4 Steps To Quit Your Job & Long Term Travel
Is your boss an asshole? (Don’t say yes if you’re self-employed). Maybe you have the feeling that you’ve got better things to do with your time than making someone else rich? That’s how I felt before I quit my job to follow my dream of long term travel and seeing the world.
Long term travel was something I had always wanted to do, but life somehow always got in the way. Then one day, I woke up and made the decision to quit my job and travel the world long term. Below is how I did it and how you can too. The choice I made was simple. It can be echoed by anyone of any age, kids are no excuse, and neither is a lack of money. Ultimately the only thing holding you back from your dream of seeing the world is you. Take the idea of long term travel seriously, it may be the best decision you’ll ever make.
1. Who are you lying to? (common objections to long term travel)
The lazy tourists’ bucket list
Long term travel seems to be one of those things everyone says they want to do but never actually get around to doing. In fact, I’d put it in almost the same category as ‘become a millionaire’ and ‘make a movie’. There’s nothing wrong with wanting these things. It’s just that people never cross the line in the sand between just wanting them and actually doing them.
Even the phrase is generic, if ‘See the World’ is all you want to do, then look at a globe and be quiet. I know people who equate seeing the world to vacationing somewhere with palm trees once a year. Not really what I had in mind. I’d compare this idea of travel to reading the back of a biology book then challenging Richard Dawkins to a debate.
The most common reaction
When I tell people my plan to go overseas for more than a year of long term travel they freak out. They usually just shake their heads and say, “I wish I could just quit my job and travel too”. That’s the inspiration for this page. I essentially wanted to put together a good solid resource on the subject of quitting a career to travel the world for a serious length of time. What’s the most common objection to traveling long term? It seems to be that most people believe they can’t take the time off work. That they’ll somehow get ‘left behind’ while they’re away.
Here’s a fun fact: between 55% and 61% of people are unsatisfied with their jobs. This major excuse seems to boil down to people not doing what they want because they’re too busy doing something they hate. Okay, well that makes absolutely no sense. Supporting yourself financially overseas has never been easier. So you’re not working for just the money? Then why the hell are you working as opposed to doing the things you have always wanted to do? Ok let’s read between the lines. It’s not that people are in love with their crap jobs, end of the day, it’s a fear thing. We’re all afraid of the unknown to some degree, and long term travel is all about unknowns. That’s kind of the point. Understandable so let’s dive into that and what we can do about it.
Guide To Long Term Travel Step 1: Who Are You Lying To? (Dismiss Common Objections)
Before I quit my job I was working in a promising career at a nice office and a good company. But, I never made time to do the one thing I was truly passionate about. I want to experience long term travel and see the world. There are so many things we can use as an excuse not to take our ideas or dreams of travel seriously. A job or a mortgage for example. Here’s the thing, when you eventually make your way home after an amazing journey, there’s nothing stopping you from picking up where you left off. Below are some of the common objections that I hear on a regular basis (or have experienced myself). As well as the best ways to get around them and put them behind you.
Isn’t travel dangerous?
Depends on what you’re planning on doing. Maybe avoid land-diving in Vanuatu. I’d also avoid wandering around the Favela’s of Rio by yourself. However, for the most part no, it’s not dangerous at all really. The media have done a fantastic job of scaring most people when it comes to foreign countries. They often greatly exaggerate the dangers of travel. Think about this fact: the USA has a higher homicide rate than Palestine. Yet every second story on the news is about the dangers of the Middle East.
I follow several travellers who have had amazing journeys through the Middle East and Africa. They felt safe and couldn’t stop reiterating how lovely the people were. While you can’t deny that there are areas of the world you should probably avoid. Central Honduras anyone? The vast majority of countries around the world are just as safe as your home or safer, depending on where you actually live. Just ensure that you practice some basic common sense, as you would back at home anyway. It’s actually the unfamiliar that makes travel seem dangerous in your mind. Remember that you’re more than likely to be just as safe as you are at home.
What about my kids?
Back in the day, long term travel used to be as much a part of a person’s education as structured learning was. It was actually a requirement for many university grads to travel. The goal was to experience their professions in other places or do a study of foreign examples of their disciplines. What I’m trying to get at is that there is (literally) a whole world of education out there, waiting for you and your kids.
Don’t think that missing some time in a structured classroom in exchange for life skills and problem-solving on the road is a bad trade, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. There are many good examples of families weighing anchor and journeying around the world together very successfully (i.e. the Carlton or the Bradley families). There are some really fantastic sites like Families on the Road or My Family Travels who argue that the long term travel experience is actually a far better education than an average school year. Kids grow up well rounded and with more worldly experiences than their peers.
Even when you get back from your travels, (assuming you do decide to come back at all), a small break in structured learning should not affect a child’s education. Especially as there are easy options to keep your children up to date while abroad. I missed the 3rd grade altogether. I went straight from the 2nd to 4th due to a move from Hong Kong to Australia. It had no impact on my long term education (I now hold BA and MA degrees).
It’s just not the right time
Fact: It’s never going to be the right time. Things will always crop up and life always gets in the way. Procrastination is something I can relate to. I put off my departure for months because I just wanted to finish one more thing before I left. Month after month. There will almost never be a shining window of opportunity in your life you can take advantage of where nothing else is going on.
You might need to quit a good job or leave a partner behind (if they can’t, or won’t come). Maybe you want your kids to be a little older? Whatever the reason, ask yourself if it is another excuse or a legitimate concern. Then set a date in the future you can work towards and stick to it like glue. The time may never seem quite right but you need to do it anyway. Make the time, find a way around things in your life. Realise that most things can simply be picked back up upon your return (especially jobs). Tim Ferriss has a good blog post on letting bad things happen that somewhat applies to long term travel.
I don’t have enough money for long term travel!
Since this page is mostly about quitting your job to pursue long term travel. I’m going to assume you do have a job to quit in the first place. If you have a job, you probably have some money too. While not many of us can traverse the globe at a whim, skipping from resort to resort at the drop of a hat. – Most people have enough money to travel far further and for a far longer period of time than they think. It’s quite easy to travel for very little money as Tim Patterson explains in his article here.
