Best Age to travel? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Hughes9115 · 02-16-2004, 09:36 PM

What do you think is the best age for someone to do the most extensive solo travel of their lives? Give your perspectives based on experience (what you wish you would have done) or if you are young, what you plan on doing or wish you could do in the future.

Personally I would love to do some huge trip now (at age 22) but I have loans to repay. Also, I want to start a career and get some experience because I have a pretty good chance of getting a good engineering job now. For now I'm just attempting to do a 2 month trip like last summer. If you could choose to do a RWT trip at age 23 or say later on at age 30 or so what would you do? I'm not saying that i am going to do a huge trip like that for sure but I just wanted to see what others views were.

Andy

**verstehen** · 02-16-2004, 10:04 PM

Well, there's always the volunteer services. Many of them help you defer loans if they are from the government. It can be a long commitment depending on which service from what country, but that kinda thing looks great on a resume and they usually have good career placement afterward.

It's traveling on someone else's ticket and improving the world for those that haven't had all of the blessings that you and I have. You can't lose.

**Rozza** · 02-17-2004, 02:15 AM

my first solo trip will prob be when i'm 17/18, befor i go off to uni, i wont have loans to pay, i will have money (workin two years already in a partime job, and not spendin any money uuurrrghhhhh

) i just need a ticket and some where to go

**worldwidemike** · 02-17-2004, 02:45 AM

ANY age, I say. I took off for 6 months when I was 18 and it was a huge growing experience for me. If you wait too long, you can get tied down. But then again, look at Atchoum. She's 38 and just headed out the door for a yearlong RTW...

So, any age is fine...you got the itch, then go!

worldwidemike

TheRemarkableRocket · 02-18-2004, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rozza@Feb 17 2004, 10:15 AM
my first solo trip will prob be when i'm 17/18, befor i go off to uni, i wont have loans to pay, i will have money (workin two years already in a partime job, and not spendin any money uuurrrghhhhh

Yup, same here.... just gotta get through another four months of A Levels and cleaning hotel rooms all weekend, then I'll be gap yearing it up

I'm hoping I'll get the chance to travel later on, maybe during summer hols when I'm at uni, and since I want to be a war correspondant, that ought to entail quite a bit of travelling, but I want to get it in now at least, while I know I can.

**voyd** · 02-18-2004, 11:05 AM

I believe the international student age maximum is 26 - so if you go before then you can take advantage of all the discounted student rates! I really think early-to-mid 20s is thus the best time (and I sure wish someone had told me that earlier, doh!)!

**worldwidemike** · 02-18-2004, 11:14 AM

War correspondent, eh Rocket? Why so specialized of a part of Journalism? How far along are you in your J-school studies...Clevercraig and I are both J-school grads that decided to not work in the field...

Just curious. I just think being a war correspondent would be one of those specialties that you'd get into AFTER you had a taste of it (and made sure it suited you). Kind of like how Med students learn to become doctors first before deciding to specialize in gynecology...hmmm...don't ask me why I picked that one!

worldwidemike

**Rozza** · 02-18-2004, 12:26 PM

i haven't realy known where i wanted to go on my first trip specificly, i want to see norway again, head up further north (i prefer the cold alot more - even though norway is strangely hot in mid summer) i want to see the rest of europe, the latin coutries, ye kno south america and that, the east, africa, aribic countries (got to take Albee) australia & NZ for the sport, russia, kazakstan, but i had an idea of going to Tibet for my first trip, u kno set my travels of with a bang, but i have a feeling that Tibet isn't the best country to start solo in is it

rrrrr well

~*#Rozza#*~

phlipfudge23 · 02-18-2004, 12:43 PM

So basically just a short jaunt to get rid of the travel bug?

Of course, everyone knows it's incurable.

TheRemarkableRocket · 02-18-2004, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by worldwidemike@Feb 18 2004, 07:14 PM
War correspondent, eh Rocket?* Why so specialized of a part of Journalism?* How far along are you in your J-school studies...Clevercraig and I are both J-school grads that decided to not work in the field...

Just curious.* I just think being a war correspondent would be one of those specialties that you'd get into AFTER you had a taste of it (and made sure it suited you).* Kind of like how Med students learn to become doctors first before deciding to specialize in gynecology...hmmm...don't ask me why I picked that one!

worldwidemike

Lol
Well obviously at 17 I can't claim to know exactly where I'll end up after a few years in the business, but that's my ultimate, if rather quixotic, ambition. I just love the idea of actually... crap, there's no way I can say this without sounding cliched and sentimental.... of actually being there were it really matters, I guess. Cos as much as I love politics, I think it would be really amazing to be there in the middle of the events that are influencing things back in the Commons, ya know?
So how come you didn't find journalism to your taste?

**worldwidemike** · 02-19-2004, 06:51 AM

I got turned off by all the newspaper editors "poo-pooing" my six years of work on an Army Reserve magazine. I was assistant editor, wrote and shot tons of stories of every type, and they looked down their nose at it all. Like it wasn't "real" Journalism. I mean, a personality feature is a personality feature, no matter what kind of mag it is published in. I think they were just letting their bias against things military creep in to their supposedly impartial decision making ability. But that sounds like sour grapes, doesn't it?

No, probably the biggest reason I didn't go into the field was I wanted to be a fiction writer. I figured if I worked every day writing as my "day job," the LAST thing I'd want to do when I got home was write more. So, instead, I found an ordinary job and wrote on the side at home. And then discovered I have nowhere near the discipline it takes to be a fiction writer.

