I have had the "wanderlust" since I could crawl. I have always been adventurous and enjoyed seeking out new people and places and doing mad things.

Although I have a home (sort of) in NZ, I just can't seem to get settled. The longest I've ever stayed in one place is a massive three years - I get very itchy feet.

I would be quite happy just wandering the globe for the rest of my life with no consideration for the future...

...does this make me a bum, waster, crusty, good for nothing scumbag... and if it does, does it matter?

I don't care what Mr and Mrs Conventional think, I have had enough of their opinions, put downs and words of wisdom... and I know that I should have a degree, good job, wife, 2.4 kids, Volvo and a nice house with the white picket fence blah blah blah - the Westerners ideal, the American dream...whatever, it ain't for me.

I would, however, be very interested to hear what my fellow Hubbers think. Most travellers I've met are of the agreed view that the Bum's lifestyle is both addictive and rewarding... but should we be ashamed?

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BD.

I know the feeling; as long as you ain't hurting anyone, how you live is your business - as for those who criticize, **** the whole lot of 'em.

SW

I have had some the "American dream", odd to see most of the people want this are white and have came from Europe. I think this IDEAL life is beaten in to your head from berth. All your schooling reinforces it, the TV, collage promotes it as the goal, work demands it. Its what most people the world over seem to want. In the end most are happy with it.

Then there are the few odd balls, the roges, the malcontents, ADHD in the extream as the world brands us. We do not want or cant fit in. We are not normal, we know comfort but dont cling to it.

Ashamed, fellings of low self esteem? Oh I got them (not as bad as most people want me to) Its the price I pay to do what I want to do. To feel what I feel.

Like in the USA right now brink of economic collapse, banks, wallstreet, housing, jobs, ext... bahh dont bail them out let them burn. But NOOOOO USA is going to piss away $1 trillion to top people in the wold so they can run there bussnes in the ground all the more. All that money and peoples time and lifes flitterd away just so they can "live the dream". Work my self to death so the rich can be dam fools and still make billions off me? With all baby boomers retiring and jobs shiped over seas where is that money comming from? The worker that must stay working to keep up. here is a good clean english saying I feel fits. So* off to you all.

What dose a wold riding bum do? eat, sleep, ride, talk, mabey a bit of work, There strees comes from the need to get by another day to get food and get away from problims.
The hard worker the one your dad and mom wants? sleeps but not enof, work but not enof to get much ahead eat what ever he can stuff down befor he gets back to work. His stress is non stop he will never get far enof ahead his sleep will not keep up his helth will be the next thing to go.

In the end the worker will retier and try to do what you do now he may live a year or 2 longer but not any better.

The hell im I working for? when all I realy want to see some place else.

Having frittered away large portions of my life with all kinds of adventures.Episodes with booze,drugs,motorcycles,travelling etc.Now coming up to 43 I feel the time is about right to settle down.Wife,kids etc having been about the only adventure I haven,t been on yet.So screw being a bum,been there done that.
Give me the Volvo etc cos I now think maybe being a family guy and raising some well balanced kids coul be the most challenging adventure of all.
Al theturtleshead

I think its more what your travels and being a bum have done for you, seeing lots of other peoples lifes doesnt mean you have had one yourself.

But having towed the line for the last 8 years, being a partying waster for many more before that, doing the family[it came free with the x,not into breeding] thing, the house, the morgage,the respectable job and all that entails and now having to decide to either start it all again or sell the house and head off into the world I dont know if I would class myself as a bum by doing that.

I also wonder if its better to be a "bum" and travel in your early twentys or late teens like a alot do or to do it once you have seen a bit of life and can apply that to what you see on your travels. Are you going to have such a good time when your 30+ or just remember more as you party less.

Besides you can still be a bum and stay at home but I guess I would rather be a well travelled one.

"well balanced kids" Do they exist? or are you referring to not bringing up mass murderers

Yes! As a bar owner I frequently got to see people at their worst and I,d have to say most people behave pretty well and most of the youths who,ve started their drinking careers with me have been pretty well behaved as well.
A great surprise I can tell you.So yes I think most kids are ok despite all the bad press.
So yes,get all your Bum stuff done in your 20,s and 30,s Then use your worldly experience to have some decent kids.
Al theturtleshead

I think you're hollering into a mud puddle asking if the pigs are ashamed of being pigs. I hope you're also asking the same question on some sort of non-wanderlust forum. I'm sure aol has a chatroom about it.

