10 EXCUSES NOT TO TRAVEL

I would love to travel but ...

The answers vary, but in the end are all the same thing - excuses! We believe there are no excuses when it comes to travelling, only solutions on how to overcome them.

1. "I can't afford it"

Possibly the most common excuse for not travelling. We agree, travelling can be expensive and it is hard to save when you have bills to pay. But, think of all the things you spend your money on that you do not need. Do you really need that new car? Or that flat screen TV? Most people that do travel are not rich, they choose to spend their money on travel rather then material items. If you truly feel travel is a priority, there are many ways to save money so you can make it happen. We have even found, after planning our full year of travel, that travelling can be even cheaper than your expenses would be back at home!

2. "I just don't have the time"

You know what they say, time is money. Here in Australia most people get four weeks of holiday time each year, on top of that they need to find time to see family, friends and what about time for hobbies or sports - it really does begin to look like we don't have enough hours in the day to complete mundane tasks, let alone find time to plan a getaway.

BUT if travel really is something you desire, you can MAKE time.We believe that it is all about planning ahead. Plan your trip around public holidays so you can use less of your holiday time. Plan cheeky getaways close to home or plan one epic holiday to a place you have always dreamed of going to so you have something amazing to look forward to.

If you want to travel, you will find time. Remember, we all need a break sometime and making time to fit one in is important!

3. "What about my mortgage and my job?"

Many view having a mortgage as tying them to a place, but we believe that this is not necessarily the case. If you want to travel long term, why not rent out your house? The rent might even cover your mortgage and some of your travel costs. Or, if it is a short trip you are looking for and own pets, why not try house sitting? You can go away for a while whilst someone keeps your place and pets safe.

What about the job side of things? If you are good at what you do and in a job you love we are sure there is a chance that they will allow you time off to travel the world. Of course, you won't be getting paid, but at least you will have a job waiting for you upon your return. I am a teacher and once my year contract ended I told my principal that I would be taking time away to spend a year or two travelling. Her response was, "Good luck, and the moment you are back in Australia please come knocking on my door".

And what about if your boss doesn't let you go? Quit your job, and travel anyway. If it is what you want to do, don't let your job hold you back - there will always be another job out there waiting for you (and you never know, it may be even better then the job you are currently at).

Stephen looking at the Harbour Bridge

4. "I have no one to go with"

We must remember, not everyone has the desire to travel. Many people are content living in the same city for their whole lives and never leave - which is fine! We find nothing wrong with this ... unless your parents, partner or friends fall into this category when you don't.

We want to emphasise that there is no rule stating that you must travel with someone. Go on that adventure alone - go solo! There are some amazing travel bloggers out there sharing their stories of solo travel. Check out World of Wanderlust and Nomadic Matt to get you inspired.

If solo travel sounds terrifying to you, then why not group travel? There are so many companies our there that cater to different age groups and interests which you can sign up to and be surrounded by other travellers who want to travel. We suggest looking into Contiki Holidays and Top Deck Tours as a starting point.

5. "Travel is not safe"

We can all agree that this is the first thing your mum says when you tell her you are going for any overseas holiday without her. Well, our parents do have a point, it is certainly wise to consider the safety concerns of anywhere you go. But are you going to let fear control you? As long as you travel smartly, do your homework and find out what to avoid then travel will be stress free.

6. "But...I've never done it before"

Our main advice for this would be to step out of your comfort zone! Trying new things is apart of life. To ease your worries why not do some research before. This is why travel blogs exist, to give information and knowledge to those that are seeking advice about travel and destinations.

Step outside of your comfort zone. Travel along the off beaten track. It will be that more rewarding and life changing if you do.

7. "I don't speak the language"

In this day and age language is no longer a barrier. Remember it is 2014, it's all about the phone apps. There are apps out there that translate words, sentences, signs and some even give you a list of pictures you can show people to convey the message you are trying to get across. Here are a few apps we find handy while travelling.

We also like to do a quick "Google sesh" the day before to learn the most popular words and phrases spoken in the country we are heading to. We recommend learning hello, goodbye, thank you, bathroom ... free wifi.

8. "I am scared that I'll get lost"

In all honesty, we hope you get lost. Getting lost is a major part on any adventure. At times getting lost will help you find little experiences you never would of come across. But, if getting lost is still not on your priority list there ways to get around the problem.

Three letters - GPS. Unlock your phone before you go and grab a local SIM-card that gives you data access. When we were in the US we called our mobile provider and they unlocked our phone for free. We then got a sim card for $50 that lasted us the month and used Google Maps on our phones to help us get around.

Kalbarri Roadtrip

9. "I hate flying"

Who says you have to fly to travel? And who says you can't travel closer to home? If it is an overseas adventure you are looking for why not jump on a cruise and sail to your destination. Most countries have cars, trains and buses that will take you to there. Simply chose where you want to go, do a bit of research and see how you can get there without involving air travel. We know it can be done.

10. "I'll do it someday"

There are so many things that we say we will do someday, but how often do we actually get these things done? We believe there is no perfect time to travel, but the time you start to live the life you want should start now! We highly recommend that if travel is your passion pursue it while you are young. And if that time has passed, still start now - you never know when someday will be your last day.

Do you think travel is worth looking beyond these excuses?

READ NEXT: 10 THINGS WE HATE ABOUT TRAVEL

[related_posts taxonomy="category" numberposts="6" minimum="3" itemsmin="1" itemsmax="3" image_size="thumbnail" carousel="true"]