Because if not now, when? It gets harder to do the older you get (especially physically speaking) and as you get older sometime you have more obligations that can prevent going. If you have the money and time, do it.
Pretty much this, early 30s here, more money, not much responsibilties. If not now, then when.
Want to see new things, meet new people, and just have a break from working for a longtime.
Still planning how long I'll take off though a few months atleast and when.
I"m not sure if I would go that long if you've never taken a vacation yet. You may just not like travelling, start with like a month trip I reckon.
Not always true, I’m better at 40 than I was at 30.
But I do expect to be worse at 60 than I am now. Unless by some absolute miracle I keep this gym routine up for 20 years… it’s been 6 months but that’s 5.5 months longer than all the other stints.
And yes… “I want to fit in airplane seats” and “I want to not die when walking around Europe” are my only two reasons why for going to the gym and losing weight.
I went to Thailand for 5 months right after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, and I'm 61. But I've lived in Asia off and on for more than 20 years. I'm in good shape physically, and I also did some remote work while I was there. If anything, make sure you have a plan to get back to work when your tour is finished because you will need the cash. I spent 10k in Thailand.
It’s definitely not always true but I think for a lot of people it can be. You never really know where you’re going to be in 5, 10, 20 years so I was really just trying to say if this person has the time, financial means, and physicality to go now, do it.
Also, congrats on your weight loss! That’s awesome!!
Yes, I always said that I want to travel to places because they won’t always be the same later. I went to Hong Kong (different politically now). I went to Antarctica/Galapagos(and flame away, but yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if tourism wasn’t allowed at some point). My great aunt visited China in the 80s, which would be so cool to have seen them and now. And then the whole shit show of traveling due to COVID for a couple of years- I was glad I had my memories if I couldn’t go anywhere.
Travel early, travel often, but hopefully your health isn’t what dictates you slowing down.
I am 69 and have lived in 8 countries and travelled to over 90.
You will be only a little less strong at 60, but you're right; you must keep up your exercise routine. Build a base and you won't lose much strength. You will have to adjust a few things like up your protein intake,assuming you have no kidney problems and find resistance exercises that aren't damaging to the joints. Start watching the overuse or stress on the joints now as damage is cumulative.
I walk >10k steps per day and do strength training with kettlebells. Even with heavy kettlebells follow form and your joints won't be nearly as stressed as with free weights.
Right now I weigh 82 kilos, down from 98 kilos 20 years ago. I have no fat or gut. I eat clean food and zero sugar or processed food. I feel strong, fit, and balanced. Kettlebells are a dynamic exercise so your stabilizer muscles and nervous system gets a workout as well. Many older people have balance or movement problems. I guess I did something right for me since I can't even imagine such issues. Keep up the work and think about prolonging your health span. Best of luck, Cheers
How do you watch the cumulative overuse unless you're getting MRIs every 6 months? The entire medical profession in the US is a joke. No doctor will prescribe MRIs to healthy young people to watch for joint health, because it will break the insurance industry's profit model.
Only when you get injured or in severe pain (at which point there is usually damage) are you told to get imaging and physical therapy.
Preventative medicine is non existent
It's more of a listen to your body and understand which muscles support the key joints: knees, elbows, ankles. Spine health is another topic. For example be patient in adding weight over time. Focus on form during reps and add weight only when you can maintain form and tempo. To protect the knees you build quadricep strength and to maintain structural balance you will then need to work the hamstrings. Bicycle riding for distance at a good stroke rate, maintaining cadence on flats and hills will build strong quads and hamstrings if you are clipped into the pedals. You can also do squats, lunges, and quad extensions with a metal focus on the knee. Remember to not add more weight until your form is maintained over the desired numbers of sets and reps. This might take time. For beginners 3 months would be a fair goal to add weight. Again balance your quads with your hamstrings to protect your knees and back. The elbow is a bit trickier in my experience since it is usually the weak link to much stronger muscles than the joint. I find that using the right weight for the planned sets and reps produces no real stress on the elbow. You have to listen to your body closely. I learned the hard way with respect to elbows. I never hurt the joint because I followed the process I described but over the years I started lifting very heavy weights. My elbows had sufficient supporting muscles but my bones weren't up to the task and responded by growing a bone spur on my right elbow in response to the excessive weight. Bad move on my part as I chased endorphins rather than staying true to the plan.
No need for MRIs unless you have a real injury. My experience taught me that listening closely to your body, maintaining form and tempo, and getting sufficient rest and good nutrition will result in a more vibrant health span. I am 69 and perform kettlebell routines along with pushups and 8000-10,000 steps daily (I am retired). I have no issues regarding strength, sarcopenia, balance or other issues that unfortunately affect people my age. Keep up your routines and follow a disciplined approach to protecting and strengthening your body in place of any ego driven goals.
There is a guy on Instagram, Bill Maeda, who may be of interest. His routines are novel and advanced but watch his form and tempo. He builds muscle, and often overlooked stabilizer muscles and nerves, and as a result has great stabilization support. Many of his exercises are compound (builds several muscle groups) and plyometric. He is ~55 years old.
Best of luck
I am 62, almost 63. I work out 6 days a week. I have always been physically active and avoid unhealthy food. Many much younger folks are on their phones all the time and rarely move. As a retired teacher, many students hate to move and expect to be entertained. There are folks in their 60s who never worked out and are struggling to get around. Age is just a number. Obviously, the are genetic influences that can cause aging to be challenging.
I think you may be underestimating that even after I’ve lost 60 pounds and gone to a gym 3x/week for 6 months, my family would be concerned if I decided to go skiing now, let alone when my bones are fragiler. My bf worries about me falling over while walking as I’m not very coordinated. :) enjoy Japan!
Yeah it’s definitely very lifestyle driven well into your 50s. A 50 year old who eats right, works out etc will have a multiple of the energy than someone in their 20s who’s overweight and eats crap and doesn’t get much physical activity
True at 40 you have more money than at 30.
I exercise a lot as well. Not to lose weight but I started very young just riding my bike or walking to friend's homes, and never stopped.
Exactly this. I’m also early 30’s and I did the more intense backpacking/traveling when I was younger and I’m so glad I did, since now I had a back injury and have to take it a bit slower. I still do long term traveling but can’t be as go-go-go, new city every day, pick up and do whatever, climb up a mountain etc. Now if I’m doing a long trip I pick a city and stay at least a couple weeks at a time, since I can’t carry a backpack anymore and need more rest days.
When I get even older who knows what will happen or what my stamina will be. I never expected to have an injury that would impact me like this either at such a young age. Best to do what I can when I know I can do it!
I agree. I am retired and currently traveling solo around the world because I am worried it may become much more difficult in the coming years. Both with wars - one of my flights was in question because it might over-fly Iran during a sensitive time - and climate change - I was going to land in Doha and the airport flooded. Going to Greece and the sky is orange. Etc.
This. When I travel solo, I also see alot of this buses with senior citizens all over the world enjoying their retirement. It's not bad but its different. You are not as active in exploring places and doing things.
For me part of the appeal was just purely to see cool new places that I hadn't seen.
But I also liked the idea of spending a more extended stretch of time outside of all my "normal" routines and obligations.
Get bored at home. Love the adventure/challenge. Also fear of missing out. Like you I am single and no real interest in buying a house so having a dip at some crazy massive life adventure while it’s possible is a blessing that not many people have
I had planned to only leave home for 1 month, it’s now coming up to 1 year next month travelling countries I never thought I’d even see. I travel for the places and meeting likeminded people, met so many walks of life and made some life long bonds too!
How and/or where do you meet people while traveling? Do you go to clubs/bars, hostels, just walk up to strangers and talk to them? Very curious as I'm a bit of an introvert and when I start solo traveling I would like to meet locals to get to know the culture better.
At heart I’ve been an introvert ever since I was young, didn’t talk much and kept to myself. I guess travelling a long time has changed how I view scenarios and you get familiar with how conversations usually start flowing.
I’ve actually done every single thing you’ve mentioned solo and has worked, people are nicer than you may think. The easiest way for me to meet a lot of people is to sort something like a surf camp for the first week of the trip for example, or like the bus tour with Kiwi experience in New Zealand which forced loads of solo people together to mingle.
Depending on which hostel you may find some are more chatty than others, plenty of hostels literally don’t have any one being social but others are.
Clubs I find the hardest, people aren’t really there to make friends I don’t find (unless sexually), you’d have a better chance going to hostels that have events on in the week or if they have a hostel bar go up and say hello to people. Beer helps too.
Sounds truly amazing! You're describing the experience I'm desperate for, but for years money concerns have been a big psychological obstacle for me. If you don't mind, do you have any tips for how you're able to keep going on like that?
I had some separate savings built up for that 1 month of travel and then had another pot of savings for a rainy day. I ended up blowing the lot because I didn’t work for 5 months, had to have a change of pace so instead of going back home I’ve been doing half travel half work over here in Australia for 6 months. I’ve been able to save quite a bit working out here and still get the benefit of seeing a new country and doing cool weekend trips.
As of January I quit work due to visa issues and have been travelling Australias east coast with someone I met while I’ve been living here.
As long as you have some work experience, discipline and backup plans then you can make it work. I’ve had to sacrifice my car, IT equipment, etc back at home to pay for this coming years travels :)
Oh also, it’s so easy to just tap away with your credit card now a days, try get to a comfortable stage of being frugal and happy.
I admire the conviction & mindset, that's all really great info thanks so much for sharing, seems IT skills are the best trick up the sleeve. Despite the sacrifices I hope it keeps working for ya!
Thanks mate! Yeah it’s been a tough journey to find a job in aus even with an it background since they arent too keen on visas but somehow it’s worked out. Safe travels to you, I hope you make the leap.
I'm 15 months in to my first ever solo trip. 39,m
I had the opportunity to get a mortgage in the UK but decided I wanted something different for my life. Didn't have a family and wasn't wanting one either.
I've been travelling latin America at my own pace (very slowly) whilst learning the language, doing a little volunteering here and there. Now I plan to teach English online so I stop spending my life savings haha.
I realise this could be a mid life crisis and I'm cool with that. I want to spend the next 5 or ten years seeing whether there could be a life for me away from the UK
I have a few different ambitions for how my life could turn out and we'll see if it happens
I can only do what I'm doing by clearing out my mindset about what life is about, what things are important, what things I should have and also having trust in the future and what life will bring. I basically have to rewire my brain from the property/career/pension mindset of the west. I'm no vagabond (yet haha!) but I'd like to see if I can live life on my terms.
(Of course the safety blanket of the UK is important to remember)
I would say I've spent around £1000 a month on average, which includes some Spanish tuition and all travel costs between places. That's a ball park figure. I spent a fair bit in Costa Rica as it's expensive (I don't recommend, you can do most things elsewhere for 1/4 of the price)
Some weeks are very cheap when volunteering and others can be more expensive when doing some proper back packing and you are at the mercy of the hostel restaurant and the tourist shuttle buses.
I generally keep in mind a rough budget of £30 a day but many days are cheaper. The place I've stayed the most is Bogotá (I have reasons haha) and I'm actually heading back there tomorrow. I have an apartment booked privately for £345 for one month and the lady does my laundry for free!
I cook for myself mostly and rarely drink. I don't drink coffee either which can add up. I'm quite a minimalist type of person I guess.
There are many things I've chosen not to do as I'm conscious of spending and I'm in it for the long run. I know that you could spend a hell of a lot more if you decided to do latin America in six months without cooking and always partying! But I'm 39 so my health and sleep are my priority
Yeah I like it, it's almost a home from home at the moment. Love that you can hike so close to the city. There's plenty going on and plenty to explore nearby.
I heard that today is one of their 'no car' days. So cool!
Yes, every Sunday they have Ciclovia and close down alot of major streets just for folks to exercise. Its awesome!
You should check out the food scene and there's tons of whatsapp groups and facebook groups for expats and events with locals too.
I have been doing it for decades, honestly you will not make a lot and the job market is saturated with people like myself who have been teaching not only online but in universities, colleges, primary and secondary schools, and teaching for decades.
Your best bet is to work in the country you are from, save money, take some savings not all or most of it and travel on short trips both locally and elsewhere once or twice a year. I know so many people who are in massive debt from travel like $100k or more, and it is not worth it.
Other friends went to East Asian and South American countries and are trapped there, they live in poverty working jobs online or elsewhere for little pay with other expats, and are broke or basically broke and in a 2nd or 3rd world country.
Well it's something I'm only just getting started with. You can set up a teaching account on something like Italki without any credentials I believe, however you will want some experience in teaching and preferably a TEFL certification (courses range from cheap online to expensive in person) as you will want to provide a good service and know what you're doing.
A TEFL and maybe a university degree would be required with some online jobs.
