First time solo traveler is back

This seems to be the place to come to when I need some perspective on travel. I just got back from my two month stint on the west coast traveling through Hawaii and parts of Oregon. Not really anything impressive compared to the places people go to on these forums but I'm just trying to get comfortable with solo travel and I'm just getting my feet wet. It was quite an eye opening experience. I'm incredibly introverted but by the end of the trip I was feeling a little more sure of myself around others and now I feel like I have an idea of what to expect from long-term solo travel.

I have a few questions though. If you're working around the world, where are you staying as you work in a place for a few months? I was in Hawaii and applied to a job and realized that if I had gotten it I would've been on the beaches while I was working. I guess obviously you should look for cheap rent and a roommate when you do this right? It'd be nice to work around the world as that means I could probably leave with less. I only had $2,700 when I landed in Hawaii. Also, how easy is it to catch a boat somewhere? I'm thinking I may not want to take too many planes in the future. They're so costly and the process of going through the airport can be annoying.

A couple of lesson I've learned from my recent travels... I need to DO more while I'm traveling and stop sitting in the distance observing. But that will come as I learn to open up more. I also realized that I tend to mesh better with the older travelers. They seem to be more patient than the younger kids who were mostly about drinking, partying and just NOT stopping. Not sure what my next trip will be... I'll either be heading down to Patagonia or I'll figure out a WHV in NZ. Who knows. I'm really indecisive.

With the exception of a WHV, you'll find that it's rather rare for people to find work as they travel around the world unless they're spending at least a year in a place. Frankly it just doesn't pay well compared to the amount you could save at home in a shorter time frame (strange to contemplate but true!) and most companies/schools aren't interested in investing in you over locals especially if it's for a short period of time. So while a WHV can earn you some money from what I hear it's more or less enough to break even, assuming of course that you find work!

Regarding minimizing flights, it's actually not terribly hard to do with a fair bit of planning in the Old World (you're not going to find a ship going across the Atlantic or Pacific cheaper than a flight). There is a poster around here who spent over a year traveling from Singapore to Europe with her family in tow who is far better versed than I in this!

Regarding being an introvert, yeah when I started I was one too but a semester abroad on my own in New Zealand took care of that pretty quickly. So I fully understand what you're going through, but trust me when I say it DOES get easier with time!

Andromeda wrote: There is a poster around here who spent over a year traveling from Singapore to Europe with her family in tow who is far better versed than I in this!

That might be me;-)

We started in NZ (coz we live here), and while we enteretained the idea of doing the trip sans planes, it was NOT going to save even a penny to take a boat from to anywhere....hence the plane to Singapore. Turned out the kids loved flying, so they were actually disappointed that we did not step foot in another one for 15 months!
Given that you're in the US now, I'd say take a flight to anwhere in Asia/Europe and then you'll be able to travel indefinitely without flights. I have a crazy little dream of "Tuktuk to Timbuctoo" which I might indulge in sometime. In the meantime, trains and busses and boats get you a very long way.
You DO need money though!

What about hitching a ride on a boat in exchange for some labor? I was thinking more along those lines. But your idea of flying to Europe or even Asia and going overland is actually pretty typical so I don't know why I didn't think of that. Ha! I guess going overland towards South America would be another idea as well.

In SE Asia Pelini ships are cheap, paid $26 Borneo to Jakarta, a 36 hr voyage meals included, of course you shared a space with about 150 others with 1/2 a dozen toilets & showers.

DavidAM wrote:What about hitching a ride on a boat in exchange for some labor? I was thinking more along those lines.

It's not overly likely you'd find that. Cargo ships generally have crews of one nationality, to facilitate communication. Taking on an inexperienced American who doesn't speak the language is probably more expensive for them than just paying someone. Shipping wages are low, since they're free to pick people in the cheapest countries.

Cruise ships usually hire English speakers for guest services type jobs, though wait staff and ship operatons are still usually Philipino. The catch is that you have to sign on for a whole contract, it's not just a here-to-there arrangement.

If you want to travel by boat, repositioning cruises are often price-competitive with flying, and you get food included and some nice long days to unwind while en route, plus some brief stops at out of the way spots, like tha Azores or Cook Islands (depending on route). Ships only reposition a couple times per year, though, so their schedules then drive your schedule.

I guess going overland towards South America would be another idea as well.

For inexpensive traveling, you can't beat it.