The Travelling Myth

super_furry · 28-06-2012 01:48PM

pickarooney wrote: »

I reckon I did most of my travelling in my mind when I was a kid reading books. I went to some mad places Ryanair don't fly to.

And when they say they go to Narnia, they drop you off next to an Ikea warehouse in the middle of an industrial estate.

Agricola · 28-06-2012 01:53PM

I have no major urge to emigrate. I never had the compulsion to go to Australia for a year or whatever. I like the familiarity of the culture Ive grown up in and its something I genuinely miss when Ive been away for a while. On the other hand, I also love to travel and see the places Ive been reading about all my life. So far Ive found that a week or 2 each year is getting me by on that score. And its within my means too.

Like everything it depends on the person. For some the "only" way to experience a new place / culture is to immerse yourself in it by living there for a decent period of time. For others, a week or two having a look around does the trick. Travel is a different to different people. Some place it way down the list of priorities and rarely bother, some take a 2 week trip a year to do the touristy things somewhere, some want to drop everything and backpack around the world for 6 months, others want to don a GAA shirt in Sydney and try to break the world record for consecutive days drunk!

donalg1 · 28-06-2012 01:55PM

Elba101 wrote: »

That is true. No matter what amazing country you travel to and work in you will fall into a routine. But, for me anyway, it was about much more. I up and left by myself and arrived in country where I didn't speak a word of the language and they had no English. Now I'm settled, can read and write and can speak enough of the language to get me out of trouble.

I could have come for a 2 week stint and gone on a tour with an English speaking guide and met English speaking tourists, but I decided to throw myself in the back arse of a developing country becasue I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I do have a routine with work, but it seems a lot more worthwhile compared to the routine I had before in my old job/life.

I've a load of friends in Australia who want to drink their year away, and if they want to that then that's fine. Their decision and it looks like they are having the time of their lives! I know when I do finish travelling and look for a job I'll have a lot more to offer an employer then I did before I left.

Seems to me that you are doing it the right way, I should have mentioned in my original post that I cant stand the idea of people leaving Ireland and going somewhere like Australia and spending all their time hanging around with Irish people, I mean wtf is the point in doing that.

leggo · 28-06-2012 01:58PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

First off, what are you on about? If this subject is too personal or emotive for you to discuss rationally, then maybe you should reconsider contributing. Every post you make reeks with bitterness.

You start off by making some false assumptions. Who says everybody who travels abroad does the same things they do back home? Last time I checked, you can't hike the Inca trail in Ireland. Or swim with the sharks in the Pacific Ocean. Or go white water rafting down the Colorado river.

Yeah, but let's face it, what percentage of Irish people do we really know that throw themselves in the deep end like that while travelling? They might do three or four of those things once, but that's hardly Michael Palin territory. I can think of one person, personally, whose holiday stories and snaps don't predominantly revolve around just being drunk a lot. And about half of my old school friends are now living in Oz/NZ.

That person would probably be the only one I know who I don't roll my eyes with when they start to talk about travel stories. I'm happy to listen, just make it interesting if you're going to take up an hour of my life.

And people are allowed to disagree with your life choices without being bitter, by the by. I'm stating my problem quite clearly and honestly here.

fishy fishy · 28-06-2012 01:59PM

leggo wrote: »

Em, you can't really use quotation marks when I haven't said what you're quoting. It's interesting to know that's how you read into it, though.

It's not me deciding what other people's lives should be. I'm honoured that you would give me such authority on the basis of one post (:p). The thread is a question: I'm stating my view (which I would be naturally predisposed to agree with...since it's my view), then throwing the subject open for discussion.

Alternatively, I could've just asked a question, then waited for people to go, "And what are your own thoughts, OP?" But I believe that's against the charter.

maybe its the way you wrote it but your view comes across as very smug and self righteous.

fishy fishy · 28-06-2012 02:00PM

leggo wrote: »

Huh? I have a visa to live in the States anytime I want, it's just a case of doing up the paperwork and paying the fees. If that were true, then there's really nothing stopping me...

