How to Travel the World

Greetings, Globe-Trotters!

I've had a busy week as my sister is in town and I've been showing her and her friends the sights of Thailand!

Over the weekend we visited a couple of markets, went to a fantastic traditional Thai show and spent yesterday sailing through the glorious Phang Nga Bay!

Before we get into the meat of todays newsletter, last week, I sent out my very first inaugural Working Traveller email and asked a specific question encouraging a response, to an email address that wasn’t working!

Sorry about that!

If you’d like to read last weeks email, you can see it here - Can You Really Earn a Living While Embracing the World's Wonders?

The question I asked was;

Here are the topics I intend to cover in these newsletters and I'd love to know which are most important to you.

1. Online Business, Side Hustle, and Income Generation Tips

2. Bucket List Tips & Destination Spotlights

3. Nomad Tips & Location Independent Hacks and Strategies

4. Mindset Mastery & Sell-Empowerment Tips

Please hit reply and let me know the order of importance to you (1-4), or if there’s anything else you want me to cover, and while you're at it, tell me a bit more about you.

What's your story? What are your goals? I'd love to hear from you!

Fingers crossed my email will work this time and I’ll most definitely respond to all emails.

Thanks so much, I look forward to hearing from you.

So back to todays newsletter!

I want to focus on how to get started travelling the world.

How do you embrace the full-time nomad lifestyle, settling down in new countries, or indulging in long term slow travel? There are so many ways to explore this beautiful planet of ours.

Let's start with how I did it.

My Journey to a Nomadic Lifestyle

In 2010, my husband & I decided we wanted to live a location independent lifestyle. We had an 'internet marketing' friend living in Cyprus who introduced us to the concept, and as luck would have it, needed house sitters for the summer. 

Selling everything we owned, we packed up our life, put our 4 year old daughter under our arm, and jumped on a plane.

Immersing ourselves in courses, videos and mentorship programs, within a year we'd had our first 6 figure launch and 4 years later our first 7 figure year.

It hasn't always been easy and we've had ups and downs and moments of feast or famine, but we've been living a lifestyle many only dream about – traveling the world funded by our online income.

Our incredible journey has taken us to over 40 countries to date, and Phuket has been our base while our daughter attended school.

Now 17 (unbelievable), our daughter finishes school next May and we're at T-minus 6 months before we strap on the backpacks and hit the road full time!

So if you're itching to start a similar journey, here are some tips to consider before taking the leap;

1. Choosing Your Travel Style

First things first, what's your travel vibe? Do you want to be a full-time nomad, an expat or a slow traveller (live for longer periods of time in various locations around the world)?

Are you into budget backpacking, house sitting, or maybe you're all about luxury escapes? Or, like me, do you fancy a mix of everything? 

There's no one-size-fits-all in travel and there’s no right or wrong either, it’s whatever suits your style and wallet!

2. Crafting Your Dream Destination List

Next up, let's talk destinations. When creating your bucket list of destinations dream big! Jot down every place you've ever wanted to visit.

From the pyramids of Egypt to the serene beaches of Fiji, let your imagination run wild.

See this post on FB for bucket list inspiration.

3. Planning Your Adventure

Even with a steady income, it's wise to save for those 'just in case' moments. When we left the UK all those years ago, we had a couple of credit cards and minimal savings. It makes for some very hairy moments I can tell you, when you’re not sure where the next months rent or food is coming from.

Depending on your risk levels, I would start with a good 6 months savings in the bank, and unless you’ve already got a steady monthly income or substantial investments, investigate all the ways you can travel on a budget.

You can travel very cheaply going down the housesitting route, volunteering or simply moving to Asia!

Then think about where you want to go, locations, duration, visas, insurance, acommodation etc. If you're into house sitting, volunteering or looking for free stays, start exploring and signing up for relevant platforms now.

To streamline your planning process, here are some invaluable tools:

1. Skyscanner: For comparing flight prices across various airlines, helping you find the best deals for your travel dates and destinations.

2. Rome2Rio: Shows you how to get anywhere by plane, train, bus, ferry, and car, providing time and cost estimates for each option.

