"underage" wanderers

How many of you out there are under 18(legal age) and have this urge to travel and wander burning in the pit of your stomachs? I'm not quite 18 yet, and since a very young age i never felt like i belonged here. That feeling got alot more intense 2 summers ago, and even more so last summer. I know it would be so much easier to just wait until i'm 18, i mean 2 years, whats the big deal, right? But i feel like i'm rotting, like everything i'm doing is meaningless and unproductive y'know? This place is so empty, so...unvibrant, there's nothing here for me. The way i live is so unlike me. I'm so full of life and energy, i have so much to offer but it seems that none of that matters when you're living like i am...I wake up everyday and do the same thing. I'm tired of the routine and all these strangers. I don't relate to ANYONE. From the music i listen to, to my sense of humour to my thoughts...I starve for that nomadic lifestyle, i want to meet new people and live everyday like its the last. I want to be able to contribute to something, to live with people i can relate to. I can't even put into words how strong i feel about this. I try and tell myself that 2 years isn't a big deal and that it'll all work out once i'm of age, and then i'm reminded of how much a dread this lifestyle. Physically i'm 16, but man, emotionaly and spiritualy i feel like i'm so much older. I feel like i've seen the essential things in life that i need to live the life i now want to live. Everyday i'm torn between the life i'm living and the life i want to be living. The way i'm living is limiting my spirituality and emotions, it's stopping me from being the person i know i am. Society sees me as a typical teenager, everywhere i go, i'm looked upon like i'm uneducated and like i know nothing about life, they look at me like i'm rebelious, disrespectful and ungrateful, and therefor i'm treated with that kind of attitude. I don't want to be part of those people that are treated that way, because i'm not one of those people. I am my own person, i'm a fair person and i'm rational, no matter if science tells you that "teenagers" can't be rational because of hormonal changes and such, I know all actions have concequences, etc, etc. I admire my elders and in no situation will i ever disrespect them, but that doesn't stop me from standing up for what i believe in, i feel very strongly about my values and morals. I'm going off subject here so i'll stop with that. I can't even put into words how intense this feeling i have is...i wish i could, i wish i could make the world see my insides and maybe then they'd understand...

All this to say, I need to get out of this sh-t hole=). Anyone else out there that isn't of legal age that feels the way i do? and even you are of legal age now, and you did feel like this when you were a minor, i'd like to hear what you have to say...

 

wheni was 16 i was travelin.. well thats about the time i started even though i have moved around alot my whole life with my parents, 16 was when i went out on my own. when i was 17 i up and went to colarado for a concert and met some people an moved in with them and got a job and lived communaly. My mom moved to arazona when she was 17 also. I think parents have alot to do with weather minors do whatever it is that they do. like i was lucky because my parents where totally down with whatever it was that i was doing at the time....
but i mean... if you have the urge to be a traveler or live the nomadic lifestyle than the only thing that i can say is do it!... its a great lifestyle

 

my parents and i have very different beliefs. i'm pretty much the complete opposite of them...so they would deffinitly not be down with me leaving.


Last summer i actualy had everthing planned out and i had a ride straight to ontario, but it obviously failed. I'm really trying to plan something for this summer though, and i'm hoping everything will work out...man i really hope it does...i need advice/guidance, i think thats partly what was missing last summer.

 

yeah i know the situation well, lead me to running away and selling alot of weed, neither of which I particularily reccomend. but its an experience, for all you have is this moment, and all you can lose is the next. seriously though Id stick it out and plan for a brighter tommorow, maybe get a job and save money while planning, while I was selling weed my main drive was to save up enough to travel to australia and go live by Nimbim on the golden coast, still abit of a dream, I really want to do something in the states more now though or the west of Canada.

Seriously though I'd stick it out, youd be such a stronger person if you did, and as to the "strangers" and dead life, your lifes only dead because your not living it, no problem can be saved from the same consiousness that created it so try things diffrent/new. but if u gotta run to do that that may just be the way of things, it was for me. Oh yeah and accept responsibility for the criminal ellement of your self, meaning don't let anyone get charged with aiding a delinquent youth or anything, your young though so u can't really go to jail, bear in mind

keep me updated I guess..
Peace

 

i wish people wouldn't see it as "running away". this is just a dream of mine, and i feel like if i don't go after it NOW i never will.

 

Sorry about that, My bad, I suppose Ill get off my soap box now

Seriously if that the way it is , Go Hard! your your own person capable of making your own decision, and it is commendable to escape the constructs of a society of sleepers to live in the glorious abstract. Defy the basterds of babylon, and find a better way, If you can make it to BC in the summer all you need is a tent, and there are some real cool places you can go to meet the kind of people Im sure your going to want to meet, I don't look back on it as really running away either, its really just letting go, like I said, in the end their should be no fear, for all you have is this moment and all you can lose in the next. worrying about anything else is simple foolishness -Marcus Aurelius

Really make it work though, or else you'll get caught having your parents bail you out and be caught between the "secure, sensible" things, and the beautiful humble serenity you once knew.....

 

Not trying to scare you...but i started travelling at 15... be weary of people trust is important but don't trust blindly holmes. I sold enough weed that age to still be travelling now (6 years later) and I never saw a whole lotta my work. Not that that's the only way in fact i discourage that styay out of the system... I'm still trying to get out. The point i guess i'm saying is b careful there's a lot of assholes out there who will take advantage of your inexperience. And bring some extra underwear.

 

.....and socks, seriously!

 

I never really felt the urge to travel at that age although there was too much shit around to just walk out.

I did randomly decide to take a trip about a year ago. one day I just said to myself I want to go visit a friend in florida. booked a flight, took off and stayed the weekend, came back after having a great time and would love to do something spur of the moment that big again.

