A million miles across the deep blue sea and a thousand ways to burn a path across the ceaseless orb, there are a trillion jungle paths that beg you to slice through them, and a hundred and one reefs that have never been seen by your eyes. Exploring the never-ending depths of beauty that the world holds sounds like a far off dream for the young person, or one without a mountain of money to back their adventure, but it can be true, if you prepare correctly, chose a great (wallet friendly) location, and take on a little bit of luck.
Prepare. Plan. And Keep Preparing.
The road seems to go on forever, and there is nothing more exhilarating than flinging yourself full force across the dusty road into what feels like riding into the sun until you have to sleep and wait for another day of exactly the same. The bounty of wonder that travel holds will fill your head, but to truly fling yourself through the glowing orb that is our beautiful world, plan ahead.
Please. Plan ahead. Did you leave the stove on? Will you be robbed? Do not let these thoughts cling to the walls of your skull, prepare, and enjoy your vacation. Making a list of your travel preparations before you go is great for the constant worrier who wants to avoid the just-landed call to your neighbor to see if they will check on your stove top. Putting all of your affairs together will allow you to escape into the sunset like there wasn’t a world that you left behind. Set your bills to auto-pay, put your valuables in storage, and making sure all parts of your trip are accounted for. Nothing is worse than landing and finding out that you can’t rent a car or that the train only runs once a day (even though you planned to get a ticket when you landed).
Planning saves you for a hundred dollar Uber ride, it saves you from returning to a cleaned out house, or the electricity turned off. Planning ahead will save you money while on vacation, and even more when you return.
Lush Locations
The many colored birds of paradise, dark whale stirred waters of the Kenai National Park, or the never ending plains of Russia cut by the occasional grouping of trees or sky-slicing mountains, puncturing the horizon, all seem to call you in for more adventure. There are an inexhaustible amount of vacations that you can go on, but picking an economically priced one can be difficult. Looking at the face of the Mona Lisa in Paris can be even better in an empty city (off season), backpacking is best when you still have strong knees, and the national parks are celebrating their centennial this year! Alaska’s never ending summer, and Yellowstone’s technicolored hot pots are nothing to pish-posh at. Exploring locations that can be budget friendly will help you leave the world behind.
If you want to try somewhere a little less budget friendly, consider a long, but less frequent trip. Renting an apartment for a month can be cheaper than two weeks in a hotel, while giving you the option to eat like a local and a home base to travel the city from. A longer stay in a city can make your living expenses comparable the staying in a hostel and eating like an urchin, while still living it up. If you have the time, try an extended trip if you just have to be in a non-budget location. Or, stay awhile in a more wallet friendly local for double the savings. Spring time in Paris is only more gorgeous if you stay for a month.
Little Bit of Luck
A little bit of luck will help any traveler along, and there are ways you can make your luck last a little further. Avoiding bad areas, keeping an eye on your valuables, and bringing awareness to your actions will bring you good ‘luck’ in your travels. Wandering the broken streets of Thailand on a dew-drop touched morning sounds like the perfect way to let your mind spill out into the sky and take in the trillion crevices of the packed pathways. But Thailand’s multifaceted crime epidemic may lead to you to use a money belt and staying with the group to avoid rampant fraud. A little bit of luck doesn’t have to mean carrying a seven leaf clover with you, but rather traveling smart: carry a money belt, stay with the group in treacherous areas, and be wary of strangers. It’ll save you from getting your passport swiped, it’ll prevent you from returning home with a great ‘deal’ on cubic zirconia, and it’ll keep you safe.
Budget minded and hell bent on flinging yourself into the wind? Just make sure everything is set back home, pick a location that won’t drain your wallet, and set yourself up for a little bit of luck. Travel can be a breeze.