Do you have what it takes to be a bum?

The photo above is this morning’s breakfast at a small resort hotel near the airport I will be leaving from tomorrow. Quiet, clean, inexpensive and secure with amenities - pool, bar, and restaurant. After a few days with my brother and sister-in-law at their home not far from here, I have a couple days to relax. Truly live the life of a bum.

I’ve had a few opportunities to be a bum over the years. I’ve spent time in Phuket, Dominican Republic, and Ecuador at small resorts where I have had little to do , and nothing required, except eat, sleep, swim, walk, read, and write. Sound like heaven? Well, it can be challenging.

I’ve worked since being a kid - farm chores, college jobs, and 43 years as a professional educator. Even while holding a full time teaching/administrative positions, I also consulted, wrote, and served in professional organizations. Let’s just say I was rather busy most of my life.

Now I have almost nothing on my to-do plate. I volunteer - a lot - but certainly not full time and at my discretion. So even at home there is always something to do.

Not so being a traveling vagabond. It’s an adjustment. Here is what you need to know to be a happy slacker…

Pick a good location. I personally love small resorts that are away from big cities. Less traffic noise, better places to walk, and usually friendly and personal. Pick a warm, inexpensive country. Stay away as much as possible from popular destinations. Funny how I’ve never seen a movie star where I stay.

Go easy on the eating and drinking. For many people, relaxation includes a beer or Coke in one hand and a bowl of chips in the other. I usually have a healthy breakfast, skip lunch, and even have a light supper. I do like a couple beers in the evening.

Talk to people. I am not the most outgoing of people, but I enjoy short conversations with others I meet. Where ya from? How long ya staying here? Recommend any good restaurants? 

Travel light. Take just a few changes of clothes. Easy to find a local laundry or have the resort wash your clothes. I pack everything in a carry on rolly-bag/backpack. So far no complaints about my odor.

Be good to yourself. Nap. Get a massage. Take a walk. Just lay near the pool. It’s work to accomplish this without a shadow of guilt, but you will adjust.

Have a book to read and a project to do. I load my Kindle before every trip. Nothing like a good book to read with no distractions. I usually have a writing project. Most of my books were written in part at a resort’s pool side table. It’s that lack of distraction thing again.

Maintain a routine. Although it is a 14 hour time difference, I still read my newspapers in the morning. They are just the ones from the previous day.  I still walk an hour or so a day. I keep up with my email and social networks on my small travel laptop. I nap each afternoon.

Schedule a tour or two. I am looking forward to my adventures on Siagaro and Palawan Islands next week. I plan to do some boat tours, some snorkeling, and guided hikes if available. I won’t go crazy, but I do plan to break up the week.

Adjust to the culture. As Dorothy once said, “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.” Buy a new SIM card for your phone. Eat street food. Ride in tuk-tuks and jeepneys and local buses. Walk in the residential areas, away from the tourist spots. If you don’t, you may have just as well checked into your nearest Holiday Inn. There is a backpacking culture too from which one can learn how to slow down and be spontaneous.

Do it your way. It may take a few tries, but you will find your own happy place being a bum. Or perhaps discover that a life of leisure is just not for you. In my pre-retirement plans, I figured I would spend at least three months a year as a total slacker. I have found that four or five or six weeks is plenty - and not consecutively. Do what you want without the need for approval from anyone else. Perhaps that is the real secret.

Any hard learned lessons from my readers about being a bum?

Well, that’s enough work for today.

Comments

[Becky]

I have been reading your blog for a long time now. I am a school librarian so it started as professional interest, but I have really enjoyed your retirement posts as well. I always learn something, and as a hiker myself (heading to Glacier Nat’l Park for a long-planned trip this summer!) I get great ideas of travel locations and tips for smooth travel! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us strangers.

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks so much, Becky, for the comment. It made my day, if not my week. I often wonder if I have an readers of the blog since it has gone personal rather than profession. Since I primarily write to amuse myself, it doesn't really matter, but it is nice to know someone else is enjoying my efforts.

Have a great trip to Glacier. Only been there once and never hiked it. My friend and I are planning a backpacking trip to Yosemite this summer. Good to keep in shape and adventurous.

Thanks again for the comment.

Doug

[Caitlin]

Hi Doug!
Great post, sometimes it's a wonderful thing to have nothing on the to-do list! I like your suggestions of how to be a happy slacker. I'm new to my career (teacher, currently in school to become a teacher librarian), so won't be able to slack for a while yet, though I do love to travel. It looks like you've got it all sorted! I'm impressed with how long you've had this blog going, you've got so many posts!
Take care, Caitlin