“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Monday, June 16, 2008

Overtravelling?

My NZ friends recently accused me of overtravelling, and that I've become jaded and blase about it all, which I suppose is partially true. They tell me that others save up for years for the kind of trip I take for granted as a weekend opportunity. They hint that I've lost the meaning and value of my wonderful opportunities. Recently my mother (after having to explain my crazy journey so far to her colleagues) told me that she thinks it's amazing.

I guess, all I can say in my defense is that I really don't know any other life!! Please don't think I take it for granted at all--I value every opportunity!!

People ask me all the time how I can afford such a life as this. Even those people that I work with ask me that. I don't budget especially carefully, so it's hard to explain it. I live pretty frugally all the time (read: efficiency!), and then have big spend-ups in the summer. I have no debt left, and when I do travel, I do it on the cheap, staying in hostels and not going out to dinner often (eating alone is not really very fun). I rarely go on the drinking binges because, again, doing it alone is not fun, although I do occasionally join others I meet. I'm not rich. I just spend my money differently than you do.

2 comments:

Rama said...

The unique thing about you is that you have no dependence on things... people in the western world don't know what to do with themselves if they don't have their cell phone, ipod, itunes, gadgets, microwaveable food, etc. :)

Also, you travel to places that are significantly cheaper once you land. I can't wait to visit you in Azerbaijan...!

Natalya Marquand said...

Things... hell, didn't you see my suitcases? :) I have a dependency on things in a way-too-far way, but I just take them with me!