Anyone Can Travel the World: Here’s How

A pragmatic approach to seeing the world

For the past couple of years, I have made it a point to see the world. And I have accomplished my goal to a great extent. While I haven’t seen it all, I have seen enough to feel satisfied (for now). Many people often see my travel pictures , and wonder how I do it — and by wonder I mean they blatantly ask, sometimes even in a judgmental tone. I guess they figure as a teacher I don’t make enough money to travel the world. But the truth is, your income does not have to reflect the sort of vacations you take. Whereas, obviously I don’t travel Celebrity style, I also don’t stay in bathroom-less hostels or eat canned food either (not that there is anything wrong with either of those). I have never really struggled or felt uncomfortable with my travel plans; I travel in a mid-range category, and I am perfectly content with that.

On my travels to Paris, Beijing, Sydney, Machu Picchu, and Agra (starting at top left clockwise).

So what does it take to travel like I do? Patience and discipline. And this is quite possibly the area of my life where I display this the most. Let’s face it: travel is not cheap, even when it is cheap. But if you plan ahead and plan well, you can achieve it without causing a major deficit in your bank account.

So how do I do it? Read below and find out!

• Step 1: Generate an idea- Where do you want to go? Think of a place you would love to visit or two. Heck, come up with an endless list of locations you would love to see! That is how I started. Then, narrow it down.

I have been wanting to visit Africa, so I selected Morocco because it is relatively safe and nearby.

• Step 2: Research Flights- Look those places up. Check when it is the most economic times to visit. You can easily find this information online. Search engines like Skyscanner even tell you when the cheapest day and month is. If you are flexible, sometimes you find great deals. For example, last year I saw Miami-Cape Town round-trip for $600 during March. It is important to look far in advance — especially to give you time to save. I try to book my trips with at least 6 months anticipation, that way I can manage my finances.

I initially searched for direct flights to Morocco, but I quickly noticed that flights to Madrid were cheaper, and I know travel between the two countries is fairly easy. I booked a round-trip flight to Madrid (non-stop) for $700 in June. Then, I booked a Ryanair (a low cost carrier) flight between Madrid and Marrakech for $30. The total cost for 4 flights (2 people, 2 flights each) $1470.

• Step 3: Research Hotels- Now, you should look at hotel pricing. I usually use Hotels.com because they are competitive and they have an excellent rewards program (every 10 nights you get one free). This also requires some patience. Look up the places where you want to go within the country you are visiting. Then, begin to do searches for hotels. It is important to cross-reference sites to get optimal hotels for the lowest price. Generally, I sort hotels by price (lowest to highest) and then I begin to look up reviews on Tripadvisor. The hotel that fits my budget with the highest review score is the winner.

When I decided the cities we would be visiting in Morocco and Southern Spain, I did a quick search to get a median feel for the prices. Then, I narrowed it down when I began to do my final bookings. Doing a preliminary search allows me to set my budget. A good rule of thumb is to overestimate. I usually allocate $70–100 per night for hotels. Since I use Hotels.com, I had some reward nights, so our hotel total came out to be $600 for 11 nights.

• Step 4: Consider Transfer Expenses: Many people search for hotels and flights and often forget to research how they will get from place to place. In some places, a simple cab ride from the airport to the city center can run you $50. And that adds up. Again, here, research is key. Sometimes a cab may be the only (or safest) option, but often public transfer is a cheap and safe option. Most countries have websites with information about their public transportation systems. Sometimes, it’s worth it to buy a rail pass and sometimes it isn’t. You really have to look at all your options here. Maybe even consider renting a car, if you’re feeling adventurous.

For our trip, I know we wanted to get places quickly, so I researched the cost of hiring a private car because of time constraints in Morocco. However, in Spain, we will be using their train system as it is quick and efficient. In total, I estimate transfer costs to be around $500.

Step 5: Create a Realistic Budget: Now that you know how much you will be spending on flight, hotel, and transportation; it’s time to set up a budget. This includes looking up entrances to museums and the like. Once you have that information, allocate a budget for food. I like to think $50 per day per person is a good amount. Sometimes, you will spend less and sometimes more. It’s just a safe bet. This also depends on the currency of the place, so take that into account as well. You can always do some more research and look into specific places you want to eat at. Tripadvisor and Yelp are great sources for this, and they will provide you with a more accurate idea of how much you will be spending.

For our trip, I estimated $100 per day (2 people) of expenses, including tickets/entrances and miscellaneous activities. I usually don’t spend that much, but it’s a safe amount to budget for.

That puts me at $1,100 of expenses, $500 for transport, $600 for hotels, and about $1500 for flights. That is a total of $3700 for a trip for two to Spain and Morocco 11 days. I will say $4,000 just to be safe.

• Step 6: SAVE- Now, if you planned this 6 months ago, like I did, you can put most of the initial expenses on a credit card. For me, that is only the flights. Most of my hotels, I make a reservation but pay upon arrival. Then, I begin to put money aside; for this trip, I put $100 aside every week ($50/person — this is because it’s short notice… I usually put less when the trip is, let’s say, a year away). This will put me at $2500 within the 6 months (pay your minimum on the credit card for this time period). Once, I return, I allocate the same payment to my credit card to finish paying off the flights. So it takes about 9 months to pay off a trip at that rate. If you have an interest free credit card, or can acquire one, put the entire trip of the card and pay the flight and hotel before you go and the expenses when you return!

Now, if you don’t have a credit card (like I didn’t for quite some time), then you must plan ahead. Look at your finances and see how much money you can spare every week. Instead of buying those shoes or that cute top or going to a fancy dinner, put the cash aside. Then, do steps 1–5 and calculate how much your dream trip might cost you. Set aside a tentative date and work towards it. It may take you a year or more, but you will be able to do it without an enormous financial strain.

This recipe works for just about anything. I use it for any expensive purchase I make, but it can even be applied to purchasing a home or paying for school. And I know you may feel like I didn’t really tell you something you didn’t already know, but unfortunately, there is no magic trick. The only relief is that the more you travel, the mores experience you gain and the cheaper it becomes. You learn from your mistakes, you earn travel rewards, and you make friends (which can often ease the cost burden) and make any trip much more fun!

• BONUS STEP 7: (Haha! only for those who read all the way until the end) Visit Frommers.com for suggested itineraries to hundreds of locations world wide. Like this one I used for my trip this summer.

So map out that trip, pack your bags, and go for it! You will thank me later…