From a very young age, I was a dreamer, I watched the stars, documentaries about distant destinations. I had never really traveled far because my parents couldn’t afford to take us on vacations abroad. So I grew up with a strong desire for travel and dreams.
In this article, I will explain why and how I took the plunge and how I went from dream to reality by building my project from start to finish.
From dream to reality
Contrary to what one might think, “traveling” is not only reserved for the rich. My parents earned minimum wage all their lives. Yet, I have been traveling abroad 4 to 5 times a year for the past 5 years (except in 2010 when I lived in Australia all year). Why and how was I able to do that?
The only important component to realize these dreams is “YOU” or “ME” and “WORK”.
A solid project is built over time at the cost of certain sacrifices. Here are some solutions and examples to realize these travel projects:
- Save more to travel more often.
Example: At noon, I prepare my own lunch instead of going to a brasserie or buying something. I rarely shop sales, my phone subscription costs me 2 euros per month, etc…
- Reduce your comfort to travel longer.
Example: Abroad, I sleep in youth hostels instead of hotels. I never take taxis, I use public transport. I rarely eat at restaurants or I choose the cheapest dish. I very rarely travel with a tour operator; I organize everything myself.
- Work more to travel more often.
Example: For a year and a half, I have been self-employed and each of my websites generates money. I worked an extra 35 hours a week for a year in addition to my job to have more money to travel. Now, I work no more than 10 hours per week at most.
- Have and seek information to spend less during these trips.
Example: There are so-called “low season” periods when tickets are cheaper. In Hong Kong, the metro fare from downtown to the airport costs 10 euros, whereas there is the same service by bus which costs 5 euros but takes 15 minutes longer.
- Have a project aligned with your skills.
Example: I wanted to work and travel at the same time during my world tour in 2014. For that, I created my websites to be a freelancer. I started learning Spanish at the end of 2013 because I plan to go to South America in 2015. I started attending polyglot meetings in 2006 to speak several languages so as to have no difficulty speaking other languages with other travelers.
- Build a network where you live or when you travel.
Example: I have many friends abroad whom I met through polyglot meetings, my social network, and my travels (for example in Berlin or Australia). Know that every meeting can change your trip and the more languages you speak or the more open you are, the more possibilities you have.
It is thanks to each of these solutions that I can travel long and more often.
If I, “the young dreamer,” was able to do it, then you can too!!!
I am not the smartest person around me but I am enterprising, that changes everything. When people see a problem, I see a solution: “work” or “perseverance” or “the positive aspect”.
This year, I was able to travel abroad for 80 days including 60 days outside Europe while having a full-time job.
Having a too ambitious project will take more time but my ambition does not stop there.
Now it’s your turn to play?
There you go, you know my miracle recipes but you don’t know how to make them happen. I will talk about it in my next article “Acting to realize these travel dreams”.
And you? Does it seem possible to go from dream to reality?
