But…
1. I don’t have any money to travel
2. I don’t have any time to travel
Just as with money, it all comes to setting priorities when it comes to time. We all have 24 hours a day, which we’re able to spend just as we like/ decide luckily. No matter what it’s about, “I don’t have time for xy” to me is the translation of “I don’t want to take the time for xy”. As simple as that.
The streets of Hong Kong at night
3. Traveling is so bad for the environment
As I mentioned before, it can’t always be a long distance trip. Then again, I don’t think it makes sense to just stay home and not live at all. Also, when you get to see what our everyday manner does to the environment, you may become more conscious in your life and choices in general.
Picture by Nick Brandt (as seen at an exhibition in Stockholm, 2016)
This being said, there are other approaches to taking care of the environment with conscious behavior in crucial areas (e.g. the food we eat every day). However, the only travel I don’t support is going on cruises. I was never a big fan of them, but could still understand (kind of), why someone would go on one. Meanwhile, I think that they’re absolutely unnecessary and don’t have anything to do with “getting to know the country and its people”.
On the other hand, there are manifold options of “traveling green”. So if you care about the environment – and I guess you do, if you state this as a point against traveling – you can just do some research on that topic, e.g. here: “Eco Travelling” website/ the WWF website about having “an environmentally friendly vacation” or read about it in this Washington Post article.
Take nothing but a picture, leave nothing but a footprint.
4. I don’t know anyone who wants to join me on my travels
So what? That’s just not a reason not to travel. No matter how old you are, you can join a group, meet people on your journey or simply go all by yourself and get to know yourself a little better. Traveling alone has pros and cons, without doubt. The biggest advantage in my opinion is not having to follow anyone else. The biggest downside would probably be not being able to share special moments with a loved one. But thanks to facetime, whatsapp and whatever else, you can share these moments basically live nowadays. Anyway, I always learned the most about myself, when I traveled by myself.
5. I’m on a special diet
It has never been easier to manage intolerances or preferences to your liking in the world today. While you were frowned at when asking for a vegetarian option a few years back, today you often have a selection of even vegan meals or at least such that can be adjusted. Besides, there are grocery stores and markets in all parts of the world, assuming you don’t want to travel to an African outback – although rice & lentils are vegan and well-tolerated in general 😉
Ftira (typical Maltese flat bread “veganized”), Mdina, Malta
6. I just have no clue
And yet again I’m so grateful for the internet! When it comes to travel tips, routing, bookings etc.: you can find it all online meanwhile. Everything else you’ll discover on the go, since that’s what it’s about. Not having a clue is awesome for getting to know new and exciting stuff.
7. I have children
And for that very reason you should be traveling – with your children, of course. And as I mentioned before, I’m not talking about a three-week trip to an alien land, but rather getting out of your usual surroundings. I’m so grateful for my mother taking us to places quite often – and I’m not talking about the long trips to the US (from Germany) but more about the day trips to the mountains, city trips and so forth.
My mom, Mini-Mina and my brother
8. I’ve seen it all already
Yes, I really heard this one before – not from people who really have seen a lot of the world, because they’d know, that they didn’t – in keeping with the philosophical statement “I know, that I know nothing”. Right, if you’re going from one resort to the next, it may feel like you’ve seen it all – and you probably did see everything most resorts have to offer. Yet again, those are not the kind of trips I’m talking about. Anyway, the more I get to see of the world, the more I realize that I barely know the world yet.
Echo Lake, Colorado
9. I don’t speak the language
That’s just not an obstacle anymore. There are books, which let you communicate via figures/ pictures. There are many translation apps and yet there’s (hard to believe, I know): the possibility to learn a new language, or at least the most important words and phrases.
Seen at the Black Forest Restaurant in Netherlands, Colorado
10. There’s no place like home
True. But we only realize this after coming back from a journey, especially if it hasn’t been as nice where we were. This realization lets us be grateful for what we have.
