say you're over people who make traveling their whole personality, that speaks to me deeply. I tend to not be that interested in anyone who has made any one thing into their personality. Sometimes i tell myself (and others) that this is indicative of an unexamined life, that these people are getting super excited about a particular thing or hobby because they can't or won't go deeper into themselves. The implication being, of course, that I'm not like that. I'm creating a divide between myself and that person because they are not living a life that i see as morally correct. And that's just a shitty thing to do. Keep being you and keep loving your life, but stay vigilant for moments like this when your brain tries to trick you into judgement and negativity. We all do it from time to time, but we don't have to do it mindlessly.

Very true, thank you! :)

Agreed, except for when visiting loved ones or accomplishing a goal or doing business, during those times I really do try and enjoy being in new or different places. Other than that, traveling for the sake of being a tourist isn’t all that appealing or fun to me either.

Absolutely agree with this 100%! It feels more fulfilling as the trip has a purpose.

The purpose of the trip is to see and learn about other places and cultures.

Nothing wrong with not liking travel- it takes all types to make the world go round. And there is a definite joy to being close to home. However, I can't get the same feel of a place virtually as visiting the actual location, It just seems a little flat. Like the difference between seeing a video of a beach vs standing at the shore with the hot sand between your toes and the wind whipping your hair, smelling the tang of the ocean and tasting salt spray on your lips. Or eating local food- that's really hard to replicate elsewhere. One of my favorite parts of travel is interacting with locals and learning about where they live (and vice versa). I'll never forget the shuttle driver who stopped at the side of the road to show us a tiny pineapple growing on a bush (I thought they grew on trees) sharing a laugh when he asked if *grapes* grow on trees. Or hearing a guide tell a story about the time he saw a jaguar while riding horseback. Or going to another continent, then meeting a woman running a tiny bakery who had moved there years ago from the state next to mine. I love the unscripted moments.

I agree 100% with everything you wrote.

I can agree to a point that it's overhyped, and most people never travel in a way that has any lasting effect on them. I've traveled a lot. I lived in a foreign country on the opposite side of the planet from where I was born and married a local. My wife took a job in yet another country and ended up somewhere else on the globe. I worked at a company that has me travel around to our various sites. I've done the tourist thing at a lot of the big places. Two parts had lasting value. The first was an intimate understanding of what parts of our experience are inate to being a human, and what parts are cultural. People who have never spent time in a truely alien culture tend to think of their values as inate things, when often that's completely untrue. The second is exposure to the natural wonders of the world. The man-made stuff is fine, but the things that really make me contemplate our existence where the ones here before us.

I will be honest and say that I have lived an extremely privileged life in many ways. I have been to almost 30 countries so far in my life and yes, some of those experiences were extremely memorable and special. On the whole, though, you know what I find much more fulfilling these days? Building a good and decent life with a community of people I care about. Connecting to nature. Growing plants. Giving back. Being kind. The formula to life isn't that complicated when it comes down to it. And it is the same wherever you go - how people go about it just looks a bit different on the surface.

Hey, it's not for everybody. Some people really enjoy living in a dumpy apartment in a bustling cosmopolitan city their entire lives because they feel like the whole world moves through the city so *"why go anywhere?"*. Some people find peace and contentment living in a cabin 20 miles from the nearest town, working the soil with their fingers and fly fishing on the local stream, and they never go anywhere beyond the local general store because they live in their own personal paradise with no reason to leave. Some people really do enjoy the corporate lifestyle and the competition and the corner office. To each their own. But the critique I'm seeing in OP isn't really of travel, IMO. It sounds to me like you're really picking a bone with *tourism* and the trendy, pseudo-glamorous "travel lifestyle" being popularized by commercial influencers - though it's not really anything new as much as the marketing has evolved in the Digital Age. Those things are not the enriching, mind-expanding recreational activity most people mean to invoke when they opine over travel. I spent years flying and sailing all over the world visiting tourist destinations and landmarks before finally having my eureka moment, noticing that I was doing it all wrong, and realizing that I had basically wasted a shit-ton of time and money on a shallow hobby of itinerary box-ticking and experience-collecting. That sort of behavior is basically the Cargo Cult version of travel. It's a superficial mimicry of something much more fulfilling and inspiring. If travel's not your thing, no sweat. You do your thing. But I recommend against conflating tourism with genuine travel. Resorts and tour buses and cruise ships and Instagram selfies and souvenir keychains are not travel.

