Questions For Seasoned RTWers

I'm leaving October 2012 for a 3-year RTW trip. I have some questions for people who have traveled extensively.

1) Did you feel "life desensitization" after coming back? I've never traveled longer than 3-months in the past (1 trip to Europe, 3 trips to South America), but even with my limited traveling experience I find most things that my friends like to do (most of them have not backpacked before) to be boring/unfulfilling. Things like checking out restaurants, going to the same bar all the time, etc. I don't know if past travel experiences have anything to do with it, but if it does, I can imagine it to get much worse after being on the road and seeing amazing things for a few years.

2) I suppose many of you traveled to 3rd world countries and saw a lot of poverty. Did you feel any guilt in the fact that you were spending in one year what many people in these countries make in decades? Do you get desensitized to this the longer you travel? On one hand I think that there's not much you can do to help all of them in the long run, but maybe if you give a hungry kid some money, he/she will at least not be hungry for next few weeks. It's not much, but you are making a difference in their lives. Of course if you start giving every poor kid money, your RTW trip would probably last less than a week.

3) Does the travel bug ever go down to a manageable level? Right now, a lot of things i want to do in life are on hold: serious relationships (maybe marriage eventually), having a dog, learn to play an instrument, etc, basically anything that requires a long term commitment. What if I come back and all I can think of is my next RTW trip. This is probably different for everyone, but does doing a long trip like this give a sense of satisfaction, like saying "yes, I'd like to travel more, but I'm happy with what I have experienced"? Or is it like drug and all you want is more more more?

4) Do you feel that you get less out of traveling as you get older and have formed stronger opinions on religion/politics, etc? For example, I was 23 when I backpacked for the first time to Europe. I was more naive and everything I saw amazed me. I'm 33 now and a have developed a negative opinion on organized religion. If I was to visit the Vatican for the first time today, I don't think I would enjoy it as much as when I did 10 years ago. The same could be said about any political belief or opinion on certain cultural practices/customs, etc. Sometimes I wish the less cynical 23-year-old version of me would be making this upcoming trip.

My answers are those of a 65 yr old who has always been a square peg that didn't fit societies round holes.

1) Yes to the point of relocating to El Salvador.

2) No guilt merely acceptance, did think maybe I could put my TEFL course to some use & benefit some students in SE Asia but after nearly 3 months in Cambodia searching for a position only to be met with extreme age prejudice. I said to hell with it, returned to SV where I am employing a couple of people full time. My conscience is clear.

3) Returned home to find my housekeeper had found an abandoned kitten that has kind of adopted me to, there was a bit of a security problem also, so I adopted an abandoned dog who has now become part of the family, seriously considering a novia & trying to settle down with maybe some shorter trips to South America when the B&B is slow. ¿Just have to play that by ear?

Or may just wake up one day, say that's it, that's all, sell everything & move to Indonesia

4) The older I get the more I get out of traveling! My idea that Christianity was a sham & all organized religions were about money & control f their followers wasn't based on anything concrete until I traveled & actually experienced them in the real world.

A look at Hiroshima & what a so-called Christian country did to the elderly, women & children of another country was enough to make me renounce Christianity on the spot! seeing a collection box at every monastery, temple or whatever, wherever when most people were hard pressed to feed themselves, was all it took to confirm my belief of the money/control of organized religions & turn me away from them for life.

As to politics, the turning point came when I had breakfast at a little place in Myanmar, supposedly one of the worst regimes for civil-rights. The owner, a 3rd generation Indian Immigrant, who had managed to buy a house, raise 3 children who went to university, on the proceeds of that little hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

Made me realize that all the whining, crying, complaining & gnashing of teeth we do here in the west about politics, which we aren't going to be able to change, is for naught. It's way better to accept things as they are, work towards your goals within the system & end up with what's important to you in life.

A 52 yo here. I got back from an 11 month RTW about 4 years ago.

1. My culture shock was when I got home and set up house in St. Louis again and went to the grocery store and found it swathed in pink ribbons for breast cancer awareness and I realized that we're about the one culture on earth that is constantly reminding us that we can get very sick and we're always pushing pills--I had to stop watching any TV b/c the pharmaceutical ads drove me insane. The pink ribbon thing is strictly awareness--they're not curing cancer! As for the rest of it--it was nice to settle into a comfortable routine again and I took up a new hobby of dancing but I do miss traveling.

