This is How Much We Paid for Our 12-Month Trip Around The World.
We started right where we were and arrived at the other side of the globe. You can arrive there too!
Hi there,
What are your most ambitious goals?
Do you want to work independently as a freelancer?
Do you want to learn a complicated language like Japanese or master coding?
Do you want to retire early or travel around the world for a longer period?
Do these personal goals feel out of reach?
We have been there.
“When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” ― Napoleon Hill
We had trouble getting started and understood that achieving our goals will take a lot more effort than initially thought. We were on the edge of losing motivation.
Here is the truth about achieving super ambitious goals:
It probably won’t be easy.
But it is most likely possible.
There is a fantastic quote on this particular life challenge:
“Easy choices, hard life
Hard choices, easy life”
It’s true in the sense that if you want to do something truly spectacular, you have to take an enormously inconvenient path and leave your comfort zone into the darkness of the unknown.
You have to figure out who you are and align your goals with your passion.
Today we would like to show you that even the most ambitious goals can be achieved. But first, allow us to introduce ourselves:
It All Started in Africa
We are Marcus and Katharina. There is nothing we love more in life than to travel together. Recently we returned from a 12 month’s journey around the world for which we left our well-paid jobs.
We have first met six years ago at a train station in a small town in Germany.
We were both pretty busy with our studies when we first saw each other. I (Marcus) was just about to leave Germany for a semester abroad in Tanzania. I wasn’t prepared for a new relationship at that time; in fact, I was even happy to be solo.
“Life is What Happens To You While You’re Busy Making Other Plans.” — John Lennon
Well, it quickly turned out I was happier with her by my side. It took her only a few months to follow me into the magical, beautiful, and yet adventurous East African country Tanzania.
Since then, we have shared our passion for exploring the world together and quickly decided to leave home for an extended time.
We didn’t intend to travel for twelve months back then but started with a still pretty ambitious goal of six months. At that time, we were both students and naturally couldn’t save much money.
Break It Down and Celebrate Every Step
Focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t do.
By doing so, you are breaking down your big goal into smaller, solvable problems. This is the most important skill one can have on his path towards achieving super ambitious goals.
We imagined what we could do with every dollar saved.
· $3 equals a tasty Pad-Thai on the beautiful island of Ko Chang.
· $7 pays for a relaxing Khmer massage in the middle of Cambodia.
· $15 takes you even to a nearly build a hotel with a nice pool in Vietnam and
· $70 equals 24 hours of freedom with no chores and responsibilities in low-cost countries in Asia, South America, Europe, and Africa.
How crazy is that? Celebrate every step towards the summit.
“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you may hit a star.” — W. Clement Stone
By definition, saving requires one to renounce consumption.
To be honest, it’s not that easy to be the couple who isn’t going to the coolest restaurant in town twice a week, drive an old car while others buy the newest models, and live in a decent place while the majority decides to build their dream houses.
But, by focusing on what matters the most to you, you can get it done.
We both transferred a fair share of our income straight at the month’s first to our shared savings account.
There is nothing more important than trust towards a shared goal. At any time, we had both access to our savings account. During our month, we also put site earnings through stocks and part-time jobs into our account.
This is How Much We Paid for our 12-Month Trip Around The World.
Without any further delay, here is the sum:
The whole trip has cost us $34,938.
This equals roughly $2,700 per month or $90 each day.
We spent approximately 80% of our daily budget on accommodations, food, and activities.
Our travel style is probably best described as mid-range, meaning that we usually slept in double rooms with private bathrooms. We tried to eat at local places whenever possible and avoided guided group tours.
The second-biggest position was flights with 14%, leaving no more than 6% for other costs such as insurance, equipment and running costs at home.
$35,000 looks like a lot of money to you, right?
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
During this year, we lived more consciously than ever before. We got to know each other better than in the previous 5 years combined. Are we sad to not see the money in our savings account today? You probably guess the answer.
Traveling in Asia is much cheaper and more enjoyable at a given budget than in Australia and New Zealand.
In Asia, we paid around $70 a day for a double room, mostly with a pool, and went out to eat three times a day. In Australia and New Zealand, we almost exclusively lived with locals via Airbnb and cooked by ourselves. Of course, a pool was never an option.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that we generally liked it better in Asia. It’s just a lot cheaper there.
We hope our detailed breakdown helps you to get an idea of how much you need to save in case you would love to travel for a longer time than the usual annual leave.
And remember: If you aren’t living your dream, you end up working for someone who did.
Break down your goal into achievable milestones and celebrate every step on the way.
You can do it!
We hope to see you again in the future.
Disclaimer: We took all the pictures shown in this article ourself and call ourself the proud copyright owner of them:)
This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any significant financial decisions.
