Why I Want to Travel

“In Africa a thing is true at first light and a lie by noon and you have no more respect for it than for the lovely, perfect weed-fringed lake you see across the sun-baked salt plain. You have walked across that plain in the morning and you know that no such lake is there. But now it is there absolutely true, beautiful and believable.” Ernest Hemingway

People ask me why do I want to travel and log long hours on planes with tight seats, dirty restrooms, barely edible food and arrive exhausted? Not to mention terribly rude crews. To most people these factors are insanely trite and have no appeal. On the contrary, I personally have a love of adventure and discovering cultures yet to be experienced.

I am and always have been, a type A personality, making all my own decisions and living with the consequences. Some have been very good and some have come back to haunt me!

During the first segment of my life I devoted myself to an executive job, that literally would have put me in my grave, if I stayed the course. Retail can be a death wish and all the associated problems made my “Monkey Mind” act unnaturally schizo-phobic. One day I wanted to toss my cookies and one day I wanted to keep the pace. All the wear and tear was not fruitful and I wasn’t an amiable individual. I needed a change and decided to “enjoy” the remainder of my life.
I made a decision to leave the business world and travel. eat and photograph the many cultures, people and foods of the world and share them with my friend’s cohorts and associates. I am hungry to begin my journey and experience the passion of the world. To be honest, I love the idea of travelling and exploring. However, I do not like the idea of travelling for business. I have had entrepreneur friends who travel overseas for work. They seem very happy, mostly because they never face problems with visas. One friend of mine (who is a business owner) once told me that he was supposed to visit the U.S. for expanding his business perhaps. He seemed really relaxed for a person who was travelling overseas for the first time. He told me that he had petitioned for an O1 visa (possibly with the help of immigration attorneys at https://www.kuzminalaw.com/o1-visa-for-entrepreneurs) and got hold of one without any hassle. And now he was ready to make the big move of shifting. When I heard this, I felt happy for him, but, at the same time, I felt sad for him because he would only know work when he reaches his destination and would never have the chance to be a free bird like me. If his story had been mine, I would have probably suffocated to death because I have been inspired by the nomads who live to explore and explore to live. I want to be one of them who knows it all and has seen it all, and if that means that I have to visit the same place over and over again to explore the hidden gems, then I shall do that without any hesitation. Yes, financially that might stress me, but I have heard that there are ways to combat that. For instance, I can invest in a timeshare– it can allow me to purchase a certain period of time in a particular vacation property. The trouble is, though, that I have to pay maintenance fees for the property even if I do not visit it more than once (I might soon grow tired of this and look for the professional help from individuals found at popular timeshare exit companies to end the deal). So, I am not sure that it is a perfect solution for me. Personally, I am likely to ponder whether I should invest in a shared ownership vacation property in the near future. For now, I will just focus on the fact that I will begin my passionate journey of traveling and will follow the road tirelessly. If that means staying at a hostel or a tent, then be it.
That said, I am starting a new blog, that will relate to travel and food at the end of the day. I have been very fortunate in my life and spent two months in SE Asia at the age of 23, buying for a major amusement park chain. It was a vastly energizing and memorable experience that left me thirsting for more. This was after I turned down a month in Europe trip from my Uncle Curt, when I graduated from high school. I wanted a car more than the trip at that time, so I stayed employed through that summer and have regretted the decision ever since!

I am starting a new blog, that will relate to travel and food at the end of the day. I have been very fortunate in my life and spent two months in SE Asia at the age of 23, buying for a major amusement park chain. It was a vastly energizing and memorable experience that left me thirsting for more. This was after I turned down a month in Europe trip from my Uncle Curt, when I graduated from high school. I wanted a car more than the trip at that time, so I stayed employed through that summer and have regretted the decision ever since! I have taken every opportunity presented in my family life to travel, while raising three sons with my wife of 34 years. Our travels were fascinating, but I left something on the table. I wanted more international travel and it is my desire to expand my RTW consciousness and see a plethora of countries while I am still mobile. Retiring in a foreign country is also something I think about. European countries like Malta have some of the best real estate options (click to learn more about it) one could ask for. It is truly one of the most mesmerizing places on this planet. Anyway, for now, I only have travel plans some of which may or may not involve some luxury travel as well. Of course, first I need to find how much does it cost to rent a private jet or a similar vehicle that can ensure privacy and safety while providing the utmost comfort at the same time. Hopefully, I will be able to afford such luxuries.
We all are moving at warp speed and need to slow down, and amputate our oppressive stress levels. We need to learn to relax, smile, hug our families and smell the roses! I hope that I can provide a small measure of entertainment and can bring a little levity to you, via my blog. Peace to all and Safe Travels!!!

