I don't travel for any of those reasons. I travel because I live a much higher quality of life for about 1/5 the price of what I would need to spend in the western world, and it's exciting, educational, and enlightening to see and experience the world.
For example I just stopped back at my river front air conditioned hotel where I'm paying 12 dollars a night including breakfast. Now I'm heading out to get an hour long traditional Lao massage for 6 dollars. Then I'm going to buy 250g of freshly grilled pork belly (bacon) for $1.20 and eat it in my room while I watch a movie from my computer connected to the flat screen TV in my king size bed. Then maybe go out for a drink and meet interesting people from around the world. All this cost less than what some people spend in a day on gasoline so they can get to their jobs and back.
For you to write such a negative article about basically how I live my life, makes me want to write about the suicide rate of those living a "normal" life. I travel for none of the reasons at all that you listed. I travel for quality of life.
Why are you so down on life? Or is this just your persona on steemit?
Wow, I didn't realize you will be so affected. So is this true to you then? 😦
It's called activism, rebellion, writing, art, freedom of speech. Ever heard? What makes you judge someone you don't know, with just limited writings you read or probably not even read, who knows. I'm not even sure if you really understood everything. Probably not, so nevermind. If it is not negative to you then you don't have to react so violently lol. 😊 It is so positive that it encourages people to make the most of their lives, you're the only one thinking it negative for some reason. Is it then? lol
You are free to write anything, hello, steemit - uncensored. You are even free to suggest suicide to anyone, if that would make you feel better. You are free? I feel sorry that's how you think. I can't believe that a single writing has the power to reveal and bring the worst in people - unintended. But this is what's nice about steemit, we can be free to be ourselves and write. You can tell me what's bothering you? Anyway, again, I apologize if I hurt your feelings lol.
It's all good. I over reacted it just struck me as really negative, as all I do is travel. You talk so much about how it's basically a thing to raise your ego. That's totally not me.
But then again you talk about a lot in your article, in a way that is so indirect/poetic I don't even understand what you're trying to say.
You're article sparked the worst in me, your first paragraph made me want to puke as I live traveling perpetually and apparently I took your first paragraph literally.
"Why do we travel? To run away, to escape, to search for some meaning, to amuse ourselves, to get out of boredom, to find out what we want, to meet other people, to see the world, to find a way, to find love"
I've had so many people that are miserable living the rat race ask me "what are you running from, escaping from?"....it almost pisses me off at this point. Like I said. I simply live a higher standard and quality of life that I can't have back home. That's it.
I took your title "it's all just a show" personal too. Like my life is a show, a show off. Something to raise my ego.
Like you said I'm just some stranger on here, no need to get so involved either way. You won't even share you're real name. I respect that.
I just reread carefully your whole post. I owe you an apology. I'm just a straight line thinker and shooter. I don't do poetry, writing as an art, or understand it. Next time I read your stuff I'll read it more carefully before I react.
After rereading carefully you're right. I'm not used to reading your style of writing. Extremely unique. No wonder you have such a growing following. No offense taken anymore, hope that goes both ways. -Dan
I do talk a lot in my article because that is the point of my writing. I just moved to a town where nobody knows me, and people are not travelers like us. So I will write a lot. Like you said, you don't really know what's going on with the author.
There are a lot of travelers I know like this, even traveler friends I have met in Colombia, I'm annoyed with. It's not about you.
It will always be my own opinion, you should never take personally. We have our own.
No, I totally F-up. I tend to skim through other people's articles so I can participate yet get other stuff done too. I totally can not skim through what you write. It's simply not possible with your writing style. It's all poetic and artistic, requires time to really think about what you're saying. So I reread you're article closely, and realized what an ass I was to quickly react how I did. Sorry about that ;)
I thought you were bashing travelers like me/us. I didn't really get it. But now I do. Keep up the good work. My apologies completely. I'll take that extra minute or two I need when reading your articles. They're really good. Totally different compared to how I think and communicate. The way you convey a point is very unique and demands thought and attention from your viewer.
Most travelers I meet are not like me. They all have lives/jobs/careers/families/houses/bills to go back to they often subconsciously speak about in a dreadful way. When they go back they do brag and gloat, and talk about their travels like their special, like you say in your post. They don't know how to live like this, they are just go go go, spend spend spend. Most are vacationers really, then get back to their bills and 9-5.
This is where my definition of pro-travel comes in. I'll just chill in Vang Vieng for a couple weeks, not spend much money yet live super well, be happy and content with what is, and continue living super well for $500-1000 a month.
@fitinfun wants me to do a post on my sweet set up here I've got for 12 bucks a night, she's somewhat of a perpetual traveler too, but she's got herself squared away in Bangkok for a few months. I could see her hangen here for a month or two. Anyway sorry to draw so much attention out of the both of us. I'll read your stuff more closely for now on.
But I must ask....
What confuses me about you is what are you doing anyway moving to a town you don't know anyone? Are you just stopping over for a month or two, or are you building a permanent life there? That's one thing I don't get about you. You write travel articles but you're not traveling. Do you like how I live? Did you live and travel how I do now? Or did you learn to hate it and want to build a home in one location? Or is it a job you're there for? Or are you trying to conform to societies norms? Where they're like we're all stressed out and in the rate race...you need to be in it too! You're are an enigma, that's for sure. Sorry to take up so much of your time. -Dan
No worries anymore! All good. It is my fault for being insensitive anyway.
I guess this post - Travel & Tours startup, will explain it all. It can be confusing if you don't read or follow what I have written in the past, so now I try to link my past articles on my new posts for it to make sense to new followers.
I don't have a job, I already quit long time ago. The one you read was my nightmare, if you read at the bottom, I said I woke up. It is a test if you really you read, which makes my readers really read my posts lol.
Keep writing whatever you want. Have a great day!
All good. Can't believe how badly I reacted before. You touched on my sensitive spot. Seriously, for a long time now, people living normal lives back home have angrily/jealously accused me of running/hiding/escaping. I simply have a better quality of life I in almost every way. That's it, I don't work, I do what I want when I want and in these parts of the world I can afford to do so, that's it. So I kind of got real pissy when I read your intro paragraph. Won't do that again. I'm a bit embarrassed now! :(
I read over you travel & tours startup. I love the entrepreneurial spirit. I think you'll do great, but you'll have to work your but off to make it success, and you are. I can see you traveling how I do and just living off your steemit money. Seems as if you're already making enough. But you're still young and ambitious, like I was when I was doing my thing in Korea. So shoot for the stars while you still got that drive!
Wishing you the best of luck! -Dan
Read you travel & tours