- Traveling is different for everyone. The purpose of your travels might be different from the person next to you. Whether you’re doing it for the love of food, sights, people, or whatever else – don’t judge someone else for not wanting to experience what you’re experiencing or experienced.

- Facebook is one of the greatest tools for travelers. It’s great for telling my family and friends at home I’m okay and for asking for advice. I like to keep contact with friends I’ve made on the road. I’ve met friends again and they’ve offered me their couch when I got to their city.

- Sometimes your days will suck. Although you’re traveling, not everyday will as awesome as you may have dreamed. I find that I have several bad days in a row but then a really good day comes and makes every bad day before that seem not so bad in perspective. Traveling can mess with your head. It seems like everything good and bad happens in the extremes. Bad days are really bad and good days are really good. It’s an emotional roller-coaster.

- Something will be stolen or lost. It’s just part of traveling. Expect anything in your bag to disappear. It’s much easier on yourself and you’re better prepared when you have this mindset. It’s never that bad in perspective. Everything can be regained. The experiences can never be taken away.

- Backup and protect your computer!

- You won’t be able to capture it all. I love taking pictures but there’s a certain pleasure in not bringing the camera and just enjoying it for what it is. Get use to taking mind pictures because you’ll forget your camera or you won’t be able to bring it out.

Tayrona, Colombia

- We’re all travelers here. It doesn’t matter if you’re a backpacker, on a tour, or taking a cruise ship. The fact that you’re traveling is great in itself. This goes for everyone. Don’t be a traveling snob.

- Do things you’re scared of. It doesn’t have to be things that risk your life. You can take dance lessons, learn a new language, cooking courses, or adventures activities.

- It gets lonely sometimes. I’ve done quite a bit of solo traveling and I realized there are times when there’s no one to talk or relate to. It’s not a bad thing and I actually enjoy these days. Enjoy the time you have by yourself. Relax a bit. In reality though, you’re never really alone all that often.

- Be social. Personally, I couldn’t survive traveling without talking to other people. Even traveling as a couple, sometimes we’ll purposely stay in dorms and hang out in the common room so we could talk to people. It’ll come naturally as long as you put yourself in situations that are social. Locking yourself up in your room won’t get you meeting anyone.

- Insure it if it’s important to you. Look into having insurance for your electronics. Insurance companies will want a receipt from the original purchase so save all your receipts. Be sure to read ALL the guidelines. I use State Farm in the US which allows me to insure individual items.

- Get travelers health insurance. It’s so cheap that it doesn’t make sense not to get it. The purpose of getting it is for extreme emergencies. In many cases, your medical bill might be cheaper than your deductible but the whole point of health insurance is for extreme cases. Even if you never end up using it, that should be considered a good thing. You never know though.

- Drink lots of water.

Street food in Xi'an, China

- Eat local foods. Food can tell you so much about a countries culture. Don’t be scared to pick an item out of the menu with your eyes closed. Bonus if you eat in a small family run restaurant instead of going to fast food joints.

- High season, festivals, and holidays can kill your travel plans. They can be unexpected and you’ll at some point arrive on a huge celebration thus making accommodation expensive and traveling around difficult. Enjoy the festivities and don’t stress the costs too much. These events can kill your budget and it’s hard to avoid. Remember to leave room in your budget for these types of situations.

- Ask locals for advice. Ask them anything actually and make conversation. Ask them if it rains often, where you should eat, or what to do in the city. I find taxi’s love chatting. They usually have great stories and can be a good language and cultural lesson.

- Always carry the business card of the hostel or hotel you’re staying at. If you’re lost, just show the taxi driver and you’re good to go. It’s useful in countries you don’t speak the language in.

Quito, Ecuador

- Always learn a few words of the local language. The very minimum you should learn are Hello and Thank You. The more you learn, the better off you are and the more respect you’ll earn.

- You’re going to run out of money eventually. It’s great to be free spirited and to do things at the last minute but I believe you should always have a Plan B or multiple plans. Plan B doesn’t mean you HAVE to follow it. It’s just a backup. You’ll feel more comfortable once money runs out. I’ve met far too many travelers that start to panic a few weeks before their money runs out and end up going back to what they hated because they had no other choice.

