Security when overseas

Its been about four months since I have written anything so I thought it was about time! Currently I am pretty obsessed about getting back overseas, hopefully writing about it will help me get over it in the short term.


How do you keep your things secure when overseas ?
Is everyone out to get you ?
Should you carry your passport around with you all the time ?
Is it safe to leave your laptop in your room unattended ?
Is it ok to use foreign ATMs ?


These are some concerns I had before I went overseas for the first time. 


The fact of the matter is that there isn't a simple answer to these questions. 


The best tool you have for keeping yourself and your possessions secure when overseas is your common sense. This becomes especially important when traveling alone. 


How do you keep things secure when overseas ?
And the answer ? Use your common sense ! Do not leave your bag(s) unattended in a public place. Do not ask a stranger to watch your stuff. Pretty straight forward right ?
What if your by yourself in an airport and need to use the toilet ? Easy, take your bag with you. People do it all the time. In fact its illegal to leave your bag unattended at most airports so you have no choice. 


In my experience most shared dorms have a locker. Make sure you carry a padlock with you as some of them do not come with keys or locks and you have to provide your own. Generally I have had no problem leaving my main pack unlocked in the dorm - all it really has in it are my clothes. Everything else I lock up in the locker like toiletries, shaver, passport, laptop, camera souvenirs anything that isn't easy to replace. If there is no locker provided (try and make sure you only choose hostels that have these facilities) you can usually hand things in at the reception and they will look after it for you. 


Is everyone out to get you ? 
Of course not. Although there are plenty of people who are ! Some places are far worse than others. Most really touristy places are pretty safe for example London. Other places like Barcelona, not so much. I have only traveled to pretty touristy places so far and have not had any problems. If someone looks dodgy, they probably are - not always but sometimes its better to be safe than sorry. If you think something doesn't seem quite right it probably isn't and you should start thinking of an exit strategy.


Should you carry your passport around with you all the time ?
I don't think its necessary from my experience - there are probably some countries where it is more important than others. Usually I leave it locked in my room in a locker or ask the people at reception to look after it. Some passports (such as Australian ones) can sell for quite a lot when stolen so be careful. The only time you should really need it is when you are going into a new country. Make sure you take your drivers license with you when overseas to carry with you at all times as a form of ID. If you lose it you will have to take your passport to clubs and if your anything like me when you go out drinking your chances of losing it are much higher than usual !


Is it safe to leave your laptop in your room unattended ?
Only if its locked in a locker ! Otherwise hand it in at the front desk just like with your passport and digital camera etc. Its always a really good idea to make friends with anyone you share a room with. If they like you they are far less likely to steal from you. When I was in Amsterdam I had my camera and wallet stolen from the bedside table beside my bed. I was careless and it wasn't covered by insurance because I didn't use the locker which was in the room. Everyone in my room seemed fine but we found out the next day that someone who wasn't meant to be in there snuck somehow in and slept in one of the beds in that room and when he woke up, saw my camera and wallet and left without anyone noticing. I certainly learnt a lesson from that.


Is it ok to use foreign ATMs ?
Same rules apply as to Australian ATMs. Most of them are probably ok but you have to be careful. Have a look at this link for more infomation. 


http://www.commbank.com.au/personal/apply-online/download-printed-forms/ATM_awareness_guide.pdf


Also make sure you never let anyone take your card out of sight to swipe it at a shop.


There is heaps more info available about this on the web if your really worried just do a quick search. 
 
Do not get into an unlicensed taxi. This is very important. Don't get into a car with anyone you don't know. I have heard many horror stories and some friends of mine and I almost followed a guy to his "taxi" in Ibiza before one of the security guards at the hotel (which we just got thrown out of for making too much noise at 5am) was nice enough to stop us and chased the guy off. Who knows where he was leading us too or what was waiting around the corner. There were several dodgy things which he said that none of us picked up on and thinking about it afterwards it really seems stupid that we didn't work out something was up. I learnt another lesson.


MAKE SURE YOU HAVE TRAVEL INSURANCE. 
Its a no brainer. If you go overseas without travel insurance then there is something seriously wrong with you. Overseas hospital bills can cost tens of thousands its just not worth the and its really not that expensive to take out a policy. 






Overall I think I have been pretty lucky with my travels, I have heard plenty of other stories about things going wrong when overseas and the fact is your taking a risk just by going. At the end of the day all you can really lose is a bit of money, almost everything you take with you you can buy wherever you are in the world. If I lost everything there is no chance of me coming home, I'll just buy a new pack, new everything and continue my adventure. For me the benefits of overseas travel far outweigh any risks or costs.

