This post coincides with my 3 year anniversary of not having a “job”. I wrote about the lead up to quitting my job several years ago. On this very day 3 years ago I took off on a 5 and a half month road trip through North America. That was followed by a few months back home and a 6 and a half month trip in Argentina and Chile. Now I am 4 months into Exploring Peru and Bolivia. When I initially left my job I thought 3 years would be the longest I would be away from traditional employment; things are very different now. I don’t see myself going back to the traditional workforce, unless it’s for enjoyment, or because of a dire financial necessity. I rather work for myself. It’s an unanticipated outcome that has come out of this journey; one that is frankly quite surprising to me. I enjoy work. I loved where I worked, and I still have people that I consider my extended family at my former employer. In the back of my mind, I always thought there was a possibility of returning, although perhaps in a different capacity.

I have been constantly impressed by the hustle of small business owners in the countries I visit. While surely inaccurate, it feels like everyone has a business, especially in Peru and Bolivia. While I travel, I notice a bunch of different business needs that are not being met. Needs that make me jot down a bunch of notes, get me excited, and make me want to open up a business of my own. Sometimes that need is local, other times the site of something triggers a thought of a need back home. I have at least a dozen different business ideas that I would consider pursuing when the time is right. Just not quite yet 🙂

Unanticipated Outcomes

There have been other unanticipated outcomes from this journey as well. I think the most striking is how little I value “things” now. I rarely buy things anymore. I am the worst tourist in this respect. I don’t by crafts, art, and try to not buy things that are not necessities. For instance in 6.5 months in Argentina and Chile I bought one thing. It was a mini Moai statue acquired in Easter Island. There were plenty of crafts, artwork, and items that I thought were intrinsically beautiful, but I rather allocate my money on experiences and travel. As another example, I am more than 4 months into this leg of my trip and the only thing I have purchased is a knitted Alpaca hoody. It captured my eye walking down the street and since it’s a functional piece of clothing, I justified the $12 purchase. I’m wearing it as I write this 🙂

This brings me to how my overall consumption has changed. While consumption for goods has decreased, my consumption of education resources has increased considerably. I did not know that would happen. This goes way past what I learn on the road, which is substantial. I am reading a ton more. I am sometimes informing my friends of events back home that they were unaware of. I find myself more engaged in world events. I am binge consuming podcasts on business and finance at a rampant pace. Sometimes this has contributed to me not leaving a particular place on time. Most recently I was up until 4:30am listening to podcasts and because of that I wound up extending my stay in Puno an additional day. :-/ The other day I spent the majority of my day watching videos trying to fully understand how the federal reserve works. If someone told me I would be doing that instead of exploring my environment when I first set out, I would have thought they were nuts. I am also learning a ton on what it takes to run a blog. Prior to setting up this site, I had very little knowledge of how to create and run a site. I am still learning, but I have a much deeper understanding of what’s involved now.

On the more negative side of the spectrum another unanticipated outcome is that I feel the base of understanding between me and others has shifted considerably. Let me explain what I mean by that. The alteration of my values, coupled with the unique experience of long term travel, contribute to the feeling that very few understand the life I am living. That is isolating. Lot’s of people imagine my lifestyle to be unsafe and from some comments/questions unsanitary. I can’t tell you how many times I been asked if I’ve seen the horror movie “Hostel” or if I have had bed bugs. Sometimes there is also the insinuation that long term travel is a drunken non-stop orgy. These are thoughts that many people carry which are not hinged in reality, at least not my reality. There is also the misconception that everything is great all the time. Something I feel other travel sites play up. The long term traveler lifestyle is not always the most palatable. It’s not for everyone and it’s still life. You are going to have really crappy days. Your bus will get cancelled. You might get stranded at a border because you forgot a particular piece of paper. You’ll get your heart broken. You will get sick. You will have days you feel lonely. You will lose things. Normal life emotions and frustrations do not leave because you did.

