Extended travel 101

OK, it’s what a lot of people always dream of doing and it’s what I always wanted to do. As soon as I set off traveling in 2008 I decided almost instantly that this was the life for me. If only somehow I could find a way, a way to travel as far and as long as I wanted…. Well I did! and what I’ve found out so far is:

You can’t just get on a plane.

In theory: It’s not that simple and we all know it’s not. Extended travel is a big commitment, and one that most people have never even attempted. The truth is buying the ticket in the first place is probably the biggest hurdle. But being prepared to stay away is just as big! Make sure you tie up loose ends like bank accounts and contracts, and that everything you still need access to is accessible from anywhere… Hello online banking!

In Practice: I found more than anything this to be the trickiest thing, making sure my bank is equipped with a good online banking system, fair charges and not going to block every transaction I try to make ( We use UK bank Nationwide) it also helps to have a second or “back up account” and even a credit card.

It’s all about opportunity.

In Theory: The opportunity to get away and stay away will only be available if your available to see it. If your bogged down with financial commitments, your career or something else then the opportunity is very likely to pass you by without you even noticing it! Don’t be fooled, staying commitment and debt free isn’t an easy task but the beauty is in being able to make those responsibilities mobile!

In Practice: What worked for us was setting a realistic goal (a leaving date + saving enough cash to survive for a while), buying the one way ticket as soon as we could afford it and getting our heads down to earn money with ONLY that goal in mind. See our article on “How being boring can help you go backpacking“

Examine your skills.

In Theory: Some skills work in some countries and not in others. Differing labour costs, language barriers and work permits all stand in the way of travellers employment. Taking generic jobs along the way is open to anyone who looks hard enough, like promoting for bars or WWOOFing. The problem is these kinds of jobs tend to pay in free drinks or food and accommodation. While a great way to save money they wont earn you very much.

In Practice: I’m a fully qualified and actually if I may say, pretty damn good carpenter. But here where I’m living at the moment in Cambodia… It means nothing… Labour is cheap and tools are not – People are better off hiring locals who will make a better job for less money. But I can make a website… And so that’s what’s working for us right now. Taking everything I’ve learned from keeping a blog for 4 years and turning that into something that can earn us a living. What I’m all about at the moment is location independent income – and web design and blogging can be done from anywhere!

If your interested some sites I’ve made so far are Monkey Island Cambodia and Monkey Republic Sihanoukville.

Learn new ones.

In Theory: If you really have nothing to offer the big wide world… Learn something new before you leave, something as simple as how to teach English to other people, how to take photographs, play blackjack online or internet roulette (seen it done may times – although I wouldn’t recommend it, but what do I know). Learning a new skill will probably help you to save money before you leave too.

In Practice: What worked for me was learning how to build blogs, websites and actually be a blogger. The main part of our income comes from this little old travel blog and making sites for local businesses. I have to stress – It wasn’t easy, I had no formal training and it took a whole year, but it paid off! Georgie on the other hand learned how to work a camera and now takes travel pictures for guide books and publications and makes video’s for a local NGO who help street children in Cambodia.

Make your money your business.

In Theory: Look after it and it will keep you doing what you love. If your not into frequent flyer miles or rewards credit cards… Then get into them. There’s a whole host of ways to save what may seem like insignificant amounts of money but (here comes the cliche) as we all know “look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves“.

In Practice: We got onto airline newsletter mailing lists – There’s often massive savings to be had here, see our article on how we got from London to South East Asia for less than £100.

Look into frequent flyer miles – A great resource is “Become a frequent flyer MASTER“. Choose the right travel credit cards/bank accounts so you can start racking up miles.

Lastly… Don’t over plan your trip. Travel gets ridiculously cheaper when you start moving slowly. You really don’t have to thunder around the world trying to see everything… You’ll end up seeing nothing! Also opportunities for working while you travel (see our article on how to make money while you travel) won’t be so forthcoming if your only planning on a few days in each destination. Move slowly, see the world, take your time!

Aaron Bradford has written 385 articles. +Aaron Bradford is the leader, mentor and chief geek of HappyTimeblog. He put together the crack team of writers known by codename “The Firm“. He's a permanent traveller and a lifestyle hacker. Wanna know more? Check out my Bucket List or my About page... I'm here to show you how to live a Life Less Ordinary