Why I Value Travel…
I love traveling. Before I got around to traveling places on planes, I would drive to visit friends all the time. My wife has been a world-traveler for quite a while too. Our rule is that we must travel at least once every quarter. I think we’ve been doing quite well, and here’s a list of recent travels of ours, just for kicks:
- Columbus (solo) – July 2009
- London – May 2010
- Albuquerque – October 2010
- Tampa (solo) – November 2010
- Disney Orlando (wedding) – February 2010
- Key West (honeymoon) – February 2010
- Portland (yuck) – June 2011
- Pewaukee/Milwaukee – August 2011
- Red Rocks/Denver – August 2011
We’ve really picked it up recently! We think travel is very important, which leads me to the first reason I value travel.
1) Travel is crucial to your development
When I go somewhere new, I learn new things. Whether it’s something as simple as “Disney World is awesome!” or something like “London caters to gluten-free eaters quite well” – traveling is a huge part of personal development. When you step outside of your box, you adapt and think differently.
Just seeing how people behave differently in different places opens my mind to new possibilities. I believe being stuck in the same place for a long time stunts your development. I also don’t think cost should be a deterrent from traveling, which leads me to my second point.
2) Travel is affordable
If you look at an international flight price and say, “I can’t afford that!”, I’ll have to prove you wrong. You can afford that. You just choose to afford other things first. Making travel affordable is as simple as making it a priority in your budget. If you save up for travel the way you save up for a new computer, travel will be affordable for you.
If you really value travel – and I seriously think you should – then you’ll save accordingly to make those awesome trips happen. I detailed the cost of a trip to London, which I achieved simply by making it a priority and doing it. You might not even need to save as much money as you think, which leads me to my third point.
3) Rewards programs make luxurious travel cheap (and maybe free)
My name is Casey Friday, and I love miles and points. With rewards programs, I’m able to go places (in First Class) for free (or very cheap), that some people pay tens of thousands of dollars to go. My main sources of news on miles and points are the mile|point forums, and flyertalk.
Using hotel, airline, and rental car rewards programs makes my travel dreams incredibly attainable. I’m always looking for new ways to creatively earn more rewards, and the payoff of luxurious travel is well worth it.
4) Travel is fun!
Seriously, can anyone give me a good reason not to travel? Imagine driving a sports car through the mountains of California, walking the streets of London for a weekend, or just spending a few days in Disney World. There’s just no way doing these things won’t be fun!