2. Yes, I had a lot of problems with guilt while traveling and found that I really don't want to be a tourist anymore. I'd prefer to go back out to volunteer or at least work my way around. I have a high school daughter due to leave for college in 1-1/2 years and am looking into volunteering in Africa maybe, depending on what's happening with my aging mother with alzheimer's. I mention this, b/c of younger folks out there who may be putting off travel till later. You may not be able to go later--you may need to be home for your folks or other pressing matters.

While we were traveling in Vietnam, we saw a lot of poverty and we knew that we couldn't help everyone, but we could help some. We had befriended a woman who was trying to sell 3 very cheap hats on the street corner--that was her whole stock. We decided that maybe if she had a little more money she could expand her stock further and she looked like she could use a good meal or two as well, so we gave her the VN equivalent of $20 and somehow communicated to her that she should pay it forward. We'll never know how it turned out but we felt very good about doing that and she seemed like a smart cookie and a kind woman so I suspect it turned out well.

3. The answer to both of these is yes. Yes, the travel bug will always be with you, but yes, it can go to a normal level somewhat and it's nice to think back on what we did. Nothing is on hold and i have 2 little dogs right now but if I ever date anyone again after my divorce, he will have to love to travel--I could not be with a homebody no matter how attractive he might be.

4. I don't believe in forming strong opinions about anything except your basic values. Chances are, you're wrong and the point of travel is to cure you of that. I've always thought of religious people as being extremely judgmental, but truth is, I think that non-religious people can be worse. I'm a Christian and the thing I work on the most is being non-judgmental b/c Jesus taught that you must remove the log from your own eye before you can even mention the splinter in someone else's. Cultivating non-judgement is difficult but rewarding, and I have no problems with accepting the religious beliefs of other cultures and even find it enriching to learn about them. The trick is to not go all fundamental about it and keep an open mind. (And to not believe in eternal hell--esp for other people, lol)

As for the Vatican and the beautiful cathedrals that bled the people dry--remember, it was like a public works project. These people pooled their little money and the cathedrals were built and the people were able to go spend time in a place that contained more splendor than anything they ever experienced in their daily lives, and it lifted them to a height they never could have attained otherwise, so I don't think it's all negative. Just b/c you don't see the point of it does not mean that others didn't.

The following is from a 25 year old but I think I count as a seasoned RTWer- did a six month one 2.5 years ago and a four month jaunt earlier this year, both between degrees.

1) Yes, I cannot begin to describe to you how awful it was to return to Cleveland, Ohio of all places after a rtw trip (but alas had no other options at the time for grad school). I mean I loved my neighborhood and my friends but most people in that community really weren't interested in exploring the broad wide world to a depressing degree... So what I ended up doing was bailing out with an M.S., reapplying to schools primarily in Europe, and I'm now in Amsterdam for my PhD as of two months ago. Still feels like "vacation" in many regards for sure but it's a hell of a lot nicer.

I should also mention that one thing I did not get "desensitized" about while traveling and in fact started missing greatly was my work/research (astronomy) and in fact one thing I learned about from traveling was how I will never not be able to live a life not connected to my passion in the long term (and I also really, really like academia). So while I think travel in large part teaches you about things you can survive without, it also taught me I just can't ignore my passions.

2) I honestly think if a person in Cambodia who saw beggars missing limbs didn't feel some guilt and compassion for their fellow man that person doesn't have a soul. That said, a very important thing to remember is your being there simulates the local economy in ways that you never could at home, so while yes I was spending more than a local ever could what I was spending was going directly to the guesthouse owner, the lady selling fruit at the market, etc etc... I can't emphasize how important it is to go out of your way to support the local economy in such places instead of just running to a Western tourist chain or whatever. I'm hard-pressed to think of people who would rather be a beggar than have the opportunity to make a decent living.

I should also mention btw that do NOT give a hungry kid money in a third world country as this is actually one of the worst things you can do- you're teaching him/her a begging culture and the money will insure that the kid's parents keep them out of school (or encourages people to recruit child beggars and then take their earnings). Plus then you make it worse for the travelers who come after you... instead what I ended up doing while in the area was keep an eye out for local organizations that were clearly doing good and then donating to the local school or what have you. They know much more about the situation on the ground than I ever could.

3) It doesn't go away, but it definitely changes. When I started traveling I was definitely on the move quite constantly but things started getting longer and longer... lots more sitting in cafes and taking stuff in I guess. So now I'm an expat and as I said it's still "vacation" stage but getting to know Amsterdam really well instead of just being here for a few days is an utter joy- and I'm a big fan of having a base from which to take trips from, be it an afternoon to a nearby town or a weekend hop over to Scotland (how I spent my last two weekends).