Derek Baron (aka Wandering Earl) has been on the road for about 15 years now. He lays his finances out pretty clearly in this post. Earl shows exactly how little money he started with on his journey (only $1,500). He got to where he is now through working a combination of odd jobs and consciously planning to travel cheaply. Now he’s graduated to being a full digital nomad and travel is his job. The point I’m making is that it is entirely possible to travel the world long term with far less money than you might think. Certainly less money than the media will lead you to believe. Long term travel does require conscious planning and discipline, but so does basically everything worth doing in life.
Work out your living expenses at home first. Then compare these to your expenses while travelling and the costs associated with living abroad. I’ve found I can actually live far cheaper in most places overseas than at home. I’ll go through a random month of my expenses, which I track monthly (because I’m weird). Please note, I do live in Perth, Western Australia which is also one of the worlds most expensive cities. I’d call paying $6 for a small coffee a pretty good deal.
Monthly Expenses (January 2012)
- Rent $720 (a bargain)
- Fuel $210
- Groceries $187
- Entertainment & Eating out $655
- Beer $95
- Bills/misc monthly costs $220
- Speeding/parking fines $175
- Clothes $110
- Harmonica (decided to start learning) $10
- Physio appointment $95
Total: $2,477
Compare these costs with living abroad for a month and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much cheaper it can be, even when living in some of the more traditionally expensive cities like New York or London. Here’s a fantastic post about how to live abroad for less than $1,000 a month. Compared to my living expenses in January, that sounds pretty damn good.
The biggest expense for a traveller is usually accommodation. There are now some really good options for reducing (or removing) this major drain on the budget. Websites like Airbnb, Couchsurfing, Global Freeloaders and hostel aggregators like Hostelworld give travellers the information they need to find free or heavily reduced accommodation prices online and save some very serious cash.
What about Income?
When it comes to earning an income during long term travel there have never been more options than today. The internet has become the medium that enables anyone to connect with a market. Opening the doors of online entrepreneurship to all and the giving everyday people the key to becoming location independent. There are some great sites that cater for just this type of content, covering basic how to’s through to travel hacking and outsourcing. Sites like Location Independent or Numomad are really worth looking into if you think this may be an option. Other income generating options include the more traditional methods of teaching English or WWOOFing (organic farm work).
There are also entire communities and networks setup for starting or continuing careers overseas. Sites like Transitions Abroad or Overseas Jobs show you how you can take your job along with you as you go. Another great method for reducing your costs overseas during long term travel is finding work in some sort of contra capacity. This way, you may work a day two a week in exchange for cheaper accommodation from a hostel, food or some other similar deal. The best way to find these opportunities I’ve found is through asking other travellers for advice in each location. Also look at hostel notice boards or just enquire at the hostels themselves. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised what comes back.
Shameless self promotion time: Anyone who wants to work with me in any capacity can contact me here.
But I don’t speak XXX language!
A largely redundant objection to long term travel. Most countries around the world today teach English to their kids in school as a second language. Even if they can’t speak enough to write you a thesis about Shakespeare, many people from all over the world still understand more than enough English for you to get by.
Countries that don’t speak English as their first language will very often (especially in the larger cities), have English signage. Failing that there’s probably enough well presented symbolic signage to give you a good enough indication of meaning for you to get around just fine. In my experience there are also countless helpful locals around. Generally, if you look lost enough, someone will always offer to help. There’s an app for that now too. Translation based apps appear in all the major app markets. So far I’m a little skeptical of their total accuracy and have yet to test them fully in my travels. However, there’s no doubt they will eventually get good enough to be an essential tool in far flung foreign areas.
But how will I pay my mortgage?
If you’re not in a position to pay 100% of your mortgage while you’re travelling why not look into getting the place tenanted. There are now, even more options like listing your house on AirBnB or HomeAway, fantastic sites that place homeowners with travellers looking to rent locally rather than stay in a hotel or hostel. I know several people who not only cover their mortgage like this but actually make a small profit each month while they travel abroad long term.
Guide To Long Term Travel Step 2: Quit your job
So you’ve made up your mind to leave your job and travel the world? Fantastic! Now you just need to quit your job, which can be a daunting process. Fortunately, there are loads of great resources out there to help you along like iresign or the plethora of other career advice sites and blogs around the web, Google is your friend here. Remember, be strong young journeyman!
Tips on how to quit a job with style
Go out with a bang, jump instead of being pushed, however you phrase it giving your boss the finger will be just plain awesome right? Well as long as you don’t mind burning a few bridges, here are some fantastic ideas to quit your job in memorable style before you disappear on your long term travel adventure. Use these ideas as your inspiration and go nuts.. then tell me all about it in the comments!
- Hire a marching band and announce your resignation with a glorious musical version of the middle finger.
- Develop a computer game. An independent game developer in Australia adapted a version of Mario to tell his superiors in no roundabout way that he just quit after each level. Try it out here.
- Code up a script to pop-up on your desktop letting you boss know that you will not be back on Monday.
- Use Social media like Jonathan Schwartz, the CEO of Carezone who wrote a Haiku style poetic tweet to the world announcing that he was leaving (and all in just 140 characters).
The Perfect Resignation Letter
When I was still studying I worked a number of terrible jobs and once wrote a resignation letter that still makes me smile when I read it. It was sent to my employer (a large national retailer in Australia) who had a terrible track record with its employees. After a heated discussion with my manager, I quit over the phone, then wrote the letter below. This was my actual resignation letter, which I sent to every store nationally as well as state and national managers in Sydney, I still read it with pride, I hope this inspires you enough to do the same.
The letter I’m so glad I wrote
Dear XXX,
I’m writing to you to let you know that I have officially resigned from XXX effective immediately. I have been working at XXX in the XXX store for around 18 months now and from my initial start date, my fellow inmates and I soon realised that the company appears to be run by a board comprised of only Adolf Hitler, Ted Bundy and Genghis Khan. My work days start with the feeling of impending doom and usually end with graphic thoughts of what it would be like to strangle XXX, my store manager. Each day I suffer such a constant assault to my intelligence that in comparison Hiroshima got off lightly.
