Helpful Tips For The Long Term Traveller

Long term travel, the phrase conjures up images of wonderful beaches, snow clad mountains, great food and wine etc. But it is not easy as it seems. It needs a lot of determination and the will to carry on traveling from one place to another. The most important is the first step, i.e., the decision to travel for a long time. It is not an easy decision, you have to take a lot of factors into consideration and then decide. Once I took the decision to go travel and see the world, it was easy. I informed my family, hired storage units and stored my furniture and other belongings, packed my bags and headed out into a world unknown. A few things that I learnt from my travel experiences areL
• You need to carry your things in a backpack and you need to pack smartly. You may feel that you need to carry a lot but it will only damage your back. The ideal way to pack is to carry 2 or 3 sets of things and buy anything else that you need on the way. You are only going to go to a different country, but you will find all that you require there too, so just pack the essentials.
• One of the biggest expenses while traveling long term is the accommodation. You will be spending a lot on it. Ideally you should try Airbnb or bed and breakfasts that are cheaper. The local YMCA is also a very good option. You will get good rooms at reasonable rates. When you plan on living in a city for a few months at least, then opt for hostels or be a paying guest in a home. You will save a lot of money this way.
• Moving from one place to another can be very hectic. Hence when you opt for long term travel you need to pace yourself slowly. Stay in a city at least for ten days. Soak in the culture, the atmosphere etc and then move on. If you move every few days, fatigue will step in and you may not enjoy your trip.
• If you like to stay fit like me, then the one thing that you will miss is the gym. But on long term travel you should not worry about it, you can run in the park or at the beach, you need to be ready to improvise. When you plan on staying at a place for longer than a month, you can find out the cost of membership at fitness centres and get a subscription for a month or two. This way you can stay fit always. Remember that staying fit will help you stay positive and healthy and ready for your travels.
• Last but not the least you should keep track of all your expenses. When you are moving from one country to another and when the currency keeps changing, you will not know when you spent all your money. Make it a point to write down all the expenses incurred in the day. You will know how much you have left and you can then plan properly for the next day.