Travelling is one of those things that many people aspire to do at some stage of their lives. It might be that you have just finished a long stint of education at college and university and now want to take a break before starting your new career and working life.
It might be that you have worked for a while and feel like a career break is on the cards. It may even be something you decide to do with your partner in later life, once the career is done, you’ve had a family and want to embrace a new chapter in your life.
Many people have a bucket list, and often long-term travel or seeing different parts of the world from part of that list. So if you like the idea of heading off for an adventure, traveling for a few months, or taking a gap year, here are some of the things to consider.
Planning your and getting prepared trip
One of the first things you will want to do is plan your trip and then prepare for it. You might want to take time to think about the different destinations, and how and when you might travel.
You may even want to consider who you are traveling with. If you are planning to travel with a companion, a group of friends, or family, then ensure that you consult them with any plan-making activities.
This is so you can bounce ideas off each other for the trip you want to take. Here are some of the things to think about when planning.
Flights and making savings
A lot of the time people choose to travel to destinations far and wide, and so flights are going to form a big part of it.
Flying can be expensive, so avoid the high peak periods if you can, which tend to be the height of summer, and during holidays in which children have school.
Traveling off-peak can save you a fortune, as well as traveling at unpopular times like during the night or first thing in the morning. Make savings by considering alternative airlines or opting to not fly directly, this could enable you to fly to your destination at a fraction of the price without it causing too much havoc to your plans.
Deciding on the route and where to go
One of the most exciting things to plan is, of course, where you are going to go and what you are going to experience. Some of this can depend on exactly how long you have to spend traveling.
Whether you are doing it for a month, six months, a year, or longer. Think about where you want to go but also explore surrounding countries and cities that you may want to tag on to your trip.
For example, heading to Australia may seem far away, so don’t forget the beauty New Zealand could offer you as well as other places like Indonesia, Fiji, and other Pacific destinations you may not have ordinarily considered beforehand.
Where will you stay?
Of course, like any holiday or traveling excursion, you will need a place to stay. This is when you also need to think about your budget and how much you have towards accommodation.
Many people who travel consider staying in hostels, but if that isn’t your thing then websites like AirBnB could prove useful offering great accommodation with facilities to cook and maybe even wash clothes while away.
Preparing your home for while you are away
You will want to ensure that you prepare your home for while you are away. Or perhaps you need to move out while you are away. This is when you need to think about security.
Securing your home with alarms, putting things in holiday mode, and ensuring that everywhere is protected.
If you need to move out but still want to keep certain bigger items like sofas or chairs then you may want to look at a storage unit where everything can be kept securely while you are traveling. You can leave a key with a family member for your home or the storage unit to ensure everything is safe while you are away.
Capsule wardrobe and easy-to-wear clothes and shoes when packing
A capsule wardrobe can be a great way to pack for long-term travelling excursions. This is where you think about key pieces that work together and enable you to create different outfits by mixing matching items of clothing.
Think about different colours, and textures of the clothes and materials, as well as adding different accessory options. There is some great advice online on how you can create the perfect capsule wardrobe for your travels.
You will also want to pack easy-to-wear clothes and shoes. Think about the things you will be doing while you are there.
While you are traveling
You may be thinking about what to do when you are actually on your travels.
Apart from being excited about the things you are about to experience, and the places you are going to see, you also have to be practical about certain elements of travelling, especially if you are travelling alone.
Here are some of the things to consider while you are on your epic journey.
Keeping in touch with friends and family
While you are away, you are bound to want to keep in touch with friends and family about your adventures and to also assure them that you are safe and well.
Normally, you might avoid using your phone unless you are in an area that offers WiFi or updating your phone plan for international travel, you should be able to keep in touch with your family and friends as often as you like.
This helps them to be involved and also gives you an outlet to share your fantastic experiences with the people you love the most.
Helping people stay aware of their travels
You may not always be able to give your friends and family a call, and that’s understandable, so there are other ways you may want to help people stay connected with you.
For your trip, you may want to consider starting an online blog. This means you can keep people up to date without worrying about the time difference or disturbing them with a call.
It will also give you an outlet to write and share your experience, and who knows, people who have written travel blogs have gone on to continue it in the future as a part of a job or career change.
There is also social media that you can use to keep people aware of what you are up to. Post to Facebook or Instagram regularly so that you can keep people up to date.
Let’s hope this has given you an insight into what to consider if you want to go traveling in the future.
