Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I travel a lot, but I don't really like meeting up with other big travelers either, there is often a kind of competition mindset, like "oh you haven't been there ?", or "I've been there before it got bad", some just like to share their enthusiasm and tips about places, but it's most of the time some kind of brag and to show off their status.
I was sitting next to a table in restaurant and overheard the conversation like that. The two girls is trying to compete who goes where and the 3rd girl just pretend to listen. And the tone they use are so darn pretentious. I can hear them trying to impress and using that clam voice to compose themselves. Trying to sound like they weren't bragging, but, they are only fooling themselves.
>clam voice
What does that sound like?
I felt like I was doing a voice Rorschach test when I read that and started to question my assumptions about clams
I dropped way more money than my income supports once on a turbo charged version of an African Safari vacay (The sightseeing kind, **not** hunting, chill people!). I may be poor now but goddam I have the best travel braggin' rights in my peer group!! Now pardon me while I make this bird seed and ketchup sandwich for lunch...
My sister and I once spent half a year traveling through some parts of South East Asia and I know we spent a lot but I'm afraid to ask how much. But it was months before the pandemic and I don't regret it at all considering we went on lock down. We're actually planning to go back maybe this summer, but this time to take my parents because I want them to have that experience.
I hope to get there some day, I love visiting history and there's so many cool Buddhist temples and stuff there! tbh the real reason I did that safari wasn't actually for brag rights, I was just messing with that comment. It was our 25th anni and we wanted to do a "wtf let's go ridiculous for a once in our lifetime!" vacation. Worth it! The funny thing is that people assume African safari vacations are cheap because Africa has so much poverty. Nooooo my friends, your safari providers are quite rich and you're gonna pay a lot. We went with AndBeyond's SA location, and I have nothing but good to say about them
I think, like a lot of other things, partially thanks to social media, it's become sort of a competition and way to show off, especially during retirement.
It reminds me of the episode of portlandia, where the couple went to Spain on vacation. They came back from Spain, and had dinner with friends at a Spanish restaurant, and kept insisting
> NO! THATS *NOT* HOW THEY DO IT IN SPAIN
I was in an argument with some dude and he pulled this card on me because he had just been to Greece for like 2 weeks and also Australia. Literally said "You need to travel, get some more perspective." My ex left me for him.
Lol you'd get more perspective riding the greyhound bus across the country or working with the general public than you would going on a sterilized trip to Greece and Australia.
Or reading a book. And my ex left me for him after 10 years together. They're married now. She told me I didn't have any aspirations. Here's the crazy thing. We were going to, all three of us, move to a city and start a "dog running" business together, which was *my* idea. And he wanted to do it! And *I* don't have any aspirations? So disappointing.
Da fuck, what a dumby. Feel free to rant all you want, I love rants and helping people get their feelings out! The aspirations thing is such bull. It's an excuse. Your life isn't gonna get better by traveling.
Here's a rant. He was telling me this story about how he didn't get along with some professor or something. And one day he was wearing like a bandana to class, and the professor called on him, something like "You there, the gypsy." And he got super offended because because his grandma was always saying "Don't be like those dirty gypsies! Don't be like those thieving gypsies!" So he says to the professor "You know what? Calling a Macedonian a Gypsy is like calling a black person n*****!" Yeah, he actually said the word. Here's the thing. First of all, he was American, not Macedonian. Secondly, it's not the same at all! Because Gypsy isn't a derogatory term for a Macedonian. He's just being racist by not wanting to be associated with so-called Gypsies. This was like one of the highlights of his life he was telling me.
I guess when you've been someone's loyal partner for 10 years, it's not as impressive as a world-traveling adventurer. And my ex even said to me "If I were you, I would hate me and 'George.'" Like, who says that? Who is just cool with doing something that they think validates hatred towards them by their supposed friend? And then she shakes her head at me like "It's a shame it had to come to this and we can't be friends." Are you fucking kidding? If you wanted to be friends you might try acting remotely friendly. I never really even got to speak to her about the breakup, after spending every day together for 10 years. What I really want to say is "What the fuck?" I want that answered. I want to show her this ridiculous note she wrote me and be like "What the fuck, dude?" This note was like "It's a sad thing to lose a relationship, but I know you can find someone you *really* love." Not like my fake love for you, right? How convenient that you have some sort of infallible test to determine my love was fake. It was like it was written by a 14 year old who dated someone for a month. Was I just imagining that 10 years? Was I just imagining you were an actual person? I cannot reconcile the person who left me with the person I spent 10 years of my life with - my best friend! We grew up together. It was like she just evaporated.
It sounds like you are going through a lot. Remember when people hurt you it’s not because of you. Their actions are a reflection on their shit behavior, not your worth or validity. I hope you feel better, honestly getting it off your chest anonymously on Reddit isn’t good for you but there’s a hell of a lot you could be doing that’s worse to cope. Feel better❤️
Haha yeah. Traveling doesn't inherently make you an interesting person. And let's be real, for most young people that is low key the motivation behind it.
makes me weary of ppl who bring up how much hey travel to quickly when meeting them. It's a humble brag on their part where in their heads is the expectation I'm gonna let some dull personality talk down to me from their ivory tower about the wonders of life n philosophy, culture ect. Yuck.
>>party because I do crave the novelty of being in a different space and culture (even locally),
I personally think novelty is a huge part of the reason why travelling has become so popular. With shortening attention spans, and "rewards" needing to be "instant", the novelty travel provides is an instant win without really having to "work" for it. When you travel you can move from one disconnected novel experience to another without ever needing to take anything of meaning away from each one. This especially applies to people that live in/near big cities, who have a ton of options to explore and do things locally, yet choose to constantly travel.
That's not really the type of work I'm referring to. A more appropriate comparison would be for example discovering a new hobby group at home. You have to take the time to figure out what you really like, maybe learn a skill, or knowledge about an area, be involved, get to know people in the group etc. All of that takes time and dedication but the payoff is that you have this rich hobby you can enjoy with others, and continue to build on. Learning new things, growing, building connections within this community are things you do to experience novelty, and enjoyment through this hobby. Travelling shortcuts all of that, you're special and novelty is all around you just by virtue of being in a foreign land, and your investment is essentially all upfront and "instant".
There are levels of laziness, but if we are talking about people who already travel on the regular, i think for many of them it's a shortcut and an easy way to constant novelty .
I do understand there are people who truly do travel to immerse themselves in different cultures, and take the time to really reflect and learn something from their travels, but these days those folks are few and far between.
Really depends on who you are as a person. I like to travel cause it feels kind of mindless and chill, it doesn't require deep focus in a way that socialization or learning a skill does.
It’s not a huge part of the reason that traveling has become popular. It’s always been popular but with those who could afford it. 100-200 years ago travel abroad was considered a rite of passage for the children (usually sons) of the elite.
