Around-the-World Travel - Best Advice
December 20, 2012
Are you planning an around-the-world trip or extended travel as a family, couple or solo traveler? We got lots of advice before we left on our open ended family world trip seven years ago, but the best advice we got was to take more than a year.
I talked to several people who had done around-the-world trips and most took a year and every single one said it was just not long enough. Before long term travel, a year seems like a long time for a perpetual vacation, but amazingly it zips by so fast and the world is big. Slow travel is essential if you don't want to experience travel burn out and if keeping costs down is important to you.
We sold our home in 2005 to start this digital nomad travel lifestyle and took a year to prepare including lots of small trips as we sold almost all of our belongings and became minimalists. Now there are many websites and books on this topic, but then there were almost none as tech wasn't quite there to make it as easy as it is today.
Frankly, even seven years have zipped by. We didn't know our around-the-world trip would be so long or that we'd go round-the-world a few times and see many countries we had never expected to see or be on our list. 45 countries now on 5 continents since we began with many of them very deep explorations with many return trips to our "homes' around the world. We just fell in love with the freedom of our travel lifestyle that allows us such a rich life on little.
The more we travel, explore and see, the bigger we realize this planet is. A RTW trip will change you and your world view, so my best advice, is to go slow, keep it open-ended, follow your heart, bliss and take as much time as you can to get to know this incredible planet, it's wonderful people and yourself.
Before we began, we didn't know that this was all possible and had our share of fears about travel. If you are called to world travel or ANY other dream, trust your heart, prepare well and make it happen!
Are you planning an around-the-world trip or extended travel as a family, couple or solo traveler? We got lots of advice before we left on our open ended family world trip seven years ago, but the best advice we got was to take more than a year.
I talked to several people who had done around-the-world trips and most took a year and every single one said it was just not long enough. Before long term travel, a year seems like a long time for a perpetual vacation, but amazingly it zips by so fast and the world is big. Slow travel is essential if you don't want to experience travel burn out and if keeping costs down is important to you.
We sold our home in 2005 to start this digital nomad travel lifestyle and took a year to prepare including lots of small trips as we sold almost all of our belongings and became minimalists. Now there are many websites and books on this topic, but then there were almost none as tech wasn't quite there to make it as easy as it is today.
Frankly, even seven years have zipped by. We didn't know our around-the-world trip would be so long or that we'd go round-the-world a few times and see many countries we had never expected to see or be on our list. 45 countries now on 5 continents since we began with many of them very deep explorations with many return trips to our "homes' around the world. We just fell in love with the freedom of our travel lifestyle that allows us such a rich life on little.
The more we travel, explore and see, the bigger we realize this planet is. A RTW trip will change you and your world view, so my best advice, is to go slow, keep it open-ended, follow your heart, bliss and take as much time as you can to get to know this incredible planet, it's wonderful people and yourself.
Before we began, we didn't know that this was all possible and had our share of fears about travel. If you are called to world travel or ANY other dream, trust your heart, prepare well and make it happen!
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Definitely agree! I'm currently living in Korea and after being here 4 months I still have so much to learn, explore, discover. Obviously we can't ever see everything in the world, but I can't imagine only having a week or two here on a year long RTW trip, just not enough time!
Posted by: Pat | December 22, 2012 at 07:00 PM
Yes, definitely nice to have some time for sure Pat. We love slow travel and it's a sure way to prevent travel burn out! ;)
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | December 30, 2012 at 07:20 AM
We took our kids to New Zealand and Australia or 4 months. We did whatever we wished, often making the most of a tiny town where w'ed book a few weeks in a house exchange or rental. Sometimes running out of activities was the best thing because it forced us to be creative, take lessons, and explore areas in a way we wouldn't have if we'd stayed only a few days. Slow is good when you can do it.
Posted by: Trisha | January 24, 2013 at 09:56 AM
Great advice. I'm preparing for my own long term trip but I'll be going solo. I'm sure I'll learn and grow along the way. I'm excited for all of the experiences.
Posted by: Wil | January 24, 2013 at 11:10 AM
Good for you Trisha! Slow travel and extended trips are also the best way to save money and get the most out of travel.
Now that almost anyone can work and school ANY where, travel is in a whole new paradigm.
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | January 24, 2013 at 06:01 PM
Thanks Wil, I am sure you will have a blast and the basic advice is the same for solo, couple or family travel RTW.
As a solo, you will just have to work a bit harder in making friends along the way, but that should be easy at hostels and campgrounds. ;)
Posted by: Jeanne @soultravelers3 | January 24, 2013 at 06:03 PM