I have loved travel for many years and alongside my buddy James Feldkamp we have visited some of the world’s most incredible places. Something which has always annoyed me a little about the topic of traveling is that for some reason people believe that it is only something which young people should be doing, before starting their life in the ‘real world’. The notion is that people can go for a fortnight on the beach once they live in the ‘real world’ but they cannot take 3 months out to go traveling around Europe. In my view it is never too late for you to go traveling and here is why.
Experiences
The experiences which the world has to offer are not exclusively for young people, they are for all ages. There is no way that a 21 year old has a better time at Machu Picchu or the Taj Mahal than an older person would, in fact it may be that the older person would appreciate it more. These experiences are wonderful for any human, regardless of their age.
The Rat Race
Many people believe that they cannot go traveling because they have to work or because they have responsibilities to pay for. Nobody is saying that you should shirk your responsibilities of course, but the trap of the rat race is very real and the idea that you cannot escape is simply not true. With careful planning and preparation, you can 100% leave that job which you hate, sell some stuff, cut down on your spending and head off traveling for a while. We are conditioned to believe that this is something which only young people do, but in reality it is never too late to follow your dreams.
Health
The problem that many of us will have is that we will work until retirement age, and then go traveling once the house is paid off, the kids are though college and we have some savings put aside. The problem here is that by the time most people hit retirement age, they don’t have the energy, desire or the health to be able to embark on an exciting travel adventure. Don’t wait until the end of your life to enjoy it, you can go ahead and do so right now.
Adding Years
Travel has actually been proven to make people happier and healthier and this can actually add some years to your life. When you travel you will be far more active than in your daily life and you will be meeting a huge range of people that will help you to become a better and a happier person. Even if you are 50 years old, there is absolutely nothing to stop you from giving your health and your happiness a boost, and hit the road to go and see the world.
Please don’t ever think that you are too old for travel, this is something which everyone can and should enjoy.