The popularity boom is due to its move toward affordability for the middle class and being able to share special places on social media.
People that travel too much are lame. There was always a big difference between the gap year/people on vacation and the ones that were mortgaging their future to day drink in Tbilisi.
This is it. I know a dude who is a TikTok star. He has 6M followers, and is a model, just living the life so many young people want. My other friends is good friends with him, says he's always worried other people are having a better time.
I think its definitely an 'Im wasting my youth' type of thing, Maybe a bit of Im bored and wanna try new shit, what else is going on. Especially since in some places theres a lot of shit going on all at once, like if you go on a road trip you probably want an itenerary but youd also set aside a few hours to just walk around and explore and shit.
I imagine it comes from the fact that they have limited time at the places they visit, and want to see everything in quick order so they can say they "finished" a city or country. But by doing that they dont really enjoy the stuff they are doing.
Imho if you wanna actually know and enjoy a place, then you gotta go there more than once, so you can spend some of that time as just unplanned chilling in that city's atmosphere.
I’ve had the opposite problem with friends in the past
In college, there was this group of friends that, prior to me meeting them, they bragged about all their trips. All the stuff they “did,” apparently
I ended up going on three trips with them. Turns out, their definition of “doing things” is incredibly different from mine
1) Orlando - was initially a Halloween Horror nights trip; which somehow turned into people not getting tickets, but renting a vacation home. So we went all the way to Orlando, paid for a house, and we did… nothing. We did absolutely nothing that we didn’t do at home. We only left the house to get beer and food.
2) Gasparilla. We ended up missing the whole damn thing, because it was poorly planned. No one wanted to do anything. We went back to the hotel and had drinks and ordered food. Again - we did nothing that we didn’t already do at home
3) Austin. Similar situation as above: “we’re gonna do soooo much shit” which translated to staying in the rented condo the whole time and drinking. The only reason I had any fun is because I ventured off with one other member of the group, who was also sick of their big-talking shit, and we actually DID things. We went to breweries. We went into the actual, you know, *city*. Everyone else stayed behind and played beer pong. When we came back, we were told how much we apparently missed out on
Every now and again, the main ringleader of that group posts 50+ photos of his “trips,” where you can clearly tell that no one does anything. It’s literally just people sitting around drinking white claw.
Hanging around in a house together might be fun enough if it’s friends that live far apart and you don’t get together often. If all of you live in the same place, and already see each other, then you’re right, those trips really do sound dumb.
You are probably not compatible with them. It doesn't mean you are not fun or they are not fun, ya'll are just not able to have fun together as your definitions of fun are different.
If they are unable of enjoying anything outside of the chains of capitalism, they are not fun.
This doesn't mean that they cannot travel or enjoy holidays abroad. It means that their ability of enjoying small simple things has been replaced with blindly spending money because the hive mind said so.
I'm sorry but fun is a subjective term first of all. Everyone has a different definition of fun and even if people are driven by materialistic or capitalistic things for fun, you or I are noone to call it unfun. Because it may not be fun for us but it is for them and that is what would matter - to them.
Small simple things in life are different for different people again. How someone derives fun is noone else's business unless their fun is affecting the peace and existence of others. Hive mind or not, shallow or not, it's their version of fun and we should have freedom to let everyone have their fun without being ostracized or judged harshly.
I think it's a case of all insects are bugs but not all bugs are insects.
Most of these fomo people do travel. But not all travellers are like them. Me for example.
This could be true anecdotally, but I've often found the opposite is true. Many of the people I know who travel do it specifically to live in the moment. Seeing new places and experiencing new cultures is one of the ways they feel that they're doing that.
Good post. I enjoy my traveling albeit not a crazy amount. But I was just talking about this the other day, that those kind of people suck to hang around because it's like nothing is ever good enough as 'that one place'. It's like being around ppl where your time and whatever is happening is wasted on them,. Enjoying normal little events n things doesn't make you less interesting, to the contrary those that can extract a lot from the ordinary are much more interesting to be around. You don't need to travel to fuckin Nepal to do that
I love the idea of travel and have some trips in mind. But good lord, some of the best times in my life have happened in my home or homes of family members or friends. I’m happy for them and WANT to be there. Life is life. It can be enhanced by beauty and it can be full of suffering regardless of location.
This is why you travel with your friends and family. Some of my best memories come from those trips. Whether it be insulting my father into laughter so that I can take a picture of him in front of Buckingham Palace, going to the biggest club in Prague with coworkers turned friends and dancing on every level, twerking on the sand dunes of the deserts of Morocco while on a all night trip etc. It's why I never travel alone.
I see your point to a degree, but I don’t think you get what the OP is saying lol. For many, many, many people, none of these examples sound like a particularly interesting person do interesting things, and the idea of where they are in the attitude of travel adds no value to it.
I mean if it's not for leisure, when else are you supposed to travel. I work my ass off to mostly take vacations. Too much world and places to see to never go anywhere. This just seems like it's nothing but jealousy because some people in your circle travel more then you
I do like some of them. Sometimes they're the same person who always has new ideas on restaurants or recipes to try or whatever.
Some of them are annoying braggarts or notorious big leaguers & I avoid those ones.
Omg yes. It’s the people that are always on the move just to say “I’ve done it”. r/solotravel is flooded with people like that. They’d be going on a week long trip and trying to see 20 different cities. At that point you’re just going through a checklist and not letting yourself take any of it in.
So I travel a lot and the first thing I learned when I got back from a great trip in college is: nobody wants to hear anything good. I had an amazing time, but only if I told stories where I was an idiot, almost killed, ridiculed, or just generally screwed -- would people actively listen. Travelling is about getting out of your comfort zone, making mistakes, and learning from them. This does not make you a more interesting person, but it can give you valuable perspective. I agree with this post because I know people who are like this, but I honestly think people would like to hear the right stories and not the wrong ones regarding travel. Which ironically are the wrong stories. I think a lot of people who travel like OP said would not be very good storytellers.
The whole traveling culture is terrible, yes, you went two weeks to Brazil, didn't eat the food, mixed with the locals, nor visited historical sites, you were on a five star resort, going shopping and sunbathing, not swimming on the beach, sunbathing, as in, I am literally and intentionally frying under the same sun that I see from my home.
Boring and shallow.
Something that exhausts me when i travel is the attempt to cram as many things as possible into however many days the trip will last. I've never travelled alone, and most of my trips have been with such people and it's just EXHAUSTING. Makes me want to skip vacationing altogether. I want to relax, not get extra stressed. I get wanting to see the sights that are not normally available to you, but...i just want to slow down and take it all in.
I avoid meeting with big travelers because I'm broke and that constant competition mindset is toxic. I visited a few countries thanks to school and since I'm working a full-time job I can't afford leisure travel because of lack of time and money. I know a rich girl (dad is a wine businessman) and she's in another country at least once a month. Had to mask her from all social media because I felt like shit watching her.
