Hey guys, I don't really come here too often anymore but this used to be the place I hung out. I remember Captain Asshat and Barabapa's great tales of adventure and I looked up to them (Sybil too, I s'pose). Traveling is my greatest ambition; there are a lot of things I want to see and experience, so this problem is really weighing on my mind.

Lately though, I'm becoming withdrawn from my goals. I just recently got two tickets: one for a seat belt violation (100) and now just yesterday I got busted at a Bob Dylan concert. Bob was incredible, and his band was on fire; I couldn't help but get caught in the emotions of the event, but eventually security busted me and my girlfriend and now that's another 300 dollars I have to work off plus a court date. I also have another 600 dollars due in past utilities.

When I drove home that night, Dylan played his songs again for me via my ipod. I don't think I've ever felt so defeated. But, beyond missing my hero's show, I contemplated my traveling predicament. With all these bills to pay off, and I'm sure more are coming, I'm terribly confused how I will ever pull off the global trekking that I've been dreaming of since high school. How do I see the world on the budget of a young guy who's being thrown around the court systems. How do you guys experience the great things in the world without becoming stranded, broke, lost.

All I want to do is find a way to a far-off place and immerse myself, but I'm worried it's not going to happen for a long time, and by then I have no idea what kind of person I will be. So, please, if anyone has felt the way I do, been in my situation, or has some words that could help me I would really appreciate it.

I can take care of myself out there. I just need to know I'm not the only one who feels stuck. Thanks.

qUIT FUCKIN COMITTIN CRIME GODDAMNIT THEN YOU WONT BE SUCH A SORRY ASS LOSER. GO TO FUCKIN CHINA IF YOU DONT HAVE RESPECT FOR LAW THAT'LL MAKE A WONDERFUL TRIP FOR YOUR SPOILED FAGGOT ASS.

How do you guys experience the great things in the world without becoming stranded, broke, lost.

We do. That's half the fun. I haven't traveled much at all, I've just started. But on my last trip at one point I was stuck in Queenstown with no ride, so I hitched the 500km. At one point I ran out of money so I decided to use my credit card, turned out it had a pin code for over seas purchases. So I had $40, no plane ticket home, and no credit card. I rang my bank and they said my pin will arrive in 7 business days. $40 to last 9 days. It was fucking fun man. I ended up staying with 5 Irish girls and sleeping on their floor/couch. I'd pay my way by chopping their firewood and doing chores. Every day we'd just drink wine around a fireplace till we were drunk then go to the local bar. Oh and I got 4 fines from the Department of Conservation with in 5 minutes, fishing with no license, outside of fishing season, using live bait and having a fire going in a national forest. He confiscated my fishing gear and gave me a very hefty fine. Second he left, I tore up the fine and grabbed another rod out of the car :)

Point is man....being broke, stranded, lost and in trouble is half the fun. Find jobs where ever you are, work hard, pick vegetables, milk cows, work dirty jobs for minimum wage, because at the end of the day you still get to see the world.

Anything you can recover from is a good thing. It teaches you a lesson and will make a good story to your kids one day. Suck it up and get out there!

qUIT FUCKIN COMITTIN CRIME GODDAMNIT THEN YOU WONT BE SUCH A SORRY ASS LOSER. GO TO FUCKIN CHINA IF YOU DONT HAVE RESPECT FOR LAW THAT'LL MAKE A WONDERFUL TRIP FOR YOUR SPOILED FAGGOT ASS.

GTFO NEW ARRIVAL. YOU OBVIOUSLY ARE RETARDED AND PROBABLY A HOMOSEXUAL. NOW STOP TALKING IN CAP'S OR GTFO.

Now where was i....

Shit happens is about the only word of advice i can give. Even when i had no money i still managed to have fun. I just kept looking for a job, then i finally got 1, and that first paycheck was fuckin sweet(only $400 for 40 hours work lol...). Now im trying to get my life back on track, get some money, and see the world whilst we still can.

Just do what you have to to get money. Pay off your debts, get back on track, set a budget for you house so you can save for that holiday you always wanted, and have fun. No point getting depressed because some cocksucker gave you a ticket for something as trivial as not wearing a seatbelt or w.e. Pay the bills first, so you still have somewhere to stay, if you get depressed then seek help. Try and find a job you love, no matter how hard it is. The happier you are, the faster the time will go.

