You Have To Travel The World In Your 20s (It's never been easier)
Your limitations are your own. Traveling the world has never been this easy.
I never thought I could travel...
I was at my job – a forklift operator at a factory.
I didn’t like the job, I was there for the people and the money. And the day was moving slowly. On top of that, it was November in Sweden (which means it’s dark and depressing 24/7).
Not that it mattered, I couldn’t see outside.
The best part of the job was how laid back it was for what we got paid. I could spend an insane amount of time either on my phone – researching things like writing and exercise – or listening to something interesting while I worked.
What does this have to do with travel?
That day I stumbled on to a video – a video about Australia by James Smith. And I think it changed me.
And I hope this can do the same for you.
The Switch
I had already got the idea of not living where I was born before this. I listen to a lot of podcasts and that’s where I heard something like this (paraphrase):
“You don’t have to live where you live just because you were born there”
I don’t know who put this idea in my head but once it was there, I couldn’t shake it.
I realize the insane privilege I have to:
- Be born at all
- Be born in a country like Sweden
- Be raised in a great household
And I don’t want to change any of that. I’m grateful for all of it.
But part of me doesn’t want to stay here. The winters are depressing and I want something different.
In a way, we’re obligated to seek out what we want BECAUSE of the massive opportunity presented to us.
If you’re reading this right now you have:
- Access to the internet
- Free time to read
- Probably a will to travel the world
You have been lucky in life.
Should you sit down, be grateful, and shut up?
No, you should use the opportunity presented to you in the best way you can. We only get one life after all.
So, I had the idea and then I saw this video. In a way, the video wasn’t anything remarkable. James Smith details why he moved to Australia in the first place while listing the benefits of living there.
But I got inspired.
First, it was just Australia itself.
I wanted to go there and see what it was like.
But then it continued. It was like a switch had been flipped and I realized the immense opportunity I had. That there weren’t any limits except the ones I set for myself.
Letting Go of Limitations
Throughout the next couple of months, the idea of traveling the world developed in my mind.
I had already saved a ton of money from my job but became increasingly aware of my spending to save more.
The job, on the other hand, became more depressing. Few of the friends that made the workplace fun were still around.
Many were going to university. As did most of my non-work friends.
And I didn’t want to go. I realized I didn’t want the same life as them. I realized that was okay. I also realized I could make it happen.
I’ve always been great in school and tried hard to get good grades. If you had asked me a year before I would have said I was going to be a doctor.
This identity shift didn’t happen overnight – it can take a long time – but at this point, I felt excited enough to do what I hadn’t thought I could.
Most people don’t think they have the time or money to travel where they want to go. They might dream and plan but ultimately never take action because they are blocked by their own limitations.
I felt this way, too. It’s a normal belief to have – which is exactly why you have to challenge it.
“I Don’t Have Enough Time”
We all have the same amount of time. You’re just in a rush. You think – and I did too – that you need to have everything figured out by 25.
You need to have a stable 9-5 job and income.
You need to have a long-term partner.
You need to have your own apartment.
You need to be “successful” in your career.
And how are you going to do those things if you don’t throw yourself head first into university – to study for 5 years – and become a young star in your field?
That’s right – you can’t.
You have to let go of the idea. It isn’t yours, don’t make it your own.
When everyone around us follows the same process – the usual path – it’s easy to forget that our idea of career and work is a new thing.
I’m not a history expert but the industrial revolution changed everything. It eventually gave more people a stable job and a steady paycheck.
It’s easy to forget that for most of human history, this wasn’t the case.
The ancient Greeks had a different idea.
“Pieper argued that for most of history, leisure was one of the most important parts of life for people in many cultures. He noted that the ancient Greek translation for “work” was literally “not‑at‑leisure.” In Aristotle’s own words, “we are not‑at‑leisure in order to be‑at‑leisure.” - The Pathless Path
Of course, this new idea of work is what our society is based on and it’s not going anywhere. Yet. But the future of work will change.
We already see companies like Google and Facebook moving away from requiring degrees.
Chill Out
So why are you in such a rush?
