20 Quotes For Every 20-Something Traveler

20 Quotes For Every 20-Something Traveler

1. "This is the time for small paychecks and big memories." - Jessy Tapper

2. "Travel. As much as you can. As far as you can. As long as you can. Life's not meant to be lived in one place."

3. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” - Aldous Huxley

4. “For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” - Robert Louis Stevenson

5. “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” - Lao Tzu

6. "You don't have to be rich to travel well." - Eugene Fodor

7. “When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you’re visiting.” - Clint Borgen

8. “Not I - not anyone else, can travel that road for you, You must travel it for yourself.” - Walt Whitman

9. “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.” - Anthony Bourdain

10. “I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” - Mary Anne Radmacher

11. "One's journey is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things." - Henry Miller

12. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” - Neale Donald Walsch

13. “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” - Maya Angelou

14. “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” - Scott Cameron

15. “Once a year go somewhere you have never been before.” - Dalai Lama

16. "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

17. “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

18. “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.” - Michael Palin

19. "Figure out what your purpose is in life, what you really and truly want to do with your time and your life; then be willing to sacrifice everything and then some to achieve it. If you are not willing to make the sacrifice then keep searching" - Quintina Ragnacci

20. “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” - Susan Sontag

How To Stay In Shape While Traveling

Blue Water in Amalfi Coast

When you're not at home in your regular routine, it can be tough to find time to hit the gym. There are so many things to do when you're on a trip - things that are much more enticing than exercise.

And that's how it should be - you didn't get away from your regular routine just to bring it back with you. You decided to travel to experience something different and more exciting (or relaxing) than your day-to-day life.

However, if you're going on an extended trip or just want to keep any extra pounds away during your time away from home, you'd be surprised at how many tricks you can use to keep in shape.

How To Stay In Shape While Traveling: 7 Tricks

1. Get outside

At top of Camelback Mountain, Phoenix AZ

People are more likely to be active outdoors when they travel than when they're at home. Try your hand at rock climbing, white water rafting, hiking, or skiing, just to name a few ideas.

You'll be able to see a whole other side of where you're at, and it's most likely off the tourist track.

2. Walk everywhere

Ireland

As tempting as it may be to hop in a taxi for a few blocks, opt to walk instead. It's easy to get around most cities on foot. Plus, you see more on foot than you do through a car window.

3. Take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator

Of course, don't do this in creepy stairwells with no one around. This is more of an example for when you're at a public place (ex: a mall) and you have the option.

Also, if you using subways as public transportation, you sometimes don't have a choice if the escalator stops moving! Those stairs are STEEP. #EveryDayIsLegDay

4. Go to a fitness class

If you're staying at a hotel or resort, it's very likely they will offer fitness classes. Elsewhere, you're likely to find free classes in the city - search "free fitness classes in (insert city here)" online to see if there are any on offer.

The great thing about going to fitness classes is that you can go with the people you're traveling with or walk in solo, and either way it's a social experience. Sunrise Pilates on the beach, anyone?

5. Go horseback riding

Denver Horses

If you're at a place where you can find horseback riding, you'll be surprised at the core/leg workout you get while riding. This is a memorable mode of transportation for, say, vineyard and/or countryside tours.

6. Play sports

If you're living in a foreign country, look for sports leagues in your city. This is a fun way to be active while also meeting other locals/expats in the area. If you're studying abroad, your school or program may offer intramural sports.

7. Join a Fitness/Wellness retreat

Is fitness your priority when traveling? If so, then you should consider a group tour that is centered around fitness - Active Escapes comes to mind. There are also other types of retreats for yoga, etc.

While the hotel gym is always a nice backup, it's more fun to exercise in a way that will enhance your trip (and sometimes get you out of your comfort zone). Try these tricks on your next vacation!

5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

Periscope is my new favorite app. I love "traveling" to other places and interacting through the comments with the person broadcasting. Though Periscopes can be about anything, the ones I tend to watch the most are those who show their city or where they are.

A few of my favorites:

5 Periscopers To Follow For Major Travel Inspiration

@BaseGiulioBase

Giulio is literally the happiest, most optimistic person ever, always telling us to "look at the beauty!" A film director from Rome, his 'scopes include walks around his home city, other parts of Italy - and my recent favorite - Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival.

@EuroMaestro

Euro is a Parisian who shows us around Paris. Walking along the Seine with Euro had me reminiscing about my trip to Paris last year and it felt like I was back there too. A couple of days ago he took us up to Sacre Coeur as well as Versailles - two things I didn't get around to doing on my trip - so I was very happy to get to experience it through Periscope.

@moeinteractive

Moe lives in New York and broadcasts tours around NYC's favorite spots. He'll take us around and show famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building or the Brooklyn Bridge, oftentimes talking to people along the way. He always seems to stumble among the coolest happenings too - such as street performers or a filming location for a movie.

@carpediem

I first found Carpe Diem when she was streaming on the beaches of Cancun. It took less than ten seconds for me to bump up Cancun and the Yucatan Penninsula on my travel list. Those white sand beaches!