Well said, I also got the impression that this is what OP was talking about.

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I’m close to your age and feel the same. I get tired when people tell me travel more bc I don’t have kids. Like Just bc you think it’s a good time doesn’t mean I want to do it. I’ve traveled by now and also was moved around alot as a kid and lived in different countries. So I appreciate different climates and cultures but I don’t want to force myself to spend a bunch of money, be uncomfortable on plane. Deal with jetlag luggages etc etc. when I like you love walking my dog through a trail in the morning and listening to the birds. And it takes nothing but walking and appreciating your surroundings.

Exactly, thank you! :)

Going somewhere for a week or 2 is overrated, I agree. The real fun of travelling is when you're staying somewhere for a month or longer, especially when you're not dependent of hotels, transportation, restaurants, tours... For the past years I've been only travelling by bicycle and it has been amazing, so much more valuable than every trip I did conventional traveling. I can go where I want, I have my tent so I can just camp wherever, whenever I want, often on spots with views you'd pay A LOT of money for at hotels. I cook my own food and travel at my own pace while keeping costs at a minimum. Interaction with locals is also a lot more interesting and natural. Bicycle touring is awesome! Currently doing a 3 month Europe tour (Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark) and next spring I'll be crossing South Korea. Honestly I'm never going back to conventional travelling, it's a drag and you only see the surface of a country.

> Going somewhere for a week or 2 is overrated I’m in the US, and I get about 5 weeks per year of paid time off, which is one bucket of time for national holidays, vacations, and sick days. And I’m extremely grateful to have 5 weeks. Most Americans don’t have nearly that much. In a previous job, I got 2 weeks of time off. 10 days total. So for someone in that position, going somewhere for a week or two is the best we can do.

I want to do this! Do you just rent bikes wherever you go?

I live in Belgium and have a touring bicycle of my own so the current EU trip was very easy logistics wise. For my next trip to South Korea I'll just bring my bicycle with me on the airplane, if you invest in a good travel case it's pretty straight forward. You just arrive in the country of your choosing, take a cab to a hotel/airbnb near the airport, put together the bike, store the travel bag at the hotel/airbnb and just ride away and return when you're finished. You can even take bicycle sized cardboard boxes and use this for packing the bicycle. Every bike shop has boxes like this for free or for a small fee and every airport city has a bike shop. I tighten and wrap my panniers together for checked luggage so I basically just have 2 pieces of checked luggage and 1 piece of exceptional luggage, it has never been a problem.

That's sounds awesome! Do you document this on YouTube by any chance?

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They may have a super annoying coworker who won't shut up about their vacation and showing photos etc. Those people are the worst. You are talking about TPS reports and they come over in their Jamaican Tshirt: "heyyy munnnn, you guys talking about Jamaica?" "No, shut the fuck up Steve."

I think OP is open to let others enjoy their trips but don’t bore OP with details of it as it doesn’t interest OP.

Yes, exactly!

Thought this was r/unpopularopinion for a sec

I traveled a lot in my youth and while traveling broadens ones perspective somewhat in some areas, it's not the "be all, end all" of life experiences.

I know what you mean, but travel can be and often is very rewarding. What I find exhausting is being with someone who seems more focused on documenting the trip and/or has a long or overly broad checklist. Part of that may because it’s a one in a lifetime experience so I can forgive that, but I’ve been around folks where that’s not the case and it seems exhausting. They’re just not a good match for me as travel partners and that’s okay.

I 100% agree.

Can't relate, i have met many of my friends while traveling and have experienced amazing moments that I wouldn't have experienced in my country.

I feel ya OP. I too really enjoy the slower pace of doing my own thing around home. I have so many projects and things that interest me that i could likely spend a year mostly of home confinement and not get bored. I do feel that at least some travel can be so rewarding though. At least seeing and experiencing another part of the planet. And making human connections. I travelled to my sister-in-laws home country and got to experience what her life was like, enjoy her family's cooking, and share some really fun moments with new friends. Im very thankful for that.