But, of course, if I say anything that mightn't agree with your take on life, then it must be down to me being 'bitter'... :rolleyes:

you think a visa for America is "seeing the world"

:D

Paparazzo · 28-06-2012 02:03PM

Here's an idea: Do what the fuck you want, and if someone wants to travel, let them, if someone wants to get married at 20, let them. It's their own lives, as long as it's not hurting anyone else (putting up annoying facebook pictures doesn't count) mind your own business.

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:06PM

fishy fishy wrote: »

you think a visa for America is "seeing the world" :D

Oh come on, you're just trolling now.

Clearly I was saying that I could leave the country and go elsewhere without any restrictions. A visa elsewhere, no wife or kids, fortunate enough to have savings etc. That's why I'm saying it's absolute rubbish that I'm just 'jealous' or really want to go travelling myself. How very "I know you are but what am I?" of you.

If the points raised touch a nerve, either argue with them as stated, or just click back, forget this thread and other opinions ever existed and keep telling yourself that that year you can't remember in Oz will pay off in the long run.

BraziliaNZ · 28-06-2012 02:06PM

Could one of you oracles of knowledge please tell me what I'm supposed to do exactly when I go abroad next??? I fear I've been doing it all wrong!

SMASH THE UNIONS · 28-06-2012 02:07PM

The only people coming across as smug here is the "too cool for travelling" brigade. Typical Irish begrudgery. A few people decided they didn't want to spend their entire lives on this little wet rock and so decided to see the world, and they get mocked by the wage slaves left behind in Ireland. Anybody who goes straight to work right after college is wasting their youth. You have the rest of your life to work.

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:10PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

The only people coming across as smug here is the "too cool for travelling" brigade. Typical Irish begrudgery. A few people decided they didn't want to spend their entire lives on this little wet rock and so decided to see the world, and they get mocked by the wage slaves left behind in Ireland. Anybody who goes straight to work right after college is wasting their youth. You have the rest of your life to work.

I knew that word was coming. Turns out that you can't have an opinion that disagrees with someone without being a 'begrudger'.

Now that you've ruined a good conversation, can you please leave us and the rest of the begrudgers to have an intelligent chat about the real merits of travel? I'm sure there's a banana boat in Vienna with your name on it and your jealous friends back home are just dying to hear all about it. :rolleyes:

SMASH THE UNIONS · 28-06-2012 02:11PM

leggo wrote: »

I can think of one person, personally, whose holiday stories and snaps don't predominantly revolve around just being drunk a lot. And about half of my old school friends are now living in Oz/NZ.

That person would probably be the only one I know who I don't roll my eyes with when they start to talk about travel stories. I'm happy to listen, just make it interesting if you're going to take up an hour of my life.

Ah, the back-peddling begins

So it is ok for some young people to travel. How do you know you wouldn't enjoy travelling if you've never done it?

looksee · 28-06-2012 02:12PM

Sorry OP, the only thing I get out of your posts is that someone recently chewed your ear about a bit foreign travel recently and you have gone into a total decline over it. You are criticising people who travel because you jump to conclusions about their motives. You don't want anyone to disagree with you

and I didn't, in fact, force you under duress to read this topic?

so why did you post it if you don't want anyone to read it. Once it is read it can't be unread, are we not supposed to reply unless we agree with you?

Did anyone force you under duress to listen to the travellers' adventures. You could always have said 'look I am not even remotely interested in your self-satisfied waffling', you would have lost a friend of course, but what use is a condescending, smug, hypocritical friend anyway?

I get irritated with the term 'begrudgery' that is tossed around as something very Irish, but in this case I think it fits.

fishy fishy · 28-06-2012 02:13PM

leggo wrote: »

Oh come on, you're just trolling now.

Clearly I was saying that I could leave the country and go elsewhere without any restrictions. A visa elsewhere, no wife or kids, fortunate enough to have savings etc. That's why I'm saying it's absolute rubbish that I'm just 'jealous' or really want to go travelling myself. How very "I know you are but what am I?" of you.