- Slow down. It can be really difficult to immerse yourself and enjoy the destination if you’re on a bus most of the time. If you don’t like a place, move on but if you’re feeling comfortable then stick around a few extra days and get familier with the culture. It’s not a race.

- Be yourself!

Advice for Aspiring Long-Term Travelers is a post from Art of Backpacking

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 was surrounded by less than authentic people, I hated going to work knowing I would be repeating the same sales pitch I had been repeating for the last two years, and by the time I was done working out at night I had no energy left for anything else. In short, I was a walking zombie. So I chose a date to quit my job and started saving up money to travel.

At first I was extremely excited as traveling was all I could think about. Unfortunately I had to keep my plans secret for fear of losing my employment and upsetting my roommate’s parents, who were giving me the deal of a lifetime in that condo. Further, when the time got close and I did make my announcement, things didn’t get any easier.

The Office by mkrigsman, on Flickr

One of my closest female friends thought I was committing career suicide, and interpreted my desire to leave as me wanting to get away from her and her brother (my roommate). What this girl failed to realize was that this was the hardest decision of my life, so when she decided tried to make me the villain and threw tantrums and guilt trips my way, I let the friendship fade. Sadly, the relationship was never recovered. On top of my relationship drama, things didn’t go as planned at work.

On November 15th I announced to my employer that I would be quitting January 15th. Upon realizing I would only be in the office 19 days over the next two months (because of how much paid time-off I had accumulated), they decided to “let me go.” Upon first hearing this my stomach dropped as I hadn’t hit my savings goal quite yet. Then they told me I could collect government unemployment. Jackpot.

For the next 8 weeks I collected money from the government while living at home. I started doing muay thai (thai kickboxing), caught up on a ton of reading, vacationed in Hawaii, and was able to spend time with my 1.5 year old nephew.

On January 24th I took off on my adventure. 5 weeks in India and 13 weeks in Southeast Asia. For the sake of keeping this article short, let’s just say it was awesome, life-changing, motivational, and the most fun I’ve had since I was a kid going to summer camp.

Since returning from my trip, I have done the following: started my own website selling digital travel guides (and actually sold a few); successfully launched a travel blog (to help sell my guides); accepted a work-from-home sales job with the largest online travel magazine in the world (Matador Network; I didn’t even have to apply, my friend recommended me); taken up 2-step dancing; continued doing muay thai; and traveled to Chicago and Austin, Texas.

In short, I went from quitting a job I hated to having two jobs in the industry I’m passionate about. And I’m pretty sure Matador is going to let me work while traveling! (This is also a testament to the power of networking, and how life tends to “work out” when you commit yourself to something you’re passionate about).

This year, between my various income streams, I will bring in less than 40% of what I would’ve made in 2010 (which was quite a bit less than 2009). Despite this, I have managed to save up enough money to travel again and could not be any happier with my career situation. That’s just my career though; my personal life is even better.

For as long as I can remember, I had sleeping problems that were tied to general anxiety. I went through an addiction to downers of all sorts before going on sleeping pills for about 18 months. I could go on and on here, but I’ll just say my situation wasn’t good. I also lacked self-esteem and self-confidence, as what little self-confidence I had was based on my material success.

Frankly Mr. Shankly... by Sighthound, on Flickr

Upon returning from traveling, my problems virtually melted away. Between getting out of my personal hell and pursuing my dreams, and overcoming all the difficulties I faced traveling India and Southeast Asia alone for 18 weeks, things back home didn’t phase me anymore.

As soon as I got home, my closest friends said they noticed a marked shift in my demeanor. I of course couldn’t see it, but inside I could feel it. I was calmer. I didn’t need sleeping pills or any kind of downers anymore. I felt confident about starting my own business, and for the first time in my life I had the confidence to approach random girls on the street/out in public. It was incredible. While the positive turn of events regarding my career was encouraging, I wouldn’t trade the psychological benefits I experienced for anything.

