travel

[speakeasy]

Several week ago I got back from a nearly 2 month backpacking trip across S. America, one of the most awesome experiences of my life.

I'm already getting the travel itch again and it's only been a few weeks.

Do you guys have any cool travel plans for this summer?

 

[Hughman]

I should be hitting up the Whitby Sea-Fishing Festival straight after Prom with my best buddy for a few nights. Best pubs in the whole of England up Yorkshire way.

Also got a few days down in Devon with my old man for more fishing, hehe.

Then just before uni, I'm in Valencia, Spain, for two weeks, technically with my parents but I've told them I'm doing my own stuff at night. So plenty of tourists and maybe some Spanish girls to work with, great food and great weather so I'll start uni healthy and tanned and maybe even fitter if my plans for going on a morning run most days and then swimming for a few hours go to plan.

Plans for the summer after that: joining my best buddies for a month halfway through their Eurorail tour (the 3 of them are on gap years so they're traveling for 2 months)

 

[Wiesman44]

How can you afford to take 2 months off from work to backpack ?

 

[speakeasy]

How can you afford to take 2 months off from work to backpack ?

You sound surprised that there are actually people in the world who can survive without 2 months income.

 

[FairShake]

Surprised? Impressed is more like it. My life is more "Live to work" rather than "Work to live." I'd be worried there was no job waiting when I got back.

 

[speakeasy]

Surprised? Impressed is more like it. My life is more "Live to work" rather than "Work to live." I'd be worried there was no job waiting when I got back.

I work as a freelance html/flash designer. It's pretty much feast or famine as far as money goes where one month I can have more work than I can handle and I'm raking in the dough and the next month be sitting on my hands wondering when the next gig is coming in. It has its pros and cons. But one advantage of being an independent contractor is being able to make your own schedule and not having to ask a boss to take time off if you feel like doing so. Of course there's the disadvantage of not having the security of a steady paycheck and having to cover your own insurance and stuff. But if you don't have at least 6 months to a year's worth of living expenses socked away to smooth out the slow periods, it's probably best to just default to the security(not that that even means much these days) of working for someone else.

 

[speakeasy]

Btw, only in America does telling people you took 2 months to backpack raise any eyebrows. People from other western cultures do it like it's a right of passage, and for often up to a year traveling the world, especially Australians and Israelis. They think nothing of taking a year off from work and backpacking/hosteling around the planet. And these people aren't rich either.

 

[3countriesPlan]

That is awesome you got to backpack around SA for 2 months.. I'm going to Italy, Taipei, LA, and maybe Germany this summer but aside from Taipei, it's all for work. My boss doesn't believe in giving us any free time either so my trip to Italy will suck. As for Germany, I'd really just love to miss the flight back and go exploring.......

 

[OzyBoy]

Btw, only in America does telling people you took 2 months to backpack raise any eyebrows. People from other western cultures do it like it's a right of passage, and for often up to a year traveling the world, especially Australians and Israelis. They think nothing of taking a year off from work and backpacking/hosteling around the planet. And these people aren't rich either.

. I agree. I have thought of doing it myself but its going to be on hold for a while cos no holidays to next year probably. oh well. :crazy:

 

[seagull]

I've done a little bit of travelling here and there, usually taking 3-4 weeks off from work at a time. I've done parts of Western Europe (United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy), some of South-East Asia (Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong), most of Australia (except South Australia and Tasmania) and earlier this year I visited part of the USA (California, Nevada and Hawaii). But each time I travel I feel that it is not enough and always wish I could go for longer...sadly work commitments always kill my plans.

Instead of going on short trips and getting frustrated, I decided to go overseas, probably China for a longer period of time and teach English. This would be a good way to experience living in another culture, pick up some of the language, make a little money to fund my travels, and hopefully be a good base for further travel in that part of the world. For me, this seems to be the only way I can spend a lengthy period of time abroad.

 

[Credos]

Btw, only in America does telling people you took 2 months to backpack raise any eyebrows.

Biep wrong answer :nono:

Anyhow, I think it's more of a new generation thing... It something which is done more often these days, and it are people from the old generation or the ones with that attitude (not that its a bad thing, it's just a way of living I guess).

I guess we all wanna travel, some people find it risky and want financial securaty, others don't see it as a risk. For me, I don't think I would see it as a risk, but then again I'm not working yet and finances don't really bother me that much, as long as I can party... (no money = no parties = me )

So good for you live the life you wanna live, that's what's sosuave is all about.