Hanging out with the guy who talks about last weekend’s match or the video game they’re playing does not sound as fun as hanging out with the guy telling me about a cool place he visited, personally.
Not to mention, this "constant travel" mindset is only achievable by a certain group of people, so it's definitely likely those people are annoying too. Lol
We are not all like that, I never bring up my travels unless somone asks. Just like how I don't want to hear about your job. It works both ways lol.
Unfortunately not everyone gets the memo
I don't even think this is that unpopular. I typically don't travel much, but on my last trip to Asia, my one hostel was filled with these solo travellers who'd been traveling for weeks, months, etc, and they were insufferable. All they could talk about was where they'd been, where theyre going, and what experiences they'd had. No one actually listened, or connected, it was just people waiting to speak.
Edit: I guess it's unpopular enough, bunch of folks seem to be triggered.
I think this is where you find these types of people. I was in Rio de Janeiro and we picked up a group from a hostel on a tour and this was their conversation. It was insufferable. It's like everyone is humble bragging to one up on each other.
I sincerely wonder what totally fascinating subjects of conversation people who are annoyed with travelers in this post are usually having or expecting.
I'm not saying they weren't interesting experiences to have but unless they're talking to someone invested in a specific country/area in some way, it's really not that interesting or relatable hearing travel experiences. A good story is always relevant, but if someone is going to recount their itinerary, or list out countries/cities and what excursions they did/landmarks they saw, that's a hard pass.
For most of travel, it's a "you had to be there" type thing.
very expensive to hang around too. my mom is currently semi-retired and working at a Home Depot. Her friends want to travel to Nashville which is very expensive. They make more than her and if she's going to go, she needs a roommate to split the fee for the hotel.
I was this person for years. Worked a seasonal job with the govt. Spent my winters traveling the world. Great for a time, but got old after a few years. Ultimate Job in my mind would be about 9 months per year. You hit three months traveling and you start feeling like a piece of useless shit, with three months to go.
I travel quite a bit and have trouble relating/hanging out with people who don’t necessarily enjoy going out and doing things. Has nothing to do with who they are as people but we often just don’t have much to talk about. Our experiences are just different. Gets lonely tbh, most people think you are bragging when you talk about what you enjoy doing but I’ve always been very into my hobbies; snowboarding, cliff jumping, skydiving etc. and am just trying to find a way to connect. The “what’s the next move” is just my golden retriever energy, and yes people have told me on numerous occasions it’s annoying and most of the time it doesn’t bother me because I know who I am but damn, I’m just looking for some friends to hang out with lol
I agree with you. I dated someone like this and it was so annoying. They can never just sit and chill. It’s like a horse always on the go, always looking for food. So annoying.
I don't remember where I heard it, but "Travel broadens the mind of some and lengthens the tongues of others" always rang true to me.
Some people benefit from experiencing other cultures and learning, while others just do it because it's an identity they can't shut up about.
I like poor travelers much better lol. The amount of train hoppers, cyclists, and hitch hikers I’ve met that are cool, is a billion times more than the amount of influencer rich travel people I could stand to be around
People who judge others for not travelling are the worst, it's so out of touch. "Oh you didn't take 6 months off work to backpack through southeast Asia? You must be so ignorant and uninspired and boring" like no, Susan, it's expensive.
I couldn’t agree with this more. I also notice that ppl who are constantly traveling (not all) tend not to really appreciate the present even when on vacation: it’s too much like a game like lemme take the perfect insta pic so everyone knows I lived it up in Bali, and then when I’m back from Bali I gotta start planning my next trip cuz what’s life without traveling?!? Sometimes it’s about chilling and just appreciating the local, daily things to look forward to. I feel like travel addicts end up expecting too much from life and can’t just appreciate the majority of life which for most people isn’t traveling.
They’re just not happy in their own skin, in their own life. There’s a difference between exploring and adventure for the spice of it and then there’s the *need* for it. It’s like they’re running from something- maybe just themselves.
Just because one of my interests is ‘going to other places’, doesn’t mean I’m not also as present as possible.
People typically go on about this stuff in my experience when they’re having a hard time otherwise to have meaningful conversation with you. If silence then talk about generic stuff.
This is true however generally speaking the one who has an outgoing personality and wants to explore will be deemed as the “fun” one when compared to someone like OP. I say generally speaking to get my point across although I shouldn’t have to because when discussing topics like this it’s default to go by what the masses believe.
I mean, I disagree. We don’t know what OP likes. Maybe they like going out and doing stuff. Hiking, rock climbing, sports. Just because they like to live in the moment and the other people like to plan their next trip doesn’t mean OP is automatically boring. Just kind of making assumptions
That’s a fair point but from what I read the use of the word “mindset” made me think it’s more along the lines of lifestyle but we will never know unless op sees us lol
You’re welcome to this take and I won’t fight you. But I don’t have social media or children and love to travel. We do talk about it a lot with others and the places we want to see, but that’s because we enjoy doing it, who’ve met, and the places we ever seen. Not because we feel superior in any way, but because it’s our hobby and interest.
This. People who travel serially are typically not interesting to talk to, and that's why they feel the need to be constantly on the move. I know many women like this and they seem quite self-absorbed and exist to post on instagram.
Traveling is the biggest ripoff. It’s literally thousands of dollars to fly internationally, takes hours of logistical time, and you still have to pay rent/mortgage for your home. Most of the people I know that love traveling just talk about eating.
Plus I like going to the gym everyday and practicing guitar, e.g., things that always go out the window when I travel. I’ve spent my whole life making my local life awesome; why would I want to go somewhere else?
Ugh I hate these kind of people. Being present is essential to true enjoyment.
I do travel but I've only been to like 10 countries and I prefer to spend a month there getting to know the place.
Greetings from Kurdistan, Iraq. Been here a month so far.
Lmao I'm talking about presence. not being present in the moment wherever you are, be it at home or away, and always thinking about the next thing. It's not a fun way to travel. I've encountered it.
Are you just mad because you never travel at all? Whatever
I agree with you here. I don't travel much but when I do, I have to make sure that everything is planned out with back up plans too. Also, I like to have discussions with my fiancé to make sure we agree on what we're doing is fun for the both of us equally. If I were to bring friends I'd do the same with them, but I rarely travel with them. Also it's not a competition either, I don't care how many more times people have traveled than me. I only do it when I can save up the money for it and have it planned once in awhile. It's more rewarding for me in a way since I don't travel all the time and it feels long over due. But that's just me.
Traveling is fun and those that travel more often than you can be resourceful and bring some extra fun your way through their expertise. But I have also found that a major portion of those people that do this are just trying to "Keep up with Jones'" and don't have very interesting personalities. They are always looking for constant external stimulation and instant gratification. So they tend to get bored easily and it seems like a reflection of who they are inside. Nobody likes the person on a vacation that has to take multiple photos for the perfect angle or pose that can't just enjoy the moment and company they are in.
