What is the Rat Race?

[Greg]

The trouble with the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat. - Lily Tomlin

What is the famed Rat Race anyway?

Its getting up out of bed, when your body is still demanding sleep, and fighting crowds of other people just like yourself, in a hurry to
go make some old rich men somewhere even more rich.

In the process of making more money for a board of directors, or a CEO that was probably born rich anyway, you are given a few scraps of reimbursement. Most of the money you make is spent on toys to distract you from being unhappy about working anyway. Some of it is spent on gadgets to make your work seem easier. The rest is spent on clothes, items, or things to make you seem less a rat than the other people racing to get rich next to you. The problem is, no one falls for it anymore.....credit card debt is out of control because we want to look like less of a rat than our neighbors.

Unfortunately, once you get to work, the madness doesn't stop there. Good work is often rewarded with more responsibilities. Family, your own aspirations, and even your well being are all supposed to come second to the The Company.

Freedom is not being rich. Some of the most miserable, suicidal, and drugged out people on the planet are rich and famous.  You don't have to successfully figure out one of the countless pyramid scams on the internet, or start your own business. If you ask most people that have, they will answer "I don't run my own business, the business runs me!". Freedom is getting up in the morning (or afternoon if you choose) and doing whatever you feel like doing for that day. Whether it be fishing, hiking, sitting with a book, looking up an old forsaken friend, or doing nothing at all. You deserve the power to make that choice.

I wager, and am willing to bet the rest of my life on it, that there can be happiness without excessive capitalism. That there are other ways to achieve a smile a day. We can get up out of bed and pretend that every day is Saturday.  I want this forum to be a place of refuge for people looking to escape the race. Let's make a small,tiny corner of the world a slightly better place.

OK - I'm done preaching. 

[AdventureDoc]

Don't stop preaching, I was ready to "testify"! 

I am stuck in my job, and hating it, for now.  I enjoy surfing the web and keeping the "travel jonez" alive, including your website.  Thanks, by the way.  It helps me remember that there is a goal for working and saving money...blowing it in a far away place!

Thanks for speaking about those of us not on a beautiful beach or checking out a great new city, but those of us toiling away and dreaming...for now.

[Robert]

I usually lost races as a kid. After a while I just stopped trying to race.

I guess not much changes (except now I get the girls)

[thisisoli]

The ratrace is getting up everyday wishing you were somewhere else.  Wishing every day that you could be somewhere other than the same old desk, doing the same old job, that in the end makes no difference, ssame as always.

I used to think I wanted a high paying office job, then it slowly dawned on me that all my decisions had been made by other people, what i did at schoolo, who I knew, where I worked.  It made me feel chlostrophobic (Spelling)

My grandad travelled the world on nothing, and he had a lame leg, was partially blind and had no cash.  From norway to the sahara desert he travelled despite his disabilities (His name was Jim Ingram and he wrote several books).  My mum hitchiked around Europe with next to no cash.

I have enough to travel, and yet I find it incredibly difficult to break free from the social norm that has control of me.  A few things ahve helped, a free lance writer as a flat mate and a now ex whos arguing pushed me onto a roadtrip that lasted a mere two weeks but covered 4500 miles of Europe.  I didnt explore much but I sure as hell know where I want to go now.

I have just started chronicalling my plans and travels in a blog, I am hoping I can get a sponsor to send me around the world, long shot but heres hoping.

Untill then, I'm going to keep writing, keep trying to get some websites up for a bit of 'passive' income and then get my arse into gear to tackle the mountains deserts cities and jungles of the world.

[losingtherace]

So this is my first post to this forum. Im not sure what I hope to gain from this action, but sometimes the most meaningful actions are those taken without expecetations. I have known for a long time that "regular" life isnt for me, that I am a little different in some kind of non-obvious way. Even years of self relection have hidden the answer from me in mountains of "life." I happend upon this web site about a week ago while searching for hotels in france. My wife and I are planning a trip to Paris in July. I think I have read through everything on this site at least three times, each time hoping to find the answer to that which plauges me.

Then today I had what you might call an epihany, if you were so inclined. I realized that this is me, that traveling the world and learning not just about other cultures but more about myself and where I fit into life is me. It is like I where new glasses now, ones that allow me to see more than my computer screen at work, or the mountain of files that need sorting. I see bigger, dream bigger, need bigger. I guess what I want to say is that I am ready. Maybe it doesnt mean anything to anyone else but I need to say it. Thank you for making this forum availiable for people like me looking for something more. I anticipate I will be spending lots of time here in the future. Thanks again and happy travels.

