Is the world overrun with tourists? No sense of adventure left?

[ImpulsE69]

With the ease of being able to travel all around the globe, it would be a complete waste to not see the world that interests you, however you see fit to do it. I wish I had time to travel more.

 

[PlanetJosh]

Not sure I can understand why people litter in nature areas as mentioned in the first post or just about anywhere else. I carry small plastic baggies in my hip pocket to put my trash in if it will fit or if no baggies then I just stuff trash in my hip pockets if the trash is not soiled. The soiled stuff goes into the nearest trash can/container.

If it's a long way to the trash container..then I figure out some way to bundle the bigger/soiled trash and carry it.

 

[AViking]

I know what you are saying but lingering just isn't for everyone. I'd rather pick a few highlights and linger than hit every single thing that can be hit. Some people have a list of things they want to see and a limited time to do it and tours help with that. My mom wants to do Germany, never has been, can't afford it now and is 62. If she does manage to go at some point and does a tour so that she can see all that she wants to see in her one and likely only trip so be it.

I'm not asking why people don't like tours I'm asking why people judge those that do like tours. The person that did two day whirlwind tours through Paris is still seeing more Paris than the person that stayed home.

Sometimes it seems people are judging those that do tours more harshly than those that don't even bother leaving the familiar.

There's truth in that. I'm not sure why there's such a strong stigma. It's kinda like people that do cruises though and say they travel. I agree that at least that's better than nothing.

However another horrible reason to do tours is that they generally involve these mandatory stops at tourist markets where you get ripped off if you buy anything and the food stops are often lousy and at places where they get paid a commission. I can't stand that.

 

[AViking]

The railings have little to due with safety. It's about not getting sued - which is becoming America's new favorite pastime.

Railings are an American thing. Due to litigation is my guess. I almost never see railings anywhere in the world. There are exceptions though. Angkor Wat for example used to have nothing and you used to hold onto a copper pipe and climb the largest temple in what can best be described as risking a broken neck. I saw Japanese tourists crying on the way down. It was great and at the top you could just swing your feet over the edge and enjoy the view.

It's different now. They have wood stairs built, railings, the edges are off limits, the whole works. I'd guess it's because people kept dying there though. Not litigation.

 

[Kaido]

By far the worst example of this is Mt Everest. Since Hillary and Norgay did 70 years ago, what at one time many thought was impossible, thousands of suburban fitness buffs attempt to each year (of course with the extreme assistance from Sherpas and advanced technology). What a disrespect such a great feat.

I don't think it's disrepectful. Climbing the mountain is still climbing the mountain. I mean, just because I like to ride my bike doesn't mean I need to compete on an Ironman-class level. I think it's more about paving the way for other people - I'm sure glad we have airliners now instead of the stuff the Wright brothers had at Kitty Hawk, you know?

But yeah, I don't know how much more stuff there is to explore. Some super-deep ocean stuff like James Cameron did, and some space stuff like all of the non-NASA companies are going after these days. But those are pretty expensive endeavors with not a lot of immediate payoff like Columbus had "discovering" the new world or adventurers charting out new rainforests & discovering lost tribes. It's kind of turning into a WALL-E world: sip on your protein drink while we take you on a tour of charted territory!

But I'm not one to talk, because I'm much more materially-oriented than experience-oriented. I'd rather have "stuff" than go places. My wife is the complete opposite - she'd rather go on a trip somewhere than get, say, a projector for our home theater. But to me, the material payoff is repeatable - you can keep using new hardware over & over again, whereas a trip only becomes a memory, and besides, I can just check it out on Google Streetview anytime I want to visit some place

Plus I think the game has changed a lot. In first-world countries, we have a lot of stuff available to us, so it's partly about finding what motivates you & living a fulfilling life. The other part is just about being able to survive, especially financially, since life isn't about hunting & surviving winter anymore - it's about things like getting through college & dealing with crushing student loans, or finding a job that pays enough to cover inflation & mortgages while trying to raise a family, or trying to payoff crippling medical debt after a medical emergency. It's a whole new ballgame out there thanks to advances in technology, manufacturing, mapping, etc.

 

[AViking]

life isn't about hunting & surviving winter anymore - it's about things like getting through college & dealing with crushing student loans, or finding a job that pays enough to cover inflation & mortgages while trying to raise a family, or trying to payoff crippling medical debt after a medical emergency. It's a whole new ballgame out there thanks to advances in technology, manufacturing, mapping, etc.

I think this is key.

In my opinion people CHOSE to make their life like that. There are alternatives. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a house, take on huge student loans, or fall into medical debt. Culturally we like to tell ourselves that we don't have a choice but there is one.

What good is life if your whole existence revolves around falling into debt, and working to pay off that debt, followed by probably buying a bigger house and getting more debt, and so on? Why not utilize borrowed money to get ahead rather than constantly worrying about bills?

Even if travel isn't your thing, and you're into spending disposable income, it makes a lot more sense to live within your means, minimize your debt, and then buy lots of toys with your free time and money.

This might mean moving though. You need to be able to live in an area with respectable incomes and a real estate market that makes sense. The McMansion trend seems to be continuing and this makes buying a small home more difficult than before. We can all live in 1100 sq ft houses and have our homes free and clear in a relatively short period but everyone has to buy that 2300 sq ft place to keep up with the Jones'. This pretty much keeps you in debt for your whole life. Screw that.

