Traveling is Not For Everyone

The Black Flag Cafe is the place travelers come to share stories and advice. Moderated by Robert Young Pelton the author of The World's Most Dangerous Places.

Moderator: coldharvest

Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby stealth1 » Thu Aug 23, 2012 4:00 am

I always see these sites professing travel and living abroad as some miracle of life. Personally, I don't see it. If you're unhappy at home, most of the time you'll be unhappy traveling or living abroad. Traveling and living abroad is not the answer and it seems like this is becoming a trend. You can look at it as if you're a traveler or someone who is living in a foreign country or you can look at it as if you're an immigrant.

http://bit.ly/PHtVIg
stealth1
 
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:10 am
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby coldharvest » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:50 am

Yeah, wherever you go you take your shit with you.
I know the law. And I have spent my entire life in its flagrant disregard.
User avatar
coldharvest
Abdul Rahman
 
Posts: 25677
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 2:36 am
Location: Island of Misfit Toys

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby kilroy » Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:23 pm

you're right. traveling is not for cowards, douchebags, or idiots. it's for the rest of us. and even if you're always miserable you'll at least be a more cultured miserable person with a more cultivated perspective and more knowledge and connections than you would have without travelling.
when they ask how you feeling
you tell em you feeling like something important died screaming
you tell em you feeling like something even more important arrived breathing
something you should probably try feeding
User avatar
kilroy
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5691
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 7:34 am
Location: Alabambam

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby castros_bro » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:34 am

Yes, If your attitude is to travel to get away from something it just doesn't work and you end up as a sad whinging git, but if it's to travel torwards something it does (happy whinging git?).
User avatar
castros_bro
mach
 
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2012 11:18 am
Location: uk

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby Sri Lanky » Wed Oct 31, 2012 4:14 pm

Ya cain't escape yourself.
However,I love to try to nullify anything I identify with...my culture,nationality,my name,everything...when I travel.
AND,it's best to do it alone.
BUT,there are some places I won't go alone.
Sri Lanky
 

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby stealth1 » Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:38 am

I travel almost everywhere alone: been to Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, Guyana, Russia...alone. That's the way I like it.
stealth1
 
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:10 am
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby vagabond » Fri Nov 02, 2012 8:43 pm

stealth1 wrote:I travel almost everywhere alone: been to Colombia, Nicaragua, Panama, Guyana, Russia...alone. That's the way I like it.


Traveling alone is the best way to meet other ppl and do take fun chances. You only have to listen to yourself instead of delegating shit.

I try to tell ppl that want to travel this but they're always "waiting for their friend" and never go anywhere.
"If you were born near someplace called "The Erg of ____" you lost the lottery." - Kurt the Wise

"If you're stupid, the whole world is a dangerous place." - friendlyskies
User avatar
vagabond
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5342
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:20 pm
Location: LA

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby rickshaw92 » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:20 pm

If your attitude is to travel to get away from something it just doesn't work


It does if that something is called winter in Canada.
Im reallly fuclimg pissed but fespite that I can still hit a tarfet at 1000m plus. mayVRVe bnot tonight but it qint beyond the wit if man. Nowhammy.
User avatar
rickshaw92
Pikey Bastard
 
Posts: 9165
Joined: Fri Mar 26, 2004 1:28 am
Location: Airport Inn trailer park

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby Woodsman » Fri Nov 02, 2012 9:39 pm

Ditto what Rickshaw said. Winter up North sucks ass! Unless you like freezing your ass & shoveling snow. Personally, I drove about 3 hours in snow squalls today & I would rather be traveling somewhere a lot further South, but I'm working on it...
Life is short. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
User avatar
Woodsman
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 7429
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:59 pm
Location: Enchanted forests

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby diamondcutter13 » Sat Nov 03, 2012 2:19 am

Exactly Rickshaw, month 6 of subzero and shoveling is reason enough to flee. Right now I'm still looking forward to the snow, hunting, skiing etc. but that will pass.
Tacuero ceruisa, vigilate hoc
User avatar
diamondcutter13
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 377
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:14 am
Location: The Great White North, Loyalist Township.

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby vagabond » Sat Nov 03, 2012 5:19 am

diamondcutter13 wrote:Exactly Rickshaw, month 6 of subzero and shoveling is reason enough to flee. Right now I'm still looking forward to the snow, hunting, skiing etc. but that will pass.


Hey, it's tough here in LA too - it's been in the low 50s at night and there was even some strong winds the other day. Palm fronds are dangerous! ;-)
"If you were born near someplace called "The Erg of ____" you lost the lottery." - Kurt the Wise

"If you're stupid, the whole world is a dangerous place." - friendlyskies
User avatar
vagabond
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5342
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:20 pm
Location: LA

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby Woodsman » Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:06 am

vagabond wrote:
diamondcutter13 wrote:Exactly Rickshaw, month 6 of subzero and shoveling is reason enough to flee. Right now I'm still looking forward to the snow, hunting, skiing etc. but that will pass.


