5 Things about Long-term Travel No One is Telling You
In one of my past articles, I wrote about how much travel can enrich your life. As well as opening your eyes to new experiences, travel will make you appreciate the world you live in, and the people who inhabit it. In short; it’s pretty good for both, the mind and the soul but you don’t need me telling you that. You probably know it already. The benefits of traveling are clear for anyone who’s gone to another country and given that going away can have such a transformative impact, it isn’t unusual to feel a desire to take travel to new levels. Specifically, to travel for a long time rather than a week every now and then. Long-term travel has obvious benefits. Why else would so many students take gap years? Most of us listen to the stories of those who’ve taken the plunge with green-eyed jealousy and blatant envy. And, when those feelings become overwhelming, you may decide you’re going to do it. You’re going to go on the long-term travel adventure you’ve always dreamt of and it’s going to be the trip of your lifetime.
Don’t worry; I’m not one of those people that will tell you otherwise or try to change your mind. In my opinion, nothing beats the life-changing experience of heading away for an extended period of time. However, long-term travel is not the walk in the park you might be expecting. You may already know that this will be different from the typical five-day excursions you’ve had until now. Only a few of us realize just how difficult long-term traveling can be at times and to help you prepare, we’re going to look at some of the realities you might not expect along the way but are bound to happen.
1. You will need to establish a time frame
We know how tempting the idea of a long-stay vacation with no timeframe can seem. Isn’t that how they do it in the movies? Perhaps. But, it’s not the best option in real life. In reality, you need to know how long are you planning to stay. That involves knowing how long you’ll stop at each destination, and also the length of your trip as a whole. While it hardly suits the carefree, nomadic lifestyle, a timeframe can keep everything afloat. It’ll help to dictate your budget, what you need to take with you, and much more. In short; that simple time frame will hold your trip together and, that’s essential. You certainly wouldn’t find that carefree attitude much fun if you ran out of money and believe it or not, even the most chilled out travelers usually take care of this before they leave.
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2. Accommodation could get pricey
It’s also worth sparing a thought for your accommodation. Up until now, hotels have always served you well, right? Sometimes, you can even get great deals and save up to 20% on your stay. However, when it comes to long-term travel, they are out of the option. Hotels are luxury options for short-term stays. They don’t suit a lengthy stay in the slightest and the cost associated with it is ridiculously high. One other option you might have is finding an apartment. This a probably the best option if you’re planning to stay for six months or more. There’s no denying that it’ll save you a lot compared to staying in a hotel. 
Alternatively, you could look into cheap hostels in your destinations but bear in mind that, over an extended period, this could still get expensive. If you plan to visit a few different destinations, hostels are probably the cheapest option available but don’t forget to shop around to find the most affordable ones in each destination. Living in hostels is a different experience that doesn’t have all the perks of hotel life but is something your bank balance will surely be grateful for.
3. Learning a new language isn’t easy!
When we go on vacation, most of us learn a few basic phrases of the language spoken there. You know the drill; please and thank you. Can I get the bill, please? Hello, goodbye. The BASICS. But, if you’re heading away for anything longer than a week, that much won’t do. First of all, not wanting to learn the language is pretty arrogant. It’s like saying “Thank you so much for learning good English, I’ll return this favor by not bothering to learn a single word of your language because you have made your language useless by learning another country’s language so well.” The saddest part is I met a lot of people that actually do this. If you’re looking to start learning a new language, check out Babbel. It’s an amazing language learning platform and I just can’t recommend it enough. If you want to sign up, you can use this link to get 15% off on your first subscription.
Since you’re already effectively living in another country, you need to learn how to communicate with the locals. What’s more, learning the language can open up incredible opportunities. This way, you’ll be able to converse with locals, get involved in activities, and much more. You don’t have to be proficient but you should be able to hold down a conversation by the time you leave. Once you start using that language on a daily basis, you’ll soon become fluent before you know it.
