Twenty-Something Travel Goes Round-The-World! An FAQ

Posted on 28. Jun, 2010 by in Housekeeping, Philosophy

I had a moment of clarity last week when I finally bit the bullet and bought my ticket to Tokyo. It was exciting but kind of nerve wracking: my big trip just went from theoretical to very, very real. I’m definitely, seriously, honest-to-god leaving the country on September 22nd and I don’t know when I’m coming back.

In honor of that, and because I’ve been fielding a lot of questions lately, both online and in real life, I thought I would take a moment to answer the most asked questions about my trip.

WHAT are you doing, you crazy girl?

I’ve never been an enthusiast of the working 9-5 for 40 years thing, so I’m trying to break out of that mold and pursue the things that make me most happy in life. Starting in September I’m going to be backpacking around the world for at least a year, depending on how long the money holds out. I’m going to be writing about my travels here and hopefully demonstrating how accessible and realistic budget world travel can be.

Crazy isn't that far off...

Where are you going?

My itinerary is in constant flux. I have a basic idea of what I want to do but I’m trying to be open to changes due to logistics, budget and serendipity.

That said, here is what I am currently planning:

  • September 22- October 8- Japan (learning to like sushi and whirlwind tour of the major sites)
  • October- China (Fulfilling my life long dream to hug a panda)
  • November, December- Australia (visiting old friends, hopefully taking a road trip and trying not to get eaten by a shark)

From there I’m figuring on 5-6 months in South East Asia, than heading up to Turkey, Greece and the Balkans.

Obviously this is pretty vague. If you want a more up to date idea of where I am in the world please follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

What about your job?

For the past two years I’ve been working a 9-5 that can best be described as “not terrible.” I have absolutely no reservations about leaving something I don’t care about for the chance to pursue something I really DO care about. I will be giving up security and salary of course, but sitting in a windowless cubicle all day just isn’t worth it to me.

What I care most about, what I think I’m actually good at, is traveling and writing about my travels. It’s the only “job” I’ve ever had that I actually liked beyond getting a paycheck. It’s my hope that this trip won’t just be an extended career break, but a step towards a new career and style of living.

Wait a minute… You’re going alone?

This is by far the number one question I’m asked.

For the most part, yes! A friend is joining me for a couple of months in Australia, and I’m hoping to visit a lot of friends both old and new along the way. Other than that I will be primarily going it alone.

I have a dream, and I’m not going to sit around and wait until I meet someone who is crazy enough to want to do the exact same thing. I have a feeling I’d be waiting a long time.  So if that means figuring out how to navigate the world on my own steam, I’m up to the challenge.

My solo photo taking skills need work though

Aren’t you scared?

I’m more excited than anything else but yes, sometimes I’m scared.  However, I don’t see this as a good excuse not to go. I’m a big believer in the importance of doing things that scare you.

How can you afford this?

I’m not independently wealthy and I don’t have rich parents. I have college loans and an entry-level job like most any twenty-five year old. I am paying for this entire trip out of my own pocket. I’ve been saving for two years to make this dream a reality: mostly by living at home and putting away as much money as humanely possible (that was supposed to say humanly, but I’m leaving it as humanely- I think it’s more true).

While I’m abroad I’ll be trying to keep my living expenses as low as possible by staying in hostel dorms, eating street food and generally being a cheap bum. I’m estimating that I can travel for a year in this style for about 20K.

You can read more about how I saved for this trip here.

Well good for you, but why should I care?

Most of us (particularly in the US) have been told our entire lives that there is a specific life model we need to follow: go to school, get a job, get married, have kids, work work work, retire and THEN maybe if you are in good health and financially secure you can do some traveling.

Well I’m not buying it. There is no one size fits all path to a happy and fulfilled existence. I mean this is the most practical, least hippy-dippy way possible. Life is about choices: figuring out what you want, pursuing your passions, finding what makes you happy and than finding a realistic way to make it happen.