“For some reason, we see long-term travel to faraway lands as a recurring dream or an exotic temptation, but not something that applies to the here and now. Instead— out of our insane duty to fear, fashion, and monthly payments on things we don’t really need—we quarantine our travels to short, frenzied bursts.” - Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
I understand if your dream is a traditional career. Maybe you want to be a doctor – I did too – until I realized what that meant.
I’m not here to dissuade you from a traditional career – or to persuade you to find your true calling – I’ll leave that for another day.
But for now, don’t be in a rush.
In other words, chill the fuck out.
There are so many “successful” people who didn’t “make it” until “later” in life. You have time.
And in the end, what would be worse?
Getting a job later than your peers after having followed your dreams and demolishing your bucket list.
Or going straight into university, settling in your new job afterward, and dreaming of what you could have done.
What’s the point of a great career and steady paycheck if it doesn’t get you what you want?
You have the time. You know you do.
(Now if you have children or are otherwise engaged that’s another story. Just know it isn’t impossible. There are plenty of families traveling the world together)
“ ‘I don’t have time’ is just saying ‘it’s not a priority’ “ - Naval
What About Money?
After not having enough time, the most common objection is money.
And why not? Traveling is expensive.
Or is it?
Have you done the math? Have you calculated the cost of traveling for a month? 6 months? A year?
How long can you travel in the countries you want to go to?
Chances are – if you’re anything like me – you haven’t answered these questions or even begun to think about them.
Research
As I did my research into travel – inspired by the possibilities – I realized the limitations I thought I had were my own. Traveling can be so much cheaper than you think.
You have to research the numbers for yourself based on the level of comfort you need to have. But just to give you an idea – here are some examples.
An 18-year-old (not a trust fund kid, he earned that money) traveling for 6.5 months in Southeast East Asia for £5700.
A couple traveling South America for 5 months spent €5704 each.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwGZj8GXewc
A couple traveling the whole world for 10 months spent $20000 each (flights included)
It’s still a lot of money for a lot of people – me included. But researching the numbers at least gives you your reality.
And it can often be cheaper than living at home.
You need a number to aim for – or at least know about. It’s easy to say you can’t afford it if you don’t know what “it” is.
Calculate the number. Look at accommodation, flights, and transport.
Look at the activities you want to do.
Look at what others have done.
If you still can’t afford it – that’s okay.
But having that number in your mind gives you freedom. It reminds you of the possibilities and makes you take responsibility.
You CAN afford to travel. It’s just a question of how and when.
Don't Delay
Don’t get me wrong here. Don’t put it off. Don’t say you’ll do it later.
“If there’s something you want to do later, do it now. There is no ‘later’. “ - Naval
There is only right now. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t prepare for the future but that you shouldn’t put off the things you want to do.
If you put them off, it means you don’t want to do them badly enough.
Why Travel?
So you have the time and the money? But why spend it on travel? Why do you have to see the world anyway?
Everyone dreams of travel. But most people don’t go.
You don’t want to live a life filled with regret for what could have been. Do it now. If everything else goes badly – you’ve done at least one of the things you said you wanted.
“Retirement is when you stop sacrificing today for an imaginary tomorrow. When today is complete, in and of itself, you're retired.” - Naval
Change
And travel will change you. Seeing other cultures – experiencing a different way of life – will make you see both yourself and the world differently.
It sounds cliche but you will come back like a new person.
Stories For The Grandkids
Do you want to have stories for your kids and grandkids?
Do you want to be the fun type of dad and granddad? Who has lived life, is wise, and has so many lessons to share that you couldn’t get by just staying in one place.
Or do you want to be boring and stuck in your ways?
“we end up spending (as Thoreau put it) “the best part of one’s life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it.” - Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
Because the thing is, if you don’t go now you know it is because of your own limitations.
And because of that you would have to craft a new narrative for yourself – to make you feel better.
Your Story
We all do this with all our decisions but this shouldn’t be a story you want to tell yourself.
Of how you couldn’t travel because it’s “unsafe” or “stupid” or some other arbitrary reason that you made up (that sounds somewhat believable) and that you constantly convince yourself of until you internalize it and actually believe it.
