How Traveling Has Been Different in My 20s v.s 30s

Mariah
12 comments
about 4 min
29 Jul 2024

Travel when you're young?

We’ve all been there. Red-eye flights, cheap, overnight bus tickets from Paris to Amsterdam on the Megabus. Sleeping in a hammock in the jungle for $2 a night (not including the price of the mosquito bites!). There’s an unmatched thrill to traveling in your 20’s vs. in your 30’s or 40's. The longing for adventure and freedom of youth create a constellation of possibilities.

I look back on that time of my life with admiration and appreciation, yet, I can’t help but admit traveling in my 30’s has been different. When I was younger, I often heard, “Travel when you’re young!” as advice from older folks. Even then, I knew I wanted to keep traveling no matter what age, but part of me wondered if it were true. “Will I ever be too old to travel?” I worried.

three workawayers including two younger travellers and mariah each holding up a bottle of salad dressing selfie smile at parking lot

On the road as an 'older' traveller

Now that I’m well into my thirties (we won’t say how well), I can definitely say that traveling in your 30’s is not only possible, it has advantages! Not just because of my age, but because I’m in a different season of life. My priorities have shifted. My experiences (and all of the lessons learned) have shaped how I navigate the world.

One of the biggest shifts has been focusing less on what I can get and more on what I can give. In the past, I wanted to see and do everything, take the biggest inhale, and then let even more in. I wanted a free place to stay, the cheapest beer, and the best local tips. Money might have been in short supply, but time was not. I could afford to take the long way and “rough it” for a few weeks to save up for a nice meal or an excursion, options not available to me now.

Now, I have less time but more financial resources, a paradox I’m still getting used to! I’m no longer willing to sacrifice good sleep for the best price. While I often envy my younger self, the frenetic pace I used to keep just isn’t appealing anymore. How and who I travel with means more to me than crossing off bucket lists. I want to be in good company, whether that’s traveling with a group of friends or skipping off to Spain to make new travel buddies!

mariah and her workaway host family smiling at camera together

Experiencing the world from a new perspective

I’m at a point where I want to give back. I want to share my resources and hard-earned wisdom. I want to offer the hospitality I’ve so generously received and make core memories with my son. I want to create experiences and opportunities that expand his horizons and mine, too. I want to see the world from his perspective, carefree and full of wonder, even if that means we’re scheduling activities around multiple naps a day!

What I love about Workaway is that no matter how old you are or what phase of life you’re in, there’s a built-in reciprocity to give and receive. I’ve been the heartbroken, lost, twenty-something-year-old taken in by Workaway hosts of all ages and gently nourished back to life. I’ve benefited from the loving care of families around the world when I was so far away from mine. More than a place to stay and homecooked food, I needed a place to rest, gather myself, and regain the courage to keep going. I found that with Workaway.

I’ve also been inspired by meeting fellow travelers from all walks of life. Whether traveling solo in their 60’s or together as a couple in their 50’s, seeing their joy and enthusiasm for life left an unforgettable impression. It reassured me you’re never too old to travel.

workawayer mariah at a vineyard carrying her smiling toddler in oversized sunglasses

Connecting with the world in all the ways we can

While I might look back on traveling in my 20’s as a time where I received more than I gave, I know my presence reignited a spark in others, too. For the young family without relatives close by, taking the kids to the park or reading stories before bedtime was a lifesaver. For the older couple with an out-of-sorts garden, spending hours on my hands and knees pulling weeds and tending to the rosebushes brought them relief and delight.

At the end of the day no matter how or what age we travel, what we’re really looking for is connection. We crave new places and faces because we want to know that we belong in this big, beautiful, wild world. And we do. 💖

workawayer mariah hugging student from teach abroad project

career break sabbatical mature travellers

About Mariah

Mariah Friend is a former Workawayer who quit her job to travel the world for fourteen months, embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. Mariah stayed with hosts in France and Ghana, gaining valuable ... show more...

View all posts by Mariah

Visit Website