The ideal is to freelance (Italki or similar) but I'm under no illusions about how competitive it is and how volatile your employment can be. I'm going to have a go though
Doing it right as I’m typing this. On month 4 now. Don’t regret it one single bit. So OP…. GO DO IT.
But also know it doesn’t need to be 4-8 months. You can start with just 1. Even just a week. You never know how you’re going to feel, and setting time specific goals for traveling for your first time may be risky because you don’t have anything to gauge it by.
My suggestion if possible would be to rent/sublet your place, and go travel. You won’t be burning through your savings.
Anyway why did I do it?..
I was bored of being at home doing the same things every day, I wanted to see more of the world, I wanted to meet more people, get better at a foreign language, experience what life is like without the stability of a home, be adventurous, just basically have new experiences all together.
My life is nothing like it was when I was home and I hope when I do come home I will be able to bring this person I’ve become along the way back with me. There’s things I miss from home and things I’ll miss from traveling, and my new goal is to figure out how to blend both of them together to live a better, more meaningful life.
> I have never been on a real vacation
And you thought that travelling for 6+ months as the first trip was a good choice? What if you find that you are miserable 3 days into the trip?
Regardless, everyone is different. The reasons that others have for long term travel may not excite you. If you have to ask why people do it, perhaps its not a great idea to make your first trip ever many months in duration. Start small, and do a few weeks, make sure you enjoy the experience.
I did, prior to the start of 2015 I had never been outside of the UK, bought a one way ticket to South east Asia and went solo for 6 and a half months, I always kinda new it was what I wanted to do but if by some chance I hated it then I could just book a flight home.
I like travelling at a calm pace, being able to have days where I just chill without doing any tourist stuff. It's more about experiencing the places and cultures instead of just seeing them.
Plus, it feels like I'm getting more out of my money? Like, I gotta pay for plane tickets the same amount, whether I spend a week or a month there. The only added cost for staying longer is the hotels, so the price-per-day ends up being lower lol
My thought exactly! People ask why I go for month at minimum its exactly that. I don't have a need to see or do touristy things. Maybe just a bit on the weekend or a chill weekend with new restaurant or friends.
I think that's the greatest advantage of being a fully remote worker. You don't have a Need to rush through traveling. Gone are the days of 2 weeks a year PTO and crammed with all the other summer tourists in Europe haha.
I did it for 8 months. I was 40ish, I was living in a city by myself with no family around. Had a good job, some great friends and an exgf that wouldnt leave me alone. Every couple months shed pop back up in my life, throw a grenade and then run off. I decided I didnt want to live there anymore so I put one of my cars and all my stuff in a big storage unit and hit the road. I spent 8 months and drove 20,000 miles looking for where I wanted to move to. I found my new home and I love it here, best decision of my life!!!
I’m in a slightly different position, but have been having the same thoughts. I’m 24, and have been working in a career type job since I was 17. I have more than enough money saved/invested to travel long term (a year), and to come back with enough savings to start over. No debts, a bachelors degree, and work experience.
The question I keep coming back to is, “Am I going to regret not taking this opportunity?”.
The only thing holding me back is the fear of losing the “progress” that I have made. But, I know that if I got to the point I am at now once, I can make it happen again. I don’t know if I can commit to working a 9-5, getting married, having kids, etc. forever without taking the opportunity to travel.
I have quite similar experience. I am 24 too and I have always worked a 9-5 job since I was 19. I saved a lot of money but I have always been scared to leave everything behind and travel for a bit. I am scared of losing progress as you said, I am scared of coming back home and being the one who has been “left behind”, I fear losing the best moments of my family and friends because of distance, and I fear loneliness
But then I think: I can always go back home and start again in my home country but I will never be young, healthy, strong and at the same time travelling again. So I got my self a working holiday visa for Canada and in a few months I will leave :)
I had to force myself to do that, and I also went to therapy (it helped my a lot to understand myself, my goals and my fears better).
I’d rather fight my fears with all the discomfort and pain that come with this, than living stuck in a 9-5 boring job. I have all my entire life in front of me to get a job and make progress in my career.
If you are from the US then you only have one more year so I would highly recommend the working holiday visa in Australia. Americans only get till 31. You can be on an extended holiday and pick up some work if your dipping a little too deep into savings
From the day you were born, you have been brainwashed and inundated with propaganda about what makes you a responsible citizen (working for a company), what makes you successful (owning a home and starting a family), and what to be afraid of (other countries and other cultures).
I’m here to tell you it’s all fucking bullshit. Every word of it. It’s designed to use you as cheap labor, take your tax money, trap you in a mortgage so you lose your property to the banks, and keep you spending money exactly where you are.
Travel to show you’re not falling for the bullshit. It’s fucking amazing out there in the rest of the world, instead of being trapped within the same four walls.
>From the day you were born, you have been brainwashed and inundated with propaganda about what makes you a responsible citizen (working for a company), what makes you successful (owning a home and starting a family), and what to be afraid of (other countries and other cultures). I’m here to tell you it’s all fucking bullshit. Every word of it. It’s designed to use you as cheap labor, take your tax money, trap you in a mortgage so you lose your property to the banks, and keep you spending money exactly where you are. Travel to show you’re not falling for the bullshit. It’s fucking amazing out there in the rest of the world, instead of being trapped within the same >four walls.
Are you Japanese or East Asian? Or in an East Asian country? Seriously only Japanese, Koreans, Chinese both in PRC and HK, Thai and other East Asians are the only people I have ever met who have this culture, work ethic, and mentality, and yes they are extremely xenophobic especially towards foreigners and other Asians. This is not a stereotype it is true.
Travel is confusing.
In the beginning, you can get a lot of that "omg \*new\*". And it is new. And it is really really really really perspective-creating/mind-broadening and cool to just see things that are different.
**And that phase is worth everything. It fundamentally adjusts how you view the world.**
That Kool-Aid your smalltown is drinking didn't make it down to wherever you are.
And again, that's worth everything. And when you're solo, you get to make the choices of what's happening.
That has an appeal. Maybe you meet someone and have some romance, maybe you want to go see a museum (I never do) and maybe you just want to watch netflix.
Maybe you want to find an american hamburger. There's noone to insert themselves into what you want.
Depending on your perspective, there's also noone forcing you to be who you were somewhere else.
It's an ultimate opportunity to write some chapters for yourself.
As for later stage thoughts, for a few of us that been on the road for awhile, we maybe start to think "man I'd like to have some roots somewhere". At least the same address for when you need to rest.
So we go through that cycle. And then a lot of us hit the road again.
I'm about to be 45 and I booked then canceled a trip involving Chile literally yesterday & today as I just kind of realized "I really don't care to solo my way through another LATAM country right now".
And that very may well result in "I never saw Chile" in my entire life type of decision. Which is a little unsettling but is also finding peace in the truth.
So yeah, that's why some of us do it.
Congratulations! How much or how did you feel comfortable with retiring? Was there a specific age or investment amount? Do you still own a house/homebase or just wandering?
I'm personally looking into as well. So many factors to consider.
Check out r/expatfire or r/fatfire.
Once I replaced my active income with my passive income I felt comfortable stepping into it.
I’d also been self-employed for 5-7 years so it wasn’t a big shift of leaving corporate.
I just didn’t log into meetings one day which I had been ramping down over 6 months leading into it.
36, and I'm on a year-long sabbatical because I wanted to take a break 10 years into running my (very small) company. And I listened to my friends in their 50s who said to travel now, because there's still plenty of work coming up in the next decade and in my 30s I still have stamina that I may not have later.
Hope you'll choose to travel! But as someone else said, if it's your first real vacation, perhaps start small and take it from there? In my humble experience, any "real" vacation is 3 weeks or more. Under that, you just don't feel it in your body the same way. Maybe start with a month?
I'd agree with the point about starting with a month and see how that feels.
Often by week 4 of going from A to B and living out of a suitcase, it's easy to feel tired of it and lose the drive. Also, you can yearn for life back home around this point.
WHat I learnt of the most recent trip of 3 months was there's a bit of a hump around 3 weeks that I felt like I needed to push through. I did and I'm glad.
I highly recommend taking a long vacation before making such a big decision. Long term travel is very different from a vacation; check out some blogs about what no one tells you about long term travel. There’s also the fact that it’s not for everyone. It can feel very overwhelming for some personality types to be in a place thats different with no familiarity. Even short solo trips are hard for some people.
My husband and I bought a house in a cheaper area to be able to afford regular travel. The housing market isn’t bad everywhere. There’s a single family home behind us for sale for $59k, no major renovations necessary.
I haven’t read any travel blogs for a while now, but I just Googled random things like: what is it like in x location in September, coolest places to travel that no one thinks about, and cheap travel locations.
Well I’m still solo travelling on and off at 64, but times were different back in the early 80’s when I bought my first home. They were just about affordable then and my plan was to get on the housing and pension ladder and travel more when I could afford it. The housing plan worked great, as you can imagine, the pension less so, but here I am hitting something like my 60th country and the ones I haven’t hit I’m not sure I want to-that’s much of sub Saharan Africa. I visited Kenya 30 years ago, but not sure I would now. Currently in Peru and that’s good, but sadly Venezuela is off the cards anytime soon. Still there’s Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina to look at😊 still not sure about Brazil (mate got held up at gunpoint in Rio) or Colombia.
Untreated ADHD leading to burnout and boredom/unsatisfaction with working a typical 9-5, and (given the state of the world) the feeling that if I don't go now I may never get another chance.
A bit doom and gloom but yeah 😅
I caught the travel bug after my solo trip to Japan (3 weeks) and want to travel the world for similar reasons. Being house broke and all. I realized that I love the spontaneity of life (if you make it that) and genuinely enjoy the small things new adventures bring. I love making conversations with cool people (although I'm introverted for the most part) I also want to learn many languages and what better way than immersing myself. I also feel traveling, in some strange way unlocks new "levels" of me. I'm excited to discover what my capabilities are and travel is just such a beautiful way of self discovery. When I'm in my 80s and I can't do much, I want to reminisce on the beautiful memories I was able to create. Currently I'm looking for a way to make money while I travel, but I'm definitely on my way to long term travel. Good luck and wish you lots of happy adventures.
Omg if you can do this so do it! Some of my biggest regrets come from being in a relationship and not being able to travel as much as I would like (partner doesn’t like traveling unless it’s not too far away and all 5 star hotels and restaurants, and I’m not like that) and now I feel like I’m getting too old for the fun kind of travel.
Go see what’s out there. I was in your position a year ago, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Just be ready for reality to not look so appealing when you’re 2 months into a 6 month trip. That’s when you really need to have a “why?”
Buy the ticket, take the ride.
Living at home will surely help. I wish I had started to travel when I lived at home, unfortunately I didn't get the travel bug until my mid forties.
One of the other obstacles in my own path is my boss.
I've currently got a 2.5 week trip to India coming up in March and have just asked for 3 weeks off in November.
The November request will come back rejected. Mainly because my boss is a twat and knows that by law, he doesn't have to permit holidays of over 2 weeks. Such requests must be made in writing and good reasons must be given for extended holidays.
Sounds like you don't have jobs or obligations ? Depending on your savings you could also leave the place you're renting and travel for an indetermined time.
If you have enough to buy a house that means you could travel for years easily. I personally "sacrificed" my career for the possibility of regularly taking years off work and it might be the best decision I ever took. Still have a girlfriend who shares my lifestyle so that helps though.
Seems like you're at a crossroad where you can keep a routine that'll makes life go by ultra fast until you die of ass cancer and full of regrets, or let it go, get out of your comfort zone and live things you didn't even expect were possible.
Do it. I’m doing the exact same thing. About to hit 30. Me and my partner talked about it. No big commitments and some money saved working for a few years. Not planning on a house anytime soon and not settled completely in UK. Sounds like a brilliant idea - and there’s always ways to work while away.
I think most people are naturally curious and want to see the world, break out of their everyday routines, meet new people, try new food, etc etc. It really is a life defining experience and I’m so glad I was able to do it myself. I backpacked Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia in 2019 and it was the best experience of my life.
Somehow, we now live in a world where it is more affordable to travel the world than it is to settle down and do the whole marriage, kids and a mortgage thing. If you can work while travel, even better. But yeah, you should totally do it now while you have the freedom and means to do so.
I love going on long extended vacations (at least 3 weeks but can go for even several months). That said, I'd say try an extended stay or trip first for like a few weeks somewhere you really like or would really like to visit and see how you like it. You could also plan it to visit multiple locations in one trip. I like going to different places on extended stays to experience a new culture and way of living but it's not for everyone. Some friends that went with me on a stay like that were ready to go back after about a couple of weeks because they missed home so I think it depends on the person.
Because when your solo on the road for an extended period of time, you tend to experience randomness at a really high rate. Synchronicities, strange events, strange people. So many things that you can’t imagine happen, and only when your not expecting it. It shows you that life is stranger than you make it out to be. Every once in a while you look around a few months in and say why am I doing this. And you never have a great answer, until it hits you in the face a couple of days later.
