Who hasn’t thought about quitting their job and traveling the world? “If only I were younger.” Well, you’re not getting any younger! That’s no reason not to fulfill your globetrotting dreams. It may seem that traveling long-term is a whim of the young, but anyone can travel the long-term with the right planning.
Of course, once you decide to start traveling, you need to figure out where to go. Travel blogs, such as sanetraveller, can help you pick the best destinations for your interests.
Make ‘Someday’ Today
Everyone has a mental list of things they want to do ‘someday.’ Some are extreme: bungee jumping, parachuting from a plane, zip-lining through the Amazon. Other daydreams include seeing popular landmarks or the 7 Wonders of the World. For some people, traveling to anywhere else is an exotic dream they keep for the future.
But you can make the future now! Traveling long-term is possible if you’re willing to make sacrifices. A 2014 article from The Atlantic suggests that more and more travelers are making their own paths around the globe instead of following the well-marked path.
7 Tips For Traveling Long-Term
Long-term traveling is feasible, but not on a whim. Many people have responsibilities that must be tended to before they can depart on their new adventure. What steps should you take to make long-term travel possible for you?
- Accumulate vacation time or work flexible jobs. Many people don’t travel at all, let alone long-term, because of their job. Even if companies have generous vacation time, workers feel guilty for taking the time off. To travel long-term, you need to let go of that guilt. Use your vacation time or find a flexible job.
- Let go of your material possession. Traveling a lot means you’re rarely home. You don’t need all of that furniture, or clutter. Downsizing makes it easier to leave on extended travel adventures. Storing your belongings will eat into the money you need for your travels.
- Get your affairs in order. You’re not dying, but you won’t be home to tend to bills, and things of that nature. Ideally, you will have someone you can rely on to handle your affairs while you are gone. But you should get what you can in order before you leave.
- Choose your preferred type of accommodations. Do you want to backpack, stay in hostels, or Airbnbs? Having an idea of what type of accommodations you’ll need will help you plan your finances.
- Find odd jobs along your travels for extra income. You will likely run low on funds at some point during your travels. Odd jobs along your route are not only another part of the adventure, the jobs will bring in much-needed cash.
- Don’t let fear overwhelm you. Planning something and actually doing it are two very different things. What started as excitement will taper into fear as you get closer to the travel date. But stay the course. Don’t let fear ruin your travel dreams.
- Set aside a travel fund. You’ll need money before you can set on your adventures. Maybe a lot of it. It depends on how much comfort you’re willing to sacrifice for seeing the world.
Traveling long-term doesn’t have to be a pipe dream. You can start by traveling locally before expanding to global travels.