Hopefully by reading this you are feeling a bit more confident about going overseas and some of your worries have disappeared.


Remember, plenty of other people you know have done it and they are probably far stupider than you and they were fine !


 

What to pack ?

Ok, due to some requests, I have decided to write this entry about what to pack.
Its probably one of the main thing people worry about when going overseas.

Lots of people fear going overseas and not having access to something vital that they need while they are over there.
The truth is, people who live in other countries have everything they need. They have all the same things we do !!! Even if you lose all of your luggage, you can replace 90% of it at most major airports - without even going to a shop or into a city !

The most important thing to remember is and prescription medication or medical needs eg inhaler, contact lenses etc. These will probably be the most difficult things to get abroad. Everything else you can just buy in a shop.

The biggest mistake people make (me included !) is taking too much stuff !!! If its not something your going to use all the time, do not take it. I made the mistake of taking a particular pair of shoes that I had which when worn at the right time, would have been totally hilarious. I only wore them once on my whole trip and loved them too much to throw them away so had to carry them with me everywhere. Biggest mistake ever !!

Only take clothes that you love wearing and feel comfortable in all the time, you are going to want to look your best every day because you are meeting new people. Don't bother taking any daggy clothes thinking "ill take these because it doesnt matter if they get wrecked or i lose them traveling" The fact is you wont wear them at all and will have wasted space you could have used for something useful. There is plenty of shopping overseas and you will probably want to buy new clothes at some stage. Keep in mind that when you do, you will probably have to throw something else away. Its expensive to send things home and can be quite difficult to post things at foreign post offices.

On both my trips I took too many clothes and shoes. This resulted in heaps of wasted time spent rummaging through looking for things as well as ages packing and repacking in the morning before trying to get to the train station or airport without leaving anything behind because it wont fit. Its horrible. Please do not over pack. You will gain an extra 15 minutes a day by not having a choc block pack full of junk you don't need. This may not seem like much but when your on the other side of the world doing something you've only ever seen on TV, that extra 15 minutes can be life changing ! It also makes getting to your next destination way less stressful.

Its a good idea to have as much free space in your pack as you can. Don't feel that you have to fill it up before you go. The idea is that its full when you get back! The more you take with you, the less souvenirs you will have space for. 

Dressing up - Don't bother taking "fancy shoes" or clothes to try to get in to certain places, chances are you might only need them once or twice on your whole trip. Missing out on that one event will be a very worthwhile sacrifice when your sitting in Rome airport with no accommodation after not sleeping for 16 hours and being completely hungover when you left your last city. Having a ridiculously heavy pack makes you hate life, trust me !

Day pack - If your taking a large pack or suitcase, I highly recommend taking a small backpack to take on planes/trains/day trips. Its handy to keep valuables close as well as hold everything you need on the plane. Its a pain in the ass to take a small wheelie suitcase as carry on so give up on that now and leave it at home !!

Laptop - Should you take a laptop ? Its up to you. I did on my last trip and it came in handy sometimes but I am undecided if it was worth taking or not. There isn't much you can do on your own laptop that you cant do at an internet cafe or on the internet computers at your hostel. Its handy for something to do in transit eg watch movies or play games. Its a massive pain in the ass to take through airport security because you have to take it out of your pack and put it through separately. This may not seem like much but when you have a jacket in one hand and your small backpack is already overflowing with crap and your running late for your flight it certainly doesn't help the situation. The other downside is that its probably the biggest thing to fret about losing !! Travel insurance won't cover theft if your not extremely careful eg if you leave it in your room and don't lock it in a supplied locker and your room mate decides to be a dick and steal it, you wont be covered. It can be annoying and bulky to have to take it with you when you go sightseeing. It is really, really handy when free wi-fi is available though for using skype and booking future accommodation or travel plans. If anything, maybe get a really small, cheap laptop to take. 

Cameras - Same goes for a digital SLR as the laptop. I am undecided if I will take one on my next trip. The Photos look AMAZING compared to a small point and shoot digital camera but is it worth having an extra something expensive to worry about ? Up to you. If you don't take a laptop, make sure you take heaps of memory cards or a small external hard drive (to upload photos to on a public computer). Make sure you have a good camera case too - but something small you an take out in your pocket for sightseeing or to a bar.