In conclusion, I hope some of you find inspiration in my story. Giving up a life where I was incredibly materially successful at a very young age was intimidating, and caused intense self-doubt; but I knew I would regret it if I didn’t do it. Listening to my heart, and using potential regret as the measuring stick for my life helped me make one of the best decisions I have ever made.

When faced with tough decisions, I now ask myself one simple question: will I regret not doing this when I die. If the answer is yes, I do it; no further questions asked. (And for those of you who want some inspiration/motivation, check out Tim Ferris’ Four Hour Workweek. The book is jam –packed with examples of people who took the plunge and recovered quite nicely)

So, the next time you dream of taking that exotic vacation, asking that girl at the coffee shop out, starting your own company, etc, ask yourself: will I regret not doing this when I die? If the answer is yes, well, you know what to do.

How Quitting an $80,000/year Job was One of My Best Decisions Ever is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

“I could never give up X”: Having a passion for a hobby may seem difficult to give up. It’s understandable but you don’t really have to give it all up. My hobby was expensive. I was a DJ and had some serious equipment. I purchased music and craved new equipment. Initially it was heartbreaking to give up but my priority was elsewhere. I still have a passion for it though and to get my fix, I do things that are easier on my wallet while not having to completely give it up. I collect music, DJ as often as I can abroad, and active in the community.

It does take some sacrifices if you want to travel. It’s up to you to take responsibly in what is important to you. Is going to concerts every weekend more important than travel? That’s up to you to decide.

“I’ll travel when I finish school”: School is important. I don’t recommend quitting. I do hear this statement quite often though and in many cases, I doubt they’ll travel immediately after school. Americans are often stuck with thousands of dollars in loans that will need to be paid shortly after graduating. This then puts Americans directly to work to start paying it off. Years pass and the calendar of beaches around the world sits in their office.

Loans are difficult to avoid for Americans. I’m still paying mine and yet I’m traveling around the world. While I worked, I paid as much as I could and when I budgeted my trip, I made sure to budget the school loan payments as well. This again goes back to having priorities and motivation to make traveling long-term possible. Do everything in your power to have the least amount of money owed by the time you graduate. Apply for grants, scholarships, and anything else available. If you really want to travel after school, prepare for your trip while you’re still in school because otherwise, you’ll need to work for awhile after school to save up. There’s nothing wrong with that, just don’t kid yourself that you’ll be able to travel immediately after school when you’ll have no money to do it.

“I want to travel, but I have a house and kids”: Everyones situation is different. A house and kids definitely requires a bit more dedication than what I had to do but it’s still possible to travel for an extended period of time.

In the book On the Other Guy’s Dime by G. Michael Schneider, he was able to travel for many years while still maintaining a house and kids in their early teens. As a professor, he had the summers off. Instead of picking up part-time work in the US or lounging around, he took a job teaching abroad. He still earned money and had a new experience in a different culture with the kids. The kids continued to learn even throughout the summer. He was able to keep the house by renting it out 3 months at a time or more.

Search on Google “family long-term travel” and you’ll find that this isn’t even a unique idea and so many people do it and come from different situations.

Here are more excuses I often here.

• I’m scared of traveling solo.
• It’s dangerous abroad and I’ll get killed.
• What about all the drugs? What if I’m drugged and forced into a brothel?
• My work only gives me two weeks.
• I’m in my 30′s and too old to stay in hostels.
• It’s too expensive to travel.
• My parents/boyfriend/girlfriend won’t let me.
• How will anyone understand me with the language barrier?
• There’s weird foods there. What if I eat a dog by accident?
• I don’t eat fish so I would never go to China. (What?)
• Is there even a tourism structor in places like South Korea, Japan, or Australia?
• South Korea is close to North Korea. It must be dangerous there. (Yeap, I really heard this one.)
• I’ve been to Mexico before. Cancun is beautiful. Everywhere else is dangerous.

I found that there’s two different types of excuses. One is coming from people who legitimately wants to travel but needs that extra push in research and motivation to make it happen. This falls more with the excuses of “I’m scared of traveling solo.” With research and experience, there’s little to be scared of when it comes to traveling solo. Then there are those who are making excuses because they don’t actually care for travel and have other priorities. I’d rather someone tell me “I don’t want to travel because” than “I would travel but” because to me it sounds like there’s something stopping you from doing what you’d prefer.

