Travelling vs long term relationship
Discussion
I speak from a parents perspective.
What the hell are you waiting for ?
My daughter is having the time of her life in China, although she is teaching in an international school, and its her second time in China.
We facetime a couple of times per week, we are out there at Easter for a couple of weeks, she's going to Australia for Xmas and the New Year and then she will be doing more travelling over the summer. She is ludicrously happy. And that is all a parent wants.
Do it.
Cheers,
Tony
What the hell are you waiting for ?
My daughter is having the time of her life in China, although she is teaching in an international school, and its her second time in China.
We facetime a couple of times per week, we are out there at Easter for a couple of weeks, she's going to Australia for Xmas and the New Year and then she will be doing more travelling over the summer. She is ludicrously happy. And that is all a parent wants.
Do it.
Cheers,
Tony
Not gone yet?
Go and see the world now because if you don't, one day you'll regret it and it'll be too late.
I was lucky to have a job, at 21 that took me all over the world and I did it for many years, I was normally travelling alone which was great IMO as it makes you get out and do stuff, plus you don't have to deal with someone else's s
te. Only downside was I had to work Mon-Fri, the upside was that someone was paying me to do it.
It does eventually get tiring (so do it while you can) and now that I'm married with 4 kids I wouldn't want to be still travelling 10-11 months of the year.
Now I just do the odd week a couple of times a year (and reducing) although as I'm approaching retirement, I might consider a more leisurely version with the Wife - kids permitting...
Go and see the world now because if you don't, one day you'll regret it and it'll be too late.
I was lucky to have a job, at 21 that took me all over the world and I did it for many years, I was normally travelling alone which was great IMO as it makes you get out and do stuff, plus you don't have to deal with someone else's s
te. Only downside was I had to work Mon-Fri, the upside was that someone was paying me to do it.It does eventually get tiring (so do it while you can) and now that I'm married with 4 kids I wouldn't want to be still travelling 10-11 months of the year.
Now I just do the odd week a couple of times a year (and reducing) although as I'm approaching retirement, I might consider a more leisurely version with the Wife - kids permitting...
Thanks for all of the replies so far, its pretty much what I expected, I have a lot of people egging me on IRL.
I think I knew the answer already, like somebody said, I just need it slapping into me.
I think the reason the split was so hard is because it was amicable, there was nothing wrong with the relationship and we don't hate each other. I feel ruthless leaving her to be a selfish prick and I could have it all back tomorrow if I said I would wait for her, I think that's what I'm struggling with most.
Some of the OP makes me sound like a loner when this isn't really the case. I have a good social life, its just that the gap in it now my friends have moved back is more noticeable without a girlfriend to spend time with. I'm not leaving to escape anything, this has been on my mind for years.
Re destination; I understand that Oz is one of the most expensive places to travel, believe me I've spent hours looking into all of this and I've also been there. The reason Oz is the plan is because it seems like the easiest place to get started, if I'm not sure I have the balls to get off a plane on my own in Melbourne I definitely don't think I have the balls to jet off to SE Asia. I wouldn't plan on staying in Oz, but it feels like less of a jump into the unknown to start off with.
I think I knew the answer already, like somebody said, I just need it slapping into me.
I think the reason the split was so hard is because it was amicable, there was nothing wrong with the relationship and we don't hate each other. I feel ruthless leaving her to be a selfish prick and I could have it all back tomorrow if I said I would wait for her, I think that's what I'm struggling with most.
Some of the OP makes me sound like a loner when this isn't really the case. I have a good social life, its just that the gap in it now my friends have moved back is more noticeable without a girlfriend to spend time with. I'm not leaving to escape anything, this has been on my mind for years.
Re destination; I understand that Oz is one of the most expensive places to travel, believe me I've spent hours looking into all of this and I've also been there. The reason Oz is the plan is because it seems like the easiest place to get started, if I'm not sure I have the balls to get off a plane on my own in Melbourne I definitely don't think I have the balls to jet off to SE Asia. I wouldn't plan on staying in Oz, but it feels like less of a jump into the unknown to start off with.
Mr. Nice Guy said:
I think the reason the split was so hard is because it was amicable, there was nothing wrong with the relationship and we don't hate each other. I feel ruthless leaving her to be a selfish prick and I could have it all back tomorrow if I said I would wait for her, I think that's what I'm struggling with most.
