@momoends,
I never travelled before I turned 40 (mostly from lack of desire, but also significantly from a lack of economic means).
Also - getting to Europe from Australia is a little more painful than already being in Europe!
We got the travel bug (added motivation was the early death of a parent - who had always planned to travel gypsy-like on retirement - procrastinate at your peril).
Mrs Hinge and I live frugally so we can travel. We paid off the house. Our car is nigh on 20 years old, we rarely eat out, never go to the movies, own just one TV, grow a lot of our own food. Family think we must be rich, but we just save as much as we can for the next trip. (Can't believe how many people have to get a new car every two years).
We've been fortunate that our employers allow us to stockpile annual leave and take it in a lump (makes it easier for them to replace someone with a transfer for two months every two years rather than for two weeks four times every two years).