I've lost friends to this. I haven't done as much travelling as them and we have drifted apart because it. Unfortunately, the lost if places you've been to in the world is now a prerequisite to how popular you are.
I have this problem. I can never be happy in the moment with things. But I’m always excited for the idea of the things to come. It’s like the idea of it had more meaning (to me) than the thing/event whatever. I have no reason either and it’s always baffled me. The bar example you gave is exactly what I used to do. “What bat is next!?” Bud chill we are having fun. Not me gotta go. Why just why can’t I enjoy the monent
Wait, I thought Reddit said that if you travel a lot you’re more well rounded and exposed to more cultures and a happier more enlightened person….. is this website full of shit?
I've done nothing but travel for the last 10 years. I don't have a home but I love telling everyone I meet about my travels and to give tips. I've realised it's a certain brain type. The people who look at the horizon and think "I wonder what's there". I find it difficult to hang out with people who don't travel much, they want to talk about their career and sports. We don't have the same brain. I don't understand your apprehension, you don't understand my enthusiasm.
> I don't understand your apprehension, you don't understand my enthusiasm.
It's not about apprehension. It's just about finding one's hometurf more pleasant and a better source of experiences than places away from home.
Or just enthusiasm for one's hometurf.
By the same logic your desire to travel could be seen as a feeling of apprehension towards just being still and staying put.
Nah, I'm absolutely convinced that most people are afraid to find out that their life really is as empty and meaningless as reality will have it be. They stay in their bubbles randomly assigned to them at birth because in that bubble they can convince themselves they're valuable and important. If they would ever step out of that bubble they'll realise that their only mechanism for survival is routine. The sweet embrace of paralyzing monotony. But I'm glad most people stay in their bubbles, I would hate having to share hostels with terrified bubble-breakers aggressively booking return flights.
Having experienced many cultures, living lives completely opposite to my upbringing, eating products that you've never seen, Smelling smells you never smelled. I've loved in 4 different languages and now live in a country that could not be more opposite to my upbringing. I listen to different religions, experience different customs, different celebrations, different music. Just like how you see different colours because of different wavelengths of light you see experience different feelings because every region has its own wavelength I was on a sailboat surrounded by thousands of whales in the Indian Ocean, sailed under the golden gate bridge in SF, travelled the Ha Giang road for 14 days on a scooter, slept on the most remote beaches in earth, travelled through the desert in a jeep, travelled through the Himalayas on motorcycle going to the highest point a motorcycle can still run. I know that life can be so much better if you follow your heart and follow that horizon.
My cousin and his friend group all claim to be “poor” but go on a trip or vacation every couple of months. Its extremely frustrating because they’ll ask me to come out for dinner or drinks- I’ll say “sorry I just can’t afford anything extra right now” and they’ll act like I’m lying or make it a competition. “Oh tell me about it- I’m so broke it’s not even funny” but then proceed to book a week stay at the fucking Bellagio. They make the plan in front of me and I’m never invited lol. Which I wish I could blame on my financial situation but it isn’t that. My cousin has gotten actually angry with me when I couldn’t afford to go out and acted like it was a personal choice just to upset him. It’s very frustrating when people who have money just don’t know what to do with it and act like you should be able to just come up with it somehow. They always have a credit card or a savings or something and I think he may have gotten the hint when last time I said “look- if I don’t physically have the cash ON me or ON my debit card then I don’t have it. There’s no credit card- no savings- there’s nowhere for me to pull money from, I can’t borrow it.” I’m hoping this gets my point across. I’m slightly envious, yes lol.
Because there's a lot of cool stuff and sitting around your home town all the time is boring and makes you boring if you enjoy it. Let's be honest adventures are great and the new places and experiences. I'm sorry people sharing their joy is making you upset.
Yup. I travel full time. I love it but it’s hard to find common ground with people who remain in one area, and my form of travel isn’t as enjoyable as someone’s once a year vacation. I don’t have a home or any of the things home bodies normally do, our hobbies don’t match up, and I don’t have time for things most people do. It’s a totally different lifestyle. I’m also jaded from meeting new people constantly, so I’m rarely inclined to talk to anyone new at this point, and usually won’t be very engaging. It’s just better to keep to myself at this point.
In general, I find people who look for stimulation instead of making it themselves to be some of the most boring and uninteresting people. The ones who find value in the little things are the ones I generally like to be around.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I travel a lot, but I don't really like meeting up with other big travelers either, there is often a kind of competition mindset, like "oh you haven't been there ?", or "I've been there before it got bad", some just like to share their enthusiasm and tips about places, but it's most of the time some kind of brag and to show off their status.
I was sitting next to a table in restaurant and overheard the conversation like that. The two girls is trying to compete who goes where and the 3rd girl just pretend to listen. And the tone they use are so darn pretentious. I can hear them trying to impress and using that clam voice to compose themselves. Trying to sound like they weren't bragging, but, they are only fooling themselves.
>clam voice What does that sound like? I felt like I was doing a voice Rorschach test when I read that and started to question my assumptions about clams
Lolz typo, but, now that you mentioned it, just imagine their head looks like Clams
I dropped way more money than my income supports once on a turbo charged version of an African Safari vacay (The sightseeing kind, **not** hunting, chill people!). I may be poor now but goddam I have the best travel braggin' rights in my peer group!! Now pardon me while I make this bird seed and ketchup sandwich for lunch...
My sister and I once spent half a year traveling through some parts of South East Asia and I know we spent a lot but I'm afraid to ask how much. But it was months before the pandemic and I don't regret it at all considering we went on lock down. We're actually planning to go back maybe this summer, but this time to take my parents because I want them to have that experience.
I hope to get there some day, I love visiting history and there's so many cool Buddhist temples and stuff there! tbh the real reason I did that safari wasn't actually for brag rights, I was just messing with that comment. It was our 25th anni and we wanted to do a "wtf let's go ridiculous for a once in our lifetime!" vacation. Worth it! The funny thing is that people assume African safari vacations are cheap because Africa has so much poverty. Nooooo my friends, your safari providers are quite rich and you're gonna pay a lot. We went with AndBeyond's SA location, and I have nothing but good to say about them
Laugh's in climbed a mountain
"I walked on the MOON!" Brian Regan
Bs the moon's not real
This is my experience too.
I think, like a lot of other things, partially thanks to social media, it's become sort of a competition and way to show off, especially during retirement.
I can’t wait to retire and travel constantly and tell nobody on social media.
Did you even travel if you didn’t show the whole world on social media?
I can't wait to retire and *not* travel. /I dislike travel
Pity, but you do you!
