Long Term Travel Tips: How You Can Make it Happen
Fed up of being stuck in the rat race? Want to get out and experience more of the world? If so, you might be toying with the idea of jumping on a plane and escaping your current situation long term. Extended travel can be a real eye-opening experience, and if it’s something you’re able to do before settling down, or during a work transition it’s well worth it. Here are some tips for planning long term travel adventures.
Sort Out Your Finances
The first thing you’ll need to consider when you’re going to be traveling for long periods is to determine how you will be able to afford it. Do you have enough money saved up, or will you need to work while you’re away to support yourself? Will you need to get a working holiday visa to get a job, or do you already have an established source of income (such as a blog or Youtube channel or online job) that you can continue with and earn while you travel? Get yourself a virtual online po box so you can keep up with your mail and run your venture from anywhere in the world. Spend some time figuring out exactly how much money you’ll need for basic living needs, bearing in mind that other countries will have different costs in of living in regard to accommodation and food.
Make Arrangements With Work
If you currently work as an employee and will be taking time off or leaving your job completely, there are things that you will have to sort out before you go. If you have a job that’s willing to let you take a leave, that’s something you will need to arrange with them. If you’re leaving completely then you will have an advance notice period you’ll need to comply with, so be sure to inform them in writing ahead of time. You will need to consider how you obtain your health insurance, how you will manage your banking and communications.
Work out your Living Arrangements Back Home
If you own a property that you currently live in, and know you will be travelling for six months or more, why not look into renting it out? That way you get a little income while you’re gone or at least are able to keep up with mortgage repayments without having to use savings for a home you’re not living in. If you rent your property it probably makes sense to give it up, otherwise, you’re paying rent on an empty property and it may not be something the landlord allows anyway. Again, make sure you’ve given your proper notice period so you’re not being charged when you go. You might give consideration to doing a home swap with someone who is in the destination you wish to spend time in.
Get Your Paperwork in Order
An important thing to remember is that your passport will need to have a long expiration date left on it. Some countries require six or three months left on a passport for you to enter, so this needs to be paid attention to well in advance of your proposed travels. Don’t risk it or cut it too close, if it’s coming to an end within a year your best bet would be to just update it right away. You’ll also need to consider visas, if you’re traveling to lots of different places on your trip, it could be easier to use a visa service agency to arrange all the various visas you may need.