To save some money(even just a few $$), buy your veg from the markets in the early morning. It's usually 50-90% cheaper then the big supermarkets. Meat from a butcher is usually cheaper aswell, and if you know how to butcher a carcass then buying a whole or a half of lamb/beef/pig/w.e is cheaper aswell.

Dont turn to drugs when your depressed either. Even legal ones like alcohol are going to make you more depressed, and ultimately make you poorer/in a worse situation then you already are. Avoid driving everywhere aswell. If it's only a 2-3minute drive, maybe walk there(10 min walk?), unless of course it's a shitty area, then drive/carry a gun.

The best advice I can give you is to work. Put your nose to the grindstone for a while. Figure out your priorities and learn a working skill.

Once you have a bit of cash in your pocket, and it doesn't take a whole lot, you can head off on your travels.

Hey guys, looks like most of you picked up on the negative state-of-mind I was in when I wrote that post. I do appreciate the advice and words of wisdom, but more than anything I wager I just wanted to share my negativity because it was really starting to weigh me down.

Of course you are all right to advise me to just suck it up and work off the debt, which I am doing right now.

Last week was really just one of the worst periods of my life (other reasons, not the fines) and to an extent I feel energized to proceed with Operation: Travel the Globe. First order of business is to stop buying weed to fill in the boring hours of my days and start being active.

Thanks for the responses everyone, even the first noob.

Hey! I now feel a little late to the thread but I can easily understand where you're coming from. Of the traveling mindset myself, I also used to smoke weed - been without since the end of March and feeling quite well, I recommend you cease consumption as well! :D

Come to nepal with me and sybil in 2010 :)

Just get a job and work your ass off.

I spent two years saving so I could drop 15k on a six month european holiday this year.

I've pretty much seen most of America never leavin' the house with more than maybe a hundred bucks on me and alotta times 20, ha. It's all perspective and you gotta make your own luck sometimes or some good friends travelling with you. Strange things happen when you travel alone or with company with no money sometimes, people might give ya a ride or a place to stay or some money or food, or you might get bad directions, get lost, thirsty and end up finding some beautiful sprawling vista you never knew existed. Some people have trouble not knowing whats gunna happen next, to me its the whole point, to leave certainty at the front door when i leave my home. If you can go with the flow of ups and downs that you may encounter, don't let fiscal matters even enter into it and they won't. Everything i needed was provided in one way or another on a few bucks a day or less. It helps to have a positive attitude so that you will get to where you wanna go, soon as you slip into thinking "fuck i'm broke, i'm lost, i'm helpless" thats when bad shit starts to happen. Good luck.

craigslist is a great way to travel on little money, check the rideboards, lotsa times u can get a ride across the country for a lot less than what you would spend on a train or a plane.

How do you guys experience the great things in the world without becoming stranded, broke, lost.

I can take care of myself out there. I just need to know I'm not the only one who feels stuck. Thanks.

Dude I once there was a NIN concert I wanted to go to soo bad but it was across the country and I had to get there, buy the ticket and pay rent next month. I said fuck rent and went. I don't regret it, My landlord was pissed that i bailed on him for a month and It's probably not the best option(baling on your debts).

Just recognize a chance to fly when you see it, don't let it get away

What would Dean Moriarty want you to do?

What would Dean Moriarty want you to do?

I've been saving this book until I finally go on a trip. I think it would be a great read.

If you dont want to be broke - try making money.

Smoking weed, fucking at bob dylan concerts and missing your bills can be alot of fun - but if your going to do a serious amount of travelling you need to be at least marginally organised and slightly focused.

If you have any marketable skills, then you can make money.
Anywhere in the world.
Theres opportunity everywhere you just need to do something about it - even in broke as fuck 3rd world countries you can get paid if you know what your doing.
Theres TNC's and international org's all over, and if you can play ball they can pay.

If you dont, then go get some.

Personally it aint a big deal, i have lived ghetto in my own country - and it sounds like you have as well, so you can do it somewhere else as well.

Nowhere has a monopoly on being cheap (cept scotland ha ha ha)and being on the streets doing your thing is more satisfying then looking down at it from a 5 star hotel, or cruise liner.

...and being on the streets doing your thing is more satisfying then looking down at it from a 5 star hotel, or cruise liner.

Respect for summing it up so well.

Anything you can recover from is a good thing. It teaches you a lesson and will make a good story to your kids one day. Suck it up and get out there!

Haha very nice.:)