It will be 3 years on February 10, 2014, since I left Australia after living there for more than a year to discover Asia. In this article, I will talk to you about a part of my long journey around the world (20 months) and what it brought me to encourage you to take the plunge.

My first trip around the world

Before leaving for Australia, I had already traveled alone several times, but only in Europe and North America. I already had a good command of English thanks to my experience. With my diploma in hand, I decided to go alone to the other side of the world. I could have chosen New Zealand or Canada (west side), but I chose Australia to spend a year there and then go to Asia depending on the money I would have.

It was the beginning of the start of my adventure.

Why did I go to the other side of the world?

• I decided to spend a year abroad to live a human adventure.
• I wanted to push myself, to give myself challenges.
• Have a new life and fulfill my dreams.

Bungee jumping in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Why should you go?

• It could be the experience of your life that will change your perspective.
• Travel accelerates life experiences and can open new opportunities for you.
• Travel makes you aware of what you have and what others do not. I especially think of travels in Southeast Asia or South America.
• You will gain maturity and open-mindedness.
• Make your dream a reality.

Unforgettable experiences around the world

During my first trip around the world, I was able to have experiences that I would never have had by staying in France.

Here are some unforgettable experiences:

• Working and living in a multicultural environment with people from all over the world.
• Parachuting over the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, bungee jumping, or scuba diving in Thailand.

Parachuting at Mission Beach, Australia

• Living through several winters in the sun and not knowing winter for 2 years.
• Having friends all over the world whom I visited again: Korean friends in Seoul, Germans in Kuala Lumpur, French friends in Cairns, and a Mauritian girlfriend in Singapore.

My Korean friends in Seoul

My German friends in Kuala Lumpur                      //             My French buddies in Cairns

• Going on road trips in a van, 4×4, car and crossing national parks, camping in the bush, swimming on deserted beaches, unforgettable hikes, bathing in waterfalls, etc.

Camping at François Perron National Park, west coast of Australia

Photo at Katherine Gorge and Litchfield NP in northern Australia

• Partying: celebrating New Year’s or Christmas by taking a cruise around Sydney, Christmas and New Year in Tasmania, several Full Moon parties in Thailand, discovering the electrifying atmosphere of nightclubs in Bali, partying on the beach in Asia.

 Nightclub in Bali with my Canadian neighbors // Full Moon in Thailand with my bungalow roommates and people met on site (Spanish, French, German, Czech, German, me and Mexican).

None of this would have been possible if I had not gone traveling around the world.

Doubts and apprehensions during my trip around the world.

I overcame all my apprehensions throughout the trip. I had doubts like everyone:

• “I will be alone” and “I want to live this experience with someone”, “I’m going to a remote place and no one speaks my language”,

when you travel, you are never really alone, because there are always other solo travelers, other travelers happy to talk with a French man or woman, very open and friendly travelers, and there are also other French people.

To have a good time with people, you do not have to speak the same language. Children will be the first with whom you can easily have fun. Locals are generally curious when you come to their country. They are very welcoming and show you hospitality.

Locals in Asia

When you are flexible, joining groups is very easy.

I would even say that if you are alone, people will be even more willing to open up to you and talk to you.

My case: I went alone and I have never felt so surrounded in my life or met so many people in 20 months of travel as in 20 years in Paris. During my first stay in Thailand after Australia, I was apprehensive about traveling alone again. Throughout this trip, I met several groups of people with whom I traveled for a few days to two weeks. This is the case throughout Southeast Asia.

Be open and people will open up to you.

Beach in Thailand at Koh Phangan and Koh Lipe

• “I won’t have work in Australia” or “it will be hard to find a job”,

Depending on the period and the place where you arrive, your chances of finding work are more or less good. You need to do some research: go during the right periods (September and early October are good times to look for work in major Australian cities). Working in the bush can open opportunities because fewer people want to go there. Talking around you and socializing with as many people as possible will optimize your job search. Step out of the usual mode and dare as much as possible. You will charm your next employer.

There are many ways to travel without spending or spending little, such as couchsurfing, help exchange, woofing. By meeting locals, you can open opportunities to pay less for excursions or to help you find work.

My case: I had some problems at the start, but I quickly changed places whenever I had no opportunities to find work. I knew the right people and it was these people who helped me get work. For example: friends in Tasmania found me work in Victoria for 2 months, a friend in Sydney recommended me to work in a DVD factory for 4 months. I met people 2 days before in a youth hostel and then we traveled and worked together on a farm for 2 weeks (I could have worked 1 and a half months more, but I left to join my brother).

It’s up to you to open your opportunities.

Farms in Victoria, Australia at Whitfield and Lancefield

• “Do I have enough money for my trip?”

When traveling, expenses are based on three pillars:

1/ Transportation

2/ Accommodation

3/ Food and leisure

If you don’t smoke and don’t drink alcohol, you will already spend less. If you are ready to work a minimum or help your host a few hours a day, you can have free food and accommodation.

There are alternative ways to spend less, hitchhiking for transportation, couchsurfing for accommodation, etc.

If you are ready to make concessions and sacrifices, to reduce your comfort to prioritize your money, you can travel longer and enjoy to the fullest if you have a budget of 1000^€/month (you can also travel with 500-700^€/month by being very frugal in Southeast Asia for example).

My case: I camped for 6 months and slept in youth hostels for 5 months in 15 months in Australia. I stayed in budget accommodations in Asia. I always prepared my own food in Australia or took basic meals in Asia. I hitchhiked, carpooled with 4 or 5 people in a car to reduce costs.

Prioritize your money over your comfort if you want to travel long-term.

Two months camping in Tasmania                                 //    Two months in a youth hostel in Sydney

A long trip or a trip around the world is a once-in-a-lifetime experience

 

I regularly meet other travelers who are all categorical: travel changed their lives and they lived the best moments of their lives during their long trip or trip around the world.

Travel also changed mine and that’s why I created this blog to share my experience and change your vision of the world and life.

Traveling is achievable for everyone and that’s what I explain in my article: from dream to reality.

Luck has nothing to do with it, it’s just decisions and sacrifices that make us (travelers) travel around the world. I always thought I was an average person until the moment I made certain decisions that changed my life. If you too want to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience, trigger your luck.

Me when I chose to leave my friends for the unknown

You don’t have to go to the other side of the world, start with what is within your reach and little by little, you will see that a long trip is possible.

It only takes one meeting, one event, one gesture, one article for you to take the first step and then the other steps will follow.

Contact me if you have questions and if it is an interesting topic, I can write a “response” article on the blog.