Reality Check Needed

[worth]

This sort of reeks of "first world problems" but anyway: I'm 30 years old, unmarried and I've been with my current company for 9 years. I make a good salary and now have 4 weeks vacation. My company has identified me for a comprehensive leadership program in 2014 where they would send me to Rice University in Houston. The intention is that they pick people that could one day manage a facility and those who will repay the company with what they learn over the years.

My plan before this came up was to talk with my boss in January and tell him I am quitting in March so I can go traveling for a year or more. I never did this out of school and am regretting it. I have nothing to hold me back here and don't want to wait until I am older.

I don't want to accept the nomination and then quit a few months later. That would be unfair to the company, but I would very much like to take the course as I'm sure it will be an invaluable experience for me. On the other hand I feel as though this is my last shot to get out and see the world while I am younger. If I don't do it now, I will do it when i'm retired and that is a different experience all together.

Need a logical, rational reality check from you guys if you please.

Edit Nov 8: - Resigned from my position starting end of March 2014. Will hit the road in April 2014.

[missdpuck]

Run, Forrest, run!

On the serious side, what did you plan to do for work after your sabbatical?
It's hard to say (since I don't know your boss) if you should bring it up and ask if you could do school at a later date. I'm thinking the answer would probably be "no", unless they were some really cool company who thinks the year off could help you contribute further to the company.

But I'm sure you've already thought of that!

I regret not doing it right out of school as well. I got to take a big 6 weeks off of work to go to Eastern Europe/Prague but I was already in my 30s and I felt like I had really missed something.

I was also jealous of the people I met who had floundered around and travelled after university and ended up with their dream lives/careers or close to it. I was always taught if you stray from the path there's nothing but doom ahead!

But that was a different time and economy so I guess it's just a lot riskier now.

[Kybosh]

I'd suggest being up front with your bosses about your desire to have a sabbatical. Are you happy with the company? Would you want to come back? If the answer is yes, I'd start playing hypothetical situations with them. For example, you want an 8 month unpaid leave to travel with the expectation that you will return and attend this new program.

Obviously not every employer will be interested in discussing something like this, but you won't know until you ask. If the employer sees you as the future lead, you might be surprised by how flexible they're willing to be. You might also have to be flexible in how long you intend to be away and what the terms are for your return.

[FlamesAddiction]

I agree.

If you like the company and hope to come back after your leave, then you should tell them what you want to do.... After 9 years, you must have enough clout that they aren't going to hate you for it.

When you come back, tell them you are interesting if doing the Houston thing.

[JD]

There are other ways of traveling than taking a year off and slumming around in hostels.

Maybe your job gives you an opportunity to live abroad somewhere? In that type of position, you can travel around the region on your time off, and you get the added benefit of really immersing in the culture of where it is you are living and working.

You have 4 weeks vacation! Take 2 or 3 of that every year and pick a faraway destination. Hit a new place every year.

Or, as you suggest, do it when you're older. Just because it's a "different experience" doesn't mean it won't be a worthwhile one. Besides, you'll probably have more money and be able to really live it up.

Or you could take the year off and travel. It really doesn't matter because you just have to do what's right for you. Don't go traveling just because you hear that it's a life-changing experience for others. This opportunity your employer is presenting could be a tremendous thing for you as well.

[worth]

My intention was not to do a sabbatical, it was to quit outright.

I wanted to come back and get a job with a different company and try my hand at something else to prove to myself that I could indeed do something else.

It was supposed to be a clean break and a challenge to myself to take the time off and do something I wanted to do and then come back and challenge myself again to find a different job and do well in that.

[ComixZone]

There are always valid, real world reasons to not follow your passion/interest (in this case, your desire to travel).

I'm younger than you, and haven't made this decision for myself yet either - but I'd say, stick to your plan. Be up front with your company though (if you like it there), in hopes that you'll come to an agreement that employment can continue after you return from your adventure.

Good luck!

[gargamel]

I hate to encourage the less responsible decision, but I have no regrets about leaving a good job to travel earlier this year. I'm teaching English in Colombia right now and can honestly say I'm happier than I ever was at the law firm.

[missdpuck]

Well, if you already know you want to do something different...

And I was just thinking of you as taking a sabbatical from the conventional working world.

I guess you just really have to listen to yourself.

I'll give you my little rant of hindsight/regret.

I've worked at the Post Office a long time and could never understand why I let myself get stuck there.