I quit the job today on a packed train while on the way to work after a heated discussion with XXX, where I told her quite loudly to go fuck herself prompting the guy next to me to give me a hi-five, I then also received a round of applause from nearby fellow commuters. I can safely say that the best thing about working for XXX so far has been quitting, and sincerely hope that my abrupt resignation causes you to lose money due to the XXX store not being opened all day and also get’s your attention like an unexpected and non-lubricated finger in the ass. In short, go to hell, I hope your business fails, you have been truly horrible to work for, and I strongly encourage every other XXX employee to follow my lead and quit their jobs without notice.
Kind regards,
Peter Shaw
Guide To Long Term Travel Step 3: Plot your escape
When it comes to planning for long term travel, generally I like to have a rough idea of my activities at a destination. Then I leave plenty of space for movement as plans change. I also like to set specific dates to work towards like entry or exit dates for countries or continents that you can book flights around. Some of the best experiences I’ve had while travelling have been the things I never planned on doing. Often these opportunities just present themselves. Planning with enough built in flexibility allows for these magic moments to happen.
I have used most of the more popular guidebook publishers including Lonely Planet as well as Rough Guides, Footprints and Let’s go. To be honest they are each so similar and all crammed full of pretty good info. I just go with the cheapest or most convenient at the time (as long as it is a recent edition). There is also lot’s of great online support with plenty of independent travel sites to help you plan things as you go. I would be wary of over planning a trip though. There’s a post on planning here, which outlines some of how I recommend planning for long term travel. I really don’t think you need to plan too much in advance. Even if you’re a bit anal about your organisation. It’s a massive headache and your plans will always end up changing.
Accommodation 101
It’s the largest expense you’ll have. However, finding the best, cheapest or simply the most awesome accommodation has never been easier with sites like AirBnb or Couchsurfing. I have stayed with friends, crashed on couches, rented apartments and used plenty of hostels, hotels and even top line resorts in my time. How to handle this part of long term travel for you comes down to personal preference and of course, your budget.
I like to get down and dirty with the locals. So my thing is more the Airbnb and Couchsurfing style of accommodation, which also really helps my budget stretch that much further. I also like to get out of my comfort zone when I travel. Staying with local people in some manner makes for (in my opinion) a better experience. That includes staying with friends or relatives, crashing on a local person’s sofa or finding a place in advance with AirBnB or Couchsurfing style services.
What about Hostels?
Hostels are a good alternative for accommodation during long term travel if you don’t like the idea of staying with someone or renting from the general public. While you won’t be rubbing shoulders directly with the locals you will meet far more travellers using hostel type accommodation. I have had many great experiences in hostels but also a few bad ones.
As a rule, they are definitely getting better as time goes on especially given the amount of review style sites out there today travellers can use to make more informed decisions. Sites like Yelp, Google Places and the hostel portals like Hostel World which include reviews can really help you pin down the better places available in each location. If you are not looking for a party every night there are plenty of hostels who cater to older crowds, just make sure you do your research as there’s nothing worse than beer bongs, body paint and drum&bass when you’re trying to catch up on your Sudoku.
Hotels
I generally don’t stay in too many hotels or resort style accommodation during my long term travel journeys, unless I’m somewhere that has a currency that makes it viable. However, if this is your thing or you’re not staying somewhere for too long, (or you’re just plain loaded and don’t give a fuck), go nuts. In my opinion swapping your widescreen TV at home for one overseas is not exactly my idea of experience based travel. Saying that though, it is really nice to splurge every so often. Travel to your own style and if hotels fit in with that style. Book away, there are plenty of great hotel finder style sites like Agoda, Hotels.com, Expedia or Kayak to get you the best deal. Make sure you compare the compare sites though – it’s like hotel inception!
Flights
Do a quick Google search and you’ll find more flight price aggregator websites online now than you’ve had hot dinners. This is a good thing on one hand and annoying on the other. I like to use Skyscanner as it will search the other major site portals like Kayak or Expedia as well as the airlines themselves and generally gets me pretty consistently cheap flights. Otherwise, there are similar sites like Expedia, Kayak, Hipmonk and Travelocity that do the same thing, try a few out, some will also include hotel finders but compare and use what works for you.
Do I use a travel agent to book flights? Sometimes, I generally use agents to help me plan but this really depends on the trip itself, here’s a great bit of info about the pros and cons of buying a round the world (RTW) ticket. Some trips are more conducive to being booked yourself using a series of one-way flights. Other trips, where you have a set amount of time or destinations in mind may be better suited for a RTW style ticket. Generally, I’ll get flight advice from an agent then book the flight online. Alternatively try even pairing agent against the agent if they have price matching policies to get an ultra low priced flight. More tips on how to get more bang for your buck when planning any long term travel are here.
General tips before you’re set for long term travel
Passports
Pretty basic but just ensure you have one and that it is valid at least 6 months past your last destination. I wrote a post about applying for a passport recently which explained just how annoying it can be, so make sure you do it early, long before your flight or get ready for a nail biting beginning to your grand adventure.
Visas
Make sure that you know the visa specifics for each destination you’re heading to on your travels. It can be really frustrating applying for some of the less touristy destinations. On the other hand, there are some really handy visa agreements between countries, like Europe’s Schengen Convention which can really simplify things. Just ensure you look into it before buying any tickets. I use VisaHQ to check all visa requirements.
Vaccinations
Depending on where you go you may need to be immunised against certain diseases. I would strongly recommend seeing a travel doctor before heading off. Ensure you see one early enough as some injections need thttps://www.uspassporthelpguide.com/six-months-validity-rule/ime to be effective or additional booster style shots to ensure you remain immune over longer periods of time.
Insurance
A gigantic pain in the ass but unfortunately a necessary one, especially when visiting the USA, with it’s abysmal healthcare system. Be medically prepared for your trip. Make sure you have unlimited (or effectively unlimited) medical as in the USA you are literally one accident away from bankruptcy. I use WorldNomads who have been pretty extensively recognised as the best international travel insurer by organisations like Lonely Planet and National Geographic.
Money
There have been hundreds of good posts on money management for travellers, check out a few of the best ones in the link section or just get your Google on. I use a credit card with zero fees across the board internationally (yep it’s awesome) called 28 degrees but this is probably only available to Australians, I load it up with money before I leave and withdraw cash out as I go, I use online banking to transfer cash from my bank account to keep it paid and topped up. Look into similar credit card products in your relevant country for similar cash versatility.
Another good option is online bank ING Direct, I use an ING direct account to keep an emergency fund of $1000 with a separate bank card (kept separately from my main cards/cash) for emergencies only. If you are travelling with a partner, ensure you have a card each and both have access to the account. I generally use a travellers Money Belt to keep my money safe and on my person, during my long term travel adventures. Generally, I also ensure that I have multiple copies of important documents, again kept separately as well as digital versions in the cloud. I also have 2 spare credit cards that I can use if I need to. Mastercard is more accepted internationally than Visa with Amex being a very distant third (by a long way).
Packing for long term travel
Here’s how Tim Ferriss does it, he claims to travel with less than 10 pounds, the point here is that you should pack as light as you are able for long term travel. The old cliché of taking half the stuff you think you’ll need is actually a pretty good way to go about packing. You will always accumulate stuff as you go, even if you try not to. Account for it by taking less to start with. Here’s a general list I use:
5 pairs of undies and socks
2 pairs of shorts (including bathers, which for me double as shorts too)
2 pairs of long pants – jeans and cargos
A few shirts including a long sleeve shirt
Good walking shoes
Flip-flops + hat
Toiletries
If you’re going somewhere cold obviously include jackets, beanie and thermals also. Don’t forget that unless you’re planning on going to the Antarctic you will be able to buy stuff as you go. Don’t stress about leaving something behind. Here are a few other small things I like to make sure I pack.
Guide To Long Term Travel Step 4: Don’t miss the flight!
If you are all the way down here and still reading, I’m impressed. Pretty sure you don’t need any more convincing so hurry up and quit your job, plan your trip, start packing and hit the airport for your own long term travel adventure. If you’re still not sure, go back up to the objections and reread that section then head to the links section to see just how easy things like planning have become. Always remember that your cubicle will still be there when you get back (if you still want it).
Life will go on just fine without you. I can’t even list the number of people I’ve met, who after leaving their jobs to see the world have had absolutely no regrets about the decision. Now compare that to how you would feel if you didn’t go.. I hope the view of your office wall is nice!! Go and see the world. When you eventually come home I guarantee you’ll be glad you went. You’ll also have a bucket list a good bit lighter.
Missed anything? – Let me know in the comments.
Funny how I actually live in central Honduras and I feel scared to leave and travel alone.
Hey Melissa, what makes you scared to travel alone?
Hey just wonted to know your thoughts i got $2000 dollers to start my trip its going to take about $1400 to get out of the usa if i cant get a working ride on a boat $600 is all i will have when i land that going to be good or do i need to save more ??
Totally depends on where you’re going and for how long. Somewhere like Aisa, that $600 can go pretty far, especially if you try and do things on the cheap. Do you have any more details on your plans?
Love this Pete! Thanks for the tips.
I travelled the world from late 1974 to early 1978 but didnt get further than the Far East (after Europe and Asia) as you find yourself spending much more in each place when you have no specific timetable. I used to go with the flow. I am a qualified Accountant and just handed in my notice as I wanted to see other countries and cultures – I was just not bothered about my career. Four years later I got back into it and have had a pretty successful career. I must endorse the travel light policy – initially I started with a ruck sack, tent etc. Soon changed that – the only thing missing from the list is a diary and book (only one as you swap them). The other thing to mention is whether you travel with someone or alone. I did both. Alone is more interesting but sometimes disconcerting. You need to be a good judge of character and must watch out for some nationalities who have a reputation for ripping people off.
Thanks for the comment Dave, I totally agree about how an open timeline affects your movements. I think also the benefits of travel will often give you an edge in the work world. Great call about the diary, but being a nerd at heart, I’ll replace diary with smartphone and book with Kindle, simply due to the flexibility these products give. – Actually i’ve been meaning to write a post about travel companions. This is actually an area I think that can cause some dramas in relationships especially with friends, often spending too much time with someone can cause a few issues. Travelling alone has it’s advantages too but also it’s drawbacks as you mention.
I have recently got back from travelling from Singapore to England overland for 2 years. Never found language a problem even in the remotest parts of China (Kazak border. Booked flights 1 way and did visas as I went. Also, a key is understanding requirements to extend visas helps a lot. China for instance allowed me to extend 3 times and it took 24 hours each time. Kazakstan wouldn’t allow extension at all.
Over the 2 years I spent $26000 and stayed in reasonable quality hotels, hostels all the way.
If you are thinking about it just do it.
I love most of this but it’s obviously written from the point of view of a single man 😛 Therefore not all of it is true for everyone. The bit in particular I’m thinking of is where you say “Fact: It’s never going to be the right time, things will always crop up and life always gets in the way.” Yes… and no. I look forward to travelling for a year or two (or who knows, maybe more?) one day, but I don’t want to do it now. Why? Two main reasons: 1) I want to have bought a house before we go, so we can rent it out to use as income. 2) My husband and I are in our mid-20s and hope to have kids in the next few years. As we want me to be a stay-at-home mum, this means if we are going to afford a house on one income we need to be working and saving as much as possible now. My husband works in IT and so has potential to work online on the road, but I don’t really. Also, while I look forward to taking kids on the road, I don’t want to be HAVING kids on the road. I want to be at home in the city I grew up in, near family, when I have babies and small children.
Therefore, in order to pay off a house as soon as possible and have kids at home near family, I would rather not go off and travel long-term right now… unless my husband scores a nice-paying job which he can do remotely 😉 We could travel, come home for a few years to have kids, then keep travelling! I don’t want to travel forever, I love being near my friends and family too much, but I look forward to spending a good chunk of time doing it 🙂 (And we are thinking of doing a working holiday to the UK for a year or so before kids!)
Hi, thanks SO much for this information. While researching I stumbled upon this post. I wanted to know if you could tell me your favorite places to travel. I live in NYC and I’m trying to map my trip out now. I’m looking to get started in January 2014 for ideally 6months to 1 year… So im looking for as much advise as possible. I appreciate all feedback! Thank you!!