What excuses have you heard?

Image: Photography by BJWOK / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Stop Making Excuses If You Want To Travel is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

- Are sure you love to travel?

Have you ever traveled abroad before? Before flipping your life around, take a few short trips to test the waters. It’d suck to find out that you actually hate long-term traveling when you’re already out there.

- Clean up your debt

While you’re still earning a decent pay, pay off as much debt as possible. I don’t recommend leaving your job before you could pay off as least most of your debt. It’s always going to be there so pay it off. See: Paying Debt VS The Travel Dream

- Have a general plan and exit strategy

I hate plans and I’m generally lazy to bother with them but with this, I was the opposite. I had it all laid out and was determined to let nothing stop me. I knew how long it was going to take to pay everything off, when I wanted to leave, how much money I’d have, why I wanted to quit, and where I wanted to travel to. It helped put things into perspective on how long I needed to stay at my job before I gave notice. The plan should be solid and well written out for your own reference. See: Story of Escaping the Cubicle Corporate World

Today I quit my job... by beatplusmelody, on Flickr

- Use your company’s health insurance

Make every possible appointment for health checkups, teeth cleaning, medications, eye checks, and whatever else is covered. Mention you’ll be traveling around the world as they may recommend certain shots.  If you wear glasses, get a second backup pair.

- Get information on your 401k and any stock you may have invested in the company

Find out if there are any fees for withdrawing your 401k if you choose to do so. Some company’s may require you to keep putting in a certain amount every month to keep your 401k. Some fees for withdrawing range up to 20% for tax then another 10% for early withdrawal from the total you’ve raised. It’s a hefty amount and should be researched thoroughly.

- Clean up your desk and empty your computer

Your work computer and everything around it is technically company property. Wipe out and backup anything you feel is essential. The moment you give notice, don’t be surprised to lose access to many of the things you had before.

- Work from home an option?

If you have a position that does most of the work on the internet, it doesn’t hurt to try to ask if you could work on the move. You’ll be able to get a steady income while traveling. If they’re not able to do this, well you were going to quit anyway. This works best if you provide them two options telling them that you have the desire to travel and either they could hire you to work remotely or you’ll be forced to leave the company.

The Office by mkrigsman, on Flickr

- Two week notice or more?

Some company’s require at least a two week notice before leaving. Due to conflict of interest, you may not want to provide more than two weeks but that depends on the company you work for. If I had provided my company more than two weeks or if they had any hint that I was going to leave, the company would have laid me off. Just be nice when you give them notice.

- Prepare yourself for the speech

Easiest way to quit is to tell the truth. It’s going to be a long winded response as to why you’d want to quit so prepare to answer a lot of questions. In the end, most will likely say they wish they could do the same.

- Quit with dignity. Leave on good terms.

Work as normal. Don’t start to bad mouth everyone and start showing up late just because you’re leaving. I know you’re exciting about your trip and to finally leave but remember to stay professional. Not just because of karma but because you’re better than that. Many of my old co-workers are now fans of Art of Backpacking and add to the readership.

What you need to do before you quit your job to travel the world is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

First, I feel I should be telling you that I’m the last to judge anyone. I’m not judging anyone if they don’t like to travel. Whether you choose to travel or not, it’s your choice. Still, I feel non-travelers may not fully understand my travel addiction and what it has done to and for me.

Xi'an China

1. It’s not the norm to be going around the world for a long period of time as an American. We all know this and I’ve killed this topic long enough to repeat it. I’m often asked what I’ll do after my trip is over and my response is usually I dont know. That’s not a good answer for non-travelers. I’m expecting this and I’m okay with it.

2. Traveling has made me curious. I like discovering new places, new foods, and trying new activities. Before I traveled, I was stuck in a routine of eating at the same places and doing the same boring things everyday. I wasn’t adding anything new to my life. The corporate job didn’t allow much time for travel. Last time I returned home, I was eager to go to new cities and discover new restaursants in New York City. I was really excited to go to Washington DC for the first time. So I continued my travels in my own home country visiting and doing things I’d never done before.