If the points raised touch a nerve, either argue with them as stated, or just click back, forget this thread and other opinions ever existed and keep telling yourself that that year you can't remember in Oz will pay off in the long run.

right, you seems to think you are somehow above people re. seeing two wonders of the world - (you do know that these wonders of the world are concocted so that millions of sheeple with go see them every year ). Thats not an original traveller thought - thats just following the crowd .

You then seem to think that because you have a visa for america (as common as going to the aran islands in this day and age) you somehow think this has something got to do with being better than the people who go away and enjoy themselves.

America is the easiest, laziest option to go "see the world".

Maybe when you actually lift yourself up, meet up with your friends who are traveling, experiencing and having fun, and join them, you will realize that you posts are quite self righteous, and now thanks to you last couple of posts they are also naive.

get up and go - have fun - don't be bitter and twisted about others having fun

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:18PM

No, it was actually said that I 'forced' him to read it. Look back and see, looksee, this is your moment!

People can disagree all they like, I'd love to read an intelligent post about how getting twisted in Timbuktu for a year changed someone's life for the better. But, again, this is a specific thread asking a question about what people see as the best way to use travel as a productive way of life. Instead, we appear to have been overrun by amateur psychological evaluations from people who've obviously had a nerve touched (again, no exaggeration, it actually happened).

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:20PM

fishy fishy wrote: »

right, you seems to think you are somehow above people re. seeing two wonders of the world - (you do know that these wonders of the world are concocted so that millions of sheeple with go see them every year ). Thats not an original traveller thought - thats just following the crowd .

You then seem to think that because you have a visa for america (as common as going to the aran islands in this day and age) you somehow think this has something got to do with being better than the people who go away and enjoy themselves.

America is the easiest, laziest option to go "see the world".

Maybe when you actually lift yourself up, meet up with your friends who are traveling, experiencing and having fun, and join them, you will realize that you posts are quite self righteous, and now thanks to you last couple of posts they are also naive.

get up and go - have fun - don't be bitter and twisted about others having fun

Ugh. This is the attitude that I'm talking about:

"I had fun travelling so everyone must be jealous and want to do exactly what I did or they can't possibly have experienced anything in life."

Thanks for proving my point dude. Now you've successfully ruined a good thread because you were offended that somebody isn't in awe of your soon-to-be-published autobiography. Well done on that...

fishy fishy · 28-06-2012 02:21PM

leggo wrote: »

No, it was actually said that I 'forced' him to read it. Look back and see, looksee, this is your moment!

People can disagree all they like, I'd love to read an intelligent post about how getting twisted in Timbuktu for a year changed someone's life for the better. But, again, this is a specific thread asking a question about what people see as the best way to use travel as a productive way of life. Instead, we appear to have been overrun by amateur psychological evaluations from people who've obviously had a nerve touched (again, no exaggeration, it actually happened).

thanks for the laugh. Now get packing - live a little - you might learn a bit about life.

Scanlas The 2nd · 28-06-2012 02:23PM

Paparazzo wrote: »

Here's an idea: Do what the f[COLOR="Black"]u[/COLOR]ck you want, and if someone wants to travel, let them, if someone wants to get married at 20, let them. It's their own lives, as long as it's not hurting anyone else (putting up annoying facebook pictures doesn't count) mind your own business.

I haven't seen any posts on this thread suggesting anyone stops people doing what they want. The whole point of boards.ie is to discuss things. It's boards.ie now ye're talkin not boards.ie now ye're dictating.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 28-06-2012 02:23PM

leggo wrote: »

I'd love to read an intelligent post about how getting twisted in Timbuktu for a year changed someone's life for the better.

And I suppose only your posts are intelligent? :rolleyes:

Smug self-righteous alert.

jester77 · 28-06-2012 02:23PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Could one of you oracles of knowledge please tell me what I'm supposed to do exactly when I go abroad next??? I fear I've been doing it all wrong!