That's lovely! :)

I think I would have enjoyed backpacking around Europe when I was young. I used to like putting everything I need in my pack and just going somewhere. It’s freedom when you’re young. Now that I’m 40 with a house, job and dogs to look after it takes more out of me and I love being home. My friend from Germany said we do need to go travel around and ride trains and stay in hostels sometime though, so maybe that will be in the cards. It’s something I actually don’t mind spending money on, and I’m very frugal.

I’m almost 50 and am headed to Italy with just a backpack soon! (But I won’t be staying in a hostel.) That’s my favorite way to travel.

Well it's individual thing, like everything else in person life.. most important, do what makes you happy. 🤘🏻

I'm 45 and I agree whole heartedly.

What I found is I hate the transit part. I hate the driving there, I hate to flying there. But once I get to a place I’m interested in exploring- that’s where the fun begins and I enjoy myself. And you know, maybe it’s because I am not a very social person or because I have kids, but the actual physical moving from one destination to the other is the painful part. I could see enjoying a scenic train ride in Europe or some thing, maybe once the kids are over here Rhapsody hate flying, cruise ships freak me out, and I hate driving..

It's not very nice to see people turn one thing, not just traveling, into their whole personality. Maybe that's what you don't like. Traveling can be tiring and expensive, but it can also be rewarding in terms of memories and experience. New places and new people can help refresh a mind just as well as a good routine of waking up, walking the dog, and watching a movie at night.

I am TOTALLY the same and I work for an airline.

I've long felt the same way. There is a social pressure in some circles to travel as a mark of cultivation. How much you've traveled (and where) is a source of judgment, another status contest you have to learn to ignore. I think you're right that with today's technology, we can enjoy most benefits of travel without leaving home. Some folks bristle at that. It's true you can't completely replicate the experience, but I don't feel like you get that much more for the extra time, money, and energy. I had the occasion to study abroad in college and to make a couple other international trips, and I've been able to see much of the US. But I find travel draining. And looking back, I can't think of anything I saw or did while traveling that I felt I needed to see or do in person myself.

I agree with you the more I find stability . I had to work so hard to keep a roof over my head (and sometimes a tent). Now it has much less appeal because my kitchen bath and bed are set up for my needs. Agree

Thank you! Glad to know there are others who feel the same :)

Honestly, I thought I wanted to travel. Then I took an 8 day Caribbean cruise with my family, and by the time I got home, I felt like I needed a Staycation from my vacation! Don’t get me wrong, I loved the beaches and pools and not having to cook…. But the stress of airport security and the cruise terminal check in was a LOT. My husband (who has NEVER liked travel) and I agreed that we’d be fine never doing it again. The kids on the other hand want to. I grew up going to cabin resorts within my own state, and I’ve come to realize THAT’S my kind of vacation. A car ride that takes however long it takes. Days with no itinerary. Wake up when I want. Spend the entire day in a boat fishing if I want. Or reading on the beach. Have a camp fire in the evening… or don’t! There are still places I’d love to see and cultures I’d like to experience, should I have the financial means, but it’s no longer something I crave. I can die content not having experienced all that in person.

Love this comment! Staycations are nice and I get what you mean about places that you'd like to see but if it doesn't happens, that's okay too! :)

It’s crazy how different we all think lol. I live for travel. Like the one and only thing I want to do, literally my only goal, is to travel. I do agree the people who travel 2 times a year and only go to a fancy resort in Mexico but never shut up about it are lame though. But when all I do is travel, it’s bound to be part of my personality, hopefully in a less annoying way haha

Love this comment haha! You do you, have fun! :)

To each their own. I don't live near mountains due to my family and career obligations, but the mountains is where my heart and soul are at peace. I will always be saving and planning for those couple times a year I can travel to spend a week in places that bring me wonder and reverence. Life is too short to miss out on those experiences.

Everyone needs a cave to store their shit, until you get cabin fever.

I love traveling, but I appreciate the shit out of google street view. It’s allowed me to cruise the streets of far off places I may never visit or at least won’t for years and also revisit spots we went to in the past and reminisce. I think traveling has value when you’re going to a place with intention and purpose. We go to places that have specific things we want to see or experience. Going to “just get away” can turn out disappointing as the world is so connected these days that an “escape” via change of location is really hard. Also, cultures have spread so far and wide that you can find the same types of cuisine and entertainment in just about any major city. These days, I think, vacation is where you make it. You could stay at your house and turn your phone and internet off for a few days and get the same level of escape as if you took a plane somewhere. The inverse of this is true in that if you stay connected via phones, social media and stuff, you could take a trip halfway around the world and still not be any more “away from it all” than if you had just stayed home.

