Life is an Adventure

Traveling has always been a passion of mine. Ever since I was little, my family has always spent the summer exploring new places. Traveling has been instilled into me and now as an adult, I take advantage of every opportunity I can to travel.

When I talk to people about all my adventures, I typically get the same question, "How do you do it?" I have found that there are many preconceived notions about traveling:

#1- Traveling is too expensive.

This can sometimes be true but you can also travel on a budget. Not every adventure has to break the bank. My biggest advice to people is to book early. As a teacher and getting paid once a month, I've learned to budget and come up with a plan to pay off any vacation I go on. It's easiest to start planning a vacation months in advance. Choose a destination first, then book one major thing a month. For example, the first month book the flight. Then the next month, you can book your accommodation, then excursions, etc. It will help you spread out the burdens of upfront costs.

#2- I have no one to travel with.

There are so many people out there that want to travel but don't know who to go with. Don't limit your adventures because your best friends or immediate family don't want to travel. Take the opportunity to get to know coworkers, extended family, friends of friends. Have an open mind who you travel with because these adventures tend to be the most memorable.

#3- I have a full time job.

Most companies won't allow you to take an extended time off to go on a long vacation but that shouldn't stop you from planning your next adventure. Take advantage of long weekends and holidays. Consider late flights on Thursday night and returning home on Sunday or Monday night depending on your time off. Early morning flights can also be another good option. If you plan far ahead in advance, you can minimize the miscellaneous days you take off throughout the year to allow for more days off for a vacation.

Traveling is what you make of it. You can plan farther in advance for bigger, longer, and intensive vacations or you can take spontaneous, shorter, inexpensive trips. No matter the type of trip you take, keep an open mind and go with the flow to provide the best experience.