@GlobalPeriscope

@GlobalPeriscope is always suggesting awesome 'scopes around the world to watch. I never get bored opening up one of their suggestions.

Some of Periscope's recent updates include an app for Android, the ability to create an account without connecting to Twitter, and searching for broadcasts in both list and map form.

Learn more about Periscope here, and make sure to follow me @allyarcher!

Can't Decide Where To Go? 7 Steps On Choosing Your Next Destination

If you have a serious case of wanderlust with a bucket list that's pages long, you're like many others who love to travel. There are so many places to see in the world and it can be tough to narrow it down to your next must-go-to destination, especially when your growing travel list becomes overwhelming. If you are having trouble deciding which place you should visit next, it helps to break it down into steps. Once you've figured out where you want to go, you can actually begin the planning process.

Starting with a destination in mind will get the ball rolling so your dream trip isn't an idea that seems far away...it becomes a plan that's happening in the near future.

1. Make a list of the top 5 destinations you want to visit most

Download your FREE worksheet here!

Don't think about money, time, or anything else that might hold you back. Paris? Buenos Aires? ...A remote, nomadic village in Mongolia? ...A research base in Antarctica? Other than passport/visa restrictions, no place is off-limits at this point.

2. For each destination, list 1-2 reasons why you want to go there

What makes you excited about this particular place? Is it the opportunity to see friends or family? To take a relaxing break from the stresses of everyday life? To work or volunteer? To meet people from other cultures? To seek adventure? To find yourself?

3. Then, list the number one activity you want to do while you're in each destination

If you were only at these places for a day each, what is the one thing you'd have to do? This could be taking a tango lesson in Argentina. Or drinking wine in Tuscany. Or volunteering at a local school in Nicaragua. Or surfing in Australia. Write out your "must-do" activity for each destination on your list. Now that you've defined some reasons for why you want to go to your top destinations as well as some things you'd do, it's time to narrow down the list.

4. Remove a destination from the list

While they all sound exciting, deep down you know which one you prefer less than the others. It doesn't mean you'll never make it there. Removing one location will get you closer to your decision, and ultimately, your trip. You should now have four locations on the list.

5. Do some quick, surface research for each location. Find out:

• When peak travel season is as well as the shoulder season

• Average cost of roundtrip flights from your home city to each destination

• What the visa process is and if you need to apply or pay for one

• The currency conversion rate of the location to your home/general consensus if it is expensive or inexpensive

• Cost (if any) of your top, number one activity from Step 3

6. Duke it out, bracket style

Write out the first two destinations on your list in a column on one side and the other two on the other side. After having considered the factors from your research - as well as listening to your gut feeling - choose only one from each column as the winner. Then, have the winners on each column battle it out for number one. Choose the winner based on your gut feeling, deep down, where you see yourself most. Then...

7. Yeah! You've chosen where to go! Now comes the fun part: planning

Is your chosen destination seemingly expensive, time consuming, or has some other factor that feels overwhelming? Don't give up yet! You generally have an idea of what the trip will cost and when most people go. Look into many ways to budget travel and see which time fits best with your schedule. Also, decide when to go. If you can't make a finalized decision yet, start with "this year" or "next year" AND choose the month. Saying "Oh, I guess I'll go to Marrakech next year" isn't a very motivating goal, but "I'm going to Marrakech this September" is. This ensures you have a time frame to start out with which will help you research and plan. It's okay if it changes later on. Get my free worksheet!

You might also like...

8 Essential Steps To Planning A Trip Abroad

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Travel Because You Want To

As usual, I received both positive and negative replies to when I told people I was going to New York for Memorial Day Weekend.

"New York is amazing! You'll have a great time!"

"New York is so expensive. It's a waste of money for just a weekend."

"Good for you! Sounds like fun."

"Really? I would never spend all those hours flying to the other side of the country unless I was going for a longer period of time."

"Take lots of pictures! I want to hear all about it."

"You're not going for work or to visit family? Why would you go somewhere for no particular reason?"

Everyone is going to have an opinion, whether it's good or bad. The only thing that matters is what you want to do. Those slightly negative opinions might make me question my travel decisions, but my answers almost always confirm that I'm doing the right thing, especially when looking back on it.

Did I have a great time in New York? Yes! Was it expensive? Yes! But was it worth it? YES, absolutely!

I don't make a fortune by any means with my job, but I do my best to put some money aside every paycheck to put toward something I want to do. I've spent most of my extra money on travel: flights to New York, flights to visit friends... to me, it's worth it.

Everyone has different interests, and investments in "fun" things look different for everyone. Other friends may want to spend money on new designer clothes, a new TV, or bottle service at a club. That's fine! But if you'd rather spend money on travel, it's okay that you spend your money on different things than your friends.

The reason behind this post is to not feel guilty for traveling. If you want to travel, make it happen. Don't let others drag you down - you're not living their life, you're living yours. You don't need any other excuse to travel other than the fact that you want to.