This sums things up for me. You're still on good terms, thinking 'what if', and frankly feeling a piece of crap for considering leaving her behind. I get it. Unfinished business scenario. But ask yourself, is she willing to leave the life she knows, work, friends, lifestyle, et all, to join you, to allow YOU to fulfill your wish.
Thought not. It's on her terms. There's your answer.
It's pricey. Some girl. Fear of unknown. Blah blah blah.
Honestly mate, there is a reason why the responses are unanimous and that's because it will be the best thing that happened to you. And once you have done it, taken that leap, you will never look back. Experiences will make you and you will look back on life before and see it as a past chapter that was almost irrelevant. You'll also never be afraid to jump again.
And the best part, who knows where you will end up. Or for how long. Or where you might end up working. Or who you might end up meeting.
The very very worst case scenario is you come back a year later, look fondly on your photos and your new pals on social media and decide home is where the heart is. I strongly suspect, however, your heart will have found another home.
The world's a small place now and travel is cheap in the context of it. The one commodity that is never cheap is time.
Honestly mate, there is a reason why the responses are unanimous and that's because it will be the best thing that happened to you. And once you have done it, taken that leap, you will never look back. Experiences will make you and you will look back on life before and see it as a past chapter that was almost irrelevant. You'll also never be afraid to jump again.
And the best part, who knows where you will end up. Or for how long. Or where you might end up working. Or who you might end up meeting.
The very very worst case scenario is you come back a year later, look fondly on your photos and your new pals on social media and decide home is where the heart is. I strongly suspect, however, your heart will have found another home.
The world's a small place now and travel is cheap in the context of it. The one commodity that is never cheap is time.
If I were you I would look at using Singapore as a base too.
Lots of flights to most of Asia on the cheap from there and you don't even need to really stop in SG, just use it as a hub.
Aus is good and not too bad on price, definitely don't just stay there, try out all the other places, plus remember, Aus to Asia is not a cheap flight so it must be taken into consideration when visiting the different places.
I was lucky, I just took the OH with me and we did the traveling together whilst we both worked in Aus/Singapore, my adventure still has another 9 months left before the call back to Europe happens.
Lots of flights to most of Asia on the cheap from there and you don't even need to really stop in SG, just use it as a hub.
Aus is good and not too bad on price, definitely don't just stay there, try out all the other places, plus remember, Aus to Asia is not a cheap flight so it must be taken into consideration when visiting the different places.
I was lucky, I just took the OH with me and we did the traveling together whilst we both worked in Aus/Singapore, my adventure still has another 9 months left before the call back to Europe happens.
Go. I was with a girlfriend who had left 2 months earlier than me travelling. I went out to meet her and we broke up 2 weeks later. She admitted she had decided to break up before I came out but didn’t say anything so I would come out.
Best 6months of my life. Made so many friends, and would love to do it again.
Get on that plane ASAP and enjoy yourself.
Best 6months of my life. Made so many friends, and would love to do it again.
Get on that plane ASAP and enjoy yourself.
Take 2 weeks of work, get an estate car and see if you can get to Moscow and back, that's what I did in my last year of college... Turned up 2 things for me, firstly I'm not a great traveller, my sister spent 6 years backpacking and traveling and it's sort of in my family but it's just not for me. And secondly I missed my then girlfriend (now wife). In my 20s I did lots of travel with work, Japan and China mostly, and it better suited me, 4* hotels and not hostels, laundry on expenses and food prepared with at least a hint of hygiene. Yes I had a mortgage at 21, but now I'm 42 it's nearly paid, I got my kicks on motorbikes, skiing holidays and weekends in the hills
It might not be a binary play... You don't have to go all in!
It might not be a binary play... You don't have to go all in!
At the age of 26 I found myself out of work and living back with my parents.
After 2 days I bought a 1 way ticket to Melbourne on impulse and arrived on Christmas Eve
I came home 2 1/2 years later and jumped into the rat race
To this day I have no regrets
It was easily the best thing Ive ever done
Now I have a wife, kids and a mortgage it would be nigh on impossible to repeat
If you plan on having the appropriate visa to work you may need some more paperwork and organisation, although if you have a 5 figure sum already stashed then washing dishes may not really add that much to the experience
Good luck!
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff