travel essay

"Ah, summer . . .  Ah, travel . . .  Exotic locales, sun-drenched beaches and interesting people . . .  All this for the low, low package price of . . . $3495.  Ouch."  While such advertisements prompt many travellers to reserve their first-class tickets, most of us have to satisfy ourselves with day-dreaming over the glossy beach scenes.  However, just because we have no money to spare, it does not mean we have to stay at home while our friends and neighbors see the world.  In fact, there is nothing so fascinating as travelling on the cheap.  Although it requires some research and ingenuity, we can travel around the world with little money by staying at someone else's house, by participating in an exchange program, or by working for charity.
All of us with relatives and friends in far-off places should realize we already have a ready-made way to travel cheaply.  Not only can we eliminate hotel bills, but also we can be treated as honoured guests.  In addition, we are often provided with a free guide who will show us around the town and give us all the tips on where to find the best deals on everything from food to clothes.  Then, after a long day's sight-seeing, we are welcomed back to the comfort of a home, rather than the emptiness of a hotel room.  As long as we behave ourselves, this option can offer us a cheap, yet comfortable experience.
Even if we have no friends and family in exotic places, we can still enjoy the comfort of a home away from home. Groups like Rotary International and American Field Service sponsor plenty of travel scholarships, from youth conferences to trips promoting international fellowship.  During the event, we are encouraged to participate in a home-stay program to maximize our understanding of other cultures.  As well, we can arrange independently to live with a family half a hemisphere away and learn all about their culture.  Various home-stay organizations provide connections for would-be travellers to set up cheap accommodation abroad.  As an added bonus, we will have the excitement of learning a new language with the help of our friendly host family.
The most challenging -- and inexpensive -- travel opportunity, however, may not provide us with a friendly home environment; nevertheless, the rewards of travelling for charity make it the most exciting alternative.  "Innovative adventurers go from one place to another in bizarre manners to raise money for charity," says Robert Kirk in You Can Travel Free.  "They skate across several countries, sail up a coast in a bathtub, paddle a surfboard from port to port, or balloon across a state.  Donors pledge money for each mile the fund-raiser completes.  All funds collected after expenses go to charity," says the author.  Such an option has special appeal to budget-tight intrepid travellers in search of thrills and adventure.
Whether your goal is comfort or adventure, you can spice up your life by finding out about these cheap, yet exciting, alternatives to the more common and predictable ways of travel.  Why drool over the travel advertisements when you can visit relatives, stay in a home-stay or travel for charity?  What is holding you back when there are these cheap and fun ways to see the world?  Start packing those suitcases. . . today!

by David Hahn