3. Going to the supermarket in the states will be somewhat of a mission now. There are just too many selections and Wal-mart is overwhelming. I’m use to going to a small local convient store. It only has a few selections but it has most of what I would need. Buying a shopping cart (or two) of food is crazy to me. I usually only buy a day or two worth of food and at most a weeks worth. Splurging means perhaps buying a week’s worth. Buying fruits is usually done outside on the streets – not at the supermarket. That’s if I have to cook at all because buying street food or eating in a restaurant might be cheaper and more convenient (and more delicious) than if I cooked the meal myself. I get disgusted in wasting food and can’t understand why so many people buy a month worth of food when half of it goes to waste.

Uyuni, Bolivia

4. When I return home, I’m going to have this urge to order Chinese food in Mandarin. I might even go to China Town and simply listen to people talk. I may attempt to look for a hole in the wall place in New York City with people that may not even speak English (they exist in NYC). I do enjoy a few food chains (Qdoba!) but I love finding local family owned restaurants. At home, my friends and family are more spectacle in trying new foods or going to hidden restaurants in danger of the food being terrible but I see it the other way around. I go thinking that the food will be great. Travel has taught me to be less afraid of finding and doing different things. Non-travelers think I’m crazy.

5. I meet a lot of people on the road but I find it more difficult talking to strangers at home. At a hostel bar, I’m meeting people from all over the world with tons of stories. Even in a local bar abroad, it’s easy to start a conversation. These are the places and people I fit in with. It’s easy to relate to these people. At a bar at home, I don’t even know where to begin a conversation. Do I start with where they work? I’m use to asking people where they are from. Telling people about what I do for a living at a bar in the middle of Pennsylvania has interesting responses.

6. I love hearing and sharing travel stories. This doesn’t seem to be the case for non-travelers. I feel I come out as if I’m full of myself as I share my stories. I prefer to give my travel stories in small doses. When I’m asked which countries I’ve been to, non-travelers seem to lose interest by the forth country and I can see it in their eyes (or it could be they’ve never heard of most of the countries).

Vang Vieng, Laos

7. Being a traveler means I’ve built new habits. After living in China for a year, I’ve built the habit of staring which is totally acceptable thing to do. Sometimes it’s at beautiful girl, a food dish I’ve never tried, or anything else interesting around me. I’ll have to readapt to avoid any smacks, ews, or what are you looking at. Other habits include table manners, gestures, the way I talk, and act.

Returning home was awfully difficult for me last year but I think this time I’m much more prepared on what to expect. I also have a lot of future travel plans to look forward to (Everywhere Connection) so I’m not as worried about the next steps as I was last year. I also had the idea that maybe reverse culture shock was all in my head and we’re all not that different. Either way, it’s much harder than normal culture shock.

Did you have a hard time readapting to your home culture after traveling?

What non-travelers will never understand about me is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

What was the reaction of your friends and family when you told them you were going to backpack around the world?

Here’s an email by Roslyn Ruslan that inspired me to write this article:

Hey Michael,

I’m a nineteen year old Malaysian, and I saw your blog through Twenty-SomethingTravel. Just wanted to tell you that I’m a massive fan, and I’m hoping to one day do a proper RTW soon.

I’m currently studying architecture, so there’s a lot of things on my plate for the next few months. I got back from a trip to India a few weeks ago, and I’m hoping to do a few. Your site has been a great inspiration for me to seriously start saving up for a proper gap year. Well, everything’s in the works.

Backpacking isn’t something commonly desired by young Malaysians. We weren’t raised in the environment that we should go off to see different countries, to broaden our perspective. The necessity to actually go out and experience new cultures is severely lacking. I guess it’s because often times, we are the ‘visited’ instead of the ‘visitors’. I hope to see changes in that mentality soon, because it’s quite difficult to find a travel buddy.

So, anyway, thanks for all the tips, photos, shared experiences!