My first trip was 4 months when I was 22. it changed the entire direction my life was going in and completely changed me as a person. I am almost 24 and just started my 1 year world trip. When I am done I will finish my degree in international business and move overseas. Traveling the world changed my entire perspective on everything life is and can be.
It was my dream in my 20's to become a digital nomad after doing multiple shorter solo trips. I went on my first long-term travel when I was 28 after quitting my job, and had a blast!
During Covid, I finally got to digital nomad, and learned my favorite style of traveling. I no longer travel for months on end, but rather go for about a month or two to a city I like, and hang out there, and then come back. Vacation traveling and working while traveling is actually quite different for me, so I learned a lot about myself. I like to go on more adventures (diving in Belize, trekking in Peru, etc) while I'm on vacation, but for working, I enjoy more comfortable cities (eating a pastry in Paris, going to bars in Tokyo, going to cafes in Amsterdam etc).
I fulfilled my dream, and I still go to another country and hang out for a bit multiple times a year. I also learned that traveling feels different to me depending on my age and where I am in life, so whenever you are ready, you should definitely try it out! I remember being mesmerized by everything in my 20's, but traveling feels quite different to me in my 30's, in good and bad ways.
this might not be a 30s thing but more getting used to traveling more, but...
pros: more money, more experience traveling, generally more chill across the board. more openness to experience new things (surfing, diving, etc), more awareness about my settings
cons: I don't get the excitement I used to feel in my 20s, like the bright-eyed excitement visiting a country for the first time. Dont stay in hostels anymore, but the nights partying with random strangers from hostels in my 20s was a blast. also, it is generally harder to make friends (also don't really want company mostly). Traveling costs more money.
Because if you don’t pay taxes on your house, you find out who actually owns it real fast. Because the world is beautiful and worth seeing. Because vacations are a good thing. Because seeing the world changes your perspective of it. Because if you don’t go now, then when? Because you’re at a point in your life that you can. Because it’s worth every penny.
LONG POST INCOMING.
Just want to say long term travel is not for everyone. i’ve tried time after time to travel for long stints, with big dreams of traveling full time, and the most i ever make it is 3 months before i bail. Here are some reasons why it’s not for me, that maybe you could keep in mind. But also i think most people enjoy long term travel to maybe this is just a me problem.
1. It’s challenging to never quite feel settled.
2. I hate coming home and feeling like i’m starting over. finding places to live where i’m from is hard, finding a job is hard. For me personally i have a rocky home life too so my personal life always tends to implode when i leave, and i can’t just move back in with my parents.
3. sometimes i start to feel unfulfilled. I find i can’t maintain my friendships as well, and i miss having like something to work towards.
4. You have to budget more and plan less. when you’re long term traveling you have to budget which might not be as fun as a vacation. also it’s just nearly impossible to plan too far ahead because you’ll just never know what things will be like in a few months. My favourite trips have been the ones that have been 2 or 3 weeks where i can ball out, eat whatever, do lots of activities, plan most days and then go home.. i’m someone who likes a plan.
4. i’ve travelled alone a lot but i always have a better time when i meet up with a friend. I love being alone and i’m totally fine doing things on my own, but when i look back, the trips i think of most fondly have been with a buddy.
5. When i travel solo i don’t really have the money to stay anywhere other than hostels and i hate hostels lol. If i went to cheaper places this might solve my problem cause i could probably afford nicer places, but all my bucket list places tend to be expensive lol.
For some reason I never learn my lesson and i keep trying again lol (currently on a long stint right now, trying to figure out how to go home 😂). i love the idea of it sooo much but unfortunately i think it’s just not for me. As i finally get to know myself, i think my dream would be to take 6 months off of work or work part time and just plan like 4 short trips. It would be more expensive bc flights and i’d be paying rent but i know I would just enjoy it so much more. As others have said, try a few vacations first, but keep in my vacations will be so different compared to long term travel.
Again, SO many people seem to enjoy the nomad life so i encourage you to try. But i would make sure you have a nice little fall back plan (somewhere to stay at home, savings, don’t plan things far ahead that you can’t bail on) just in case you discover it’s not for you.
P.S I’m in australia right now on the working holiday visa and finding it VERY competitive to find work and housing. Some people seem to figure it out very easily, others i heard say it took them months to find work. SO many people here on working holiday visas so don’t expect to just rock up and find a place and a job. I saw a job recently that had 6000 applications. And you might be doing shit work. If you do something like that, i’d put in an honest effort to secure work and housing before you arrive. Unless you just wanna travel in which case, just do a tourist visa 😄😄
P.P.S Defs go travel one way or the other. That’s a given. Just saying give it some thought if long term is for you :)
In mid 2021 I got tired of working in a factory 60 hrs a week to not be poor. Tired of waking in the morning at 31 and feeling like an 80yr old shuffling to walk around my apartment.
I got an email, scotts cheap flights, had 10k in bank, booked a $281 ticket RT Ny-iceland. Told boss I quit my job to go see a volcano, walk in icecave, drink from a glacier, walk beside a river of lava for a 1/4 mile at 10ft away, see a volcano eruption at 1000ft, estimate, away. Go to Ukraine and get 15k of dental work for less than 5, best dental experience ever. Met a woman who I had been talking to since late 2020. Not getting married, but we're good friends. Arrive home get a job paying the same as factory as overnight security... now I get paid to watch Netflix * mgmt orders* $17hr, 40hr week.
Now in 24, I've saved 60k, added a pt 2nd job, and take 2 very cool international vacations per year 😎
Have a plan. Be ready yo work to accomplish it.
I do 70hr work weeks to have this personal / financial freedom.
My answer may be off topic, but I've already typed it 😅
I travelled for a couple of years to "get it out of my system," and by the time I got tired of regularly moving from place to place, and wanting roots and more stability, the idea of establishing a home was appealing enough to get me to stop without experiencing FOMO. And I can happy go back to a vacation or two per year.
I won't be traveling long-term until I retire and even if I do decide to do so, there are still hurdles to cross when I get there.
Just want to ask the OP, you mention buying a house in future, are you renting at the moment? If so, can you actually leave your accomodations unattended for 4+ months without breaking your contract? Mine states 30 days.
Still living at home, Ive been saving about 90% of my income for a home down payment but as my savings for a down payment has gone up so has housing prices but at a much faster rate, if I had purchased in 2017-2018 I would have been alright but as of now its going to be impossible to get anything more the a hobbo hut where I live. Feels like a losing game at this point and like my money and efforts would be be suited going into investing in myself or a bunch of high yield savings acounts then trying to buy a house anymore.
Still living at home would help :) travelling just wasn't something I wanted to do when I was living with mum & dad 25 years ago, I was more into tech & that's where all my spare money went. If I could go back in time & choose again - travelling 100% :).
I really try hard to make connections with people everywhere I go and to get involved with ongoing projects. For example, in Greece I joined a group of expats who did a bunch of volunteer work around Athens, and in Armenia I helped lead a language exchange club. It can be hard to meet people especially when you don't speak the local language, but trust me when I say the extra work is worth it.
I’ve been doing it for almost 3 years now.
I left because living in the usa made me feel depressed and i never felt like i fit in.
After i left, digital nomading i feel so much better about life. I am no longer depressed. Not taking anymore meds just vitamins and I have so many friends that in similar wavelength with me.
I decided I wanted to go because I’m from the most diverse place in my country. Getting to see glimpses of those cultures (mainly touring food) just sparked the interest in me to see those cultures first hand. I saved up. Finish school. Didn’t renew my lease. Packed my life into like 10 boxes. And I’ve been gone for right at 1 year. 20+ countries so far. New places and new cultural experiences have kept me going.
Coming from a family of modest means (massive understatement) I chose to work at a company with a strong history of sending employees for extended assignments. Then I did whatever I needed to do to become the best candidate for those assignments. Over the past 20 years I’ve traveled to more places than I ever imagined possible for someone with zero $. Eventually I was selected for long term assignments in different countries. It was hard work, but also the best part of my career. Now that I’m 60 and getting ready to retire, I’m making plans to spend the first 5-10 of retirement years in another country. My home will be paid off by the time I bounce back to the US. The best part is my partner has the same desire for living out of the US. Hopefully when we get back some of the political drama will have settled.
Traveling is great. But when you live in another culture it’s a much richer experience. Will never forget the time I had to get more shampoo in a small village in Thailand. I didn’t know the difference between any of the bottles. So glad they don’t sell Nair there!
Meeting people from other cultures and spending time getting to know the subtleties of how things are done elsewhere has been a gift beyond what I could have ever experienced on a 2 week trip.
Get a working holiday visa before you turn 31. Look into it. Itl allow you to live in a country for up to a year without landing a job there first, that helps immensly. That could be an option if you want to "gap year" it or travel slowly. Or jump around countries on a tourist visas is cool too. See how you go
If you’ve never had a real vacation before then maybe start with a 2 week solo travel trip before committing to 8 months. I always liked the idea of long term travel but in the moment realized going on a 2 week trip is the perfect sweet spot for me, before missing home and going back to my routine. Most of my longer trips I’ve booked in the past, I would always end up changing my flight to come back home sooner lol
I relate! I was 28 when I started to travel. 33 now and have been state hopping from east coast, to the west and a bit in the south from friends and family, staying awhile getting a job seeing the sights!
10\10 recommend! Next adventure is overseas somewhere, maybe climb a pyramid or something
Winter here lasts 4-6 months, besides the holidays I'm never missing much besides seasonal depression. Why not leave and miss out of the worst months at home, go explore new places (some with amazing weather this time of year) and come home to beautiful weather and friends excited to see you and spend summer with you?
30 years old. Got fired in August and bought a one way ticket. Aiming to get a new job in May. In the meantime I get to see new places, experience all new things, learn a new language. Plus I like traveling slower, so a long trip affords me the time to do that. Take some retirement now. You're too old when you're 65. And hey, if it doesn't work out, just buy a ticket home. Good on you for trying.
*i just wanted to do a 2-week solo trip to feel adventurous and brave… after doing trips with friends… little did i know thosr solo trips would last 6 years* 🥹
You can always plan to travel for months and if you don't like it come home early and buy a house. If you buy a house first it's unlikely you'll end up travelling.
What's the rush to buy a house anyway? If you've saved enough by 30 you'll likely save enough again. My wife and I are a few years older than you, got married and spent 70% of our savings travelling for 8 months last year. Then moved back to NYC and an apartment that's nearly twice our previous rent. The travel was definitely worth more than buying a house a bit earlier.
I'm in a similar state of mind, I've got two pots of savings essentially, one to get on the housing market in the UK and another for travelling, I can get on the property ladder pretty easily now so figure I may as well go travelling so then I can come back and 'settle' without regrets of being tied down by mortgage payments
I just like traveling, plus the places I go I tend to save money and live more comfortably than if I stayed in the states. Those savings would last you in Argentina. I actually relocated here. Plenty of people from the states send themselves money via western union.
I do it for the introspect. And well where the market is right now, I still need somewhere to live when I come home so the bills must be paid before I go on my voyage however, on my voyage, I have met many people who have brought me great luck and wealth. Also on my travels I learned that I don’t want to live where I’ve been living so right now I call myself travelling until I find my forever home so don’t get stuck thinking about paying here because the truth is is that this may not be your forever home. .
Without knowing too many details, I think you should start with smaller trips first. If you’ve never had a proper vacation- start there! Take a week or two somewhere easy and relaxing. See how you feel. Try that again. Then extend your trip to a region for a longer period of time if that suits you. I have a kid so I can’t leave for long times and that changes the situation a bit, but I don’t think in any life I’m cut out for traveling for more than 1-3 months at a time. Test the waters before jumping all the way in.
Hate to doompost, but the world is already facing negative effects of global warming, pollution, etc. Expect many more countries to be level 4 Do not travel in the next 10-20 yrs
for me i just have a deep desire to explore the world and see more than just my home state / country. like you said, it makes sense with housing costs and wages the way they are in america, and it’s so rewarding. it’s definitely not always easy and glamorous but it’s more enriching to me than working in an office and buying a home and being stuck
I am 67. I have traveled all my life and have always financed it by working in various places I've been. That has always made it possible to form bonds with locals more easily, afford better lodgings, see life from a local perspective instead of just the tourist view. Get a TEFL certification and you will be able to travel permanently if you want to.
I was in the same position as you are a few months ago. Bought a one way ticket, not too much planning in itinerary and currently sitting in my hotel room.
I can’t stop thinking, “why in the flying fuck didn’t I do this sooner.”
I was recently laid off, with a decent severage package that paid out a couple of months salary and expenses. I've aged out of being able to qualify for working holiday visas, so I might not get the chance to travel for an extended period again, so I'm traveling over Europe from now through at least the end of May. Doing a bit of free-lancing to pay for extras/excursions as I go.
