There are a ton of ways for travelers to save on vacations, especially with new companies popping up like Airbnb and VRBO for accommodations, Uber for transportation, and review sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp. This is a great thing because it provides the budget traveler with tools and options. Trust me, for a newly married, late 20’s, hard working, 2 weeks off a year individual like myself, it’s these types of outlets that allow for cheaper travel so I can experience the world.
But here’s the thing.
Budget traveling is for travelers and not necessarily for vacationers. I think there is a major difference so let me explain. Traveling is seeing the world, experiencing new cultures, taking risks and sometimes getting yourself into unpleasant situations. Travel is free-spirited and fancy free, where you don’t know the exact pinpoints on the map or the precise hostels you’ll be staying in. Travel can also be purposeful, where you seek out museums and landmarks, cities and islands. Where you pursue a new language or an understanding of someplace you’ve never been before.
Vacationing, on the other hand, is a word almost synonymous with relaxation. Lazy mornings, afternoons by the pool with cocktail in hand, spa treatments, hotel amenities, fancy dinners out. Vacationing is different from traveling because it is intended to require little effort. Taking a break from normal life means not washing your own dishes or preparing your own meal. It’s all about luxury and indulgence, otherwise, we wouldn’t call it a vacation.
If you’re traveling to Hawaii you should be vacationing here, so toady we focus on talking about how you do just that! Enjoy!