Beginning May 28, I am traveling for the rest of 2021. This is something I've wanted to do since the age of 18, and the time has come. I've met many people who have done it, and I am ready to do it, too. I want the excitement and challenge of a long journey that a two-week vacation doesn't quite fit. Along the way, I am seeking culture, adventure, food, history, and landscapes.
Vacation vs. Long Term Travel
A vacation is typically a week or two away from work, maybe to celebrate something. With a short amount of time, it is easier to splurge on nicer hotels and restaurants, and one of the main priorities is to relax and step away from your daily life. Traveling for a longer term, I need to make my money last, so I'll be primarily staying in hostels and airbnbs, and I will often be cooking my own food. The first two weeks of my trip will be a legitimate "vacation", with a retreat and then some time spent relaxing on the beach. After that, vacation is over, and I will be treating this as a project with specific tasks. I've gotten some good tips in this book: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. I used to keep it in my desk at work to read snippets when I needed some inspiration.
What I hope to achieve
I hope to find some sort of inner peace for at least attempting a major life goal that I've been talking about for years. This is something I've wanted to do for so long, and I think it has been blocking me from moving forward in life. Sometimes it became a bit of an obsession because I wanted it so much. After completing this, I hope to feel a little more settled and have a better sense of what comes next. Additionally, I expect to improve communication, problem solving, stress management, and project management skills.
People
I think it is important not to judge the people of a country based on politics. I don't want people to judge me based on Trump. From my experience so far, most people in the world are good, and most people want the same things: health, happiness, opportunity, tasty food, good music, etc. It is also important not to judge an entire country based on a story you hear in the news. Every country has its problems, but that doesn't mean there aren't good things to experience. The US has had many problems that reach the news in other countries, and some countries even advise their citizens not to visit. However, we all know, there are still good things happening here, too.
Covid
I know traveling during a pandemic doesn't seem like a great idea. Again, due to where I am in my life, I don't feel like I can wait any longer. The pandemic isn't going away anytime soon. We are now in a "new normal", and I will follow all quarantine rules and Covid precautions. I am fully vaccinated, but I will continue to where a mask, social distance, wash my hands, and use hand sanitizer. I will avoid large crowds and stick with outdoor dining and activities as much as possible. There will be no Full Moon parties in Thailand or seedy nightclubs in Berlin. I still enjoy nightlife, but I am not willing to risk getting or spreading Covid.
Financial
When it comes to spending, I like to think of the Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns. The idea is that the more you spend on a particular thing, each additional event brings less happiness. For example, suppose that eating at a restaurant brings you 100 utils of happiness (utils from Utilitarian Economics, an abstract unit to measure utility, or happiness). The second time you eat at a restaurant, it brings you 80 utils of happiness. The third time you eat at a restaurant, it brings you 60 utils of happiness. If you eat every meal at a restaurant, it eventually brings you no additional happiness because it is just part of your daily routine. I also like to be intentional and spend money on things that bring me joy. We all spend money differently, and each dollar you spend is a vote for your values. This has helped me save money for my goals, and it will guide how I spend money on the trip. Furthermore, I am not a spring chicken, so I've had years to save money. In general, society doesn't really judge a man for spending money on a nice car, so I should not be judged for spending money on this project. I look at it as an investment in myself. [After all this explanation, I should confess that while this is my philosophy, I still have to have an inner struggle each time I want to spend money and I end up splurging more than I wish I did.]
Diabetes
I have type 1 diabetes, so this will add some challenges, but it is not impossible. Diabetics exist all over the world, and insulin is everywhere. I will make sure to refill early to make sure I don't get into any sticky situations. I have eight a1c home test kits to take along. (This is the most important number for a diabetic - it gives the average of your blood sugar over the past two months - keeping this within range is a good predictor of your risk for complications). I have two Frio cooling pouches that can keep insulin cool without a refrigerator. I've used them many times before, and they really are quite useful. Also, I'm not going to be in the wilderness - I will be staying at places that have refrigerators. The Frio pouches are to use while traveling between places or if in case I do find myself without a refrigerator. An open vial of insulin does not need to be refrigerated if it is used within 30 days. This woman has traveled all over the world with type 1 diabetes, so it is possible: Diabetic Traveler.