Hi Shanelle, No worries at all, sounds like things are coming together, love NYC BTW.
Well too be honest it’s hard to pick a single place. Everywhere is different and you can have good experiences almost everywhere you go, which is one of the best things about long term travel, often you have great experiences when you were really not expecting them and the things you were ‘planing’ on enjoying don’t stack up to you expectations haha.
I loved Japan, simply because the culture is so unique and you can really dive deep into it. Europe offers a pretty unique experience since there are so many different countries in such a small space. I’m currently having an absolute ball in Ireland. Asia offers the best ‘value’ and there are some amazing things to do and see across Asia. I have yet to venture down to South America, however I’ve heard amazing things (also frustrating things, mush like Asia) I also particularly enjoyed travel in South East Asia.
It really depends on a number of things: 1) Your budget 2) How you enjoy to travel (fast or slow..) 3) Your travel companions.
I would say this though as general advice:
– Set a daily budget that’s realistic.
– The best time I’ve had on a road have been shared with other people (met them or companions).
– Accommodation will be the biggest expense you have.
– You’ll get really, really tired.
– I enjoy breaking up accommodation between hostels and more private quieter places.
– Cities are fun but I really enjoy getting out of them into the country.
– Having a car is obviously more expensive but give you far more freedom, so maybe pick a few places to explore by car.
– It’s absolutely 100% worth it.
Hopefully this helps a little, if you wanted more specific info just let me know 🙂
Pete,
Thank you. After today, I needed to read this. Amazing what you find when you search the web for “how to quit your job and travel”. Very informative and entertaining too. Departing in February is now my goal.
Tiff
Thanks Tiff, always nice hearing words of encouragement. Hope the trip goes well!
I’m only 17 and all I’ve done for as long as I can remember is dream about traveling the world. I graduate soon and am working on planning for the future. This article was extremely useful. I had thought about getting a Job saving enough money and then quitting but this article has helped me feel more confident about taking it into consideration as a major option. I truly want to go everywhere and am finding it hard to plan which places I want to see the most. In all honesty I just wanna get to Europe backpack and find my way around almost just going with the flow but feel that is not possible. I know i am still young but traveling the world is something I can’t picture my life without and I haven’t even done it yet.
Thanks for the comment Laura. That’s great! Go for it, you’re never too young to see the world, save a bit before you go as many places in Europe can be quite expensive compared to say somewhere in Asia. don’t worry about planning too much and too far ahead as things do change. Why not, set a saving goal, set and ‘leave by’ date and work towards that? It’s totally possible to go with the flow, especially when travelling in small groups or alone, but I like to make some ‘skeleton’ plans before I leave, giving me some form of structure to stick to. Good luck with things, let us know how you go!
Thank you so much for this post. I visited America for 3 weeks in 2011 ans have had a buzz for it since. Something always held me back. This time I will do this. I am planning Thailand in Decmeber. I am going to teach English as I go along. I have no plan apart from this initial one. I know it’s the right thing to do as my heart is acheing for it.! I am planning on starting with 2000GBP and going from there. I am so excited and your blog had inspired me even more.! Thank you so much.
Hi Amy, thanks for the kind words, very glad the site has helped you with some travel inspiration! Sounds like a good plan, I have 2 friends who have just moved to Germany to do the same and are having a blast so far. I love Thailand, especially the north of the country, 2K pounds will take you pretty far in SE Asia as your costs will be very low, then if you could supplement this with working a little, money will only be an issue if you drink too many cocktails! So sounds like a fantastic plan, let us now how you go 🙂
What about volunteering overseas? You mentioned working “odd jobs” but how would one find those? Everytime I come back to the possibility of long-term travel, I always find myself coming back to the idea of not only viewing the local population of the geographical location I’d be in but living in it like they do. However, I do not know exactly where to start. Many programs that coordinate volunteering abroad look fantastic on their website, but anyone can put up a picture of a happy smiling American on a site. Do you have any experience with any organizations in particular? Thanks for reading this!
Hey Dara, thanks for the comment and very good question. Totally agree that the best way to get to know a culture is by living with/like them for a while. Volunteering is a great way to do this to a point. There are some things to consider when it comes to volunteering pro’s and con’s as it were. On the up side you will have a very unique experience, do something positive and meet local and fellow travellers along the way. On the down side, it is often actually fairly expensive to do, with the the traveller bearing sometimes large chunks of the costs, so in many cases the volunteer will pay a larger amount of money to go somewhere and help then they would have just by visiting the region not in any volunteering capacity, (not always true but it’s surprising), so there are budgetary issues to take into account to. From what I have heard programms canbe quite structured and inflexible too. Personally I have never actually done any OS volunteering (heartless i know!:) so I really can’t speak from first hand experience, just from observations of friends and people I’ve met who have done some form of volunteering while away, all have said largely positive things about volunteering but I think it comes down to what sort of experience you’re looking for as to whether you should give it a crack instead of just visiting a region on your own. I’ll see if I can chase up who they went through and let you know. Hopefully this helped a little.
Volunteering really is an amazing way to really get involved in a culture. I agree that the costs can be an inhibitor when using a volunteering agency. Your best bet is to go straight to an NGO (non government organisation) without using an agency intermediary. It can be a little scary, but if you do your research and speak to former volunteers then it feels more secure.
If you’re interested in East Africa then CALM Africa are great to work with in Uganda. They are a small, local group with a volunteer house. The cost to stay there is less than you would pay in a hostel in the region and includes all meals, accommodation, transport to and from site.
Thanks so much for the mention 🙂 I was raised in the nomadic, multicultural lifestyle that we are raising our little one. And although I must admit I am a bit odd (lol) I loved my childhood. Whether it was climbing a mountain in Kenya or studying for a summer at Oxford, it rocked. Your kids will love it 🙂 More and more families adopt this lifestyle out of necessity too, they just can’t afford the insane health insurance rates, house rentals in the US or UK, and the pay sucks. Simplicity has become my motto really, and that is what travel ultimately is: letting go of the BS and crappy products one owns and adopting a simple life.