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24 responses to “Why I Want to Travel”

  1. bob busby says:

    Mike ,
    Are you there ? I”m impressed !! I would like to be blessed wtth the tools to travel . You don”t have to convince me. Lets stay in touch.

  2. Nomadic Texan says:

    Bobby,
    We have “traveled” together in our younger days–Ha! I loved our trip and still think about it! Peace and Safe Travels my brother!!!

  3. Great introduction and great that you have this thirst to see more while you are still active. I feel the same way.

  4. Leah says:

    Fabulous! I’m so happy you’ve got this ball rolling. Your design is great and so is your story. It’s never too late to quench that travel thirst. I’m very proud of you and I can’t wait to follow along. Well done, sir.

  5. Freda says:

    Mike I am so glad you pursued your passion for travel. I would have hated to miss out sharing that here with you. I can’t wait to read more of your travel adventures. By the way I love your blog. Great layout. You did good !!

  6. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Leah,

    Your words are inspiring and so valuable. I am honored to know you and to obtain your assessment! Thank you deeply!!!
  7. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Ted,

    Thank you sincerely. You have been a motivation to pursue this dream and I value your thoughts and opinions tremendously. I appreciate your feedback!!!
  8. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Leah,

    I am honored that you responded with such tribute. I value your opinion and trust your comments to be a candid assessment. Thank you for being my original contact and all the support you have given me over the last few months!!!
  9. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Freda,

    You are a kind soul and I truly value your opinions and thoughts. Please keep the “Cards and Letter” coming! Thank you for you inspiring comments!
  10. Sweet post to start with 🙂 Good luck with any new trips and also with this blog 🙂

  11. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Alexandra,

    I appreciate your comment and thank you sincerely for your good wishes. I am off to Cuenca Ecuador in about 10 days. Will blog from there. Thank you for your support!
  12. Hey Mike! What a cool testament to the exciting new chapter in your life. Good for you for listening to your heart to travel the world. Wishing you the best of luck in your future travels! You know we’ll be following along the way!

  13. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Allison,

    I appreciate your feedback and treasure your opinions. Can’t wait to meet the gang from GoWithOh. Have a great week!
  14. Andy says:

    Fantastic article Mike. Some people will never get it, that is, the reasons why you are willing to go through all of that for experience. Then again, some don’t value experiences. I am so happy to see your passion coming to fruition!

  15. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Andy,

    It just took me a little longer than most of you to comprehend. Thanks for the kind words and thanks for taking a look!
  16. Talon says:

    “…need to slow down, and amputate our oppressive stress levels.” Love that phrasing! So true!

  17. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Talon,

    Thank you for the wonderful compliment. It is truly inspiring and I am very grateful for your comment. Peace and Safe Travels my friend!
  18. Donna George says:

    Liked everything you said…except for the “terribly rude crews” part….lol. Have a wonderful time in Ecuador.
    Look forward to the blogs and pictures!!

  19. NOMADICTEXAN says:

    Donna,

    Sorry you were offended, but I have not found too many “Happy” crews as of late on Airlines. I will definitely take many photos (76 today) and post as many blogs as possible. I am also uploading photos on Twitter and Facebook. I appreciate you follow and for taking the time to comment. Much appreciated young lady! 
    Mike
  20. http://www.buildingsights.org

    Th is entire point is usually a joke. No matter how the layout neighborhood feels about these redesigns, their impression is measured by results, not opinions. Ca notwe speak about th is shit responsibly?

  21. Maria says:

    Owning your successes and not-so-good-ideas is key and seems as though you’ve hit upon a great idea… travel more for as long as you can. *grin*

  22. NOMADICTEXAN says:
    Maria,
    Thanks for your comments. I will definitely heed your advice and “travel as long as I can”! Thanks.
    Mike
  23. Jennifer says:

    Simply inspirational sir!!

    • NOMADICTEXAN says:

      Jennifer,
      I love to travel and meet new cultures, eat new foods and explore. Travel is fascinating and inspires me to keep going these days. My work days are over and without travel I think I might not live as long! Safe Travels young lady and remember “To Pay It Forward”!
      Mike

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