Travelling is the worst idea I've ever had.

In this video I share my story and journey about the downside of travel, depression, the reasons why we travel and how can we bring the magic from travelling into our everyday lives, even as a person living in one location. It's a follow on from this video: • How travelling ruined ...
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[@thedavidboland]

I hope you enjoyed these stories and reflections from years of adventuring which are now in the distant past. Wishing you a happy journey today, wherever you may be.

[@SandySez]

"I didn't sign up for these feelings". Boy, that sent my boggled, old mind racing into examination and self-reflection mode. I think it will be one of those '-isms' that will revisit me often, lol! This is my first time landing on your channel, I look forward to further exploration of it .... from the comfort of my bed. :D

[@JustinPratt1]

Watched a show the other day and a quote from a guy rang so true after full time travel for a few years. "Happiness has little to do with geography." If you are not happy living in your own mind before travel, it will not go away, but get worse because you need to rely on yourself more than anywhere else.

[@nohonick]

“Wherever you go, there you are.”

[@Crime_Mime]

Reminds me very much of a quote from the Stoic Seneca. "Do you suppose that you alone have had this experience? Are you surprised, as if it were a novelty, that after such long travel and so many changes of scene you have not been able to shake off the gloom and heaviness of your mind? You need a change of soul rather than a change of climate. Though you may cross vast spaces of sea, and though, as our Vergil remarks, "Lands and cities are left astern", your faults will follow you whithersoever you travel. Socrates made the same remark to one who complained; he said: "Why do you wonder that globe-trotting does not help you, seeing that you always take yourself with you? The reason which set you wandering is ever at your heels." What pleasure is there in seeing new lands? Or in surveying cities and spots of interest? All your bustle is useless. Do you ask why such flight does not help you? It is because you flee along with yourself. " - Moral Letters to Lucillius, Letter 28, On Travel as a Cure for Discontent

[@TravelandLearn-ig4dw]

Yes, but naturally, traveling and exposing yourself to new ideas and experiences, you may find things that help u be happy with yourself​@@Crime_Mime

[@ayumisae6864]

@@Crime_Mimeinredible quotes, thank you. So wise and above all, so true. If we are unable to be happy with ourselves the way we are now, travelling won’t change that. 🙏

[@steez3103]

That's true but doesn't travelling help this? Maybe is the fact that you need to rely on yourself that help you adjust your overall feelings. It's been months that i'm thinking to do it for this reason but some days i'm hesitant

[@eternal7083]

"Influencers" are the modern version of advertisements. The sooner you realize that, the happier you'll be. Be happy where you're from, make it a better place instead of running away from your fears and problems.

[@Athelstan_lothbrok]

so it's not about escaping the matrix :D i think the word "work" has a bad image in our western world. To find something what you really want to do in life is nessacary, otherwise you keep shifting

[@Сфагнум-в9ъ]

Sometimes running is the last thing you can do. You're oversimplifying a major topic and it's not a proper thing to do.

[@eternal7083]

@@Сфагнум-в9ъ It's called a generalization. We make them all the time to find solutions to problems and improve xyz.

[@MrFrankEast]

This is so specific tho. I mean yes if you live in an average decent sized town/city your whole life in a state that has a good build up of your interests already then yeah sure, help make those interests bigger. But if I live in bumfuck USA and I want to study environmental sciences in the south your gonna literally be the only person there who cares lol. You HAVE to move to where you fit MOST times.

[@nadMoZzzg]

you definietly not watched the video, the guy put fake title to get clicks and talk about his depression and about how he actually like travel expirience

[@shogun42]

I started travelling just to realize that I already have everything what I was searching.

[@Hunkeykung]

So the travelling apparently had a function for you 😎

[@alannothnagle]

That‘s literally the entire message of „The Wizard of Oz.“ It‘s old wisdom that requires constant repeating.

[@donpardoe8067]

I'm old now, so every day I wake up is a blessing. Cherish every day.

[@thedavidboland]

[@martywilliard]

How do you define old ?

[@martywilliard]

@@samudramanthan8645 agreed. Was just curious how it was being defined

[@jonathanjacques7250]

Ditto

[@Buffenmeyer]

I used to think in terms of “working - then going on vacation.” Then one day I realized that my life is the vacation. Make every moment count whether away or at home. 😊

[@houseofshred3725]

They're all good days.

[@benkone420]

can u give some examples of how everyday life feels like a vacation

[@criley49]

How do you feel like you’re on vacation when you are stuck at work and can’t do anything you want to do?

[@SoufyanRaj]

@@criley49 You can start looking for a job which actually fullfills you and makes you happy. If you are "stuck" at your job and it feels like a prison, you surely are at the wrong place which will ultimately lead to depression.

[@HCforLife1]

@@benkone420 I think that he refer to life as vacation on this planet and it's your job to make it fun and enjoyable. Seems like a counter to the "world/life as a prison" concept

[@stayfree6115]

The whole travel industry is selling a dream, an experience a promise of fulfilment. But wherever you go whatever you experience, or goal you attain. If you don't get right spiritually mentally and emotionally you will be left empty. Because as the saying goes "wherever you go....there you are" I had to take the journey within. I have traveled the world 🌍 for 45 years as a seaman. When the inside is right, the outside reflects it. Places are just things, and people are basically the same, needing food clothing shelter and love. And for the first three and arguably the last. you have to get the money right. Happiness is an inside job. And you have to really love yourself. What travel did for me, is that it has given me these realizations. (Lessons) And given me so many experiences and story's to tell. I don't regret it.

[@thedavidboland]

Beautiful ❤ thanks for sharing 😊

[@SarahKate365]

You need to be invited to host a TED talk

[@thedavidboland]

@@SarahKate365 let me know where/when

[@ISeeYouOliver]

Happiness ia an inside job. I love that. Thanks for the wisdom

[@ayumisae6864]

@@ISeeYouOliveri love this quote! Thank you

[@tomasr64]

Something to consider. Back yard traveling. Become a gardener. Much cheaper than the well beaten tourist trail.

[@YoniBaruch-y3m]

WWOOFing you mean?

[@marcmeinzer8859]

But too much like work. I do it anyway. Nobody wants to live in a pigsty type years.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

Correction: yard not years. I like my yard especially the back yard which is fenced in where I feed the squirrels.

[@justachannel8600]

You don't even have to have a garden. I go from my city home to the border of the city. Then I can walk by the river or through a forrest. There's an amazing amount of scenic places. Does it beat a mountain hike or the beach? Well probably not, ymmv, but you know what's great? Hardly anyone does it. So you can really find secret places where you are all alone. Guess it really depends where you live, but I would have never known had I not done it.

[@jimmullins1270]

100%. Growing a solid garden is so much more fulfilling than a fleeting trip that lasts a week.

