After I graduated college in Tampa I moved to Scottsdale, Arizona and started working at a big law firm. It was during my time there that the idea to travel was born.
Booking a one-way ticket to a far off land was a radical idea at this time. Some of my coworkers thought it was exciting. Some thought it was crazy. Some secretly thought I’d be back with my tail between my legs. Others didn’t see the point at all.
There weren’t a ton of travel blogs back then. The only one I found was a blog written by a Polish couple who biked around the world. The woman ended up dying of malaria somewhere in Africa.
During my first year of travel, I had no intention of becoming a nomad or being on the road forever. I didn’t have it planned out. I just wanted to go and see what happened.
There I discovered that it’s common for young people from countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada to take a gap year, where they take a year off to travel the world between high school and college.
Taking this year (or even two) to explore, find yourself, have adventures and gain experiences is epic but considered normal.
Over years of traveling I discovered that the longer you’re on the road, the weirder it becomes to others.
I continued to enjoy my journey so I continued to go.
I have been out of the travel loop for four years. I see that hundreds of travel blogs and social media channels have sprung up touting this lifestyle.
I assumed that this style of travel has become more commonplace, run of the mill, regular, like a grocery store run.
But judging the reactions I’m getting to my upcoming transition, it still feels as radical and far fetched as ever.
Our plans to put our stuff into storage and bunk down in Colombia for a few months with plans to visit other places has been met with awe, wonder and shock.
But why?
More people than ever are working remotely or starting their own businesses. All that many need to earn money is a computer, an internet connection and their mind.
Even if their job requires them to be in an office, those skills they’ve acquired can most definitely be translated to some type of remote work.
So why is the idea of long-term travel still radical? Is it fear of the unknown? Thinking that finding a job will be near impossible once they come back? Or just a lack of interest?
I realize that my point of view is highly skewed. For me it’s been more abnormal to live in the same part of Florida for almost four years.
So what is it? I’d love to know. If you’re an long-term traveler, I’d love to hear what kind of reactions you’ve experienced. If you enjoy reading about travel but don’t want to go anywhere, I’d love to hear about that too.