Get your friends in on it

[TheWills]

So I live in a pretty small town about 80k people where the main thing around here is to grad from school and then spend the rest of your life in a lumber mill. So I thought I would take it upon myself too share with my friends the diffrent expericences I have had with my travels and tell them what life is all about. So I got a few inot it quite hard and even got a couple more to start saving so halfwy through my trip they will fly dowwn and spend a couple of weeks in surfers paradise with me as I plan on staying there for a month or so anyways. So even though I know you should travel alone, Im sorry I cheated but its only for 2 weeks outta 52 and im trying to expand some horizons here so dont go too hard on me I dont know where this post came from, just some random crap to keep yall entertained
will

[worldwidemike]

Congrats on the recruits, Newbie!

It really isn't easy. In 12 years of working for an airline, I would have to say I recruited (or helped recruit) maybe 2-3 international travelers. It's in the blood, I think. To many people, vacation means only one thing: A week on the beach (coincidentally, where I'm headed with my family Saturday).

Cultural things just don't seem to entice many Americans, unless they are predisposed for it. I'm sure other travelers have experienced the same frustration as me. I want to go overseas, but most of the time can't find anyone to go with me. So, often trips I wouldn't mind going with someone I go alone.

Heck, I should probably do a better job of telling YOU GUYS about when/where I'm going! Every Tpunker I've met so far has been great, and I'd love to travel with.

Anyway, keep up the pressing the friends to see beyond the sawdust...

worldwidemike

[skidrage]

One thing that I think would help get more people to travel overseas is to let them know how cheap you can get some flights through the online sites like Hotwire, Orbitz, ect.

Many people I talk to think of plane tickets from the US to Europe costing several thousand dollars, which is true if you book it through the airline during peak travel season. But during non peak season I have seen tickets from the midwest to europe for $300-$400 and from the east coat they are even cheaper. Even during peak travel season, you can still get tickets in the $500-$700 range, sometimes cheaper.

I think a lot more people would be willing to go if they knew that sometimes overseas flights are cheaper than domestics ones.

[TheJake]

All the people I try to talk into traveling are to freaked out about leaving their comfort zone. The price of the plane ticket doesnt matter to them. It's what they might discover about the world or *gasp* themselves! I think for the most part all of my friends are just too afraid to step out. They all think I am crazy for being so random in my travels and they totally think i am straight off my rocker for this brazil trip i'm leaving on soon.

Them "so why are you going?"
me "not sure yet"
them "what are you going to do there?"
me "no idea"
them "how long are you going to be there?"
me "four months"
them "where are you getting all this money from?"
me "what money?"
them "you are clinically insane"
me "its possible"

I have had this conversation with at least 10 people this week alone... Does anyone else experience this?!?!

[TheWills]

Yeah Man I totaly hear you, I always get the "why would you wanna fly half way around the world and spend all that money too do almost the same things as you can do here" But I find its the little things that gets them, like when your crossing a road I always say you know that in Rome you simply step out on the road and pretty much hope a car wont hit you, it took me half hour too work up the nerve too cross the street. Those things just get people asking questions, and they find that the things that are almost the same here really isnt, in some countrys sometihng like crossing a street is a whole new adventure. Just fill them in
Will