BootsnAll Travel Community

So part of this was inspired by Grasshopper's post on "Non-BNA travel message boards." He mentioned feeling like an outsider b/c he's not hardcore and not done the RTW widget.

I understand him 100%. I'm in love with travel; I love new places, new people, etc.
I know it's just a matter of "priorities," but what about "practicalities?"
I mean, I work a regular 40hr/wk job(time), I'm a half-time graduate student(time&$), I have a house payment($), 35K in student loan debt($). I'm planning on going RTW, but in around 10 yrs, when I hit my early 30s. It seems to me like there are people on the board who just travel all the time.
I'm so envious, but how do they do it?
If you feel this is a tired, newbie quandary, feel free to brush me off.

Hey Natascha,

I don't travel all the time (I wish I could!). I don't have money coming out the wazoo, since I've got a low paying artisans job. What I do is plan ahead, to save money for big trips. My "big trips" meaning a month or so long. But what I've told myself is that I will leave the country at least once a year. It's a reasonable goal, and suits me.

First things, I'd say, is take care of your debts. You will be so glad you did. And while you're doing that, maybe plan little trips. 10 years is plenty of time to save up, too.

As for me, well, I've got a boyfriend and 3 dogs, so I can't really go anywhere for too long. He was pretty upset when I left for 7 weeks. But then again, I did ask him to join me up halfway during my trip (and he's got money), and he had no desire to...but that's another story.

I first heard of RTW'ing in '97, and I was like, I'm going to do that! But now that desire has gone a bit. Why not take it up, one or two countries at a time, throughout my entire life? That's what is starting to appeal to me nowadays.

Save save save, budget, budget, budget is my key. Cut out expenses that you don't need. Takes a bit of discipline, but if you want something bad enough, you will do it.

Marisa has a boyfriend!!! there go all my hopes and dreams

E.

I have always wondered about the praticality of traveling for a month too. I've never had a job that would allow me to take a whole month off and still return. Do people have different kinds of jobs that allow a month or more of vacation time or do you quit your job and find a new one when you return?

Just curious

I have a feeling that this thread will be moved to "Corporate Wasteland" or "Vagabonding" soon, but I wanted to respond to it now...

Like I stated in my earlier 'hardcore backbacker' rant, I admit that I am very jealous indeed of anyone who's able to do the RTW thing. However, although xoom & others think I'm being silly, I know that I am "too old" now to do this. It's not really my age, rather it's my current station in life.

I won't get into too much of an ex-spouse rant, but I basically got royally fucked over from my ex. I (stupidly) transfered my old 401K from my job in California into a joint CD w/ her when I changed companies and moved to Pennsylvania. A couple of years later we split up, but not before she took the entire $35,000 from the CD so she & her new boyfriend could spent it! To throw salt into the wound I also now have to pay her a ridiculously large alimony each month! My best friend had a very similar experience w/ his ex taking all the savings, receiving alimony, PLUS he has a kid w/ her and he has a whopper of a monthly child support payment! Thank God I had no kids!

My friend & I did several trips together over the years in Europe & N. America. He was also a big time travel lover. Now both of us, thanx to circumstances beyond our control, have to settle for maybe one trip per year. He's 38 & I'll be 37 in two weeks and it would not at all be wise of us to just quit our jobs to travel again like we did so often in the '90's.

It took me literally 6 MONTHS to get a job here in Philadelphia after leaving Pittsburgh this Summer. As much as I wanna just go (for even a month) somewhere I know that I can't since I have this alimony to pay & a decade of lost retirement savings to make up. I kinda know in the back of my head that I realistically WON'T be able to retire- ever. Life's messed up like that: make one mistake and you're screwed...forever.

I still hope that all the "kids" out there do the RTW thing and see as much of Planet Earth as possible, but as an elder I'd warn you to not quit a job that pays well and/or has good benefits. They are EXTREMELY hard to find in the 21st Century America that Mr. Bush has created, and once you return it may be damn near impossible to find another decent job to fund the next trip. I often wonder what type of company would even want to hire someone who has all these big several months long gaps in their employment history? Won't they worry about the employee quitting on them, too, in another year or less?

