The books I ordered finally arrived! *flip flip*
Tag: rolf potts
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Having cold feet
Traveling around the world is exciting but also very daunting, especially so if you are planning to travel alone like me. Making the decision and buying the one way ticket for me was simply the first step. Other than the tiresome handling of personal affairs before I leave, I found myself emotionally plagued with constant doubt, worry and even anxiety before I even actually get out of Singapore!
However, I have been repeatedly assured by like-minded individuals, travelers or otherwise, that what I am going through is perfectly normal. Having cold feet is normal because you have just made one of THE biggest decision (and change, because your life will never be the same anymore) in your life and it is entirely forgivable and understandable. In fact, it would be weird if you don’t actually feel this way at all.
How I managed to keep myself going and remaining firm to my decision is to constantly:
1. Keep researching about my trip as it builds up my excitement before I go and also gets me prepared, which in turn makes me less panicky. I find myself actively addressing my worries by researching about them to get a better idea and it really helps to calm those pre-travel jitters of mine
2. Keep reading up on inspiring stories and testimonies of people who had done this or are still doing this. You will be surprised by how many there are! You are not alone 🙂
3. Surrounding myself with people who supports and encourages me. My friends, family members and the couchsurfing community
4. Staying positive. Consciously tell yourself all the time that you will be fine, because you are.
5. Starting a blog. Before I actually fly off on the 29th of December this year, this blog also serves as my emotional and spiritual compass, monitoring my feelings & thoughts (keeping it in check as well) while I prepare myself for the adventure of a lifetime! Anytime I start doubting myself, I simply go back to my previous post (especially my very first post) which reminds me the reason why I wanted to travel in the first place!
6. Telling everyone I know about my plans. This method really helps me stay accountable to my own actions
7. Keep moving instead of procrastinating. This means that since I have made a firm decision to go, I shouldn’t waste time to clear the path in front of me. This includes leaving my job, applying for permits, buying insurance, planning/packing my travel ware, researching on the routes I want to go and saving up as much money as possible until I fly off. Since I need to do it anyway, why delay?
8. Don’t look back. Just go. If you don’t, instead of making the biggest decision in your life, you would have created the biggest regret instead.
I know this trip probably isn’t going to be all moonlight and roses but it is to me, the first step towards the beginning of a renewal. I know I am not going to regret this because I have been secretly raring for it all my life and it is finally, really, REALLY happening!
“Carpe diem! Seize the day, make your lives extraordinary” – Dead Poet Society
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Preparing for the road ahead
And so the journey begins… the preparation part that is.
Managed to settle my exit permit after a flurry of calls (they didn’t have a direct line) because the online registration failed me totally. None of the options within the registration said “vagabonding” and I had no choice but to apply for it directly but oh, thank God it is done.
The insurance part was icky but will be settled soon nevertheless. Leaving my job was easier than I thought as my boss was super understanding about it so that’s all and good. Meanwhile, I am still easing my way into telling all my friends (family all settled) that I am leaving Singapore indefinitely, as I have to answer so many questions like why I am doing this and whether I had thought it through properly… basically all the motions of psycho-analyzing from people who simply could not believe I would leave everything behind to travel alone RTW. But for the very first time, telling people “I don’t know” feels exceptionally liberating because I realised that I don’t have to know the answer all the time. I am finally at a stage where I am ready to expect the unexpected. Knowing that nothing anyone else can say will sway my conviction to do this makes me feel even more confident that I am actually ready for this, Beautiful world, here I come. 🙂
Now all that’s left is planning my general route (which is quite a feat considering my limited budget and all the uncertainties ahead) and doing a great load of research before going so I don’t end up trudging around aimlessly and utterly lost in the wilderness somehow. Of course, I am approaching this with flexibility to make sure the journey is more about the experience and the people, and not all about plans and rushing from one place to another.
The biggest concern however, is about the money and my intentions to work along the way seems superbly daunting. Will I be able to really get a job? what can I do? Where can I work? How much will I earn? How long will have to work? (There’s various options like WWOOFing and TEFL but all of them seems kind of contrived right now) All these are uncertain but as always, I am determined to see it through. There is no turning back now.
If you asked me a few months ago if I would be doing this, I would have thought it was crazy. Now? It is slowly becoming a reality.
The countdown begins… =)
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Learning more about Vagabonding, I am
Bought myself two books from Amazon to accompany me on my journey this coming December! Highly recommended by fellow traveler friends who does the same thing, it supposedly gives a lot of inspirations as well as practical and useful tips on long term travel!
Really looking forward to pouring through all the pages (yes, aside from traveling, my other love is reading!). Check out the titles below and if you are embarking on the same type of journey as I am, geddit!
Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
Jars of Thoughts 