You first have to convince border control that they are worthy of your presence

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:24PM

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

And I suppose only your posts are intelligent? :rolleyes:

Smug self-righteous alert.

No, I'm specifically aiming that at you. Everyone else's are intelligent. Yours? Notsomuch.

fishy fishy · 28-06-2012 02:24PM

leggo wrote: »

Ugh. This is the attitude that I'm talking about:

"I had fun travelling so everyone must be jealous and want to do exactly what I did or they can't possibly have experienced anything in life."

Thanks for proving my point dude. Now you've successfully ruined a good thread because you were offended that somebody isn't in awe of your soon-to-be-published autobiography. Well done on that...

Ill just quote back on of your replies to me earlier

Em, you can't really use quotation marks when I haven't said what you're quoting. It's interesting to know that's how you read into it, though.

alzeimers, short memory span, lack of focus?

also, the word "dude" - do you really use that in real life

I rest my case - maybe you should stay at home after all

CucaFace · 28-06-2012 02:25PM

Leggo sorry but your post does come accross as totally bitter.

Also what discussion were you hoping for? You have obviously already made up your mind on the matter. You are just loking for like minded people to come on here and agree with you.

In my opinion the one true advantage of travelling for a while is that you have to leave the comfort zone of your friends and family and start again. It makes you more open to know new people and cultures and personally i think this helps someone develop as a person. Where you have gone to or what you have looked at or done on your travels doesn't really make much of a difference , its the people you meet along the way and what you learn from them which really makes travelling worth while.

The worst part of your view In my opinion is that you are judging something you have not even tried yourself?? How can you make such a call if you have never put yourself in that position?

As for travelling when you are retired well I just can't see what you will really take from other people at that age of your life to be honest.

SMASH THE UNIONS · 28-06-2012 02:25PM

leggo wrote: »

No, I'm specifically aiming that at you. Everyone else's are intelligent. Yours? Notsomuch.

Ad hominem. The last resort when the thread isn't going the way you planned.

Seriously mate, go and travel. You'll be glad you did. Ireland will still be here if you want to return.

Elba101 · 28-06-2012 02:25PM

donalg1 wrote: »

Seems to me that you are doing it the right way, I should have mentioned in my original post that I cant stand the idea of people leaving Ireland and going somewhere like Australia and spending all their time hanging around with Irish people, I mean wtf is the point in doing that.

I don't think there's any right or wrong way to do it. I just think this would be a wasted experience if all I did was get hammered and talk to Irish people about Ireland.

leggo · 28-06-2012 02:29PM

Of course I'm bitter. Because nobody could be any other way if they don't choose to go backpacking. :rolleyes:

I'm not judging the need to travel, I respect people's rights to live their own lives. I said in my first post that I'm not anti-emigration. I'm judging the smugness and above attitude that comes back home with these people, as outlined above.

BraziliaNZ · 28-06-2012 02:30PM

Elba101 wrote: »

I don't think there's any right or wrong way to do it. I just think this would be a wasted experience if all I did was get hammered and talk to Irish people about Ireland.

Outside of Australia, where does this phenomenon happen that you all bang on about here?

BraziliaNZ · 28-06-2012 02:32PM

leggo wrote: »

I'm judging the smugness and above attitude that comes back home with these people, as outlined above.

Who do you know that has this attitude and smugness? You must know some total arseholes because name and place dropping in conversation is generally frowned upon and not very charming

Daith · 28-06-2012 02:34PM

BraziliaNZ wrote: »

Outside of Australia, where does this phenomenon happen that you all bang on about here?

Canada.

Temptamperu · 28-06-2012 02:34PM

I went travelling but had to come home because all i did was work drink and f*ck. I wish i could of matured more but i didnt. It was a waste of 5 years to be honest. Still had fun though.
Now all I do is work and f*ck.

Always remember a little saying though where-ever you go, there you are.

The Travelling Myth

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