First off, we’d like to recognize a few things about long-term travel.
- We are VERY lucky to be able to take this time in our lives to travel without an end date. We worked very hard to get here, but even so, many others just don’t have this as an option and we feel grateful every day for it.
- There’s no one “right” way to travel long-term. Yes, you can travel the Nomadic Matt way for $50 a day, or travel for a shorter amount of time and spend more, or take longer to save so you can travel how you’d like to. You can work on the road. Or not. You can volunteer. Or not. You can take only organized tours of the major cities you’d like to visit, or you can stay in small towns off the beaten path. There is no wrong way to travel. There is only YOUR way to travel.
- Long-term travel isn’t for everyone. And that’s OK too! Just because you can’t or choose not to take more than your allowed vacation time each year, does not mean that travel is not accessible for you.
OK, now that that’s out of the way…
Being on vacation vs. Long-Term Travel
Have you ever been somewhere on vacation and thought, “Oh my gosh, I could LIVE here!” That’s because most places ARE amazing when you are in vacation mode. Living in Hawaii is very different than a week vacation there. Don’t get me wrong, everyone needs a vacation. Even us while we are traveling! Sometimes we need a break from the grind that is our life on the road and we want to spoil ourselves, see museums, pay for experiences, and treat ourselves to a nice meal. There is absolutely nothing wrong with vacations! I’m a big fan.
But traveling long-term is a different beast. I mean, when’s the last time you went grocery shopping or did your laundry while on vacation? Doing regular everyday things in a new country can be fun, but it can also be frustrating and exhausting. Learning new laundry machines, grocery stores (and ingredients to use), languages to communicate in, can take its toll when it’s always revolving. There is only temporary comfort in the familiar before it changes again.
Do you want to plan a long-term travel adventure of your own?
Check out our resources to help you get started or download our long-term travel checklist here!
What do you want to know about long-term travel? Let us know how we can help!
Drop us a line!