I feel very priveleged that I was able to study abroad under scholarship and that additionally I will have no student loans to pay off when I graduate in another year.

So yes, a am one of the "kids" out there. And yes, I sure do plan to travel as soon as I have enough money to do so again.

Gosh, thanks everyone for your responses. It's good to have some ideas on how to incorporate travel into an already full plate (and it's reassuring to know that other people on this board have equally full plates). I like the idea of leaving just for a little bit, and taking in the world a bit at a time.
A Venezuelan friend of mine said world travel is like sex. Go slowly, savor it.
I guess I just get very discouraged. Thanks for bucking me up. It means a lot.

This is totally just my opinion and I know there are other ways of doing it...

I know I love to travel and it's something I want to do as much as I can. So in my life, I make travel a priority. It's a priority over having a house or having possessions.

I am always saving money as much as possible and I don't buy anything really extravagant, ever. I also don't have any really nice things--expensive furniture, electronics, you know, house stuff, etc etc. Not just to save money, but to make it easier to leave my apartment if I need to.

It's also easier if you make sure you have: No pets. No kids. No mortgage. No debt.

Of course the job thing is the major issue. If you want to take a long trip, the only answer seems to be to quit. If you save enough to sustain yourself a bit for when you get back, you can take temp jobs to make living money. Depending on where you live, you can actualy make pretty good money and maybe get an "in" to a company. I was actually able to save enough from temping to take my 4-month trip...

again, just the way I did it... made travel my #1.

Sorry E. Maybe in another lifetime..hehe

Michelle, I'm fortunate in that my job will let me take a month off (unpaid, though), because there are dead times in the year (small custom jewelry shop). Also, my boss is really cool and understanding...I interviewed for it in May, but part of my request was to start in late August, so I could take some time off to travel. It was sweet! And my boss and I have had talks about me taking unpaid time off from time to time.

I also have quit jobs to travel as well, or taken seasonal jobs that help me save up for a trip. Then when the seasonal job is over, I'll take off on a trip, then return and see what's out there.

Grasshopper, that really sucks about the CD and the alimony...ouch!

What about a job you hate, that pays ok and has decent benefits? I quit my last job, which was just like that, and have never been happier

wow grasshopper. please don't put words into my mouth. i'm sorry to hear that you went through what you did, but regardless of what you may think, one mistake doesn't necessitate complete and utter failure for the rest of your life. i'm sorry that you seem to think that way.

and aren't you assuming that us 'kids' actually want to work a 9-5 job for the rest of our lives?

natascha, DAMN! how the hell are you able to stay sane with a full time job as well as being a poart time graduate student?? i wish i could handle my part time job and full time undergrad life better!

anyway, i haven't travelled much but i think it's mostly about sacrifice. would you give up having an actual home and a steady paycheck to travel and live out of a pack? when there's debts, are you willing to sacrifice a bit of comfort in your everyday life so that you can pump paycheck after paycheck to pay it off before travelling? i'm nowhere near qualified to answer your original question so i guess i'll stop babbling now.

quote:

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Originally posted by xoom:

wow grasshopper. please don't put words into my mouth. i'm sorry to hear that you went through what you did, but regardless of what you may think, one mistake doesn't necessitate complete and utter failure for the rest of your life. i'm sorry that you seem to think that way.

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Xoom: I wasn't putting words in your mouth, I was simply reiterating what you had said in an earlier post to me (I think it was under my "non-BNA message boards" thread) when you stated, "you're never too old to travel".

And like I said in this thread, I'm not talking necessarily about age, I'm talking about the situations that a lot of us get into as we get older. I still will ALWAYS travel at least once or twice per year for the rest of my life, BUT I know that the RTW will not ever happen. It's not about wanting it badly enough, or saving enough, or paying off debts, etc. Sometimes there are situations that we wind up in that will completely forbide that from happening. If I, for example, quit my job to travel RTW for a few months, I'd probably wind up in court over failure to "maintain a steady income" in order to pay me ex-wife. Ditto if you have that AND child support payments. If I was independtly super wealthy and/or won the lottery than MAYBE I'd be able to get away w/ it. There just comes a time in many (if not most) of our lives when what YOU wanna do does not mesh with what The Man orders you to do.