[@lorenzell3104]

This is why most of us travel with a friend or a spouse. And frankly, a lot of travel is expensive and not worth it.

[@davidcooke8005]

If I add it all up I've spent a little over two years living in my various vehicles. I was younger then. I'm older now. Now I'm sitting in a well lit room, next to a cozy woodstove, watching someone on KZbin suffer instead of me. This is the best time to be alive.

[@thedavidboland]

haha, love it. Thanks for tuning in David :)

[@markbajek2541]

Yep nothing like being warm instead of shivering in a cold rain

[@BIKEnSKILLET]

😅

[@glennbeadshaw727]

You will suffer Again David

[@glennbeadshaw727]

You only experience the introductory offer

[@Para_Ninja]

If i could go back in time I would implore my young self to NOT travel.. breaking all relationships and real local connections for fleeting moments in a ocean of loneliness. While others moved on and had families building a life foundation I lost 10yrs of life, no different to being an addict. It didn't make me a more interesting person, no one really cares where you've been. I will never forget one young fellow female traveler correctly stating "Its selfishness disguised as personal freedom".

[@ignacioc5284]

so you were traveling because you wanted to look more interesting? or because you thought people care? i think that was your problem

[@underarmbowlingincidentof1981]

@@ignacioc5284 I mean to be fair nothing wrong with that. I've wasted my last five years studying, having no friends, no experiences, literally as if I had slept 5 years in a coma and woke up with a piece of paper with my degree on it. Had I travelled those years I would have at least had a story to tell, lived life a little. Now I only have a one way ticket into some office job...

[@YoniBaruch-y3m]

Very well said. Interesting points. Similarly I’ve worked for a couple decades and the levels of commitment required annihilated any balance or virtue or healthy lifestyle. But in the modern socioeconomic system, the only alternative was starvation in poverty.

[@Chris-dw6cu]

@@YoniBaruch-y3mnot quite accurate. You can leave that system. If you stay in it you must want something it provides. Most people simply never consider other options because they are afraid of living outside the system wen it's all they've ever known

[@HazewinDog]

What made you travel and what makes it so that you regret it in retrospect? I mean I guess I understand being behind in terms of the 'expected curve of life', but that's not something you HAVE to care about. I guess I'm wondering what changed? Why was it worth it at the time, but not anymore? Were your experiences not as important as you expected, in hindsight?

[@skatetoexplorevideos2477]

“Happiness only real when shared.” - Christopher McCandless

[@_Arugula_Salad_]

"I have had a happy life and thank the Lord. Goodbye and may God bless all"

[@knockedoutloaded279]

men need women it's called - normal.....

[@salus1231]

@@_Arugula_Salad_ where are you going ?

[@sethwilliams720]

It reminds me of the “single serving friend” quote from Fight Club. Some people come into our lives and serve a purpose for that moment or time being. It can be sad when it comes time to go your separate ways, but having an impact and creating a memory with a random person is a pretty special thing that doesn’t happen very often.

[@serbkebab2763]

What are your thoughts on social media like Facebook allowing us to cling on to these “single-serving” friends for years after we parted ways? I’m still getting life updates on people I met in a random hostel in Colombia 10 years ago. People I don’t talk to and will probably never talk to again. It feels like keeping your dead grandma on life support. Sometimes it’s best to cut all ties and just enjoy the memory.

[@tenminutetokyo2643]

It beats a 9-5 day after day locked up in a box.

[@titolovely8237]

theres a season for everything. a season for schooling, for carefree learning, a season for travel, for adventure and novelty, a season for work, and becoming productive and growing through adversity, a season for family, and giving what you have so that those you love can grow, and there's a season to get old, to look back on it all and smile. life's beautiful whatever season youre in. the only constant is that every season ends. enjoy your current season for what it is.

[@Sunyataura]

Facts

[@inthefuns]

@@titolovely8237well said.

[@dosgringoscroata]

​@@titolovely8237 so true!

[@chrisdanielson1219]

If only you didn't need money. Eh?

[@tundrabee119]

Establishing community is so underrated. And the older you get, The harder it becomes to do so. I've chosen community and third spaces over money and traveling. Sure sometimes I feel like I'm in a bubble, but it's cozy and healthy. (Although very privileged to have in-laws in a beautiful area of the country) Friends are so important. And sometimes they take a while to really connect. To be in a space where friendships can be nurtured over time is priceless. Traveling is enriching and great for the soul, but to live that lifestyle without a solid home base would freak me out.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

After quitting constant business travel I became a barber and enjoyed just hanging out in a barbershop. I met even weirder people that way. Including grow house operators who came in handy.

[@liammhodonohue]

​@@marcmeinzer8859😂as if we needed any further confirmation that barbers launder money for drug dealers

[@ModernCavemanLukas]

We were created to be sociable creatures 😄 So being social makes us happy.

[@aldonis7515]

I decided to sell my home and possessions and prepare myself to live in a tiny home after I traveled throughout 2023 and loved it. I had a lot going on, and traveling and meeting new people and places really helped me move on from things while simultaneously stimulating my mind with new experiences both good and bad that would make for interesting stories. I've worked throughout my entire 20 years and just done with it. I have no kids, no gf, no debt aside from the mortgage and just gonna enjoy life. I realized life is more than just money, and I don't want to be defined by what I own, but what I know. I know it's not going to be a glamourous lifestyle, but living in my truck as I traveled was pretty nice (My tiny home will be a 6x12 cargo trailer conversion, so much more comfy!)

[@ModernCavemanLukas]

Write a book about those experiences. Share them!

[@kentwood9821]

A friend of mine who's father was old and soon to pass, spent a Summer together driving to visit and photograph each and every town in their state. They had a blast and the photos and memories he shared with his friends were phenomenal. Every town has a story behind it, something strange and something beautiful. Adventure is everywhere if you're willing to stop and take a hard look. The most important ones are the ones we share, face to face and heart to heart.

[@chilloften]

Some of us suffer terribly with nostalgia. I’m glad to experience the emotion, but it honestly blows my mind and is detrimental on the daily.

[@MackLee23]

Yes. I'm torn between knowing what's nostalgia and what's depression. It's a constant longing for me...

[@chilloften]

@@MackLee23 there’s another word for this.

[@chilloften]

@@MackLee23 Hiraeth-a deep bittersweet feeling of longing & nostalgia that goes beyond simply missing a place or person. It’s like longing for home, when really you never even had a happy home. Anyway, it sux.

[@warrenking4586]

What l learnt. It's all normal. One life is no better than the other. It is all inside of you. ❤

[@thedavidboland]

100%

[@youlube1029]

Travelling is over rated, we can enjoy so of the most incredible places just an hour or 2 drive away from our homes. Back within few days to the comfort of our bed and pets. I ve done my fair parts of the places i wanted to go, alone or with people and took amazing pictures and videos, tasted the food etc.. . Today the thought of going places, hotel, bnb, and be in middle of crowds or hours to wait doesn t inspire me. People are in liberty mode when holidaying and i can t afford to witness human behaviour( stress, alcohol, drugs, fighting, spending, arguing..) I prefer jumping on my bicycle and get lost within 50 kms of my own place, rain, wind or not. My pets always welcome me is like the best feeling in the world, even if that was for fews hours or few days.