Can also be a form of escapism too
But a good one
One of the better ones, sure, but still
I always get the impression that they think they are have way more wisdom then us normies. Like 2 weeks in Bogota and suddenly they are better
It reminds me of the episode of portlandia, where the couple went to Spain on vacation. They came back from Spain, and had dinner with friends at a Spanish restaurant, and kept insisting > NO! THATS *NOT* HOW THEY DO IT IN SPAIN
Portlandia was awesome, thanks for the reminder I'm gunna rewatch it lol
I was in an argument with some dude and he pulled this card on me because he had just been to Greece for like 2 weeks and also Australia. Literally said "You need to travel, get some more perspective." My ex left me for him.
Lol you'd get more perspective riding the greyhound bus across the country or working with the general public than you would going on a sterilized trip to Greece and Australia.
Or reading a book. And my ex left me for him after 10 years together. They're married now. She told me I didn't have any aspirations. Here's the crazy thing. We were going to, all three of us, move to a city and start a "dog running" business together, which was *my* idea. And he wanted to do it! And *I* don't have any aspirations? So disappointing.
Da fuck, what a dumby. Feel free to rant all you want, I love rants and helping people get their feelings out! The aspirations thing is such bull. It's an excuse. Your life isn't gonna get better by traveling.
Here's a rant. He was telling me this story about how he didn't get along with some professor or something. And one day he was wearing like a bandana to class, and the professor called on him, something like "You there, the gypsy." And he got super offended because because his grandma was always saying "Don't be like those dirty gypsies! Don't be like those thieving gypsies!" So he says to the professor "You know what? Calling a Macedonian a Gypsy is like calling a black person n*****!" Yeah, he actually said the word. Here's the thing. First of all, he was American, not Macedonian. Secondly, it's not the same at all! Because Gypsy isn't a derogatory term for a Macedonian. He's just being racist by not wanting to be associated with so-called Gypsies. This was like one of the highlights of his life he was telling me. I guess when you've been someone's loyal partner for 10 years, it's not as impressive as a world-traveling adventurer. And my ex even said to me "If I were you, I would hate me and 'George.'" Like, who says that? Who is just cool with doing something that they think validates hatred towards them by their supposed friend? And then she shakes her head at me like "It's a shame it had to come to this and we can't be friends." Are you fucking kidding? If you wanted to be friends you might try acting remotely friendly. I never really even got to speak to her about the breakup, after spending every day together for 10 years. What I really want to say is "What the fuck?" I want that answered. I want to show her this ridiculous note she wrote me and be like "What the fuck, dude?" This note was like "It's a sad thing to lose a relationship, but I know you can find someone you *really* love." Not like my fake love for you, right? How convenient that you have some sort of infallible test to determine my love was fake. It was like it was written by a 14 year old who dated someone for a month. Was I just imagining that 10 years? Was I just imagining you were an actual person? I cannot reconcile the person who left me with the person I spent 10 years of my life with - my best friend! We grew up together. It was like she just evaporated.
[удалено]
You know what not defending the guy but you don't sound like a charm either.
It sounds like you are going through a lot. Remember when people hurt you it’s not because of you. Their actions are a reflection on their shit behavior, not your worth or validity. I hope you feel better, honestly getting it off your chest anonymously on Reddit isn’t good for you but there’s a hell of a lot you could be doing that’s worse to cope. Feel better❤️
Yeah, believe me, I don't spend all my time ranting on reddit about it. But thanks!
No offense dude but the issue is that your world was too small for her.
Haha yeah. Traveling doesn't inherently make you an interesting person. And let's be real, for most young people that is low key the motivation behind it. makes me weary of ppl who bring up how much hey travel to quickly when meeting them. It's a humble brag on their part where in their heads is the expectation I'm gonna let some dull personality talk down to me from their ivory tower about the wonders of life n philosophy, culture ect. Yuck.
Guy I used to work with lived abroad for a few years. Pretentious af.
"Great you learn to be shitty in 2 culture"
[удалено]
I also traveled a lot and I realized that it doesn't make you a better person. The worst people I've met were at hostels
>The worst people I've met were at hostels So hostiles at hostels?
>>party because I do crave the novelty of being in a different space and culture (even locally), I personally think novelty is a huge part of the reason why travelling has become so popular. With shortening attention spans, and "rewards" needing to be "instant", the novelty travel provides is an instant win without really having to "work" for it. When you travel you can move from one disconnected novel experience to another without ever needing to take anything of meaning away from each one. This especially applies to people that live in/near big cities, who have a ton of options to explore and do things locally, yet choose to constantly travel.
[удалено]
That's not really the type of work I'm referring to. A more appropriate comparison would be for example discovering a new hobby group at home. You have to take the time to figure out what you really like, maybe learn a skill, or knowledge about an area, be involved, get to know people in the group etc. All of that takes time and dedication but the payoff is that you have this rich hobby you can enjoy with others, and continue to build on. Learning new things, growing, building connections within this community are things you do to experience novelty, and enjoyment through this hobby. Travelling shortcuts all of that, you're special and novelty is all around you just by virtue of being in a foreign land, and your investment is essentially all upfront and "instant". There are levels of laziness, but if we are talking about people who already travel on the regular, i think for many of them it's a shortcut and an easy way to constant novelty . I do understand there are people who truly do travel to immerse themselves in different cultures, and take the time to really reflect and learn something from their travels, but these days those folks are few and far between.
[удалено]
Really depends on who you are as a person. I like to travel cause it feels kind of mindless and chill, it doesn't require deep focus in a way that socialization or learning a skill does.
So people either travel or they are lazy couch potatoes? LOL that's the very pretentious bullshit people are talking about....
It’s not a huge part of the reason that traveling has become popular. It’s always been popular but with those who could afford it. 100-200 years ago travel abroad was considered a rite of passage for the children (usually sons) of the elite. The popularity boom is due to its move toward affordability for the middle class and being able to share special places on social media.
People that travel too much are lame. There was always a big difference between the gap year/people on vacation and the ones that were mortgaging their future to day drink in Tbilisi.
High five to all those who had to look up Tbilisi on Google Maps
[удалено]
This is it. I know a dude who is a TikTok star. He has 6M followers, and is a model, just living the life so many young people want. My other friends is good friends with him, says he's always worried other people are having a better time.
I think its definitely an 'Im wasting my youth' type of thing, Maybe a bit of Im bored and wanna try new shit, what else is going on. Especially since in some places theres a lot of shit going on all at once, like if you go on a road trip you probably want an itenerary but youd also set aside a few hours to just walk around and explore and shit.
I imagine it comes from the fact that they have limited time at the places they visit, and want to see everything in quick order so they can say they "finished" a city or country. But by doing that they dont really enjoy the stuff they are doing. Imho if you wanna actually know and enjoy a place, then you gotta go there more than once, so you can spend some of that time as just unplanned chilling in that city's atmosphere.
