People often ask me, "How do you manage to travel so much? Are you wealthy? Do you have a trust fund? Does someone else foot the bill for all your trips?" The answer to all these questions is no. The secret to my frequent travels is simple: desire.
I remember my first trip to Thailand where I met five backpackers who completely changed my perspective on travel. Before meeting them, my idea of a backpacker was someone who didn’t care much about personal hygiene, lived in crowded hostels, ate cheap food, and partied hard. It seemed like a lifestyle for college kids or those without a clear future.
But these backpackers showed me a different side of travel. They introduced me to a world of meeting new people, living in beach bungalows, eating delicious and affordable food, using local transportation, and most importantly, having fun. They were free from the constraints of a 9-to-5 job and were truly living their lives, while I felt like I was just taking a temporary break from mine.
Before this encounter, I believed that only the rich could afford to travel. But these backpackers proved me wrong. They weren’t wealthy, but they had a strong desire to see the world and they made it happen. They taught me that the key to traveling is not wealth, but desire.
After my first trip to Costa Rica in 2004, I caught the travel bug and haven’t stopped traveling since. I returned home from that trip, determined to make travel a priority in my life. I started cutting down on my expenses, looking for cheap flights, and doing everything I could to fulfill my travel dreams.
I make sacrifices to make my travels possible. I skip the occasional Starbucks, don’t shop frequently, and rarely eat out. I save money wherever I can so that I can afford to do what I love: travel. I constantly plan trips, even if they’re just hypothetical. If I find some free time in my schedule, I immediately start thinking about where I could travel during that time and how I could get there.
I often hear people say that they can’t travel because they don’t have the time or money, or they have too many responsibilities. While it’s true that time, money, and privilege can affect one’s ability to travel, I believe that if you truly want something, you’ll find a way to make it happen. If you really want to travel, you won’t make excuses; you’ll find a way.
People often use excuses to avoid confronting their fears. I travel frequently for the same reason my friend always seems to be at a Patriots game, or my other friend always has a new pair of shoes, or another friend is always hiking. We all have things we love and we work hard to achieve our goals. If you want that new iPhone, you’ll find a way to get it. We all strive to fulfill our desires.
I choose to work towards making my travel dreams a reality. If you want to travel, all you need is the desire to do it. There are many uncertainties in long-term travel and not everyone is ready to face them. But even if you’re not ready to travel the world for a year or dedicate your life to wandering, that doesn’t mean travel is out of your reach.
Travel is a wonderful experience. Life is short and I don’t believe we’re meant to spend it stuck in cubicles. Travel can show you the beauty of the world, from the bustling markets in Southeast Asia and the majestic cities in Europe to the dense jungles and exotic wildlife in Central America.
Every day brings something new when you travel. New people, new places, new experiences. Some people think that travel is expensive or impossible, but I hope that by reading this, you’ll realize that it’s not. I’m not rich, but I budget well and find good travel deals. I work hard so I can play hard.
With a little flexibility and some price scouting, you can travel anywhere on any budget. People are often surprised when they see how affordable travel can be and how little effort it really takes. Once you have the desire and motivation to travel, nothing can stop you.