[@frenchyroastify]

Yeah, I'm lucky enough to live somewhere nice as well. Money that I could spend travelling, I spend on making my everyday life better, such as good bicycles , renovating my place, and good food. I try to keep a constant happy mood, never really depressed. Being surrounded by just good people def helps.

[@duncanhamilton5841]

The niggling feeling I had travelling in the 90s was that I was always chasing the horizon. After a while I concluded that it wasn't that I was seeking something, but that I was actively moving on from where I was at that moment. This somewhat profound realisation made me go home. Home to where my roots are, where 'my people' are, to find contentment in what I had available on my doorstep. Its only now, almost 30 years on and with the kids grown up, that I've got the itch again. The deep urge to sell off all this material I've accumulated, sling some stuff in a backpack, go up airport, and just get a ticket to anywhere. Would I be chasing the horizon this time, or running from where I'm at? Would it be the same now I'm financially secure and able to live on the Amex and not my wits? Maybe it is that at 48 years old I'm suddenly quite aware of my own horizon coming up surprisingly fast. Maybe its a dim sense that society has failed, broken the planet, we're drifting toward WW3, and that anywhere is better than here. Or maybe, just maybe, I look at film of a sun torched Irishman, then out the window at the steel grey English sky, and I think to myself 'a stint in Portgual would be quite agreeable right now'. 😂

[@thedavidboland]

haha, love this. thanks for watching and sharing mate

[@nomadicam]

I've traveled and traveled and traveled and I think the difference between us is that I haven't got a home to go home to, and my people are spread all over the place. But I guess my task is to create a home for myself eventually.

[@ModernCavemanLukas]

​@@nomadicam God speed to you 🫡

[@getreal7964]

Hey David, what you're proving (and showing bravely) is that peace and happiness are always only ever found within our own minds. I've travelled, I've settled, I've had money and I've lived Essentialism and in all that, the most content, the happiest I've even been have been those moments of inner peace, a oneness with the whole universe which just makes you smile inside and out

[@thedavidboland]

hey

[@gmc9451]

What doe a oneness with the whole universe even feel like??

[@ModernCavemanLukas]

Yeah... if you have garbage in your mind, youll be taking it everywhere with you if you dont take it out.

[@_..____]

I'm planning on hiking across a few countries south of Europe in a few days. My feelings are mixed between guilt of going away from work, balance, loved ones, responsabilities, away spending hard earned money, not actually building something, with the feeling of excitement and the constant need to explore. I feel stuck, yet I'm travelling often. I work between two countries, but cannot find a final place to rest. I don't have a home, but have many place I can live at. Somehow your video touched something in me. I long for a home, internally and externally, a place of mine I can trust and rest. But I must travel.

[@sebastienbolduc5654]

I rather be traveling and be lonely, while dealing with the heartbreak of meeting people for a short period of time and parting ways. At least you have those few moments of joy within your life. It's much better than being stationary and lonely without those short encounters and moments of joy. I think that's the driver for why some people travel, or wish to do so. It's a lifestyle that picks you. If you're somebody who is surrounded by a healthy social life then you'll probably not be psychologically prepared to travel. It's definitely a lonely road. There's a reason why pop culture has so many songs and movies based on the lone wanderer archetype. People coming in and out of my life within short periods of time, while being stationary, is the only reality I have ever known. That's why traveling brings me so much joy. At least I'm not stationary. Beyond that nothing is different. If anything, I have more of those short term experiences with others than when I'm stationary. But you're right about those feelings you felt for 20 years happening within a two week period of time while traveling. I just prefer to look at it in a more positive light. If you didn't travel you would have never had those moments with the ones you met. For people who can have a balance between the both, stationary and traveling, then they're truly blessed. And yes, if you can't travel you can always find ways of getting out of one's comfort zone and explore. Here is something that will blow some people's minds, a lot of people live and die within a fifty mile radius of where they were born. Some are okay with that notion, while others aren't. Look into your lineage/family tree and go back ten generations. Look at where they came from. You may be surprised that we weren't always as stationary as we are today. Your ancestors moving around are the ones who made your families lives better. I believe that it's within our nature to be moving around. As for myself, I never want to live out the rest of my life, and die, in the place I was born. Some people literally need to leave the nest they were born in, that fifty mile radius, in order to find meaning and their place in this world. If anyone reads this, and you feel that this is you, your instincts are 100% correct. That's your genetic memory talking to you. 🙂

[@TravelandLearn-ig4dw]

You have described mt feelings so well, i couldn't even do it better. People frequently come in and out of my life, and even my loved ones, they have their families and stuff, and I'm just an occasional pleasure or meeting, that's why i rather not be that, i rather to be the one choosing when and how and for how long to connect, traveling is magical to me, not despite, but because of that control over loneliness.

[@DoritosBurger]

I just don’t like the idea of being in one place too long. I like to see different places, cultures, people. I grew up being highly introverted and always preferred to spend more time by myself than with other people so travelling just makes perfect sense for a person like me.

[@MannerofMagi007]

I think an assumption that you will be rejected for your true self at home is a large part of people’s desire to travel. Seeking freedom elsewhere as opposed to doing the hardwork of establishing boundaries and building up funds or housing changes, identity changes at home and accepting what comes with it. In this case you can’t form long lasting relationships and those few are often challenged due to major values differences. Maybe we should start assuming the opposite.

[@nomading_in]

I was lucky to invest a period of my life as digital nomad, but equally was faced with the bitter sweet nature of the travel life. Having a lifetime of depression cycles, for me at least, travel played equal parts in exposing me to my worst moments, but also my best. I remember one specific moment, where I'd planned a stay in Kuala Lumpur, and found myself in a flat in the south of the city, working long days, not really going outside, and struggling to meet my basic needs of eating and socialising. Anyway, after 2-3 weeks I'd found myself in a pretty dark place, facing some problems cascading over from my previous life, and feeling very alone in a suddenly very big and remote place. 2 days before I was due to move to my next travel destination, I mustered up enough energy and went to the centre, met a group of really nice people, made new bonds, had my faith in myself restored, and went on to enjoy whatever the next period of my travel had to offer. Travel is a harsh life teacher, but regardless of how hard it was, I'd recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity.