Upper East Siders Only: 'Gossip Girl' Locations Tour

During my junior year of high school, I was beyond delighted to see Gossip Girl, a book series, come to life on the small screen.

Seeing S, B, N, and Lonely Boy in real life against the New York City backdrop was enough for me to convince my parents that we should take our annual vacation to the city instead of Arizona.

After a lot of persuasion they agreed, and I have been bit by NYC's bug ever since! 

Seeing as last weekend I was able to visit the city for the fifth time, I was excited to join On Location Tours for their Gossip Girl Sites Tour to scout out locations where the show was filmed.

Gossip Girl Sites Tour in New York

First, we met at The Palace Hotel to check in with our guides, Kelsey and Madeline. They were both cheery and welcoming as we checked in beside Chuck and Serena's old place of residence (The Palace Hotel):

Our tour was Saturday at 10 am and there were two coach buses - one full and one about half-full.

We would drive to different locations and watch scenes from the show that corresponded with what we were seeing in between. The tour lasted about three hours.

For some locations we would get out and have some time to explore or take photos, and for others we would just drive by them.

As we drove up 5th Avenue we discussed our favorite characters from the show and watched a few clips.

After driving by one entrance of Constance/St. Jude's, the characters' high school - filmed at Synod of Bishops Russian Church - we stopped and got out to take photos at Museum of the City of New York, which was used as the other entrance to the school!

Next, it was time for some sweets shopping, so we stopped at Dylan's Candy Bar for about half an hour - the same spot where Dan and Vanessa bought candy in a scene. ;)

After Dylan's Candy Bar we stopped at Bendel's for some headband shopping, because you know, we ALL have to channel our inner Blair Waldorf.

Bendel's is located next to Harry Winston, so we got to see -

[SPOILER ALERT - SEASON 3] 

- where Chuck picked out the gorgeous diamond engagement ring...that he held onto even when he got mugged in Prague during season three's tearful finale! :( 

Since everyone wants to be Blair Waldorf - channeling her can only go so far - we simply couldn't pass up the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The MET steps were B's "throne" in the early seasons as she, Serena, and her minions would sit and have yogurt before school.

Grand Central Terminal was one of my favorite spots because that was where the series' opening scene was filmed: after Dan and Jenny meet their dad upon arriving from a summer in Hudson, Serena is also "spotted" getting off the train. Aw, now I'm nostalgic.

We also scouted additional locations, including the New York Public Library, The Carlyle Hotel, Laduree, The Empire Hotel, and the Pulitzer Fountain.

While we had a break to check out the Empire, I was exhausted from taking a red eye flight the night before and opted for an iced coffee instead.

It was a fun way to spend a morning in New York, and I'd definitely recommend this tour for any Gossip Girl super fans!

XOXO

Tour Details

Book online here!

Cost: $43 + $2 booking fee

Runs: Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays; daily July - August

Meets at: 455 Madison Avenue (The Palace Hotel)

Go Seek Explore was invited to this experience as a guest of On Location Tours. Opinions are always my own.

The Time Is Now. Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do

When faced with a big decision or overwhelming goal, we tend to put it off and just keep it in the backs of our minds.

For example: me and travel hacking. I was first introduced to the concept of travel hacking by some friends/fellow travelers when I was in Italy. After Europe, they were going to move to Thailand for a few months and travel around Southeast Asia before continuing future travels.

How did they afford the flight? Well, they got it for free by putting their regular spending on a travel credit card and strategically signing up at the right times to get the best bonuses.

The first time I heard this, it blew my mind. Why didn't I do this sooner? Would I have earned enough points for a free flight by now, without even spending out of the ordinary?

It took me a year and a half to actually sign up for a travel credit card.

I had read the articles. I had heard the success stories of travel hacking. But this was something I was passive about - a pipeline goal, something I wanted to do but kept putting on the back burner, no matter how many times I put it on my to-do list.

It's been less than a week of having the credit card, though soon through regular spending I will be able to meet the sign-up bonus. The bonus includes the best part....50,000 bonus points! That's a round trip domestic flight or a one-way international ticket.

Why didn't I do this sooner? I'm always talking about taking action and going for your goals. In most cases, I practice what I preach. But for some reason, this particular goal of getting a travel card seemed extremely overwhelming.

Being overwhelmed is very common with many "big" goals, especially when they're travel-related. The best thing to do when you're faced with a big goal is to break it down into steps.

8 Essential Steps to Planning a Trip Abroad

Using SMART Goals to Take Action Toward Your Travel Dreams

Specify exactly what you want. Not: "I want to get a travel credit card," rather "I want a travel credit card with at least $xx,xxx bonus miles and no foreign transaction fees. I'm going to sign up for the card by the end of the week and put my first purchase on the card this weekend."

This can apply to anything in your life. Everyone has pipeline dreams, but by turning them into reasonable goals with a time frame we can stop dreaming and make those goals a reality. Get specific on what it is you really want and get started. Dreams don't work unless you do.