I'm a broke-assed college student, old for a college student cause I waited, on my way to the corporate world most likely. Which I"m like 90 percent sure is what I want. But the other day when I was all stressed, I didn't go to my classes, thank God I didn't have to work that day cause I was not up to it. I got in my car, and just DROVE. and you know what? It felt SO good. Basically I just ended up going through a bunch of small towns north of Boulder, CO (where I am). But it just felt GOOD. Just driving, stopping at random places, no plan. Letting everything that was stressing me out just disappear, driving and driving and letting the miles build up... Then I came back to reality and drove back to Boulder...and wow I am so lucky my crappy car didn't break down during that whole day!!! the thing is SO on its way out lol. And you know what though? Sometimes I think I'd give it all up....school, my crappy apartment, the career I'm going after....to just do THAT, like, for years. Just drive. Be nowhere. Be everywhere. But how??? I'm probably not gonna, lol but I'm seriously curious, how??? if you aren't working, just moving, what do you do for gas, food, cigs (I need my cigs lol) etc? how do you do it?? Everything is so expensive. I have exactly 40 dollars in my account right now and I dont' get paid till next friday. How the hell does anyone afford to travel??? This is seriously random sorry lol
There are many ways, but what I do is to just work a bit, save up and go. For working a few months in my country, the Netherlands, I can travel for years in some cheaper countries.
yep, that's what I do as well. when I'm in asia from june I might get my dive master certificate so I can work on my favorite island in the world, Ko Lanta. you can save up western wages (one month's pay in my country, and I can get by for five months in Thailand) and go, then if you want, work while travelling.
May I ask how much you get paid for a ration like that? I'm doing minimum wage now, and need to give a month's warning before I leave. What would you estimate is the cost per month or week for your travel, and how much do you save?
my goal is US$15k this time, last time I went with about US$5k. I estimate US$20 per day for myself, which allows for 3 meals a day, lodging, and traveling every 3 or 4 days (in Thailand). so that's roughly $600/month. if you move around and go to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia you can get by even cheaper. south America is meant to be extremely cheap as well.
Some people work for a few months then go travel. Others work as they go. It really depends on your lifestyle and the amount of money you spend on the road. If you have a car, then obviously it will cost more for gas and such. But if you don't spend much money, then you don't really need much. I find that traveling with no set goals or intentions is fun at first, but after a while you begin to feel like you're just wandering around. So it's usually good to have some sort of idea where you want to go or what you want to do. But anyways, I would say go for it! That's what I'm going to do later this year. Life is short and you are still young so do it while you have the chance. You don't want to spend all your time planning for the future, because then when you get there, you'll wonder where your life went. Good luck!
im having the same problem. i mean, the only reason im still home is my mom is single parent with my kid bros and weve been bouncing around crappy appartments. what i really want to do is spend some time on the road or in a different countrie for a while, then start up a commune for people with my dilema as well. if anyone can tell me your plan, id love to hear. id get my other hippie friends and everyone you want and kick around the back roads for a while sounds like a break everyone needs.
wow everyone on here seems so cool hehe! I love these travellers sections of the boards! But yeah, you seem really cool Lilah, I'm in the UK and in the same kinda situation really, I mean I found studying and planning for future and all that sutff waaay too stressful for me and my mind is kinda telling me to get some feeling of being free and liberated from things, you know? I want to really enjoy my time and see the world! But yeah having money for it is tricky, i wanted to just like, pay for the first flight and then earn as I go, maybe travel on merchant ships or anything really, so long as it's cheap and I can see new places and hang out with a travelling buddy or hopefully travelling group of friends! Anywho yeah, us budding travellers need to get chatting more! hehe Mike
Well, if you're single, no kids, no car and nothing tying you down... you can always teach English in South Korea. They pay for your flight, pay for your apartment, set you up, everything... and all you need is a college degree. I work in a public school here and I get five weeks (actually, more than that) off per year, at which time I travel around... last time, I went to the Philippines, before that North Korea, and before that, Thailand... as long as you're not drinking your money away here you can do stuff like that no problem.
nah you don't really even need a college degree. You may at the higher-paying schools, but it is possible to get a job teaching english based on the fact alone that you speak English. But you can also take a course for a couple hundred bucks to get a certificate and be prepared a little more. edit: also, I hear those jobs are also easy to find in Central (and South?) America.
Mate, we all have those little dreams. We all wish we could wake up in the morning and just do whatever. Then we go to work or to school. The only way to fulfill your dreams is too win the lottery. I have probably put 1000 miles on my car in the last year, just driving around Johnson City and the surrounding areas. Not responsible on my part to increase my carbon footprint so much, but sometimes I am not comfy unless I am rolling my auto, checking out the scenes with the stereo blasting the tunes. So, I hear where you are coming from. Definately. I know all areas of Johnson City, Orlando and Miami very well. I coulda been a cartographer. Those are the three places I have lived in where I had a car. And in all three places I sometimes just get out and drive. On a more realistic note, you can do what other posters have mentioned and teach English in Latin America, Korea or somewhere else. But still, even then, you are going to have to put up with shit from the man. Just about any time you work for someone else, you are going to have to put up with his shit, in exchange for those bills. Fact of life. Life sucks, eh? There are a precious few people who work for someone they like. That is what you have to find, someone you like to work for, or at least can tolerate. The other option is to be your own boss. But seriously, how many people succeed with that. Plus, it brings its own headaches.
wow, that's a big negative, Fawkes. just because you can't find the heart to go and do what you want doesn't mean others can't. if you want to travel and money is an issue, either go teach English (which you can do in all of Asia, pretty much, and probably in South America too.) you don't need to know the local language either, so don't worry about that. another option is to go to Europe/North America/Australia or NZ (depending on where you're from and where you want to go) and as long as you can bartend (and anyone can) you can get work, no worries. in most countries you don't really have to worry about a work visa, but get one if you can. in my opinion, the biggest and toughest decision is to get up and go. what you need is a flight ticket (dirt cheap these days) and enough money to sustain yourself while you find work. at the end of the day, the only thing keeping you from doing what you want with your life is yourself.