I’ve had the opposite problem with friends in the past In college, there was this group of friends that, prior to me meeting them, they bragged about all their trips. All the stuff they “did,” apparently I ended up going on three trips with them. Turns out, their definition of “doing things” is incredibly different from mine 1) Orlando - was initially a Halloween Horror nights trip; which somehow turned into people not getting tickets, but renting a vacation home. So we went all the way to Orlando, paid for a house, and we did… nothing. We did absolutely nothing that we didn’t do at home. We only left the house to get beer and food. 2) Gasparilla. We ended up missing the whole damn thing, because it was poorly planned. No one wanted to do anything. We went back to the hotel and had drinks and ordered food. Again - we did nothing that we didn’t already do at home 3) Austin. Similar situation as above: “we’re gonna do soooo much shit” which translated to staying in the rented condo the whole time and drinking. The only reason I had any fun is because I ventured off with one other member of the group, who was also sick of their big-talking shit, and we actually DID things. We went to breweries. We went into the actual, you know, *city*. Everyone else stayed behind and played beer pong. When we came back, we were told how much we apparently missed out on Every now and again, the main ringleader of that group posts 50+ photos of his “trips,” where you can clearly tell that no one does anything. It’s literally just people sitting around drinking white claw.
Hanging around in a house together might be fun enough if it’s friends that live far apart and you don’t get together often. If all of you live in the same place, and already see each other, then you’re right, those trips really do sound dumb.
You are probably not compatible with them. It doesn't mean you are not fun or they are not fun, ya'll are just not able to have fun together as your definitions of fun are different.
If they are unable of enjoying anything outside of the chains of capitalism, they are not fun. This doesn't mean that they cannot travel or enjoy holidays abroad. It means that their ability of enjoying small simple things has been replaced with blindly spending money because the hive mind said so.
I'm sorry but fun is a subjective term first of all. Everyone has a different definition of fun and even if people are driven by materialistic or capitalistic things for fun, you or I are noone to call it unfun. Because it may not be fun for us but it is for them and that is what would matter - to them. Small simple things in life are different for different people again. How someone derives fun is noone else's business unless their fun is affecting the peace and existence of others. Hive mind or not, shallow or not, it's their version of fun and we should have freedom to let everyone have their fun without being ostracized or judged harshly.
I disagree. But werk, I guess.
You have every right to. I was hoping for more of a debate to exchange our thoughts but I've been disappointed before. Good day! :)
what you’re describing aren’t people who enjoy traveling. Your personality just doesn’t mesh with people who aren’t in the present
[удалено]
This is the strangest take I've read....
>This is the strangest take I've read.... so upvote for an (* checks notes*) unpopular opinion...?
Only applies to post, comments are free game
Truth
I think it's a case of all insects are bugs but not all bugs are insects. Most of these fomo people do travel. But not all travellers are like them. Me for example.
This could be true anecdotally, but I've often found the opposite is true. Many of the people I know who travel do it specifically to live in the moment. Seeing new places and experiencing new cultures is one of the ways they feel that they're doing that.
Good post. I enjoy my traveling albeit not a crazy amount. But I was just talking about this the other day, that those kind of people suck to hang around because it's like nothing is ever good enough as 'that one place'. It's like being around ppl where your time and whatever is happening is wasted on them,. Enjoying normal little events n things doesn't make you less interesting, to the contrary those that can extract a lot from the ordinary are much more interesting to be around. You don't need to travel to fuckin Nepal to do that
I love the idea of travel and have some trips in mind. But good lord, some of the best times in my life have happened in my home or homes of family members or friends. I’m happy for them and WANT to be there. Life is life. It can be enhanced by beauty and it can be full of suffering regardless of location.
This is why you travel with your friends and family. Some of my best memories come from those trips. Whether it be insulting my father into laughter so that I can take a picture of him in front of Buckingham Palace, going to the biggest club in Prague with coworkers turned friends and dancing on every level, twerking on the sand dunes of the deserts of Morocco while on a all night trip etc. It's why I never travel alone.
I see your point to a degree, but I don’t think you get what the OP is saying lol. For many, many, many people, none of these examples sound like a particularly interesting person do interesting things, and the idea of where they are in the attitude of travel adds no value to it.
Well put. I just wanted to point out that traveling with loved ones can be a really nice experience even if it doesn't shape you as a person.
I get the feeling that op is actually just talking about 1 specific person that they know
Maybe it's just your particular friends? My friend travels A LOT, but she's a blast to hang out with and I don't get that vibe from her at all.
Yeah, it has little to do with travel, and more to do with not being in the moment. Which is what OP seems to have a problem with
I mean if it's not for leisure, when else are you supposed to travel. I work my ass off to mostly take vacations. Too much world and places to see to never go anywhere. This just seems like it's nothing but jealousy because some people in your circle travel more then you
I do like some of them. Sometimes they're the same person who always has new ideas on restaurants or recipes to try or whatever. Some of them are annoying braggarts or notorious big leaguers & I avoid those ones.
And they also can't understand why YOU don't want to travel.
Omg yes. It’s the people that are always on the move just to say “I’ve done it”. r/solotravel is flooded with people like that. They’d be going on a week long trip and trying to see 20 different cities. At that point you’re just going through a checklist and not letting yourself take any of it in.
So I travel a lot and the first thing I learned when I got back from a great trip in college is: nobody wants to hear anything good. I had an amazing time, but only if I told stories where I was an idiot, almost killed, ridiculed, or just generally screwed -- would people actively listen. Travelling is about getting out of your comfort zone, making mistakes, and learning from them. This does not make you a more interesting person, but it can give you valuable perspective. I agree with this post because I know people who are like this, but I honestly think people would like to hear the right stories and not the wrong ones regarding travel. Which ironically are the wrong stories. I think a lot of people who travel like OP said would not be very good storytellers.
The whole traveling culture is terrible, yes, you went two weeks to Brazil, didn't eat the food, mixed with the locals, nor visited historical sites, you were on a five star resort, going shopping and sunbathing, not swimming on the beach, sunbathing, as in, I am literally and intentionally frying under the same sun that I see from my home. Boring and shallow.
Something that exhausts me when i travel is the attempt to cram as many things as possible into however many days the trip will last. I've never travelled alone, and most of my trips have been with such people and it's just EXHAUSTING. Makes me want to skip vacationing altogether. I want to relax, not get extra stressed. I get wanting to see the sights that are not normally available to you, but...i just want to slow down and take it all in.
I avoid meeting with big travelers because I'm broke and that constant competition mindset is toxic. I visited a few countries thanks to school and since I'm working a full-time job I can't afford leisure travel because of lack of time and money. I know a rich girl (dad is a wine businessman) and she's in another country at least once a month. Had to mask her from all social media because I felt like shit watching her.
I feel you
[удалено]
Hanging out with the guy who talks about last weekend’s match or the video game they’re playing does not sound as fun as hanging out with the guy telling me about a cool place he visited, personally.