[losingtherace]

I was curious, how would one get into travel writing, you know, for profit. I thought that I love you write and want to begin a life of travel so how could I combine the two. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Greg]

Well said my friend.

You hit it on the head....there is more to this than just snapping pics, accumulating ink in a passport, and picking up stories to tell people at home. At some point, the traveling became who I am and now I could never envision a life without it. The beautiful thing is, like you mentioned, that once you start "vagabonding" even if you are at home or at work, your brain is still in that mode, your eyes are opened, and its like you are still traveling in a way. It feels refreshing and liberating - like some kind of enlightenment!

As for the travel writing, hmmmm....I have been working on it for the last 2 years and I still can't afford to live in the US.  
I started a new thread for travel writing here:  http://startbackpacking.com/forums/index.php?topic=38.0

- Greg

[losingtherace]

So what is the deal with RTW tickets? Are they good to do or are they too good to be true? Do you have to fly in and out of cities on certain days? WHat do you all think? Thanks.

[Anna]

RTW tickets... if you're going to several destinations, they're usually cheaper than buying individual tickets (especially if you're flying to expensive-to-get-to places).
You don't have to set dates on when you'll leave every city, you can book the flights whenever you want after you buy your ticket. If you end up booking a flight and you decide you want to stay where you are longer, you call the airline and you will be charged.
Hope that helps a little

[losingtherace]

Nice, it seems that the RTW ticket option might be something that would work for me the best. So like if I was to fly into say Paris, i could travel all around that region like on train or whatever and then when I wanted to go to the next stop I just make my way back to Paris and leave from there? That seems like it would not only be cheaper but would save lots of time that might be spent trying to get tickets and all that. Also, the biggest chunk of expenses would be taken care of up front and leave more freedom for othet things while traveling. Thanks for the advice guys, talk to you soon.

[Anthony]

Coming to the realization of the answer to this question is most likely what set me on my (at this point, unfulfilled) quest to travel. I used to get so into my job. I cared about it more then it cared about me. I worked retail at an EB Games store in South Jersey. I got caught in a rut of working towards some unachievable notion of success. I worked my butt off for that company, followed all the rules, pitched whatever nonsense we were supposed to sell that month with a smile. I even tricked myself into believing it was fun to meet quotas, as if that was the true test of my worth.
I was fired from that job after nearly 7 years of service. It was my own fault, I brought a case of beer (unopened) into the store, so that no one would break into my car for it.
My 7 years of loyal service, brought to an end by one simple mistake.

I've spent the last few years now stumbling around in life. TRYING to get back into the rat race, Trying to find a job that's 'comfortable' and rewarding. I failed to realize that the reward for working is one I should set myself. Why shouldn't I travel? I'm 25, live at home, have no kids, no girlfriend, no real responsibility outside a bit of credit debt.

I've begun a real shift in attitude lately. I'm getting back to work after another layoff. I finally have something to work for.

[Greg]

Welcome Anthony!

Yeah...once you get into the vagabonding mindset and have a goal that you are working towards other than just accumulating stuff or staying distracted, work and everything else is far more tolerable.

You're lucky, you woke up at 25....I didn't get the bright idea until I turned 30! 

[Anthony]

Thanks. I like this place, you guys seem to have the right attitude. I hope the encouragement from a place like this will help place my feet on the right path.
My age was actually a big factor that started me down this path. I'm not doing any of those things that a man my age is 'supposed' to do.
College didn't go over well for me, I actually went to the school yet never went to class. I enjoyed sitting around the cafeteria or lounge, etc. and soaking in the environment, talking to other students more then I did learning.
I don't have a girlfriend, and for that matter have finally reached a point where I'm OK with that. I know that if love is right for me, it will come when the time is right.
I can't even keep a steady job, and I don't really want to. It took me a while to realize this, but I don't like feel indebted to an employer. When I learned about this concept of vagabonding, I see in print the words my mind had such a hard time forming.
Stop working for your dreams and start making your money work for them.

[johnnymac]

We have a big rat in the office, the trouble is, you can't kill it. TSK

[Anthony]

I accidentally fell back into the rat race with this Kmart gig. The offered me a "department lead" position, with which they have yet to come through with an actual raise. I play the part anyway, and let them bark orders at me and make irrational demands while I deliver with a smile.  I still haven't made it to Montreal, let alone Ireland. I fell into a damn trap, and I'm just now trying to dig myself out of it. I have some money, but not enough, I think. I'm tryig really hard not to be down on myself right now.