Hi guys, totally new to this so I'm sorry if I end up pouring my heart out to you all and telling my life story. lol
Ok so for years I've wanted to travel. I mentioned it to my husband and surprisingly, he's on board! Our plan is to sell our house, put half the deposit money into a trust fund in the UK where we currently live and use the other half to travel. We would save up but we're not those people, we just don’t earn enough for that. So...questions:
1) Are we mad?
2) Do we sell all our furniture too or spend about 2k to keep it in storage for the year?
3) We intend to spend most of our time working and travelling Australia but want to do Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Bali. What’s the best order?? work first then rest or splurge then work?
We won’t be travelling for at least a few months yet as we still have to sell up but I do intend to blog anyway once we get on the road. I just feel terrified yet liberated because it looks like this is actually happening! It started as talks, then went on to places to stay, to things to do, to me collecting real estate leaflets with the titles "Thinking of selling?" and now I'm here... reading all your wonderful stories and asking your advice. I've wanted to do this for years and now plans are in motion....I'm a little overwhelmed already. lol.
Thanks for reading, would love your advice! xx
Reply to this Hello Shavonne and welcome to Travelblog!
I will answer the question from my opinion on this, someone who both adventurous in destinations, but yet cautious in financial matters:
1) No
2) I'd put your items into storage, for the replacement value is likely to cost more than the 2K you will spend. Coming back to nothing after a long time away (I can speak from experience) is tough - having at least furnishings to re-establish yourself makes your return so much easier.
3) Why not a third option - take time off to work, work and then take more time off to travel more. What exact order you do will depend on the time of year you plan to travel. Perhaps Hong Kong first, then work, and head back to see the triangle of Thailand-Cambodia and Malaysia (I'd recommend Singapore as well).
I'm sure that there are others who will have their own opinions on this that may differ, but just read all the suggestions and decide together what is best for both of you.
Reply to this Welcome to the World...and no you are not mad...
I'm putting personally our own stuff in storage for many months in 3 weeks...so the simple question is...does this item worth the storage price...some stuffs do, some don't...easy answer...
No I would second Shane for question 3 and give you a second option.
You don't want first to go through your savings...so keep the cheap first...and the expensive on the way back...
Going from Europe to Australia through Asia...you have tons of choices...
If you have never travelled before, a beach is a beach...and around here, they can be amazing...waking up at 4.30am to go to see the sunrise in Angkor doesn't require an expensive hotel...it is actually the opposite...
So go through Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia on your way down...and keep Bali and HK for your way up....and keep the shopping for the way back!!!
Hope this help...going to be on the road pretty soon...that's look actually funny to write, having been on the road for around the last 21 years...
[Edited: 2012 Jun 07 13:12 - Maisondubonheur:38623 ]
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In response to: Msg #157337 Thanks so much for your response! I've suggested Singapore to my husband and he's all for it!
Thats 2 people now saying not to sell our belongings so thats a great decision made already and we are still in talks of our route.
Thanks again Shane!
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In response to: Msg #157339 Thanks so much for that Pierre! We've now decided not to sell our things so thats a start.
I'll keep the rest in mind though so thanks so much! On the road for 21 years!?!?!? good lord! well....who knows ay! lol.
Reply to this Not too sure on the UK trust fund idea. Alot can happen whilst you are gone. I would have a diverse portfolio of precious metals, (silver better than gold imo), US Treasuries, US property exposure , and some Macau gaming stocks at current levels (Galaxy, Wynn, MGM).
Reply to this Hi Shavonne,
You're definitely not mad :-)
Having twice made long-distance, long-term moves, for 1 year I would also put things in storage. If you were travelling longer than a year and a half I might answer differently.
Why not set up a base in Australia and work for a while (doing weekend trips), then take off able to concentrate on travelling. Being a bit cautious with money in the early days on the road, as the others mentioned, is a good strategy.
p.s. welcome to TB!
