In the previous issue of Globetrotter I listed the first six reasons why it’s worth travelling when you’re still young and why you definitely shouldn’t wait until adulthood. Let’s look at the next six reasons. When you’re done reading the article, do think about where you’re going to travel as soon the current “coronavirus crisis” is over.
Global warming is a real thing, gorgeous places are disappearing due to industrialisation, pollution is destroying the most beautiful coral reefs, and mass tourism is changing the ancient traditions. That’s why we highly recommend that you seize this very moment to see the wonders of the world while you still can. Perhaps they’ll soon cease to exist.
The easiest way to meet new people and forge new connections is by travelling. You can meet other travellers in hostels, on trains and buses, or on an organised trip, and you can find new travel buddies on social networks. For instance, we met a Czech couple in a hostel on Easter Island and we got along really well, plus we ran into each other a couple of times afterwards. Lately, though, we’ve been staying in touch virtually on Zoom (coronavirus and all that). We also met a Korean girl in a hostel in London, and we plan on paying her a visit as soon as that’s possible. The list of acquaintances we’ve made during travels goes on and on.
The time you spend travelling can be time well spent. You can do some soul-searching, learn new skills, meet interesting new people and see various things that leave a mark on you. You can get to know yourself and grow as a person. Travel is a very great relationship test. We had a chance to truly get to know each other as a couple and “polish” our relationship. We’ve grown accustomed to one another and have learned how to function together.
When you’re young, you don’t have to deal with things like loans, small children, limited annual leave entitlement etc. That’s why it’s worth making the most of it and travelling as much as possible.
We were without a care in the world on our first trips. Our das usually gave us a ride to the airport, our grandmothers prepared lunch boxes for the trips, and our mums usually gave us pocket money that would aid us on our travels. We could then simply enjoy, explore and go with the flow. When we came back home, we could still enjoy the last few weeks of summer holidays, slowly unpacking our suitcases, while our moms would wash all out dirty clothes. It’s different now that we have our own place and a job: there’s a limited amount of leave, which we don’t waste “for nothing”. We go to the airport by ourselves or book a transfer. We make our own lunch now and earn all the money we spend when travelling. When we come back, we go right back to work, so our leave isn’t wasted, and there’s very little time for unpacking, plus the laundry doesn’t wash itself.
Admission fees can often be considerably lower with a student card, sometimes even free, so it’s worth making the best of your time while you’re young and visit as many places as possible. France is one such example because many museums are free for students from the EU countries.
Sometimes you need to let yourself go, like after an exam period, A-Level exams, graduation, strenuous separation from boyfriend or girlfriend... You simply need to get out to disconnect from it all, do something different, relax and enjoy. And travelling is just that, it’s a remedy. Well, this is actually true in all stages of life, but we had the best travels right after finishing schools. We went to Australia and the United Kingdom after secondary school, went on a holiday to Finland after graduation, revisited Australia after getting our bachelor’s degree, and travelled to South America after completing our doctorate.
Each life stage has its own characteristics and travelling differs by age. All travels, however, are interesting and unforgettable, but one thing is certain – travels in your youth are the most special, the craziest, carefree and end with lots of beautiful memories.
You can find more tips and travel inspiration on our blog and on our Instagram.
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