Okay, so you’re thinking about going on a world trip or you’ve made the decision to do so. Where to start planning and preparing?! There are lots of things to consider. In this post (and Part II) I’ll write to you about the things I’ve came across planning my world trip;
When will you go?
After setting your mind on going on a world trip there are a few important questions to consider. Where do you want to go? How long will you go, how many savings do you have/ need? When is the right time for you to go? Do you have enough money to just go for it or do you need to work a bit more? Are you going solo or is there someone to join you?
What about your job?!
I was in the lucky position of having a permanent contract, which in my profession as a health care professional is difficult to get these days. Off course I’d spoke with the manager about unpaid leave, but going away for over a year was just a bit to long for him to give in. As a result, I had to quit my job. Since I could use some extra savings, and had another four months till resignation, we agreed to increase my working hours.
What about your home?
Going away for a longer period of time forces you to think about your home situation. I think the most convenient way to deal with your house is to rent it to someone you trust. They can pay your monthly rent and you can leave most (if not all) your stuff in place. Other options are to end your contract in case you live in a rental home or maybe even sell your house. You can sell stuff you don’t need any more. And store the rest in a rental box or with friends/ relatives.
Planning your trip!
One of the fun things about planning a world trip is to look for information about the places/ countries you want to visit. Which countries do you want to visit? How much time do you want to spend in each country? How do you want to travel? Will you buy a world ticket or not? What about the weather and seasons? Every country has it’s preferable seasons. Accept the fact that you won’t be able to always be there at the best time possible. While planning, keep in mind that some places can be really cold at times. In other places seasonal typhoons and natural hazards occur. You might want to avoid extreme weather conditions.
Is there something on your bucket list that is only accessible in a few specific months of the year? Try to plan your trip around this. And remember, this is your trip! You can do anything you want J
For me it was enough to just plan a basic route and not be too specific about the things I want to do or see. One great part about traveling is that it takes you to places you never expected to go. While traveling you will change your plans and make plans on the go.
Vaccinations
Plan a consult at a travel vaccination center and get informed about vaccinations. The consultant will tell you a lot about health risks in different countries and gives advice about vaccinations and (malaria) prophylaxes. Some vaccinations require more than one shot with a certain amount of time in between. Make sure you contact your consultant early, so you will have plenty of time to get all the shots you need.
For more ideas on planning and preparations see part II of this blog