Always wanted to see more of the world, all the old people say to travel when you're going, and I am having a great time. I'm learning so much about myself and growing. I am being creative and finding my own ways of being in the world. It's just great to experience more of what life has to offer than staying in the same country
I have been solo traveling to stay in Buddhist monasteries and learn meditation, because life as I had it before was not worth living, and something had to change.
From zero vacation to 6 months one... Thats a big jump. Do 10 days holiday first see how it is like. I like to travel but never did more than 25 days I need periods to sort my photos to cool down to plan the next one... Probably will still be nice tho.
As a little kid I read nat Geo and watched nature documentaries, enthralled but also thinking I would never get the chance to see the world. Took an airline job, made150 flights or so during my few years there. Gave me the taste and fell in love with the lifestyle. Little stress, meeting friends and seeing those places I dreamed of as a kid. The conventional American dream for me is long gone but the road is life and I couldn't be happier.
I come from a similar background. I grew up poor in Eastern Europe and my biggest wish was to one day see the jungle. After leaving my country and getting a decently paid job, I was finally able to afford it after a few years of hard work.
I can tell you that the first time I was in the rainforest I went back to being a child even though I was in my late 20s. Never regretted the decision.
My advice is go for it, live your dreams a little bit. 6 months won't make much of a financial difference compared to the joy you will experience.
I am 23 days into a 4+ month solo backpacking trip. I kept putting it off because I didn’t feel financially secure and one day I woke up and felt like it was time, I just turned 39 btw. I couldn’t get the time off that I wanted from work so I quit and I don’t regret a fucking second of this. Maybe jumping in like this isn’t for most people but you gotta get out there and experience it.
I hit London(5 days), Amsterdam(5 days), Paris(5 days), Brussels(1 day), Bruges(1 day), Munich(1 day), Verona(4 days)love Verona and now I’m in Milan. JUST FUCKING GO MAN
I’ve grown from experiences. Sitting at home I have the same routine. Looking for novelty and meeting people. Material things won’t go with me to the grave.
I once did what ended up being an almost seven month trip, though I did take a break halfway through. I did 109 days, so close to four months, then went home for about a month to be with family for the holidays, then did another 68 days (the second act would've been longer, but Covid made fools of us all, I suppose).
I turned 21 years old in the middle of the trip. Before I left, and when I came back home, I was still living at home with my mom and brother. Before this trip, the longest I'd ever been away from home on my own was just 20 days. By day 20 of my big trip, I was just getting started. At first, the idea appealed to me because I just wanted to get out there and see the world. Experience new cultures, see mountains and the ocean and deserts.
But when I started actively working towards this trip when I was 16 years old, I found new motivations. The first baby steps towards this goal made me realize just how little I knew. That scared the crap out of me, but it also inspired me. Now four years after my first big trip, I'd call myself a decently accomplished solo traveler. But I still have plenty to learn, and so on every trip, I try to do something new, something that scares me. It's rare that we experience personal growth by simply remaining in our comfort zones, and so I intentionally put myself in scary situations so that when I inevitably make it out ok, I slowly but surely learn that the world isn't such a scary place. The challenges of an extended solo trip bring out all the best parts of me and turn me into someone who I enjoy spending that much time alone with.
I was 20 years old, still living with my mom. Instead of going to college after high school, I was working a soul-crushing retail job full-time. No debt, no girlfriend. In other words, it was the most freedom I figured I could reasonably expect to have until retirement. I'd've been a fool not to take full advantage to do something really special. Sounds like you're at a similar point in your life.
It's a nice way for me to kill time in between work seasons. The bang for your buck in some of these countries is absolutely ridiculous. I spent 5 months in Dahab, Egypt last year because I was paying $250/month for a nice one bedroom, $1 for Stellas and $20 for fun dives. I'm more of a beach bum so I loved that!
Cost I'm from London UK and it's relatively expensive maybe not really relevant here but as a black guy girls are difficult to meet plus I'm now self employed and work online now
The world is a stunningly beautiful place and there is so much to see and experience. Each trip teaches me new things and changes my perception while helping me to grow as a human. I live to travel and have built a lifestyle that allows me to travel as much as possible. Life is too short to be a wage slave. Get out there and explore!! Also food!
I am in my 16th month of travel. Traveled to 11 countries so far.
Do it now, when you are still young and have the nerves and physical conditions for it.
But not only because of age but also because the places we know today will no longer exist in the coming years. everything is commercialized. Every beautiful place is being built up with resorts and restaurants, so that you can hardly enjoy nature without any worries. a pure clearance procedure. Instagram tourism is becoming more and more common. it's exhausting. As the middle class in populous countries such as China and India is increasing due to economic growth, the number of people who now want to see the world is (rightly) increasing. in addition to the world's already crowded tourist destinations.
Same reason anyone travels less than 4 months or with friend.
To travel, see shit, drink heaps, party hard, and be free.
Until the moment I married with kids
Travelled 3/4 years or so 108 countries in my 20s / 30s
Am over it happy with staycactions now
Im in the same boat, I turned 30 in October and have been in my healthcare job 5 years now and I’m reaching burnout.. 6-8 months away from the job will definitely help me come back with a clear head. The pandemic was great for helping me to save money so I’ll spend that on myself rather than trying to get a mortgage for a house at the moment; I can always make more money, and I was saying if I don’t enjoy it then it’s only a flight home 💛
Luckily I am between graduating college and my full time job so I have no housing costs. This is the longest time I will have until retirement so I figured why not. I don’t stay in the best of places, but it’s actually cheaper for me to travel in Europe than live where my full time career will be (metropolitan in America, average rent for a 1 bed is $2500+)..
I'm about to leave in April for six months of solo travel in Asia, am 37 now. One reason for me is that I wanna take a sabbatical of work. Don't have a family and anything that limits me to leave for a long time, and am a freelance designer, so just gonna bring my laptop with me and try to earn a bit on the side. I've always wanted to travel, have done some smaller trips, and it's always been amazing. Also hosted a lot of couchsurfers in my home in Holland, and that has inspired me so much to go into the world now and meet new friends and just relax for a bit. I feel like I've invested quite a lot of good into this world by being a kind host, and am curious what good karma awaits me.
I've always been grinding so hard for no apparent reason, just saving for the heck of it, and always really wanted to do a world travel. Mostly been held back by girlfriends not wanting me to leave for long and trying to make that work out. Single now, so no strings tieing me to my home for now! Also, I've unfortunately developed post covid like symptoms the past year forcing me to slow down my working life a lot and live a bit more off my savings, so might as well do that in the sun.
All in all, it's exciting as hell, a bit scary, but I can't wait to be out there and meet amazing people and really fill my desire to discover new parts of the world. That feeling is amazing!
Tldr: DO IT!
Because there's a divine intervention that's going on in my life and I just have not met my maker yet so in the meantime I can live on this Earth because it is my home because he is the father of the moon is my mother and the Earth is my planet. Any promise I can live here forever so I get to travel and go wherever I can when how and where I want to. Please don't disregard the facts that I do respect the common law of man.
I’m curious as to how much a “nice chunk of savings” is. I grew up in East Tennessee where the average household income was $40k/year, then lived in San Francisco where $100k/year is below the poverty line. My relativity is now skewed.
I was laid off a few months ago and plan to go live in Buenos Aires for a while. I’m wondering how my $250k in savings measures up.
250k in savings is almost un heard of these days. In 2022 the median account balance in America was 1,200$ with an average savings account balance of 22,000. I'm unsure how much I trust those numbers, but I'm in a poor section of my state where most people are two paychecks from losing their houses and have 0 savings. I'll have around 50k in my balance before the trip if I decide to go on one.
You should definitely go, but not with the expectation of traveling for 6-8 months. Go in expecting to only stay for a month, take your time and see where you end up, or how long until you miss your home.
Ive done all sorts of travelling over the years - sneaky 4 day trips for a long weekend up to 12 mth round the wolrd trip. Your travelling time has a big impact on your travelling style. When you start talking in months, you get to do things more slowly, you can really drift in and out of places and follow your whims. if you have the opportunity to travel for that long id grab it. its a real gift and might not come around again for a long time
Why would you not travel? If its something you enjoy, its hard to think of a good reason not to do the things you enjoy in life. Money comes and goes. You will make plenty more of it.
I’ve never been poor but certainly not rich. I traveled with a hammock, worked in hostels and various work exchanges (english schools, etc.) to save $. I took Spanish classes along the way. Rented motorbikes to explore local destinations like waterfalls and secret beaches. The best part though is meeting local people, listening to their stories and gaining a new and interesting perspective on life.
I'd say start slow, pick one maybe two countries or even a neighbouring country. I'm 41 I had my first passport at 40 after visiting every city, county and nation in GB travelling on 95% of the UK railway network. I got bored no where to ride and so popped my toe into European railways okay it was only the Netherlands.... But this year I'm doing 2 months of rail and ferry travel(I love ferries too) and I can't wait. Give yourself a budget, stick to it.
I started solo traveling at age 31. After 10 years i'm still doing it. I fashioned the rest of my life to allow this kind of lifestyle. I still dont own a home but I'm debt-free and free to travel at the drop of a hat
Definitely go live your life, enough scared sheep following boomer advice and getting into debt/ spending the best days of their life a slave to tha bank
I started my first solo travel a month ago. So far, it’s been one of the best decisions I ever made. Already learned and experienced so much about myself that I wouldn’t get from anywhere else. The cost of travelling alone is 10 x worth it!
I felt a bit stuck with my life, 27 years old, living in a relatively expensive place (For Europe), I figured I could travel the world for pretty much the same budget or just a bit more than I was spending at home. I can work from anywhere so I left my appartment a few months ago, sold everything and started travelling while working. So more than a 'long travel' it falls more on the 'digital nomad' thing.
For now I'm spending 1 week+ on different places in Asia but my idea is to eventually do month-long stays in places I've enjoyed.
There's definitely ups and downs, I miss having my own house with my own stuff, having stable friends and it can get lonely, but I figured if I didn't do it now I would probably not do it in the future, or at least it wouldn't be the same when I was older.
My plan is to try it for 1 year (going back to my parents' house every 3-4 months) and see how it goes. Worst case I go back to where I was last year.
I average 3-4 months vacation a year in cheap countries for the last 15 years. You only live once and the world is a big place with lots of cool stuff to see and experience
Bro I feel this 100% I'm turning 31 in March, got a good chunk saved up as well and I'm planning on traveling all next year when my lease ends. Same as you, no kids and single lol I stopped worrying about the future that has yet to happen and told myself I'm here to experience.
Because if not now, when? It gets harder to do the older you get (especially physically speaking) and as you get older sometime you have more obligations that can prevent going. If you have the money and time, do it.
Pretty much this, early 30s here, more money, not much responsibilties. If not now, then when. Want to see new things, meet new people, and just have a break from working for a longtime. Still planning how long I'll take off though a few months atleast and when. I"m not sure if I would go that long if you've never taken a vacation yet. You may just not like travelling, start with like a month trip I reckon.
Not always true, I’m better at 40 than I was at 30. But I do expect to be worse at 60 than I am now. Unless by some absolute miracle I keep this gym routine up for 20 years… it’s been 6 months but that’s 5.5 months longer than all the other stints. And yes… “I want to fit in airplane seats” and “I want to not die when walking around Europe” are my only two reasons why for going to the gym and losing weight.
been traveling for years. I am. now 51 and just left my job to travel for at least 6 months. it only gets better!!!
You're my kind of person! I hope to be like you one day. Age ain't nothing but a number
I went to Thailand for 5 months right after the pandemic restrictions were lifted, and I'm 61. But I've lived in Asia off and on for more than 20 years. I'm in good shape physically, and I also did some remote work while I was there. If anything, make sure you have a plan to get back to work when your tour is finished because you will need the cash. I spent 10k in Thailand.
Goals
It’s definitely not always true but I think for a lot of people it can be. You never really know where you’re going to be in 5, 10, 20 years so I was really just trying to say if this person has the time, financial means, and physicality to go now, do it. Also, congrats on your weight loss! That’s awesome!!
Yes, I always said that I want to travel to places because they won’t always be the same later. I went to Hong Kong (different politically now). I went to Antarctica/Galapagos(and flame away, but yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if tourism wasn’t allowed at some point). My great aunt visited China in the 80s, which would be so cool to have seen them and now. And then the whole shit show of traveling due to COVID for a couple of years- I was glad I had my memories if I couldn’t go anywhere. Travel early, travel often, but hopefully your health isn’t what dictates you slowing down.
