I think the movie stokes the flames for me while I sit at work and dream about 8 months from now. And when I feel like going to the mall to spend some cash I pop on the movie and remember why I'm living a frugal existence at the moment.
I lived at a hostel for a month in Ottawa (where I attended University) when I came back from 4 months in the states and hadn't arranged a place to live. The amount of older people going through the hostel really surprised me. There were a lot of couples who had children who have now moved out and they had freedom to pack bags and go explore. Lots of retired couples who chose to backpack instead of settling in Florida or a community for retired folks. Also lots of middle aged people with kids in tow. The younger people were fun to hang out with, but I preferred chatting with the older travelers as they had so much more experience with the world than most of the younger people who were still on the party vibe.
For them the reason for traveling was a little different. They had raised children, worked the 9-5 and now had as much freedom as they wanted. Most of them had more funding for the trip having saved for retirement and they were taking the trip at a much slower pace than others would. I thought that was the best way to do it. They really got to see how different cities function by staying a couple weeks instead of a couple days.
Reply to this Why travelling... I never stood a chance... It's in the genes so to speak... My parents travelled and lived abroad, which means I spent my early childhood in different countries and when part of my family finally settled down in Holland (my father still worked around the world) we still would go on holidays whenever it was possible... When my father would return home for summer we would travel somewhere in Europe (every time a different country) and Christmas was spend either in Holland or Sweden, my mum's home country... And then we would also go for wintersport to Switserland, Austria or France most years... So it was always travel in one form or another... The result is that my brother is working and living in Peru, my sister is in Dubai and I live nowhere and everywhere... Consequently my parents are always somewhere visiting us...
I am a travel addict, if I am home for too long (that is more then 2 month) I need to leave... Also I feel more at home travelling then in Europe. In the west it seems to me most people live to work, not work to live... I am not interested in a steady job, financial security, the future, a home, car, vcr and what not... Give me a backpack and send me on my way and I am happy... Of course it is all in the realisation that I am lucky enough to have the choice, being born in the west, having had the childhood I had and the parents I have, whose philosophy in life I think is, as long as you are happy, and can support the lifestyle you want to lead without bothering others or bumming of others, go for it!
Reply to this i think i work at the hostel j is talking about in Ottawa, and yeah there are alot of 'age advanced' travelerswho come through here. to tell you the truth i would much rather a grey haired migrator than a bunch of rowdy 19y/os in town for a wild weekend. as i sit here writing this there is a video playing on the wall displaying our rafting packages with no-other than a man no younger than 65 paddling his heart away facing walls of white water and loving every minute. people with more life experience know there is more to traveling than seeing how location and altitude affects the hangover...(sorry about my rant). unfortunately when i try to express this to the self professed geriatrics they think im just being 'nice'....
i let Australia because i was bored with the same old routine, week in week out, some places same conversations. nothing ever happen that we hadn't done before. we moved and met new people a lot in my childhood so maybe some of that unsettled air still lingers around me! now though my thoughts and a little mixed. i travelled 3 months in south america, and loved every minute of it. when i arrived in canada i was happy to have room, kitchen, bathroom etc to call my own. i have a great job at the hostel, meeting people from all over the world, a great group to work with...but i think because i am 'settled' for the summer i am missing my friends and family at home. its alot easier to put you homesickness and feelings on hold while your in transition but when staionary with routine, things creep up! i just want to save money and work to keep travelling, and go out west to ski and snowboard ... in the end i want to stay in transition... i am making friends here but actual friends, not the travel friends that you hang out with for 5 days, sharing your great experiences and then depart company 'promising' to catch up again when your in romania or thier in tanzania! i think i want to go west to be around travelers again and be one of them. here a am settling and i think its scary because its the reason i left home...but despite of this i am to make the most of my summer i ottawa, and see and do all i can...i now realize though how hard it is so be an expat, completely uprooting yourself and moving somewhere completely different, not knowing anyone else and making a life for yourself...you never realize just what you have/had at home (though im in no rush to return)
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