Travelling has traditionally been seen as something teenagers and young adults do before settling down. Taking a gap year has almost become a rite of passage for young people. Times are changing however and you are now just as likely to spot people of “a certain age” taking the time to travel. In fact a desire to travel is one of the main reasons why people aim for early retirement. It is true that as we get older we tend to have more responsibilities, these may be financial or emotional. It’s not as simple as simply packing your rucksack and heading whichever way the wind blows, there will be a certain amount of planning necessary.
Travelling is fantastic for the soul, it allows us to recharge our batteries, can be humbling and enriches our lives. Sometimes it feels there’s many obstacles preventing us from following our dreams, doing something for yourself can almost feel a little self-indulgent! Now is the time to do it however, while you are still fit and healthy. Financial obstacles and emotional responsibilities can be overcome. For your dreams to become reality it is important to ensure you have a good credit score, read how to pull and repair your credit report here. You will need to make flight purchases and accommodation reservations via a credit card for maximum security.
The remainder of this article aims to look at common obstacles and ways of overcoming them.
Income
As we get older we become used to a certain level of income, in fact we often need a certain amount to stay afloat. Ideally you will have planned your travel adventure years in advance so that you have savings to fund your travels. If you haven’t, you may need to be a little more creative in order to provide an income. One solution would be to create a side hustle by developing a form of revenue so that you can earn as you travel. The internet has opened up a whole host of opportunity for working remotely. Where there’s an internet connection, there is the possibility to earn! Look at your skills and see if they are transferable to creating an income. You could work as a writer, photographer, website designer, interpreter or tutor to name a few.
If you own your property perhaps you could consider renting it out to the rental or holiday rental market. This could be potentially lucrative and it will ensure your property isn’t left empty for long periods.
Family commitments
If you have family commitments such as children who depend on you, or elderly relatives, you will feel emotionally obliged to put your wish to travel on hold. Actually having children isn’t a hindrance, as you could travel as a family. Your child is likely to learn more from experiencing the wonders of the world first rather than from the pages in a text-book. Take a look at many of the blogs online where families document their travels for inspiration.
Elderly relatives may have come to rely on you. You may feel that you can’t travel, especially if your relative is frail or ill. It is important to remember that the world has now become much smaller due to an increase in flights to even the remotest parts of the world. This means that you could get home relatively quickly if needed. Facetime and skype will also enable your relatives to live your experiences alongside you. Care needs can be met by agencies offering high quality care packages. It’s a huge decision to make and ultimately it will be down to yourself and relatives to discuss.
Don’t delay, get planning and turn your dreams into reality!