Adios!
-Roslyn Ruslan
Twitter: @roslynruslan

My Response

Hey Roslyn,

Thanks for emailing me! One of the benefits of dating another travel blogger is getting free links. Not a bad perk.

I’m glad Art of Backpacking has become inspirational to you. Emails like yours keep me motivated.

In cultures where international travel is out of the norm, I think we just need to understand that there are cultural differences between the ideas. While some cultures consider international travel to be fairly common, others consider it selfish. In the US, some mocked me that I was throwing my life away and others had wished they could do it. Once I left and put Facebook photos on my wall of all the different places, they started asking me questions how they could travel and it then started a chain reaction of travelers. I try to inspire my friends back at home but in the end they need to discover it on their own.

Thanks again,
Michael

Image: Photography by BJWOK / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Backpacking VS Society is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

Suffice to say when the opportunity arose to travel alone, I was excited. I trawled websites using the search terms “travelling alone” and “woman” and developed a flair for seeking out the information I wanted to hear: That solo travel was the best way to travel: liberating, easy, and that you were “never really alone” as you were always meeting similarly-minded awesome people on a bus, train or hostel room. In short, it is the best thing ever, and anyone that says otherwise was just trying to compensate for his or her timidity of spirit. If you’re a prospective solo traveller, I’m not trying to put you off. But avoid over-romanticising solo travel. I know it’s something I’m guilty of. Here I list a few things I wish someone had told me before I headed off on my journey of a lifetime.

Eating a churro in Lisbon

1. Travelling alone sometimes means travelling alone.

I set off with the expectation of constantly meeting new people, having new experiences, and hitting the dance floor every night: a hypersocial environment where I’d have to consciously carve out some “me” time. Now, unless you’re some sort of hyper-social maniac (and these people do exist, possibly assisted by an amphetamine) this is not going to be the case, all the time. You will meet new people, and you will have amazing new experiences. But don’t forget that there will be quiet days – days in which you will meet no-one.

I distinctly remember having one of those days upon visiting the majestic city that is Granada, Spain . Upon stumbling across my hostel I was suddenly struck by the smell of fresh paint: the hostel was brand new, multi-coloured and harbouring a distinct lack of clientele. Wandering into my 12-bedroom dorm, I realised I may have been the first backpacker that room had seen.

Venturing into the daylight, the relentless grandeur of the city become all the more frustrating in light of having no-one to share it with. I stared enviously at groups of American tourists, taking photos of my own shoes in defiance of the beauty that surrounded me. My previous motives for travelling alone were becoming increasingly unclear.

Streets of Valparaiso, Chile

What I’ve learnt: It is clear that the main source of my frustration during these times was a discrepancy between some deeply unrealistic expectations and the realities of travelling on one’s own. Before setting off on your adventure, it’s important to get comfortable with the fact that you may be spending long stretches of time in foreign countries with only the voices in your head for company.

One solution is to learn how to embrace and enjoy the time you have alone. It’s a good idea to spend some time in your hometown before you leave. Go shopping alone, see a film alone, sit in a café alone, all the while trying to absorb your surroundings and the people around you. You need to embrace the “alone” part of travelling – read lots of books, listen to good music and most importantly, keep a travel journal (a fish out of water breeds great writing!). Remember, when things get social during travel, they get really social – so embrace the crazy times, and relish your downtime. You’ll thank me later.

2. Slow and steady wins the race

As you make your way across the big wide world, you’ll inevitably come across a flurry of ‘speedpackers’ – the type of traveller that takes pride in their ability to cram as many countries into their itinerary as possible , while exploiting every opportunity to keep you informed of their hectic schedule (“DUDE! I’ve been to 3 countries in the last 10 minutes!”).

San Telmo markets - Buenos Aires, Argentina

What I’ve learnt: While the temptation to zip around a compact continent such as Europe is understandable, the costs often outweigh the benefits. For example, getting on a bus, train or plane every few days is expensive. For the price of a bus ticket from Buenos Aires to Santiago for example, you could’ve funded three more days of mate-sipping on Argentinian rooftops. It may not seem like much of a sacrifice, but the costs of crawling from city to city can punch a significant hole in your back account.