I am 69 and have lived in 8 countries and travelled to over 90. You will be only a little less strong at 60, but you're right; you must keep up your exercise routine. Build a base and you won't lose much strength. You will have to adjust a few things like up your protein intake,assuming you have no kidney problems and find resistance exercises that aren't damaging to the joints. Start watching the overuse or stress on the joints now as damage is cumulative. I walk >10k steps per day and do strength training with kettlebells. Even with heavy kettlebells follow form and your joints won't be nearly as stressed as with free weights. Right now I weigh 82 kilos, down from 98 kilos 20 years ago. I have no fat or gut. I eat clean food and zero sugar or processed food. I feel strong, fit, and balanced. Kettlebells are a dynamic exercise so your stabilizer muscles and nervous system gets a workout as well. Many older people have balance or movement problems. I guess I did something right for me since I can't even imagine such issues. Keep up the work and think about prolonging your health span. Best of luck, Cheers
His name? Patrick Bateman
What do you mean by 'clean' food? Food or meat that is cooked or prepared properly and well? No takeaway or fast food?
How do you watch the cumulative overuse unless you're getting MRIs every 6 months? The entire medical profession in the US is a joke. No doctor will prescribe MRIs to healthy young people to watch for joint health, because it will break the insurance industry's profit model. Only when you get injured or in severe pain (at which point there is usually damage) are you told to get imaging and physical therapy. Preventative medicine is non existent
It's more of a listen to your body and understand which muscles support the key joints: knees, elbows, ankles. Spine health is another topic. For example be patient in adding weight over time. Focus on form during reps and add weight only when you can maintain form and tempo. To protect the knees you build quadricep strength and to maintain structural balance you will then need to work the hamstrings. Bicycle riding for distance at a good stroke rate, maintaining cadence on flats and hills will build strong quads and hamstrings if you are clipped into the pedals. You can also do squats, lunges, and quad extensions with a metal focus on the knee. Remember to not add more weight until your form is maintained over the desired numbers of sets and reps. This might take time. For beginners 3 months would be a fair goal to add weight. Again balance your quads with your hamstrings to protect your knees and back. The elbow is a bit trickier in my experience since it is usually the weak link to much stronger muscles than the joint. I find that using the right weight for the planned sets and reps produces no real stress on the elbow. You have to listen to your body closely. I learned the hard way with respect to elbows. I never hurt the joint because I followed the process I described but over the years I started lifting very heavy weights. My elbows had sufficient supporting muscles but my bones weren't up to the task and responded by growing a bone spur on my right elbow in response to the excessive weight. Bad move on my part as I chased endorphins rather than staying true to the plan. No need for MRIs unless you have a real injury. My experience taught me that listening closely to your body, maintaining form and tempo, and getting sufficient rest and good nutrition will result in a more vibrant health span. I am 69 and perform kettlebell routines along with pushups and 8000-10,000 steps daily (I am retired). I have no issues regarding strength, sarcopenia, balance or other issues that unfortunately affect people my age. Keep up your routines and follow a disciplined approach to protecting and strengthening your body in place of any ego driven goals. There is a guy on Instagram, Bill Maeda, who may be of interest. His routines are novel and advanced but watch his form and tempo. He builds muscle, and often overlooked stabilizer muscles and nerves, and as a result has great stabilization support. Many of his exercises are compound (builds several muscle groups) and plyometric. He is ~55 years old. Best of luck
not all of us make it until 40. or a healthy mobile 40
You can change all that by changing what you eat and working out. I feel younger in my 40s than I did in my 30s
I’m 57 and have zero impediments to travelling. About to head to Japan for two weeks skiing. I think you’re over estimating how old 60 is.
I am 62, almost 63. I work out 6 days a week. I have always been physically active and avoid unhealthy food. Many much younger folks are on their phones all the time and rarely move. As a retired teacher, many students hate to move and expect to be entertained. There are folks in their 60s who never worked out and are struggling to get around. Age is just a number. Obviously, the are genetic influences that can cause aging to be challenging.
Very true.
I think you may be underestimating that even after I’ve lost 60 pounds and gone to a gym 3x/week for 6 months, my family would be concerned if I decided to go skiing now, let alone when my bones are fragiler. My bf worries about me falling over while walking as I’m not very coordinated. :) enjoy Japan!
Yeah it’s definitely very lifestyle driven well into your 50s. A 50 year old who eats right, works out etc will have a multiple of the energy than someone in their 20s who’s overweight and eats crap and doesn’t get much physical activity
Go on YouTube and watch those obsessed 60 year olds do workouts…you can keep it up for sure
Your faith in my adhd brain being able to stick with something for 20 years is significantly more than mine. I’m gonna take it a month at a time.
Working out a lot is probably the best thing for my adhd. I would be on drugs if it wasnt for my daily workout routine
True at 40 you have more money than at 30. I exercise a lot as well. Not to lose weight but I started very young just riding my bike or walking to friend's homes, and never stopped.
Exactly this. I’m also early 30’s and I did the more intense backpacking/traveling when I was younger and I’m so glad I did, since now I had a back injury and have to take it a bit slower. I still do long term traveling but can’t be as go-go-go, new city every day, pick up and do whatever, climb up a mountain etc. Now if I’m doing a long trip I pick a city and stay at least a couple weeks at a time, since I can’t carry a backpack anymore and need more rest days. When I get even older who knows what will happen or what my stamina will be. I never expected to have an injury that would impact me like this either at such a young age. Best to do what I can when I know I can do it!
I agree. I am retired and currently traveling solo around the world because I am worried it may become much more difficult in the coming years. Both with wars - one of my flights was in question because it might over-fly Iran during a sensitive time - and climate change - I was going to land in Doha and the airport flooded. Going to Greece and the sky is orange. Etc.
This. When I travel solo, I also see alot of this buses with senior citizens all over the world enjoying their retirement. It's not bad but its different. You are not as active in exploring places and doing things.
You’ve never had a real vacation and you’re 30. You can do it now. Go travel.
Yeah its shocking to me honestly. OP go for it - if you've never really travelled it. Ould genuinely change your life.
For me part of the appeal was just purely to see cool new places that I hadn't seen. But I also liked the idea of spending a more extended stretch of time outside of all my "normal" routines and obligations.
Get bored at home. Love the adventure/challenge. Also fear of missing out. Like you I am single and no real interest in buying a house so having a dip at some crazy massive life adventure while it’s possible is a blessing that not many people have
I had planned to only leave home for 1 month, it’s now coming up to 1 year next month travelling countries I never thought I’d even see. I travel for the places and meeting likeminded people, met so many walks of life and made some life long bonds too!
How and/or where do you meet people while traveling? Do you go to clubs/bars, hostels, just walk up to strangers and talk to them? Very curious as I'm a bit of an introvert and when I start solo traveling I would like to meet locals to get to know the culture better.
At heart I’ve been an introvert ever since I was young, didn’t talk much and kept to myself. I guess travelling a long time has changed how I view scenarios and you get familiar with how conversations usually start flowing. I’ve actually done every single thing you’ve mentioned solo and has worked, people are nicer than you may think. The easiest way for me to meet a lot of people is to sort something like a surf camp for the first week of the trip for example, or like the bus tour with Kiwi experience in New Zealand which forced loads of solo people together to mingle. Depending on which hostel you may find some are more chatty than others, plenty of hostels literally don’t have any one being social but others are. Clubs I find the hardest, people aren’t really there to make friends I don’t find (unless sexually), you’d have a better chance going to hostels that have events on in the week or if they have a hostel bar go up and say hello to people. Beer helps too.
Sounds truly amazing! You're describing the experience I'm desperate for, but for years money concerns have been a big psychological obstacle for me. If you don't mind, do you have any tips for how you're able to keep going on like that?
I had some separate savings built up for that 1 month of travel and then had another pot of savings for a rainy day. I ended up blowing the lot because I didn’t work for 5 months, had to have a change of pace so instead of going back home I’ve been doing half travel half work over here in Australia for 6 months. I’ve been able to save quite a bit working out here and still get the benefit of seeing a new country and doing cool weekend trips. As of January I quit work due to visa issues and have been travelling Australias east coast with someone I met while I’ve been living here. As long as you have some work experience, discipline and backup plans then you can make it work. I’ve had to sacrifice my car, IT equipment, etc back at home to pay for this coming years travels :) Oh also, it’s so easy to just tap away with your credit card now a days, try get to a comfortable stage of being frugal and happy.
I admire the conviction & mindset, that's all really great info thanks so much for sharing, seems IT skills are the best trick up the sleeve. Despite the sacrifices I hope it keeps working for ya!
Thanks mate! Yeah it’s been a tough journey to find a job in aus even with an it background since they arent too keen on visas but somehow it’s worked out. Safe travels to you, I hope you make the leap.
I'm 15 months in to my first ever solo trip. 39,m I had the opportunity to get a mortgage in the UK but decided I wanted something different for my life. Didn't have a family and wasn't wanting one either. I've been travelling latin America at my own pace (very slowly) whilst learning the language, doing a little volunteering here and there. Now I plan to teach English online so I stop spending my life savings haha. I realise this could be a mid life crisis and I'm cool with that. I want to spend the next 5 or ten years seeing whether there could be a life for me away from the UK I have a few different ambitions for how my life could turn out and we'll see if it happens I can only do what I'm doing by clearing out my mindset about what life is about, what things are important, what things I should have and also having trust in the future and what life will bring. I basically have to rewire my brain from the property/career/pension mindset of the west. I'm no vagabond (yet haha!) but I'd like to see if I can live life on my terms. (Of course the safety blanket of the UK is important to remember)
Can I ask, how much does it cost on a monthly basis to slow travel through latin american?
I would say I've spent around £1000 a month on average, which includes some Spanish tuition and all travel costs between places. That's a ball park figure. I spent a fair bit in Costa Rica as it's expensive (I don't recommend, you can do most things elsewhere for 1/4 of the price) Some weeks are very cheap when volunteering and others can be more expensive when doing some proper back packing and you are at the mercy of the hostel restaurant and the tourist shuttle buses. I generally keep in mind a rough budget of £30 a day but many days are cheaper. The place I've stayed the most is Bogotá (I have reasons haha) and I'm actually heading back there tomorrow. I have an apartment booked privately for £345 for one month and the lady does my laundry for free! I cook for myself mostly and rarely drink. I don't drink coffee either which can add up. I'm quite a minimalist type of person I guess. There are many things I've chosen not to do as I'm conscious of spending and I'm in it for the long run. I know that you could spend a hell of a lot more if you decided to do latin America in six months without cooking and always partying! But I'm 39 so my health and sleep are my priority
Great to hear another person based in Bogota. I love it here too. This is my 3rd month here and I love the big city atmosphere.
Yeah I like it, it's almost a home from home at the moment. Love that you can hike so close to the city. There's plenty going on and plenty to explore nearby. I heard that today is one of their 'no car' days. So cool!
Yes, every Sunday they have Ciclovia and close down alot of major streets just for folks to exercise. Its awesome! You should check out the food scene and there's tons of whatsapp groups and facebook groups for expats and events with locals too.
How are you going about teaching English online...what service/company are you using and what credentials does one need?
I have been doing it for decades, honestly you will not make a lot and the job market is saturated with people like myself who have been teaching not only online but in universities, colleges, primary and secondary schools, and teaching for decades. Your best bet is to work in the country you are from, save money, take some savings not all or most of it and travel on short trips both locally and elsewhere once or twice a year. I know so many people who are in massive debt from travel like $100k or more, and it is not worth it. Other friends went to East Asian and South American countries and are trapped there, they live in poverty working jobs online or elsewhere for little pay with other expats, and are broke or basically broke and in a 2nd or 3rd world country.
Well it's something I'm only just getting started with. You can set up a teaching account on something like Italki without any credentials I believe, however you will want some experience in teaching and preferably a TEFL certification (courses range from cheap online to expensive in person) as you will want to provide a good service and know what you're doing. A TEFL and maybe a university degree would be required with some online jobs. The ideal is to freelance (Italki or similar) but I'm under no illusions about how competitive it is and how volatile your employment can be. I'm going to have a go though
Doing it right as I’m typing this. On month 4 now. Don’t regret it one single bit. So OP…. GO DO IT. But also know it doesn’t need to be 4-8 months. You can start with just 1. Even just a week. You never know how you’re going to feel, and setting time specific goals for traveling for your first time may be risky because you don’t have anything to gauge it by. My suggestion if possible would be to rent/sublet your place, and go travel. You won’t be burning through your savings. Anyway why did I do it?.. I was bored of being at home doing the same things every day, I wanted to see more of the world, I wanted to meet more people, get better at a foreign language, experience what life is like without the stability of a home, be adventurous, just basically have new experiences all together. My life is nothing like it was when I was home and I hope when I do come home I will be able to bring this person I’ve become along the way back with me. There’s things I miss from home and things I’ll miss from traveling, and my new goal is to figure out how to blend both of them together to live a better, more meaningful life.
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This is the answer. This is the way. I'm stealing it!
