I’m 25 and honestly just bored of my own thoughts lately. With the new year coming up I’ve been doing that thing where you start thinking about what you want to stop doing and what you want to actually do more of, and travelling keeps popping up for me. Like proper travelling. Solo. Outside Europe. Ireally want to hear from people who’ve done it because I can’t tell if I’m being impulsive or if this is something I’ll regret not doing.
The main thing holding me back is guilt. Everyone I know is saving for a house, talking about deposits and long term plans, and I feel like I’m supposed to be doing that too. Instead I’m here wanting to spend money on flights and hostels. Part of me feels irresponsible, part of me feels like I’m wasting my 20s if I don’t go.
Would really love to hear other people’s honest experiences.
27 comments
You have to do what’s right for you. Travelling outside Europe will definitely open your eyes to the wider world and may even give some direction and perspective on life.
Yes and no, it was nice to get a taste of life away from home but you come home and things are as they always were,
It’s nice to have the memories,
The experience is worth it I’d recommend it
You want do do it? Book it, I fucking loved it. There is no better time for you to do it.
If you are thinking about it, do it! You have nothing to lose at this age.
Best thing I ever did was go travelling. Ended up away for 4 years and miss it all the time after I came back and got an ‘adult job’.
You have the rest of your life to do ‘the right thing’, enjoy being young and carefree first!
Just do it you can plan in life all you want but sometimes shit happens. I wish I travelled when I was younger I try to get away twice a year now. Life is short and don’t compare 😊
It does change your perspective, but not in a movie montage way. You don’t come back “enlightened”, you come back quieter in your head. Which sounds small, but it’s huge when you’ve been stuck with your own thoughts for years
I’ve pretty much travelled the world and Europe is still pretty much my favourite place. Theres amazing countries like Japan and Asia is great overall but IMHO, Europe has it all.
I can’t feedback on the Solo part as I did it with my turn partner, but following a health scare (that turned out fine) we spent 9 months travelling throughout Asia, with a mix of hotels, hostels, bedsits and more throughout. It was hands down the best thing I ever did. I was 27.
It’s clichéd, but I learnt a heck of a lot about myself and my perspective on life. Not every day was 100% awesome but as a whole it was a life-changing experience for me. Made me appreciate a lot of what I do like about my life at home, and what I need to do/manage to keep myself happy and hopeful.
Although I was with a partner, we met plenty of other solo (and couple) travellers – all of whom were having an equally excellent time. Even just meeting and chatting with other Westerners gives you great perspective, let alone speaking with locals and seeing just how different much of the world is.
If you want to and are able to, you’d be foolish not to. A great many people would learn a lot if they travelled even just a little bit outside of their comfort zone, but it’s not possible for plenty of people for all sorts of reasons.
I did it and it shook me in a good way. You come back with less fear and more perspective, not just cool photos. Houses will still be there, being 25 with time and energy won’t.
I travelled through Central America when I was 19. It was incredible.
Because life got in the way (I did buy my first flat as I had to move out of my parents house) so I didn’t get to travel again (Australia) until I was 40. When I was 50 (4 years ago) I went to the USA, Aus, NZ and Thailand.
I hope to retire in two years and I’m planning long trips to South America and India (& more as funds allow).
My take travel when you can and as often as you can. You won’t regret it.
I mean, unless you’re broke you can do some travelling and still have savings for a house, I can imagine its difficult whilst holding a fulltime job though. If you can afford it, its actually fairly cheap after booking the tickets if you’re going to a South East Asian country for example. If you cant afford it then dont waste your money.
My girlfriend is actually Malaysian so I’ve been to that part of the world a few times. Mainly, it’s opened my eyes to how advantaged people are in this country and how the UK is actually a brilliant place to be on the whole. It exposes you to a whole different way of thinking, a different way of being that you can’t really understand without seeing it firsthand (atleast I couldnt as a closeminded person).
Recently my plane ticket was £430 to malaysia, I spent around £200 a month not including airbnb, my last accommodation was something like £17 per night so. If you’re cheap you can get by on £600 a month in the capital, other countries may be cheaper. Local graduates earn between £360 – £900 a month.
We found African countries changed our perspective of the world.
Also India which is a great country to visit.
Travelled all over east and south east Asia over quite a long time.
It doesn’t have to be an ‘either/or’ thing. You don’t have to wreck your financial security for holidays.
There’s not some special ’out there’ that you can’t find here so in that sense you may be romanticising it a bit. You’ll also have maps, translation apps and a massive infrastructure designed to part you from your money anywhere people travel to, in Asia. Have you read ‘The Beach’ by Alex Garland? He write a little bit about how tourists are always looking for the next big new thing. The danger is you just wander around, firing through money, indulging yourself.
Having said that, I’ve seen some beautiful things, met great people. I can’t think what would have been if I hadn’t been to Asia ever.
You need to find a balance between ‘I need to prepare for 2068’ and ‘I might drop down dead tomorrow’. It’s not easy.
Solo travelled in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. Though I ended up living in Japan for a while, it was a great chance to see that part of Asia. Especially as you had to get used to the fact most people don’t speak that much English outside of cities especially in Japan. Solo travelling helped me understand more about what I wanted to do with my life. Now I’m saving for the future back home in the UK, but I think travelling in my 20s was the time to do it.
