How I’m Approaching Travel Differently in My Thirties

I recently celebrated my thirty-fourth birthday by doing the thing I love the very most: traveling.

This number doesn’t signify a major milestone by any means, but it does mean I’ve just entered my mid-thirties – and it made me stop to reflect on how traveling at 34 looks far different than traveling at 24.

In my mid-twenties, I’d only recently begun earning enough disposable income to travel and looking back at how little I was earning at that time, I’m amazed by how much I could squeeze out of every cent. Those first few major trips, though, were… bumpy.

Money loomed above all other considerations, which meant taking the longer, multi-leg flight, sleeping in homes with strangers in the next room, and always relying on local public transit (navigated with a paper map or using free WiFi at McDonald’s – paying for local cell service seemed far too extravagant!) even though the journey would take significantly less time in a cab.

In all honesty, I don’t think I could travel with my 24-year-old self as a companion today (at least, not without strangling her). But I learned a lot from those experiences, and they’ve shaped the way I travel today – even though some of the ways I travel today are in direct opposition to my younger self’s principles.

Now that I’ve reached the middle point of the fourth decade of my life (cue my heart missing a beat while typing that out), I’ve observed some of the shifts in the way I prefer to travel. And age isn’t the only influence here – certainly, the events of the past few years have made an impact, as have rising costs across industries.

Experiencing my travel mindset evolve over the past decade is a great lesson in itself, teaching me that the principles of how I’m traveling today may not be the same further down the line. While the items on this list may not continue to shift over the next decade, I like the idea of putting pen to paper (or, say, fingers to keyboard) on topics like this to explore these changes:

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A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON TRAVEL IN MY THIRTIES

Time is just as valuable as money

Time used to stand still when I was younger – now I frequently feel like it’s moving ever faster. Where I would once gladly save $10 or $15 by taking public transit, today I’m much happier to spend a little extra to save time. I’m even willing (though begrudgingly so) to rent a car if needed.

I don’t have to go very far to feel like I’m traveling

I don’t necessarily have to fly to another country – or even get on a plane – to feel the same sense of curiosity and adventure that I get from bigger trips. I believe every destination has something to offer travelers who are open to receiving it, and I’ve found that I can take a quick weekend road trip in my region and satisfy my travel cravings equally. Best of all, these trips are usually less expensive and easier to plan.

Where I stay matters

I was once happy to crash on a friend’s couch or in a stranger’s spare room for next to nothing, but I find the older I get, the more I value comfort and privacy. These days, my accommodations of choice for shorter stays have largely shifted away from Airbnb (primarily due to increased costs and the issues they cause for local communities) and more toward boutique hotels. These properties offer travelers a sense of the spirit of a destination combined with the conveniences of a traditional hotel.

I’m paying more for meals, but also less

I’ve always been reluctant to call myself a “budget traveler” because even at my thriftiest, I would splurge on incredible experiences (if you’re looking for a label, I much prefer you use the term value). And while I’m still glad to pay for those unlike-anything-else meals, I’m feeling less enamored by mid-range restaurants (think, New American restaurants that serve a $19 burger with no sides – that type of place). Give me a mom-and-pop deli, a gas station taco joint, or a tiny phở spot with three tables serving honest food at honest prices any day of the week.

I’m moving a bit slower

It was like as soon as I turned thirty, my body just broke. While I’ve mostly bounced back after a bout of health issues over the past few years, I simply just can’t walk – or sit still – for as long as I once was able to comfortably manage. I’m still hopeful things will return to normal one day, but in the meantime, I’m embracing a slightly slower pace and enjoying getting to linger more than I once did.

I also need more recovery time

Once upon a time I could arrive home at 2 a.m. after a late flight, and be up-and-at-’em in the office six hours later. Though I detest the trend of young people calling themselves old, the truth is, I need more rest than ever to fully bounce back. I’m learning to be okay with that because the alternative is going full speed and burning out or putting myself or my health in more danger. Back-to-back flyaway weekends are largely a thing of my past; these days, I need a lazy weekend at home between trips.

The post-travel blues are less-blue

Don’t get me wrong – I’m almost always sad to leave a destination. But an unexpected perk of getting adopted by a cat is that I always have a reason to look forward to coming home. Another thing that helps me feel better about coming home? Traveling with the mindset that I will return one day (love a good excuse to come back!).

I’m taking more photos (with me in them)

There really aren’t that many travel photos with me in them pre-blog; I often avoided standing in the frame because it felt so conceited or self-absorbed. But looking back, I wish I had photographs to capture how I looked and felt in those places, because the more I travel, the more difficult it has become to recall the sensations I felt long ago. These days, I’m in way more photos than I wish, but I hope my future self will appreciate my current discomfort.

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PLUS A FEW THINGS THAT HAVEN’T CHANGED

Travel is still my main source of energy

I feel most like myself when I’m either traveling or planning a trip – just like how others say the same about when they are gardening, running a marathon, or caring for their children. It can be a blessing and a curse to have itchy feet, but I fully embrace it.

How I search for flights

Unless I’m traveling for a specific event, I still generally let the flight cost and travel times dictate where I go. This is the reason I’ve been able to visit so many cities over the past decade – even though it means I haven’t visited some destinations high on my list yet.

My in-flight experience remains about the same

I refuse to pay for luggage on a short trip – it’s just part of my nature to avoid paying extra for things I feel I shouldn’t have to – and I still won’t check a bag (unless it’s full of great food souvenirs from a far-flung destination. Maybe). I also don’t splurge on things that were once free on a plane, like seat assignments or snacks during the flight (and you won’t catch me paying to upgrade my seat anytime soon – at least, not as long as the money is coming from my wallet).

My preferred mode of transportation is my own two feet

As long as the weather is decent, I have the time, and can manage the distance, I’m likely walking where I need to go. I truly believe this is the very best way to get to know a city.

I love to dress for a destination – but in my own way

Packing is one of the most exciting parts of trip planning, and I love browsing geotags on Instagram for inspiration. I always love the challenge of experimenting with local looks while staying true to my personal style – all while pulling from my own closet and fitting everything in my backpack or carry-on.

Encouraging others to get out and travel

It brings me immense joy to capture incredible travel experiences and share them here in the hopes that you’ll take the opportunity to travel whenever you can. Life is unfairly short, and so are our weekends; here’s to making the most of them, no matter what decade you’re in.

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FINAL THOUGHTS ON MY SHIFTING TRAVEL PERSPECTIVE

“It’s about the journey, not the destination.”

We’ve heard this phrase so many times that it has lost its meaning, but it’s the easiest way to sum up most of these minor travel philosophy shifts.

I’ve found that treating the entire process of traveling as something that should be enjoyed (versus only the big stuff!) has made the biggest impact on my travels – and incredibly, not at the sacrifice of my travel budget. Cost is still one of my biggest considerations when traveling; I’m just finding small, inexpensive ways to improve the overall experience.

This, plus a healthy cup-half-full travel mentality, has made it clear that travel is where I want to spend most of my time (along with writing about it here, of course). I’m really looking forward to what the future holds, and I’m so grateful that you’ve chosen to join me on this journey.

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Questions for you

Have you noticed any shifts in the way you like to travel?

What is one inexpensive way you’ve made your travels more comfortable?

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