Couldn’t agree more, the less you want the more you have 🙂 Your childhood sounds great! I was born in HongKong and fluttered back and for between Asia and Australia for a while but it wasn’t nomadic at all really. I thin it’s a really interesting way to raise a family and more parents should explore their options in this regard. It’s funny how cheap it can be too especially when you actually break down your costs at home, granted you will probably need some income while abroad so some jobs/skills lend themselves to the lifestyle better than others but what a cool experience!
Thanks for the info Pete
Me and my fiancee are planning to leave next year in November (for now and if I can resist after reading your article). We just bought a house (in June) and will be renting it out when we leave. Do you think the jobs we will get overseas will be enough to cover a part of our mortgage and still keep us going? I’m in Marketing and my partner is an Occupational Therapist.
Cool, nice plan. Congrats on everything, sounds like you guys are going to be busy with travel, house and wedding all at once! Keeping the place tenanted will be the best thing you can do with the house I think. Working depends on where you are planning on going and also things like Visas in those countries. Where were you guys heading?
Great read and very reassuring information for anyone with that nagging dream to travel.
Just one question, how do you upkeep the website on the road? Just search out cafe wifi to do your blog updates? And all your personal storage is through cloud storage?
I’m guessing cloud storage hasn’t always been available and you’ve probably perfected things over the years, but what sort of tips would you have for things like setting up your phone contract, or managing your IT stuff as a traveler.
Cheers,
Tim
Great question Tim. Well to be honest I find that it’s actually easier than ever to find internet overseas.. even in the remote Philippines (im talking proper rural) internet is only a short bike ride away.. ok it’s not that fast but it is usable.. most third world countries are kind of going through the internet revolution that the West went through in the early 90’s. The net is becoming very available for everyday people all over the world (usually though a cafe style place and wifi). I use the cloud more then ever, most things I use are through Google (since they are generally free), email, drive, spreadsheets, images etc… also I always bring a notebook with me everywhere I go, where I write posts among other things generally when I’m travelling, be it bus, trains or flights, so posts are usually sorted before I get online, I just need wifi or a net cafe to actually post things or check details. Things like phones I usually will run with local sims in either my iphone or a crappy local $10 phone so no contracts at all, which saves money. Also Skype is your best friend, as long as you have a semi good connection phone calls are easy and cheap, far better than buying a phone card IMO. I have tried going OS with a tablet and no laptop but I like to mess with things that a tablet just can’t really handle (yet), I love digital art and stiff that requires programs tables can’t handle or run well so I need something more powerful atm, I LOVE my iphone as overseas Google maps and other apps a smartphone can run are really, really useful. Generally I run with a small laptop and Iphone and that’s pretty much it for IT. Hopefully this answers your Q, hit me back if not 🙂
Some people would love to do this but realistically cannot quit their jobs because, depending on their citizenship, visa applications may require proof of their employment and enough money in the bank to fully support themselves for the duration of their trip. Using vacation time rather than quitting, or securing a job overseas BEFORE leaving, would be the best way in that case. Just a word of warning. I speak from experience. 🙂
Great advice. I have found that if you save up your leave (in a full time job capacity) you can get a very decent trip happening. I went to Japan on my leave alone 2 years ago and spent 5 weeks their straight. I was lucky enough to have an employer who was willing to let me go for that period of time yet I guess the point i’m trying to make is if you focus your time in one location you can get a very good feel/experience out of a destination with leave time only. The best part of doing this is that for most of it you get paid 🙂 The downside if that you only get so many leave days per year and if like some employers do you have to take ‘forced’ leave (usually around the holidays) then your time/dates are somewhat restricted..
Hi Pete,
Just wanted to say thanks for the great article and site.
I am from Adelaide, 32 years old and very seriously considering packing up and going for a year. The thing I think that is holding me back is the worry about what I will do when I get home. I working in marketing/web design and have a good job, a new house with a shiny new mortgage, decent car, cat, and am nervous that by leaving my job I may have a lot of trouble finding one when I return – stupid I know, but still…not to mention what I will do with all my stuff.
Did you have a plan when you first left to only be gone for a year? Did you have a contingency plan in place and then just decided to keep going?
Thanks 🙂
Hey Carly,
Well to be honest I didn’t have too much planned, just thought I would pack it all in for a while and let the pieces fall where they may. Now 11 months later I would never change my decision for anything, the experiences i’ve had in the past (almost) year have been irreplaceable and it’s honestly been one of the best, most memorable times in my life. Everyone’s situation is different though, and I certainly had less ‘commitments’ when I left. What capacity are you in web design? Is it possible to do the job remotely? – If that’s an option it could be a great way to pay your way as you go. I wasn’t too fussed about getting jobs when I got home since i would be happy to move anywhere the work was (Again less commitments I suppose) so I guess I just presumed i’d have lots of options still. I had a great job before I left, well paid and with fun people, so we were in the same boat there. Certainly can’t tell you what to do, only that if I didn’t go I would have regretted it.
Hopefully this helps a little 🙂
Dude, i totally stumbled across your site today after 6 months of planning my second 1 year trip away. If only i had a website like this 10 years ago when i went on my first life-time experience.
You have helped me explain to family and friends that it is more common to do this than they previously thought. People at work are inspired by me, now they read your website and are too thinking of ditchin these damn cubicle walls, flickin the birdy to the boss and heading to the airport.
Thanks for re-assuring me that i am doing the right thing ( for me ) and quiting this god-forsaken shithole. Just wishing now i had a marching band to hire.
I have 102 days to go before taking off without a return ticket home and i cant want to see the back of this place. In saying this, your website has alot of valuable information on it! Thank you! And trust me… if i get to go see that useless clock, i will be sure to film peoples reactions just so i can have a laugh!
I hope you travel safe and explore a new country with a free spirit, knowing that there aint no boss to ride your ass! 😉
Your fellow Nomad,
Mooshie
Thanks Mooshie! Loved your comment, reminded me why I left in the first place, always great to hear from a fellow traveller! Stay safe and travel well mate, sounds like you have a great one planned!
Hi Pete,
Thank you for this great article and funny pictures (I like the one with “how to quit your job”!).
