How can quitting my job and embarking on a world travel adventure be a wise decision?
In my thirties and early forties, retirement felt like a distant dream. The financial experts and online calculators painted a daunting picture of the substantial nest egg required for retirement. But I began to see things differently. Why wait until retirement to enjoy life when we could take some time off now?
With our children grown and the sale of our large home, our major expense was now just the rent. Suddenly, retirement didn’t seem so out of reach. It wasn’t a luxurious retirement, but it was a plan that would allow us to support ourselves with our small travel business while letting our savings grow to cover our golden years. After consulting with a financial advisor, we made some adjustments and started envisioning this new chapter in our lives.
The newfound sense of freedom was exhilarating. It enabled me to leave my job without worrying about returning to my sales career. We created a substantial travel budget and set out to explore the world.
15 Months, 35 Countries, and 5 Continents
In the span of 15 months, we visited 35 countries spanning five continents. Our full-time travel experience was truly transformative. We trekked the Inca Trail in Peru, spent nights on a riverboat in the Amazon, sailed with bioluminescent dolphins, encountered leopards and lions up close, celebrated our 25th anniversary in Paris, swam with seals in the Galapagos Islands, hiked the Great Wall of China, and so much more.
We traveled with family and friends, discovering our shared love for adventure. Despite having different styles and ideas, we were both willing to step out of our comfort zones. Our travels left us exhausted but immensely satisfied.
The Test Trip
Before fully committing to this lifestyle, we decided to test the waters by working while traveling. We booked a 24-day cruise through the Baltics and the UK. This experience taught us that working remotely in Europe while based in the US was a fantastic way to explore. We had ample time for daytime exploration, followed by work in the afternoon, and we enjoyed dinners during our lunch breaks. This schedule was particularly enjoyable on a cruise ship with reliable internet.
Our European journey took us to Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, and we met up with a friend in Helsinki. Despite a minor disagreement in Christensen, Norway, we each had a delightful day exploring on our own. During lunch at an outdoor cafe, I had a unique experience as an empty square became a private concert venue during a band’s soundcheck.
We also spent two days in St. Petersburg, Russia, where we marveled at the opulent history and glimpses of the Soviet era. However, we felt that our cruise’s limited tour only scratched the surface of Russian culture today.
Returning home, we decided that this nomadic lifestyle would be our new norm. I spent the next 30 days training my replacement for my job, and we fully embraced this way of life.
Originally, we planned to invest more time in our travel business while on the road. However, we realized that the opportunity to explore the world might not present itself again. We could always pursue jobs or build a business later, but for now, we had the time and means to explore full-time. Choosing to prioritize our experiences over business growth proved to be a pivotal decision.
The Next Trips
Our subsequent journeys took us to California, from Napa Valley to the Redwood Forest. We cruised the Galapagos Islands, trekked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, explored the Sacred Valley of Peru, navigated the headwaters of the Amazon, and raced tuk-tuks in Iquitos, Peru. We traveled through Europe by train, got close to nature in Africa, explored pockets of Asia with our daughter, and even found time for relaxation on a Mexican beach.
Mini-Retirement
As our budget for this adventure dwindled, it was time to return to work. Although our initial plan was to build our travel business for long-term sustainability, it became evident that going back to my software job made more financial sense. I enjoyed the work, and the income was considerably higher than what I could expect from the early years of a startup. I reached out to my former company, where I had spent most of my career, and they were eager to have me back.
If I had tried to plan this journey, it likely wouldn’t have unfolded so smoothly. I think it was a perfect mini-retirement. I suspect it will not be my last one either!