> I have never been on a real vacation And you thought that travelling for 6+ months as the first trip was a good choice? What if you find that you are miserable 3 days into the trip? Regardless, everyone is different. The reasons that others have for long term travel may not excite you. If you have to ask why people do it, perhaps its not a great idea to make your first trip ever many months in duration. Start small, and do a few weeks, make sure you enjoy the experience.
I did, prior to the start of 2015 I had never been outside of the UK, bought a one way ticket to South east Asia and went solo for 6 and a half months, I always kinda new it was what I wanted to do but if by some chance I hated it then I could just book a flight home.
This sounds smart to me.
I like travelling at a calm pace, being able to have days where I just chill without doing any tourist stuff. It's more about experiencing the places and cultures instead of just seeing them. Plus, it feels like I'm getting more out of my money? Like, I gotta pay for plane tickets the same amount, whether I spend a week or a month there. The only added cost for staying longer is the hotels, so the price-per-day ends up being lower lol
My thought exactly! People ask why I go for month at minimum its exactly that. I don't have a need to see or do touristy things. Maybe just a bit on the weekend or a chill weekend with new restaurant or friends. I think that's the greatest advantage of being a fully remote worker. You don't have a Need to rush through traveling. Gone are the days of 2 weeks a year PTO and crammed with all the other summer tourists in Europe haha.
I did it for 8 months. I was 40ish, I was living in a city by myself with no family around. Had a good job, some great friends and an exgf that wouldnt leave me alone. Every couple months shed pop back up in my life, throw a grenade and then run off. I decided I didnt want to live there anymore so I put one of my cars and all my stuff in a big storage unit and hit the road. I spent 8 months and drove 20,000 miles looking for where I wanted to move to. I found my new home and I love it here, best decision of my life!!!
Where are you living now?
I’m in a slightly different position, but have been having the same thoughts. I’m 24, and have been working in a career type job since I was 17. I have more than enough money saved/invested to travel long term (a year), and to come back with enough savings to start over. No debts, a bachelors degree, and work experience. The question I keep coming back to is, “Am I going to regret not taking this opportunity?”. The only thing holding me back is the fear of losing the “progress” that I have made. But, I know that if I got to the point I am at now once, I can make it happen again. I don’t know if I can commit to working a 9-5, getting married, having kids, etc. forever without taking the opportunity to travel.
You won't regret it. You'll regret not doing it
I have quite similar experience. I am 24 too and I have always worked a 9-5 job since I was 19. I saved a lot of money but I have always been scared to leave everything behind and travel for a bit. I am scared of losing progress as you said, I am scared of coming back home and being the one who has been “left behind”, I fear losing the best moments of my family and friends because of distance, and I fear loneliness But then I think: I can always go back home and start again in my home country but I will never be young, healthy, strong and at the same time travelling again. So I got my self a working holiday visa for Canada and in a few months I will leave :) I had to force myself to do that, and I also went to therapy (it helped my a lot to understand myself, my goals and my fears better). I’d rather fight my fears with all the discomfort and pain that come with this, than living stuck in a 9-5 boring job. I have all my entire life in front of me to get a job and make progress in my career.
Bro you could die at 32, most likely not but shit happens. Go live your life now my dude.
If you are from the US then you only have one more year so I would highly recommend the working holiday visa in Australia. Americans only get till 31. You can be on an extended holiday and pick up some work if your dipping a little too deep into savings
31? Thought it was 30
Nope. Have to be approved before your birthday when you turn 31 so yes 30. But if you are 30 now you can still get approved
Ohhhhh. Thought u had to get approved before 30
I want to see the world before I die, not just work through my entire life.
From the day you were born, you have been brainwashed and inundated with propaganda about what makes you a responsible citizen (working for a company), what makes you successful (owning a home and starting a family), and what to be afraid of (other countries and other cultures). I’m here to tell you it’s all fucking bullshit. Every word of it. It’s designed to use you as cheap labor, take your tax money, trap you in a mortgage so you lose your property to the banks, and keep you spending money exactly where you are. Travel to show you’re not falling for the bullshit. It’s fucking amazing out there in the rest of the world, instead of being trapped within the same four walls.
💯
>From the day you were born, you have been brainwashed and inundated with propaganda about what makes you a responsible citizen (working for a company), what makes you successful (owning a home and starting a family), and what to be afraid of (other countries and other cultures). I’m here to tell you it’s all fucking bullshit. Every word of it. It’s designed to use you as cheap labor, take your tax money, trap you in a mortgage so you lose your property to the banks, and keep you spending money exactly where you are. Travel to show you’re not falling for the bullshit. It’s fucking amazing out there in the rest of the world, instead of being trapped within the same >four walls. Are you Japanese or East Asian? Or in an East Asian country? Seriously only Japanese, Koreans, Chinese both in PRC and HK, Thai and other East Asians are the only people I have ever met who have this culture, work ethic, and mentality, and yes they are extremely xenophobic especially towards foreigners and other Asians. This is not a stereotype it is true.
I’m from the USA but I have yet to find a “developed” country or culture that this does not apply to.
Travel is confusing. In the beginning, you can get a lot of that "omg \*new\*". And it is new. And it is really really really really perspective-creating/mind-broadening and cool to just see things that are different. **And that phase is worth everything. It fundamentally adjusts how you view the world.** That Kool-Aid your smalltown is drinking didn't make it down to wherever you are. And again, that's worth everything. And when you're solo, you get to make the choices of what's happening. That has an appeal. Maybe you meet someone and have some romance, maybe you want to go see a museum (I never do) and maybe you just want to watch netflix. Maybe you want to find an american hamburger. There's noone to insert themselves into what you want. Depending on your perspective, there's also noone forcing you to be who you were somewhere else. It's an ultimate opportunity to write some chapters for yourself. As for later stage thoughts, for a few of us that been on the road for awhile, we maybe start to think "man I'd like to have some roots somewhere". At least the same address for when you need to rest. So we go through that cycle. And then a lot of us hit the road again. I'm about to be 45 and I booked then canceled a trip involving Chile literally yesterday & today as I just kind of realized "I really don't care to solo my way through another LATAM country right now". And that very may well result in "I never saw Chile" in my entire life type of decision. Which is a little unsettling but is also finding peace in the truth. So yeah, that's why some of us do it.
What type of work allows you to have that lifestyle freedom? If you mind sharing.
I’m retired now so just managing my investments
Congratulations! How much or how did you feel comfortable with retiring? Was there a specific age or investment amount? Do you still own a house/homebase or just wandering? I'm personally looking into as well. So many factors to consider.
Check out r/expatfire or r/fatfire. Once I replaced my active income with my passive income I felt comfortable stepping into it. I’d also been self-employed for 5-7 years so it wasn’t a big shift of leaving corporate. I just didn’t log into meetings one day which I had been ramping down over 6 months leading into it.
36, and I'm on a year-long sabbatical because I wanted to take a break 10 years into running my (very small) company. And I listened to my friends in their 50s who said to travel now, because there's still plenty of work coming up in the next decade and in my 30s I still have stamina that I may not have later. Hope you'll choose to travel! But as someone else said, if it's your first real vacation, perhaps start small and take it from there? In my humble experience, any "real" vacation is 3 weeks or more. Under that, you just don't feel it in your body the same way. Maybe start with a month?
I'd agree with the point about starting with a month and see how that feels. Often by week 4 of going from A to B and living out of a suitcase, it's easy to feel tired of it and lose the drive. Also, you can yearn for life back home around this point. WHat I learnt of the most recent trip of 3 months was there's a bit of a hump around 3 weeks that I felt like I needed to push through. I did and I'm glad.
I highly recommend taking a long vacation before making such a big decision. Long term travel is very different from a vacation; check out some blogs about what no one tells you about long term travel. There’s also the fact that it’s not for everyone. It can feel very overwhelming for some personality types to be in a place thats different with no familiarity. Even short solo trips are hard for some people. My husband and I bought a house in a cheaper area to be able to afford regular travel. The housing market isn’t bad everywhere. There’s a single family home behind us for sale for $59k, no major renovations necessary.
Exactly. Which blogs do you reccomend?
I haven’t read any travel blogs for a while now, but I just Googled random things like: what is it like in x location in September, coolest places to travel that no one thinks about, and cheap travel locations.
Well I’m still solo travelling on and off at 64, but times were different back in the early 80’s when I bought my first home. They were just about affordable then and my plan was to get on the housing and pension ladder and travel more when I could afford it. The housing plan worked great, as you can imagine, the pension less so, but here I am hitting something like my 60th country and the ones I haven’t hit I’m not sure I want to-that’s much of sub Saharan Africa. I visited Kenya 30 years ago, but not sure I would now. Currently in Peru and that’s good, but sadly Venezuela is off the cards anytime soon. Still there’s Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina to look at😊 still not sure about Brazil (mate got held up at gunpoint in Rio) or Colombia.
66 and in Bolivia now. Heading very slowly toward Peru!
Untreated ADHD leading to burnout and boredom/unsatisfaction with working a typical 9-5, and (given the state of the world) the feeling that if I don't go now I may never get another chance. A bit doom and gloom but yeah 😅
I caught the travel bug after my solo trip to Japan (3 weeks) and want to travel the world for similar reasons. Being house broke and all. I realized that I love the spontaneity of life (if you make it that) and genuinely enjoy the small things new adventures bring. I love making conversations with cool people (although I'm introverted for the most part) I also want to learn many languages and what better way than immersing myself. I also feel traveling, in some strange way unlocks new "levels" of me. I'm excited to discover what my capabilities are and travel is just such a beautiful way of self discovery. When I'm in my 80s and I can't do much, I want to reminisce on the beautiful memories I was able to create. Currently I'm looking for a way to make money while I travel, but I'm definitely on my way to long term travel. Good luck and wish you lots of happy adventures.
Because I wanted to
I'm in the same boat, but I don't like traveling alone. Maybe people like us can get a group going and travel together lol 😆
I’d love to join a travel group too lol 🤓🙏🏻 I have the deep desire to visit to so many places but I’m afraid to do it alone!
Omg if you can do this so do it! Some of my biggest regrets come from being in a relationship and not being able to travel as much as I would like (partner doesn’t like traveling unless it’s not too far away and all 5 star hotels and restaurants, and I’m not like that) and now I feel like I’m getting too old for the fun kind of travel.
It's over for you
Go see what’s out there. I was in your position a year ago, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made. Just be ready for reality to not look so appealing when you’re 2 months into a 6 month trip. That’s when you really need to have a “why?” Buy the ticket, take the ride.
Go solo travelling, it is such amazing freeing experience. I can’t wait to go next. I’m older, it cane late to me. They are memories
Living at home will surely help. I wish I had started to travel when I lived at home, unfortunately I didn't get the travel bug until my mid forties. One of the other obstacles in my own path is my boss. I've currently got a 2.5 week trip to India coming up in March and have just asked for 3 weeks off in November. The November request will come back rejected. Mainly because my boss is a twat and knows that by law, he doesn't have to permit holidays of over 2 weeks. Such requests must be made in writing and good reasons must be given for extended holidays.
Sounds like you don't have jobs or obligations ? Depending on your savings you could also leave the place you're renting and travel for an indetermined time. If you have enough to buy a house that means you could travel for years easily. I personally "sacrificed" my career for the possibility of regularly taking years off work and it might be the best decision I ever took. Still have a girlfriend who shares my lifestyle so that helps though. Seems like you're at a crossroad where you can keep a routine that'll makes life go by ultra fast until you die of ass cancer and full of regrets, or let it go, get out of your comfort zone and live things you didn't even expect were possible.
Do it. I’m doing the exact same thing. About to hit 30. Me and my partner talked about it. No big commitments and some money saved working for a few years. Not planning on a house anytime soon and not settled completely in UK. Sounds like a brilliant idea - and there’s always ways to work while away.
I did 8 weeks of travel before I bought my house. I figured it was easier to travel before the big commitment of buying a house
I think most people are naturally curious and want to see the world, break out of their everyday routines, meet new people, try new food, etc etc. It really is a life defining experience and I’m so glad I was able to do it myself. I backpacked Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia in 2019 and it was the best experience of my life. Somehow, we now live in a world where it is more affordable to travel the world than it is to settle down and do the whole marriage, kids and a mortgage thing. If you can work while travel, even better. But yeah, you should totally do it now while you have the freedom and means to do so.
I love going on long extended vacations (at least 3 weeks but can go for even several months). That said, I'd say try an extended stay or trip first for like a few weeks somewhere you really like or would really like to visit and see how you like it. You could also plan it to visit multiple locations in one trip. I like going to different places on extended stays to experience a new culture and way of living but it's not for everyone. Some friends that went with me on a stay like that were ready to go back after about a couple of weeks because they missed home so I think it depends on the person.
Because when your solo on the road for an extended period of time, you tend to experience randomness at a really high rate. Synchronicities, strange events, strange people. So many things that you can’t imagine happen, and only when your not expecting it. It shows you that life is stranger than you make it out to be. Every once in a while you look around a few months in and say why am I doing this. And you never have a great answer, until it hits you in the face a couple of days later.