Now thought, I'm trying to save up money for starting a commune. I don't think I'll do things that cost so much money for only a weekend of fun again... Well at least not for a while.

 

i wish this whole teen thing was over. i hate high school with a passion, i hate how people judge me, although i'm aware people will judge you through out your whole existence, the teen years seem more harsh. you just don't get any respect from anyone between the ages of 13 to like your early 20s..anyhow

 

I completely understand how you feel, completely. Every day, I spend about 2 or 3 hours listening to music, wishing I could be off traveling. So demoralized by how long I've wanted to just up and leave and how little of it I've actually done, that I can't do anything but sit at the computer and listen to music. It must sound like I have too much time on my hands, but I don't, believe me... I have so much stuff I have to do around here, it's rediculous, and it's all for my family, for the farm, for stuff I don't even want... I just want out.

 

everytime i see one of these posts from some underage hippie wannabees i get a picture of some babylonian cop sitting at a computer trying to lure some naive adult into a trap. kiddies, this isn't the same world of 40 ys ago. you can't just go running off to shangrila. any adult who encourages this or participates is opening themselves to heavy-duty consequences; any underage wannabee is asking for trouble...any babylonian law enforcement is asking for publicity & a promotion.

think about it.

 

thats only when you "think about it" harsh pesimistically

 

I have to say I agree with what Cowboy_Blue says. I really wanted to travel when I was under 18, and I had a few opportunities to travel with family, etc.

Spend your time working on some sort of very general plan. Find out about as many different places as possible. Even if your home town is an armpit, there are always worse places out there.

Meet as many new people as possible. Learn where they've been and what they've been up to. This might sound funny, but it's much easier to meet people when you're young. When people reach a certain age, they're often very into their husbands, wives, children, jobs, their stuff, etc. They tend to close themselves off from new people and new things as they get older. If I regret anything, it's not meeting and really getting to know more people when I was younger.

You'll need underwear, socks and money. I'm not saying money makes everything good, but it can help you so that you don't have to trust some people who don't deserve your trust.

Take care of yourself. You can't rely on people doing it for you.

 

man life is funny, all I wanted when I was a teenager was to be an adult and have responibilities, man now all I want is to be a teenager and be silly ....
as for the traveling bit, you are taking a risk by leaving when your a youngin...no one ever thinks that they are young, everyone is always very mature and streetsmart in there own head

I know where you guys are coming from I left early , and by sheer luck my ass remains unpenetrated....hitchhiking is like this 9 out of ten times everything will be cool and your fine, you get one ass hole and your fucked you may think your strong but a 14 yr old kid can easily be over powwerd by age, my sister was afew years older than me and not big or any thing but she could whip my ass if she really tried.

there is a lot of planet out there, and unfortunatley not that much youth to see it in, I would be an utter hipocrite If I sayed anything but go and explore...that has been my mantra since I was 14, but I can honestly say its a hard world, ...there are cool cats out ther but they can be hard to find, and even still some folk who seem cool can be really messed up.

I dont know about your laws, but In canada I always carried a hunting knilfe on my right side, so the driver could see it when I got in but wasnt able to grab it, I aslo had pepper spray(well bear mace)......talk and talk and show not one once of intimidation or else they are the ones setting the pace.
be aware ALL the time,
going to some strange city getting drink with some locals you just met and waking up with out your pack and your boots are gone can really suck
in canada they call young innocent newbie travelers "twinkies" hard on the out side but still soft inside....


my best advice
travel in a group, two by two
hitching with another is hard drama but safety is much better
......you see I feel like a hipocrite man I never travelled with anyone else....
and everyone told me the same speech Im giving now....
but you know what they were right when they told me and I think Im right in telling you
its a scary place out there.

Ill say it again sheer freaking luck my ass is still a virgin!!!!!
be safe
happy highway

 

I'm 17 and I've traveled a lot on my own. 2 summers ago I toured Europe with an opera group and this winter I went to Thailand and volunteered there during my christmas break. If you want to travel and you're underage, I would suggest finding a structured way to do it. Like how I traveled with a volunteer organization. It's easier and safer. Plus, traveling with a purpose is much more fulfilling than being a tourist and raping countries.

 

p.s. stay in school, yo.

 

Heya wax

- saw something here that rang some bells, and so with no offense intended I offer something that experience has taught me and that I See all around me.

If a person's dreams are so shallow that they will be lost if not acted on right away - then - well speaks for itself - no ?

Acting on something is not just the deciding step - the cast of the dice; but the planning, and thoughts, and small bits of action that make it so that a retake is not necessary.

That said - this is your life and the decisions made are yours, as well as the consequences - all yours to live with. When something becomes such a burning desire it does not go away.
I also have nomad blood and acted on it much when younger - coming into parenthood (seems like mostly single parenting 2 boys) made things a bit different - and then striving to make community happen, put it again on hold.
I too will follow after my dreams of travelling - or maybe not because before all that I have 1 priority that stands head and shoulders above all the rest - to Be True to Self - to take each moment as unique and different, without any prejudgements; and in the stillness Listen, and Pay attention. and let synchronicity show me what is in front of me...- and my Being to answer just how I treat it.

Blessings to you along your Way
To thine own Self Be True

 

Wax
I know exactly how you feel.
When I was 16, I was sick of the education system, I was sick of my hometown, sick of everything. All I wanted to do was ride my bicycle down the Pacfic Coast and camp by the beach. But I stuck it out, graduated high school, and then moved to Ontario for university. I'm almost done my 2nd year, and I've made up my mind not to come back in the fall. I just might ride my bicycle down the coast...
But finish high school, because it'll be more of a hassle later...

 

I wandered whenb i was 15 it really sucked, never had any money, got slapped around by rednecks.