Hey, it's tough here in LA too - it's been in the low 50s at night and there was even some strong winds the other day. Palm fronds are dangerous! ;-)


It's the smog that will get you in that place - people there don't know what clean air is like until they GTFO of the area. We have fresh air here, even though its freezing or chalk full of mosquitoes when you inhale. :)
Life is short. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
User avatar
Woodsman
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 7429
Joined: Sun Jul 08, 2007 10:59 pm
Location: Enchanted forests

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby friendlyskies » Sun Nov 04, 2012 8:41 pm

Oh, I don't know. I've always traveled as an "escape" after a big breakup or other disappointment, and it always seems to turn out great. Heck, that's how I ended up in Central America for eight years, I had a big breakup and put all my stuff in storage at my grandma's house, she was cool with letting me travel for as long as I wanted. Total escapism, and totally awesome. I highly recommend travel to people who are unhappy at home.

Well, except for whiners. Travel can be uncomfortable. If you have to be comfortable all the time or it's just going to make your life miserable (along with everyone else in earshot), stick to vacations, not travel or living abroad. Or stay home and read a nice book!
"4 cylinder Camaro=communism" El Presidente

"You can smoke salmon but it's not quite the same as smoking heroin." nanuq
User avatar
friendlyskies
Vata Loca
 
Posts: 7459
Joined: Sat Aug 26, 2006 5:36 pm
Location: Atlantis

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby Bronco » Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:42 am

Travel differs from vacations in that if you are on vacation you have to go back to work in a few weeks. One of the things I had to explain over and over when my wife and I visited Europe was that we only had a few weeks to visit and there was so much to see that we had to rush from one place to another. I'd have loved to stay in some places for months or even more but I had to return on a specific date or risk losing my job. I don't understand why Americans don't do something about the limited amount of time they are allowed for vacations. Almost all civilized countries give their employees much more time off for rest and relaxation than the US.

Personally, I prefer to travel with my wife rather than alone. Last year I took a two month break to celebrate my retirement and sort out my feelings and intentions of how I wanted to deal with my future and I rode my motorcycle alone for a tour of the US covering 24 states coast to coast. I wanted to determine if I was going to be one of the retired people who sit in front of the TV with a beer can between my knees or do many other things I contemplated. Riding a motorcycle alone for days on end is a good place to mull such things over. I missed my wife. When I went on a trip without her it was a trip, but when we traveled together it was an adventure. She is my best friend and closest companion and has social talents I don't have. She makes my travels easier and more fun, and there's always someone to share the experience whenever something of interest appears. She's my security blanket, too. So, my vote is to travel with company, but I do understand the attraction of being alone.
"I used to care, but things have changed"
Bob Dylan
User avatar
Bronco
Old Man On The Mountain
 
Posts: 2354
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 5:05 am
Location: Just Passin' Through..

Re: Traveling is Not For Everyone

Postby vagabond » Sat Nov 17, 2012 8:15 am

Bronco wrote:Personally, I prefer to travel with my wife rather than alone. Last year I took a two month break to celebrate my retirement and sort out my feelings and intentions of how I wanted to deal with my future and I rode my motorcycle alone for a tour of the US covering 24 states coast to coast. I wanted to determine if I was going to be one of the retired people who sit in front of the TV with a beer can between my knees or do many other things I contemplated. Riding a motorcycle alone for days on end is a good place to mull such things over. I missed my wife. When I went on a trip without her it was a trip, but when we traveled together it was an adventure. She is my best friend and closest companion and has social talents I don't have. She makes my travels easier and more fun, and there's always someone to share the experience whenever something of interest appears. She's my security blanket, too. So, my vote is to travel with company, but I do understand the attraction of being alone.


I think you speak to both sides of coin there Bronco. The alone time on the bike helped you realize that the travels and time with the s.o. meant much more. It's great if you have a companion like that and I'm envious.

Usually, when I travel alone, I always end up meeting with interesting folks, and am never truly alone, it's just the beginnings and ends that give me enough company with myself to let me reflect a bit. These days, the alone time comes in waves of a) being disconnected from the internet / "normal" connectivity then to b) being disconnected bc of cultural and language issues. The first is a hard addiction to shake at times and the second can be a lot of fun.

Even not traveling, being in a city of a few million, you have the room to do what you want, interact at will, and what have you, which is why I enjoy this place. Always something to discover, interesting people to chat with (if I want), or hikes to be secluded on for some mind-time.
"If you were born near someplace called "The Erg of ____" you lost the lottery." - Kurt the Wise

"If you're stupid, the whole world is a dangerous place." - friendlyskies
User avatar
vagabond
BFCus Regularus
 
Posts: 5342
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:20 pm
Location: LA

Next

Return to Black Flag Cafe

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 17 guests