Just get up and go! Everyone thinks about this in the working world. Especially like a 9-5 person like myself. Add working weekends to that, that feeling is even stronger. As a travel lover, wanderlust, and having daily cravings for new places, new faces, and new cultures, I frequently ask myself, what it would be like to just let go of everything and just go. Quit both my jobs, leave my family, a number of friends, my girlfriend, and routine lifestyle behind to travel long term. But there is more behind this single minded decision having to consider many other factors, than to just GO. It wouldn’t be the first time this has been done in the history of mankind. Well, at least in the western world or more so, America, to me it seems more difficult of a decision. Maybe it’s just me? In general, as possible as several weeks, several months to a year or even several years of time away from routine is to travel is, it does come with some big time preparations.
Courage
For the most part, at least for me, I live in a routine world of wake up, work, work out, eat, chill (video games or movie), sleep, and repeat. Working hard seven days a week to pay bills and necessities all to get two to three weeks off a year, say what? Those who vacation on a tropical beach can say that is not enough. But any wanderlust like myself knows and understands that this is truly not enough time to embrace cultures while abroad or even domestic. This is where long term travel comes into play and the consideration grows each travel experience or let alone every day. These two lifestyles are so opposite that it feels very intimidating in the most exciting way. Living a way of life of comfort and planning to wanting a lifestyle of spontaneity and sacrifice. Unless you reach a breaking point, have a bad break up, get laid off, then setting off immediately, looking forward to long term travel in your life goals takes a lot of courage. Let’s not forget the dangers and different forms of safety precautions you have to face around the world. It’s scary, but it’s an awareness as a true traveler that we must keep intact. But this shouldn’t be an excuse to stay huddled up in a routine lifestyle. Courage the hell up and follow your dreams while being extremely safe.
Finances
Second of all, doing this is not impossible as I said before, it has been done. However it does come with a hefty price and I am not just speaking of finances. First off, the first thing anyone thinks of is money. Traveling long term is no free experience. I mean, you can be the best budgeter in the travel world, have an abundance of friends worldwide, and not fly a single airline and still have to spend money on some level. I guess some records have been made, but we are talking about everyday people here and trying to be realistic. Maybe I am slightly involved in my comfort zone, being “too” safe but not only do I want to have funds for my long term trip, but also have backup money for when and if I return. Is that smart and realistic or is this against the code of a “true” wanderlust. Am I contradicting the spontaneity that comes with long term travel by planning my funds to much? There is no real answer to how much money you should have. One may desire to save thousands while another leaves with a few hundred and works on the fly. Anything goes and that is the beauty of traveling. Something I kind of learned through a post by an awesome world traveler by the name of Nomadic Matt and his commenters from around the globe.
Family / Friends / Love
Anyone understands the desire to get away from routine and work but when it comes to the desire for time with new faces in new places around the world and sacrificing all for this, its really hard for many to understand, especially close ones. It honestly doesn’t matter how much thorough explaining I do, I don’t expect anyone to understand this travel addiction I have. It is like trying to fully understand the perspective of an Artist. This is where I don’t expect anyone to understand me, but hope to gain support. At this point in time, June of 2014, only two out of six of my closest ones know of my long term travel goals for myself, one being the single person who has inspired me to travel in the first place. It is intimidating considering that some of them helped me come out of unemployment to finally get me where I am now. But I remind myself, traveling is all I have desired to do my whole life and I have worked hard and continue to work hard to do just that. It is my life long dream and what makes life so much more damn amazing. They may or may not understand, but support is important to me just as long as I am not saying fuck this, I’M GONE!
Work
As far as work goes, work is very crucial, be it you work in a 9-5er and/or with a weekend gym job like me, as long as it looks good on the resume and it is benefiting me in the long run, just getting up and leaving or not showing up to work then globetrotting is not an ethical thing I would do. I may travel and find love in working abroad forever but I won’t depend on that too greatly and just quit my jobs instantly. Gaining and maintaining a good rapport is the absolute best thing to do with long term travel plans. Regardless of what shitty day I am having, I don’t tell myself “I am quitting this job anyway, who cares.” I remind myself “I will resign from this job when I am ready, travel, and if I return, I may still have an open door to return.” I may not be hiking the Machhu Pichu trail, sunbathing on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or whitewater rafting in Costa Rica just yet, but everywork day is part of my long term travel experience in a way. It is my building blocks to that dream, every single second, minute, and day I am on the clock. I have yet to experience long term travel but I know how it feels to be unemployed and the feeling is not good. Although I am aware of the phase of unemployment I will phase after my trip, with a positive attitude in my working years and a rich travel soul post long term travel, finding work will be fine. Hell, I may find myself doing what I love. I have hope and confidence.
So, I sit here at work writing this, on and off asking myself if I am writing a post of thoughts or is this a post of suggestions. I guess I can say both. Like I said before, I have yet to experience long term travel and it’s after effects. In time, I will look back at this and either nod or shake my head at some things, if not inspire myself of how strong minded I “was” and continue to be to accomplish my goals. I don’t seek to give advice on what I don’t know yet but share what I do know on this long hard working path to adventures of a lifetime. This is something I think of everyday, some days out of anxiety, fear, and worry. But in the end, I am true to myself and what I have always wanted in life. That is to travel. And I look forward to that day, where all of my feelings, thoughts, and senses come together to prepare for the greatest day of my life, my first day setting off on a long term trip around the world.