4. There will be times when you hate your new country
To put it frankly, shit happens when you live abroad. And solving these issues isn’t a cakewalk. It’s a normal part of moving abroad and there will be times when you feel like you belong neither in your new nor in your native country. Having this complex range of emotions is completely normal, so don’t let that bring you down. Look at it as a relationship. And we all know arguments are an inevitable part of it. You are allowed to get mad at your partner, even hate them at times. It’ll be temporary. Just make sure to not bottle in your feelings because that never ends well. The bottom line is, moving to a new country isn’t going to be ideal as portrayed in books and movies. However, I never met a person that regretted living abroad. But I have met many that regret never trying that.
5. This won’t be anything like the travel you’re used to
Perhaps the most important thing to bear in mind is that this won’t be anything like the travel you’re used to. In fact, it’ll be unrecognizable compared to the experiences you’ve had until now. Long-term travel is less like a vacation, and more like a new life elsewhere. This is especially the case if you plan to be away for a year or so. Forget sitting on the beach and chilling out with a glass of sangria. You might want to do that kind of thing for your first week, but the rest of your time couldn’t be more different. In truth, this time will be much more like your everyday life than you might expect.
While you’ll be in a new, interesting setting, business needs to resume as usual. That could mean getting a part-time job and even signing up in the local gym. In short, your days will be much more ‘normal’ than you might imagine. However, that may come as a culture shock but once you adjust, you’ll be able to grasp the new experience, open your mind, and start getting out of your comfort zone. And this is where the real growth starts happening. This is where you start learning lessons that stay with you, shape you, change you…
Helpful resources for long-term travel
Saving on flights is one of the most important things for people who travel a lot. One great way to save on flights is Air France’s Discover the World at a low price program. I warmly recommend it.
If you want to save on travel insurance, go to World Nomads for the best deals for long-term travelers.
If you want to rent a car during your stay abroad, this Sixt special offer can get you 20% off on car rentals worldwide.
Finally, if you’re collecting points and miles, you can track and combine all of your loyalty programs and save on every trip with points.com.
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June 5, 2018 @ 10:29 am
I love long term travel more than anything but totally vibe with your points. As for #2 we found a solution; house sitting. Long term travel works perfectly for sitters, who can set aside months to do sits all around the globe, rent-free. We have been sitting since 2014, doing sits in most spots save a few months here and there. Awesome way to see the world on the cheap and to always be around pets, which is big for us.
June 6, 2018 @ 11:37 am
That’s a really interesting point, Ryan. I must admit I never thought about it but I might give it a try in the future 😀
June 14, 2018 @ 12:30 am
I am a long term traveler also, and you hit the nail on the head when you wrote, “In truth, this time will be much more like your everyday life than you might expect.” I stay in each country 1-6 months and must either get a job or work online. As a consequence, most of my day consists of me working to make a living, but when I do have freetime, it is definitely much more interesting than how I spend my freetime at home in the states.
June 15, 2018 @ 4:33 pm
I’m glad you agree, Amy! Life goes on as normal, only in a different place but we still have to find ways to survive 🙂
June 14, 2018 @ 12:57 pm
Definitely worth considering how long term travel is unlike the shorter trips many of us have done before. I think the advice to plan your time is particularly important, so you can pace yourself in terms of doing whatever it is you want to do in each place, but also not get so blase about having a lot of time that by the time you leave, you’ve actually not done a lot of what you wanted to do!!!
June 15, 2018 @ 4:35 pm
Absolutely agree, Kavita. Time management is extremely important. We’ve all been there: thinking we have a lot of time to do things but actually not doing most of them before we leave. That’s also an important segment 🙂
June 14, 2018 @ 3:01 pm
These are some very useful tips! I agree about the accommodation; it definitely adds up after a while. And true about not liking your new country; the rose coloured glasses do come off!
June 15, 2018 @ 4:36 pm
Definitely!
June 14, 2018 @ 4:03 pm
Completely agree with every single part of this post, travelling isn’t as easy as seems. Thanks for sharing
June 14, 2018 @ 5:23 pm
This is why I much prefer short term travel. I love having a home base with a routine that I can depend on when I return from my travels.