Shoes - Only take one pair of shoes. This may be difficult for girls. Shoes are very bulky and very heavy when in your luggage. Make sure they are very comfortable and very god quality as you will be doing a lot of walking and they will wear out quickly.  Also make sure they look ok so that you can wear them to clubs etc Don't take trainers thinking you will "go for a run" because its probably not going to happen. Wherever you are there will be much more exciting once in a lifetime opportunities that you would way rather do than running. You can still do different exercises in your room but pick ones that don't require any special equipment like running shoes.

Books - Take only 1 book if you feel its necessary and make sure its a small one. Its often possible to swap books with other travelers once you finish reading them and you can always donate it to your hostel and buy a new one when you finish it. Do not take several books you will regret it !! Guide books can be very handy, I am in 2 minds about it. I have got a lot of travel apps on my iPhone and there is heaps of info online. When I took a guidebook I rarely used it, most of my advice for things to do I got from other travelers or my hostel. I also took a small phrasebook, this came in handy a couple of times so I didnt mind carrying it because its really small. Again, the best teachers will be other travelers or your hostel. A phrasebook could get you out of a bind if your somewhere really obscure though so might be worthwhile.

Definately one of the most useful and most used items on my trips is my iPhone. Its very entertaining when in transit and its awesome for listening to tunes all the time. I couldn't travel without it. You can also buy and download apps with offline maps and guides to different countries and cities. These come very much in handy too. Make sure you switch Data Roaming off whatever you do it will cost you a bucket load when you get back. Some people recommend buying a cheap phone overseas with a sim eg in europe, if your planning to spend a lot of time there. I have no experience with this but it seems like it is a way to save money on making calls when your over there. You wont be calling home (use skype for that) but you will want to find out where other travelers you are to meet up with them and then cheap local calls come in handy. Overall its best to keep calls to a minimum. Skype is really good, not only can you connect with your family and friends from anywhere with wifi for free (from a computer or your iPhone) but you can also make cheap calls when in a wifi area to landlines and mobiles back home. Its significantly cheaper than using any normal mobile plan and well worth signing up for.

Socks - Its really important to buy the correct socks. Go out and invest in a couple of expensive pairs. Talk to the expert in an outdoors store, tell them what your plans are and get the socks they recommend. Best investment ever. Good socks will dry quickly, don't smell anywhere near as much and can often be reworn without washing which can really come in handy when your strapped for time. Take a few pairs of socks and plenty of comfortable underwear.

Washing overseas - Look for backpackers that have laundries. Best thing ever. I cant seem to use a laundromat without shrinking everything I wash. I prefer to get some laundry washing liquid and wash clothes in the basin and hang them over my bed using an elastic twist clothes line (doesn't take up much space or require pegs). This take a bit more effort but you don't have to stand around waiting for them to dry and your clothes come out the same size as when you wash them which is a big plus for me.

Locks - Its a good idea to take locks to lock up you pack. This is not a necessity. My pack actually has a flap at the top that you cant lock and to be honest, if someone wants to get into your pack they will. They can just cut it or take the whole thing. The look of a lock on your pack may be a deterrent. The locks mainly come in handy at hostels that supply lockers. Most of them don't supply locks with it - you have to use your own. Most of the locks you buy from travel stores or airports are expensive but they are the right size and shape to lock up most lockers, if they are too thick or not long enough they sometimes wont fit on the locker provided. Remember locks are heavy so do not go crazy.

Money belt - I bought one before both of my trips but I have never used it. Even in Barcelona which seems to be the dodgiest place with the best pickpockets ever, I didn't use it. I found it too uncomfortable and really, all the valuables I carried were either in my front pocket (with my hands in them if feeling uncertain) or in my small backpack which was usually locked on my back. In really dodgy areas I wore the backpack on my front. Other people highly recommend and swear by them so its up to you if you buy one !

Toiletries bag - An expensive toiletries bag with heaps of little compartments that unrolls and hangs up was worth its weight in gold. Made my life so much quicker and easier. Rummaging through a single compartment bag to find soap/hair product/toothbrush was a painful. My second trip was much easier at shower time. Well worth the money. As far as toiletries - take everything you need but remember you can buy everything single thing in there at any airport, pharmacy or supermarket. Take smaller than normal bottles or shampoo and buy more when you need it. Keeping weight to an absolute minimum is the most important thing. A heavy pack makes life difficult.

