Travelling in your 30s

Check out this article: Travelling in your 30s

I'm second oldest on this trip, but we all get older some day. I love this article because although this is a basic itinerary - "roughing it" - and I guessed most of the group and even our tour leader would probably be younger than me, I wanted to try it. The very nature of this particular brand of G Adventures tour is YOLO - you only live once - and it's specifically designed for 18 to 39 year olds. For me, this is going out of my comfort zone. Last year was a tough year, so this is my reward to myself. I want to go wild and remember what it's like to simply live in the moment, rather than be constantly worrying about the future.

I've always travelled with slightly older people (and in some cases a lot older) because of the types of tours I've done in the past - fuller, included itineraries with top end hotels. Basically having a bigger budget to spend! Funny, I like these trips just as much as I'm enjoying this one. It's a completely different experience, but still just as fulfilling.

You're more sure of yourself in your 30s. I now have the confidence to do my own thing and follow my well honed interests and passions. I know exactly what I want from this trip - and it's working out well. A little drinking and recklessness coupled with some adrenaline fuelled activities coupled with exploring the wildlife and getting out and hiking. All the things I love to do.

Although I have savings for a rainy day, I scrimped and saved for this trip and stuck with my job until I could afford to leave and do it. It's certainly made me view the money in my pocket with more respect and I've thought long and hard about how I want to spend it. There is still a bit for pure spontaneity as well... But I remember the days I splashed the cash around and did things purely because they were there. It was more about ticking off the sights and highlights, then actually appreciating where I was.

The end of this article is brilliant and sums up exactly how I feel:

"Delight in the road less travelled. Make lasting relationships. Explore the world with confidence, wisdom and no worries. Life is not a dress rehearsal so grab it and fulfill lifelong ambitions. Defy any expectations about your age and travel the world the way it should be."