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How would I plan for spending a year traveling around the world? : AskReddit

Okay, so I'm a high school student and plan to take a year off before going to college, or would like take some community college courses online while traveling.

Assuming I have around a year and a half (547 days from today) to save up, I'd like to know how much I'd need to save up for expenses, and if there are any community colleges based in California that offer online courses that would transfer to other public colleges.

I'd also love it if you shared any similar experience(s) to what I want to do and what you thought about it.

I only make around $120/week, and would like to open a savings account and deposit the ideal amount needed to pay for expenses on a per/week basis.

The last thing is is I think I'd be traveling alone, so any advice on keeping safe would be appreciated as well.

[deleted]

That is the best advice I have heard so far.

Packing: read everything on one bag .

Twice.

I don't know how you want to approach it, but you may look into The Couch Surfing Project .

I had some money saved up a couple years back and thought about flying to Europe and bouncing from couch to couch with only my laptop, skateboard and camera.

I signed up at Couch Surfing and lurked in the forums a bit to kinda check the community out.

You can choose to meet people with similar interests and hobbies, people that speak specific languages, etc, and they provide various levels of hospitality, like "just a place to crash" or "I'll show you the best bars/restaurants," etc etc. Regrettably , I choked right at the last minute and ended up just moving to a different part of the country, but man -- I couldn't think of a more romantic way to see the world.

I am a member of the Couch Surfing community (or as we like to call it, "CS"). It is not for everyone though, and there are many rules both written and unwritten for travelling this way. There is plenty of info on the internet, I hope your research does not consist solely of 1 askreddit.

Navigating by the Sun never fails.

Unless it's like night or cloudy or somethin...

You'll probably have to figure that part out for yourself.

Read "The Four Hour Work Week".

Read the relevant chapters, or the whole book.

You don't, you just do it.

Lucky bastard.

If by "lucky bastard" you understand that I'll have to sacrifice every paycheck I get between the one I just got, and the one I'll get almost two years from now to pay for the trip (and only the most basic expenses I'll be able to afford when on the trip), then you have a strange definition of someone who is a "lucky bastard." Not to mention the fact that I know I'd be able to save it up if I stopped being useless crap, I don't find that very luckky.

Pretty sure you're just joking, but seriously, if I was a lucky bastard I would just do it.

Only a some percentage of people in the world ever get the chance to do a round the world trip. Circumstances change (i.e.

Family), or you have no chance of ever getting the cash together. So even sacrificing your pay checks for 2 years, you're still a lucky bastard :) BTW, I've done most of RTW, still haven't done South America/Africa though.

BTW, I've done most of RTW, still haven't done South America/Africa though. Lucky bastard.

Lucky is having the chance/opportunity to do it, many people get themselves tied down wth relationships, debt, house, whatever and can never make the break.

It is something I also would like to do.

People say that such journeys change you forever.

Pack underwear.

First of all, plan to have a lot of money ;-)

You can travel around the world for free.

Any more money than that is simply luxury.

For intracontinental travel I'd definitely recommend hitchhiking.

It's easier than you'd think, safer than you'd imagine (at least if all you have to go by is Hollywood horror movies), and the people you meet are often more interesting than the places you go.

Oh, and it's free, too! Getting from the Americas to Eurasia/Africa (or even Australia, Iceland, Greenland or various other islands around the globe) can be more difficult to do for free but still very doable.

There are tons of places online where you can find work on a boat in exchange for a free ride (typically as a helping hand on small privately-owned leisure vessels) and I've also heard of people having great successes simply walking around ports (you say you're in California, right?

San Francisco would probably be the best bet in the USA) offering to work on fishing/cargo ships in exchange for passage.

Of course, if you're not feeling that adventurous and don't mind spending a few hundred dollars, you can always take a plane.

No shame at all in that, though I'd still highly recommend conventional land travel when merely traversing a continent.

Planes are expensive and boring and if you abuse them you'll become more of a tourist than a traveler which has always been a big turn-off for me. Beyond actual travel expenses, sleeping on a budget can range from free to very cheap -- especially as a recent high school grad (lower standards!).

As mentioned in another post, CouchSurfing seems to be a very cool service (I've never used it personally) and with some skillful use of public library internet access I'd imagine you'd be able to set yourself up with accommodations even while on the road.

Of course there's the option of carrying a sleeping bag and tent/tarp on your pack, which is what I've done in the past but may be difficult or unfavorable if you're not the camping type (during winter months, I'd suggest being at or below ~35° latitude if you're following this method...

Personal experience here).

Hostels in Europe and Asia may be a good idea (never tried 'em) if you're willing to pay a bit and share living space, you're also bound to meet some interesting people.

The USA has no real equivalent of the hostel, at least in most cities I've been to.

I'd stay away from hotels/motels because they're overpriced, boring, and homogeneous.

My junior year in high school I went on a road trip with some friends from Chicago to NY to LA and then back, staying only at chain motels like Super 8, Motel 6, etc...