Come back and talk to me in another 10 or 15 years and maybe you'll be in a similar situation (I don't wish this on you since you seem to be a cool person, but I'm just saying that it MAY happen to you as well: bad marriage, unexpected children, major job layoff/downsizing, etc.).

Well sure, it's all about priorities...and I think that's the common theme about many people on BNA - that travel is the absolute priority. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!

The issue here is that there are a minority (it seems -- not that it's truly the case) of us who don't have travel as the number one priority. Some of us (I included) consider this practicality, and just what I want out of life, others will say that ANYone who values the stability and benefits of a FT job has been overtaken by the corporate American mentality, and are another 'one of those' who want the job/kids/house.

Anyhow...I agree w/ Grasshopper that it can be super challenging to find a job that one can actually survive off of, let alone have some extra cash to save for the 'fun stuff' - i.e. travel. There are far too many jobs out there that are low-paying and without benefits. So yes, I'm another one of those practical folks (you may call me deluded) who is tolerating a job I don't like, for the simple fact that I keep an eye on the job market, and frankly, it sucks. Perhaps I'm jaded, perhaps it's the damn SAD (seasonal affective disorder) that decided to hit me late last week (thought I'd avoid it this year! ).

Some companies might allow longer vacations. Mine is not terribly good about this, although if I think about it, I'm SO much better off w/ this company than a lot of other companies. So in a certain perspective, I'm damn lucky.

The only other option to travel longterm would be to quit the job. And honestly, I'm not sure that's ME. Maybe sometime in my life, but not now. As I've said in other posts, travel is just one piece to my life - not the end all. There are too many other 'priorities' that I also want to balance.

Lynn

I was just saying that the way I am able to travel is that I made it my #1 priority (starting when I was 16, actually). I didn't mean to imply that this was the best way or the only way. And I'm sure some day it will not be my biggest priority. As a matter of fact, I just got a new FT job and I am clueless of when I will travel again... it is scary and I worry that I will fall into the same life that most working stiffs have--working every day and not having much vacation. Sadly, that's just how things are and to live a totally different existance would be difficult. (maybe win the lotto? or invent something??) I have to think for the future and can't just blow all my money on trips all the time. But I'm sure I'll make travel happen again for me. Maybe not for months at a time or RTW or anything, though.

Tickles: I don't appreciate your implication that homeownership mutates me into a materialist. Until now, I've never had a suburban experience.

Marisa: Believe me, quitting is not out of the question. It's just a matter of being able to find my footing again.

xoom: I can only tell you I don't sleep much.

Eowyn: I agree that it's about finding balance.

And that's what I'm trying to do b/c I want to do it all. People always tell me you can't, but I suspect it's just a matter of figuring out a plan, then going for it. So, while I'm not yet "old", I'm trying to fish for ideas on alternative arrangements while I'm still in this liminal state of crappy job/grad school. Thanks much for the pretty good ones so far; keep 'em coming.

Natascha--

Whoa!

I'm not sure how me saying "having a house/mortgage means it is probably harder to take a long trip" = "you are materialistic if you have a house."

Oh!! I see what you are referring to, when I said "Travel is a priority over having a house or possessions." OK, this is just a case of misunderstanding-- If I had a house or lots of stuff (what do I mean by "stuff?" anything--a car, costly furnishings, etc), it means I have a lot of money tied up in things and it also might be harder to leave, both because I might not have as much money because I invested in these things, and because if I *did* invest in so many things, I might not want to leave them all behind! Re-selling it all would be hard. Having a house does NOT make you "materialistic," god no, it is something you have invested in and worked hard to pay for. Having a house is awesome. I was just saying that having one might make it harder to take a long trip because of the finances tied up in it, etc etc.

Good lord, the last thing I want to come across is someone who casts off all possessions and acts superior to those who have things! That's definitely not me and not what I meant at all! In fact, I find those people very annoying. Sorry it came across that way. I'd love to have lots of money and be able to buy stuff (well, AND travel).

