How can I travel around the world?

Okay, so you made the decision to take a long term trip. Congratulations! The hard part is over! But now, how does one even start to plan? We learned things about long term travel we never knew existed. Travel blogs with firsthand experience were filled with information, resources and plenty of inspiration!

1. Make your list of countries.

This part is easy. Start dreaming. If you've ever thought, "I've always wanted to see what Australia is all about!" or "I am fascinated with Japanese culture," then include those! No nation is out of your reach. The world is getting smaller and smaller, take advantage.

Sit down solo or with your travel partner and make your list. We spent a few breakfasts at our local diner editing our list, adding to it and trying to make a path around the world that makes sense. We had no idea how we would do it or even how much it would cost it, but make an extensive list that can be shortened if necessary. For example, an African safari was just too expensive for our budget and eventually didn't make the cut.

2. More Money, Less Problems... when planning travel!

I've read the same quote on several travel blogs and I will include it here. "Pack what you think you will need and save your money. Then halve your items packed and double your savings."

Start with your most expensive costs. For us, it was transportation. Depending on how you would like to wander around the world, there are a few options for you. You can either plan your first flight and go from there, booking each flight individually to give you more flexibility. The other option for flights is to book a "round the world ticket" where each stop will be booked prior to departing. This is the option that we chose. You can't fly by the seat of your pants, but we liked the structure it brought. The option we found was quite affordable compared to booking several flights separately. We tried One World Alliance and Star Alliance and found the tickets very pricey! These options have several stipulations and rules such as a certain number of stops, travel must be in the same direction (east to west or west to east), and must be completed in 12 months. We chose a company out of the UK to book our round the world ticket . They also book through the One World Alliance airlines but we found it was about half the price as dealing with One World directly. The only downside is we have to fly in and out of the UK. Even with our flight to and from London, we got a great deal!

Next think of your daily budget. Is it possible to live on $100/day? Depending on where you are going, you can live on $20/day! We are amazed at how affordable some of our destinations are going to be. Countries like Argentina, Peru, Indonesia, Thailand, are extremely cheap and will offset our time in some more expensive places like Australia, New Zealand, and Europe. Do your research and see how much it will cost in your destinations. Also consider the quality of lodging that is acceptable for you. Do you need a 5 star hotel or will you be sleeping in hostels or maybe something in between?

Make sure to plan money for your "must do" activities. We have things we want to experience. Some of which are a bit costly. Hiking the Inca trail, winery visits, the great barrier reef, futbol games in South America, Japanese baseball, museums, dance lessons, and regional cuisine are all things we want to account for in our budget. There are other costs you may not think to account for such as: airport shuttle transportations, visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, foreign transaction fees, international calling plans, etc. Not to mention any expenses you have waiting for you at home.

Lastly, plan for a substantial savings to return to. Depending on your situation, you may be able to work on the road or be able to come back to your job. But if you will need to search for a job upon your return, plan for some money to help get you back into the grind.

3. Timing is everything

When can you go? This will probably depend on several factors such as how quickly you can save, apartment leases, when your travel partner can depart, etc. Keep in mind that the seasons in the US are not the same around the globe. Research your destinations and plan accordingly. We plan to arrive in South America during their summer. New Zealand and Australia will also be in their summer months when we arrive in January. Some months are unbearable to visit or could be a rainy season in any specific region. Also be aware of festivals and events that you may want to attend (or avoid). These events may drive prices up for hotels and restaurants in a given area.

4. Make lots of lists, and check them all twice. Then check them again.

We have several excel sheets. We update them on a daily basis. With just so many factors to keep track of we rely on these to keep it all straight! We track how on target we are with each item by using red, yellow, and green labels and stick to a timeline. Everything from notifying our apartment, canceling the cable, to renewing our passports and getting our visas. We also track our savings monthly and any purchases we have made prior to the trip.

Make lists of what you will need to pack and purchase. We bought our luggage, foot gear, and quick drying clothes. Locks for our bags, electric converters, and even down to a portable clothes line, all the little things you forget that you will need is jotted down because otherwise we would forget!

5. Get your mind right.
Don't forget to get excited! With all the work that goes on behind the scenes, its easy to forget you are going to travel the world! Nelson and I have made this trip the focal point of our lives for the past few months. We spend hours researching, planning, purchasing and booking. Its most rewarding when we have a down moment and we say to one another "I can't wait to see the world with you!" It may not have hit us yet that we are leaving in less than two months, but we try to remind ourselves that this trip is a reality that is getting closer and closer!