Reply to this Hey,
You're not at all mad. We quit our permanent jobs, gave away our company car, rented out our house (although thinking back now, we should have sold it there and then) and sold most of our possessions. We put things we wanted to keep in storage at our parents' houses. When we left, we had the intention, like you, of travelling for a while, then working, and coming back, but we are still working abroad now, 6 years later.
Selling things, and more importantly, sorting things out to sell them/give them away was really hard and took a lot longer than we ever anticipated (have you thought about blogging that experience? It would be really useful for people in the same boat). We put things in storage for when we came back, but now we don't intend to go back we keep giving things away every time we go back to visit. However, if you only intend to be gone a year and then return, you will probably want that furniture.
I'd second/third the idea of doing a bit of travelling first, then working and doing some trips here and there around Oz, then travelling some more before you return home. As Peter says, SE Asia is cheap to travel in so perhaps spend some time in Thailand and Cambodia on the way out, and then visit Bali and Malaysia on the way back. Have a look what kind of tickets you can get with a stopover.
Welcome to Travelblog and enjoy it!!
Reply to this Heya, i've twice moved overseas to live...once i managed 6 months then 9/11 happenned and i ran home with my tail between my legs 😊 2nd we made it for 2 years and i would have stayed longer but my work fell through and with that my visa 😞 So to question 1 i definitly think youre not mad!
In both cases i/we rented out our houses and took 12 months leave without pay from work. My hubby's company refused so he quit when we moved to the US but it was a difficult thing to fix when we moved back to Australia...took him over 3 months to find a job and he went very backwards for 12 months both position and career wise. So....is there any chance of your work allowing 12 months pay without leave or issues getting jobs when you get back?
Also...our house buying and keeping was a HUGE bonus. Prices skyrocketed in perth while we were away and the first went double in price and the second time our house went triple. So no way i wld have been able to buy when we returned if i had have sold. Could you rent instead and perhaps change your mortgage to interest only so payments are very minimal? I've no idea what hte market is like where you are but if most of hte world is in a recession hopefully it can only go up??? I maybe wouldnt worry about furniture...i guess it depends how much you have and what quality? Perhaps selling your couches and tv's now would be an extra month or two of travel 😊
hmmm, i'm not sound positive here. But i think it is a fabulous idea to travel and most definitly get out there and do it no matter what as it will change your lives and view on everything 😊)
tam
Reply to this Hello and welcome to travel blog!
As others this answer will be a personal one and not intended to tell you what we think you should do. You will have to make that decision.
In 2007, we sold the house put everything in storage and took off traveling for 10 months. We have had no regrets.
I agree with those above that having a few things to come back to is a wise idea. You won't get much for used furniture.
I would recommend doing Asia first as it is the cheapest.
Fortunately we are nurses so finding work on our return was not too hard.
In August we are taking to the road again for 5 months.
We can't wait to see new places.
Reply to this Hello - this is wonderful idea:-) You are both not mad at all just brave and adventurous!!! We did think it was so difficult to leave everything behind but once you hit the road you forget about it all and just enjoy..
How about renting your house but sell everything else you don't need? we always thought that coming back home to something we know may be a good idea;-) If you could just get money to cover your airfare to Australia and some spending money and then work and save up. You may be able to travel more than the countries you mentioned for the money you get in Australia. SE Asia is cheap and you don't need much to do it;-)
Another option could be teaching English in China or Taiwan as rates for native speakers are veeeery high - we met people in Shanghai who got 30 Eur/hour for teaching rich kids through agency so was not difficult to find jobs. China is far less expensive to fly to and stay to find a job too. Think about it.
Hope to see your blogs once you start;-)
B&T
Reply to this Hey,
No you ain't mad. I can't tell for sure because I was really young when I left and did other sacrifice but did not sell my house.
I would definitively put my stuff into storage. I did it for four years and was really happy to see it when I get back and I am doing it again this weekend. Just get rid of the super-flu. Things you don't need or even remember you have before packing them are not worth paying to store.
