Traveling full-time is a big commitment. There's a huge jump between taking a few trips here and there, and deciding to give up everything for the road. But full-time travel is a rewarding lifestyle that not many people get to experience.
Here are 20 reasons to give it a go..
1) It doesn't have to break the bank
Traveling is easier and more affordable than it has ever been before. We have budget airlines and apps for cheap rail tickets; websites for cheap hostels and last minute hotel rooms. If you know how to plan and where to find the deals, you can travel full-time more cheaply than living a settled life in one place.
2) Technology is your friend
Okay, so we can't all be one of those lucky people who pays their way around the world through their Instagram account. But modern technology has made it a thousand times easier for us to share our experiences, whether that's through the medium of photography, blogging, or anything else. Through full-time travel you can nurture your skills and document your adventures, maybe even growing an audience and earning some money in the process.
3) You don't necessarily have to give up your career
This depends what your job is, but there are loads of jobs you can travel with full-time. There are many jobs you can do abroad, and with wifi so widely available, remote and freelance work are increasingly feasible options. Copywriter? Accountant? Designer? Why do these things from an office when you could be on a beach in Bali?
4) You get to learn new languages
Whether you pick up bits here and there from the friends you meet or commit yourself to studying more seriously, language-learning is one of the best parts of traveling. Learning languages not only widens the number of people you can interact with, it's also great for your brain and improves your career prospects.
5) You'll make some incredible friends
You'll forge some of the best friendships of your life whilst traveling. It's an opportunity to meet people who are both like-minded and from completely different backgrounds. Meeting people from around the world opens your mind, and you'll always have a free place to stay when you visit the countries of the people you've met.
6) You'll see some iconic places
This is probably one of our main reasons for traveling. Getting up close to the monuments and landmarks most people only see on postcards and the TV is amazing. From the Eiffel Tower to the Taj Mahal and everything in between, there's a world out there just waiting for you to see it.
7) You'll really learn about the world
It's one thing watching TV documentaries, it's another to learn about the history and culture of the world from first hand. Traveling full-time you immerse yourself in new cultures , learn the customs and quirks of places you've never been before. You learn things you could never really learn from the comfort of your sitting room.
8) You'll build an amazing repertoire of stories
If you picked up physical souvenirs from every place you visited, your luggage would get heavy pretty quickly. But the best souvenirs we pick up from traveling are our stories. The good, the bad and the downright frightening moments of travel all make top class anecdotes later on. Who knew your life would ever get so exciting?
9) You become your own boss
Traveling full-time means living to your own schedule. Whether you're a night owl or a morning riser, you get to live to your own pace and fit in work around that (if you're working at all). You get to make your own decisions about where to go and what to do, with nothing to hold you back.
10) You can really get to know the places you visit
If you're on holiday or a short backpacking trip, the world at home is always waiting for you. The time constraints on your trip often mean you get to know the touristy side of a place before jumping back on a plane and disappearing. If you're traveling full-time you have time to go beyond the world the tourists experience.
11) The food
Traveling full-time is also the perfect opportunity to get the know the culinary traditions of the places you visit. You can take the time to get to know the specialities and regional delicacies of each destination, opening yourself to new and unexpected taste experiences.
12) You never have to say no
Life as we know it is full of missed opportunities. A concert missed because of work, plans with friends missed because of other commitments. Traveling full-time means whatever you want to do, you have the time and the freedom to get out there and do it.
13) It's a chance to live outside of your comfort zone
In our home lives, the comfort of the familiar is ever present, and it's natural for us not to push ourselves. Traveling full-time puts you in a much more open frame of mind; you'll find yourself bungee jumping, cliff diving or drinking at the wildest parties, regardless of your normal inhibitions.
14) You gain a new focus in life
When you're working 9-5 your focus is taken up by the mundane. Getting up on time, going to work, hitting whatever targets you have for the day. Traveling full-time shifts your focus to experience rather than measurable achievements. Once you've started ticking off those bucket list items, it's hard to stop.
15) You learn the art of feeling at ease in unfamiliar situations
Once you've travelled for a while, the feeling of being unfamiliar becomes familiar. This means that you become much more comfortable in new an unknown situations; feelings of stress and anxiety reduce, and you become much more confident confronting the new.
16) You get better with money
Chances are if you're traveling full-time you're either living off savings or working freelance or seasonal jobs. This means your income is likely to be much less reliable than it would be if you were settled and working. As a result, you learn how to manage your money better; you stop spending on unnecessary things, and find thrifty ways of cutting your costs.
17) You become your own currency
Many places offer food an accommodation in exchange for your skills. Whether that's teaching, DIY, gardening, music, photography, or anything else you have to offer, providing for yourself through your own skills is seriously empowering.
18) You'll become a more open person
You'll meet a lot of people traveling full-time. You'll learn that people around the world are more generous that you'd expected, will and become more open to asking for or offering help. The experiences you have and the bonds you make when you open yourself up to strangers are some of the most rewarding and enriching in life.
19) You really get to know yourself
When you take yourself away from the familiar, explore new environments and encounter new challenges, you unlock a part of yourself you might not have known existed. The you who can problem solve when you're stranded after missing a flight or navigate their way around a new city is definitely a you worth knowing.
20) You become an inspiration
You'll be amazed how many people contact you to express their admiration when you travel full-time. It's something which many people feel unable to do, either because of their commitments or their inhibitions. You'll find people look up to you for being brave enough to get out into the world; you might even inspire somebody else to take the plunge too.