[@thedavidboland]

beautiful

[@ModernCavemanLukas]

I believe that we were meant for change, thats why we are so adaptable in any scenario. And it seems you adapted to it pretty well 😄

[@motorxrules1]

The worst thing I find about travelling is coming home. I will always remember sitting in Shin-Hakkodate station up in Hokkaido Japan, three cancelled shinkansen (Bullet trains) back down South. I still felt lucky to be alive and in such a beautiful place and spent the three hour delay walking around the local town and visiting an Udon shop. 😄

[@lb6056]

I traveled pathologically for three years to try to forget my husband’s death. It didn’t work and now I am grieving him all over again four years after his death. “Wherever you go, there you are.” Now, I am in one place and trying to work through my grief without the distraction of constant travel. It wasn’t worth it for me. The challenge is to be happy with where we are first and foremost. That’s the hard part.

[@markusdufner]

Great Video. I realized that I originally started travelling to escape from real life, from my thoughts, from me and myself. The negative and destructive thoughts and emotions were travelling with me. Regardless how nice the place seems to be on the outside. Now we are travelling to find a good homebase that will support my life and the life of my family in the best way. Without mixing These things together, now i can work on myself to get rid of my negative thoughts and Mindset and at the Same time I can find a nice environment

[@thedavidboland]

love this - thanks for sharing Mark and wishing you well on your journey :)

[@vnm_8945]

“Are you amazed to find that even with such extensive travel, to so many varied locales, you have not managed to shake off gloom and heaviness from your mind? As if that were a new experience! You must change the mind, not the venue.” (XXVIII.1) from Seneca to Lucilius letters

[@BIKEnSKILLET]

Living in a vehicle seems depressing

[@ItsMeNanaD71]

I travel & camp to get away from people, not to join them. I never feel more lonely than when I’m surrounded by people. I prefer the solitude. It’s a break from “regular” life for me. Most people fly to destination areas for their vacations; I pack up my camping equipment & my dog & off we go to find remote places to camp so we can recharge in nature. I could never travel full time & not have a home base to land. As much as I love traveling & camping, I love coming home as well. I’m already “lost” enough, I’m not looking to add to it by having no home base, by having to search day & night for places I’m welcome to stay. That’s just me though.

[@os-qt1hc]

I'm 37, I have travelled a lot and honestly, I think I slowly grew tired of it. I got to a point when I started to prefer the beauty of the known rather than the excitement of the unknown. I already feel like I've been everywhere and seen everything (even though I've only visited maybe approx. 25 countries). Travelling is expensive (and I always travelled on a small budget) plus when I imagine all the trouble I would have to go through to be able to enjoy one nice beach or one nice view or one nice jungle or one whale or elephant or one nice lake or eat one nice meal or whatever.. it is just not worthy to me anymore. When travelling, you see some beautiful places, experience things which are nice and pleasant, but the pleasant part of travelling is maybe 10%, and the remaining 90% of the time you are suffering for whatever reason (you cannot find any food that you would enjoy, cannot find toilets when you need them, you rent a car with a tank that is almost empty, you get a flat tire or you cannot start the car one morning, you rent a scooter because it is the only way how to get where you want and then you have an accident because you've never driven one, beds or pillows are super uncomfortable, the weather can be pretty extreme, locals shouting and smoking in a bus right next to you, somebody robbing you, you have diarrhoea or other health problems, cocroaches, no electricity, mosquitoes, extreme humidity and sweating, no pavements, no forests, not possible to walk wherever, locals do not understand your problems and sometimes you feel like you landed on a different planet, you name it .....). You cannot just relax and enjoy your day in peace because you are not in control of anything. Not like when you are home. There is a constant overcoming of obstacles and constant stress, rushing, organising, moving, worrying, clutural shocks, expectations not met, dealing with all kinds of people, getting scammed, sometimes being scared of the locals or annoyed by them, constant problem solving, transport issues, food poisoning... it is so exhausting. My colleagues who have not travelled as much as I have complained to me some time ago that they hadn't been abroad for 2 years and I thought.. well, me neither but I just don't care about that anymore. Last 2 summers I spent 2 weeks with my parents chilling in their garden, reading a book, going on bike rides either alone or with them, going on walks in the forest or swimming in a lake and I felt so incredibly relaxed and rested and joyful. Best holidays ever. I have never been so rested after any of my travels. Simple things bring so much joy when you are in an enviroment that you know, with people you know, doing things you like and everything is predictable to some extent. It is so much more relaxing than jumping into the unknown where every day is full of the unpredictable and you need to be constantly alert and constantly lower your standards and suffer in conditions that you are not used to only to enjoy a nice beach here a nice mountain there, exotic fruit and food that will eventually give you diarrhoea 🤣 Also, I have to say that in the past couple of years I have gradually become more content with myself, with my life, and overall more happy. I have started to love myself and have gained some self confidence. So I do not feel the need to go to some exotic place to feel happy. I can just walk for 8min from my house to the nearest forest and hike for an hour and I am as happy as I can get 😄 travelling can definitely enrich your life a lot. Travel if you can, but don't chase happiness and fulfillment on your travels. You won't find it there if you don't already have it in you. There is no need to spend every holiday travelling the world. After having travelled to Asia and the US, I have realised that things which I considered normal and was used to were not normal everywhere else in the world. I could write about that for hours. But to finally end this essay: I appreciate what I have and where I live so much more after having experienced life in other countries. There are nice places, things and people everywhere, but I cannot be as relaxed anywhere else as I am when I am in my home country just doing things I love with people I love.

[@stevo728822]

Paragraphs

[@os-qt1hc]

@@stevo728822 Stevko, tebe sa nechce napisat jednu celu vetu a odo mna cakas odseky? :D

[@mg-z6]

Wow that conclusion was great. Btw once I was talking to my friend and mentioned that I was going to vacation soon. Her first question was - where are you traveling? And I did not want to go anywhere, for me vacation was never equal traveling. I was just excited about being able to spend more time on my "normal" life than when I work. And for my friend that seemed boring. At first I really started thinking something was wrong with me. But later I realized just the opposite. My "normal" life is filled with amazing things everyday and I am happy when I can have more of it, for example during my vacation. Don't get me wrong, traveling is cool and I have nothing against it, but I want to travel when I want to and not only because it is vacation time on my schedule. I am grateful for living a life that I don't want to escape from. Thanks for your videos!

[@thedavidboland]

thank you for sharing, have a great day friend :)

[@kelleemerson9510]

Same goes for every happy ever after situation. Education, money, marriage, kids, etc.. Trying to be content and grateful for what you have now is hard work, but worth it.

[@thedavidboland]

100%!

[@annieshavingthoughtsagain]

I was obliged by circumstances to "travel" when I was a young teen-ager. I'm nearly sixty now and I treasure my stable, boring house living life. I really don't take it for granted.

[@LuniaVojty]

I think you can be proud of yourself because it looks like you are well connected to your emotions. And thats a big treasure!

[@1x93cm]

It's not traveling when you're just using it as an excuse to run away from your problems and real life.

