Growing up American, my image of travel was staying in hotels in Europe and looking at things we were told were important when we were in school. That's expensive and very isolating. This may be great for well-heeled, older couples looking for a minimally-exposed, relaxing jaunt abroad, but it's not what you want. It seems like every travel brochure I ever saw in the U.S. featured a photo of a healthy looking, silver-haired couple laughing and enjoying views from afar.
Instead, traveling on the cheap, staying in hostels, and getting directly involved in adventures is fun, mind-expanding, and most of all, not lonely.
I stayed for a week in a very friendly guest house in rural, northern Thailand for $6 per night. The hosts would cook meals for around $2, or you could tromp around and play every expat's favorite game: Who Has The Cheapest Lunch.
Like I said, though, travel is a skill. Just like that crappy code you wrote, your first trip will probably suck. But you'll look back on it fondly, after you've absorbed all the lessons it contained, and forgotten a few of the worst parts. More importantly, you'll level-up and your next trip will be better.