Secrets to Sustaining Long-Term Travel
Traveling the world—for a month, a whole year, or longer—is a ‘bucket list’ item for many people. We can picture waking up on a beach and enjoying small rural villages, and yet we cannot seem to ever take the leap and make it happen. Truthfully, there’s usually one main barrier in the way that limits this type of dream: money.
Even though there are countless examples of ‘digital nomads’ and remote workers moving to far-off places around the world in 2018, practicality and logistics often hold people back from jumping on board with location-independent living. How is it possible to sustain long-term travel without spending all of your savings and amassing unexpected expenses? Fortunately, seasoned long-term adventurers have uncovered the secrets to sustaining round-the-world travel and can share tips to help you begin your own quest.
First, You Must Find Your Opportunity
We all want to tour and trek around gorgeous waterfalls, but when you’re sitting at your desk grinding away the work-week, the only thing you can look forward to in the foreseeable future is the weekend. When you’re in the thick of a 9-to-5 schedule and your boss controls your holiday time, it’s tough to envision having an entire year off to simply pack up and travel. That’s why the first secret to sustaining any type of long-term travel is to find the opportunity to do so.
In some cases, the opportunity may not come for a while. If you have any sort of responsibilities that require your attention—like taking care of a family member, or paying off hefty student loans—you may have to wait a little longer for the opportunity to present itself. But once the opportunity is there, you must recognize it and seize the day. If you are ready and willing to forgo your comfort zone for a while, take the opportunity and start planning!
Next, Gather the Funds
If you are like most people, you are probably most concerned with your trip’s budget—and rightfully so. Nobody wants to be stranded in a foreign country with no money to book a flight home. Certain websites specialize in budget-friendly travel and can offer you great insight into which destinations you can afford based on your lifestyle and funds. Depending on where you want to visit, you can live in many countries for just $1,000 per month, while others will cost an upwards of $2,500 per month.
Before booking your one-way ticket, you should spend time gathering the projected funds you’ll need to live comfortably during your year away. It may be worthwhile to save money and be as frugal as possible for an entire year before your big trip. This way, you won’t have to worry as much about what you’ll be able to afford, and you won’t feel bad about quitting your job, either. Many people will also establish some form of passive income (like investing or selling eBooks) or will find a remote ‘side hustle’ to make a little extra money while traveling abroad.
With the right opportunity and savings on hand, you can begin to see your year of travel materialize right before your eyes; before you know it, you’ll be the one waking up next to waterfalls!