[@darkspectro2948]

Some problems can’t be fixed

[@harorider96]

I remember going to a festival in Miami and spending three days with awesome people. I told my friend “wow… I won’t see them again” and I was depressed. I don’t run away to traveling as often anymore

[@michaelconnolly7681]

You made a lot of really, really interesting comments here. For me, I like to find joy in the ordinary. I don't need to travel to find that. But I also love travelling whether it's abroad or where I live, in Ireland. I like to be in the moment. I don't see travelling as an escape, I'm just enjoy the holiday while I'm there and it's great .I know I'll be back at work in a few weeks time and I like that. The only time I had difficulty coming back from a holiday is when I came back to Australia and it was just jetlag for two to three days and coming back from a tropical climate to a cold climate was hard for those few days.

[@thedavidboland]

cheers Michael!

[@rschier1]

If I lived in Ireland, I would not have the slightest need to travel anywhere; what a beautiful place !

[@LilyGazou]

You have so much to see just in Ireland. Envious of you.

[@FSVR54]

@@rschier1crazy thought

[@rschier1]

@@FSVR54 Crazy, but true.

[@kimlittleton4943]

This is such a fantastic video. Thank you for sharing all the "raw" of traveling. I feel this way despite my means of travel is much different than yours. I have met some fantastic folks along the way.....for a day or two.....and then you lose them. I had never identified my sadness until watching this video. I totally agree with you. I just happened to be on a weekend adventure recently, and met this wonderful lady in an antique store. She was so kind, 78 years young. I loved meeting her and she has been in my mind like for the past 2 weeks. I guess I have always cherished these moments, these people, and have never acknowledged the loss (despite the fact it was there). Lovely video.

[@digitalhermit8928]

Attachment and expectation are the root of all suffering. You can fill a life with letting go. Enjoy it, but let it go. Wonderful video man, thank you for sharing

[@thedavidboland]

thank you

[@digitalhermit8928]

@@thedavidboland You're welcome. I enjoy your videos. Even if some are more sad than others they strike me as very authentic which is something that seems scarce in my world some days

[@MackLee23]

My question is, how does one learn to let go? It seems to come rather naturally to some, while others struggle their entire lives. I'm one of the strugglers. As much as I try to convince my conscious to let go, it's the subconscious that always seems to hold on no matter what.

[@susanropars8200]

@@MackLee23I think attachments and expectations are normal. I think the better key is learning to accept the struggles that come with it as part of life and doing your best with those emotions. We wouldn’t have the highs of life without the lows. Life hurts part of the time.

[@DaDa-kf4vp]

I moved to the Big Island with this mindset. Stayed for a year. I learned a great lesson. It’s not where you are, but who you’re with. I was lonely most of the time and missing home.

[@robinbinder8658]

travelling by bike or on foot ("non-touristic") is a hardcore confrontation with yourself. its not fun. but i am a sucker for pain. so my months of travel have given me growth and memories for the rest of my life. for me it was all worth it. travel as long as you are young

[@TheDanielHayes]

“Travelling is a fool's paradise. Our first journeys discover to us the indifference of places. At home I dream that at Naples, at Rome, I can be intoxicated with beauty, and lose my sadness. I pack my trunk, embrace my friends, embark on the sea, and at last wake up in Naples, and there beside me is the stern fact, the sad self, unrelenting, identical, that I fled from. I seek the Vatican, and the palaces. I affect to be intoxicated with sights and suggestions, but I am not intoxicated. My giant goes with me wherever I go.” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

[@ninosebiskveradze6403]

Finding that special one to share the travelling moments with, sunsets and depression, anxieties and happiness.. to share life....but where to find that connection in this two faced world.....

[@carpediem7654]

This is so spot on. I found myself wanting to escape the travel to go back to what I originally wanted to escape from. After spending 2 years traveling I realized i can be happy where I am.

[@KonsBela]

Im 38 and heading for a divorce after 16 years of marriage and 2 kids. Decided to fullfill my life dream to hitchhike from London to Thailand and will set off this July. Liked your video cause it shows other perspective and it not as rosy as it sounds. Will do it anyway though

[@kentwood9821]

Christianity gets a bad rap sometimes but is a great resource for inner strength and direction, and churches are ubiquitous the world around and most will greet a stranger with a smile. Orthodox (similar to Catholic but based in the East and not Rome) in particular has a system of monastic prayer and meditation which lends itself very well to the travails of the traveler mindset. Buddhism is a viable path as well, but less personal and harder to find in small, rural towns or even most cities, leaving you often times high and dry as before. A genuine and time-tested spiritual path (as opposed to cobbling together one's own) is well worth considering. As a life long 'cobbler' myself, I am very happy to have found a spiritual home. Happy trails, in any case!

[@8journey8]

Your video has had a profound effect on my philosophy as a would-be traveler. Often in my life, I have found myself wishing to be elsewhere,....feeling that I have been left behind while others are joyfully paragliding over foreign landscapes, living in the moment, and that I am stuck in an entirely predictable and boring life. It never once occurred to me that my romantic version of travel might be only part of the travel experience.....and that travel might not be the endlessly glorious experience I had thought that it is. That thought is a comfort to me!! Further, the idea that I am missing opportunities for adventure in my own small space gives me hope. Lacking the money to travel will not mean I can't find purpose and fun right here right now. Thank you, Mr. Boland.

[@buzzlightyear9256]

Truth is travelling is not for everyone. Most people I know travel to diffrent places to do exactly the same as they always do. There is difference between being a turist explorer or adventures. Im an adventurous explorere and alergic to turist activity i like emty beaches far away from any club pub or 5 star hotel

[@NDKY67]

I found the loneliness quite liberating at times, especially when I was in places where there were no other travellers. But yes loneliness definitely something to consider, you are leaving your entire support network and it test you in ways that you won’t expect.

[@FlyingBeardMan]

Thank you for sharing your experiences and feelings. We don't all feel this way though. The 'deaths' you speak of can also be seen as opportunities that we pass through. My mind perceives them as chapters ending, with the excitement of a new one beginning. Most times, the new chapter has been better than the last. It is possible to see the gain rather than loss, at least that's my experience.

[@Urban_Piggy]

If you can eventually flip your thinking and see things from another perspective, that’s a talent. But, I think it’s a worthwhile one.

