A New Sensation | Izabel Antle
8. A watermelon vendor seen in the city of Valladolid, Yucatan.
9. My sisters and I pose for a final photo on the beach of Koh Samui, Thailand, where we lived for three weeks. While the island is notorious for its full moon parties and night life, there is a quiet south side that is relatively unknown to tourists.
10. Located in the mountains of Colorado is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, home to many animals including this friendly giraffe. that we were missing out on so many other amazing places in the world. Shortly after that, the discussion of becoming global nomads arose.
HOW DO WE TRAVEL? There is a common misconception that travel is expensive. So many people tell us that they wish they could do what we are doing, but cannot afford it. This couldn’ t be more wrong. Yes, travel can be expensive if you make it so, but not if you are willing to be creative and sacrifice some comforts of home to live your dream. We don’ t have a house or a car like most Americans do, which greatly minimises costs.
Travelling slowly is also a critical aspect of our adventure. We usually stay in one country for as long as our visa allows. Within that country, we stay in one city or one area for at least a week. This lowers the cost of transportation and accommodation tremendously and it also allows us enough time to experience what it feels like to be living in that place.
Our day to day life involves living like a local and avoiding extravagant expenditures, like tourist attractions. To live frugally, we shop at markets, eat what locals eat, and live where locals live. Staying in homestays offer big savings, versus staying in hotels. Airbnb is also an awesome tool for connecting with locals with some, if not all of our best friendships forged as a result of our time spent with our Airbnb hosts. We usually rent small accommodations, sacrificing a lot of personal space in order to be able to travel on a budget. Meeting, talking to interesting people and gaining lifelong connections are worth foregoing the comfort of a large house or a hotel.
Finally, a program called Workaway allows us to trade hours of good work for food and housing. In Thailand, my parents and I taught English to students in primary school while my sisters attended a local school. Not only was this experience rewarding and an excellent inter-cultural learning opportunity, but it also lowered our expenditures for the month. Using this method, we plan on travelling by train as much as possible through neighbouring countries – beginning in Europe and working our way all the way down to India. The plan is in no way set in stone. We live for the moment and if a different opportunity arises, we will take it and see what happens!
We want to see the world first-hand, learn from its diverse landscapes and vibrant cultures, and meet the kind, hospitable, and unforgettable people that inhabit it. For these things, the sacrifices are worth it.
Issue 4, 2016 | The Travellist 55