 

[Kaido]

I think this is key.

In my opinion people CHOSE to make their life like that. There are alternatives. Nobody is forcing anyone to buy a house, take on huge student loans, or fall into medical debt. Culturally we like to tell ourselves that we don't have a choice but there is one.

What good is life if your whole existence revolves around falling into debt, and working to pay off that debt, followed by probably buying a bigger house and getting more debt, and so on? Why not utilize borrowed money to get ahead rather than constantly worrying about bills?

Even if travel isn't your thing, and you're into spending disposable income, it makes a lot more sense to live within your means, minimize your debt, and then buy lots of toys with your free time and money.

This might mean moving though. You need to be able to live in an area with respectable incomes and a real estate market that makes sense. The McMansion trend seems to be continuing and this makes buying a small home more difficult than before. We can all live in 1100 sq ft houses and have our homes free and clear in a relatively short period but everyone has to buy that 2300 sq ft place to keep up with the Jones'. This pretty much keeps you in debt for your whole life. Screw that.

I think the college & home mortgage ones are the most difficult. Statistically, you stand the best chance of being financially successful if you complete & attend college. And a big chunk of people want to start a family & have a home. You have a better chance of getting more job offerings & make more money if you finish college. But even local community colleges are getting super-expensive these days. There is the whole "Four-hour work-week" concept started by Tim Ferris:

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/

The problem with that is that you still need people showing up to work every day, making stuff for you to use, so that 4-hour workweek program only really applies to a niche selection of people who can be mobile like that. It's a bit harder if you have 4 kids & need a steady income to cover housing, food, educational costs, etc.

But you have an excellent point, and it's a big problem in America: we don't live below our means & we carry a lot of debt. I think school, home, and car debt are OK because those are things you generally "need", but there are wiser ways to go about getting those - don't buy a mansion of a house, buy a reliable used car instead of a new car, etc. Basically don't buy what you can't afford.

Affluence is really a two-edged sword: yes, it's wonderful to have everything available, but on the flip side, it's really easy to get fat (= heart disease, diabetes, heart attacks, etc.), get in debt (= stress, jailtime, etc.), and so on. Lots of traps out there, no matter where you live...

 

[AViking]

I have a college education, had my own apartment while studying, and only had something like $15,000 of student loan debt. I paid it off super quick and could have borrowed a bit more if needed but that's all it took. That's including multiple degrees in the sciences. You should be getting grants and scholarships and not borrowing 6 figures unless you're positive you're going to have a job that can pay for it. I was actually making a profit off of going to school up until the last 2 years where the expenses grew and the scholarships tapered off.

A mortgage is fine if it's reasonable. Paying 20%-25% of your income towards a home that's reasonably valued is fine but unfortunately most people aren't doing that. It's tough when everyone around you is buying a 2500 sq foot house to go ahead and buy a 1200 sq ft house. There's a stigma associated with it. You might be able to get away with it if you buy a small house on a large plot of land but then you're back to square one.

I still have my car that I bought when I graduated from university. Granted it's in a garage right now so I'm not a great example but I did put over 115,000 miles on it before I moved overseas. Most people don't do that. They spend $500+ a month on vehicles year in and year out and just consider it an expense. That's crazy. Even living in Los Angeles, where a nice car is important since you're in it all the time, I can't justify it. Surely people can make their cars last longer than 5 years? I bought that car with a couple thousand miles on it, repossessed by the bank, at a steal too. There's smart ways to spend your money and then there's what most people do.

People have a choice to dump all this debt on their heads. I'd rather spend that money on toys, travel, and an early retirement. If you have pressures on you to buy a bigger house, better car, more TV's, etc you might want to ask yourself where those pressures are coming from and if they're truly in your best interests.

Alternatively just get a super high income and don't worry about anything. That's gotta be nice.

 

[yuchai]

If, in the future people go to the moon like it's a trip to Disneyland nowadays, you would be offended?

Personally, I would be more amazed and congratulate them on the innovations that had to be made to make it possible that way.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Do your own Naked and Afraid Central Park episode. Best adventure ever.

 

[GasX]

OP, what exactly are you bemoaning? The great explorations were all made by a very small number of people - an infintesimal portion of the opulation. Now that global travel is possible, almost anyone can see parts of the world their parents never imagined. If you are for this (which part of your post implied), then why are you moaning about crowds where tourists want to go? If you are against it, then go find a place that isn't a tourist trap. You can play explorer all you want in cool parts of the world all day long. You just have to do what all the great explorers did - find somewhere remote and explore it...

 

[Exterous]

The day you post this after having climbed down from the top of Mt Everest, I will take your post seriously.

Until then:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...atic-Republic-of-Congo-Lubumbashi-to-Kinshasa

Holy shit I was riveted by the story the entire time! Sadly its all touristy now. If you read later in the comments someone mentioned its less rape-y and stabby now and now everyone knows you have to bring your own batteries to start the ferry.

Btw where did the OP go?

 

[T9D]

My dream is that someday I can take a people mover (like at disneyland) to the airport, get on the plane, get on another people mover. That one will take me through the grand canyon, up Everest, up the Eiffel tower, through Yosemite, Around the Pyramids, etc. Any place in the world, I never have to get out of people mover, then back on the plane, back on the people mover in my town and back home. Perfect.