3. TripAdvisor: Offers reviews and tips on accommodations, restaurants, and attractions, along with traveler photos and booking tools. (Tip - do not book anything through this app. Just use for reviews and places to see nearby)

4. Nomad List: A comprehensive resource for digital nomads, offering insights into the best places to live and work remotely, based on cost of living, internet speed, weather, and other factors.

5. WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms): This is a network that allows you to live and work on a variety of organic properties. Volunteers (or 'WWOOFers') spend half a day on a farm, learn about organic farming and sustainable agriculture, and receive room and board during their stay.

6. Workaway.info: A platform designed for those who want to travel and work. It connects members with hosts from around the world who are looking for help with a range of tasks, from teaching, pet sitting, gardening, to helping with eco-projects. In exchange for a few hours of help each day, hosts offer food and accommodation.

7. Trusted House Sitters: This platform connects travelers with homeowners needing pet and house sitting. It's a win-win: members enjoy free accommodation worldwide and a chance to experience local life, while homeowners gain peace of mind knowing their home and pets are cared for.

8. Travel Insurance Comparison Sites (google): Essential for finding the best travel insurance policy for your needs.

🌏 Podcast: This is an old but relevant episode where I interviewed a lovely lady, Eden Rudin, about her experience house sitting around the world.

4. Earning While Travelling

Without doubt the best way to extend your travel experiences is to have an online business that’s generating a nice regular monthly income that you can manage and run no matter where you lay your laptop!

Last week I highlighted all the way the nomads I met in Chiang Mai are earning on the go, but here's a few more ideas:

1. Freelancing: Use your existing skills to offer services online.

2. Blogging: Start a travel blog or any niche that fascinates you.

3. E-commerce: Launch an online store selling products you're passionate about.

4. Digital Courses: Share your expertise by creating and selling courses.

5. Virtual Assistance: Offer administrative or creative support to businesses.

Make sure you download my free ebook 200+ ways to generate an income while travelling the world, for loads of ideas to suit a variety of personalities and interests.

You can also head over to my sister blog Your Lifestyle Business for loads of articles and resources for starting an online business.

And if you’re itching to get going with your own online concern, but are unsure where to start, check out my course The Solopreneur Success Formula - currently on sale for just $50 for subscribers only - Use code SSF100 at checkout for $100 off.

5. Booking Your Trip

When it's finally time to book, whether it's a short trip or a long-term journey, flexibility can lead to the best adventures and savings, which is why being a nomad is so handy.

You don't need to travel in the height of summer or school holidays, so you can get the best deals at times that suit you!

Use platforms like Skyscanner and Booking.com to find the best deals. And make sure to invest in good travel insurance – it's a must-have!

✈️ Hot Tip: Keep an eye out for last-minute deals and off-season discounts for extra savings.

6. Travelling Safely and Smartly

Safety first, always. Read up on your destinations, respect local customs, and use common sense. Join forums and groups for insider tips and chat with fellow travelers.

Don’t just listen to government warnings by the way. If I had I never would have travelled to Thailand, and I can say with hand on heart, this is one of the safest countries in the world.

Nomadlist is a great resource to learn more about a city/country and connect with fellow travellers.

Also, read blogs, sign up to newsletters (like this one) and speak to people who have travelled to the places you want to go.

7. Making the Most of Your Travels

Finally, embrace the journey with all its ups and downs. Use travel apps, join local meetups, and don't forget to balance work with play. Whether it's savoring street food or taking a tuk-tuk ride, each experience adds to the fabulous tapestry of travel!

Also read (and bookmark) my blog post on 101 Travel Tips to Save You Time and Money.

So, today was a long one! I hope it helps.

Please feel free to bookmark this post to come back to as and when you need to. Plus you can find all the newsletters on my newsletter page on the site, so you can always revisit them.

In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to share my most popular post on Facebook this past week.

That’s all folks!

Do please respond to my question at the start of todays issue. I want to make sure I’m covering topics that are relevant and add maximum value to your life!

Have a fab week!

Jo ✈️🌴😊