I think that the hardest part is to focus and think for ourselves. To be selfish. I mean by that, just to give a f*** about what other people think about our decision. The one saying “please stay a little bit longer until the end of XXX work project”, or “get a new step in your career before quitting, it’s good for your CV”, or “you should save a least 12k€ to travel a year, and afterwards what are gonna do?!”, or “wait a little bit before selling the apartment, it will be more valuable in 6 months”, or “stop trying to escape reality”….and more….
Thanks for making me feel that I’m not crazy alone with that travel bug!
I’m looking forward to be that free sunflower (my second favorite picture from your article, hehe)
Happy Travels,
Cheers
Thanks for the kind words Cindy! I’m really glad that my blog’s been useful to you and your decision to travel the world. I’m pretty much of the opinion that we only get one shot at this thing so it’s best to make the most of our time and choices. I think that if we don’t question that the decisions we’re making are a little crazy we’re living a pretty boring life and what could be worse then that..! Happy travels 🙂
Hi Pete
For someone who is on the journey, this is still useful. My biggest insight would be that not all days are going to be the same – some full of elation, some full of doubt. One has to be clear why he or she did it in the first place.
Keep Walking.
Ali
shaljam.com
Hi Pete,
I’m planning to quit and travel alone for a few years. However I’m a female in my mid twenties. Would you still recommend couch surfing as a solo female? Any other travel tips for others in my situation? Also how do you deal with and overcome the days and nights when you just want to pack up and fly back to your hometown that’s familiar?
Thanks
Hey AJ, thanks for getting in touch 🙂
Wow, congratulations on the big move. I actually get asked this question quite a bit. As a guy the issue of personal safety is probably less of an issue but it’s still something everyone needs to consider when staying with strangers. In my personal experience (my own and also other travellers stories etc..) it’s like 98% positive. I’ll say this, you’ll meet weird people, really weird people but I have not ever been an any situations in my travels where I felt endangered personally from a host at all. Ever. Yet I’m sure it does happen occasionally, I think you’ll be totally fine but if it’s a concern really check the reviews and only go with places with positive reviews. Same to be said for short term rental sites like AirBnB. If you’ve never done it before the first time will always be the hardest.
As for general tips, I wouldn’t know where to start! haha maybe bring less then you think you’ll need, less is more when travelling. Always say ‘yes’ to things, don’t be afraid to sing Karaoke in another language in front of the whole village…
Hmmm well about the down days.. there’s lots to say about these. I wrote a post about the ups and downs of long term travel and one about homesickness that could maybe help with ideas here.
Best of luck with everything, let me know how you go!
From your experience and/or from what you’ve heard from others (maybe some Americans?), how do people obtain health insurance coverage for a 12-18 month stint of traveling? I have checked some of the links on your resources page, but not extensively. Most seem to be traveler’s insurance, but I’m not sure about the scope of the medical/health coverage. I know traveler’s insurance is good for trip cancellations and baggage etc. The reason I ask is we will be going back and forth from the US to Indonesia and then Mexico for the first 6 months of our trip. Does travelers insurance cover you in your country of residence? I am definitely capable of researching this topic myself, but I figured I would start here to find a little more direction. I also know there is socialized healthcare in a lot of countries so that is also worth looking into right? I’ve never been without health insurance and when I quit my job I terminate my insurance also, so, you know, logistics logistics…
Hey Lauren, I almost exclusively have used these guys: http://www.worldnomads.com/ I found their prices and coverage some of the best around. I originally started looking at local insurers in Australia but their prices were ridiculous longterm. Found World Nomads after asking around the travel community a little. I made one claim with them for a camera we had stollen while in Europe and they were super helpful. Off the top of my head i’m not 100% sure if it covers you in your own country I have a feeling it will not. As for social healthcare this generally only applies to citizens of those countries but there are ways around this in many cases. The key 3 countries that you should make sure you have health insurance in are: US, Canada & Japan as healthcare in these places is ridiculously expensive so if you do fall off a mountain and it costs $1M to get you to a hospital and fix you up, you’re not going to get that bill in the mail.. Hope this helps, i’d start with World Nomads and go form there.
Hi Pete,
What a great article! Definitely gave me some things to think about.
I am planning a long-term missions trip to Jamaica, probably for 6 months to a year. I won’t be traveling anywhere else, but I am still looking for information as to how I can live abroad for so long! Visa, passport, etc. I am completely new to this and would love any advice you have for me! Also, you mentioned the odd jobs you undertook to pay for your expenses. What kind of jobs did you have? What would you suggest for someone with a BS in Biology and very little work experience? (just graduating from college)
Thanks and God bless!
~Bekah
Nice one Bekah, sounds like you’re going to have an amazing experience! Honestly I would just get Googling for your local info RE passports and visas etc.. as these will really differ depending on where you live/are going. Advice for things like homesickness and adjusting to life on the road could get quite long. I’ll give you this bit of advice now though: Always say yes to new things. Don’t sit around the hostel or wherever you’re staying, get out and meet friends and do things, meet people, try new things and don’t be afraid to explore (within safe limits of course).
As for finding work, I would start with something like Helpx (http://www.helpx.net/), not sure how much there is in Jamaica but there are a few other good services like this also, go and have fun with it, it’s a great way to meet locals and new people and really subsidises your travels!! Have an amazing time and if you want to send me a guest post I might be able to throw it up in the site or something 🙂
PS. enjoy the ‘thinking mans tobacco’!
Hey! I’ve been wanting to quit my job and start traveling since early this year. I don’t know why I’m still not doing it, I’m probably scared to travel alone a bit. That I decided to not give in to the lure of credit cards early on also doesn’t help much. And being an Indian I don’t know how difficult it can get to get visas for all the places I want to travel. But your story is inspiring to say the least. I’m a writer by profession who now feels indifferent to advertising after slogging in for 14 years. I really want to put my writing skills to better use and may be pick up an additional skill or two e.g. hairstyling on the go. I’m also a decent cook so that might also help me earning a small, quick buck as I go, right?
Hey. What a great article. I know you wrote it a couple of years ago but I’ve just found it and you are spot on with pretty much everything. We’ve recently sold our house, got rid of absolutely all our stuff, quit our jobs, and left the UK to travel. Sort of decided that life was too short and we needed to get out there and do something. Europe for 3 months before flying off to Australia and New Zealand for 6 months so looking forward to that. Got a blog going but of course we have no idea if it’s any good.