In turn, relating to problems of those living a “traditional” life is harder. I have begun to see things that I would have considered problems before, as first world problems. For those not familiar with the term you can find the definition on https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20world%20problem. I don’t want to trivialize anyone’s problems by saying this but I don’t have the same level of empathy for some of the problems which I once did. That’s just a fact. There are also major fundamental aspirational differences to consider. At this point many of my friends might be looking for a house, starting a family, working towards a promotion, getting a graduate degree, getting a larger apartment, or buying a car. I on the other hand have already done some of those things and am thinking of ways of downsizing, not upsizing my lifestyle. I am considering going into a smaller apartment and perhaps selling my car. In other words, my friends and I are not in different stages in life, we are on different planes altogether.

Getting Sick

Here’s another thing to consider, getting sick. I am much more careful about my health when I get sick abroad. I don’t push it. I have no one to take care of me if things go horribly wrong. Sure there are doctors and medicine like anywhere else but if I come down with a very high fever, I still have to make my way out of bed to get food. Delivery is also less common outside of the first world. So I baby myself in many ways when I feel something coming on. In my old life, I would just suck it up and go to work.

Common Questions

Do you get bored?

A good friend of mine asked me recently if I get bored. The answer is no. It is very hard to get bored. Some of the primary factors for this is that this blog takes up a lot of my time and I am in a new environment often. I can just walk down the street and see things completely foreign to my native environment. Ever seen a roasted guinea pig with a pineapple hat and a tomato in its mouth? Well walking down the street I have. I had the pleasure of seeing and smelling animal organs being wheel barreled into a market while dripping blood on the floor. What about seeing 30 different types of potatoes? I also did a double take the first time I saw dead chickens with feet. It had been an eternity since I saw that. I don’t think I ate chicken that day. As stupid as it sounds, it sort of freaked me out. I just focused on food. There is a bunch more. How the infrastructure works (or doesn’t). How buildings are built, the brands you see, etc. Your mind is constantly active, absorbing these foreign sites. You constantly weigh what you know with what you see. Comparing and contrasting. Questions like, why isn’t it done that way back home arise often. Or why do they do that here? Does that make sense? Damn that looks dangerous! Aside from the everyday life stuff, there are countless museums and archeological sites to visit. Almost every town has something. If anything I sometimes become overwhelmed with the multitude of choices. Do I go to the museum? Should I leave town? What of the 40 different tour companies should I use? While I have gotten somewhere around 50-60 hours per week back, I more than fill them and hardly ever find myself bored. If anything I am overstimulated.

Do you feel a sense of purpose?

This takes me to whether I feel I have a sense of purpose. While in my former life, I could feel a sense of indirect fulfilment for improving patient care, medical education, and medical research, I don’t have that now. I am not going to deny that I have struggled with this especially at the beginning. I know other long term travelers struggle here as well. Some people may see you as lazy. Internally you may even feel like that. My take on it is the following. In the past I had an unbalanced work life. I worked a lot more than I played. If the opposite is true now, I am just putting things in overall balance. Perhaps this is just a justification to set my mind at ease, but it’s also true. Also this blog can be viewed as a job without compensation (for now). It’s not uncommon for me to sit down for 4 straight days to write, modify, and learn how I can improve my blog. There are weeks that I do more work on the blog, than tourist activities. Having a project like this, even if at times I don’t want to do it, keeps me grounded.

Aside from that, when I reply to a question someone has on my site, it adds to my sense of purpose. It may not be the same as it once was, but those interactions fuel me. When I am told that through my writing I inspire, cause joy, wonder, or, excitement, it really helps with feeling purposeful. Are there times I feel unproductive, yes. I miss the collaboration of work, strategy, and the feeling that comes with accomplishing a large project. On balance I would have to say I feel I have a sense of purpose most days.

What is it like?

This is one of the most common questions I receive. I want to acknowledge something before continuing. I struggle with the language necessary to convey what the long term travel experience feels like. I constantly feel like I fall short at explaining that. Those that have lived it, know what I mean. I am not the only one in the long term traveler community that feels this way. If there are any other long term travelers that have a better handle on this, please feel free to comment below. I would love to hear from you.