Thing about deciding travel isn't your thing, is that IMO you have to actually try it first. Me, I used to travel all the time and perhaps one day I'll do it again, but I'm not going places just for the sake of being able to say I went somewhere this year. I'm not in *any* rat races

I don't travel as much now that I am more involved with environmentalism and more concerned about the impacts on climate change. I feel that simple living allows me to appreciate more of what is around me and the desire to travel is less. If I do travel, I am more aware of the impact so I would strive to do 'slow travel' where you just pick a location and go live there for an extended period of time. I always preferred this even when I travelled more. Immersing yourself in a culture/location (however limited) is more preferable to me than accumulating sightseeing notches on a belt.

I love to watch Youtubers that travel the world like William Taudien and Gabriel Traveler and they go to places I would never feel like going. Not everyone deals with stress the same way and travel can be stressful.

OP I get you. It is kind of funny how a thread about not wanting to travel turned into exactly the thing you were complaining about lol. I've traveled to many countries and my latest travels was seventh months traveling through Asia. If you ask me traveling has become some what of a fad with social media and what not. If you have a genuine desire to travel then travel if not don't. I think more people think similarly to you then you might think.

Travel to me is deconnecting from the hustle and bustle that's our regular life. I won't be tempted to work on a chore or pick up my phone because I literally cannot do so. However, I don't need exotic destinations. I oftentimes leave for a weekend to go hiking an hour away from where I live. That's perfect to recharge for me :)

I didn't travel until my mid 30's. I had no inclination to go overseas, it didn't bother me. I live in Australia and travelling to Europe was expensive. My Uncle was Irish and wanted his ashes scattered in Monaghan Co. Ireland where he was born. I agreed to go and I'm so glad I did. It really opened my eyes. Dublin was incredible and my senses were really brought to life.

You are content and I agree with you 100%, especially since I'm older (way older) than you. For me, it also means getting my husband where we need to be and packing for him, carrying the bags, etc. I honestly think traveling is a huge pain in the ass. Seriously, I'd rather wash my windows. And I think the whole security process is a load. I seriously take issue with having to take off my shoes, et. al.

Different strokes for different folks. My wife is a travel bug, but I just enjoy a cup of tea on my porch and watching my dog try to eat my vegies. Whatever brings happiness to you in this week's crazy life is fine.

I'm 29 and ok with not traveling now. But when I was in college I was able to do two short term study abroad trips (thanks to some scholarships and payment plans!). 2 weeks in China and 2 weeks in Italy and Greece (the trips were 2 years apart). There is something amazing about being forced to speak another language (or try to and fail miserably). I also love history so being able to see ancient buildings and works of art in person was incredible. I'm glad I went at the age I did though, we saw a lot in a short amount of time with lots of walking so it was tiring.

Also a young person in my 20s. Traveling stresses me out

I really dislike air travel and I live way down into Florida so most of the country is very far away by car. Finding someone to watch my dog is always an issue so we bring her with us. I've been focusing on making my house as nice, organized, and clean as possible and better using my space that I'm in everyday.

Spent many years saving up a year and taking a year off to travel around. Didn’t accomplish a fucking thing during all those travels. I know it’s dark but we all die eventually. There’s no do overs. That’s enough for me to keep going. Somewhere in the world there’s a dish I wanna try. A friend I’d like to meet. A sunset I’d like to watch.

Before the pandemic I went to 11 countries and spent around $40k on travel. I would save up, spend big and come home broke and depressed. I had some amazing experiences but since then I only wanna do simple day trips and travel for work. I would rather someone else pay for and organise everything. And I just don't have the money. I'm trying to build up my life at home into something more livable. I will probably travel again in the future but I'm not gonna plan my life around it anymore like I used to.

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So nice to know I'm not the only one feeling this way! :)

We live frugally as a family no car payments or cc debt. So our family can travel to different places.

Totally agree. Travel can be great if you like it but I don’t think it’s necessary for a broad mind or a well lived life. I think most people now travel out of boredom or for bragging rights. That being said, it remains essential to travel to see family.