That sounds bitchier than I meant. I think you're asking for reinforcement for beliefs that don't need any back-up. If you wander, you wander. When I see that bumpersticker that says, "Not all who wander are lost" I think, "I'm wandering and I'm lost, but I wouldn't have it any other way".

-Dave

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Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw

Makes me think of a lovely comment of George Best, great footballer, Idol, womanizer, drinker and individualist. "I spent most of my money on fast cars, fast women and booze and wasted the rest." Just be a lovely person. And **** the rest, they're wrong. (Joking). Linzi.

I think you could be right there Al, I have yet to find out... if I ever do. Family has never been high on my list of priorities, but maybe some day.

That's an interesting point, but surely spending lots of time with a wide range of people and cultures in different places is enough experience to qualify as a "life"? But then it's all relative.

Indeed. Not sure about your analogy though.

Now, why would I want to do that? As I said; I am interested in what fellow travellers, adventurers and bums think of this way of life. Not the good, stable, well balanced folk that reside in AOL chatrooms. Not to say, of course, that folk here are unbalanced...well...umm!

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BD.

Today, I put "hobo" when I'm asked for my occupation here in bee-yoo-tiful India. I ain't been kicked out.

I'm not good at analogies. It's part of what makes me think different than most. I think that anyone who reads this site either does it or is Walter Mitty. Neither of which I have a problem with.

I also have a theory about life that everyone is insane. It combines with Dante's levels of hell. One is fine hanging out with people that are a layer or two more insane or a layer or two less insane, but if you go too far, then you avoid them.

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Not Ted Simon since 1970!
http://nokilli.com/rtw

Quick follow up to mister turtlehead's point, for those who look at the idea of settling down and getting the volvo as a frightful thing, what do you see yourself doing when your arthritic hip won't let you swing a leg over a bike? Some other form of bum-ism, a sudden late in life conversion to the "norm" or perhaps just going out in a blaze of glory?

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"Hobo" - I like that one. It must be a yankee saying - I remember hearing it on The Simpsons.

That's an bizarre theory. Possibly true though.

In an earlier post, Dr Evil (DLbiten) talked about being taught about an "acceptable" way of life from birth - I couldn't agree more. Social conditioning and media propoganda is becoming more and more powerful and more and more scary (that's somthing to be aware of when you raise your sprogs Al). People are sheep (now who's using crap analogies?) and they always have been. Then they just get scared or angry or both when a black sheep (no racial motive intended) breaks the mould. I'm no anarchist but there are too many rules, regulations, and resitrictions of freedom in the modern Western world. That is, I think, why more and more people are getting frustrated at life and selling up and buggering off elsewhere.

BTW I dislike the term "Western" world, but it's hard to find another word that describes the democratic civilisation that dominates the western hemisphere. Damn, "democratic" and "civilisation" that's bollocks too. Oh, well maybe I should just call it what it is: extreme capitalism being run in an almost dictator like fashion... ...hang on, I digress. After all this is the Bar and we all know it's not proper pub etiquette to talk politics or religion - we just have to talk bollocks instead!

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BD.

Blaze of glory sounds good to me. I always knew I'd die young.

I have mates who have families etc etc, and they all tell me that it's the best thing that ever happened to them, and that I won't understand until it happens to me. They also tell me (down the pub, away from the missus) that they wish they could have some of the freedom that I have - even if it's only a little bit every now and then.

I don't care how happy they look - I wouldn't swap.

My old, decrepit future is a distant bridge that will be crossed eventually. And, who knows, I maybe a millionaire with a hot young nurse by then.

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BD.

Whats wrong with living? Just do what you want and sod everyone else. People either understand or they dont and if they dont do you really want to be mates with them anyway?

Im not exactly a bum I have a job and a house and a girlfriend (no kids yet though) but I can still have fun out the bike and go travelling.

I've done ok so far and toed the line. I managed to keep myself out of jail in my teenage years. Did a stint in the Army and kept myself dutifully employed and paying tax ever since. After 30 years of work I really need some time off! My plan was to sell up and piss off to Europe on the proceeds. With the current financial climate I think I'll wait a little while until things settle down but I'm off for sure. Butch you're not a bum you're what I aspire to be, you're a role model!