Tickles,
Thanks for the clarification. I hope I didn't sound bitchy/confrontational; maybe I just had not explained well enough what I was looking for in my original post.
Altho, I hope my 3rd post explained it better. Altho also, maybe it's something I can't articulate b/c I'll only know it when I find it. hmm...

I think that we will all spend the rest of our lives trying to perfect the balance... needs versus wants. If anyone has the ultimate answer right now... pass is along.

I love travel, but I also love my work. The key for me is to find the perfect balance, or to find a way to incorporate one into the other. Everyone needs to find their own way... and likely we won't find the answer unti the end.

Just a thought-

hey natasha I myself just got back from Indy tonight. My dad and aunt live in fishers. I'm in NYC now.

N, you're not alone. Most of my friends have two jobs, i.e. work/school, or actors work all day and rehearse at night(that's why they have no sympathy for me when I say I'm tired), or they work all day and go home to their kids which is another f/t job, or just cleaning the damn house. Or they have a dog. I myself have two cats which believe me make travel hard sometimes. And there's nothing wrong with owning property! I guess you can always sell it.
If you read the other posts, many people work for years at one job and make huge sacrifices so they can travel, whether one place or RTW. So a few months to a year, whatever it is, is the reward of months or years of hard work. I myself worked for four years and was lucky to get ONE WEEK off at a time (and what am I supposed to do with that?) and then had to spend all my savings including 401k to take time off and travel. SO......if I had it to do over again I'd do a lot of things differently, and yeah, I wasted money and made mistakes, but at least I know better now. And if I hadn't taken this big risk I wouldn't have seen and experienced what I did. But now I'm back in the "real world" and I really know how all of you feel.....so.....anyway I don't think it's a question of "priorities," or maybe it is. I know people who just aren't that interested in travel. It's not that they don't want to go anywhere, but they do have all the burdens of life that most of us have and it's just not that easy. Many times those who do go make big sacrifices, as I did. It's a really tough position, for me anyhow. OK enough of the rant!

http://blogs.bootsnall.com/laura/

Natascha, what about subleasing your house while you're away on travel (post-graduation of course if you don't want to pause that for the time), and student loans qualify for deferments based on a variety of reasons, including sudden change in income......such as you taking off for the other side of the world and not currently working. You get deferred for a year and then the payments are there again to welcome you home.

Just wanted to help you recognize some more of your options. It is a matter of priorities. If you really wanted to go on that RTW any sooner, you could. Otherwise, unlike a lot of others of us, you'll have a home with lots of equity awaiting you when you return.

Grasshopper....I want you to email me. We can swap stories about ex-spouses, their wrongdoing, and why don't we discuss the loss of retirement accounts and even my previous bankruptcy because of it? And I still left all the security behind to live overseas last year, just something I preferred over sitting here and thinking about what society thinks is wiser for me instead.

I don't think any BnA'er would confirm that they actually look down on someone only escaping for short trips each year....come on, guys, we're all DIFFERENT, that's why we like travel to begin with! I think it's your writing that firm "never" or "can't" that just digs very deeply and painfully into all of us....cause we've all heard it told to us our entire lives and finally got fed up at some point and told someone else to shove it.

Email me....I think we have a lot in common and could swap perspectives. You put your full self into your messages and that's very admirable, few of us share that much of ourselves to strangers or anyone at all. I just hate to see anyone say "no" to anything at all that they want in life. I'm not really evil or anything; check out my website and you'll get a good feel for my personality.

Wow a house and you're in yr twenties! I work fulltime and am in school, so I totally hear ya! I am working at getting my student loan paid off, and by working for the man, I have already got it down to 14k from 20k! You just have to keep your goals in mind.

Before I made the decision to travel, I wasn't careless with my $, but spent a bit too much--on food, drinks, whatever. Know that you'll be traveling in 10 yrs, or whenever, and keep a separate bank account, cut corners where you can to save $. You have to wait till the time is right for you, and keep the dream alive.

I am planning a trip, and am heartbroken abt missing my cat. She's one responsibility I love, and if it were practical and possible to bring her, I would. But Luna would probably not like it too much...