it’s official!
so its official… just pressed “send” on the email turning down a job offer for january since i won’t be here in january… and guess where i’ll be????
on an around-the-world journey that’s been my whole life in the making… i can’t wait! i’ve always loved to travel and i’ve always said i would love to just take some time off to travel, but never quite put it into action. i was bitten by the travel bug the first time i left the U.S. when i was a sophomore in high school… it was japan that summer, france the next summer, and europe the summer after that… then the “real world” hit and there was school or work or relationships… always something to keep me rooted to the ground, although i tried to go on my little adventures when i could and my main purpose in working and saving money was always to fund my excursions… but its just not the same when you’ve got a maximum two week time limit. the summer between high school and college, i spent almost 3 months backpacking through france, spain, italy, and the czech republic… i’ve always wanted to do it again. and now the chance has come up and so this time i’m gonna take it!
i can definitely say i’ve been influenced lately by a book called “the four hour work week” by tim ferris. i’ve been following his blog for awhile now, and got the book as soon as it came out. there are some ideas that are too “out there” for me, but others that i can really appreciate. the main concept that resonated with me was the idea of spreading out “mini-retirements” throughout your life (when you’re in the prime of your life!) rather than working so hard just to head to florida when you’re a senior citizen… for some people, it can be when you’re in between careers (like me) or for some people, they just spread out periods of travel between periods of work… which, of course, works better when you’re your own boss, but with technology allowing people to work remotely nowadays, its often something that can be negotiated even when you’re still working for someone else… not to say that there’s anything wrong with the traditional ideas of “putting in your time” with a company and earning a retirement in your golden years. i think its just not for everyone, and it’s cool to think that there are other options out there.
when i tell people that i’m going to be taking this trip, they often tell me they wish i could do what i’m doing but it’s so hard to take that leap. i should know, because i’ve been putting this off for years. it’s hard to imagine giving up your life, your home (damn, i hope my landlord will let me sublet!), your car, and being away from family or friends… but the experiences that lie ahead are just too exciting. travelling, whether its alone or with a friend or significant other, is so enriching. to me, there is nothing like long-term travel. =) (speaking of which, another book i’d HIGHLY recommend is called “vagabonding: the uncommon art of long-term travel” by rolf potts – EXCELLENT book with lots of practical info if you’re contemplating an extended trip.)
people also worry about the money… “it must be nice to have the luxury to not work and just travel”… it’s not like it’s not going to take money! the trick is to spend the most time in the places that will stretch your dollar the furthest… in the summer i spent in europe i actually spent less than $3000 – including the airfare from hawaii! (i could have spent more than half that in rent alone back in hawaii.) and europe is by no means a “cheap” place to travel… jess and i are planning the bulk of our time in countries in southeast asia and possibly south america where things are cheaper. and hopefully we’ll be able to pick up odd jobs along the way in the more expensive areas when we need to, but you’d be suprised how little you need to spend if you can stay with a friend or at a hostel instead of a fancy hotel. and for me, i prefer hostels over hotels anyway because you meet more people and you often get travel tips on places they’ve been or are headed… you really only need a place to sleep and shower anyway – i remember staying in a hostel in spain for $6 a night and thinking, geez, this is less than i pay in rent back home… another way to save money when travelling is to avoid shopping like a maniac! not to mention it sucks to carry around big suitcases everywhere you go, so avoiding buying new things on the road will help us to stay portable. =) but don’t worry y’all will be getting tons of postcards along the way! haha =)
i’m sooo excited right now i can hardly stand it… in preparation for this trip, i’m already starting to slowly get rid of all the junk i’ve accumulated in the last six years that i’ve lived on oahu. eventually that will include my furniture and my car too, but for now i’m working on little stuff like cds/dvds/clothes i never wear… it actually feels good to simplify down to the things i really use on a daily basis. if you look around your house too, you’ll probably see all kinds of junk that you bought but never use. it’s just the society we live in… but i’m totally enjoying changing my perspective to value experiences and people over money or “things”… totally refreshing. i’ve been trying to avoid buying things unless i truly need them, and i’m hoping to find a job (maybe restaurant or cocktailing? anyone know of any openings?) so that i can save up some extra money before we go…
but hopefully in six months at this time, i’ll be in australia! can’t wait!! =) this trip is LONG overdue…
Tags: malia, pre-departure, pre-trip planning
malia
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