To the Part-time Travelers
A lot of the travel blogs I read are from men and women who are full-time travelers. These are people who have left their homes and decided to be full-time nomads. They stay all over the world, sometimes for months at a time. They may have a home base, but they don’t really have a home. Some have sold all their belongings and make money through having a blog or a travel-related company. I like reading about their travels and the different things they experience, but in reality, I know those won’t be my experiences.
I live in Central Ohio with my husband and we enjoy part-time traveling. We like to take 10 days here and two weeks there, with some long weekends thrown in between longer trips. We both work full-time, we have a home and a dog. We have a church that we’re actively part of and we have family and friends whom we love to see. We love going on trips and exploring. We also love coming home to our bed, our family and our life.
I believe travel has enriched our home lives. I have little things around my house from my travels that remind me of the splendor I have seen; the beauty of God’s creation that I have beheld. And I’m thankful for those moments.
I have a little bit of trouble relating to people whose entire life is travel. I can’t take off for three months and backpack through Europe. Not only can’t I do that, but I actually don’t want to do that. I am happy to read their recommendations and tips on what to do and see. However, I know that I won’t be able to stay for as long as them and experience the same things.
My time is limited, and so I can’t have a three-month long experience. However, I can and will get the most out my ten days. I will do the most research so I can have an authentic, enjoyable experience. Anyone who knows me knows I’m fond of Rick Steves. Rick Steves is one of my favorite travel writers because he gets this phenomenon. He understands that Americans, as a whole, are part-time travelers. At one of his travel lectures I attended, he talked about how some people say you can’t do Rome in three days. He said people will say, “Oh you need at least three weeks to experience that city.” He responded, “Well, I don’t have three weeks. I have three days. Tell me how to make the most of it.” I loved that. Because I want to make the most of the time I’m there and yeah, it would be great if we could experience every single, great thing a place had to offer. The fact of the matter is, we don’t have that kind of time.
One of the reasons I started this blog was to write from the perspective of a part-time traveler. Some of you may not be able to move to Costa Rica for three months and travel around, but you could go there for ten days and you want to be prepared. You want to be able to save up for that trip and make the most of the experience. That’s what I’m all about.
I hope any traveler can learn from some of these tips and advice. But I know a lot of people who will benefit from this are those part-time travelers. I’m talking to those of you who buy a calendar of Scotland and check down the days until your plane finally takes off. I’m talking to those of you who have a jar by their door and put in a few bucks here and a few bucks there for their “vacation fund.” I’m talking to those of you who are going to the gym three times a week to get prepared to hike the Swiss Alps. I’m talking to those of you who have never been anywhere and aren’t sure where to start. I’m talking to those of you who have saved up for their trip, and now it’s time for the practical stuff… and they need some help. I hope this blog helps you part-time travelers.
I believe travel has enriched our home lives. I have little things around my house from my travels that remind me of the splendor I have seen; the beauty of God’s creation that I have beheld. And I’m thankful for those moments.
I have a little bit of trouble relating to people whose entire life is travel. I can’t take off for three months and backpack through Europe. Not only can’t I do that, but I actually don’t want to do that. I am happy to read their recommendations and tips on what to do and see. However, I know that I won’t be able to stay for as long as them and experience the same things.
My time is limited, and so I can’t have a three-month long experience. However, I can and will get the most out my ten days. I will do the most research so I can have an authentic, enjoyable experience. Anyone who knows me knows I’m fond of Rick Steves. Rick Steves is one of my favorite travel writers because he gets this phenomenon. He understands that Americans, as a whole, are part-time travelers. At one of his travel lectures I attended, he talked about how some people say you can’t do Rome in three days. He said people will say, “Oh you need at least three weeks to experience that city.” He responded, “Well, I don’t have three weeks. I have three days. Tell me how to make the most of it.” I loved that. Because I want to make the most of the time I’m there and yeah, it would be great if we could experience every single, great thing a place had to offer. The fact of the matter is, we don’t have that kind of time.
One of the reasons I started this blog was to write from the perspective of a part-time traveler. Some of you may not be able to move to Costa Rica for three months and travel around, but you could go there for ten days and you want to be prepared. You want to be able to save up for that trip and make the most of the experience. That’s what I’m all about.
I hope any traveler can learn from some of these tips and advice. But I know a lot of people who will benefit from this are those part-time travelers. I’m talking to those of you who buy a calendar of Scotland and check down the days until your plane finally takes off. I’m talking to those of you who have a jar by their door and put in a few bucks here and a few bucks there for their “vacation fund.” I’m talking to those of you who are going to the gym three times a week to get prepared to hike the Swiss Alps. I’m talking to those of you who have never been anywhere and aren’t sure where to start. I’m talking to those of you who have saved up for their trip, and now it’s time for the practical stuff… and they need some help. I hope this blog helps you part-time travelers.
Let’s go on a journey part-time travelers! The open road is calling.