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Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

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Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#151

Post by noname123 »

bambataa wrote: post #120
noname123 wrote: post #25

I'd love to hear concretely what you guys who traveled actually gained from traveling the world? Because I always hear that it's really exciting and you get to go to exciting places - but what exactly did you gain in terms of perspectives besides your instagram pictures and cocktail stories? I've never get beyond this superficial in hearing people's travel stories online and IRL. Maybe it's just me; but the idea of g…

You are largely right. Western ideas of tourism feed off this idea "I'm a traveller, everyone else is a tourist sheep." Asian tourists generally don't seem to have the same pretensions and are happy getting coached around. Walking around busy temples and stuff can be pretty hard because people don't want anyone else in their photo. It has to look like they just chanced upon this ancient temple in the jungle, rather t…

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I think there's 100% value for people in their 20's to take any opportunity to meet new people, go on an adventure and force yourself into (and learn from) uncomfortable and fun situations!

I wish that we could keep and activate this wanderlust, open-ness and spontaneity regardless of what context we're in (why I posed the question, what perspectives people gained from their travel?). I know I had this hold over me, like I'd only enjoy a certain "couples activities" like ice skating, trying out new restaurants or paint nite - based on the context of going on a date. Which when I thought about it is super ridiculous, why can't I enjoy these things if I was going by myself??? Or put in another way, why can't we see our local city and people in our local community with the same freshness, open-ness and kindness as we'd if we were tourists or backpackers traveling in a distant land?

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#152

Post by ZephyrBlu »

Kiro wrote: post #127
noname123 wrote: post #25

I'd love to hear concretely what you guys who traveled actually gained from traveling the world? Because I always hear that it's really exciting and you get to go to exciting places - but what exactly did you gain in terms of perspectives besides your instagram pictures and cocktail stories? I've never get beyond this superficial in hearing people's travel stories online and IRL. Maybe it's just me; but the idea of g…

It taught me that I never want to leave my home again. I'm happiest sitting in front of my computer. Feels good to have "been there, done that" so I don't need to worry about what-ifs.

That's funny, I kind of feel the same way.

I've been lucky enough to travel internationally and domestically a fair bit and yeah it's pretty cool, but I truly enjoy being at home coding things, learning things and experimenting with stuff.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#153

Post by throwaway346434 »

bawolff wrote: post #110
devoutsalsa wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dating apps, couch surfing, and getting out of the house & going where the people are. Expat groups on Facebook and WhatsApp, too.

As someone with mild social anxiety, the thought of doing something like that is utterly alien, even in my own country let alone somewhere else. I don't mean in a "i wouldn't do that" sort of way, but in an "i cannot even imagine/does not compute" sort of way. Anyhow, good on you for living life :)

A useful psychological hack: you have a bit of a desire to do this, hell, it's scary, right? So invite a friend and make it your goal to plan lots of things - its easier to do do something for others quite a lot of the time. Be explict you are doing this. You'll probably find there are some great bits, some other bits you cant control that are exhausting, etc. Then do another trip. Plan to invite that friend. Plan for the good bits and to avoid the worst bits. Then just go by yourself!

The first run through gives you a motivation to do something challenging and consider what you would think people want to do, even if its awks. The second, you take the learnings and reward yourself

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#154

Post by bramjans »

anonytrary wrote: post #103
dejv wrote: post #29

I traveled for five years or so. I was having great time, but I've probably overdid it for year or two. What worked well for me was quiting mixing backpacker circus with less known destination. It was fun to sleep at hostels, party with fellow travelers and have fun, but it gets old after while. I split my trips into 3 to 6 months chunks after which I just come back to one of my bases, recharge for a bit and then wen…

> Now, almost, 10 years later it just feel like it never happen, memories are fading fast as I went with settled life. Dang. As a nerd in his late 20s thinking the same, you make it sound pretty bleak, tbh. I guess it's just time for me to settle down, then go explore the world with my partner because that's what matters EOD.