If there's any way to suck the life out of an otherwise adventurous trip, this would have to be it. Now, the last and foremost is food, the third and most important member of the traveling trinity (a way to get around, a place to sleep, and something to eat).

If you want to save up your paychecks for two years for this trip, spend most of your hard-earned money here.

Unlike getting rides and sleeping outside or couchsurfing, you're going to have a very hard time getting food for free.

Assuming theft and begging are out of the question (they are for me, but I won't impose my morality on others) the only feasible method of getting food without monetary exchange that I can think of is dumpster diving. Ah, I can write a whole new block of text about dumpster diving alone but I'll give you the tl;dr version.

Dumpster diving isn't as gross as you think it is.

Most dumpsters aren't as gross as what you see in cartoons (but some are...

Again, personal experience) and your main goal isn't really pre-eaten food scraps but rather whole perishable food items that were tossed because they've passed their peak of freshness.

We're talking stuff like day-old bread (not uncommon to find a garbage bag full of bread with nothing else, which is not gross at all), canned foods that 'expired' a week ago even when they're probably still fine for another year, etc...

A 15 minute gleaning of food from a dumpster behind a bakery or small grocery store (most large megagrocery stores have impenetrable dumpsters for liability reasons and because they love tossing out tens of thousands of calories of food per day) can yield as much grade-A (okay, maybe B+) food as your pack can hold, easily several days worth.

A useful skill to practice in the weeks before your trip is eating less to adjust your metabolism ahead of time.

While at home I work out a lot and regularly consume 4000+ calories per day, but give me a week or two of preparation and I can easily cut that down to 2000 calories per day without any cut in physical performance or a feeling of hunger.

Lowering your food consumption will make your life a lot easier, that's for sure. If you're not willing to dumpster dive, there are other good ways to eat well on a minimal amount of money.

Whatever you do, DO NOT go to restaurants too often -- you'll be dead broke within a month.

In the USA, you're looking at an easy $10-15 per meal plus tip, and more if you want something better than a pre-made & unthawed burger at IHOP.

Fast food offers a better bang for the buck, but that's incredibly boring and you'll feel like crap after a while.

Sandwich shops can be a good idea (five dollar footlongs!) in terms of both calories/dollar and nutritional value (a sandwich with a lean meat, lots of veggies, cheese, and whole wheat bread covers four out of the five food groups) but I doubt you'll want sandwiches thrice daily for a year. Going to grocery stores and doing a little cooking for yourself is probably the best idea.

Bring along a portable butane stove ($20 for a decent one and butane is super cheap) and you can buy some dried beans and rice and cook them up for less than a quarter per meal.

Canned corn is also cheap and good and my very brief online investigation shows that beans, rice, and corn together provide all essential amino acids so you needn't fret over a diet low in animal protein.

Eggs are another great budget food (cholesterol is insignificant when you're abstaining completely from modern junk food) and you can cook them nearly any way you'd like with your butane stove and a portable pot/pan.

If you hit up a grocery store near closing time, you may be able to get that day's bakery goods at a heavily discounted price, if not for free.

Same thing goes for their deli and produce section, just ask the clerk about it and take advantage of whatever deals they offer.

Independently owned bakeries work well with this method, too, so be sure to check them out when you come across them.

If you come across a good deal then fill up your pack (I will come back to the issue of your backpack later) with several days' worth of food.

Unless your trip is very boring, you will not be able to go to a grocery store every day so preparedness is key.

Most of this advice is U.S.-centric but applies to varying degrees elsewhere, as well.

Eating in Western Europe is going to be more expensive, so prepare for that.

If you make your way to South America, Africa, or Asia (except Japan, ahhh!

Tokyo is the least friendly city on earth to a traveler on a budget) you'll be surprised at how cheap food is.

The open-air market is almost nonexistent in America but a common sight in other parts of the globe, and is a very good source of cheap food. (continued....)

Always be cautious, though: what a local can eat without thinking twice can make you quite sick.

Dysentery is not a good way to end your trip around the globe!

Thoroughly cooked foods and produce (just make sure to wash it off) have always been fine with me, but I'd be wary of the numerous gruel vendors that populate major third-world cities.

At the first sign of any illness make sure to go to a clinic, which will probably be cheap or even free depending on what country you're in, just to be safe.

There are many very nasty viruses, bacteria, and parasites out there which can be either very minor or potentially life-threatening depending on how quickly you are treated.

Water sources in major cities will usually be good, but be wary when traveling undeveloped parts of the world.

It's good practice to bring any water you drink up to the boiling point to kill many of the nasties, but even this is not infallible.

This whole paragraph sounds like a bunch of doom and gloom, I know, but it's better to be prepared than ignorant.

Not once have I had a problem with illness, so don't let it scare you out of visiting many interesting places around the world. I know I've mentioned it before but I'll stress it now: get a good backpack before you go.

The suitcase method of luggage transport is more fitting for a boring "Take airport to location A, take taxi to hotel B, rinse & repeat" trip, which is beyond your budget and not nearly as fun.