Information and Inspiration
This trip is inspired by many people I have met over the years who have already done the same thing. I will be getting information along the way by talking to people, checking Reddit and Facebook groups, reading blog posts, random internet searches, and Lonely Planet guidebooks (I still love them, especially for the history and culture section for visiting a new country). These are my favorite blogs. I have definitely taken recommendations directly from them:
Be My Travel Muse
Nomadic Matt
Hippie in Heels
Never Ending Footsteps
Solo Travel
It's not about being ALONE all the time. It's about not skipping your life goals just because you don't have someone to go with, and it's about being open to meeting characters along the way. You're never truly alone unless you want to be. Here are a couple personal examples:
Iceland: I did a stopover in Iceland in 2016. In my hostel room, I met Jessica from North Carolina. We talked a bit, and then she headed to the hostel bar while I got organized and took a shower. When I arrived downstairs, she was already playing cards with two guys from Denmark. I joined in, and we had a fun evening drinking Icelandic beer, playing cards, and talking. The next day, we met Eve from Australia. Eve and I both had a ticket to see Bjork the following evening (we were both going alone and purchased single tickets). Jessica tried to get a ticket, but it was sold out. She had a rental car, so she dropped us off at the concert after dinner, and we had a nice evening. The next day, I left for London, and Eve and Jessica went for a road trip around the country on Ring Road.
Dubai: I was here in 2019. As my first day here, I planned to do the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour, and I noticed another single lady. We talked a little, realized we were both traveling alone, so we decided to hang out together for the day on the bus tour. She is Maureen from Nigeria, works in marketing, and we had a great time! She was intent on buying gold from the Gold Souk (gold market). We strayed from the main tourist souk and wandered around the market and had a fun time! We heard the Muslim call to prayer, and all the shops closed, so we walked along the empty streets for a short while until everything opened back up. Maureen is an excellent bargainer and found a guy in the street to take us to the right place, and she got earrings at the price she wanted. When it got got dark, we said goodbye and went our separate ways. I finished the day with a lively chat with roommates in the hostel... explaining the US healthcare system and gun culture to a German and an Australian.
Vacation vs. Long Term Travel
A vacation is typically a week or two away from work, maybe to celebrate something. With a short amount of time, it is easier to splurge on nicer hotels and restaurants, and one of the main priorities is to relax and step away from your daily life. Traveling for a longer term, I need to make my money last, so I'll be primarily staying in hostels and airbnbs, and I will often be cooking my own food. The first two weeks of my trip will be a legitimate "vacation", with a retreat and then some time spent relaxing on the beach. After that, vacation is over, and I will be treating this as a project with specific tasks. I've gotten some good tips in this book: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day. I used to keep it in my desk at work to read snippets when I needed some inspiration.
What I hope to achieve
I hope to find some sort of inner peace for at least attempting a major life goal that I've been talking about for years. This is something I've wanted to do for so long, and I think it has been blocking me from moving forward in life. Sometimes it became a bit of an obsession because I wanted it so much. After completing this, I hope to feel a little more settled and have a better sense of what comes next. Additionally, I expect to improve communication, problem solving, stress management, and project management skills.
People
I think it is important not to judge the people of a country based on politics. I don't want people to judge me based on Trump. From my experience so far, most people in the world are good, and most people want the same things: health, happiness, opportunity, tasty food, good music, etc. It is also important not to judge an entire country based on a story you hear in the news. Every country has its problems, but that doesn't mean there aren't good things to experience. The US has had many problems that reach the news in other countries, and some countries even advise their citizens not to visit. However, we all know, there are still good things happening here, too.
Covid
I know traveling during a pandemic doesn't seem like a great idea. Again, due to where I am in my life, I don't feel like I can wait any longer. The pandemic isn't going away anytime soon. We are now in a "new normal", and I will follow all quarantine rules and Covid precautions. I am fully vaccinated, but I will continue to where a mask, social distance, wash my hands, and use hand sanitizer. I will avoid large crowds and stick with outdoor dining and activities as much as possible. There will be no Full Moon parties in Thailand or seedy nightclubs in Berlin. I still enjoy nightlife, but I am not willing to risk getting or spreading Covid.