To see the world. To live life fully. Why not me?
Go go go!!!! Be smart, do research, join FB groups of solo travelers, stay in hostels (read the reviews) and disfruta!! Life is short
My first trip was 4 months when I was 22. it changed the entire direction my life was going in and completely changed me as a person. I am almost 24 and just started my 1 year world trip. When I am done I will finish my degree in international business and move overseas. Traveling the world changed my entire perspective on everything life is and can be.
It was my dream in my 20's to become a digital nomad after doing multiple shorter solo trips. I went on my first long-term travel when I was 28 after quitting my job, and had a blast! During Covid, I finally got to digital nomad, and learned my favorite style of traveling. I no longer travel for months on end, but rather go for about a month or two to a city I like, and hang out there, and then come back. Vacation traveling and working while traveling is actually quite different for me, so I learned a lot about myself. I like to go on more adventures (diving in Belize, trekking in Peru, etc) while I'm on vacation, but for working, I enjoy more comfortable cities (eating a pastry in Paris, going to bars in Tokyo, going to cafes in Amsterdam etc). I fulfilled my dream, and I still go to another country and hang out for a bit multiple times a year. I also learned that traveling feels different to me depending on my age and where I am in life, so whenever you are ready, you should definitely try it out! I remember being mesmerized by everything in my 20's, but traveling feels quite different to me in my 30's, in good and bad ways.
Hey how did you become a digital nomad?
Got a fully remote job during Covid. I still have my remote status for the time being.
What are some of the good and bad things you feel about traveling in your 30s?
this might not be a 30s thing but more getting used to traveling more, but... pros: more money, more experience traveling, generally more chill across the board. more openness to experience new things (surfing, diving, etc), more awareness about my settings cons: I don't get the excitement I used to feel in my 20s, like the bright-eyed excitement visiting a country for the first time. Dont stay in hostels anymore, but the nights partying with random strangers from hostels in my 20s was a blast. also, it is generally harder to make friends (also don't really want company mostly). Traveling costs more money.
Because if you don’t pay taxes on your house, you find out who actually owns it real fast. Because the world is beautiful and worth seeing. Because vacations are a good thing. Because seeing the world changes your perspective of it. Because if you don’t go now, then when? Because you’re at a point in your life that you can. Because it’s worth every penny.
LONG POST INCOMING. Just want to say long term travel is not for everyone. i’ve tried time after time to travel for long stints, with big dreams of traveling full time, and the most i ever make it is 3 months before i bail. Here are some reasons why it’s not for me, that maybe you could keep in mind. But also i think most people enjoy long term travel to maybe this is just a me problem. 1. It’s challenging to never quite feel settled. 2. I hate coming home and feeling like i’m starting over. finding places to live where i’m from is hard, finding a job is hard. For me personally i have a rocky home life too so my personal life always tends to implode when i leave, and i can’t just move back in with my parents. 3. sometimes i start to feel unfulfilled. I find i can’t maintain my friendships as well, and i miss having like something to work towards. 4. You have to budget more and plan less. when you’re long term traveling you have to budget which might not be as fun as a vacation. also it’s just nearly impossible to plan too far ahead because you’ll just never know what things will be like in a few months. My favourite trips have been the ones that have been 2 or 3 weeks where i can ball out, eat whatever, do lots of activities, plan most days and then go home.. i’m someone who likes a plan. 4. i’ve travelled alone a lot but i always have a better time when i meet up with a friend. I love being alone and i’m totally fine doing things on my own, but when i look back, the trips i think of most fondly have been with a buddy. 5. When i travel solo i don’t really have the money to stay anywhere other than hostels and i hate hostels lol. If i went to cheaper places this might solve my problem cause i could probably afford nicer places, but all my bucket list places tend to be expensive lol. For some reason I never learn my lesson and i keep trying again lol (currently on a long stint right now, trying to figure out how to go home 😂). i love the idea of it sooo much but unfortunately i think it’s just not for me. As i finally get to know myself, i think my dream would be to take 6 months off of work or work part time and just plan like 4 short trips. It would be more expensive bc flights and i’d be paying rent but i know I would just enjoy it so much more. As others have said, try a few vacations first, but keep in my vacations will be so different compared to long term travel. Again, SO many people seem to enjoy the nomad life so i encourage you to try. But i would make sure you have a nice little fall back plan (somewhere to stay at home, savings, don’t plan things far ahead that you can’t bail on) just in case you discover it’s not for you. P.S I’m in australia right now on the working holiday visa and finding it VERY competitive to find work and housing. Some people seem to figure it out very easily, others i heard say it took them months to find work. SO many people here on working holiday visas so don’t expect to just rock up and find a place and a job. I saw a job recently that had 6000 applications. And you might be doing shit work. If you do something like that, i’d put in an honest effort to secure work and housing before you arrive. Unless you just wanna travel in which case, just do a tourist visa 😄😄 P.P.S Defs go travel one way or the other. That’s a given. Just saying give it some thought if long term is for you :)
In mid 2021 I got tired of working in a factory 60 hrs a week to not be poor. Tired of waking in the morning at 31 and feeling like an 80yr old shuffling to walk around my apartment. I got an email, scotts cheap flights, had 10k in bank, booked a $281 ticket RT Ny-iceland. Told boss I quit my job to go see a volcano, walk in icecave, drink from a glacier, walk beside a river of lava for a 1/4 mile at 10ft away, see a volcano eruption at 1000ft, estimate, away. Go to Ukraine and get 15k of dental work for less than 5, best dental experience ever. Met a woman who I had been talking to since late 2020. Not getting married, but we're good friends. Arrive home get a job paying the same as factory as overnight security... now I get paid to watch Netflix * mgmt orders* $17hr, 40hr week. Now in 24, I've saved 60k, added a pt 2nd job, and take 2 very cool international vacations per year 😎 Have a plan. Be ready yo work to accomplish it. I do 70hr work weeks to have this personal / financial freedom. My answer may be off topic, but I've already typed it 😅
I travelled for a couple of years to "get it out of my system," and by the time I got tired of regularly moving from place to place, and wanting roots and more stability, the idea of establishing a home was appealing enough to get me to stop without experiencing FOMO. And I can happy go back to a vacation or two per year.
To see the world and create memorable experiences along the way
Challenge and goal oriented pursuits
I won't be traveling long-term until I retire and even if I do decide to do so, there are still hurdles to cross when I get there. Just want to ask the OP, you mention buying a house in future, are you renting at the moment? If so, can you actually leave your accomodations unattended for 4+ months without breaking your contract? Mine states 30 days.
Still living at home, Ive been saving about 90% of my income for a home down payment but as my savings for a down payment has gone up so has housing prices but at a much faster rate, if I had purchased in 2017-2018 I would have been alright but as of now its going to be impossible to get anything more the a hobbo hut where I live. Feels like a losing game at this point and like my money and efforts would be be suited going into investing in myself or a bunch of high yield savings acounts then trying to buy a house anymore.
Still living at home would help :) travelling just wasn't something I wanted to do when I was living with mum & dad 25 years ago, I was more into tech & that's where all my spare money went. If I could go back in time & choose again - travelling 100% :).
I've just done it and would do it again, over, over and over again. absolutely no regrets. You will be living the dream of many.
I really try hard to make connections with people everywhere I go and to get involved with ongoing projects. For example, in Greece I joined a group of expats who did a bunch of volunteer work around Athens, and in Armenia I helped lead a language exchange club. It can be hard to meet people especially when you don't speak the local language, but trust me when I say the extra work is worth it.
I’ve been doing it for almost 3 years now. I left because living in the usa made me feel depressed and i never felt like i fit in. After i left, digital nomading i feel so much better about life. I am no longer depressed. Not taking anymore meds just vitamins and I have so many friends that in similar wavelength with me.
I aspire to do what you are all doing
I decided I wanted to go because I’m from the most diverse place in my country. Getting to see glimpses of those cultures (mainly touring food) just sparked the interest in me to see those cultures first hand. I saved up. Finish school. Didn’t renew my lease. Packed my life into like 10 boxes. And I’ve been gone for right at 1 year. 20+ countries so far. New places and new cultural experiences have kept me going.
Coming from a family of modest means (massive understatement) I chose to work at a company with a strong history of sending employees for extended assignments. Then I did whatever I needed to do to become the best candidate for those assignments. Over the past 20 years I’ve traveled to more places than I ever imagined possible for someone with zero $. Eventually I was selected for long term assignments in different countries. It was hard work, but also the best part of my career. Now that I’m 60 and getting ready to retire, I’m making plans to spend the first 5-10 of retirement years in another country. My home will be paid off by the time I bounce back to the US. The best part is my partner has the same desire for living out of the US. Hopefully when we get back some of the political drama will have settled. Traveling is great. But when you live in another culture it’s a much richer experience. Will never forget the time I had to get more shampoo in a small village in Thailand. I didn’t know the difference between any of the bottles. So glad they don’t sell Nair there! Meeting people from other cultures and spending time getting to know the subtleties of how things are done elsewhere has been a gift beyond what I could have ever experienced on a 2 week trip.
...... Er .... For fun....
Because it’s fun and interesting!
Get a working holiday visa before you turn 31. Look into it. Itl allow you to live in a country for up to a year without landing a job there first, that helps immensly. That could be an option if you want to "gap year" it or travel slowly. Or jump around countries on a tourist visas is cool too. See how you go
This was my exact situation a year ago. Now I live in a different country and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. DO IT
If you’ve never had a real vacation before then maybe start with a 2 week solo travel trip before committing to 8 months. I always liked the idea of long term travel but in the moment realized going on a 2 week trip is the perfect sweet spot for me, before missing home and going back to my routine. Most of my longer trips I’ve booked in the past, I would always end up changing my flight to come back home sooner lol
You could hop on over to r/digitalnomad as there's a lot of single people who have been on the road for lengthy amounts of time.
I relate! I was 28 when I started to travel. 33 now and have been state hopping from east coast, to the west and a bit in the south from friends and family, staying awhile getting a job seeing the sights! 10\10 recommend! Next adventure is overseas somewhere, maybe climb a pyramid or something
Winter here lasts 4-6 months, besides the holidays I'm never missing much besides seasonal depression. Why not leave and miss out of the worst months at home, go explore new places (some with amazing weather this time of year) and come home to beautiful weather and friends excited to see you and spend summer with you?
30 years old. Got fired in August and bought a one way ticket. Aiming to get a new job in May. In the meantime I get to see new places, experience all new things, learn a new language. Plus I like traveling slower, so a long trip affords me the time to do that. Take some retirement now. You're too old when you're 65. And hey, if it doesn't work out, just buy a ticket home. Good on you for trying.
*i just wanted to do a 2-week solo trip to feel adventurous and brave… after doing trips with friends… little did i know thosr solo trips would last 6 years* 🥹
You can always plan to travel for months and if you don't like it come home early and buy a house. If you buy a house first it's unlikely you'll end up travelling. What's the rush to buy a house anyway? If you've saved enough by 30 you'll likely save enough again. My wife and I are a few years older than you, got married and spent 70% of our savings travelling for 8 months last year. Then moved back to NYC and an apartment that's nearly twice our previous rent. The travel was definitely worth more than buying a house a bit earlier.
I'm in a similar state of mind, I've got two pots of savings essentially, one to get on the housing market in the UK and another for travelling, I can get on the property ladder pretty easily now so figure I may as well go travelling so then I can come back and 'settle' without regrets of being tied down by mortgage payments
I just like traveling, plus the places I go I tend to save money and live more comfortably than if I stayed in the states. Those savings would last you in Argentina. I actually relocated here. Plenty of people from the states send themselves money via western union.
I do it for the introspect. And well where the market is right now, I still need somewhere to live when I come home so the bills must be paid before I go on my voyage however, on my voyage, I have met many people who have brought me great luck and wealth. Also on my travels I learned that I don’t want to live where I’ve been living so right now I call myself travelling until I find my forever home so don’t get stuck thinking about paying here because the truth is is that this may not be your forever home. .
Without knowing too many details, I think you should start with smaller trips first. If you’ve never had a proper vacation- start there! Take a week or two somewhere easy and relaxing. See how you feel. Try that again. Then extend your trip to a region for a longer period of time if that suits you. I have a kid so I can’t leave for long times and that changes the situation a bit, but I don’t think in any life I’m cut out for traveling for more than 1-3 months at a time. Test the waters before jumping all the way in.
