How Our Travel Style Changed At 28 VS 18
We won’t bore you with that time that Shawn did {censored} or when I was caught {censored}, but we will share our findings of how travel changes when you’re 18 VS travel at 28.
How Our Travel Style Changed At 28 VS 18
With my 28th birthday just around the corner, I've found myself looking back at the amazing travel year that was, and then it clicked.. I have been away from home for the better part of the last 10 years. More than a third of my life. How did that happen?
After a few glasses of wine, Shawn and I started swapping stories of when we first got bit by the travel bug; At 18, Shawn backpacked through Europe, and I moved to Banff, AB. The fact of the matter is, it takes some booze to bring back those long lost memories. We won't bore you with that time that Shawn did {censored} or when I was caught {censored}, but we will share our findings of how travel changes when you're 18 VS travel at 28.
Food & Booze
Regardless of whether we have the same amount of money to spend as we did at 18, the way we choose to spend it has..erg..evolved. We no longer have to wait until 2 for 1 pizza night, even if it does still influence our restaurant decisions. We can order appetizers AND a meal, not just sharing 2 appetizers while we down our 'beer tower'.
At 28, we do more research to find out about local foods before going somewhere new. Maybe the hipster 'foodie' bug has bitten us, but trying the local cuisine is now one of our favourite things about travelling. We visit markets. We visit freaking markets.. by choice. At 18, the only market we would have been interested in is The Bier Markt. On that note, we don't have to drink the cheapest tequila on the menu any more! Which is great, because we can no longer handle those terrible hangovers.
Hostel VS Hotel
I've never shared a room with random people in a hostel. I'm not sad that I missed that experience, to be honest. I'll pick a private, crappy, small room over a packed, crappy, big room any day. Besides, now you can get cheap hotels for almost the same price as hostels any ways.. but that's for a different post. Shawn has stayed in hostels and loved the simplicity it provides for meeting fellow travellers - and as a solo 18 year old traveller, I probably would have loved this! But married (yikes) and 28 years old, we'll get our own room.
Transportation
I was recently thinking about taking the overnight bus/train combo from Phuket to Bangkok, and my brother (who took it a few years back) had this to say:
"If you can afford to not take it, then don't."
I think this is an honest statement about overnight travel in any country, let alone one that is notorious for non air-conditioned buses and 'lost luggage'. But at 18, we just didn't care so much. "Overnight bus will save us $50, Awesome! Why isn't everyone doing this?". By 28 you've been burned with the dreaded 4am departure flight, and know that it is not worth messing up your entire day for the sake of a few bucks. Or you're like me and refuse to admit that it will mess up your entire day, so you book it any ways.. and spend the day vowing that you've FINALLY earned your lesson.
Packing
Oh the joy/panic of packing for your first big trip. Shawn and I pack much differently. I can't even imagine the gadgets he brought on his first trip. When we flew here in November, we threw our winter jackets in the garbage in Japan. We were insistent that we were not going back to the cold. After packing and unpacking at least 100 times, I recently found out he has been hiding his winter hat and mitts this entire time. They're gone now.
While trying to prepare at 18, you think every gadget will be useful. The thing is, carrying a heavy bag SUCKS. Pack light. You can buy all the essentials overseas, and if you find yourself somewhere so remote that you can't find them, then I'm sure know one is judging you because you haven't used toothpaste in 2 days.
Regardless if you're 18, 28 or 58, travelling will always be an adventure, and produce some unforgettable memories.
So, have you noticed any differences ? We would love to know your thoughts.
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