My $20k Solo Year Long Round The World Trip

Link to My Year Long Trip Budget Tracking Sheet

Why am I deciding to solo travel the world?

Simply because, I want to and I’ve always known that I was going to do something like this. Some people’s hobbies are drinking, video games, movies, etc. Other people get so caught up with life’s responsibilities that they really have no hobbies. I always have wanted my hobby to be seeing every country in the world and this is my first step to achieving that dream. Simple as that.

I also think that this is the perfect time in my life to make this happen. I’m still in my mid 20s and was just living in a city that I did enjoy but never felt like home for me. I was at a job that was very high paying and looks great on paper to the general public but never truly peaked my interests or curiosity. I have no significant other or financial burdens to worry about. It is the perfect time for change for me and I’d argue was needed. There’s only one thing guaranteed about life and that is the time that we have now. I am not going to waste it in a position that I’m not fully satisfied with if I have the option not to. I personally find it funny that everyone questions the rebel, but no one ever questions the norm.

Where am I planning to go on this trip and for how long?

If you know me or read the “About” section of this website, you come to find that a wild goal I have for myself to accomplish is to go to every country in the world. Obviously this goal is going to take a lot of time and resources and isn’t something I will be able to do in 1 year or with $20k. That is a lifelong goal. For this specific trip my initial plan is to last at least until my birthday next year, March 2025. As far as itinerary is concerned, all I know is that I am starting my trip with a week in NYC visiting one of my best friends and flying to Tirana, Albania on May 7th. Besides a few events that I have already acquired tickets/accommodation for (Running with the Bulls in Spain, Tomorrowland Festival, Belgian F1 Grand Prix and the Paris Olympics), I am going to leave my calendar generally open for any flexibility that I may want as I get further into my trip. Most likely I will be sticking to the Balkan countries until July until all my events I listed above start. Once the Olympics end in mid August, the idea is to head over to begin my journey throughout Asia, starting in either India or Sri Lanka. Most likely will be throughout Asia and Australia until my current end of March deadline but really all of this is mostly up in the air and possibly could change depending on a multitude of factors. I guess best bet is to just be patient and see what happens.

How am I affording this trip?

No I do not have parents who are putting up the $20k for me. I have worked my butt off the past couple years to be able to set aside this travel slush fund while also putting a primary focus first on contributing to my retirement. I continued to live like a college student and keep my expenses at a bare minimum consistently even when making very good money for a 25 year old kid living in Seattle. I am extremely privileged that I have never had to worry about debt (student loans included) or running out of money in my bank account. I also recognize that it is a huge advantage for me being an American and that many other humans around the world will never have an opportunity like this simply because the currency of the country that they just so happened to be born in doesn’t hold great value versus the rest of the world.

Another common thing that people have expressed concern with is that they think $20k will simply just not be enough for a year long trip. I do agree that initially on paper that number seems outrageously low. However if you break it out, that is about $55/day. I, however, want to try to keep a $50/day budget which totals to $18,500 over the course of a year. Many of the countries that I am planning to travel to, the cost of living is much less that what we are used to in America. You can get away with much less money in a place like Albania for example. Still $55/day doesn’t seem like a ton but I do have a number of other factors at play to help me quite a bit. I am planning to not spend a penny on any flights that I take over this year. I have accumulated approx. 700k credit card points across multiple different cards in the last 6 years. That is about $7k that I will be able to put towards my flights. Another thing is that I have already prepaid for many of the more costly events I’m attending including Running with the Bulls, Tomorrowland, Belgian F1 GP Tickets. I bought tickets for these events many months ago when I was still working and I am not necessarily counting those ticket purchases towards my $20k total for my trip.

What important tasks have I completed in preparation of leaving?

• Received needed vaccines and medication for certain countries (malaria pills, cholera shot, typhoid shot, etc.)
• Moved from Seattle and storing belongings at my parents house
• Cancelled all unnecessary subscriptions
• Created this website and budget tracker/rough itinerary
• Put in notice of resignation for job
• Get last dental and medical checkups
• Make copies of passport photos and important documents
• Pack my bags

What am I hoping to gain from this trip?

There are many things that I think travel can teach everyone especially solo travel in particular. For myself, there is going to be a lot of personal development gained from this trip. Being on my own for the majority of the trip is really going to challenge my self confidence and help me in the long run to feel comfortable being by myself. However based on my extensive research, solo travel is anything but “solo”. Most of the other people that I will encounter will be in similar positions as me and also by themselves. I think my ability to connect with new people is going to grow dramatically as well as being open minded to any type of human that I meet.

This trip will also garnish the truest form of freedom and independence that anyone can have. I will have the opportunity to do whatever I want, wherever I want, whenever I want without anyone or anything telling me different.

Lastly, a more tangible benefit that I think will come from this trip is an improvement in not only my mental being but also my physical health. I have been on a huge kick the past 18ish months to really focus on my health and general well-being. It is so easy to get distracted by the fast pace of life where many people have to put their health in the rearmost of priorities. Many countries/cities outside the USA have a big walking culture. Most likely I will be reaching a minimum of about 15k steps every day and probably eating way cleaner than what we are used to in the states as well.

Is this too risky?

Of course I’m aware there are risks associated with this decision to take this trip. The first being how can this affect my career that I worked to build. I get that it can be a real concern but I am not too worried about it. I know my capabilities and work ethic and know that there will be plenty of opportunities available to me when I do have to come back to the “real world” even if I have a small gap in my resume. I have built up a foundation for myself not on financially but also with career experience. Fresh out of college I stayed committed at my corporate job for about 3.5 years showing my skills and work ethic as well as building up my career. I also was able to put forth a very solid start towards my retirement and savings aside from the $20k for this trip giving me a good backbone for success in the future.

Another risk that people point out is the safety concerns with being away. Being a large 6’4″ male has many benefits and the ability to have the idea to take this trip by themselves is definitely one. I am not saying that someone like my sister couldn’t also do the same, but unfortunately the reality of doing something like this is just entirely more dangerous for women. Of course every place has dangerous people that I will need to cautious of but I would say none of the places I am planning in this next year are anywhere near the same danger level as America. Especially compared to the last two cities I’ve lived in: Seattle and New Orleans.

The last major risk that I’ll be faced with is health/illness concerns. Not every country’s way of life is suitable for my privileged first world country body. I wont be used to certain foods, water, and even the fast pace of constantly moving around. I will get used to it over time but my body will most likely feel exhausted a couple weeks into the trip. The risk of me catching any illness will be extremely high but I have many precautions in place for that. First is that I received vaccines for specific countries to help against diseases I could catch. Next, I will have a Larq Water Bottle with me that will use UV rays to clean any water that I will need. If something goes seriously wrong, I have travelers insurance through SafetyWing which will cover any medical treatments that might (hopefully not knock on wood) be needed over the year.