[@HowardWortonjb71]

The only point to anything is to keep going and don’t give up. Keep things as simple as possible and you’ll not go far wrong 🦄🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿😸👍

[@jonathanjonathan7386]

travelled for 30 years, lived in 7 countries. Finally lost my enthusiasm for it during the covid hysteria. it was ugly and hysterical and vile, travellers being trapped abroad, thrown into hotel prisons when returning to the uk, walking round with a rag on ur face. I just cant find the enthusiasm to start again. So much of who we are is habit and maybe to some extent i just lost the habit of travelling during the covid period. There are so many beautiful places in the UK, happy to go to those places for holidays or day trips but not sure I will ever backpack across SE Asia again or interrail around Europe. As for David's video, it was good and insightful. I know well the empty feeling of homelessness when you dont know where u'll be staying that night and ur all alone. I'll never forget barclays cancelling my card when i was in thailand leaving me with not even enough money to phone them to uncancel my card. The kindness of a stranger helped me out then. I never really felt the sadness on parting from travel friends though. I was happy to spend time with them and happy to move on too. Also happy to come home after travelling. There is joy in home as well as the trail.

[@WildBakerCrew]

It was for me always great to leave people, i mean cause in these short friendship everybody is most of the time nice and cheerful, we dont have the time to meet the deep bad person we can be, or we do not like. And even relationship always refer to us as a good person. Maybe we are, maybe we are not. We all pretend to be cooler than we are, thats generally human nature I guess, but we cant hold it forever. And after a life of travel, just a few people stay friends, wherever they are... And Im still on a different path, keep moving and making friends at my age when most of people are settled, have friends, family... Is damn complicated.

[@TheAmerz1]

an old roommate gave me the best bit of advice. "wherever you go, there you are" - thing is, I'm lonely when surrounded by people or not, I wish I were more outgoing. my husband is best friends with everyone he meets, or at least tries to be. He's the golden retriever, I'm the cat. so I couldn't make friends as well if I traveled the world.

[@Urban_Piggy]

I understand completely!

[@garethmorgan3665]

@TheAmerz1 Haha, I identified with your comment. Wonder what animal I would be in social situations? I try to be a Golden retriever but can end up being one of those abandoned puppies in shelter no one wants... Wish I could be a cat impervious to the need for strokes and attention. I did some solo travelling and it's definitely not for me. It gave me some useful lessons and maybe it suits some people but making friends is not easy and the ones you do make in these situations I imagine are quite intense but also superficial.

[@koennijhuishandpan]

No matter what you do, if you do it to escape it wil come back at you. I really like the last part, how to integrate a spontaneous and adventures mindset while living in one place. I`m a big fan of micro travels, get out for a few days.

[@thedavidboland]

micro travels are so amazing!

[@pedrozatravel]

I agree, but I have never had the opportunity to travel for more than 3 weeks at a time, so I do wonder what it would be like traveling full time.

[@marietjejansen]

KZbin recommended your video, and I loved it and subscribed. This is so relatable. I have travelled a lot, and what you said about having to say goodby to your fellow travellers indeed really hurts. Amazing how destiny gives you compagnions on your road though. I did keep in touch with 3 fellow-travellers, for 25 years now. When I look back at my journey's, I am so glad that I found that we are, indeed, all connected. Have a wonderful day!

[@thedavidboland]

you have a wonderful day too :)

[@DanIngham]

the most powerful thing about travelling for me are two things, when solo travelling it's very powerful and transformative being on your own knowing you can interact with new people in hostels and make friends and meet new people from all different cultures and walks of life, it cemented the belief that in general, most people are really good and kind and friendly people, regardless of race or nationality. travelling solo gave me a lot of inner confidence and has lasted and stayed with me now even 10 years later. I have friends and connections all of the world as holiday options now I can consider the city my friend's are living in and from. I travelled solo in total in 2 trips for 2 years and 10 months. there were challenges also, it also taught me that happiness is not 'out there' in some dream destination by a beach, that also does not mean I cannot enjoy that, but there is no perfect happiness waiting for us somewhere externally in a destination, yet at the same time different places and people definitely have different vibes and it's definitely possible to live in a place that will make you happier, the place wold depend on you as a person, likewise some places would make you more unhappy than where you live now. and ultimately you can live in your home town and be happy.

[@seanhall]

travelled for years and your the first truly honest depiction of how i felt many times.

[@Шедуле]

I use to hitchhike after graduation in my 22yo. In few months I covered about 25000 km. No internet, no google maps, no cell phone, almost no English. Just me my bag pack and paper map. It was extremely hard and I had same feelings but it was awesome unforgivable experience. Today Im 43, partnered and we are traveling only on the planes and staying in comfortable hotels or guest houses. Getting older you need much more comfortable and predictable travel experience.

[@PeterReefman]

I've lived in China for almost ten years now (I'm an Aussie), and while much of my life has now become routine again, I feel like I don't really need to travel - because this life in this weird place is an endless travel experience. I love it, but it often makes me feel very very "small". Luckily I've met a great partner here (Who I've lived with the the past 5 years or so) and we've built a nice life together. But she's also my rock, in terms of loneliness. Yes I did have some very lonely days before meeting her. People to love (If not a partner, at least real friends), networks to be a part of. These are the most important things in my meaningless personal opinion.

[@harleydavis3814]

Shanghai?

[@CC-br9qg]

I wouldn't be who I am without my experience navigating other countries, both group trips and solo as a young woman. When I talk to men who have never left the USA, I feel they are close-minded and less educated on the world. I have stories I can't wait to tell my future children. Travel expanded my consciousness. It's easy to have these opinions when you are already well-traveled. You are preaching to a choir of people who likely will never travel the way you or I have. I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything

[@thedavidboland]

Love this take!

[@_Arugula_Salad_]

There are women who've never left the US either. Your mind is still pretty narrow.

[@michaelbravo3866]

@@_Arugula_Salad_ its part of western culture. everything has to be divisive. you always have to make sure everyone knows you are a female traveling 'solo,' which means you're a big girl. the real travel channels are just men talking about the best places to get away from this kind of person.

[@crud420]

your kids are gonna be so stoked to hear about all the dudes you sucked off over there

[@CC-br9qg]

Nothing divisive about what I said except your response to my comment. Gender was mentioned in my original comment at all because men love to hate on women who travel, but it's something to be praised if they do it. Keep your politics at the door, and I'm sure you'd be surprised which side of the aisle I lean towards. You sound like someone who has never traveled and/or hates on people who do. Making generalizations about someone as if you know them is hilarious. Yes, you're talking about passport bros. Yuck @@michaelbravo3866

[@outbackgearforu]

No matter how far you travel,if you’re empty on the inside ,travel won’t change that. And to think that what you saw on instagram or facebook is reality,that is super naive ,and yet a lot of young folk think like this,even after “ opening up their minds” with travel ,which tells me that something bigger is at work

[@darylfortney8081]

Travel is intensified living

[@BlazingTonic2009]

The worst part is the disconnect you'll have with your coworkers when you return. A lot of people don't understand the backpacking type of traveling, only the "Let's stay in hotels and do all the touristy stuff" traveling. There's nothing really wrong with that, but it is definitely not the same thing, and the former usually requires more of an adventurous type of person.

[@thedavidboland]

Yup!