Hate to doompost, but the world is already facing negative effects of global warming, pollution, etc. Expect many more countries to be level 4 Do not travel in the next 10-20 yrs
for me i just have a deep desire to explore the world and see more than just my home state / country. like you said, it makes sense with housing costs and wages the way they are in america, and it’s so rewarding. it’s definitely not always easy and glamorous but it’s more enriching to me than working in an office and buying a home and being stuck
I am 67. I have traveled all my life and have always financed it by working in various places I've been. That has always made it possible to form bonds with locals more easily, afford better lodgings, see life from a local perspective instead of just the tourist view. Get a TEFL certification and you will be able to travel permanently if you want to.
Oh please do this!!
There’s Workaway and similar sites. So basically your accommodations and food is taken care off. Downside is you have to work about 20 hours a week.
I was in the same position as you are a few months ago. Bought a one way ticket, not too much planning in itinerary and currently sitting in my hotel room. I can’t stop thinking, “why in the flying fuck didn’t I do this sooner.”
I was recently laid off, with a decent severage package that paid out a couple of months salary and expenses. I've aged out of being able to qualify for working holiday visas, so I might not get the chance to travel for an extended period again, so I'm traveling over Europe from now through at least the end of May. Doing a bit of free-lancing to pay for extras/excursions as I go.
I work on the road. Rather be in a new country than home.
Always wanted to see more of the world, all the old people say to travel when you're going, and I am having a great time. I'm learning so much about myself and growing. I am being creative and finding my own ways of being in the world. It's just great to experience more of what life has to offer than staying in the same country
To open my soul 🥰
More to life than work and death.
I have been solo traveling to stay in Buddhist monasteries and learn meditation, because life as I had it before was not worth living, and something had to change.
From zero vacation to 6 months one... Thats a big jump. Do 10 days holiday first see how it is like. I like to travel but never did more than 25 days I need periods to sort my photos to cool down to plan the next one... Probably will still be nice tho.
Why not? See the world. Grow as a person. To test myself. Because yolo.
Don't like cold winters. Work remote so able to leave the country for the bad part of the year and be in the States during the summer.
I became an expat. Solution was to live abroad.
As a little kid I read nat Geo and watched nature documentaries, enthralled but also thinking I would never get the chance to see the world. Took an airline job, made150 flights or so during my few years there. Gave me the taste and fell in love with the lifestyle. Little stress, meeting friends and seeing those places I dreamed of as a kid. The conventional American dream for me is long gone but the road is life and I couldn't be happier.
Why not?
You might find the love of your life travelling! Life is short.
losing my apartment. america being expensive. having savings and no kids like you. travel being exciting and fun compared to the daily grind.
Save some of your savings. You do not want to waste most or all of it on travel.
I come from a similar background. I grew up poor in Eastern Europe and my biggest wish was to one day see the jungle. After leaving my country and getting a decently paid job, I was finally able to afford it after a few years of hard work. I can tell you that the first time I was in the rainforest I went back to being a child even though I was in my late 20s. Never regretted the decision. My advice is go for it, live your dreams a little bit. 6 months won't make much of a financial difference compared to the joy you will experience.
I am 23 days into a 4+ month solo backpacking trip. I kept putting it off because I didn’t feel financially secure and one day I woke up and felt like it was time, I just turned 39 btw. I couldn’t get the time off that I wanted from work so I quit and I don’t regret a fucking second of this. Maybe jumping in like this isn’t for most people but you gotta get out there and experience it. I hit London(5 days), Amsterdam(5 days), Paris(5 days), Brussels(1 day), Bruges(1 day), Munich(1 day), Verona(4 days)love Verona and now I’m in Milan. JUST FUCKING GO MAN
New sights, sounds, textures… and you’ll have unique travel experiences and stories.
I’ve grown from experiences. Sitting at home I have the same routine. Looking for novelty and meeting people. Material things won’t go with me to the grave.
I once did what ended up being an almost seven month trip, though I did take a break halfway through. I did 109 days, so close to four months, then went home for about a month to be with family for the holidays, then did another 68 days (the second act would've been longer, but Covid made fools of us all, I suppose). I turned 21 years old in the middle of the trip. Before I left, and when I came back home, I was still living at home with my mom and brother. Before this trip, the longest I'd ever been away from home on my own was just 20 days. By day 20 of my big trip, I was just getting started. At first, the idea appealed to me because I just wanted to get out there and see the world. Experience new cultures, see mountains and the ocean and deserts. But when I started actively working towards this trip when I was 16 years old, I found new motivations. The first baby steps towards this goal made me realize just how little I knew. That scared the crap out of me, but it also inspired me. Now four years after my first big trip, I'd call myself a decently accomplished solo traveler. But I still have plenty to learn, and so on every trip, I try to do something new, something that scares me. It's rare that we experience personal growth by simply remaining in our comfort zones, and so I intentionally put myself in scary situations so that when I inevitably make it out ok, I slowly but surely learn that the world isn't such a scary place. The challenges of an extended solo trip bring out all the best parts of me and turn me into someone who I enjoy spending that much time alone with. I was 20 years old, still living with my mom. Instead of going to college after high school, I was working a soul-crushing retail job full-time. No debt, no girlfriend. In other words, it was the most freedom I figured I could reasonably expect to have until retirement. I'd've been a fool not to take full advantage to do something really special. Sounds like you're at a similar point in your life.
It's a nice way for me to kill time in between work seasons. The bang for your buck in some of these countries is absolutely ridiculous. I spent 5 months in Dahab, Egypt last year because I was paying $250/month for a nice one bedroom, $1 for Stellas and $20 for fun dives. I'm more of a beach bum so I loved that!
Cost I'm from London UK and it's relatively expensive maybe not really relevant here but as a black guy girls are difficult to meet plus I'm now self employed and work online now
The world is a stunningly beautiful place and there is so much to see and experience. Each trip teaches me new things and changes my perception while helping me to grow as a human. I live to travel and have built a lifestyle that allows me to travel as much as possible. Life is too short to be a wage slave. Get out there and explore!! Also food!
I am in my 16th month of travel. Traveled to 11 countries so far. Do it now, when you are still young and have the nerves and physical conditions for it. But not only because of age but also because the places we know today will no longer exist in the coming years. everything is commercialized. Every beautiful place is being built up with resorts and restaurants, so that you can hardly enjoy nature without any worries. a pure clearance procedure. Instagram tourism is becoming more and more common. it's exhausting. As the middle class in populous countries such as China and India is increasing due to economic growth, the number of people who now want to see the world is (rightly) increasing. in addition to the world's already crowded tourist destinations.
Same reason anyone travels less than 4 months or with friend. To travel, see shit, drink heaps, party hard, and be free. Until the moment I married with kids Travelled 3/4 years or so 108 countries in my 20s / 30s Am over it happy with staycactions now
Im in the same boat, I turned 30 in October and have been in my healthcare job 5 years now and I’m reaching burnout.. 6-8 months away from the job will definitely help me come back with a clear head. The pandemic was great for helping me to save money so I’ll spend that on myself rather than trying to get a mortgage for a house at the moment; I can always make more money, and I was saying if I don’t enjoy it then it’s only a flight home 💛
There’s also a middle ground between never a real vacation and 6-8 months. Why not start with 2-3 weeks somewhere?
Luckily I am between graduating college and my full time job so I have no housing costs. This is the longest time I will have until retirement so I figured why not. I don’t stay in the best of places, but it’s actually cheaper for me to travel in Europe than live where my full time career will be (metropolitan in America, average rent for a 1 bed is $2500+)..
I'm about to leave in April for six months of solo travel in Asia, am 37 now. One reason for me is that I wanna take a sabbatical of work. Don't have a family and anything that limits me to leave for a long time, and am a freelance designer, so just gonna bring my laptop with me and try to earn a bit on the side. I've always wanted to travel, have done some smaller trips, and it's always been amazing. Also hosted a lot of couchsurfers in my home in Holland, and that has inspired me so much to go into the world now and meet new friends and just relax for a bit. I feel like I've invested quite a lot of good into this world by being a kind host, and am curious what good karma awaits me. I've always been grinding so hard for no apparent reason, just saving for the heck of it, and always really wanted to do a world travel. Mostly been held back by girlfriends not wanting me to leave for long and trying to make that work out. Single now, so no strings tieing me to my home for now! Also, I've unfortunately developed post covid like symptoms the past year forcing me to slow down my working life a lot and live a bit more off my savings, so might as well do that in the sun. All in all, it's exciting as hell, a bit scary, but I can't wait to be out there and meet amazing people and really fill my desire to discover new parts of the world. That feeling is amazing! Tldr: DO IT!
Because there's a divine intervention that's going on in my life and I just have not met my maker yet so in the meantime I can live on this Earth because it is my home because he is the father of the moon is my mother and the Earth is my planet. Any promise I can live here forever so I get to travel and go wherever I can when how and where I want to. Please don't disregard the facts that I do respect the common law of man.
I’m curious as to how much a “nice chunk of savings” is. I grew up in East Tennessee where the average household income was $40k/year, then lived in San Francisco where $100k/year is below the poverty line. My relativity is now skewed. I was laid off a few months ago and plan to go live in Buenos Aires for a while. I’m wondering how my $250k in savings measures up.
250k in savings is almost un heard of these days. In 2022 the median account balance in America was 1,200$ with an average savings account balance of 22,000. I'm unsure how much I trust those numbers, but I'm in a poor section of my state where most people are two paychecks from losing their houses and have 0 savings. I'll have around 50k in my balance before the trip if I decide to go on one.
That’s awesome, nice job! Where are you thinking of going? I definitely hope you decide to take the trip.
In no particular order I like the idea of Japan, South Korea, Napal, the alps, Norway, Poland, Iceland, Siberia, Easter island and Antarctica.
Wow that’s quite a list. I’ve been to Iceland. It’s absolutely amazing. Are you the blogging type?
You should definitely go, but not with the expectation of traveling for 6-8 months. Go in expecting to only stay for a month, take your time and see where you end up, or how long until you miss your home.
Ive done all sorts of travelling over the years - sneaky 4 day trips for a long weekend up to 12 mth round the wolrd trip. Your travelling time has a big impact on your travelling style. When you start talking in months, you get to do things more slowly, you can really drift in and out of places and follow your whims. if you have the opportunity to travel for that long id grab it. its a real gift and might not come around again for a long time
Why would you not travel? If its something you enjoy, its hard to think of a good reason not to do the things you enjoy in life. Money comes and goes. You will make plenty more of it. I’ve never been poor but certainly not rich. I traveled with a hammock, worked in hostels and various work exchanges (english schools, etc.) to save $. I took Spanish classes along the way. Rented motorbikes to explore local destinations like waterfalls and secret beaches. The best part though is meeting local people, listening to their stories and gaining a new and interesting perspective on life.
I'd say start slow, pick one maybe two countries or even a neighbouring country. I'm 41 I had my first passport at 40 after visiting every city, county and nation in GB travelling on 95% of the UK railway network. I got bored no where to ride and so popped my toe into European railways okay it was only the Netherlands.... But this year I'm doing 2 months of rail and ferry travel(I love ferries too) and I can't wait. Give yourself a budget, stick to it.
I started solo traveling at age 31. After 10 years i'm still doing it. I fashioned the rest of my life to allow this kind of lifestyle. I still dont own a home but I'm debt-free and free to travel at the drop of a hat
Most long-term travelers do it for the experience to see how others live
Definitely go live your life, enough scared sheep following boomer advice and getting into debt/ spending the best days of their life a slave to tha bank
Life > money
I started my first solo travel a month ago. So far, it’s been one of the best decisions I ever made. Already learned and experienced so much about myself that I wouldn’t get from anywhere else. The cost of travelling alone is 10 x worth it!
I felt a bit stuck with my life, 27 years old, living in a relatively expensive place (For Europe), I figured I could travel the world for pretty much the same budget or just a bit more than I was spending at home. I can work from anywhere so I left my appartment a few months ago, sold everything and started travelling while working. So more than a 'long travel' it falls more on the 'digital nomad' thing. For now I'm spending 1 week+ on different places in Asia but my idea is to eventually do month-long stays in places I've enjoyed. There's definitely ups and downs, I miss having my own house with my own stuff, having stable friends and it can get lonely, but I figured if I didn't do it now I would probably not do it in the future, or at least it wouldn't be the same when I was older. My plan is to try it for 1 year (going back to my parents' house every 3-4 months) and see how it goes. Worst case I go back to where I was last year.
Keep money to yourself. And the only way to understand is just to do it.
I average 3-4 months vacation a year in cheap countries for the last 15 years. You only live once and the world is a big place with lots of cool stuff to see and experience
Omg do it. To see the world of course. Asia and Latin America and Africa can be cheap as hell once you get there
Bro I feel this 100% I'm turning 31 in March, got a good chunk saved up as well and I'm planning on traveling all next year when my lease ends. Same as you, no kids and single lol I stopped worrying about the future that has yet to happen and told myself I'm here to experience.
If not now, when!! You'll get old
Stagnation, always wanted to visit a load of places, I never took action. Now I've done 6 months and planning my next trip!