I already know I will be in Holland for four years, mind, so while I wouldn't mind a relationship if I find the right guy (luckily it's easy to find worldly people around here) I do wish I could have a cat but know that's just not feasible unfortunately. I mean if I go visit my family in the USA that's a few week jaunt, and who would take care of it then?

4) As I said, this is coming from a 25 year old though I traveled a lot before my rtw at age 23. And honestly I think one of the best things you learn from traveling is that there are idiots in every culture and that the majority of people are quite lovely, and go from there. So while I'm not a fan of organized religion, say, it is capable of inspiring beautiful things like the Sistine Chapel. So while I am not religious I also think it's very difficult to separate religion from topics like history and art and culture and hence enjoy churches based on those merits. I mean put it this way, if I was a 14th century person who had no way to know something as basic as why planets move the way they do and where humans came from and stepped into Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris... well it's such a glorious uplifting place that I can see why people would have spent so much time and effort on it. I can disconnect that from my distaste for Catholic priests quite easily.

Politics is kind of a different thing for me because as an American everyone always wants to discuss it with me, and I freely admit by this point I'm a political cynic and think they're all awful. So can't help you much there.

busman7 wrote:Or may just wake up one day, say that's it, that's all, sell everything & move to Indonesia

This is a good thing! Why corner yourself? Leave all options open.

busman7 wrote:Made me realize that all the whining, crying, complaining & gnashing of teeth we do here in the west about politics, which we aren't going to be able to change, is for naught. It's way better to accept things as they are, work towards your goals within the system & end up with what's important to you in life.

I hate it when my friends complain about their lives/job, etc, when they have the ability to make huge personal changes. If they traveled a bit more they'd see what so many people in the world do everyday just to merely survive.

go girl now wrote:As for the Vatican and the beautiful cathedrals that bled the people dry--remember, it was like a public works project. These people pooled their little money and the cathedrals were built and the people were able to go spend time in a place that contained more splendor than anything they ever experienced in their daily lives, and it lifted them to a height they never could have attained otherwise, so I don't think it's all negative. Just b/c you don't see the point of it does not mean that others didn't.

A can definitely appreciate the Vatican and other such places for it's beauty and it's historical and human values. It's testament to what humanity is capable of doing. It's just that when I was 23, I was still a Christian and aside from the above, I also felt a certain religious inspiration and awe when I visited it. I wouldn't feel that nowadays, but I can still enjoy it for other reasons. It's definitely not all negative. Same with temples and monasteries and mosques, etc.

go girl now wrote:While we were traveling in Vietnam, we saw a lot of poverty and we knew that we couldn't help everyone, but we could help some. We had befriended a woman who was trying to sell 3 very cheap hats on the street corner--that was her whole stock. We decided that maybe if she had a little more money she could expand her stock further and she looked like she could use a good meal or two as well, so we gave her the VN equivalent of $20 and somehow communicated to her that she should pay it forward. We'll never know how it turned out but we felt very good about doing that and she seemed like a smart cookie and a kind woman so I suspect it turned out well.

This is a great story. This is definitely a better way to help people instead of just giving money to a beggar.

Andromeda wrote:And honestly I think one of the best things you learn from traveling is that there are idiots in every culture and that the majority of people are quite lovely, and go from there.

Definitely agree. I do believe that most people are kind and nice. Even if most people are idiots, there's not much we can do to change them, so we should just look for the good people and connect them. Nice blog btw, I have followed it from time to time since you announced your RTW departure a couple of years ago.

KevinY wrote:

Andromeda wrote:And honestly I think one of the best things you learn from traveling is that there are idiots in every culture and that the majority of people are quite lovely, and go from there.

Definitely agree. I do believe that most people are kind and nice. Even if most people are idiots, there's not much we can do to change them, so we should just look for the good people and connect them. Nice blog btw, I have followed it from time to time since you announced your RTW departure a couple of years ago.

Haha well to clarify a touch I don't actually think most people are idiots even if there are far too many out there who qualify for the label. Ignorant in far too many cases, yes, but that's a rather solvable malady thankfully.

Another thing that really struck me while traveling was just how important education is, and how much it is a Russian roulette in terms of where you are born. People are always rather curious to learn about stars when you say that's what you study for example and I daresay there is a trail of people in my wake who can explain what many consider difficult physical concepts- except I never mentioned they were considered such cause I'm a jerk like that.

And thanks for the kind comments regarding the blog!