Things to take on a plane - This goes for trains and buses too. The most important thing is water. I will never again make the mistake of getting onto a plane without a bottle of water. During takeoff and landing the attendants aren't able to get water for you and if they start food service straight away this can take a while. If you need to take travel sickness pills (like I do) this can be very inconvenient. Inflatable pillow, earplugs and eye mask always go down well. Sleeping pills can sometimes be handy on long trips too - be careful though because they can make you extra dehydrated. I take nasal spray, lip balm and eye drops too. Being on a plane is like sitting in front of an air conditioner for 8 hours, it dries out your whole body and can be very uncomfortable. Snacks are always a good idea too, plane food can take a while to come out depending on your seat and is sometimes not very nice. Any extra food you buy will be ultra expensive on trains or planes so take a much as you can (not having a laptop in your bag at this point comes in handy). Also make sure you have your ipod/iphone and headphones. Good quality tiny headphones are a godsend when traveling. Be sure to buy a decent pair, you wont regret it. Make sure you have your wallet and travel documents too obviously. Take note of forbidden items such as sharp objects, aerosol cans and liquids over a certain volume (usually about 100ml depending on the airline).  Do not exceed the carry on baggage requirements for size or weight. This can turn out being very expensive and time consuming.

I will do another entry specifically on airport and transit related tips at some point in the future.

*** Edit - Don't forget to take thongs !!!!!

Bye for now !

Planning your trip Part 1

I think this blog entry is long overdue, its been way too long. Writing is not something that can be switch on or off it just kind of happens. I prefer to think of it as something that is out of my control. Lets hope I make more frequent entries from now on !


Ok, so you have decided that traveling is definitely something that you want to try. 
I just want to say, well done, and good choice.

So what do you do now ?

First things first, decide where you want to go. Are you adventurous ? Do you want to discover the unknown ? Do you want to party ? Do you want to see the great wonders of the world ? Are you more like me where you just want to see and experience everything in the whole world ???

The most important thing to remember is not to limit yourself or be afraid of what you want. Any destination is possible (hence the name of this blog). Every country has something to offer everyone so you cant really go wrong with your choice and there is always plenty of time to get to any countries you miss, or the country you choose not to go to in lieu of another. 

A couple things to consider when choosing where you want to go:

1. Is it frequented by other tourists ? The more touristy it is the easier it will be to travel and holiday in that country. This is not always a good thing as it can make it harder to get a real feel for the place. Sometimes the most rewarding destinations will be the ones which offer the most risk and the most challenges. 

2. Budget. Some parts of Europe can be very expensive while others much cheaper. Southeast Asia is generally very cheap for westerners. The exchange rate is always something to look at too. The Aussie dollar right now is very strong against the American dollar so its a lot more cost effective to travel there now than it has been in years gone by. 

3. My best piece of advice on this topic is to go to the places in your wildest dreams. Go beyond the realms of your imagination, it will be the best decision you ever make.

Listen to other peoples recommendations but not too closely. How much someone enjoys a country depends on the experiences they have there and the people they meet. Some people hate some places that others love more than anything. You can probably have just as good of a time in any other place. No matter what happens, people will always look for evidence to support decisions that they have made so that they can feel good about themselves. For this reason, people will generally be more than happy to tell you why the places they have traveled to are the best on earth. Be wary of other peoples advice, just because someone else didn't enjoy a particular country or city doesn't mean you wont. 

Ok, now for some more practical advice. Booking travel.

The main thing is to book as far in advance as possible and see if you can find out when certain airlines are  having earlybird specials. Train and bus fairs can be significantly cheaper when booking a few months or even a few weeks in advance. When you are traveling its important to book as soon as you can but you still want flexibility to change your plans at the drop of a hat so it can be difficult.

I have found that travel agents can be both a curse and a godsend. They generally know all the best routes and ways to travel from country to country but they are also going to try to sell you the products which will make them the most money so they are biased.  


You can book everything you need online. Just google the route you want to take (eg Athens to Barcelona) and you should easily be able to find out which airlines will fly you there. Once you have done that, just jump on that airlines website and book the flight/train ride/whatever you want with a credit card. Try to make sure you use a card that has your name on it, sometimes they will need to see ID matching the card. 


This goes without saying, but make sure you have plenty of blank pages in your passport and make sure it wont expire for ages !!


That's all I have time for today, will be making another post soon about accommodation.


 

The first step.

What I want to achieve with this website is to break down the whole process of traveling to make it as easy as possible for people. Before I traveled I had no idea how easy it was to get out there are do it.
I used to hear about other peoples travels and think about how lucky they were that they could do all of that. Think that I could never do it because I didn't have anyone to go with, didn't have the money, didn't know what to do or couldn't get work off.