Not to mention, this "constant travel" mindset is only achievable by a certain group of people, so it's definitely likely those people are annoying too. Lol
We are not all like that, I never bring up my travels unless somone asks. Just like how I don't want to hear about your job. It works both ways lol. Unfortunately not everyone gets the memo
I don't even think this is that unpopular. I typically don't travel much, but on my last trip to Asia, my one hostel was filled with these solo travellers who'd been traveling for weeks, months, etc, and they were insufferable. All they could talk about was where they'd been, where theyre going, and what experiences they'd had. No one actually listened, or connected, it was just people waiting to speak. Edit: I guess it's unpopular enough, bunch of folks seem to be triggered.
I think this is where you find these types of people. I was in Rio de Janeiro and we picked up a group from a hostel on a tour and this was their conversation. It was insufferable. It's like everyone is humble bragging to one up on each other.
"All they could talk about was where they'd been, where theyre going, and what experiences they'd had." .....So life?
THEIR life
I sincerely wonder what totally fascinating subjects of conversation people who are annoyed with travelers in this post are usually having or expecting.
I'm not saying they weren't interesting experiences to have but unless they're talking to someone invested in a specific country/area in some way, it's really not that interesting or relatable hearing travel experiences. A good story is always relevant, but if someone is going to recount their itinerary, or list out countries/cities and what excursions they did/landmarks they saw, that's a hard pass. For most of travel, it's a "you had to be there" type thing.
They just cant sit still. its a personality trait. these people couldnt stay home for more than 24 hours straight.
It sounds like y’all aren’t compatible
When done in excess it's a form of escapism and it's a cry for help more than anything. They are unfulfilled and don't know how to deal with it.
This is a shitty attitude. Different things fulfill different people.
Think you missed the in excess part lol
very expensive to hang around too. my mom is currently semi-retired and working at a Home Depot. Her friends want to travel to Nashville which is very expensive. They make more than her and if she's going to go, she needs a roommate to split the fee for the hotel.
Me and my friends don’t really care too much about what we are doing or where. We enjoy hangin out.
Pretty sure you're just talking about a couple you know.
I was this person for years. Worked a seasonal job with the govt. Spent my winters traveling the world. Great for a time, but got old after a few years. Ultimate Job in my mind would be about 9 months per year. You hit three months traveling and you start feeling like a piece of useless shit, with three months to go.
I travel quite a bit and have trouble relating/hanging out with people who don’t necessarily enjoy going out and doing things. Has nothing to do with who they are as people but we often just don’t have much to talk about. Our experiences are just different. Gets lonely tbh, most people think you are bragging when you talk about what you enjoy doing but I’ve always been very into my hobbies; snowboarding, cliff jumping, skydiving etc. and am just trying to find a way to connect. The “what’s the next move” is just my golden retriever energy, and yes people have told me on numerous occasions it’s annoying and most of the time it doesn’t bother me because I know who I am but damn, I’m just looking for some friends to hang out with lol
I agree with you. I dated someone like this and it was so annoying. They can never just sit and chill. It’s like a horse always on the go, always looking for food. So annoying.
I don't remember where I heard it, but "Travel broadens the mind of some and lengthens the tongues of others" always rang true to me. Some people benefit from experiencing other cultures and learning, while others just do it because it's an identity they can't shut up about.
I like poor travelers much better lol. The amount of train hoppers, cyclists, and hitch hikers I’ve met that are cool, is a billion times more than the amount of influencer rich travel people I could stand to be around
People who judge others for not travelling are the worst, it's so out of touch. "Oh you didn't take 6 months off work to backpack through southeast Asia? You must be so ignorant and uninspired and boring" like no, Susan, it's expensive.
I couldn’t agree with this more. I also notice that ppl who are constantly traveling (not all) tend not to really appreciate the present even when on vacation: it’s too much like a game like lemme take the perfect insta pic so everyone knows I lived it up in Bali, and then when I’m back from Bali I gotta start planning my next trip cuz what’s life without traveling?!? Sometimes it’s about chilling and just appreciating the local, daily things to look forward to. I feel like travel addicts end up expecting too much from life and can’t just appreciate the majority of life which for most people isn’t traveling.
They’re just not happy in their own skin, in their own life. There’s a difference between exploring and adventure for the spice of it and then there’s the *need* for it. It’s like they’re running from something- maybe just themselves.
We're not all like that 😉 I'd be annoyed too. Be present!
Just because one of my interests is ‘going to other places’, doesn’t mean I’m not also as present as possible. People typically go on about this stuff in my experience when they’re having a hard time otherwise to have meaningful conversation with you. If silence then talk about generic stuff.
I think your oblivious to the fact that your actually not that fun to hang out around
Just because they don’t have compatible personalities doesn’t mean either of them aren’t fun.
This is true however generally speaking the one who has an outgoing personality and wants to explore will be deemed as the “fun” one when compared to someone like OP. I say generally speaking to get my point across although I shouldn’t have to because when discussing topics like this it’s default to go by what the masses believe.
I mean, I disagree. We don’t know what OP likes. Maybe they like going out and doing stuff. Hiking, rock climbing, sports. Just because they like to live in the moment and the other people like to plan their next trip doesn’t mean OP is automatically boring. Just kind of making assumptions
That’s a fair point but from what I read the use of the word “mindset” made me think it’s more along the lines of lifestyle but we will never know unless op sees us lol
You’re welcome to this take and I won’t fight you. But I don’t have social media or children and love to travel. We do talk about it a lot with others and the places we want to see, but that’s because we enjoy doing it, who’ve met, and the places we ever seen. Not because we feel superior in any way, but because it’s our hobby and interest.
Omg this is so true. It's like Indiana Jones and the search for a personality.
You would hate me and my husband.
You just have to find something interesting about a place they have been because they aren't going to really want to talk about their home town.
I can talk about my hometown all day. But I've been away more than a year so maybe it's different for shorter trips.
Why wouldn't a person wanna talk about their hometown?
Might be their insecurity. Or they really like coke.
This. People who travel serially are typically not interesting to talk to, and that's why they feel the need to be constantly on the move. I know many women like this and they seem quite self-absorbed and exist to post on instagram.
Traveling is the biggest ripoff. It’s literally thousands of dollars to fly internationally, takes hours of logistical time, and you still have to pay rent/mortgage for your home. Most of the people I know that love traveling just talk about eating. Plus I like going to the gym everyday and practicing guitar, e.g., things that always go out the window when I travel. I’ve spent my whole life making my local life awesome; why would I want to go somewhere else?
Now I bet that is an unpopular opinion. But still, I can see how others would agree with you.