Your entire home will be on your back for a full year, so do your homework as to what pack you should use.

I have a raggedy old hiking backpack that I bought for $50 at a charity store and it's absolutely great.

You'll need room for a change of clothes or two, an extra pair of shoes or boots, a few days' worth of food, and other various necessities including but not limited to a quality road atlas, water bottle, bug spray, sunscreen, Dr.

Bronner's soap (functions as shampoo, body soap, hand soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and more), and a towel.

Don't forget the towel.

If you plan on any wilderness excursions or camping (I'd highly recommend at least considering it.

Here in the USA we mostly live in cities and towns and keep to our own homes, but there's just so much wilderness and untouched land out there that it's hard to resist once you actually see it), there's a whole bunch of stuff you'll want to bring along including but not limited to a sleeping bag, tent/tarp, compass, a knife or two, and so on.

You can find a much more comprehensive list on any camping forum, written by people much more competent than I.

Although I purposely leave mine at home whenever I travel (it's like turning on god-mode in a video game!), a cell phone is a very good thing to have.

Reception is iffy and check up on roaming charges before you get a $10,000 bill in the mail, but the utility of a cell phone is obvious and I won't go into it. Some other mentionables that I didn't fit in anywhere else: Always keep a roll of toilet paper with you.

You can take rolls out of the bathrooms of large stores (they're not feeling the loss of 5 cents, especially if you buy something from them at the same time) and you'll be very glad when you're walking around town at 2am and no stores with bathrooms are open.

Get a water bottle, and keep it filled at all times.

Water fountains are the best source because they're guaranteed drinking water, but faucets will work too.

In warm climates, especially in desert areas, this is doubly important.

Dehydration is deadly, but easy to avoid if you're prepared.

There are some places in the world that you, a (possibly) white English-speaking American, are not welcome.

In impoverished areas, you're liable to be mugged or worse if you don't have common sense.

Don't wander around third-world cities at night, and always keep at least a dozen other people in sight at all times.

Many a dumb American has been mugged after being led into an alley and then surrounded.

If you are ever mugged don't try to be a hero, just give them what they ask for and you'll stay alive.

Along those lines, don't carry any valuables with you (leave your laptop, jewelry, and $800 camera at home) and never carry more cash in your wallet than you're willing to lose.

Stay away from Africa and the Middle East unless you know what you're doing.

Driving through many parts of Africa can be a good way to be stopped by armed robbers and killed for the $15 in your wallet, and it is my impression that much of the Middle East is inhospitable towards American non-Muslims.

In fact, if you're ever asked by somebody who seems unfriendly where you're from, just lie and say Canada.

Things will turn out better, trust me.

I've gotten my fair share of hostile lectures on U.S.

Foreign policy, as if I have anything to do with it.

This may seem obvious, but check out the current political situation in a country before you visit.

U.S. citizens make prime targets for hostages and symbolic killings.

Don't go to Iran unless you are a Muslim or can fake it reasonably well.

The people there will suddenly become very unfriendly to you when/if the U.S.

Decides we're done with Iraq and decides to bring the war into Iran.

If some major political or military upheaval occurs in the country you're in, play it safe and just get out.

Your first course of action should be to get in touch with the U.S.

Embassy in that country and ask them for help.

If the country does not have diplomatic relations with the USA (I think only Cuba, Bhutan, Iran, and North Korea...

I'd really recommend just staying out of all 4, and I'm pretty sure 2 won't even let you in) then I'd try getting in touch with another embassy that is friendly with the USA, such as Canada and I'm sure that would help you start down the path of getting the hell out of there. So yeah, that's about all I've got at the moment on the subject of world travel on a budget :) This post is way too long and poorly organized, and I wrote it in several sittings and even copy-pasted some previous writings of mine to a friend who is doing the same thing.

I didn't really directly answer your main question, but I hope I indirectly gave you some insight as to how much large budget should actually be.

If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I was in the same position as you a few years ago, I went on a long-term trip (though only through the USA, Canada, and Mexico) straight out of high school and planning for it was very daunting indeed.

Just know that there are many very good resources for this sort of thing on the internet, and always remember to enjoy yourself! Here's some places that are in my bookmarks that you may want to take a look at: www.digihitch.com (general purpose hitchhiking forum.

Even if you're not going to hitchhike, give it a look.

Plenty of good info about packing for a trip and low-budget travel) www.7knots.com (if you're interested in being crew for a ship in exchange for passage overseas) www.cruiserlog.com (same as above) www.floatplan.com (same as above) www.sekoyamag.com/nouveausite/SPIP/breve.php3?id_breve=352 (same as above) http://www.ludovichubler.com/ (a French guy who toured the world in luxury for $10/day over the course of 5 years)

Have you considered starting a blog relating to this topic?

Seriously, I didn't expect any response to be this long and helpful at the same time.

The only thing i would note is that your definition of free is not exactly correct.

You are talking about bartering or trading time and effort for passage, this is not free.

Other than that, as you were.




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