I quit my job at the end of 2014 after five years of saving, then backpacked Asia for two years. Then I returned home and worked for another year and a half, saved harder, then had another year - six months in Asia, six months in South America.
It was absolutely the best thing I've ever done, and despite being hugely expensive I would do it again in a heartbeat. To be honest I now have an eye on setting up a life where I can travel and work long term, given the increased prevalence of remote working opportunities.
For myself, I found that some of the usual clichés rang true:
- the best thing about the whole experience was (unexpectedly for an introvert) meeting so many different people. I stayed mainly in hostels in Asia, and primarily used AirBnB in South America, and 99% of the people I met were wonderful. As someone who had previously been a bit nervous around new people, this experience was a bit like opening Pandora's box and finding it full of kittens. I learned so much from the people I met, and had so many great and often unexpected experiences as a result, not to mention that fellow backpackers often had great tips for other places to visit. Despite being a clear ten years older than a lot of my fellow travellers, I never felt out of place as the majority were mature (well, either that or I'm immature I guess), unpretentious and easy-going.
- I did grow as a person, perhaps less than I would've done had I travelled when I was much younger, but I nonetheless widened my perspective on the world, and in particular came to realise that people everywhere are basically the same in what they want and need, and mostly just trying to make the best life they can for themselves. It's really nice to get away from the small-minded noise of the news media and vacuous TV, and see people as they really are. It was also great therapy - I had built up some stresses in the preceding ten years or so, and the chance to slow down and just exist without any particular demands on my time was enormously beneficial. Some days I visited places, some days I just relaxed.
- there are some places and experiences that are just magical, that you will never find unless you go away from your home - watching condors rise in the morning sun over the Colca Canyon in Peru, the unspeakable beauty of the Taj Mahal, the weird tension and pageantry at the DMZ between North and South Korea - there is a whole world out there waiting to be discovered and it's worth seeing.
I think any kind of travel is a privilege to be enjoyed as often as possible, but the main difference between a two-week holiday and a six-month travel is the total lack of pressure and the increased opportunities to explore that come with the latter. I have come to prefer one four-week trip over four one-week trips - quality over quantity. I agree with others in this thread recommending staying in one place for a while and getting to know it, rather than flitting between destinations, ticking boxes but taking little away from the experience. I also love revisiting a place I've already travelled - it feels like I have a second home, complete with favourite spots and a way of life that I understand, but retaining all the quirks and charms of a different place and culture.
Some other random thoughts:
- working while travelling is a great way to do it, but if you can afford to, taking some time to forget about work and just 'be' can be extremely good for your mental health, and your enjoyment of a place.
- if you're backpacking - everything you take, you have to carry, and most places have access to most things you need that you didn't bring - carrying 25+ kgs is good exercise but it gets tiring! Don't forget you'll pick up souvenirs along the way.
- going off the beaten track is highly recommended, but then again a lot of popular destinations are popular for good reasons - it's nice to have a mixture.
- I never booked travel tickets more than one country ahead, just enough to satisfy the entry requirements of every country I visited, and I really enjoyed that flexibility.
- I also usually knew almost nothing about a country when I arrived there, and relied on serendipity or else started my research when I arrived. I missed some things but I also enjoyed the experience of exploring with no preconceptions, learned to be more comfortable with uncertainty, and got to do some things that weren't in the guidebooks.
- in Asia, not speaking the local language is not generally much of a barrier to getting around, although it helps to learn at least the fundamentals, not to mention that I personally think it's more respectful; in South America, not having Spanish will make life more difficult but fortunately for English speakers, the basics are comparatively easy to pick up (I did some of the Duolingo course before I travelled, in anticipation, then picked up more while I was there).
- if you're nervous about losing your stuff, get a lockable bag - I travelled with a Pacsafe backpack, never worried I would lose anything, and didn't (no affiliation, just a fan). Hostels often have lockers but not always.
- I took somewhere in the region of 30,000 photos over that time - not just the posed Instagram-worthy shots, but photos of lots of other random things. I will probably never show anyone else, but they will augment my memories in years to come.
- try all the food, even the stuff you don't want to try - some things are unexpectedly delicious, and the odd bad experience makes a great story!
Well that's a lot of rambling, but anyway - I did it, totally loved it, and recommend it to anyone who is inclined that way.