These are all myths !

The first thing you need to realise about traveling is that its something you can only do for yourself. Although it can be unbelievably good fun traveling with other people, you are always limited by them. There is nothing like the freedom of waking up and doing whatever you want, with nobody to think about but yourself.

All of my life I have always been able to do whatever I wanted to, but I have always had to stick within the limitations of my environment. For example I have to wake up at a certain time every day, like it or not, to go to work.

When you are traveling there is none of that. The only thing you have to do is get to the airport/train station/whatever in time to go to your destination. You don't even have to do that really. If you want to you can just catch the next train or plane.

If you are traveling with a group or another person, you sometimes have to choose between leaving them, upsetting them or doing what they want to do instead of what you want to do.

This is not true freedom !

People seem to fear things about traveling by themselves.

Before I went by myself, these were just a few of the things I was concerned about:


Who will watch my bags at the airport if I need to go to the toilet ?
Who will help me make decisions about what to do ?
What if something goes wrong, who will help me ? 
What happens if all my things get stolen, how will I get home, how will I call for help ?

These are all very valid questions.

None of which I knew the answer for before I left.

All I knew was that a massive number of people before me had traveled by themselves (plenty of the with nowhere near as much common sense as me) and managed to overcome all of these things.

If they can do it, I can do it.

So I did it, and what do you know. None of these things were an issue.

Who watched my bags at the airport when I went to the toilet ? Nobody, you check them in when you get there. If you really need to you can just take them in with you. Plenty of people do it.

Who helped me make decisions about which what to do, how to find the hostel etc ? Nobody. The fact of the matter is that when you are by yourself its impossibly for anyone to be wrong. Its a lot less stressful. When there are two or more people traveling together, someone always has to be wrong unless you both "mutually agree on everything always". They really need some kind of universal font for sarcasm. Nobody always agrees on anything with any one person. This can make not knowing where to go or how to do something very stressful. If your alone, and you make a wrong decision its like "whatever" and you just turn back the other way. Nothing bad happens !

What if something goes wrong, who will help me ? Who wont help you is more the question. Police officers, security guards, shop assistants, train conductors, passers by the list goes on. Most people are quite willing to help foreign travelers if you ask them nicely. I cant actually recall a time when someone has refused to help me when I have asked. By far the most helpful source of information for travelers is your hostel. They get asked the same questions by every single person arriving there and already know the answers. The really good ones will give you a run down before you even get a chance to ask how to get to the Eiffel Tower. Some even have their own maps printed off of nearby points of interest like attractions, supermarkets, laundromats, ATMs and so on.

What happens if all my things get stolen, how will I get home, how will I call for help ? Again, the best source of help is usually your hostel. Otherwise go to the police. All of my dealings with police so far in foreign countries have been delightful.



I almost forgot to mention your main source of help and information when you are traveling. FELLOW TRAVELERS. Everyone is in the same boat. Travelers really have a great way of connecting and understanding each other. When you are by yourself you form bonds with other people traveling by themselves really quickly and no matter where you go you will never be alone for long. If you are new to traveling (Like me) then you will meet a lot of more experienced travelers all the time and they will be too happy to share tips or advice on almost any topic that they can. If they are experienced travelers they probably love traveling and if they are anything like me that generally means they love talking about their travels to anyone that will listen.


*** Please note: Not everyone can be trusted ! Depending on where you go there are people out there to scam you. If they look dodgy ask the next person. Common sense is your best friend. ***


As for money, its the same as saving for anything. You just have to want it enough and be willing to make sacrifices for it. your other option is to get a loan. Its just like buying a new car. Plenty of people buy a new car but dont think they can afford to go to the other side of the world. For the price of a new car you can get an UNBELIEVABLE overseas holiday. You can go on an amazing trip for even a fraction of the cost. My first trip cost me $8000AUD for 6 weeks including airfares from Adelaide to London, accommodation and everything. I could have done it a lot cheaper if I had wanted to.

Now, as far as not knowing what to do, well thats what this website is for. There are thousands of other travel websites with all the information you could ever need and if you cant find the answers you need there, just talk to people ! I bet at least one of your friends or family knows what its like to travel and would be more than willing to help you with advice.

Hopefully this post has helped you realise that you can do it if you actually want to !

Stay tuned for my next update.

