Don’t “just do it”. Do it now. This is all the time you have. Don’t waste it. I can’t tell you the number of times my retired tourists have validated my decision to travel while I’m young. They’re happy to share that while they have enough money now to live comfortably and travel as they’d always imagined, their physical fitness keeps them from doing a lot of things they would have liked. Cobblestone streets and uneven staircases are not something to begin taking on when you’re 70.

If Covid taught us anything, it’s that the world can change in a moment. Freedoms and opportunities we take for granted can disappear overnight. Given the current political climate, it’s entirely possible that other countries could shut their doors to Americans or even impose reciprocal restrictions to getting a visa. Currently it’s fairly easy for Americans to visit other countries, but if they imposed the same restrictions that America does on foreign travelers, traveling abroad could become next to impossible.

Economic factors go beyond your disposable travel income. Tariffs can drive up jet fuel prices and airline parts so that the cost of a ticket becomes out of reach for many of us. Other countries could increase tariffs not just on goods, but people coming from America. 

Another thing that can take away your ability to travel is the drop in the value of the dollar. I’ve noticed how that cheap meal has become a little more expensive when the dollar is weaker against the country I’m visiting. It’s occurred to me recently that assumptions I’ve made about my monthly budget for years can suddenly change due to an erratic economy.

Finally, there’s the attitude towards Americans. For a long time Americans were loved around the world. I would constantly meet people who couldn’t wait to visit America. Now, I rarely meet any foreigners who express an interest in visiting. As America becomes an adversarial neighbor, we could become unwelcome visitors.

None of this may come to fruition but it is a reminder, like many others, that we should take advantage of the opportunities we have now. The time to travel the world is now. Not when you have more money. Not when your parents need you to be around to help care for them. Not when you can’t take on the physical and emotional challenges of travel. It’s now, while you can still make the most of it.