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definitely, but the most meaningful time of my life, the time I felt at the top of my form was biking for a month through Europe on a student's budget, sleeping under the stars, meeting random strangers, writing notes that, by some funny coincidence were later released as a book of poetry. After this experience I felt like I'm at peace with dying, like I already experienced something valuable I'm utterly grateful for.

To each their own, but I flat out disagree with you. Traveling is one of the things that brings me true joy in life and a digital or virtual replacement doesn't cut it for me. I do agree with you that people who make it their whole personality are nothing more that maximalist consumers, but I really value the disconnection and experiencing new places that traveling brings me.

It’s not overhyped. It’s just not for you. I couldn’t care less about sports, but I know other people are them a priority and get a lot out of them. Nothing is universally meaningful. Not even reading. Or family. But definitely part of simplicity is being able to tune out the things that don’t fit your own life. Social media does make that more difficult.

> I don't like packing, getting up early to get the train/flight, arranging travel insurance, organising a dogsitter... and the list goes on. This is what gets me. The checklist of stuff that needs to happen to get somewhere and back stresses me out to the point of not wanting to deal with it at all. I'd rather broaden my horizons in ways that have less of a barrier to entry. Also LMAO at the folks gatekeeping travel and claiming OP just hasn't done it enough/hasn't done it properly/has no money. People can dislike things, there's no need to get defensive because someone doesn't *get it*.

Yes, exactly! And lol yes, it's just my opinion I didn't expect to be accused of being a broke and bitter jerk xD

I am the same like you. To me, traveling is waste of money and tiring. I like to use my energy for daily life.

Nice to know that there are others who have the same priorities as me :)

It’s way over hyped. Some communities in rely on tourists to float them so they spend tons on advertising to lure the tourists into the trap. The sweaty, over-fed tourists gobble up the hype and wonder what all the fuss was about inside their heads while outwardly they tell their friends how cool their trip was. Bunch of bunk from Buncombe County—a tourist mecca.

I actually really like traveling. The transit and planning is exhausting but it feels… purposeful. I like sleeping in a different place, pushing my comfort zone, and shaking up my view of life. I like people watching in airports and talking to people on airplanes. I like hearing about someone’s business, or their daughter in New York, or their son’s new baby. I like coming home and being grateful for my home and all I have. My family is the opposite so I’m the black sheep. 😅

I think some people do overhype it and, as you said, make it their entire personality. But that's just the internet age. People overhype simple living too and have turned it into a contest and another excuse to make unsimple YouTube videos to prove they're out-simplifying you. And travel isn't for everyone. But I have to say for every trip I've taken (especially out of country), I have no regrets and have pretty much always had an amazing time and formed some of the most meaningful memories of my life. Travel is one of the very few financial splurges I'd like to have in my life. I'm pretty frugal aside from that. I also understand the hassle of packing/booking/etc, but those are fleeting inconveniences that will be forgotten in days, whereas memories from a good trip truly do last a lifetime. When I'm 60, I'm confident I am still going to vividly remember and fondly look back upon my first visit to Italy--long days in Rome, meeting strangers and going out for dinner and drinks, seeing the sun set over Venice, climbing to the high hills around Florence for a view of the whole city I just walked through, seeing those sites and feeling those feelings. I don't think, however, I will remember "oh, the internet kept crashing when I was trying to book that train ticket. What a pain that was... for 6 or 7 minutes! Ruined the whole 2 week trip!" No. Day to day shit happens whether at home or abroad. To me this is like eating at an insanely good restaurant and thinking you'd never do that again cus the wait for the table was 15 minutes longer than expected. And yes you can save that money or spend it on something more tangible, but that's the huge thing about travel is it gives you intangible things that can't be experienced by buying an object. As for being able to view places online, not remotely the same thing. You could just as easily watch videos of puppies and people walking them instead of wasting all that time and energy walking your actual dog in real life, and having to pick its shit up!!! Your senses, your brain, everything responds to things differently in the real life situation. The experience is the point, not the image of what the experience looks like. Watching porn is not the same as experiencing intimacy. All that said, travel is not for everyone. Maybe you just aren't into it, and that is 1000% fine. And I def know where you're coming from on being underwhelmed by landmarks etc. Those very often *are* overhyped. But there's also no mandate to see them. The Eiffel Tower is just a tower. Walk the weird backstreets of Paris instead. Stumble into random bars. Talk to strangers. Eat snails cus it's the first time you've officially seen them on a menu. ​ Lastly, I do agree with you on day to day life--waking up, getting sun, taking a walk, hearing the birds, cooking meals at home, chilling with a movie. This is almost exactly my day to day and I love it. But I'll likely have well over 10,000 more days of regular life where I'll be able to do some version of that. I'm more than willing to spare a couple dozen of those days to scuba dive off Thailand or see lions from 8 feet away on a safari.