Go you won’t regret it. You’ll make memories and experiences that are yours forever.
I would say broadly, yes. Ultimately the saying is true: wherever you go, there you are.
You still think and feel the same way but things gradually change course, like a river slowly shifting.
I personally think it’s more beneficial to your life when looking at it long term… but not necessarily so much in the short term. Although, it does still have benefits to the short term, like a good reset, a distress, a fun distraction etc.
I will always, always advocate for travel though. It’s my main hobby in life. Maybe I’m more passionate about it than most.
You’re an adult. You’re the one dealing with the consequences of either choice. Fuck guilt, if you want to go, go.
For my part I wish I spent more time traveling in less well off places when I was younger.
I would advise anyone who can afford to travel to do so, and travel can be cheaper if you’re willing to sacrifice comfort. It seems that most people, myself included, become less tolerant of reduced comfort so I think doing it when you’re younger makes more sense. If you can do long term travel i.e. a few months or more then it works out a lot cheaper per day than going on a holiday, especially if you focus your travel in a cheaper region like South East Asia.
You could also consider working holiday visas which are super easy to get for Australia and New Zealand. 2-12 months travelling SE Asia staying in hostels then go work in Australia or New Zealand whilst house sharing. You might end up staying, you might end up coming back.
Or only use your annual leave for travel and book cheaper inconvenient flights, off season, and base it on price more then specific locations.
I don’t regret any of the travel I’ve done, not that it was all constantly perfect, that’s not how travel is despite what influencers will try to show. I’m sure I’d have a bit more money if I hadn’t but honestly there’s a whole world out there, I think I’d regret not seeing as much of it more than I would having a smaller house, shitter car etc.
It didn’t change my perspective, but was fun to do. My advice would be to find a fun group of people and tag along with them – while fun in the beginning, it gets tiring having to meet new people every day. Then you can make deeper connections with people and be more social when you want.
I’ve been all around Asia and South America solo. It really didn’t change my perspective much at all. What did change my perspective recently was outreach to e.g. Homeless and people in crisis. The problems and poverty at home are just as bad as any you’ll see abroad
Absolutely do it. You’re only this age with a lack of serious responsibilities once.
Just got back from travelling in south America on my own for 5 months. Similar age to you.
Was incredible
You don’t have to take a year – even a few months travelling at 25 won’t compromise any long term plan for investment and getting on the ladder in the future. I do regret not having done this at your age and now having to fit all my travels into holiday allowances.
I know plenty of people who went travelling in their 20s, looks like they had a great time but they all come back feeling very spiritual, new outlook on life etc etc and 6 months later they are back to the grind and the person they was before they left.
It radicalised me. 😂
Don’t believe the myth that all cultures are equal.
As for the travelling part, do it. You won’t regret it.
I solo travelled in South America and had the best time, staying In hostels and meeting people from all over the world with completely different cultures and experiences. I don’t think you can beat it honestly, although none of the people you meet are permanent, apart from my girlfriend who I met in a hostel in Peru and just visited her in California. You can make it cheap it just takes sacrifice. If you worry about impressions and struggle with confidence, this will help as you can be yourself and say whatever and no one will care because you will only know them for a couple days at most
I’m younger then you and currently doing it. It did open my eyes and allow me to think new thoughts just by being away from household situation for 1 month and not thinking about work and problems. It’s well worth it. I didn’t think long about it – around 2 months since I first had the idea of solo travelling to Asia to getting on the flight.
Speaking as a 33 year old that lived in Indonesia, moved away from my hometown to live in London, quit a corporate job to start my own business… I would just say, unless you’re lucky, living a more adventurous life does come with costs. I don’t have the savings or the house some of my peers have. Now in my 30s I’m back working a corporate job and being more sensible. That’s just been my life journey. I was not happy in my 20s being conventional like some others. I probably couldn’t help it really. It’s just who I was. But unless you’re privileged, you can’t live like that and then expect to have the same typical life things as your “boring” friends that just worked a job they didn’t particular love but they banked money and now have a mortgage etc… Also, having kids is another big price. Fortunately for me, I’m gay and me and my partner don’t want kids. But if I was straight and wanted kids, I would probably be pretty stressed about that now because I don’t have lots of savings or a house I own etc…
I did it in my mid 20s for about 4 months in Nepal and South East Asia. Followed by a couple of working holidays visas in Canada and New Zealand.
At the time it wasn’t even a question, it was something I had wanted to do for a while. I knew it wasn’t the best thing for my finances but I also knew I would really regret it if I didn’t do it.
I would recommend going alone, that way you do exactly what you want, not some in-between compromise . I’m not the most outgoing person but still found meeting people and making friends almost effortless when staying in hostels, especially at that age. I would also pick places carefully, I wanted to meet young people and go for drinks but I also wanted to get up early and see stuff, not just spend the whole time drunk or hungover.
Not sure how much it changed me as a person but it gave me absolutely unforgettable experiences and friends I would never have met.
I would say that I would be a little more nervous about doing it now due to rising cost of living and harder to find jobs. But that might also just be me being a more cautious person with age.
What do we mean by perspective?
I had had many interesting experiences but has if changed my views on anything? no.