Still, I’ll give it a shot. The differences between the “traditional” lifestyle and the long term travel lifestyle is that from one day to the next you are dropped into a very different society as your own. Where many of the rules are different, the norms are unfamiliar, you are constantly unbalanced by what you don’t know and excited by it as well. It’s the excitement of seeing something new for the first time. While things as simple as knowing where to get a haircut, buy groceries, where to do your laundry, where to sleep, where the bus terminal is, etc. are constant unknowns. It’s a process of constantly learning as you move. It’s great because you get to see so many different things, cultures, and the ways people live but it’s hard to explain the mind shift that comes with that. You lack structure, a routine, convenience, and creature comforts. For instance how many times do you look forward to going home and lying in your own bed. I don’t have that anymore. How about the extreme luxury of having an amazon.com order waiting at your door. I don’t have that. When I was looking for a table fan in Lima it took hours for me to find a store that carried them. Because of this you tend to appreciate things a whole lot more. A hot shower with decent water pressure for instance. The joy you get when there is toilet paper in the bathroom. Or when you get a communication from a friend. Little things that in the past brought you less joy now seem to bring you a ton. Oh and a good cup of coffee! A good cup is can be rare and if I find a good one it can be the highlight of my day. I turn into a giddy child when I consume one.

What would I do different?

If I were doing things differently, I would have left on my trip sooner. The financial costs have been less than anticipated. I would have also hosted couchsurfers prior to leaving so that I could take advantage of the free hosting network. While I can technically do this, it is harder for those that have not hosted others in the past.

What’s the hardest part?

For me it’s the inability to hang out with friends and family. That and establish/keep long term relationships while on the road.

How do I swing this financially?

This is the black box of long term travel. The question that everyone struggles with. The anxieties that are provoked by not having a steady income are huge. Especially if you have a mortgage, a car note or student loan. I am not immune to these struggles or anxieties. Those anxieties ebb and flow. Still that does not make long term travel impossible. With time these anxieties seem to diminish. For me they were stronger leading up to the trip.

I had a car note and a mortgage when I left. I just had enough money saved that I could cover my responsibilities if things went wrong and as it turned out, they did. Because of that planning I was able to manage. I would say having a good plan is essential to long term travel. As far as a finite amount, I don’t think it’s fair for me to put down a number on how much I saved before I quit my job. The reason is that everyone’s circumstance is different. That means everyone’s number is going to be different. I don’t know how much your student loans are. I don’t know how much your car note is. I don’t know how much your mortgage is. Also the locations you choose, amount of time you travel, and how you travel are just as important in dictating your budget. However, I have listed my travel expenses in hopes it will help with those trying to plan a similar trip.

There were several things I had going for me that helped/helps finance this trip. First I had a good amount of vacation payout. I also had a good amount of savings that I was willing to sacrifice in the name of travel. I have stock market investments that produced dividend income. Finally, I have rental income. For me all these things allow me to travel on about $50 per day.

What do I miss?

I miss my friend’s and family. I miss food variety and quality. Finally I miss indoor heating, and consistent hot water.

Trade offs I’ve made

I miss weddings, birthday parties and other big life events of my friends and family. I spent less time with my dad in his last years of life. Long term relationships are much harder to develop. In some instances, friends distance themselves since I am not around. I can’t afford spendy things anymore. My financial stability is diminished. I rarely have the option to just pick up and go and hang out at a friend’s house.

Some fun Statistics

I spent a considerable amount of time hiking through North America and Patagonia. A hobby that I absolutely love. The sights and landscapes have touched me in a profound way. I also achieved 2 childhood dreams, visiting Easter Island, and Machu Picchu. A wholly satisfying experience. I added 16 UNESCO World Heritage sites to my tally along with a ton of friends (I’m not listing the friends).

Four New Countries Explored

Argentina Chile Peru Bolivia

16 UNESCO world heritage sites

The Future

I’ve changed considerably in the last 3 years. I suspect in the coming years I will continue to do the same. I hope pointing out some of the negative aspects of this lifestyle did not come off as a rant. It is just how I feel. Fundamentally I chose this lifestyle and continue to choose it. For me the good still outweighs the bad. There could be one day where that is not the case, and I have no problems reversing course. I don’t discount the possibility of taking joy from a 9 to 5 again. Doing so would be foolish. Our tastes change over time. Mine could easily as well.