[@WaddyMuters]

For me travel is great, but I think two things are important to realize: 1.) It needs to be a shared experience, friends or family 2.) The best travel feels is, like 6 months after your home. The memories are the precious thing, that's why you need to travel with people. That's just what I've gathered

[@deepfocusinside4685]

I share the same insights from travelling 20 years ago. Now I enjoy more having a small cabint and a nice garden in a beautiful countryside near my hometown. If I feel the need to travel, I do a two day bike ride into locations in the range of 200km around my hometown and enjoy visiting unknown places and biking on new routes through nearly abandoned villages. These are travels I really enjoy the most and which nearly don't cost any money.

[@1789Bastille]

he is right deep down. the points he is making are not well put though. I mean hitchhiking in brutal summer temperatures? Wild Camping? just pick two or three nice camping sights and stay there and book a train, bus, taxi. If you want to travel the hard way, than the rewards and torture can both be high. I would recommend to go for comfort.

[@wanderwithwade]

travel is what you make it - i would never say its the worst idea

[@tylerdavis520]

As a former “traveler”, it’s mainly just running away from the responsibilities of life. You can’t build anything of substance with such constant frivolity

[@Urban_Piggy]

I travelled alone for four days to Italy. That sounds great right? I was supposed to be gone for more than two weeks! I’ll go again, but not alone! That’s the difference. It’s better to share these things.

[@nomaderic]

Its almost like a video game to me. Like when you first play one of those great open world games like skyrim, red dead redemption, etc. You have this vast world with all these points of interest and you just wanna explore every inch of this. I do this in real life. Ive never left the united states but have been to over 7000 places aka points of interest. I hear about a place, see something online, or just spend hours on google maps scanning around finding places. Then i pin it on my map. Ive been to 7k but have nearly double the pins that i havent even been to yet and i add more damn near everyday. I could spend the rest of my life exploring America from hikes to restaurants to cool little towns, etc. It never gets old to me and the thought of sitting in 4 walls when there's a whole world out there is crazy to me. I wanna see everything!

[@onenoodles]

Lovely video and brave to open up ... I have never travelled for extended periods but I have travelled a lot over many years. For 20 odd years I have also taken annual solo motorcycle trips all over Europe and always alone. But these trips are mostly for 12 to 14 days and when I am planning them then I can't wait but at least 3 or 4 times on those trips I will often have a feeling of dread or overwhelming doubt of the purpose ... its weird and then it passes and I settle in and love it. The worse one was last year, I am 64, comfortable with my own company and I was in a beautiful outdoor Spa in Baden Baden as a treat before I headed back to the UK ... the sun was shining, it was lovely and I couldn't surpress this feeling of pointlessness ... it was crushing ... a couple of hours later and I was fine, called my wife and talked to her about it she said that its normal, that I know it passes so don't fight it ... I don't now and I am off for 2 weeks to Italy in June on my bike and it will happen again no doubt 😂 but its fleeting and so not going to stop just yet.

[@polardiscoball]

One of the reasons I choose to stay in there arctic is that people here take the time to visit with one another. Strangers wave hello and people are generally more open. I'm not saying its not like that in other places but for me the pace of welcoming one another and making time for tea and conversation keeps me grounded and feeling like I am part of a healthy community.

[@_Arugula_Salad_]

Whereabouts? Alaska? Finland?

[@Dial8Transmition]

Thank you for posting about this, it makes me feel a bit better about how I personally feel about traveling. I have never in my life wanted to travel, sure there are places in the world that would be cool to see, but all the things that comes with traveling; the stress, scheduels, money, people, planes etc. I just don't think my fantasy about these places is going to make up for it. Whenever I have told people this I've been treated like some kind of wierdo, literally every single time. This has always made me feel like I'm in the wrong, like something is wrong with me because I don't like doing something everyone else does, making it seem like I'm missing out on life etc. It's tiring. Why can't I just be happy where I am with what I got? Why do I HAVE to go out for these experinces that don't even appeal to me?

[@brianmsahin]

Interesting video. Another Irishman here living in Türkiye for more than 20 years. I too did the big round the world trip, 14 months with a backpack , started in Venezuela during a huge crisis (I suppose there's always a crisis in Venezuela), traveled all of South America, on to New Zealand, then Australia (short stay as I'd lived in Australia before), then onto Indonesia, SE Asia, India and eventually back to Ireland. There are definitely an awful lot of ups and downs, but my friend, when you are, like me looking back almost 20 years since you did it, you'll remember all the good times and forget the awful things! I did find being home to be difficult to handle though, I was bored and still took every opportunity to get away from the mundane. Now, living here, I can find adventurous places to go with ease as Türkiye is incredibly diverse and my wife is as adventurous as me ! Nice to hear your thoughts, I understand how you feel !

[@thedavidboland]

love this! thanks Brian and wishing you well

[@chilloften]

I love your videos and hearing your thoughts. Glad people who think long and hard are still here, on this earth with me.

[@kevin_24x7]

Another amazing story. Thank you for telling.

[@EllieM_Travels]

Excellent video with lots of great insight! I’ve lived my whole life moving to a state, finding work, and exploring everything there is to see in that part of the country. I’ve lived in the NE, SW, NW, SE, and Midwest, moving 29 times. I understand exactly what you mean about the loss! I grieve the area and the memories every time I uproot and move on. I’ve spent six months in one spot, and the longest was 10 years. Contentment is found wherever you are. Couldn’t agree more!

[@adioalexsk8]

embracing both and it’s a mindset 🙏 .. I came home in 2020 and have really struggled adjusting back for the longest time. So much of what you shared here applies, in finding this balance and what we need to do to be able to design our lives realistically and financially - finding joy and appreciation in the little things. Thanks for sharing your journey w/ us. I had many of these feeling back in 2019 or so.. it’s crazy how life continues as it does and I wish I documented more, atleast of my feelings. Sometimes I’ve just been too in the moment (not in a bad way) that I haven’t given time to step back and record on my reflections. Great work on this video btw! :)

[@Adam-pd7lh]

this video is masterpiece

[@thedavidboland]

thanks for watching Adam :)

[@ben10pop]

Travelling is the best way to figure out if you are comfortable with your own company. Those who aren't will find it difficult, but for those who are happy alone will appreciate the time and solace alone mixed with chatting with people here and there. Being an introverted traveller is better alone from my experience anyway

[@shraddashradda]

I’ve traveled everywhere, only to realize I never wanna travel anywhere ever again.

[@Lomaxthereviewer]

Surely you would not have been able to come to your conclusion that adventure is something realised rather than something to be sought after without going out and seeking that adventure through travel in the first place? I think that this discovery is one of the main values of traveling that one might not get from staying in their comfort zone. I also dont think things that are temporary are things that should be feared. Particularly in your youth, life moves in chapters, people enter, people leave. There is time for volatility and there is time for stability. Great video though, very well argued and honest. Personally I think its important to note that travel, exploration and being uncomfortable is often how the curios mind is able to identify how they are supposed to be satisfied within the so called "normal" life.