June 15, 2018 @ 4:37 pm
That’s a good option too but living in another country also makes you learn new things and gain new perspectives by finding yourself in situations you would never experience back home. I guess both options have their pros and cons 🙂
June 15, 2018 @ 7:09 am
A lot of this rings true! I’ve done long-term travel for the past couple of years and can definitely see where you’re coming from. I’ve actually saved money compared to living in the U.S. in terms of accommodation in most countries I travel to, but the rest is so true!
June 15, 2018 @ 4:39 pm
Well yeah, that’s important too: comparing the living standard of the country you’re coming from and the countries you travel to 🙂 perhaps in some countries accommodation might even be cheaper compared to normal life in the US 🙂
February 12, 2019 @ 3:34 pm
All excellent considerations for long term travel! On my first longer trip, I was surprised to find myself homesick. I totally felt that disconnect between hating and loving my new country. And language barriers are rough!
February 13, 2019 @ 10:06 am
Indeed, Valentina, that’s one part of the experience and a proof that traveling isn’t always hunky dory 🙂
February 13, 2019 @ 12:20 am
aint this the truth! I’ve had the opportunity to experience long travel (like 1+year) before twice and each time I have experienced ALL of these! Especially the language part, as the mind/brain ages it is harder and harder to pick up languages! And it certainly is nothing like a weekend getaway, but i highly recommend anyone & everyone to experience it! Great post!!
February 13, 2019 @ 10:10 am
Absolutely, Krista- just like everything in life, long-term travel comes with perks and setbacks. And a lot of people neglect the latter.
February 13, 2019 @ 8:37 pm
The most long term travel I have done was a few month Euro trip and you are spot on! We did go the budget hostel route however which helped with expenses.
February 15, 2019 @ 3:18 pm
A few-month euro trip still counts even though I was referring to longer journeys without going home. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Shane- I really appreciate it.
February 15, 2019 @ 12:50 pm
This is actually something really interesting. I haven’t had tried long term travel before, and reading this would somehow give me an idea about the reality in long term travel. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
February 15, 2019 @ 3:38 pm
Thank you, I really appreciate your comment and I hope you experience long-term travel someday. It sure is an incredible experience.
February 15, 2019 @ 6:47 pm
You have nailed it well. Long-term traveling is a lifestyle, not a vacation.
I would just add, one could even face burnout when traveling, especially if traveling fast from one place to another.
But, as you said: I never met a person who regretted living abroad but met many who regret never trying it.
February 19, 2019 @ 3:49 pm
Thank you, Miljana- I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed this article. You’re absolutely right about burnout and it can very easily happen when one jumps from one destination to another
February 18, 2019 @ 2:38 am
I really like the points you bring up in this post. I am currently traveling for about a month in between jobs, and I’m finding it both incredibly rewarding but also challenging at times. It’s not really as long-term as what you’re referring to, but I can definitely see glimpses of the things you mention in this post.
February 19, 2019 @ 3:53 pm
Thank you for your comment and for sharing your experience, Kevin. Taking a gap between two jobs sure can be refreshing and rewarding but you’re right, it can also get challenging, just like long-term travel.
February 19, 2019 @ 5:02 am
hahaha so true that you don’t love every country. And that’s totally ok. That country probably doesn’t like us either.
February 21, 2019 @ 12:13 pm
I was saying that there will be times you hate your new country I didn’t refer to hating it all the time but indeed, if you show open dislike towards your new home, you can’t expect to be well-accepted there either.
February 19, 2019 @ 5:37 am
I like your comment ‘to put it frankly, shit happens when you live abroad’. This is true! I lived and worked in London for 3.5 years and definitely had some tough times. People think it’s easy but it really does put you to the test! Planning including budget like you have suggested is key.
February 19, 2019 @ 3:58 pm
It sure is, Jodie. Living in London for 3.5 years must have been an amazing and challenging experience at the same time
February 20, 2019 @ 6:34 am
I haven’t take a long-travel because I still have day-job responsibility and I think am not yet ready for it. A frequent short-term travel is what I enjoy most. Its a love-hate relationship I guess 😀
February 21, 2019 @ 12:11 pm
That’s interesting too 🙂 and long-term travel definitely isn’t for everyone. One should find a lifestyle that suits them and stick to it and you seem to be doing that pretty well