Travel Jones

So forget the view! No, I am not saying you should forget the view, per se. What I mean is, you should not spend money on a room with a view solely for the purpose of your stay. When traveling, most people look at hotels and want a view from a high rise, looking out into the ocean or city skyline. That’s all fine and well but you are going to pay a premium for that view. And all of this for what? A few moments to look out the window like a cat on the window sill?

Seriously, do not do this… That’s such an unfulfilling, underwhelming experience!

I want you to think about this for one moment. How often do you travel and stay in your room the entire time? Scratch that, I know that’s extreme. How about, how often do you stay in your room even 30% of the time? Of course this is simply my opinion but if you’re traveling, you’re only staying in your room to shower and sleep. Otherwise, you’ll be out and about. Part of finding the money to travel is not spending money on things that don’t matter. More so, the reason for travel is to experience life. You wont experience anything simply looking out of the window.

Traveling with the idea of arriving to your destination simply to enjoy the view from your room is a severely unbalanced way to look at travel. If this is what you seek, more power to you! The issue I have with it is that you can get a high rise, ocean, skyline view almost anywhere. Essentially what you’re getting is the same thing no matter where you go. That being the case, why travel at all?

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”

– Andre Gide

A Minimalist Advantage

I’m only trying to change your thinking in the ways of travel. If you’re not much of a seasoned traveler, then I’d guess that when you think of vacationing that you need to spend thousands of dollars on flights and hotel stays. Nevermind the cost to eat and or drink. The idea of taking on a minimalist mindset is that it will free you to do so much more than you thought possible. So let’s start with getting a basic room for your stay. No glamorous views. Just a simple bed and shower. Depending on your location, you’ll save hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

With that simple idea in mind, you can take those savings and apply it elsewhere. Instead of taking one vacation a year, you could do 2 or 3! Or it allows you to do more on your trip. Perhaps a guided tour, or a longer, further excursion in a far away land? The point I’m trying to make is to stop spending money on things that don’t matter. And if you’re just starting out, don’t buy fancy hotel rooms! Let’s be honest, most of you only do it to show off to your friends on social media. Don’t let social media, pride and comparison screw up your ability to move around in this world!

Again, this is no diss towards those who only want to see a magnificent view of the ocean or city. If you’re still reading this I can only imagine that having money to do more on your travels is why you’re here. Don’t be inspired, be informed and take action! Don’t concern yourself with the most beautiful of accommodations. Don’t get stuck looking out the window! If you do, you’ll miss out on so much more!