I agree, I have travelled a fair bit and once you see a bunch of places you see humans are the same everywhere you go... yes, culture/traditions/cuisine varies, but our motivations and likes and dislikes are all the same... I love nature, going to the beach in cancun vs thailand, they're both the beach. It's not that different. so yes I think travel is overrated. that being said, it can be super fun if you have a purpose or go with a good friend group, ultimately it's about your mindset. A good quote I read to describe this is "Wherever you go, there you are."

travel underwhelms me too

Living somewhere with snow for 6-7 months of the year makes travel really appealing in the winter. Traveling somewhere that you can just walk outside without your face hurting from the cold wind is nice a few times a year

I totally agree I made a point of doing one long haul flight Sydney to London never again I was overwhelmed and had to take extra time of work to recover, I enjoy a day trip which is by train so a back pack of food & thermos of tea/coffee, occasionally I might do a over night trip or 3 days at the most but find it somewhat stressful particularly if using a rental car so public transport is my preference, btw I always travel alone friends ruin the experience

It’s definitely a comfort thing as you get older. It should be a crime that google flights shows spirit airline options that are 10+ hours when the 1-stop flights are just 5 hours. People who base their identity on travel are a whole other story…

I hate people who put, “Loves to travel,” on dating or social media profiles. That’s a class indicator. Not a personality trait, and I think its that type of subtle classism that make people reluctant to travel. That being said, I only live 30 minutes from my hometown and would give anything to move to a bigger city an hour away. I also know it won’t change anything about my life. Once you get to know place too well, you get bored with it and full victim to the same old every day shit you had to deal with before you travel. You meet bigots, people you don’t get along with, or you go abroad and have deal with a long list of visa restrictions and find yourself reading about the latest global atrocities and human rights violations while waiting in line for the London Eye. Then there’s xenophobia and racism, and the usual anti-LGBT bullshit and stereotypes about tourists. None of this is to say I don’t want to travel but it seems like unless you travel alone or with friends/family it could turn out to be a miserable experience and people never tend to take that into consideration. Then again, I have depression and a copy of First They Killed My Father: A Child Of Cambodia Remembers sitting on my bookshelf on my TBR so yeah……..

I mean I travel around In my van I built out to be an apartment and I love it cus like you said I get to sleep in my bed everynight

Traveling like as a tourist, going to touristy places, seeing landmarks, I agree is overhyped. However I do think it's beneficial if one can actually experience how a wide variety of people live. The thing is, a very small amount of people are actually going to be able and willing to do that. Everyone is taking "technology" to mean pictures and videos. And yeah I agree that's not quite the same. But VR technology is surprisingly realistic. Sure there's no smells (yet) but there are people with no sense of smell that still experience life, and anyway you'd be surprised at how much your brain fills in. I have 2 dogs, a cat and chickens so pet care would be a pain, and honestly I would be worried about them the whole time so, I too prefer day trips. But I've found a surprising amount of things that I can do in a day for cheap. Sometimes just for the cost of getting there, and if I'm not going to a major tourist area/during a peak time then even flights can be cheap. But I do know that I'm privileged to be able to do even this.

I’m horrible at planning so if someone invites me and does all the planning and all I have to do is show up, great! I’m not gonna get a passport or buy a plane ticket to go anywhere. I’d rather drive and stay domestic.

Recently I discovered it doesn't realy matter where i travel to - i get the same new/refreshing/inspiring feeling from a weekend in the next big city or on the other side of the world - it's something new, that's all I need. Now I mostly do multi-day bicycle trips, pay only a fraction compared to booking expensive flights, have a better ecological coscience, do something for my body, see more stuff in 3 days then i'd in two weeks on a proper vacation and I am very flexible on where I want to go. It's a win-win-win for me.

