Like everyone else these days, I’m dreaming of being Julia Roberts and spending a year traveling around the world indulging my passions and eating, praying and loving.
Wait a minute! I already did that, though I did not end up with Javier Bardem or spiritual enlightenment. The pasta and gelato were good.
Times have changed since I embarked on my nine-month On the Cheap trip around the world 22 years ago. But travel remains a transformative force, and it’s still possible to do it on the cheap, at any age.
Here are my tips for an adventure on the cheap:
- Have a plan or a theme. Author Elizabeth Gilbert was right when she decided to focus on three activities: eating, praying and loving. Sightseeing gets old fast. Figure out something you want to discover, whether it’s how to speak French, the best pizza, authentic folk music or true love.
- Hostels aren’t just for youth. Especially in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, hostels are popular with travelers of all ages. In some you share a room with a few other people, and in some you may get your own room, albeit without some of the usual conveniences. In Bangkok, I didn’t miss hot water at all. Convents and monasteries in some countries also provide cheap lodging for travelers.
- Consider a home swap. People all over the world want to come to South Florida. Perhaps you can trade three months, six months or a year with someone in Italy, India or Indonesia – or somewhere else you really want to visit.
- If you can’t afford a year-long sojourn, or don’t have that much time, consider a shorter trip. A yoga weekend in California, a month studying Spanish in Guatemala or a week studying mosaic art in Italy aren’t as splashy as a year-long spiritual quest, but self-discovery does not always require a long trip.
- Start saving money. I financed my nine-month trip around the world with two tax refunds and two years of regular weekly savings deducted from my paycheck.
- Create a spiritual quest in your own backyard, discovering yourself while discovering people and places within a few hours’ drive. The transformation of travel isn’t magnified by the number of miles you go from home.
If you really want to travel, but can’t get away right now, starting doing your research. The year I spent planning the trip was almost as much fun as actually taking it. And it was free.
