However as I started to dive deeper into the world of travel blogging, I started to realize something that I just cannot agree with. There is a major belief that in order to truly be a travel blogger and really see the world, I need to sell all of my possessions, quit my full time job, and travel the world like a nomad (camping in yurts is optional). The idea sounds so mythical and intriguing but when you get down to the facts, not everyone can do that. Let’s be real about this. Not everyone can one day wake up and decide to quit their jobs and sell their homes for the sake of travel. Now for those that can, that is totally great! I envy those being in a position to do so, but there are also a majority of people who have different beliefs on what constitutes being fulfilled in life and selling everything they own and quitting their jobs is not on the list. In between the working hours of a full time job, there are definitely still ways to see the world and that is what I want to highlight on today’s post.
Want to know how to still see the world and NOT quit your job? Here are a few ways:
Weekend Getaways:
Planning weekend trips out of the state or even country is a great chance to see the world and not cut into vacation time. Sure it can be pricey to buy a flight out just for a weekend, but with careful planning this is definitely doable. Look for price drops before booking a ticket and as soon as you know it, you can be relaxing on a beach in Mexico from Friday to Sunday.
Long Weekends and Holidays:
If you think a 2-3 day weekend trip is too short, try waiting for a long weekend or holiday to leave town. This will give you an extra day (or a couple days depending on which country you’re working in) of travel but the plane costs can also be higher since other people will be travelling out of town. This is generally not the budget conscious route but with enough effort and planning it can still be affordable.
Staycations:
One man’s trash (or in this case one man’s hometown) is another man’s treasure. This old cliché saying is really true. There is always something to explore in every part of the world, whether the city is big or small, urban or rural. You don’t have to fly out of town to see the world if you’re exploring the ins and outs of your own city! Take it from me, who grew up in Los Angeles and thought it was the most BORING town ever. As a kid, all I wanted to do was go elsewhere and it didn’t hit me that a lot of people wish they grew up in my town until I went abroad and realized some Europeans could only dream of Hollywood when I thought it was just full of weirdos in costume asking for spare change. Your town is only boring to you because you’ve taken it for granted and overlooked the things that someone else had not seen. Give your hometown a second chance and try to appreciate what you have there by exploring it.
I kid you not, I live near MANY little vineyards that I had only recently discovered this past year.
Carefully Planned PTO:
PTO, or “paid time off” is what most Americans could get more of and what people in other countries may have much more of. It is paid vacation time and should be time well spent. Making every day of available paid vacation can really give you the chance to explore the world since you’re still getting paid while you’re in the air, sleeping in the hotel, and exploring a foreign country. My personal golden rule is to never use my vacation days for just one day off unless it is a travel weekend related activity. For the most part, I try to combine all of my vacation time into clusters which has allowed me to take off for at least a week at a time. That is plenty of time to fly abroad and explore!
Find a Career that Combines Travel with Work:
Some careers will require heavy travel and if you’re a jet setting adventurer, this could be your golden opportunity! There are more than several careers that require travel so do your research to see what your options are. Some obvious ones will be a flight attendant, pilot, consultant, auditor, and sales associate. If those don’t seem fitting to you, try to see what roles within your own workplace would allow for more travel.