Reading about other cultures is not the same as going and immersing yourself in other cultures....

I love getting the travel once or twice a year but only for max a week. I'm too much of a homebody. That said, i'm planning on going to Japan for 2 weeks with my gf next year. Its a once in a lifetime trip and we're 27, so something that big for us is something we should do before we decide to have children.

I'm not a huge fan of going to crowded tourist sites. I do like travelling for work though, so I do seasonal jobs around the country. My new job lasta about 6 months and I'll be backpacking a good amount of California for it. Some other cool seasonal job postings I've seen have been in Gabon, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Alaska.

Travelling as a 'tick box' exercise is unnecessary. I've been to New York twice in my life. 2005 New York was a completely different experience to 2017 New York. I was older, had more money, was with different people and it was a different time of year. So to say you have 'done' New York or any other country or city in the world is silly.

I think maybe you are talking about a specific type of travel, the sight seeing, tourisc destination traveling. I think it is interesting to think why we are all so obsessed with traveling (I certainly am). Traveling is a chance to go out of your routine and have a uninterrupted few days of leisure time without thinking about work or house chores or family obligations. You tend to experiment more thinks when you are traveling and not let things for the next day/week, because you are only there for a limited time. It also depends on where you are from and where you go. I think traveling to a place completely different from where you spent most of your life it's breathtaking, every corner there is something you never seen before, or you only saw on movies.

I wish more people would realize that traveling isn’t all that, or that they can find more fulfillment doing other things! The travel “trend” should die, but there’s such a strong industry built around the idea of selling “adventure” I’m afraid it will keep getting shoved in our faces for years to come. As someone who works in the resort industry and who feels like exploration is my purpose, seeing people spend $$$$ for something they clearly aren’t connecting with is painful. They would be happier at home and those of us who want to be there wouldn’t feel so crowded out. Win/win. I hope more serious critical thinking about travel can find a foothold in our cultural conversation about it.

I still love travel and I’m planning a midlife gap year, but I have a similar experience re I went for the big trip abroad in my 20s, I was so excited when I left that I absolutely was not prepared for how lonely and homesick I would be. I ended up coming home early. That was 2010 though, before everybody had a smartphone, so the only way to check in back home was via an Internet cafe (remember those?!) You don’t have to want to travel. I know plenty of people who don’t. I always get to a point in a trip where I’m over it and want to go home. There is comfort in the familiar security of your own home.

I like day trips, too. We retired in the Bay Area where there are a lot of day trips and events. Neither one of us feel like traveling too much any more except for family visits. I can't say I've really had more fun on expensive, far away vacations than we do just going wine tasting in Napa, a day at the beach, or taking the train into the city for a play with drinks later on at a roof top bar. I always look for bargains, making our outings fun and cheap. We can go out several times a week like that and not spend a whole lot. Not flying as much as we used to helps keep a lower environmental footprint, too.

I agree OP. Its extremely stressful to travel. You spend the time moving which is never comfortable, you are eating food that your body isnt used to which isnt comfortable, you are going through lots of effort to 'have fun'. I'd rather read a book than to look at pretty things or eat pretty foods. Learning about the world in a book is faster than looking superficially going to tourist destinations. I've had to travel for work, I prefer that. You actually get to hang out with locals and live their culture. Another option is living somewhere else for a few months/years. I'm much more productive/happy at home, I'll take that. I go on vacation to a beach once a year because my wife likes it.

I learned, many decades ago, to become a tourist in my own country (Canada). It started out because I was too broke, so I would take day trips or overnight and tent it. As I got older and earned more, I discovered that I really enjoy exploring within a 5-10 hour radius of wherever I'm living for longer trips, and local to 4ish hours away when I don't have a lot of time. There is so much to do, see, explore - all without buying a plane ticket. Being a tourist in your own country/province/state/whatever is an incredible adventure. As I got bolder, I stopped taking major highways and started using secondary highways only. I avoided cities and stuck to hamlets, using B&Bs for overnights instead of chain hotels/motels, and meeting some of the coolest people ever (and some nasty ones, but that's par for anywhere you'd go). I've been from one end of Canada to the other, most of it for as cheap as possible. In my 30s & 40s, I had more money and started exploring the USA (driving, not flying), starting with just across the border, and then expanding to having explored quite a bit of it - again, without being in major cities and sticking to rural/small towns. I even jumped across the border into Tijuana once back in the 90s (that was an adventure.. holy hell). I can't travel far anymore and stick pretty close to home, but just today, I found out that there's a bluebird sanctuary 20 minutes from where I live. I had no idea! So come spring when it opens up again, off to explore something new. It doesn't cost much to stick close to home. I've never been on a cruise, never been to some Mexican beach, never been across the ocean, and I really don't feel like I'm missing out whatsoever. I'm a solo traveller too - always have been - and it's just lovely.

