There's a Chinese saying that travelling 10,000 miles can be more illuminating than reading 10,000 books.
Do it when you are young.
School vacations or after graduation are the best times to do so.
If you do not have time at this age, pray tell when you will have time when you are running on the treadmill? After marriage with kids?
Even better if you don't have much money! You will discover how resourceful you are when it comes to raising funds (this skill-set may come useful in later life).
Do it the back-backer way - not package tours. The kind where you arrange your own tickets and hostel bookings, use public transport, eat out at road side stalls or cheap cafes.
If you have a silver spoon in your mouth, try it see to how long you can survive on your own for the fun of it! Nothing wrong in discovering you are your daddy's boy or girl forever... And banish the thought of being your own man or woman for you are not.
I should be talking. Did I travel when I were young?
No.
And I wasn't thinking about retirement when I started work at 16. People like us with no silver spoons in our mouths were too busy making a living to worry about retirement!
It's good to start early when it comes to financial planning; but not at the expense of youth!
Money lost can be re-earned. Youth lost is forever gone.
I am now making up for lost time. But somethings are not the same when it's done at 18 and at 40. Trust me.
OK, maybe don't. Go ask your parents or other elderly relatives.
I was so proud of myself when I took public transport as in bus from the airport to my hostel at Romania, Bucharest. That experience encouraged me to do the same at Bulgaria, Sofia.
Remember, can't read a single word, and the drivers don't speak English. I was in my early 40s and was in my 2nd tour of duty working overseas, so nothing much to celebrate here. But as a sheltered (big daddy takes care of everything) Singaporean? Woo hoo!
So imagine how impressed I was with those 18 year old vacationing students I met in Bucharest and Sofia!
There's something to be said about young French girls... Ah, how I wished I were young again. So fun to see the Italian and American boys trying to chat up the two French girls staying at the same dorm with me. I should be so lucky!
What's the point of travelling young again?
If travelling alone, you may discover whether you can function without rules and order. If you can't, you may want to work for big daddy or MNCs where there are protocols, standard operational procedures and guidelines and all. Start-ups and SMEs are not for you.
If travelling in a group, you may discover whether you are more of a leader or follower. Good at working in a group or better doing it alone. Whether you are a contributing group member or just a free-loader. Again, this helps in your choice of job speciality? No?
If travelling with boyfriend or girlfriend, you may discover what traits you definitely not want in your future husband or wife. When it's better to remain as lovers, and when to put a ring on her.You interested in a whining boyfriend? How about that girlfriend who die die must visit Disneyland never mind you are running a high fever?
Travelling is self-discovery.
If you understand yourself more, a better job fit, a better relationship, who knows? Better at financial decisions tailor-made to our personality?
If we are happier, than the journey towards financial freedom is one of achievement, and not about "escape".
Don't worry if you can't comprehend the difference between journey to achieve and journey to escape now.
All in due time.
Patience.
Singapore Man of Leisure (welcome to my blog; just google it!)
