Do not pass go, do not collect $200. I remember my mom used to say this to me all the time when I was a kid. Of course, she was talking about the famous board game Monopoly. My parents and I used to play board games a lot. I actually hate that board game today, but that’s a different story. My point is, do not wait or put off traveling and seeing the world until later or someday because someday may never come. I don’t mean to be morbid, I’m just being truthful.
You don’t have to travel to Rome…..
I remember when I worked at Metlife Insurance in Denver, you would hear about real people who retired then 3 days later he or she is dead. I heard that several times. In some cases, we had an individual who died right before they retired. I, myself don’t think you should go into massive debt to go traveling, especially since my wife and I find all kinds of ways to save money when we travel. But I think if you work hard all your life, then wait to travel when you retire – you’re never guaranteed tomorrow. Do it today, do it now and most of all do it for yourself. Take yourself or take your kids on that trip to chilly Nova Scotia or scenic Vancouver or somewhere out of your country. It doesn’t have to be Rome, Paris or someplace exotic like Tokyo. It can be a long car drive out of the country, but just make sure you take it before your too old and maybe not able to travel, or your kids are not interested in going on family vacations anymore.
Epcot in Disney World does not constitute traveling abroad
My family took me on trips to South Missouri, mostly. Until finally I begged and pestered them enough they took me on a trip to Disney World when I was 13. This brings me to my main point – my parents were never able to afford to take me anywhere crazy or exotic or at least they never tried to my knowledge. My 9 to 5 job I work with people who are lucky to afford a roof over their heads and food in their belly. They don’t have the luxury of traveling anywhere out of the country. I take these beautiful trips abroad and regale them with details, and they’re dumbfounded and amazed I’m able to go to these places. The sad part is, is they work as hard as anyone I’ve ever met. I work with very talented hard-working and smart people. They’re just caught up in trading time for money like most people.
If you ever look at people’s spending habits
How do you afford to take a trip abroad? It’s all about priorities. You have to make it a priority. Example- my wife has a friend who has her daughter and her daughter’s two kids living with her. The daughter had a travel agent/friend plan a trip to Disney World for all of them. They spent around $20k of the mothers’ money. My wife spoke to the mother and told her she could get them a better deal on a hotel than they were getting with the travel agent/friend. She could have saved them many thousands of dollars. Nope, instead she didn’t want to upset her daughter by using a different person to book hotel reservations. But that was the mothers’ money. She had absolutely every right to tell her daughter that she was going to use a different travel agent that could save them thousands. (Shameless plug) Yes, my wife is a travel agent, and yes she could have saved them thousands! Just on the hotel!
My long-winded point is, if you put saving money as a priority, you can travel abroad. People love to cry poverty. But if you ever look at their spending habits, it’s criminal how they spend their money.
Midday sun on Eiffel Tower 
The Louvre 
Notre Dame 
Castle in Fredericia, Denmark
I wish everyone could see the Eiffel Tower. I hope everyone could visit the Parthenon someday. But sometimes someday never comes.
I get it, traveling to Paris isn’t your thing. My father-in-law has no interest in traveling overseas. My friend, Dave, back in Missouri is the same way. My first boss never ventured out of Missouri except when he went to Denver when he was 16 years old, only ONCE!. My first boss when I knew him was 80 something years old. (Yes you read that correctly my first boss was over 80 years old). Some people are good ole’ boys and girls who have no desire to travel. I feel sorry for these people. Yes, I said it. They’ll never get to meet the wonderful woman my family got to know for 10 days from Ukraine, Oleksandra. They’ll never see the vast knowledge of our tour guide in Saint Petersburg, Russia when we went through the Hermitage Museum. To experience the fantastic breakfast we had in Disneyland Paris at the Disneyland Hotel with the plethora of croissants and danishes that were on display. The insanely beautiful sights of Vancouver, B.C. The art gallery in Gastown in Vancouver full of vibrant and beautiful Native American art. The exciting tour guides I got to meet when we went hiking in Alaska. My family was zipping from Ashford, England to Disneyland Paris on a train going over 100 mph.
I could go on, but I think I’ve went on long enough. As you can tell, this is something I feel passionate about. I think everyone should travel and anyone that doesn’t, well it’s their freakin’ loss and their stupidity.
The moral of the story – don’t wait, and god whatever you do don’t say someday. (Another shameless plug). If you find yourself wanting to travel abroad, look up my wife, Laurie Van Zant. You can find her on Facebook, or you can contact her lvanzant4@yahoo.com or 609-618-1887. Do yourself a favor and don’t wait. No one ever said, ” Gosh, I wish I never took that trip to the Pyramids.”