Drill sergeant speaking to new recruits

Travis at the frequent flyer blog Extra Pack of Peanuts assembled a Who’s Who of bloggers in this epic round-up post: What’s your excuse for not traveling? 71 travel experts tell you why it’s bull**t.

A pattern quickly emerges in the responses: the No. 1 issue is money.  Over and over again, the bloggers say that the main reason they hear is that people don’t have enough money. Several delved deeper, saying that these people did indeed have money–they just weren’t prioritizing travel. With companies reporting profits, it’s clear that there is money being spent, but not on seeing the world.

Even when told about how to cut expenses with frequent flyer miles, couchsurfing, “goodwill guides” who give free tours, some people still stubbornly believe that travel is outside their reality.

Could it be because travel isn’t “consumable,” like other things you can buy? It’s not something you can just turn on and enjoy. Travel requires conscious living: saving money, taking time off work (or quitting), finding someone to take care of your kids if you have them, booking flights and accommodation, and the list goes on. All this has to be done before even setting foot at your destination.  Instead of taking something home, you have to push yourself out into the world. This can seem inconvenient at best or downright frightening at worst for someone who hasn’t done it before.

Do you have friends, family and other people in your life who don’t “get” travel? Please share your experiences in the comments.