How to quit your job and travel around the world

So you may be wondering what kind of a job I quit? Why did I quit it? And how can I afford to travel around the world? I can answer your questions!

I used to work at a free daily paper in Manhattan called Metro as the features editor. Features means everything but hard news and sports, and my specialty was writing about food and restaurants. Metro is a free commuter paper and I worked there since it launched in April 2004. You may know the paper if you live in Europe as it's very popular there. It was a fun job. But it was an exhausting job, and one day I woke up last fall and I realized that I was tired. Really really tired. Waking up every morning and punching the clock, working on a daily paper and being on deadline almost every minute of the day was exhausting. And I knew I wanted to travel badly. All this happened right around the time I was breaking up with my boyfriend Nicolas, who I was with for nearly three years and close to my 30th birthday. So there you have it. It was the perfect calculus. Now I am unemployed, single and leaving in two weeks for a three-month adventure across SE Asia.

So now that I am not making any gainful income, you may ask how do you do it? Well, I will tell you that the hardest part about quitting your job cold-turkey has nothing to do with money. That's just sort of an easy excuse. The hardest part is the actual jump. It will feel like a base jump into oblivion. My first week of not working (which, I have never done for more than a week since I was 16) was very uncomfortable. But I sure got over that quickly! Hello daytime TV and three-hour gym sessions! Truth is I am actually applying for (more) grad school, and I am studying for the GRE and filling out applications and getting ready for this trip. But still.

Back to money - yes, you will be poor if you quit your job. I had saved about $5,000 when I quit. I asked for money as my 30th birthday present from my parents and I have two credit cards. I will be in debt come summertime. But if you've been working for a while you realize that you have a lot of stuff and you don't really need to buy too much. Traveling to a place that's cheap is helpful in stretching a buck too. And as for my apartment here in Manhattan, my aunt Missie from Milwaukee, Wisc. will be coming to sublet it for three months. My RT ticket to Bangkok was about $1100 with all the taxes; I've spent about $600 on things to get ready to go like the backpack and other preparation, and I'm planning on budgeting about $1100/month while I am in Asia.

Anyway, that's my plan. That's how I quit my job to travel around the world.

The Big Trip

This is my itinerary and pretty much everything after March 5 is subject to change.

THAILAND

Feb. 15 to Leave New York City
Feb. 16 to Feb. 21 Bangkok, Thailand
Feb. 21 to 26 Koh Somui
Feb. 26 to March 5 Southern Thailand

March 5 Meet Rebecca in Bangkok

CAMBODIA
March 7 to 22 Overland to Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, Kampot

SOUTHERN/CENTRAL LAOS
March 22 to 31

VIETNAM
April 10 to 17
Mekong Delta/Saigon

April 20 to 27 Meet Mom
Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay

NORTHERN LAOS
April 27 Meet Robin in Luang Prubang

VIETNAM CENTRAL COAST
May 7 - 12

May 12/13 Return to US

I am posting my packing list because everywhere I looked on travel message boards there were all these questions about what people pack. So here's what I am taking. I posted this list on my MySpace page and a friend kindly pointed out that I didn't list soap, deoderant or condoms, which she deemed to be the most critical pieces of equipment for a successful trip. The other huge debate on travel message boards is what backpack to take. I have a North Face Marrakesh backpack, which I bought on eBay for $85. It's about 4000 cubic inches and has a detachable daypack. I have no idea how it will function, but I'll keep you posted.

EQUIPMENT
Digital camera w/ power cords
Card connector for ipod
plug adaptor
MP3 player
2 small headphones and splitter jack
mp3 power cord
notebook (2) reporting/journal
*pens/pencil/sharpie/highlight
*small stapler
GPS finder
name cards
*postcards of New York City
mag lite
digital watch (with alarm clock)
sunglasses
earplugs - 3 sets
silk sleep liner
travel guides -2
books - 3
2 small padlocks
ultralight umbrella
lighter
*extra zip lock bags
*waterbottle

CLOTHES
1 long sleeve button-down shirt
1 short sleeve button-down shirt
2 skirts (skorts)
1 capri pants - black
1 drawstring linen pants
1 bikini bathing suit;
light fleece jacket
lightweight rain jacket
Keen sandals
3 t-shirts/ 3 tank-shelf bra tops
thin leggings
1 sarong
sports bra - 1
capeline bra - 2
capeline underwear - 5
socks - 3 pair
*hiking shoes


TOILETRIES
sunscreen
anti-itch lotion
bug repellent (DEET)
malaria pills (malarone);
sleeping pills (ambien);
cipro
anti-diarreah pills (immodium)
advil
*antihistamine
*dramamine
*crystal deoderant
*body soap
shampoo/conditioner
face wash
moisturizer with SPF
nail clippers
toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
haircomb/4 clips;
tampons
*baby powder
*mini scrub brush
bandaids
wet wipes
toilet paper
mascara
lipstick


PAPERWORK
Airplane ticket
Passport
Moneybelt
ATM Cards
Credit Cards
cash
traveler's checks
photo copies of all cards
extra passport sized photos
personal calling cards (name and email)