Interesting, I've recently decided on a RTW, also leaving sometime in October 2012. Probably not for 3 years though. I'm planning 14-16 months.

1 - I haven't been on a longer (ie 3.5 months) trip since 1992 so can't speak to that directly. But even after shorter trips - 10 days, 2 or 3 weeks - I actually feel the opposite: extremely sensitized to my native surroundings and even more observant.

2. No. Our western lifestyles notwithstanding, you have to convince yourself that current conditions in the developing world are not, in the bigger picture, your fault. I have a strong interest in history and politics --and plan to brush up and learn LOTS more over the course of the next year-- and know enough about the colonial legacy on Africa, Central and South America and elsewhere to have at least an inkling of why things have evolved as they have. That's not an excuse for the massive corruption or ineffectual leadership we see in many developing countries, but it's very important to bear in mind.

As for beggars - do what you'd like but handouts on the street don't help anyone. As others have mentioned, begging, or even jobs selling trinkets on the streets, keeps children out of school. Give the money to a local shelter or NGO where it'll be much better spent.

Or you can hire one of those begging kids for an afternoon, or for a day or two. Ask him to be your guide, showing him that knowledge is valuable. (And that gaining more knowledge down the line will be an even more valuable asset.) I've done this several times in the past an am planning to do it again.

BTW, I'm sure you didn't mean it in a derogatory sense, but be aware that the term 'third world' is widely perceived as insulting. Use developing world instead.

3 - I'm sure this is different for everybody. I know I'll never lose the bug.

4. I'm 46, have been traveling overseas since I was five, and still look forward to each and every trip.

You don't have to be religious in any sense of the word to enjoy and appreciate a cathedral, mosque or temple. As for politics, I'm a political animal and insist on diving in, wherever I may be. I'm respectful enough though that I haven't gotten my butt kicked. Yet.

Personally I think the only people that find the expression 'third world countries' derogatory, are the ones way too caught up in the 'politically correct' BS!

I feel that the biggest problems in Central America stem from the US sticking it's nose where it has no business being.

I also question whether giving to NGO's does anything but further 'massive corruption or ineffectual leadership'

busman7 wrote:Personally I think the only people that find the expression 'third world countries' derogatory, are the ones way too caught up in the 'politically correct' BS!

My reference doesn't come from westerners, but from Kenyans, Ethiopians, Sudanese, Nicaraguans, etc who I've worked with in the past who resent the term. It stems from the Cold War and has long since outlived its usefulness.

busman7 wrote:I feel that the biggest problems in Central America stem from the US sticking it's nose where it has no business being.

No argument here.

busman7 wrote:I also question whether giving to NGO's does anything but further 'massive corruption or ineffectual leadership'

Some probably would. But there are plenty of great if small organizations doing really good things, too.

Will concede to our view on the term 3rd world, I don't like or use it, only have the western point of reference not yours, sorry for jumping the gun on that.

Just spent 3 months in Cambodia they have where NGO waste & corruption down to a science but there are some smaller ones that try.

Disclaimer, I'm a little younger than you. I am, however, a seasoned traveler.

I'm leaving October 2012 for a 3-year RTW trip. I have some questions for people who have traveled extensively.

1) Did you feel "life desensitization" after coming back? I've never traveled longer than 3-months in the past (1 trip to Europe, 3 trips to South America), but even with my limited traveling experience I find most things that my friends like to do (most of them have not backpacked before) to be boring/unfulfilling. Things like checking out restaurants, going to the same bar all the time, etc. I don't know if past travel experiences have anything to do with it, but if it does, I can imagine it to get much worse after being on the road and seeing amazing things for a few years.

I had this attitude when I was a teenager and took my first trip to Europe. I returned to the US and found life so pedestrian, common. This was a poor attitude. Some people love home, love to be home, surround themselves with family, and enjoy a more routine lifestyle.

I lived in other countries, matured and changed my attitude.

I learned this is what locals do (dine together, socialize in the neighborhood), in any country! Even the ones who are impoverished have a routine, social structure and socialize at the "same" spots every day.
There's a difference between being a tourist with all the free time in the world for "seeing amazing things" and living/surviving as a local. When I lived in South America, Europe and East Africa, the friends I made went to restaurants, bars etc. I found that "boring" so I made friends who went camping, dancing and hiking. I took weekend trips.
Wherever you are (unless it's prison), it's unfair to blame boredom on the location or your friends. You likely need to look inward & make more acquaintances with similar interests. Don't be surprised if you've outgrown your old friends.
If travel and discovery keep you fulfilled, maybe seek employment where you can travel often. That's what I did.
Then I found work takes about 85% of the fun out of travel. I digress.