If for you that means working in a cubicle for the next 10 years than more power to you. But if you want an alternate option: a chance to travel, to learn about yourself and the world around you than you owe it to yourself to pursue that. And luckily, your twenties are a really awesome time to do that.

I’m hoping to demonstrate that extended travel in your twenties, whether it is a career break, a chance to work abroad or something entirely different, is a viable and even a responsible option. The world is there, waiting for you, if you’re willing to make it happen.

Me. Happiest.

Photo: CarbonNYC

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71 Responses to “Twenty-Something Travel Goes Round-The-World! An FAQ”

  1. Christine

    20. Jun, 2010

    I agree with you 100% on so many things in this piece–so excited for you and can’t wait to follow your adventures around the world!

    Reply to this comment
  2. Andrew

    20. Jun, 2010

    Completely freaking awesome. Way to go!!

    Reply to this comment
  3. Shannon OD

    20. Jun, 2010

    Congrats on making that step and for following through with your goal after saving for your RTW trip for so long!

    Reply to this comment
  4. Washi

    20. Jun, 2010

    Wow that is so exciting! I will be following you all the way…

    Reply to this comment
  5. Greg

    20. Jun, 2010

    Steph, fantastic post. I absolutely feel the same way. When I got told to move on from a job I didn’t much care for in April, I made it a priority to turn my dreams of seeing some more of this world into action. Two months later and I have my SA-Aus-NZ-SE Asia-Japan ticket booked! I leave two days after you for Rio and plan likewise on being in Australia in December. Will be following as you start your RTW trip. Good luck.

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      20. Jun, 2010

      Neat, sounds like we have similar itineraries! Good luck to you as well!

      Reply to this comment
  6. AdventureRob

    20. Jun, 2010

    Good work on the long term saving, it’s the best way to set yourself up for travelling really. I think it’s becoming more common to go backpacking these days, especially with the internet being generally reliable worldwide to keep in touch and with the recession with less jobs, it’s bettter than sitting around waiting for another job at home :-)

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      20. Jun, 2010

      yeah, sometimes I wonder if it’s crazy to quit my job in a recession, but I am hopeful things will have picked up by the time I head back stateside.

      Reply to this comment
  7. Mike

    20. Jun, 2010

    Awesome and good for you. I will definitely be following your blog. I am doing close to the same thing as you and will traveling to NZ in November and Australia in December as the beginning of my RTW year trip. It’ll be fun reading about your experiences.

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      20. Jun, 2010

      Great to see so many other people out there with similar plans! Good luck!

      Reply to this comment
  8. Matt

    20. Jun, 2010

    See you in New Zealand!

    Reply to this comment
  9. Adventurous Kate

    20. Jun, 2010

    SO excited for you!!

    Hope we can meet up in SEA. :-)

    Reply to this comment
  10. Alouise

    21. Jun, 2010

    Congratulations on buying that plane ticket. All that hard work will pay off. Can;t wait to hear more from your adventures.

    Reply to this comment
  11. Joya

    21. Jun, 2010

    Congratulations on everything. I’m sure you’ve been working hard for the past two years and come September it will all be worth it. I can’t wait to read all about your trip!

    Reply to this comment
  12. Ramblingsaffie

    21. Jun, 2010

    Ticket booked!! Congrats, not long now!!

    Reply to this comment
  13. This is sooo exciting! I wish I had done something like this in my 20′s. While I have been able to travel quite a bit, I have never done a long term adventure like this. I encourage younger people to follow their passions because to some degree, I didn’t do that/get that chance. Good luck, and I will be eagerly following your adventures!

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thanks Terri, that seems to be a common reaction from a lot of the older people I meet. Makes me think I’m (hopefully) on the right track!

      Reply to this comment
  14. Dona

    21. Jun, 2010

    Good for you! I did a solo year of wandering back in 2008 and my only suggestion is to bring a gorilla tripod….its great to look back now and have photos of myself aren’t just pieces of my head against unknown scenery! You go girl!

    Reply to this comment
  15. Alisha

    21. Jun, 2010

    Good for you! It is liberating when you actually buy the ticket. It’s no longer a dream, it’s a reality! Hopefully we will meet on the road someday!