If the financial cost isn’t enough to put you off, the emotional cost might be – travelling fast is stressful, especially when you’re wandering alone. I once went to New Zealand for two weeks. Propelled by a desire to see as much of the South Island as possible, I jumped on a bus every couple of days. One morning, pulling myself out of bed at 5am to catch the bus, I started to wonder why my trip felt less like a holiday and more like an bad job. Rather than spending half of your holiday on a bus – linger longer, make some local friends, learn a new language. It’s easier on the wallet, stress levels, and about 100 times more fulfilling. In any case, you’ve got to save something for next time, right?

3. The world is a much safer place than we’re otherwise led to believe.

Prior to fleeing my home I spent a lot of time agonising over all the things that could go wrong. Getting attacked in London, mugged in Barcelona, kidnapped in Colombia, the possibilities for diaster were apparently endless. My fear wasn’t helped by trawling a certain internet travel forum (let’s call it ‘Lonely Janet’), at which point I was convinced my drinks would get spiked, and was to end up unconscious in a dingy Parisian alleyway.

At one stage during my travels, I was certain that it was my turn to meet my tragic travel fate. My hostel owner had given me directions to the bank – but warned me to take care. Wandering over to question I started to see why– the stray dogs, the gawking men – I immediately felt unsafe. I quickly snuck into an ATM, withdrew my pesos and hotfoot my way out of there. I wasn’t too far from my hostel when I realised a man had suddenly snuck upon me and tapped me on the shoulder, breathing heavily. I panicked – what did he want? Before I could make a dash for it I noticed a familiar piece of coloured plastic glowing in the man’s hand.

It was my credit card. I had left it in the machine. The man had been chasing after me and trying to catch his breath. I was stunned. “Muchas Gracias!” I managed. He turned and head back in the opposite direction while I stood, astounded, in the middle of the street.

Learning Spanish in Argentina

What I’ve learnt: While I’m not trying to suggest that the world is free from danger, I do believe that the world is a much safer, more accessible place than we are otherwise led to believe. I was reasonably careless throughout my five months in Europe and South America and was never once kidnapped, robbed, or harassed. I know what you’re thinking – I was just lucky. That’s probably true. But considering most solo travellers are, there’s got to be more to it than that.

Buenos Aires, Argentina tango lessons

.

Travelling Alone – What I’ve Learnt is a post from Art of Backpacking

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.

Christian’s Email

Hi Michael,

I love your website, Art of Backpacking. In particular, I love your advice regarding the corporate lifestyle to your current lifestyle. I’m a freelance graphic/web designer and have considered many times going to work for banks & investment firms, but I’m still glad that I haven’t to this day. I graduated with a degree in Economics and unfortunately this degree put me in about $100,000 worth of debt. So while I learned a lot, I’m struggling because all I want to do is travel, yet I owe huge payments (more than my rent) every month. Any suggestions? I’ve already paid off one high interest credit card and the rest is being paid off very slowly.

Is it best to buckle down, get another job and pay off as much as I can before traveling? Or should I just move to another country and try to pay it off there (while I’m living my dreams)? Just curious about how you would handle this.

Thanks,

Christian

My Response

Hi Christian,

Thank you so much for emailing me. This is a good question and I’m often asked this.

I, too, had debt before I traveled. Debt is usually the main issue many people have when they’d like to travel but can’t. I believe it needs to be conquered with a plan in place before you travel.

There is something to consider. Are you traveling long-term? Or is this a short vacation? If it’s short term, it’s still possible and probably a good idea to take a trip regardless of debt. It could be a nice break from your day-to-day life.

Long-term travel (months or years) requires more freedom from the things that tie you to home. This includes debt, contracts, and goods.

As cliche as it is to say, debt never goes away and especially school debt unless you start paying it off. I believe it’s a better idea to pay off the debt as soon as possible within your home country where you may have more opportunities and a higher income than going abroad. If you do happen to get a higher income abroad, the first year or two is difficult to save. Being in a new country is exciting and thrilling, you’ll want to experience as much as you want because that might be the whole reason you’ve moved abroad otherwise you could be doing the same thing back at home.