2) I suppose many of you traveled to 3rd world countries and saw a lot of poverty. Did you feel any guilt in the fact that you were spending in one year what many people in these countries make in decades? Do you get desensitized to this the longer you travel? On one hand I think that there's not much you can do to help all of them in the long run, but maybe if you give a hungry kid some money, he/she will at least not be hungry for next few weeks. It's not much, but you are making a difference in their lives. Of course if you start giving every poor kid money, your RTW trip would probably last less than a week.

I lived in two developing countries. I didn't feel guilty; I felt sympathy. I felt extremely grateful for my lot in life (e.g. I'm fortunate enough to get "bored" with restaurants.)
I go home. I do community service. ~1.5 million children are homeless in the US. *If* they're in the school system, they depend on school lunch programs and don't eat all weekend.

No need to travel for a guilt trip.

3) Does the travel bug ever go down to a manageable level? Right now, a lot of things i want to do in life are on hold: serious relationships (maybe marriage eventually), having a dog, learn to play an instrument, etc, basically anything that requires a long term commitment. What if I come back and all I can think of is my next RTW trip. This is probably different for everyone, but does doing a long trip like this give a sense of satisfaction, like saying "yes, I'd like to travel more, but I'm happy with what I have experienced"? Or is it like drug and all you want is more more more?

I tailored my lifestyle to fit my desire to see.... everything. I took a job where I travel more often than not. I lived/worked overseas, and I'm planning a 2 year RTW.
When I'm old, if I'm physically able, I'll still be traveling. Hopefully, I'll partner with a guy who feels the same way. Relationships fizzle quickly when I'm never home. I'd *love* to have a dog.
There are trade-offs. My "tied down" friends find my life whimsical and enviable. Sometimes I find their lives and the roots they've established, the ties to the community, quite admirable, comfortable, and...enviable.

4) Do you feel that you get less out of traveling as you get older and have formed stronger opinions on religion/politics, etc? For example, I was 23 when I backpacked for the first time to Europe. I was more naive and everything I saw amazed me. I'm 33 now and a have developed a negative opinion on organized religion. If I was to visit the Vatican for the first time today, I don't think I would enjoy it as much as when I did 10 years ago. The same could be said about any political belief or opinion on certain cultural practices/customs, etc. Sometimes I wish the less cynical 23-year-old version of me would be making this upcoming trip.

If I have too strong an opinion on something it means I probably *imagine* I know a great deal about it. That's already an epic fail.
The more I travel, the more I find I'm ignorant about *most* subjects. There are just too many facets, too many sides to the same story.
I try to stay open to learning from others along the way. I'm told I "ask a lot of questions". Ask 5 locals about the history of their town, and you get 5 different perspectives.
The day I stop asking or reading or showing interest is the day I've given up. Like the day I buy a minivan.
People laugh at me constantly in other cultures... I'm foreign, a goofy tourist, I dance funny and I ask dumb questions "everyone" (read: locals) seems to know the answer to.

Try not to wrestle w/ all this stuff too much. Savor the fact you'll be doing something you love. I'm taking off (again) for an extended ~2 year jaunt in 2012. I *wish* I had 3 years. Do your level best to enjoy all of it!

smartcandy wrote:The day I stop asking or reading or showing interest is the day I've given up. Like the day I buy a minivan.

Hey hey hey....we own a minivan but we still travel (it kinda goes with the territory of having eight kids and living in a car-focussed city with abysmal public transport) As I write hubby is across the ditch in Oz (while I'm home ferrying the kids around in said minivan! I intend that he not be the only one travelling next year!)

Mama-to-many wrote:

smartcandy wrote:The day I stop asking or reading or showing interest is the day I've given up. Like the day I buy a minivan.

Hey hey hey....we own a minivan but we still travel (it kinda goes with the territory of having eight kids and living in a car-focussed city with abysmal public transport) As I write hubby is across the ditch in Oz (while I'm home ferrying the kids around in said minivan! I intend that he not be the only one travelling next year!)

It's a ditch? Why haven't you guys just built a bridge across already then?

*ducks and runs*

Why haven't we built a bridge? I'm a linguist, not an engineer;-)
Seriously though, have you not heard the expression? - I'd hazard a guess that it's more commonly used here than there (perhaps because most Aussies have no cause to come here!)