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thanks! It definitely put things in perspective: it’s all real now!

      Reply to this comment
  16. Lorraine

    21. Jun, 2010

    Congratulations! I’m in exactly the same boat as you (I’m 1 week into my year of backpacking) and agree with everything you said above. Looking forward to hearing about your travels!

    Reply to this comment
  17. Earl

    21. Jun, 2010

    Your decision to follow your desire to travel is the kind of decision that truly inspires others to find their own way in life as well. And over the course of your adventure you’ll now be exposed to a wealth of new opportunities that will change your life and which will help continue to motivate others.

    Congratulations on taking that step!

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thanks, I do see this as the first step along the road to something bigger and better than the life I have now.

      Reply to this comment
  18. Walter

    21. Jun, 2010

    We are inspired by your audacity. We will check in when we can and hope many people follow your lead to pursue what inspires them (no matter the risk!)

    In the words of Thoreau “Live the life you’ve imagined.”

    Safe Travels,

    Walter

    http://www.MillionDollarRoadTrip.com
    twitter @MillionDollarRT

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thank you Walter, I really like that word “audacious.” waaay better than “brave.”

      Reply to this comment
  19. Kristen

    21. Jun, 2010

    This post is perfect…I’m leaving for a trip in August, and I can’t count how many times I’ve gotten these exact same questions. I love the fact that the answers you have here are the EXACT same answers I give. I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks like this! Good luck with everything!

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thanks Kristen- it really is the same questions over and over! I’m almost ready to go just so I can stop answering them :)

      Reply to this comment
  20. Cassie

    21. Jun, 2010

    This is awesome – good luck & I hope you keep updating blog and/or twitter while you travel – I will live vicariously through you from my cubicle (until it’s my turn to jet set!)

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      21. Jun, 2010

      Thanks Cassie! I will definitely be chronicling everything in detail!

      Reply to this comment
  21. Candice

    21. Jun, 2010

    I hope I’m doing this someday too. :) For now, I’ll live vicariously through you!

    Reply to this comment
  22. Drew Meyers

    22. Jun, 2010

    “The world is there, waiting for you, if you’re willing to make it happen.”

    Love that sentence. I took the same step at the end of January when I quit my job and decided to hit the travel trail as well. I’m currently in Greece for the summer, and not sure where I’m going next. Maybe Spain, Turkey, Southeast Asia, or Africa. That’s the beauty of having nowhere I have to be. Quitting my job was by far the best decision I’ve ever made, even though I absolutely loved the job. The freedom of traveling is unrivaled by anything else.

    Reply to this comment
  23. MaryAnne

    25. Jun, 2010

    You’ll be grand on your own. Solo travel is my favourite travel- so much happens when you are totally open to what is around you. I’ve been traveling as a couple for the past two years and although my partner rocks as a co-traveler, I’ve noticed that the spontaneity level has severely decreased.

    Happy travels!

    Reply to this comment
  24. Financial Samurai

    26. Jun, 2010

    I really think it’s great more people in the US, who only speak one language are learning more languages and SEEING THE WORLD!

    Americans are so insulated! Good for you for taking the adventure!

    Did you basically just save up enough money and decided to just go?

    Thnx,

    Sam
    Yakezie Lifestyle

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      28. Jun, 2010

      Thanks Samurai, although I will add that a great deal of the Americans I know are bilingual at least.

      I’ve been saving money and planning for almost two years now! It’s going to be good to see things some together.

      Reply to this comment
  25. jhie

    28. Jun, 2010

    Wow cool! I’m so excited for you. Have a nice trip!

    Reply to this comment
  26. Michael

    29. Jun, 2010

    I’ve said this a million times. I’m so excited for you. See you in Asia perhaps? ;)

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      29. Jun, 2010

      We’ll see… I don’t know if you heard but I’m kind of a BFD.