Financial
When it comes to spending, I like to think of the Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns. The idea is that the more you spend on a particular thing, each additional event brings less happiness. For example, suppose that eating at a restaurant brings you 100 utils of happiness (utils from Utilitarian Economics, an abstract unit to measure utility, or happiness). The second time you eat at a restaurant, it brings you 80 utils of happiness. The third time you eat at a restaurant, it brings you 60 utils of happiness. If you eat every meal at a restaurant, it eventually brings you no additional happiness because it is just part of your daily routine. I also like to be intentional and spend money on things that bring me joy. We all spend money differently, and each dollar you spend is a vote for your values. This has helped me save money for my goals, and it will guide how I spend money on the trip. Furthermore, I am not a spring chicken, so I've had years to save money. In general, society doesn't really judge a man for spending money on a nice car, so I should not be judged for spending money on this project. I look at it as an investment in myself. [After all this explanation, I should confess that while this is my philosophy, I still have to have an inner struggle each time I want to spend money and I end up splurging more than I wish I did.]
Diabetes
I have type 1 diabetes, so this will add some challenges, but it is not impossible. Diabetics exist all over the world, and insulin is everywhere. I will make sure to refill early to make sure I don't get into any sticky situations. I have eight a1c home test kits to take along. (This is the most important number for a diabetic - it gives the average of your blood sugar over the past two months - keeping this within range is a good predictor of your risk for complications). I have two Frio cooling pouches that can keep insulin cool without a refrigerator. I've used them many times before, and they really are quite useful. Also, I'm not going to be in the wilderness - I will be staying at places that have refrigerators. The Frio pouches are to use while traveling between places or if in case I do find myself without a refrigerator. An open vial of insulin does not need to be refrigerated if it is used within 30 days. This woman has traveled all over the world with type 1 diabetes, so it is possible: Diabetic Traveler.
Information and Inspiration
This trip is inspired by many people I have met over the years who have already done the same thing. I will be getting information along the way by talking to people, checking Reddit and Facebook groups, reading blog posts, random internet searches, and Lonely Planet guidebooks (I still love them, especially for the history and culture section for visiting a new country). These are my favorite blogs. I have definitely taken recommendations directly from them:
Be My Travel Muse
Nomadic Matt
Hippie in Heels
Never Ending Footsteps
Solo Travel
It's not about being ALONE all the time. It's about not skipping your life goals just because you don't have someone to go with, and it's about being open to meeting characters along the way. You're never truly alone unless you want to be. Here are a couple personal examples:
Iceland: I did a stopover in Iceland in 2016. In my hostel room, I met Jessica from North Carolina. We talked a bit, and then she headed to the hostel bar while I got organized and took a shower. When I arrived downstairs, she was already playing cards with two guys from Denmark. I joined in, and we had a fun evening drinking Icelandic beer, playing cards, and talking. The next day, we met Eve from Australia. Eve and I both had a ticket to see Bjork the following evening (we were both going alone and purchased single tickets). Jessica tried to get a ticket, but it was sold out. She had a rental car, so she dropped us off at the concert after dinner, and we had a nice evening. The next day, I left for London, and Eve and Jessica went for a road trip around the country on Ring Road.
Dubai: I was here in 2019. As my first day here, I planned to do the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour, and I noticed another single lady. We talked a little, realized we were both traveling alone, so we decided to hang out together for the day on the bus tour. She is Maureen from Nigeria, works in marketing, and we had a great time! She was intent on buying gold from the Gold Souk (gold market). We strayed from the main tourist souk and wandered around the market and had a fun time! We heard the Muslim call to prayer, and all the shops closed, so we walked along the empty streets for a short while until everything opened back up. Maureen is an excellent bargainer and found a guy in the street to take us to the right place, and she got earrings at the price she wanted. When it got got dark, we said goodbye and went our separate ways. I finished the day with a lively chat with roommates in the hostel... explaining the US healthcare system and gun culture to a German and an Australian.
