Imagine this: you’re on a spontaneous adventure, enjoying carefree nights with new friends in unfamiliar places, savoring delicious food at bargain prices, and having all the time in the world to soak it all in. Welcome to the realm of long-term travel.
People often ask me, "What’s your secret? How do you manage to travel so much and for such extended periods? Did you quit your job? Do you have a trust fund?" The answer is no. There’s no hidden secret or special trick to it.
I’ve shared my travel experiences numerous times, but some still suspect I’m holding back some secret formula. They wonder if I’ve won the lottery or if my parents are footing the bill. But the truth is, there’s nothing extraordinary about me or other long-term travelers. We’re not superheroes with secret Swiss bank accounts or magical teleportation abilities.
Sure, privilege plays a role, but we’re not doing anything unique. People from all walks of life have been traveling like this for decades. We’re just ordinary people, like you, who decided to explore the world.
When I first discovered long-term travel, I thought the backpackers I met in Chiang Mai had unlocked some secret to life. But once I started traveling myself, I realized there was no secret. Millions of people do this every year, even those with limited funds.
I initially thought I was embarking on a unique adventure, but then I met other travelers in places like Khao San Road and Amsterdam. They were all doing the same thing, and none of them were trust fund babies. They simply did what they wanted, which was a revolutionary concept for me at the time.
But now, after years of travel, I see it’s not so revolutionary. If you want something, you find a way to make it happen. If you want a new TV or computer, you save up for it. If you’re craving sushi for dinner, you’ll have sushi for dinner. The same goes for travel. If you truly want to travel, you’ll find a way.
These travelers simply arranged their lives to afford their adventures. They saved more, took on extra jobs, cut back on eating out, and found work overseas. They did whatever it took. As the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way.
People often ask me if I worry about bills, retirement, or the future. Honestly, I don’t. When you’re a long-term traveler, you don’t have bills because you don’t have a home. You just spend what you need each day, usually less than $50.
My mom once told me to save more for retirement so I could travel more. Then she realized I was already doing that and laughed it off. I believe we shouldn’t spend our best years working non-stop, saving for a future we might not get to enjoy. Sure, we save for rainy days, but we don’t stress about the future. We live in the present, and the future will sort itself out.
So, when you ask how we do it, there’s no secret. We made a conscious decision to travel and worked towards that goal, just like you would for any other goal in your life. Now that you know the "secret," it’s time to make your travel dreams come true!
