Where in the World?
The Intrepid Traveler
She's five feet tall, weighs 100 pounds and carries a bunny named "Murphy" around in her bag everywhere she goes. Not the first image that comes to mind when one thinks of a world traveler, but that's Sharon; a Filipino-American I met through work about 5 years ago.
When we met, I was immediately impressed by how comfortable she was with herself and her older, more experienced co-workers. There wasn't a hint of inhibition or intimidation in her dealings with us; a rare quality in such a young woman. She was 22 at the time. I was intrigued to learn the circumstances that enabled her to develop such confidence. And while I don't know many details of her upbringing, I did learn that her father was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines where he met her mother and that as a family they did a good deal of traveling and exploring. Perhaps equally important in developing her ease with others is her own love for travel. Sharon is one of the most widely traveled Americans I know.
I asked her how she managed to travel so much. She said she doesn't drink or party and shares an apartment with a few friends. Traveling is a priority for her and she finds ways to make it happen. This week Sharon quit her job in order to travel around the world for the next 16 months. Here's how she did it .. in her own words.
Sharon - front row, far left.How did this evolve from a dream into a reality? The first few months involved playing Devil's Advocate with myself. Asking questions like,
Am I really going to quit my job?
How am I going to afford this?
Who'd be crazy enough to go with me?
The first part was easy. After all, it's just a job, right? It shouldn't limit or define me and I have no doubts that I will be able to find a job when I return. Some may say I'm naive but I like to think it's confidence.
As for the financial aspect, not owning a home or being in debt is a huge plus. In order to meet my goal of having $1,000/month for travel, I had to work multiple jobs (sometimes 3 at a time), in addition to giving up my social life.
As for the third question, I am fortunate enough to have a friend who is as "free-spirited" as I am. She's willing to travel until her funds are depleted, about 6 months, which means the other 10 months I will be flying solo. To some that would be awkward, dull or even intimidating, but I love it! I've met the most amazing people and had the most incredible experiences traveling by myself. Not only is it a good way to meet others, especially locals - but more importantly, it's a great way to meet and find yourself.
When I finally decided to go through with it (which took many months of going back and forth) it was time to figure out the logistics. I decided on an around- the-world ticket with American Airlines and its affiliates. I chose them because their program is based on continents visited vs. miles traveled. And, since I would be traveling back and forth between southern and northern hemispheres, I would exceed the maximum amount of mileage allotted in the mileage- based programs. So instead, I purchased a 5- continent ticket. The drawback is I had to select all of my arrival/departure points for the next 12 months in advance. Still, just because I fly into a city, doesn't mean I can't travel to adjacent countries by other modes of transportation. And trust me, local transportation is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and sometimes experience a hair-raising thrill! Although my locations are pre-selected, I do have the flexibility of changing my dates, which allows me to come and go as I please. All in all, it's a great deal and works out to about $150 per flight!
As for the journey, we're making it up as we go. Although we know the major airports we'll be flying into, the destinations and adventures that await us are unknown. It's all dependent on the people we meet and the stories they tell. Inspiration comes in many forms as long as we're open to them.
Perhaps some of my adventures will inspire you to take your own journey, check out my travel blog.
Bon Voyage!
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference." Robert Frost
