Why I am NOT lucky to travel the world
“You are here for how long . . . ?”
“You have been to how many countries . . . . ?”
“You mean to say you’re not going home for how long . . . . . ?”
“Oh you’re so lucky you can do that”
Pllaauugghhh . . . It makes me sick when people spew that misleading rubbish from there trap holes.
I am telling you, I am not lucky because I travel the world. Is Steve Jobs lucky because he developed Apple? Is Richard Branson lucky because he has built an empire? Really, did they just get lucky . . . was that it?
I can only travel because I really, and I mean REALLY want to. Its not that one day I had super rich grandparents that left me squillions of dollars.
No, that’s not it. That certainly didn’t happen and for the odd occurrence that it did I would rather have my grandparents around (alive) than to “be lucky to have inherited squillions of dollars to travel the world”.
Fact is, you don’t need squillions of dollars. You don’t even need thousands of dollars. People like me are travelling on next to nothing. Actually if you had no money at all it is possible to travel the world for free! Don’t believe me, then you should couchsurf or check out these other cool tips.
Anyways, I am not saying that you should just drop everything and take off, because travel is not for everyone. But for those of you who think people like myself are lucky to travel the world. All I can say is. That because I travel the world I am not lucky.
I got here the same way you could, if you wanted to of course. Just by working a normal job you can do it. Earning an honest living and putting a little bit of paper in my bank account each week was all I did. No get rich quick schemes or super leveraged investments and etc.
Now, I can hear some of you coming back with a rebuttal to the words I have dribbled into this post with comments like; ‘Yea but you live in Australia’. Well I have to hand it to you, yes I was brought up in Australia and in that way I am very, very fortunate. Anyone who is brought up in a western or European country is fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to get a job and make some sort of living.
However every single person that has said to me “you are so lucky” is either a westerner or European and that is exactly why it makes me sick. It makes me sick because I know that these people are earning enough money to do what I do. However they make the same old excuses; They either don’t have enough time or they don’t have enough money.
Did you know that if you were to save just $100 per week, which is possible for most westerners and Europeans, you would have $5000 saved by the end of each year; imagine that, and from Just $100 dollars per week.
So, before you skip to conclusions when you hear about people travelling the world or ticking off things from their bucket list. Have a good hard look at what you are spending your money on. Do you really need to spend that $100 per week on alcohol, new clothes or what ever it is you think you need that is outside the essentials of food, water, accommodation and transport.
Who else feels the same when they are told they are ‘lucky to travel’? Especially when they can be almost certain that those people making such a statement, can do the exact same but instead choose to complain that they can’t.
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About Author
Jaryd Krause
I love adventure & spontaneity, I hate 9-5 & routines. I surf, snowboard & dive my way around the globe with camera in hand to inspire & motivate people to travel, because you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough! To know more Click here
I definitely feel that way – I live abroad and people tell me how ‘lucky’ I am. But it’s partly because they only see the bright pictures on my Facebook that make it seem like I live in an endless swirl of pretty travel destinations and exciting parties. They don’t see the hard work and effort that goes into making long-term travel work in real life!
Amen Jessica, it's not all sunshine, rainbows and lollipops thats for sure, however that being said the time slaving over the laptop is 100% worth it for what we get to do 🙂 even though nobody knows or even cares that is what we have to do to make it all happen. Keep up the good work and happy travels.
I totally agree with you, and am glad you address the fact that the western/European divide makes a huge difference. For people at home that makes these comments though, it drives me nuts! Quit buying new cars and big screen TVs and put that money towards travel if you want it that badly!
Thanks Steph, you are too right. I like a quote that describes what you said perfectly “Don’t give up what you want most for what you want now”
traveling is definitely not for everyone. everybody dreams about a tropical climate but many of them will be bored and want to go back to plaza life because a permanent traveling lifestyle has no safety net.
Yea your right, travelling isn’t going to make everyone happy because we all have different passions in life
I work extremely hard in order to be able to travel the world. It’s not luck to be able to do it, but I do feel very fortunate to have the experiences that I do.
Well said Jaryd! It’s so easy for people to jump to conclusions and think we are lucky, but as you said we make our own luck and it’s entirely up to us how we decide to live our life, travelling is possible for who ever really wants to.
Damn right Jaryd! I do exactly the same. I work, I save, I travel, and repeat again. I wasn’t even born in rich european country, I am from the east, from the developing one and still found the way. My first big trip to the US was free, because I worked as an au pair and all my expenses were paid by the family I worked for. There are so many different ways to travel!
Yess Marta, you are the true inspiration then. I praise you on your efforts and so only hope many more will look up to you and discover it is all very possible. Good on you, and keep living the dream 🙂
just $100…. wow! people can save $100 in a week in Australia?? I know where I’m going next!
Haha yea, but most people can’t because they spend it without even realising. Australia really is damn expensive though
And not just that, when people say “I’m so jealous of your travels” gets me just as much. It’s not that I have more money than them, I just have more willingness. Or it’s like when people say “I haven’t the time to travel (or whatever else)”. No, you do have the time, you just prioritise other things ahead of it.
Your spot on Luke, the way I see it is, people get what they want if they want it bad enough. If you really want to loose weight you would. Just like travel if you really wanted to go away bad enough you would, some people are just not hungry enough but complain because they don’t have what they want. I don’t ‘want’ to travel though, I need to! Honestly I would go insane without it.
Hey Jaryd,
I had to laugh when I read this because that’s what happens to me so very often too. What’s interesting to me is the fact that every time people tell me that I get the impression from their behaviour that they don’t actually mean it. It is a way of telling me ‘well it’s cool for you but it’s not for me’ or ‘uh, that’s what you do with your life, well why not’. For many it’s just a way of response to something they don’t know what to say about and then either quickly move on to another small talk topic or question me in amazement and treat me like a green skinned outlandish looking alien. But it’s (almost) never meant seriously. I usually just laugh it off, I don’t care what people say and think about it because if they really wanted to travel they will do it and inform themselves on how to go about it. If not it just remains a nice superficial-small-talk-phrase to me. Who cares? I certainly don’t because I’m too busy planning my next trip! 😉
You know what Irmela, you are right. No body does something unless they really want to. And sure a lot of people would love to travel, but in hindsight, they just don’t want it bad enough.