[@thedavidboland]

I agree, me making this video is horribly ironic, haha ❤️

[@clipkut4979]

After traveling for years and living in many countries I'd still recommend traveling, especially to a developing country. That did 2 things for me. It made me appreciate all the little comforts of Western life that before went unnoticed, and I think about this every day. And it also made me realize that people in poor countries often live happier lives than people in Western countries, regardless of objective poverty. Travelling is also monotonous. It's like living Groundhog Day. Wake up, pack bags, checkout, get transport, find a new place to stay, make small talk/friends, go to see the local "thing" (waterfall/forest/temple/sea, etc..), go out to have fun, go to bed. Rinse and repeat for months/years.

[@thedavidboland]

really love this, thanks for sharing

[@Stormcloakvictory]

I've traveled nearly all my life, and have already seen a lot of the pearls from a young age as my dad always loved to travel. And tbh, I was never too happy because I wanted something's to happen during those travels which rarely ever happened. So honestly, most of the time I really didn't care for traveling, I only have a hand full of experiences during our travels that I truly liked, and usually they had next to nothing to do with our destination. My happiest moments were talking to some girls or meeting some new friends, but it's easier to meet new friends in your own country or city than it is to on vacation.

[@LuniaVojty]

Travelling can be intense but thats why we can learn so much about ourself and about life. It gave me a very nice kick to understand better my place in life. But its not for everyone.

[@WooCashM]

Build a life that you don't need to run away from by travelling.

[@stephenabstract1536]

It depends who you are. Hermits like solitude, more social people need be around others. I drove around the California mountains, Nevada, and Arizona panning for gold and encountered state parks where you couldn’t pan for gold or housing developments and frightened yuppies trying to retire by RVing. They would always stop in the tracks and stare looking afraid not saying hello or being friendly. It has a lot to do with the society we live in. Many people who live in nice neighborhoods or have a nest egg to travel in a nice RV have sold out in life, comprised their values. The haves and have nots and are afraid of the poor knowing how they made money.

[@whereisbartek]

Wow! I was trying to figure out this pain and dread that travel brought me. And then why the normal life felt after coming back. Finding the balance is gold. Thanks for confirming my feelings and thoughts. Covid lock-down forced me to travel more around my country & be happy with what every day brings to me. This made finding the balance & adventure in everyday life possible. thanks!

[@thedavidboland]

so happy to read this

[@katwaugh1686]

Went through the same thing. I ended up moving to a different country to teach, and I did not bother to travel for 5 years. I just wanted to get to know a place and people and keep them. And living abroad means you have an international community so you won’t feel alone.

[@ChronicUnderachiever1]

I moved to Japan 1.5 years ago and started making videos expecting it to be this grand adventure all the time. Needless to say, it has been a grand adventure, but I am torn almost daily 50/50 between continuing it or moving back home and cultivating something lasting. Great video, David. I resonated with all of it.

[@thedavidboland]

maybe you are cultivating something lasting on this grand adventure? In fact, I think every moment in life is helping us to cultivate something lasting, wherever you are.

[@ChronicUnderachiever1]

@@thedavidboland - Absolutely! Whether the actual physical location is here or somewhere else, the lessons and life experiences are cultivating what I'm able to pass on to others. Cheers!

[@KantoCafe715]

In Japan a couple of decades, it has its place but I think the 2011 Great Eastern earthquake was the beginning of the end for me. But it sounds like you're not my generation, so it could work for you

[@pauladuncanadams1750]

Hitch hiking is dangerous. You don't know who's picking you up. Back in the early 70s, my brother and SIL used to hitch hike. One day, they were picked up by a couple of guys on their way back to my parents' home in a rural town. Instead of going to town, they took them to a secluded road where several ranchers had property. They busted beer bottles over my brother's head and beat him up. After roughing him up, they drove off with my SIL and raped her. Even as a driver, it's not exactly safe. You don't know who you're picking up. Just don't do it!

[@matthewdietzen9152]

Loneliness is the human condition. Around people? You can still feel lonely! Married with children? The same thing. It goes without saying that if you are wandering around, you will feel lonely. However, the key is to understand that this the default setting. All you have to do is accept that you will feel lonely from time to time. Managing expectations about travel is the key to enjoying. The only I expect is to see new places, things, people, and hear new sounds, smell new smells, taste new foods, etc. If you can travel, you are doing something that most people NEVER get to do, except maybe for business, or in a short sporadic burst. So relax and enjoy it!

[@DarrenBoydraddadlovinlife]

Thank you once again for your honest perspective.

[@thedavidboland]

My pleasure!

[@seamusmcgrath7165]

Really resonated with this David!! I've been in the "normal" world for awhile and often dream of life on the road. Best path is living life with a sense of wonder / adventure no matter where you are. Thanks for the vulnerability.

[@thedavidboland]

Well said! cheers mate :)

[@y_yy_2844]

Vacationing feels like a waste of time to me. I don't feel personally compatible with people who do it a lot and they don't seem all that happy when I deal with them, either. Like the travel is some attempt to fill a void or a need within them that should be attended to in another way. I feel guilty about having this opinion regarding vacationing and I keep it to myself now apart from talking online.

[@CC-br9qg]

I feel the exact same about people who don't travel. To each his own, I guess. I wouldn't be who I am without my experience navigating other countries, both group trips and solo as a young woman. When I talk to men who have never left the USA, I feel they are close-minded and less educated on the world. I have stories I can't wait to tell my future children. Travel expanded my consciousness. There is a difference between vacation and travel.

[@chilloften]

Who said it…the map is not the territory.

[@SDC-s4e]

Agreed! You're not alone. However, don't ever feel bad about expressing your opinions, you're not answerable to any human being. Find yourself, know who you are, stand in absolute confidence of that and speak! Happy trails.

[@Yarmox]

Depends where youre from. If youre working in some crappy mega city for years on end, you will be curious to go somewhere more ideal.

[@AvaruusSpace]

Adventure is not something to be sought rather something to be realized. That's fking deep man. We are all visitors here and no matter what your life turns into, it's your adventure.

[@rogerfroud300]

I was never that adventurous, and the older I get, the happier I am to just stay at home and follow my interests. Yes, some locations are interesting, but I'd never travel on my own. I've travelled to many countries, but was always pleased and relieved to be back in my comfortable home. I'd be absolutely miserable without someone to share travelling experiences with.

[@curioussentience4935]

Profound insight. You've helped to nail down the ideals drawing me to different paths, thank you. Adventure can be had anywhere. Travelling forces it upon us, but we can choose it from stability if we resist excess comfort and laziness.