Would you love to travel South America for a year? Maybe your dream is six months in Southeast Asia? Or perhaps what drives you is going around the world for several years?
But of course, you never find the right moment. There's always something in the way. Maybe you don't know how to fund the trip, or you're too tied up right now; maybe you've got commitments that hold you back, or you're thinking that maybe a few years from now the timing will be better — or perhaps the news keeps bombarding you with negative stories about the places you'd like to visit and you're worried about safety.
The doubts pile up and you can't make a decision. How much money do I need? What gear do I have to buy? What happens to my life when I get back?
But do you actually want to travel?
If you genuinely want to travel, nothing else matters. All you need to travel is the will to do it. Every other obstacle can be overcome — if you really want it.
Barely any money?
It doesn't matter, if you've got the drive and the desire. Long trips can be done on less than €5 a day without going hungry or running into trouble. In fact, you can travel completely free if you're willing enough and don't mind giving up certain comforts and safety nets. Do you want to travel, or not?
Bad timing right now?
Why? What do you want more — what's keeping you here, or travel? If the answer is the second one, you already know what to do, and what to stop doing. Do you want to travel?
Worried about safety?
The world is very different from the one the media paints for us. The relentless stream of negative news is not a realistic picture of the world we live in — it's a form of control.
After four years travelling the world on a tight budget, I can tell you with certainty that the vast majority of people you'll meet are good people. In this world there's a majority of decent people, a few who are outright brilliant, and a few who are bad. All you need is common sense to steer clear of that small minority.
What happens when you get back?
Saying the job market in Spain is not good is an understatement — it's a disaster, with a few exceptions. But that's not a reason to cling to a job (often a rubbish one, excuse the language) out of fear of what comes next.
And if you don't have a job right now — what better time? When you get back, maybe things will have improved. And if they haven't, you won't have lost anything either.
Travel opens borders, shows you other options. While you're on the road you'll find business opportunities and learn new skills you can put on a CV and bring to job interviews to find something better.
Not only that — you'll make contacts, and you'll almost certainly come back able to hold a conversation in at least one new language. Why not use those new doors to go and work in another country?
If you want it, you can do it.
Right, so money is no longer a concern, nor is the future, nor what might happen along the way. But how do you actually take the leap? How do you find the right moment to start?
Stop what you're doing right now and think it through calmly for the next five minutes. No more than five minutes. If you set aside whatever is currently keeping you here — how long would it take to wrap up your current commitments? Housing, job, finances… 1 month? 1 year?
The ultimate trick to travel — start today
Pick a date. Today. Don't overthink it. What date sounds good to you? If you're planning to travel in the northern hemisphere you might want to wait for spring — how about setting off on the 5th of April? Or maybe you want to travel through the northern hemisphere in winter without sitting at home — shall we leave on the 2nd of December? Or maybe you just want to go as soon as you've finished what you're dealing with, and that date is… the 23rd of February?
Mark it in the calendar and spread the word. That's the day your trip begins.
What to do next
Depending on where and how you want to travel, this week you should look into flights or transport to your departure point. If you need a flight, book it now — that confirms your departure date and keeps you from backing out.
With a date set, the countdown has started. Sort out, manage and get whatever you think needs sorting, and get ready to make your dream of travel a reality.