Well, Rocket, I salute your sentiments...sounds like you're getting into that field for the right reasons. If you'd said something like, "I know I'll be bored if I don't have life and death staring me in the face," I'd say you didn't really know yourself. Take it from me. I said that to myself about two decades ago...and I didn't know myself...

Sorry to ramble on...

worldwidemike

**Rozza** · 02-19-2004, 11:44 AM

BOLOCKS!! i just found out that ppl can't go to Tibet without applying for permission from the chinease goverment, i need somewhere to go for a 1st trip

**voyd** · 02-19-2004, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rozza@Feb 19 2004, 07:44 PM
BOLOCKS!! i just found out that ppl can't go to Tibet without applying for permission from the chinease goverment, i need somewhere to go for a 1st trip*

Is that really hard, though? How long do you have to apply in advance? Tibet is on my list fo' sho', still!

**tumblezweedz** · 02-26-2004, 09:26 AM

Back to the "ideal age" question, I agree that any age works - I did my first solo travel at 22/23, picking Europe (East and West, as it then was) because I'm a French major and most of my studies revolved around European lit, history etc. Accidentally went to Morocco and fell in love with both the country and my future husband (a fellow traveller). Some years later, I had a chance to solo train around the US, another fascinating experience during which I learned that I don't speak Southern.

Since then, we've lived and travelled with our ever-expanding family (currently 4 kids) in Korea, Japan and Singapore, and now, in our mid-30s, we are back in Europe, based in Lithuania but travelling as much as we can. When my husband retires in a decade or so, we plan to take a year and go RTW, still with kids in tow. After the kids are out of the house, we expect to continue our travels, as the opportunity and whim strikes. Our parents (in their 50s - 70s) also travel widely, though in their case the opportunity arose later in their lives (notably when we started gallivanting all over the globe). For that matter, our kids have been to three continents and several countries therein - except the baby - she's only been to six countries in two continents so far...at 10 months! Seriously, though, while she won't remember much of this, the older ones (8 and 6) have clear memories of our travels, even of those countries where they were only toddlers at the time, and those memories enrich their lives already.

I think any age group can benefit, and though I agree that the young, single traveller will learn a colossal amount about themselves on the road, I don't think you should look at it in terms of chucking it all once you "get married, have kids, settle down". It's a lot more work to travel with kids, but a great learning experience for all, and lots of fun. And I imagine that as you get older, you just learn more and more, as you bring your own experiences to what you see and the people you meet. (I also have an aunt who wandered off to India for several months at age 60. Strange family, perhaps?)

As for where to go? For a first trip, I'd say go where you've always wanted to go - if you know a language, the history or culture of a place, or have a driving passion to see something (ie. Tibet), why waste your time on something else because it seems safer or easier? You certainly won't lessen your desire to go to your dream place, but you'll have used up resources and might have to wait a while before you have time and money to go where you really wanted to go in the first place!

petalbear · 10-25-2006, 11:34 PM

I went on my first solo trip to Spain recently and I am 20. I think that anywhere between 18-30 is a good age. I guess the better the job you have the more and therefore you'll get to travel more, right! I'd like to be able to travel with the job I'd have.

**Maineartist** · 10-26-2006, 06:28 AM

I think for an around the world trip 29 or 30 is a good age. I haven't done it myself but would like to hear about people's travels. The book Jan Morris wrote about her life travelling the world was inspiring in that he/she wrote about places from the 1930's until the present. From reading her book I believe that travelling at any age is good.

**pinknic38** · 10-28-2006, 08:43 AM

I'm planning my round the world trip for sometime soon. I'm 21 and I'm active duty in the army, have been for about a year. my contract ends January of 2010, so I'll be almost 24 (will be that February) and that is when I plan on taking my big trip... I will be done with one part of my life, and wanted to travel before I got a job in the civilian world. I think it's rather appropriate. Plus all the tours to Iraq & Afghanistan give lots of good money to pay bills off and to save for travel.

**Esterina** · 11-01-2006, 07:42 AM

^^^That's a very wise idea ! You have money and time, that's all you need.

The age factor isn't decisive at all, it will only affect the way you experience and understand your journey around the world.

To do an expensive trip at 20 is a fantastic school of life, and one of the best prep for adulthood.
To leave for the world, after years of work and responsibilities (house, etc.) brings different teachings to 30 or over travellers. I left at 37, because it was that only time in my life with enough money and time, and still no family, that allowed me to explore the world at my pace. I'm more than happy that I did it at that age, because it had a deeper meaning and understanding than it would have had earlier in my life. And in my case, it lead to a change of career !

It is unusual though to have enought time for a RTW when you start working...

Solo_Traveller · 06-10-2007, 02:51 AM

I did not start travelling until my thrities. The advantage is that I have work experience so find it easier to get jobs afterwards rather than being in my 20s...

**buzzingtalk** · 06-10-2007, 07:12 AM

ill always find time for a RTW trip, the only thing holding me back is money. i dont intend on settling down, not my style, and as for jobs well nothing is permenant and for me and the oppurtunities faced by me in london, a job is simply there to get me some cash so i can get the hell out. id like to work somewhere alright for a few years, get some money then go RTW. but ill work RTW, not just travel. i think the work oppurtunites i might find in other parts of this planet appeal more.

i wanna do some conservation work for sure,

working in the rainforests, replanting, farming, etc. also wouldnt mind working teaching english or music, that would be pretty sound. nothing will ever hold me back, if i at some point in my life really want to go RTW (which i do) i will cut times and do so, the world is so much bigger than the area you call home. age is no factor - i have been you could say in terms of mileage around the world about 4 times already. i have seen 3 continents, and this has left me for a thirst for more.

dont let age, or a job hold you back. you can always get another job when you get home, work to live not like to work