So have you visited Australia? Any tips? We’re off and running now with just one bag each and loving life. Best thing we ever did. The hardest thing was the initial decision to actually do something.
Great article by the way, love it.
Jonno
Hi Pete,
I am already convinced to travel and am actually leaving on my first trip to India in two months, but I could ALWAYS use more inspiration and to know that I’m not crazy for quitting by job. Thanks for that, as well as all of the additional resources!
Kelly
Thank you, thank you, thank you Pete!
I totally enjoyed your article and sooooo appreciate the time you took in prepearing and sharing it!
Your article is very inspiring as well as reconfirming! I’m one of those who has regretted, for far too long, my decisions in the past to not be more spontaneous in my life. There were so many adventurous opportunities that presented themselves while my childen were younger yet any ideas I had in taking them on cross country treks or exploring a country in a van, were always shot down by my family and friends at the time. I had been told that I would be considered an irresponsible parent if I would have taken them out of the school system to travel. I was even told by a family member that they would have my children taken away from me if I would have gone ahead and sold everything to travel with them. Judgements and opinions from others really kept me down for most of my life… resulting in regret and faded spirit.
It wasn’t until a little over 3 years ago when my best friend passed away, and it was then that I felt I lost my whole entire spirit. … with a three year struggle of trying to reconnect with something that would allow that spirit and/or joie de vivre to come back to life, I realize what a waste of time life can be when we do things for the sole purpose to make others happy. Decisions need to be made that reflect our own authentic self, not to satisfy others comfort zones.
I am so very pleased to say, I’m finally letting go and diving into my own reality! I’ve managed to pay off my debt while making low wages and finding any small contract that I could handle and have also sold almost everything I own… all this for a one way ticket out of this somewhat pretentious life I’ve been leading! Your comment on ‘working for someone else to make them richer’ hits home for most I’m sure… well, I’m done with that too!
I’ve purchased my one-way ticket to India (the starting point of my journey) and plan to live every day the way it was intended for me,… adventurous! ✈️… yes, I leave in 7 weeks from now and plan to continue forward through cultures, mountains, desserts, rivers and oceans…! Of course my resignation letter will be offered with the regular 2 weeks notice in about 5weeks… unless of course my boss happens to find this posting while relaxing on a lounge chair during her Italy retreat!! 🙀 I’m planning to couch-surf my way throughout India, Nepal, China, Thailand…, do a little wwoofing whenevr I can find the openings, volunteer at animal sanctuaries and help as many animals along the as I can and hopefully eventually teach yoga and/or arts (I’m an artist and yoga teacher) if the opportunity arises!
My kids are all grown up now and are both beautiful people with there own passions for their lifetime. They are both very excited for this new mom adventure… especially after growing up hearing all the dream like stories of around the world! I can only hope that I may be an inspiration to them and that they never have to wait as long as I did to really go for what they believe in!
So I thank you Pete, for your inspiration and courage to open up and share your ideas with us!
I am sooooo very grateful!!
Sat Nam. Namaste.
Many, many blessings to you,
Prabhu Sahej (my friends call me Prabs)
😄
Wow Prabs what a lovely response, thanks for the kind words and apologies for not getting back to you sooner, i’ve been out of touch with the blog of late. By this time you would have already been and maybe come back? How were things? I’ve love to connect and see how you went with the travels. I think the older we get the harder it is to take that first step but perhaps the hard it is the more important it is, anyway, don’t be afraid to reach out and let me know how you went (or maybe still ar going..).
Thanks for this post Pete! I really need one to convince myself. I’m 24 years old who got working right after college. Big mistake… I decided I want to go travel now and I will go to Asia.
I’m just so worried that I have no idea what I will do / visit. Did you plan your trip completely? Or just did what came by? How can I plan my visas and stuff, all these questions keep rushing in my head.
Thanks!!!
Tom
Sorry for the late reply Tom, I must have missed this one. Nope I didn’t plan my initial trip completely out initially, just had a few flights booked in and out of various places then just went with the flow. I think the easiest part is finding things to do, just be open to whatever comes along, Google’s your friend here too. If you stay with locals, they will often help out in this regard. I think have a loose plan, find a few cool things to do/see and then just go with the flow.
Hi Pete,
Just an FYI, WorldNomads does indeed cover you in your home country. You just have to be at least 500 miles from the address you have listed on your insurance certificate. I’m an American, taking a couple of years to travel, and found this out when I had to return home for a couple of months.
Regards,
Liz
Thanks for the correction Liz!
I keep reading posts where people say they book one way flights to a different country but from my research, most countries require a visa and proof of your onward ticket. So how are they getting around that issue? Do they plan to stay until the visa expires and the onward ticket is the next country they plan on visiting with options to change flights as needed?
Hey Kristina, yeh most countries will want to at least see that you plan on leaving at some point… I generally will do just that, book one way flights ongoing ie. USA to Canada, Canada to UK etc.. I’ve had situations where i’ve had to explain how I plan to leave a country but it’s never been an issue on actually getting in for me to date. If you’re worried about this buy a ticket to your next destination and keep that as a ‘hard end’ to that country, book and plan inside that deadline to your hearts content. Other options are buying a refundable ticket (usually for a little more) and change or refund as needed when your plans change. If you’re not flying international a cheap bus or train ticket to an adjacent country for the end of the visa period should be enough to satisfy customs officials.
Hi Pete! Great post!
Do you have any recommendations for someone with a dog (×2) – that is really the boat consideration for me!
I have 2 dogs that I can’t leave behind. Do you think there will be many obstacles in finding places to stay when not wanting to sleep in a tent with the 2 dogs? They are both 65lbs each. Thanks in advance for the advice!
Good question! Depending on where you’re based in the world I think the answer changes. There are a growing number of places hostels etc.. that actually cater for animals and pets, do a bit of googling with your destinations, unfortunately though they’re still fairly uncommon, depending on location. If you’re happy driving, what about explore doing the motorhome/caravan/van thing? You can live quite comfortably out of a caravan and the pets then wont be a problem. Otherwise Airbnb and Couch surfing have hosts who would be fine with pets, just make sure you ask them before you arrive.