Having a dream is a great step forward but the preparation to get to the dream is where all the action is. Steps can’t be skipped and it’s a long difficult process. With determination and will power, the travel dream can be achieved by anyone. Remember your travel dream when you’re working and don’t get sucked into more debt. I hear many people say they’re going to travel and so they start saving for a month but then they lose motivation and continue their day-to-day job for years.

Good luck and safe travels!

Michael

Christian’s Email

Hi Michael,

To answer your question, I desire to travel long term. I want to backpack europe and asia over the span of a year and live abroad, perhaps in italy for a couple years.

I’ve been putting a tremendous amount of thought into this and I agree with you 100%. I think I need to pay down at least 60-70% in order to even consider traveling. Right now my student loan payments are more than my rent, which can be disheartening sometimes. But fortunately I’m only 26 and have a good amount of life left in me

I’ve already paid off one credit card (of two) which has relieved some stress. I think if I buckle down for two solid years I can pay off a significant portion of it my loans, although it won’t be easy by any means. Fortunately, reading blogs and websites like yours are extremely motivating. I love hearing the stories and I often find myself tearing pages from travel magazines to save for motivation too (definitely cheesy, but whatever works right?).

Christian

Like I said before, I love getting emails from all of you. Please feel free to send me any questions, suggestions, or comments to contact (at) artofbackpacking (dot) com.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Paying Debt VS The Travel Dream is a post from Art of Backpacking

Here’s a list of ways how becoming a minimalist has helped me become a better backpacker.

Smaller Backpack

I don’t need as much. My backpack is a 55L Eagle Creek Explorer LT. It has so far survived two years on the road and it’s still going strong. My back is not breaking because it’s light and easy to put on. In many airlines, it’s enough to even take as a carry-on. It’s easy to strap on and go.

What I took RTW

Saves Money

Since my backpack is small, I can’t carry much. I’m forced to buy less. It really makes me think twice about what I’m buying. This wasn’t ever an issue since I became a minimalist before I was a backpacker.

To me it feels good to own less. The less I own, the better I feel. I’m usually not tempted to buy too much. I’ve bought souvenirs as a personal remembrance of some places but they are always small and sometimes they were free. I don’t need anything fancy. I’m spending the money on experiences rather than material goods.

Less to deal with at home

I don’t need to rent a storage house. In fact, all I have is a small box that is kept at my mother’s house. I’ve sold all my possessions prior to traveling. Just like my last

I have nothing holding me back

I can travel for as long as I want. I have, as many Americans do, student loans – other than that, I don’t have to pay for anything else. I’m free to backpack for as long as I’d like without worrying about delaying anything back at home. I’ve met many backpackers that unwillingly need to go back home because of all the “stuff” they have back at home.

Appreciating the small things

Not owning anything outside of a backpack and a box makes me appreciate the little things in my life. What I own means a lot to me.

How Minimalism Has Helped Me Become a Better Backpacker is a post from Art of Backpacking

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. Many said the Chinese traditional way is to work as hard as possible for their future of marriage, jobs, and a steady life. Most of my students would not hesitate to get married this instant. They’re about 20-years old. I simply wanted a relaxed discussion in English. It created interesting responses but one response in particular caught my attention which was that Money is Unlimited but Life is Limited.

This got me thinking of the life I chose for myself. When I worked for corporate America, I was living for tomorrow. I was setting a path for a better future because I was programmed to think I didn’t have enough.  The norm was to rise up the corporate ladder and so I did. It still wasn’t enough. As I made more money, I needed more money. Moving apartments and the ever growing amount of bills felt never ending. All this made me stop living for the moment and worry too much of what I would have in the future.

I am not saying not to prepare for your future but rather to balance your life. Simply, to remember that you are breathing today. You can use travel to re-shape your life.

Some people went around interviewing dying patients but not one person said they regretted not making more money or not working harder. They all seemed to say their regrets were not spending more time with the people they loved and not traveling more and relating more to the world and the planet. – Track name: Ta Moko by 1 Giant Leap

Great Wall of China

Money is Unlimited. Life is Limited. is a post from Art of Backpacking