      Reply to this comment
  27. Emily

    30. Jun, 2010

    Sweet post! I love your perspective about not wanting to waste time waiting around to find someone to go with you. Good for you! I also am not a fan of the 9-to-5 thing…I hope to do some long-term travel someday, too!

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      30. Jun, 2010

      Thanks Emily. I am trying to be a proactive person! So far it’s working out pretty well.

      Reply to this comment
  28. Leng | Globe Nomads

    01. Jul, 2010

    You go girl! Good luck and best wishes! Live the dream for the rest of us who can’t do it :)

    Reply to this comment
  29. Adam

    02. Jul, 2010

    It’s about time you did a FAQ!

    Reply to this comment
  30. Anthony

    04. Jul, 2010

    What a lovely and inspiring read :)

    Reply to this comment
  31. jon

    14. Jul, 2010

    Good for you for taking it on and making it happen.. From working here seeing people come to Ecuador to travel for the first time it´s the stuff that you get told before you go that´s the hardest to figure out..

    Handling a foriegn culture is easy after that! Hope it´s a great trip and I will follow you on the blog!

    Reply to this comment
  32. Sarah

    28. Jul, 2010

    Someone just recently sent me the link to your blog. I have only had time to read a few posts so far, but I love it! Even though I don’t know you, I’m so happy for you that you are taking this trip. I consider myself a “twenty something traveler” – I visited countries around the world through the study abroad program Semester at Sea, I am currently in China completing an internship, and I hope one day after college to take a trip similar to yours.

    I see you are going to Japan – I was only there for five days but I LOVED it. Everyone is so nice, friendly and helpful. I saw Hiroshima, Miyajima, Kyoto and Tokyo and I so wish I could have seen more. I would recommend all of those places, especially Kyoto.

    Have a great trip!

    Reply to this comment
  33. q8travelbud

    02. Aug, 2010

    Just like you said … our life here in Kuwait is also a check list and i get criticized a lot if I spend the money I save on trips rather than save it for the next on the check list … but a years work of saving! I hope I can do it … for now am sticking to a month at a time trips :) ….. Good luck on your trips

    Reply to this comment
  34. Ev

    03. Aug, 2010

    very inspiring :)
    nice to read about other people undertaking solo travel. i aim to do the same at the end of the year (Aus, NZ and north america). though i only have enough for half a year so may have to work.

    good luck!

    Reply to this comment
  35. Christian

    11. Aug, 2010

    Well done on getting the $20k saved to do this now – you’re going to have an AMAZING time. Look forward to seeing the trip blog develop in the next month or so.

    Reply to this comment
  36. Sasha

    22. Aug, 2010

    I’m so glad you’ve decided to come to China, the country that has captured my heart as cheesy as that sounds!!! :) It really is an amazing place, but a heads up cuddling a Panda is gonna set you back 1000RMB.

    Reply to this comment
    • Steph

      22. Aug, 2010

      I know, it’s a splurge. It’s a life dream though! Has to be done.

      Reply to this comment
  37. Katie

    29. Aug, 2010

    So, I just found your blog and realize I am commenting behind the times, but I just wanted to say I am so excited for you! I recently caught the travel bug after moving from Boston back home to Texas to take a “grown-up job.” Once I got here I quickly realized, kinda like you did, that the 9-5 life of being chained to a desk is So. Not. For. Me. I’m thinking of getting TEFL certified and taking off next June.
    But anyway, I just wanted to say good luck in Tokyo when you go, and I can’t wait to read more about your adventures! It’s admirable, what you’re doing, and I hope to someday soon do the same. :)

    Reply to this comment
  38. Christine

    30. Aug, 2010

    This post has many parallels with this post of mine: http://www.christineinspain.com/post/1017788801/times-magazine-ripped-off-my-idea

    I’d love for you to read it and give me your thoughts. Sounds like an exciting and inspiring year ahead–I used to live in Greece so if you need travel advice (particularly budget-friendly), shoot your questions my way!

    Reply to this comment
  39. Ariane

    24. Feb, 2011

    I’m late, but I still want to send you my best wishes. Good luck and have fun.

    Reply to this comment

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