We’re sure we’ve all thought or even said out loud at least once ‘I wish I could just jack it all in and go travelling’ or ‘if I won the lottery the first thing I’d do is book an around the world plane ticket‘. We certainly have. The idea of packing our stuff and flying off into the unknown holds a massive appeal for us. However, it is just something we could never do. Are we too old? Are we too settled? Maybe we’re too boring? Being travel bloggers we actively follow (and often envy) full-time travellers. We see them flitting from beautiful far-flung place to beautiful far-flung place living their ‘best lives’ (or simply showcasing their best lives, but that’s a completely different issue).
As a couple, we have visited 75 countries all over the world. So we’re not doing too badly when it comes to travelling and seeing what this big wide world has to offer. However, we feel that we could never strap on a backpack and do it continuously, not knowing when (or if) we were ever coming home. It’s nice (well, vital really) that we both feel the same way about full-time travel. We imagine that it could cause major relationship problems if we didn’t. We love to travel. That’s a given. It’s our favourite pastime and our biggest passion. We are fortunate to be able to do it as frequently as we do. So why can’t or won’t we commit to doing it full time? Here are just a few of our biggest reasons. Maybe some of them (maybe all of them) resonate with you too.
Careers
We both have careers that we have worked long and hard to succeed in. We think if we were bouncing around from job to job while at home it would be easier to find work while we travel. A bar job here, a fruit picking gig there etc. But we’re unwilling to forego our careers (and subsequent pensions) for that. Also, the careers we have are not something we could do while travelling. As a Marine Pilot, Mr ESLT needs to be near shipping waters. This makes moving around in his career not that easy. Vicky, is an Emergency Planner for a local authority. Even though she sometime whinges about her job sometimes (who doesn’t) she does enjoy it and there’s no guarantee she would find an Emergency Planning (or even something vaguely similar) job everywhere (or anywhere) we moved to while travelling.
The only way this would work is if we were digital nomads. Either by working for a company that fully embraces the ‘working from home’ regardless of where your home is ethos or setting up our own business. If being your own boss is on your radar but you are worried about how to go about it or the initial set up costs there is plenty of information available about personal loans or small business loans and related finance options on the internet. Obviously, you can start your own business regardless of if you travel or not but just think, you could be one of those people we follow on Instagram doing your work in the sunshine on a beach in Bali, swigging a cocktail from a pineapple.
Home
Yes, we love travelling, but also love being home in between our jaunts. We are both home birds and even now only live a maximum of 15 miles from where we were born. Therefore, just as full-time travel has never been on our radar, neither has moving away and living the expat live. As homeowners, we have decided (and been lucky enough) to put down roots in an increasing rental culture. The reasons for that – housing crisis, unemployment, lack of affordable housing are again a completely different issue. Albeit one we are extremely passionate about. Therefore by actually buying a house, we have chosen to live where we live and have chosen to live here for a long time (selling a house can take ages – we’ve been there before).
We have worked hard over the years to extend, renovate and decorate our house to suit our needs, wants and tastes. Therefore making it a home – our home. We love spending time in a space that we have designed solely for us. We find having a permanent base grounds us, and when we are away from it for a prolonged (for us) period of time, we miss it (and the two little cats that live with us there too, of course). Therefore we often travel with some home comforts to remind us of our house and ‘real’ life back in England.
Family
Even though neither of us has a massive family, we are close to them. Therefore, the thought of being away from them for a long time (possibly permanently) really does not appeal. There has been some ill health on Vicky’s side of the family in the past couple of years. Therefore, she likes being close to home and on hand if needed. We like having them nearby and we’d like to think they like us having nearby too. Also, as we are currently in the process of adopting, the thought of taking a holiday, let alone travelling full time with a child fills us with dread.
We’re sure parents who juggle child raising, homeschooling and travelling, do it well. But as full-time travel is something we wouldn’t enjoy in general as a couple, chucking a kid (or two) and all the stuff they need into the mix makes it, even more so, a no-no for us. We want a permanent and solid base for her/him/them, especially as an adopted child, as they may never have experienced that before. We of course plan to show our child(ren) the world, but in the way, we see it – through frequent, not full-time travel.
Friends
Mr ESLT worked at sea in the merchant navy in his early 20s on a 6 months on, 6 months off rota. He said he would not go back to that if someone paid him (which they did, very well by all accounts). However, one of the main things he missed while away was spending time with his friends. Which when you’re in your early 20s is a big thing. They would be creating great memories together that he wasn’t part of, falling in (and out) of love, settling down, having children etc all of which was very difficult for him as his life was on the road (well sea, but you get what we mean). Therefore, when the opportunity to become a pilot in his home town popped up he grabbed it with both hands.
As Vicky lost her parents young, her friends became her family and the thought of not being close is unthinkable. Missing special and precious moments – weddings, births of babies etc is something she just can’t even comprehend. Yes, you can skype and phone and jump on a plane home for the big occasions. But it’s not the same as a cuppa (or large glass of wine) while putting the world to rights together in person. And yes we’re sure we would make friends if we travelled full time. However, when you’re in a place for a limited time how well do you get to know (or even trust) them?
We Simply Don’t Want To
And if all the above weren’t reason enough – here’s the big one – we simply don’t want to and we don’t think we ever will. If we were going to do it we would have before now. Neither of us took a gap year, we have never backpacked South East Asia (we have however travelled through it) and have never slept in a hostel. And do you know what? We’re fine with that. As a traveller, there are no rules and other people’s choices shouldn’t make you question or feel bad about your own when it comes to seeing the world. Not everyone has the luxury of being able to travel, especially frequently. So the fact we can, we are thankful for every day.
If you take one trip a year and learn something about the place or even about yourself then surely that’s amazing in itself? Even when it comes to being travel bloggers, there isn’t a job description. No one says you have to travel full time to have a successful blog (if you were thinking of starting one). There are so many great and well-regarded bloggers out there who do not travel full time. Possibly because of some of the same reasons as us, maybe not. We’d love to know.
We only get one shot at life. Therefore, we need to get it right, or as right as possible and do what is best for us. If that involves full-time travel – go for it. If not, that is completely cool too!
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