| Long term travel is a very rewarding experience and | | | | each week to simply lounge about in a hammock all |
| one you will never regret. Sure, you'll come back | | | | day. The trick to figure out what pace works for |
| home a bit poorer financially - but you'll be far richer | | | | you. I've found that I can travel three or four in a |
| for having had the experiences you did. Your life will | | | | row and then need a day off to hang out and |
| never be the same and your outlook will be forever | | | | recuperate. We are all different and the pace we can |
| changed. | | | | maintain with be our own. |
| As wonderful as long term travel is, however, it can | | | | The other major suggestion I can offer is to be |
| be a daunting thought to deal with. How does the | | | | comfortable. Just as you've got your home set up |
| traveler manage all those months on the road? How | | | | for comfort, you'll have to figure out a way to be |
| can you adapt to changing conditions day in and day | | | | comfortable on the road. We are different with |
| out? Here are some things for you to consider. | | | | varying needs, so our comfort items will be different |
| I think the main thing to keep in mind is that an | | | | from others. We've found pillows make all the |
| extended tour is really a lifestyle and it differs from a | | | | difference, so we haul pillows for each of us with us. |
| vacation in many ways. On a two-week or | | | | Others would consider that foolishness. I've seen bike |
| two-month vacation, you can go full-tilt the whole | | | | tourists with lawn chairs strapped to their bikes, |
| time. You can push yourself on a daily basis until you | | | | backpackers with surfboards, and other travelers |
| collapse into bed each night exhausted. You can do | | | | with guitars. I carry a couple pounds of beads with |
| that because you know you will be going home - and | | | | me, which my husband thinks is crazy. Decide what |
| you will be able to rest and recuperate from vacation | | | | comfort items you need and take them. That being |
| once you get home. | | | | said, it'll be a tough decision to narrow it down to |
| Things are different on an extended trip. You won't | | | | essentials as you simply won't be able to carry |
| be able to maintain that same frenetic pace day in | | | | everything! |
| and day out. You'll have to find a pace that works | | | | There are many pros and cons to the lifestyle of |
| for you. Some travelers find they can head out | | | | long-term travel. If you realize that your new way of |
| sightseeing every day for weeks on end, while | | | | life is actually a lifestyle you've chosen, you'll be up |
| others find a day or two is enough. You may find | | | | for all the challenges that will come your way. |
| you'll deal with life easier with one or two days off | | | | |