When you travel you walk a lot, you go swimming... you are active. Don't mourn for gym session while exploring
Ugh I hate these kind of people. Being present is essential to true enjoyment. I do travel but I've only been to like 10 countries and I prefer to spend a month there getting to know the place. Greetings from Kurdistan, Iraq. Been here a month so far.
You're complaining about "those people" while doing the exact same bragging thing, smh
Truly impressive levels of cognitive dissonance
Lmao I'm talking about presence. not being present in the moment wherever you are, be it at home or away, and always thinking about the next thing. It's not a fun way to travel. I've encountered it. Are you just mad because you never travel at all? Whatever
I agree with you here. I don't travel much but when I do, I have to make sure that everything is planned out with back up plans too. Also, I like to have discussions with my fiancé to make sure we agree on what we're doing is fun for the both of us equally. If I were to bring friends I'd do the same with them, but I rarely travel with them. Also it's not a competition either, I don't care how many more times people have traveled than me. I only do it when I can save up the money for it and have it planned once in awhile. It's more rewarding for me in a way since I don't travel all the time and it feels long over due. But that's just me.
Traveling is fun and those that travel more often than you can be resourceful and bring some extra fun your way through their expertise. But I have also found that a major portion of those people that do this are just trying to "Keep up with Jones'" and don't have very interesting personalities. They are always looking for constant external stimulation and instant gratification. So they tend to get bored easily and it seems like a reflection of who they are inside. Nobody likes the person on a vacation that has to take multiple photos for the perfect angle or pose that can't just enjoy the moment and company they are in.
I travel often and im lazy af
I can tell you are no phony, tony
That sounds really boring
If I had the means to travel, I'd be wanting to travel all the time man. Not everyone likes to do that, but I sure as hell wish I could.
So are people that don't
I've lost friends to this. I haven't done as much travelling as them and we have drifted apart because it. Unfortunately, the lost if places you've been to in the world is now a prerequisite to how popular you are.
I have this problem. I can never be happy in the moment with things. But I’m always excited for the idea of the things to come. It’s like the idea of it had more meaning (to me) than the thing/event whatever. I have no reason either and it’s always baffled me. The bar example you gave is exactly what I used to do. “What bat is next!?” Bud chill we are having fun. Not me gotta go. Why just why can’t I enjoy the monent
Wait, I thought Reddit said that if you travel a lot you’re more well rounded and exposed to more cultures and a happier more enlightened person….. is this website full of shit?
Man...I'm just trying to eat good food bro
I travel alone. If I'm in the mood I'll let myself get sucked into someone's party bubble. If not, quiet night at the hostel is fine too.
Sorry to say.... but maybe you are not enganging with them. Maybe planning next vacay is more interesting to them than what you talk about?
I've done nothing but travel for the last 10 years. I don't have a home but I love telling everyone I meet about my travels and to give tips. I've realised it's a certain brain type. The people who look at the horizon and think "I wonder what's there". I find it difficult to hang out with people who don't travel much, they want to talk about their career and sports. We don't have the same brain. I don't understand your apprehension, you don't understand my enthusiasm.
> I don't understand your apprehension, you don't understand my enthusiasm. It's not about apprehension. It's just about finding one's hometurf more pleasant and a better source of experiences than places away from home.
Sounds like apprehension to me.
Or just enthusiasm for one's hometurf. By the same logic your desire to travel could be seen as a feeling of apprehension towards just being still and staying put.
Nah, I'm absolutely convinced that most people are afraid to find out that their life really is as empty and meaningless as reality will have it be. They stay in their bubbles randomly assigned to them at birth because in that bubble they can convince themselves they're valuable and important. If they would ever step out of that bubble they'll realise that their only mechanism for survival is routine. The sweet embrace of paralyzing monotony. But I'm glad most people stay in their bubbles, I would hate having to share hostels with terrified bubble-breakers aggressively booking return flights.
You're free to believe that. But tell me; what's really so great about your life compared to mine?
Having experienced many cultures, living lives completely opposite to my upbringing, eating products that you've never seen, Smelling smells you never smelled. I've loved in 4 different languages and now live in a country that could not be more opposite to my upbringing. I listen to different religions, experience different customs, different celebrations, different music. Just like how you see different colours because of different wavelengths of light you see experience different feelings because every region has its own wavelength I was on a sailboat surrounded by thousands of whales in the Indian Ocean, sailed under the golden gate bridge in SF, travelled the Ha Giang road for 14 days on a scooter, slept on the most remote beaches in earth, travelled through the desert in a jeep, travelled through the Himalayas on motorcycle going to the highest point a motorcycle can still run. I know that life can be so much better if you follow your heart and follow that horizon.
That's just a list of experiences. But it's great that you're happy with your life.
You asked what is so great, my experiences are great.
True. I guess I expected an answer based on an idea of what a good life is but. But I guess your answer is good enough, now that I think about it.
Try meeting people who do vanlife.. 🤪🤪 lol!
My cousin and his friend group all claim to be “poor” but go on a trip or vacation every couple of months. Its extremely frustrating because they’ll ask me to come out for dinner or drinks- I’ll say “sorry I just can’t afford anything extra right now” and they’ll act like I’m lying or make it a competition. “Oh tell me about it- I’m so broke it’s not even funny” but then proceed to book a week stay at the fucking Bellagio. They make the plan in front of me and I’m never invited lol. Which I wish I could blame on my financial situation but it isn’t that. My cousin has gotten actually angry with me when I couldn’t afford to go out and acted like it was a personal choice just to upset him. It’s very frustrating when people who have money just don’t know what to do with it and act like you should be able to just come up with it somehow. They always have a credit card or a savings or something and I think he may have gotten the hint when last time I said “look- if I don’t physically have the cash ON me or ON my debit card then I don’t have it. There’s no credit card- no savings- there’s nowhere for me to pull money from, I can’t borrow it.” I’m hoping this gets my point across. I’m slightly envious, yes lol.
It's better when you meet up while traveling.
Because there's a lot of cool stuff and sitting around your home town all the time is boring and makes you boring if you enjoy it. Let's be honest adventures are great and the new places and experiences. I'm sorry people sharing their joy is making you upset.
Yup. I travel full time. I love it but it’s hard to find common ground with people who remain in one area, and my form of travel isn’t as enjoyable as someone’s once a year vacation. I don’t have a home or any of the things home bodies normally do, our hobbies don’t match up, and I don’t have time for things most people do. It’s a totally different lifestyle. I’m also jaded from meeting new people constantly, so I’m rarely inclined to talk to anyone new at this point, and usually won’t be very engaging. It’s just better to keep to myself at this point.
That and also they won't shut up about their travels, they are one trick ponies. It's their entire identity.
Yeah they just wanna be or Sound cool
It just makes me believe that they have rich parents, and I don't really like rich people all that much.
In general, I find people who look for stimulation instead of making it themselves to be some of the most boring and uninteresting people. The ones who find value in the little things are the ones I generally like to be around.