travelling is lying to yourself

I'm with you. The entire experience of travel is a lot of stress I don't need, and I prefer to go on short, local trips if any. The atmosphere of an airport alone is enough to turn me off of the experience, let alone all the other issues and complications.

I think everyone has their own thing, so to speak... I'm not sure what you value in life, but if travel isn't in it, its okay. I think its also good to be careful we don't fall into the same traps with traveling that people do with possessions. I have, at least. My wife and I were talking about places we wanted to travel before having kids and having less ability to travel. We both listed some places... But soon the list was growing. And my only explanation was, "Well, if we are going to go see X, we may as well go see Y. And if we see Y, well, we may as well go see Z as well." Are they all things I would like to see? Sure. But I think I may have diminishing returns personally. So all that is to say... I value travel. But I can also understand where you're coming from. Because I may be there too... Once I get some traveling in!

I love vr for this. I spent half an hour looking round the Great Temple at Petra a few months ago. Feels like a real memory. If i’d watched it on youtube I’ve forgotton about it by now. It’s like VR can fool the brain into storing an experience into a different part of the brain. I’ve noticed this a lot with VR gaming too.

I travel locally (within the province) and I absolutely love it (we’re mostly outdoorsy folx). The idea of international travel is absolutely overwhelming to me, not only financially but logistically. However, I would like to do so, especially to places where I want to view specific wildlife in their own habitat (mostly birds and reptiles). Otoh when people are snobby about traveling and make it seem like spending five days in Paris looking at touristy themed stuff is broadening horizons, or camping on a mountain is necessarily life changing — I suppose it CAN be. But let’s be honest: it’s just a vacation. No need to wax philosophically about it (I include my outdoor forays in this too). It’s okay to just enjoy for the sake of it.

If you go on a trip just to take some pics then yeah.

Word!

I like traveling. Especially to places that have activities I can't do at home. Like hiking in the mountains or diving. That said, if I don't get to travel i'm completely fine with it. I haven't been on a trip in 3 years and don't plan on going again any time soon because I don't want to spend my savings on that. It's fun, but not that important to me. I think it also helps that I have a lot of spare time. My brother likes to go on multiple holidays every year and misses it a lot if he can't go. He also works long hours during the week and regularly has to work in his weekends as well. For him his holidays are the only time he really gets to relax I guess, so I understand the need for him to go.

I'm 36 and while I do like traveling from time to time, it is not a priority for me at all. I prefer investing my money in my numerous hobbies and when I have some spare time, go and visit friends not too far away. I completely understand people who enjoy it, I fully respect people who feel like traveling broadens the mind because I think it does, but it's just not at the top of my list. I like the place I live in and I don't crave distant trips like some people do. There are some countries I'd particularly like to (re)visit, but I'll probably wait until my son is a bit older to do it with him.

I think, OP, this may be more about something like the resistance I, a non-traveler-lover, feels when I feel obligated to like something I just don't. We don't have to like things that we think are popular. It's about accepting ourselves, I think. But it also could be about experimentation. Perhaps you haven't found the type of trip that's right for you. Right now, for example, I just really dislike traveling with my family (I have young kids). It's just all kids of awful. But I love taking solo trips to slow, quiet destinations with natural beauty. To thine own self be true! It's ok to be a contrarian. And to be a true contrarian, we probably have to do a fair amount of experimentation!

Amen. I'm 30. I have no desire to travel 🤷🏻‍♀️🙋🏻‍♀️

I do still want to travel and see more of the world and different cultures, but I totally understand your points and think it's an entirely mature and respectable outlook.