Why I Quit My Job And Started Traveling

My primary source of inspiration was probably seeing other people doing it and knowing it was possible. I saw other travel bloggers and thought; “if they can do it, surely I can too!”

At the time I was also 22 with a degree and 2 years of corporate work experience. I figured I could try it for one year and if it didn’t work out I still had more professional experience than many of my age peers (especially in Italy) and that I could always find another office job then.

I spent a year learning everything I could about building and monetizing a blog, and it has now become my full-time job. I don’t travel as regularly as when I first quit my office job, but I continue to do it because I love it.

How Often I Travel And Activities I Enjoy Doing

I usually alternate between long periods of travel with longer periods at home. I used to spend up to two months on the road, and I’d then return home for at least one month before the next trip.

I’m a fan of all sorts of outdoors and adventure activities. Whatever it is, as long as I can be in nature while doing it then you can sign me up! I especially love hiking and water sports.

How I Pick My Travel Destinations And Prepare For Them

I usually find inspiration for trips on social media or TV and decide on the destination depending on whom I will be traveling with. The trip length will also depend on my travel companions and how far the destination is.

European city breaks might be just long weekend trips, while longer whole country backpacking trips in South East Asia are usually 2-3 weeks per country. I often also visit more than one country per trip if they’re really far away, making the most of those long flights!

I prepare trips by reading other travel blogs! I usually start with other travel bloggers I know if I remember seeing from Instagram that they were in a specific country.

I’ll read their blog first then search on Google for other itineraries, best things to do in each city, where to stay, and must-see stops.

How I Pack For My Trips

I’ll admit I’m a bit of a chaotic packer. I only ever travel carry-on so I only take the things I really need with me. I usually check the weather forecast first, to get an idea of the temperatures and what sort of clothing I will need.

My only real must-haves are my travel pillow and camera. I can sleep for a whole 8+ hour flight, but only if I have a comfortable travel pillow! And my camera is a must not only for my job but also because I love capturing photos to look back on.

Favorite Memory Of Meeting A Fellow Travel Blogger

One of my favorite memories is meeting fellow travel blogger Hanna of @solarpoweredblonde in Marrakech. We instantly clicked and three months later we set off on a 2-month trip around Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Philippines together. I love meeting like-minded travelers with whom I can share more travel experiences.

What Inspired Me To Start A Blog And My Plan For 5 Years From Now

I started my blog because I saw other travel content creators traveling full-time and making a living from their blogs, and I wanted to do the same. I have always loved traveling and sharing stories and advice, so a travel blog seemed like the perfect way to put the two together.

I write detailed itineraries, tour reviews, hiking guides, suggestions on where to stay, and city guides to help my readers plan their trips. I give them advice on the best things to do and how to make the most of them based on my personal experience so that they can maximize their holiday time without repeating the same mistakes.

I’ll be honest and admit I don’t have a 5-year plan for my blog. As I travel more and create more content I’d love to see it growing even more, and helping other travelers plan their dream trips.

Having A Supportive Family Made It Easy For Me

I’m lucky that my family has always been very supportive. They didn’t always understand what I was doing, but as long as I was happy it was enough for them. I very rarely travel solo, as I usually travel with friends, family, or other travel bloggers. Either way, when an obstacle comes up (which often does) I always try to overcome it by breaking down the problem and creating an actionable to-do list.

How I Financed Full-Time Travel At The Beginning

At the very beginning, I was financing my travels with the savings I’d saved up while working 9-5 in London.

To sustain your travels to travel full-time you would need either a fully remote job that you can do online from anywhere in the world or a source of passive income (eg. rented property, stocks, etc). If you’re working while traveling full time however you will probably need to take things slower, spending longer in each destination as opposed to packed itineraries

Traveling On A Budget And Managing Cost

I travel on a budget, but it’s not a particularly strict one. I usually do a bit of research on the destination beforehand on expected travel costs and set myself a travel budget accordingly.

I personally try to cut costs while traveling by saving on accommodation. I like staying in hostels and meeting people, so I usually don’t mind staying in a big dorm in a not-so-fancy hostel if it means that I have more budget available to spend on experiences or testing the local cuisine.

Trying local food is one of my favorite things to do, but I’ll usually try to save a bit of money also on food. On a trip, I’ll usually alternate between eating out and cooking something in the hostel to cut costs, while still enjoying the local cuisine.

Number Of Countries Visited And My Bucket List

I have traveled to 63 countries so far. Some of my favorite experiences were seeing the sunrise over Uluru in Australia, going canyoneering in Kawasan Falls in the Philippines, learning to surf in Costa Rica, kayaking to Benagil Cave in Portugal or exploring the Old Town of Dubrovnik in Croatia.

My travel bucket list is huge as I always add new things to it! However, the biggest dream destinations are Peru, Hawaii, and Vietnam.

Managing Work And Traveling At The Same Time

I split the workload between content creation and blog writing so as to not get overwhelmed while on a trip. When I travel I will usually only focus on creating photo and video content and gathering information for blog articles, which I then write and publish when I return home.

One of the challenges is keeping on top of everything when I have a lot of back-to-back trips, but I usually make up for it by working longer 14+ hour days when I eventually do return home.

GAFFL’s Role In The Lives Of Solo Travelers

I think GAFFL will be a great way for solo travelers to meet new friends and connect with like-minded people. It will allow users to plan a trip with other travelers who they know have similar interests.

Advice For Digital Nomads

For those who want to become digital nomads, start building an online job or passive income business now! There is never going to be a right time to do it, it will always feel like you could prepare more, but there is no time like today! Make sure you have at least the basics covered (eg. a new blog with potential for growth and savings to last you a while) and start traveling, in a year from now you’ll be glad you started today.

Lessons Learned Through Traveling

I think the biggest lesson has been to take things slower and that everything happens for a reason. When I first started traveling I would plan super packed and tight itineraries, and get to the end of the trip exhausted. I wish I’d known I didn’t have to do that! Especially if you’re traveling full-time, it’s ok to take things slowly, and that if something happens and you have to change your itinerary, it’s no big deal! Maybe something else will come up, and it will be the next great adventure.