I don't understand why people whine so much about how 'hard' this game is to level up and how 'tiresome' it is...

This is the first game I HAVEN'T had a hard time leveling up. Before encounters were totally random and annoying, and it was harder to get around early in the game. Right now I'm probably only about 1/3-1/2 through the game and I get around very easily and am leveling even easier. For the first time in an FF game I'm at mid-high level range for each area, and don't mind leveling up. Perhaps it's just me, but being able to choose and seeing my enemies that I'm going to fight before I fight them is making it easier.

Perhaps it's the fact that making gil is more difficult, and since I'm so obsessed with having the best armor all the time I'm leveling up just trying to get gil?

My advice is instead of just running straight through the game, always try to beat all the marks you can manage (I'm currently beating my level III marks before going to (SPOILER)Archades. I'm heading through the M osphoran Highwaste right now, and am about to try and take on Atomos and get my best armor before going back to kill the Ring Wyrm and TRY that accursed Vorporal Bunny. ), spend time making enough money to buy your up to date armor, collecting extra loot to make more money, unlocking a bazaar item or two, etc.

Another good way to level up is to try and go as far as you can go into other areas than you're supposed to until the enemies are way too hard or I simply can't go any further.

All in all, I think people have gotten way too lazy and are whining about this game for the wrong reasons- leveling up has always been an integral part of FF games and RPGs in general, and it's really easy in this game.