Quiting work to travel.

I'll be quitting my job, at the end of March next year, to do my round the world trip. I'll probably return to the same company once I finish the trip.
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I quit my job in September 2007 to travel for a year. Definitely never regretted that decision! There are always jobs around if you look hard enough when you return.

And the fantastic experiences you have more than make up for the time you are not earning cash.

My advice is always "carpe diem" on these things. Reply to this

Hi, I took a year's unpaid leave from a "safe", desk-bound job I'd had for 10 years - and emailed my resignation from a beach in Thailand, 9 months later. Never looked back. I used to work with some people who took a sabbatical and returned a year later, sitting in the same seat, doing the same work... .

You'll always find some kind of work when you return. Who knows where life will take you? Reply to this

I generally decided that I am going to travel to someplace in particular, or I am going to move to another country. Then after that decision was made, I quit the job when I had enough money to go through with the travel or move.

At one of my jobs the place shut down because it did not have enough customers. Consequently all of us(the staff) lost our jobs. I decided that since I was between jobs anyway, I might as well move to another country and get a new job there. Reply to this

This IS a great topic,

My wife and I took a years sabbatical from our super well paid careers May 07-May 08, and when we were finished we came back to the same jobs... thankfully though not the same desk, though if I turn my head I can see my old desk. I loved that desk, one of the only two desks (out of 63 others) that has a window and view next to it.

We saw coming back as a positive thing as my wife fell pregnant while we were away and the extra stability has obviously been a bonus.

We rented out our house while we were away and when we got back and filled it with all our old things it sadly felt like we'd never left.

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So... what for the future? Hopefully in a couple of years (we're saving like crazy at the moment), we're both going to quit for good, sell everything with no sentimental value, and go again, hopefully getting skilled migrant visas to Australia with the aim of working there for a while. We don't want any plans before we go other than to 'make it to Australia', and the feelings of insecurity all this brings is kind of liberating.

I'm going to be able to play and interact with my new son 24 hours a day with no one esle to answer to or no-one elses schedule to adhere to.

Granted it won't last forever and I'm going to have to eventually settle again somewhere, build up a life for the family all again, maybe that will be here in the U.K., maybe it won't... My memories of my previous trips are priceless, I'm just looking forward to racking up a hell of a lot more!

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I quit my job in November of 2004. I sold my house and everything I owned. I travelled around the world for 3 years without a break. I'm now living a very different life as an expat in Indonesia. I'm sure I'll be on the road again when my one year contract ends. Reply to this

Great post...and great comments!

Amy, you are right on the point...well, and you have a great blog!

Michael and Faye, what a beautiful story...and don't worry, it doesn't stop with the kids....you just have to be a little more organized.

On my side I'm really lucky to have find a job...that I keep doing on the road. So never really off the work, but that's ok as I have plenty of time to travel all over...funny to say, the real only limitation is my son who goes to school...16 weeks holidays a year for him, that's it...but we do the best with them! And I don't believe much in home schooling, so I guess I've got to wait that he reachs University to really hit the road full time...they grow so fast, I don't have to worry much...

Peter Reply to this

I think you are selling yourself short, if you sell out for security. I think people in their early 20s often grapple with the 'security or do what my soul it telling me to do' dilemma. Many choose careers and/or relationships that are not the right ones for them. Reply to this

My financee and I quit our jobs last January to travel for a year. We are now over the one year mark and are still going. We left when the economy was booming and we were certain we would find jobs upon our return, but even with the downturn, we are not worried, as we too always manage to find some kind of work and aren't afraid to try anything. We packed in our jobs, we sold vehicles, sold furniture and put the rest of our belongings in storage. We are also not in our 20's - we are in our late 30's and early 40's - definitely not a decision most people our age make! We have not regretted one single moment of this decision - only that it has to come to an end eventually! We like to call it "trial retirement" and we know now that we love it!!
As one of the other forums mentioned - you never know where life will take you, but you have to take the first step and it is often the most difficult one. Enjoy your travels wherever they may take you! Reply to this

This is the big thing. I assume everyone here had to go through that before they took off, and I'm personally dealing with that right now. When you're asking yourself how you're going to be "safe" by doing this, then those around you who will appear to be most vocal are bound to be those that seek out safety in life the most. They think they're being the most rational, so maybe it's just as well you just leave your reasoning at "I know I have to go anyway". Reply to this