Mid-life ditch it all and go travelling??
Discussion
Has anyone ever done it? Me and Mrs 111R are at a point where we've got enough ££ to say 'Sod it' and bugger off around the world. We're not 18 anymore (late 40s) and tbh I am not sure 'how it works' should we decide to go for it. At the moment its no more than an idea but things I don't know are: Isn't it just a global holiday? Could we afford to stay in hotels constantly? Is that what 'you' do? Do you go to a country and get a basic job? I'd imagine in some countries it would be a lot easier than others? How long do you stay in each country (I guess as long as you want)? And what happens when we get back? We can put the house on rent which should give us, net about £1500.
The short answer is: just do it.
If you want to do some planning you might want to think about:
- what do I want to 'experience'
ie. Living on a shoestring, being incapable of communicating in a common language, learning to scuba dive, doing a job purely for fun, etc...
- who do I want to meet
- how long do I want to go for
- do I want to work while I'm away
The answers to the above might give you a vague itinerary..
I lived all over the world for the last 15 years but am now just down the road from you in Farnham.. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific ideas / questions and I'll try to offer some useful advice.
If you want to do some planning you might want to think about:
- what do I want to 'experience'
ie. Living on a shoestring, being incapable of communicating in a common language, learning to scuba dive, doing a job purely for fun, etc...
- who do I want to meet
- how long do I want to go for
- do I want to work while I'm away
The answers to the above might give you a vague itinerary..
I lived all over the world for the last 15 years but am now just down the road from you in Farnham.. Feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific ideas / questions and I'll try to offer some useful advice.
Frimley111R said:
We can put the house on rent which should give us, net about £1500.
Just don't forget this is taxable income! And the government are putting up the tax next year and the year after, and the year after! (You probably know this already and have factored into your nos, but just in case as it could nearly half this no depending on circumstances)I met a couple from Australia a few years ago. Mid fifties, kids left home, house paid for. They rented out their house and headed off around the world, working in hotels, resorts etc for a month or two at a time. When I met them, they were about 4 years into the trip, had been to most of Europe and were heading for America next. They were taking low paid jobs but mostly with accommodation thrown in such as night porters, bar work, waiting etc in nice places. They didn't need a lot of cash to live and with plenty of time off during the day, were doing all the touristy stuff as they went.
I plan to do similar in a few years once I get a few loose ends tied up.
I plan to do similar in a few years once I get a few loose ends tied up.
Do it.
I haven't technically 'ditched it all' yet as I have some financial ties in the UK but I set off 12 months ago around the world. Things lead to things, and as a result I'm now a fully trained TEFL teacher with a job at the University campus on the Galápagos Islands. Never expected that when I set off a year ago with my rucksack.
Christmas will probably be my time to come home. But I think the ticket's going to be a return!
Www.loquitohermoso.com
I haven't technically 'ditched it all' yet as I have some financial ties in the UK but I set off 12 months ago around the world. Things lead to things, and as a result I'm now a fully trained TEFL teacher with a job at the University campus on the Galápagos Islands. Never expected that when I set off a year ago with my rucksack.
Christmas will probably be my time to come home. But I think the ticket's going to be a return!
Www.loquitohermoso.com
My colleague; in his 30's, has been struggling with his wife to have kids and I think they are at the point of finally realising that they can't have them, his wife has had a lot of other crap in the last few years and has a bit of inner turmoil going on, they have savings and a house and she wants to bugger off for a year, travelling the world and just experiencing new things, they can afford it and can rent their house out.
Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 10th August 06:40
HTP99 said:
My colleague; in his 30's, has been struggling with his wife to have kids and I think they are at the point of finally realising that they can't have them, his wife has had a lot of other crap in the last few years and has a bit of inner turmoil going on, they have savings and a house and she wants to bugger off for a year, travelling the world and just experiencing new things, they can afford it and can rent their house out.
Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Can't you go with her ?Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 10th August 06:40
Robertj21a said:
HTP99 said:
My colleague; in his 30's, has been struggling with his wife to have kids and I think they are at the point of finally realising that they can't have them, his wife has had a lot of other crap in the last few years and has a bit of inner turmoil going on, they have savings and a house and she wants to bugger off for a year, travelling the world and just experiencing new things, they can afford it and can rent their house out.
Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Can't you go with her ?Problem is, he doesn't want to do it, I've told him he's mad and should go and if I was in that position I'd be off like a shot, I'd love to do something like that; experience the world, there is so much out there they have enough money saved to not work when away, they have nothing else to spend the money on, it was saved for when they had a child. I've told him that it only one year of his life out of potentially 80-90 years alive but he's just not having it.
I worry that this split could actually cause a great rift between them, he even said to me a few days ago that she may go by herself.
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 10th August 06:40
Edited by HTP99 on Wednesday 10th August 06:55
I've not hit mid life yet, but went travelling for 4 years in my early 20s. It's very enriching and well worth doing. I could have got by on £1500 easily, but that's a bit more challenging for a couple.
I supplemented my income from a travel blog and eventually getting jobs in different countries. I only worked in countries I had permission to do so though (most tourist visas don't allow this and are for 30-180 days typically, every country different but 90 days is fairly standard). The biggest expense was travel itself, having to leave countries at the end of visas. But you can go quick via plane or slowly and make it part of the adventure via another method.
Hostels are perfectly fine places for an older couple to stay too, just get your own room rather than single sex dorms. I met plenty of older people travelling. Also don't forget couch surfing and AirBnB, not because they can be cheaper, but because you meet a lot of people that way easily and it really makes the adventure better.
I supplemented my income from a travel blog and eventually getting jobs in different countries. I only worked in countries I had permission to do so though (most tourist visas don't allow this and are for 30-180 days typically, every country different but 90 days is fairly standard). The biggest expense was travel itself, having to leave countries at the end of visas. But you can go quick via plane or slowly and make it part of the adventure via another method.
Hostels are perfectly fine places for an older couple to stay too, just get your own room rather than single sex dorms. I met plenty of older people travelling. Also don't forget couch surfing and AirBnB, not because they can be cheaper, but because you meet a lot of people that way easily and it really makes the adventure better.
I'm hearing a lot of negativity here :here:
So, more questions, (and thanks to the PHer who messaged me about house sitting to cover accommodation costs).
Did you decide to go for a specific period of time? I see some went and almost didn't come back! Shorter periods (like 3 months) seem like a long holiday and its prob not worth renting the house out for such a short period (along with parking up the cars, sorting bills etc.)
Did you just turn up and look for a job?
Which countries, for those who have done this, were your favourites?
What happened when you got back in terms of getting a job again? Was the gap something that meant starting again almost as opposed to getting back to doing what you were/at the same level?
More questions to follow...
So, more questions, (and thanks to the PHer who messaged me about house sitting to cover accommodation costs).
Did you decide to go for a specific period of time? I see some went and almost didn't come back! Shorter periods (like 3 months) seem like a long holiday and its prob not worth renting the house out for such a short period (along with parking up the cars, sorting bills etc.)
Did you just turn up and look for a job?
Which countries, for those who have done this, were your favourites?
What happened when you got back in terms of getting a job again? Was the gap something that meant starting again almost as opposed to getting back to doing what you were/at the same level?
More questions to follow...
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