“Traveling around the world is statistically no more dangerous than traveling across your hometown. Indeed, as with home, most dangers and annoyances on the road revolve around sickness, theft, and accidents — not political violence or terrorism.” - Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
That isn’t where you want to be.
You don’t want to be too comfortable.
You’re someone who wants new challenges and to learn from each one. Traveling will be challenging.
It isn’t hard but it could be uncomfortable.
And that's when you grow.
And think about it, do you know of anyone who has regretted doing their trip? Anyone who isn’t excited to go on their vacation once they finally can take time off from work?
So, go.
Plan the trip, have a loose idea of where you want to go – and what you want to do – and just go.
Simple Plan
To make it easy for you here’s an easy way to find out how much money you need and how to plan your trip.
The Big 3
Three main categories will take up most of your spending.
Transport (incl. flights), accommodation and food.
Transport
How much is the flight there?
How will I get around while I’m there?
(How much does a Taxi, Uber, or bus cost?)
Accommodation
How much is a hotel, hostel, or Airbnb?
Food
How much does it cost to eat out?
How much can I save by cooking my own food?
Misc. and activities
On top of these 3, there are miscellaneous fees for things like Visas, travel insurance, and SIM cards. Don’t let these scare you – you will spend the most money on the big 3.
Finally, there are any activities you want to do.
Find out how much tours cost.
Or access to the parks, museums, or venues you want to go and see.
Run The Numbers
But where can I find this information?
Just search on Google for 5 seconds.
It isn’t that hard.
Look at blogs and YouTube videos, too.
Find out what they spent and what they got for that money.
To start here’s a searchable blog where he also lists average daily costs for different budgets. An easy starting point.
Here are 7 other travel blogs/websites to get you inspired and planning:
Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations - Atlas Obscura
The Escape Blog: Articles to Help You Quit a Job to Travel
https://www.transitionsabroad.com
Nomad Flag - Travel Advice | Nomad Life | Culture
Expert Vagabond • Adventure Travel & Photography Blog
https://www.nomadtopia.com/blog/
Youtube Channels
7 Steps To Plan Your Trip
Finally, here’s 7 steps to plan your trip
- Look at YouTube and Blogs and search for the best places you wouldn’t want to miss.
- Write these down somewhere. Classify by country if you’re going to multiple countries.
- Plan your trip. When is the best time to go? When is it cheaper? Find dates that work for you and will make you have a great time.
- List it out (by month if you’re doing a long trip). Look at flights and hotels for when you’re going.
- Find out how much everything is going to cost. Look for a ballpark figure.
- Book your first flight and a place to stay(or anything you think you should book in advance). Look at different sites and compare prices. See if you can use any points you might have. Try booking with a credit card if you can, for any added insurance and perks it might provide you with.
- Go. Pack your bags and figure it out.
Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Bring a toothbrush and clean underwear.
Things will go wrong but it will be okay.
Underrated hack:
Don’t pack too much. Not having to check in bags saves you time and energy.
(I plan on only using one bag from now on)
For all the most important things in life, the timing always sucks. Waiting for a good time to quit your job? To have that kid? To take a dream trip? Sadly, the traffic lights of life will never all be green at the same time. Conditions are never perfect. “Someday” (“someday I’ll do this, someday I’ll do that”) is a disease that will take your dreams to the grave with you. Pro and con lists—one of my previous favorites—are just as bad. If it’s important to you, and you want to do it eventually, just do it, and correct course along the way. Fortune favors the bold. —Tim Ferriss
Just Go
Traveling will change your life. I truly believe that.
You don’t have to rush to get your whole life in order before you’re allowed to go.
And there are definitely people with less money than you who've done what you’re about to try. Calculating how much you need stops you from excuses.
Traveling will give you perspective and understanding. It will make you grateful for what you have.
It will give you stories.
Stories make you a more interesting person. Both to yourself and everyone around you.
Don’t wait. Plan it out, you know how.
Just go.
Thank you for reading
Hugo