Looking to travel long-term? After close to three years of travel, I’ve learned quite a bit on making the best of my adventures.
Motivation
On paper my life was perfect. I made $85,000 in 2009 despite barely turning 25, I paid very little rent to live in a million dollar condo my friend’s parents owned, I could vacation anywhere in the world I wanted to (and did), I was making new friends, and I had virtually no responsibilities. But that was only on paper. In reality I was miserable.
I’m tired of hearing excuses.
This lifestyle didn’t just fall on my lap. I didn’t wake up one day to find myself with thousands of dollars in my bank and the freedom to travel anywhere whenever I wanted. It was the complete opposite. I had negative balances and a job that kept me indoors, exhausted, and lazy. I hated it.
The only way anything was going to change was to be as dedicated as possible towards my goal. Having priorities is key to motivation and getting things done.
Quitting your job to travel the world is definitely possible but it does take preparation. It’s especially true if you have a slew of material goods, debt, and among other things that could hold you back from traveling or worse — force you to return home while you’re traveling. Preparing does get frustrating and overwhelming but the process can also be quite rewarding.
I’ll be returning home on July 11th after a year in Asia. I visited home last year too after a year around the world. Reverse culture shock hit me hard last time but I think now I know what to expect.
I was called crazy. When I told my family and friends three years ago of my plans to travel around the world, most thought I had just gone insane. I remember getting a few phone calls from concerned friends to make sure I was feeling okay. I respected it but I still wanted to go backpacking. The American culture isn’t so accepting of wanting to go travel. I did have to go through some hurdles but it all worked out in the end.
Upon embarking on my first solo trip in April 2010, I was, admittedly, a bit arrogant. Having travelled around Europe with two accomplices a couple of years earlier, I assumed the identity of the knowing, weathered traveller keenly aware of the woes that accompanied group travel – growing weary of familiar company, the struggle to make new friends, the relentless need for compromise. Don’t get me wrong, there were good aspects too. In times where we got lost with the added pressure of 15kg backpacks, foiled by the debilitating affliction of monolingualism, there was strength in numbers: the presence of familiar faces from home lifted the weight off the challenges of a new country, culture, language, and public transport system.
At the time of course, I didn’t appreciate these things. Rather, I felt like I had taken the easy, safe route; like walking my way through a 5km marathon, or downing a shot of tequila shot in little sips. I was craving to belt out some year ten German in Berlin without an audience, to find my Venetian hostel on my own, and suffer in silence as I attempted to navigate the Colosseum in 40-degree heat. In short, I wanted the struggle.
I love receiving emails and I especially love emails that keep me motivated. It’s flattering and encouraging to know so many people read this blog. Below is an email I got from Christian. I’ve been asked this question many times and thought it’d be perfect for an article. With Christian’s permission, I’ve included his email and my response.
Here’s a list of ways how becoming a minimalist has helped me become a better backpacker. Everything from selling it all, packing less, and needing less.
Sometimes I’ll create a discussion in my classroom that will not only be part of an English lesson but a way for me to learn Chinese culture. One of my topics was to discuss whether working hard for a better future or working less for a better today was more suitable for their current lives. There was, of course, no answer to this and the responses were mixed. It created interesting responses but one response in particular caught my attention which was that Money is Unlimited but Life is Limited.