Introduction

Hola!
This is my first post ever in my first blog ever. Let me tell you a bit about myself.
I live in Australia and I am 22 Years old.

I currently work full time and have always worked in the same job. I started there when I was 16 after completing high school and I love it.
Earlier this year I went on my first trip to Europe. Previously I have only been traveling with my family, going to many places in Australia as well as New Zealand and Bali. I thought it was time to see what the real world was like.

Too scared to go alone, I opted to travel with a friend. It was his first big trip overseas also.
I couldn't believe some of the things that I saw overseas, the amount of people alone was staggering. Ever our first trip on the London Underground was exciting, as was partying in Amsterdam on Queens Day with about 2 million other people all wearing bright orange. We were in Europe for 6 weeks and had countless amazing, unimaginable experiences. I wont go into too much detail right now as there will be plenty of time for that later.

Going on that first trip was by far the best thing I had ever done. Until my second trip.
As soon as I got back I started planning my next trip and 4 months later I was back in Europe again. This time only for 4 weeks.

How do I afford all of these trips your probably asking ?

First I would like to mention that everything I have ever bought, I have done so by working hard. My parents are not millionaires and they are in no position to give me thousands of dollars to pay for overseas travel or for a deposit on a mortgage. I pay board to live here and I am quite proud to do so.
I bought a unit when I was 19 which I lived in for a while and now I currently rent to my ex housemate.

The only reason I am telling you this is to demonstrate that anyone is capable of doing it ! There is nothing too special about me, I am just an ordinary guy who didn't get any head starts in life. 

The "secret" to being able to afford to go overseas is --------------->
Finding a job you like, stay there for as long as you can and be vigilant with saving money !!

Its not really a secret. The fact is everyone can afford overseas travel if they want it bad enough, you just have to make sacrifices and be clever with your money.

You can travel quite cheaply to countries not far from your own and there are a lot of places in the world where your money can go a long way, such as South East Asia.

Now I suppose your wondering why I am writing this blog ??

First reason : Since my first trip, the amount of time thinking about traveling has been snowballing at an alarming rate. The more I think about traveling or my next trip the more it inspires me to read about other peoples travels and look into places that I want to go. This in turn, makes me think about traveling more. Its a vicious cycle. I think about it so much that I need an outlet.

Second Reason: I want to inspire others to travel ! The amount that I have gotten out of my 2 big trips has been life changing to say the least and I want everybody else in the world to experience what I have.

Since traveling and seeing a just tiny part of the big wide world, It has changed my way of thinking about so many things back in Australia.
Problems in the past which would have seemed huge now seem like nothing and I can simply brush them aside.
My confidence in approaching and meeting new people is a billion times better. When you are traveling (especially when your traveling by yourself) its much easier to talk to and meet people and this helped me to realise that its no different to people back home.
I used to be up for most things, keen to give new things a try. But now I take it to a whole new level ! Not only do I say yes to things which put me a bit out of my comfort zone but I actively seek out new things that I don't understand or have never been exposed to before just do I can try to understand what its like or why people do it !

I am the kind of person that likes to know how everything works and why things are the way they are.
My goals with traveling are to try to understand and experience things, places and people that are as different to what I would consider to be a normal part of life as possible.
Basically, I want to be as awesome as possible and I figure that the best way to achieve personal growth is to experience as much as possible and get out of my comfort zone as much as possible.

So, one of the new things I am trying, is writing my first blog.
The next new thing I am trying, is selling my unit.
The next thing I am trying after that, is quitting my job.

So what do you think is coming next ?
Option 1: Stay in Australia, find a girlfriend, go back to my job, buy a house, have kids, settle down and live happily ever after.
Option 2: Book a 1 way ticket. Embark on the trip of a lifetime. Wake up every day in a new country, with new people, doing new things. Go on a journey of self discovery that I will remember until the day I die. Achieve something amazing that most people don't even consider doing, something that nobody can take away from me. Travel the world !

My plan is to leave next year, that gives me about 10 months to sell my house, get my affairs in order and save up as much money as possible.

Along the way I will try to convince as many people as possible to step outside their comfort zone and just go overseas. Its amazing, its life changing, it makes you a better person. If you don't do it at some point in your life, your insane.

Stay tuned to this blog:
I will be posting as much content as I can including:
Travel Tips,
Places to go,
Links to other blogs and stories which have inspired me,
More information about my travels

I also encourage other people to leave comments and posts as much as possible. I want to know about everyone's travel experiences just as much as I want people to travel ! I could literally talk about traveling all day.