By Rory Shaffer
When you begin to think about planning a lifetime trip or a long-term travel trip. Long term travel is quite a vague term. No one can tell where the exact timeframe line when the regular short-term travel we usually call vacation turns into a life-changing experience that lasts much longer. I feel this boils down to prospective.
But no matter whether you can take three months or a year off, planning will be similarly essential as spending so much time on the road requires a lot of essential planning. I would not get caught up in this though. I have been a long-term traveler for three years and if you were to ask if I plan a head? I do to a point, but I have found every time I try to plan months in advance my plans change. As of now I am only planning one month at a time. I understand how I might get some backlash from this, but the issue I have is when I plan, I will get an invitation to go somewhere else to something cool. That will change my plans dramatically and I will lose money.
It is not only about the actual time on the road, but equally important is the mindset and thorough preparation before the trip even begins.
Even though it might seem that long term travelers do not need to plan that much, you might get a feeling that these people just go with the flow; the opposite is true.
Yes, it is unnecessary to plan everything in advance, but based on my experience, we see long term travel as a huge logistical mission, and if you skip one step in the planning process, you might later regret it.
Determine Your Travel Style
This will be determined by your personality. Many people believe a strict schedule is best. While others don’t want to stick to a schedule and would like to be relaxed approached and go with the flow. My style is I go with the flow.
By this I have predetermined my location and travel to the destination. I will often look at things to do in the area and if it’s feasible to do on my own. However, I don’t set certain days to do things unless I am only in the location for a couple of days then I will schedule activities. If you are the type of person that needs to be a on strict schedule, then it will be important to ask yourself what do you want to get out of long-term travel? For me it is important to emerge into culture, food and meeting local people. I like to stay a week in most European cities, but in Asia I stay no less than a month in a country. The difference is the price between Asia and Europe.
How Comfortable Are You Being Uncomfortable?
This is an excellent question because sometimes even when you have planned a head reservation will fall through or be canceled. So, when hostels and hotels are sold out are you comfortable sleeping in the airport or bus station for a night? Let give you a few examples. I am on the train from Milan to Rome and the hotel emailed and let me know my hotel reservation in Rome had been canceled due to being overbooked. I could have panicked because this July was the high season, and this was the only time I had a hotel room during this European adventure. I started looking for a hostel room because that is what I fall back on, but they were sold out. Since I am knowledgeable when it comes to travel, I search for private guest houses. I ended up in a guest house with triple bunk beds with no ac, but I was in Rome. At this point at least I was not sleeping on a park bench.
What Type of Travel Plan Do You Need?
This will also depend on your travel budget and the time frame you have for travel. Personally travel with never ending cash flow would be the dream, but I need to come back to reality. Traveling is only as expensive as you make it. I live by this statement. Sure, I want to stay in the nicest resorts and be in luxury, but with long term travel this is not practical. I am not saying I do not ever splurge because I do it in locations where it is more affordable.
1. How much money do you save, or do you make money remotely to support your travel?
How much do you need to save is up to you. It depends on how much you earn and how much you can spend. My advice is to have enough saved to travel in the cheaper countries on a low for at least a year. You also need to ask yourself what type of accommodation you need? What I do is do a mix between hostels (so I can meet people), Apartment (when I am staying for 30 days) and hotel room when I am tired of being in hostels. I do a mixture, and this keeps me on track. Accommodation is a big chunk of monthly expense.
2. Organize your banking.
This is a big one. I have had ATMs eat my cards and never give them. Once the atm takes it to a foreign country you will never see it again. The other issue is whether they will work in the country you’re in. I give you an example I went to Mexico with five different cards and not one would work. They all had money on them. I am sitting at the airport making calls to the cards and finally got 2 different cards to work. My rule them is I have a regular checking account where all my money hits then I will transfer funds to other cards just to be safe and I have one credit card I use in emergency when I am out of options. I get asked a lot about which cards are the best. This really depends on where you are from. I do have a WISE card, but banks hate transfer funds to it. I have also had Revolut for years and then one day decided to just to randomly close the account. No real reason given. This will be your choice, but no less than three cards.
3. Make a list of destinations you would like to visit.
I tend to travel Europe early spring or fall for cheaper prices. This year I went during the summer, and it was a madhouse and overpriced. When it is cold outside, I am in Asia. I travel throughout Asia.
4. Your destination choice do you need a visa?
I have seen my own friends show up in Vietnam without a visa thinking they could get one on arrival. This is why it is important to google the country you are visiting a head of time to find out what needs to be done. Next year you will need a ETIAS (europa.eu). Basically, this will allow you to travel within the country and Australia also requires this. I do want to point out that the time frame for receiving this is different for everyone. My Australian one took six weeks, where on friend got it in an hour and another was two weeks. Just plan accordingly.
5. Travel Insurance
This is very important. Let say your in Thailand and you get in a scooter accident. You must go to hospital. You’re not leaving until the bill has been paid in full. They can even call the police on you and demand payment. With travel insurance so many will require you to pay up front and then send in for a refund. I have regular insurance that works worldwide, and I have to pay up front in almost every country, but one. I am not here to say one insurance is better than the other because they all have issues.
LONG TERM TRAVEL PLANNING: BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME
Before you even think about leaving for a life of long-term travel, work out the answers to questions the below - they'll help to guide your preparation:
What’s your travel style going to be? Luxury, backpacker, etc.
Why do you want to travel the world?
What do you want to get out of the experience?
What’s your travel budget?
Are you travelling the world solo, with a friend, or partner?
How long do you want to travel for?
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