Counterpoint here: I travelled for about 8 months about 7 years ago (already? damn!) and it even though it didn't change me directly as a person, it did instill an ever-present hunger to see more of the world. More importantly, it made me marry my foreign travel-partner which has without a doubt been very transformative ;)

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#155

Post by randomsearch »

noname123 wrote: post #136
randomsearch wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Firstly: agree that there are some aspects of travelling that will be looked down upon in the future, particularly exploiting the difference in the cost of living. But travelling was massively beneficial for me. I'll focus on the biggest trip, which was a year backpacking. > what you guys who traveled actually gained from traveling the world? * I worked and rented in another country. So I had to work out how to do th…

Just want to say thank you for this exhaustive list! I really appreciate it! There's many items I can say I appreciate… but I'll pick the one I enjoyed the most: >After a while the stresses of travelling become fairly routine and you have a lot of time to relax on journeys and think about what you want to do with your life. That really shaped how I've lived since. Just sitting in a bus on a long road in a very differ…

> thank you for this exhaustive list! I

Haha, this was by no means exhaustive :-) just what popped into my head over breakfast. I'd have to go through my travel journals to write properly about it.

> it's easy to party but very hard to make a friend, I'm very jealous!

Shared experience. Hike or travel for an extended time with people and some of them at least will become friends.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#157

Post by neebz »

noname123 wrote: post #25

I'd love to hear concretely what you guys who traveled actually gained from traveling the world? Because I always hear that it's really exciting and you get to go to exciting places - but what exactly did you gain in terms of perspectives besides your instagram pictures and cocktail stories? I've never get beyond this superficial in hearing people's travel stories online and IRL. Maybe it's just me; but the idea of g…

Personally I learnt to be less judgmental of people. From media you compartmentalize everyone into neat little boxes to make sense of the world. We find other people's values ridiculous when we hear/read about it but only when we go and live with them we find out it makes sense. It may be wrong but it makes sense. And there is a good chance if you were brought up in that same society you may have had the same behavior. I've learned to empathize only when I experienced this first hand.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#158

Post by bttrfl »

I didn't exactly quit my job. I reduced working on my startup to the absolute minimum, though I had to be as responsive as ever in case anything happens or a client needs something.

I got in a car and drove around Europe. Then I left the car, took one bag with me and got on a flight to Africa. Then South America. Asia. Then I got back to the place I left my car and drove home. After a month, I got in the car again but this time I took my wife with me.

While travelling alone I was moving all the time, rarely staying somewhere longer than a couple of days. I had three stays longer than that (Porto, Buenos Aires, Tokyo).

While travelling with my wife we would stay make longer stays, but never more than a month or two in one place, usually in the countryside. We didn't bother meeting new people.

For personal reasons we had to end the trip and get back home.

I think the most important thing is that the startup waited for me patiently and is doing better than before I left.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#159

Post by keiferski »

nakodari wrote: post #144
keiferski wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really cool story. How did you deal with the safety issues in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Were they a real concern, or is that mostly overblown by the media?

You should not group Afghanistan and Pakistan together. Afghanistan is not a safe place to visit. Pakistan is absolutely safe as long as you don't visit the western tribal region. Land in Lahore, travel to Islamabad and then to Peshawar and northern areas. You will have a good time. Lots of tour companies also arrange the trips. If you're feeling more adventurous, you can visit Multan, Bahawalpur, and Karachi.

Good to know, thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

#160

Post by bambataa »

noname123 wrote: post #151
bambataa wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are largely right. Western ideas of tourism feed off this idea "I'm a traveller, everyone else is a tourist sheep." Asian tourists generally don't seem to have the same pretensions and are happy getting coached around. Walking around busy temples and stuff can be pretty hard because people don't want anyone else in their photo. It has to look like they just chanced upon this ancient temple in the jungle, rather t…

Thank you for your thoughtful response! I think there's 100% value for people in their 20's to take any opportunity to meet new people, go on an adventure and force yourself into (and learn from) uncomfortable and fun situations! I wish that we could keep and activate this wanderlust, open-ness and spontaneity regardless of what context we're in (why I posed the question, what perspectives people gained from their tr…

Yes, I hadn't thought of it like that. Travelling is also a time when it's considered normal to be alone and to chat to new people, reinvent yourself if you really want to. For many, that only happens a couple of times in their lives, if at all. (And again, that's why people stay local and don't move countries, because they don't want to do that).

Meetup.com is the closest I've got to what you describe, but not quite the same. It's a pity, I agree.

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