I would do as other said and travel to work to travel again. You can find english teaching job who are good fun...
Last thing. Enjoy it, it will be the best time of your life.
Reply to this My wife and I did it for 2 years.
Managed to keep the house and rent it out - we put all our personel affects in the roof and locked it - and rented the house furnished!
if you can save to get to australia and a bit more - and then work and save there you will have a lot to come back to if/when you decide to return
i think you will need a lot less spending money than you prbably think - and earning in australia can be quite lucrative - depending in your professions.
have lots of fun!
Reply to this Welcome to the crazy world of us travellers, in answer to your question if madness equals time of your life, I'm as mad as a hatter.
Everyone seems to be providing great advice, my only addition to this is when considering storage avoid the usual warehouse chains and look for a container storage company, we pay £14 per week for a 8ft x 10ft container which we pretty much squeezed everything into.
And warning once you get started there may be no heading back. The last thing on our mind is going back to proper jobs, and how do we keep traveling?.
Best of luck whatever you do.
Reply to this Like everyone else I don't think you're mad at all. Just brave to go for what you really want. Three years ago we gave up our flat in Amsterdam, and nearly all of our possessions. We just kept some clothes, a few books, personal things. No big items. In the beginning it was hard. I thought I would never be able to part with all my books. But the more we got rid off, the easier it became. It was a great experience to see stuff going to people who loved it and who needed it. We met some nice people through all that. In some ways we are now 'rootless', but I've never felt more connected, more grounded, more me. Without stuff, you just have yourself to fall back on. If you feel you want to keep something, keep it. If you're fighting the letting go, it's probably good to hold onto it for a while. If you really intend to travel for just a year, (it will fly by!) it will be hard to replace everything when you get back. But all that stuff will almost certainly become a lot less important to you after a year on the road. When we eventually stop travelling, we won't need much, and will just buy second-hand.
Good luck with it all, looking forward to reading your blogs.
Reply to this I'm really overwhelmed by all the responces! I cant thank you all enough! I'm tempted to start writing a blog now but most of it will be about my jaded feelings until we buy our first one way ticket! and I'm sure no-one wants to hear that! lol.
Through repetative yet exciting discussions and your thoughtful replies, we've come to decisions that we hope will work out great for us.....just a waiting game and planning now.
Thanks again guys! You're all amazing! xxx
Reply to this Glad that all these responses were able to inspire you! Your blogs will always have an audience, even at this early stage of planning. Look forward to reading them!
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In response to: Msg #157448
Hi again,
I'd say start blogging now - the planning is as much a part of the journey, and years later it will help you remember all the excitement, nerves, and anticipation which were at the beginning.
Remember, you're among people here who have all been where you are now - we're more likely to be envious than bored! :-)
Reply to this This is the whole idea, start blogging now. Tell us your plans and how they change has the date approached.
Anyway, have fun doing the preparation. The first time it is almost as fun as the trip.
In response to: Msg #157448 Reply to this Are we mad?
No, I think you are actually being very sensible with your money. Some sell everything, and spend all their money on travel, which makes it hard for them, when they go home again and have nothing saved to fall back on.
Do we sell all our furniture too or spend about 2k to keep it in storage for the year?
Unless your furniture is antique family heirlooms, I would sell. You may find that like many, you will be less attached to material belonging after the freedom of having only what you are carrying while you travel. And, you can easily get jobs when you get home, buy some basic furniture, and then add to it. Why complicate things by holding onto to replacable things unnecessarily.
What’s the best order?? work first then rest or splurge then work?
I dont think there is a best order. I personally would travel first if I had enough money, and then work if I had enough money to travel first with.
I'm a little overwhelmed already.
Naturally, since you are about to take off on a major trip... 😊
I'm sure no-one wants to hear that!
I do. I always like to get reassurance that I am not the only one who experiences restlessness and other negative feelings about travel.
we've come to decisions that we hope will work out great for us.....
It will work out great for you. I have yet to hear somebody regret the decision to travel. 😊
Mel
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