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| Taughannock Falls, NY, USA |
So, I only really discovered my love of travelling in 2015 when I hit the big 3-0 and wanted to detail why and encourage others to take the plunge with travelling when you're a bit older.
We all have those friends who took a gap year before uni or went on some serious travels in their 20s with it all being hedonistic and in the style of the backpacker life. It always seemed like everyone travelled like this but this wasn't for me, I was to busy figuring out who I was and what I wanted to do in the grand scheme of life…and if I'm honest i wasn't ready, I didn't want to go off on my own to big scary places in the world without knowing anyone. I only ever took the average 2 week holiday where everything was provided by the hotels and even on day trips never really saw the world.
Last year that all changed and I'm so glad I waited until I was bit older to start experiencing the benefits of "proper" travel. So here are the reasons why you should start travelling into your thirties and beyond, its not just a young persons sport!
Travelling For Longer
I've learnt that I much prefer to travel for longer periods of time. Saving up for that little bit longer and putting aside a larger chunk of time for travel can be so much more beneficial. You learn to spend longer in some places and really experience the culture and can mix up a few weeks in one place with just days in another.
When younger its very much be quick and move onto to the next place to pack as much in as possible. But when you get older realising that its the quality of the time in the places, and going at your own pace, which may take longer than the average but is ok, gives you much better experiences.
Travelling Solo: Realising That Sometimes It Is All About You
As i've got older, and as many do, you realise you care less about what people think. As I wasn't tied down to many responsibilities, like I thought i might be at this age, I realised that travelling solo is so much fun and isn't anything to be ashamed of. Lots of your friends and family have responsibilities which means they can't travel at the same time as you, but why should that stop you?
Travelling solo means you can pick where you want to go, when you want to go and what you want to do when you're there with no compromises. Its you're money and you don't have to just go where your friends do which normally happens when travelling with them even if you're not into it.
By travelling in this way you will always find other solo travellers in the destinations you're in wanting to go to places you are, you learn to socialise with people in that space and time and then move on, its one of the best reasons, you meet so many amazing people! You're never as alone as you may think.
i also have some health reasons as to why I can get extremely tired, by making you're own itinerary if you need a day or two in bed or on the sun lounger to recover from some hikes or the adventures you can do it, this was crucial for me and made the experiences so much better for it.
Travelling To Inspire
As an older traveller i've found it has inspired me so much more than it would have when I was younger. it has inspired me to hike more and see more of the great outdoors than I do in my day to day life. It has inspired me to adventure further and find my places I would love to spend time in. It has opened my eyes to other lifestyles and cultures, not to dissimilar from my own but that seem worlds apart.
It has also made me realise how much I love beautiful scenery, its not all about the latest tv show, but natural wonders that really do give you a feeling of bliss, finding quiet natural spots where you can waste away a day and feel content at the end of it.
Your travels can also inspire others, my photos and stories have been welcomed by friends and family and lots have recently travelled to places I haven't considered, what a great way to see the world, through each others eyes!
Travelling Finances Are Better Spent
You soon realise that the extra drink in one place is not worth not being able to afford that slightly comfier hotel or extra excursion that can include some unmissable sights.
As you get older you realise comfort is key when travelling over long periods, so I mixed cheaper accommodation for places that I spent one night in with higher end places where I stayed for a week or longer.
This is another benefit from travelling solo, you pick your budget and spend it on what you want, no wasting money on things you see as necessary and you can really enjoy the places you visit, whatever your budget.The benefits financially from travelling when older is that you have usually saved up more before you go so can pick higher end experiences in some places.
Travelling Is Appreciated More
I have been able to appreciate the time I have spent in places so much more than when I was younger. All the nuances of a place have been amazing to me, things I may have missed or passed up before. I used local shops much more rather than chain stores and have found so many interesting things along the way by appreciating the beauty of each place even if there are things I haven't like as a whole.
Its allowed me to learn where I want to spend more time and just that spending time exploring is something to appreciate in itself. At 30 I needed this to take away from the downsides of life that we see in the news every day and changing my daily routine, if only for six weeks at a time definitely gives you a new lease of life.
Every time I look back on my photos the experiences come rushing back and it makes me want to plan my next trip.
I do just have to add a caveat here: when I went on my travels in 2015 the person I got on the most with in most of my travel groups was always the youngest. There were 18 year olds who had the same ideas as me as to what good travel was all about, and yet 25 year olds who mainly wanted to party and zipped through all the sights we came across. The inside of most bars look the same, give the world a chance.
But this is another advantage of travelling when you're a bit older you find common ground with unexpected age groups and it gives you new perspective.
Who wouldn't want to take on all these amazing opportunities that come with experiencing travel when you're a bit older!
There are lots of companies that cater to this, rather than the old 18-30 style opportunities, I hope this trend is here to stay and judging by the amount of people I know that have taken a work break to experience extended travel to treat themselves for hitting 30 I'm sure it will.
Go on, don't just think about it, do it, treat yourself...trust me, it will inspire you!
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| Somewhere above the UK |
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