While in college, I worked for IBM and learned primitive code and did well with that.

I wanted to move out on my own and the post office paid 3 times what IBM paid.

In the early 90s I met a guy who had worked at Apple but he was getting "old" for them and he was not a fit for them any more so he came to South Florida to develop cell phones etc for Motorola (they're gone now)

He started to teach me other languages etc and encouraged me to get really good at MySQL. Of course this was before web design and the intertubes, but he knew what was coming because he was in the loop.

I would go happily in to work and tell my coworkers about my new studies, and they would just laugh and call me a fool. Self-doubt crept in and I stopped learning code.
I dropped out of the classes I was taking (mainly full of 30 somethings in other jobs) and my Apple friend, sick of South Florida, moved back to California.

Well the people who stuck with it in spite of their "old age" lol ended up being in on the ground floor of many cool things.

All became happily employed and ended up making more money and contributing more to the world than I have, that's for sure.

Sorry for the rant. The point is, listen to yourself!

This is why Rathji is one of my heroes on this board, btw.

[worth]

Yeah, it's an american company. Thanks for the advice all around. The other thing is that they want an answer by end of Day UK time. So that's basically 10am this morning. I am going to talk with my boss once he is out of his meeting at 9am.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Yolo.

[worth]

Not BP. The UK thing will throw you off. My division is based in UK, but the company as a whole is American.

[Northendzone]

can you take a sabbatical and then go to rice later in 2014 or 2015?

[DuffMan]

Not BP. The UK thing will throw you off. My division is based in UK, but the company as a whole is American.

Haliburton?

[nfotiu]

One thing I'd say is unless you are working for a small enough company that you know the owners, then any kind of loyalty is misplaced. Do what's best for yourself.

[surferguy]

I have done the year off thing twice. The last time was a complete job quit and subsequently career change. It is amongst the best decisions I have ever made (right up there with lasik and sliding a note under on the girl upstairs door - she is now my wife).

An education is not complete until you go live and work somewhere else. Getting a work visa would allow you to stay put for a little bit of time - this is important when you go on an extended trip, otherwise the grind of constantly experiencing new things can get difficult.

The facts:
You are not married
you are under thirty
you have 9 years experience
you are educated

Finding a job will not be a problem for you upon return at all

I promise you, today will be a day you will never forget.

Buy the ticket... take the ride.

[cDnStealth]

Stick to your plan. It's become clichéd but you do only live once. Don't put off something you can do right now. Go enjoy yourself. Have fun, experience some things you've always wanted and come back when you've had enough. I am sure you'll be able to get another job when you come back.

[photon]

If it were me I'd probably go, but I regret not doing more wild/fun/cool things when I was young and could do it.

As for the Rice thing, most companies I've worked with usually will claw-back the cost of education if you quit within a certain amount of time.. i.e. you will have to pay for the cost of the education pro-rated for 1 year after it completes. Just bring that up as that might impact the decision; if you would have to either pay for it yourself or wait a year before going etc... And it might be different for your company or that particular thing.

[Regular_John]

I'll say the same thing my Dad told me when I was taking some time off to travel "There's always a reason not to do it."

If it's something you want to do & have the resources to do so then do it. There's always a bunch of reasons not to do something like this (work, family, mortgage, debt, etc) so you need to find a reason to jump in & go for it.

Assuming you're not piling on the debt (or ignoring other obligations) to travel than it's absolutely a worth while investment.

[habernac]

I'm 43, wife and 2 kids and that window is now closed for me. I wasted my twenties in dead end jobs. Get out there and see the world. The workplace will still be here when you get back.

[Kswiss]

Hey Man,

I was one of the guys that decided to live abroad right after University in Czech Republic and I never regretted it once. Long story short if I can offer my opinion. If its something that you have to do and is itching in your head you HAVE to do it. It is tough with societal pressures, yes, but from my experience everything works out in the end. Like you said, its kind of a first world problem so you cant lose :) Experiencing different cultures, living and surviving in different countires really gets you to know yourself (sounds cheesy I know, but its true), maybe when you come back you will decide to do something totally different etc. The point is going can never be a bad choice in my opinion.

Anywho...Good Luck!

[photon]

I'm 43, wife and 2 kids and that window is now closed for me. I wasted my twenties in dead end jobs. Get out there and see the world. The workplace will still be here when you get back.

And tell us about it so we can live vicariously!

[Jbo]

I missed travel right out of University, and I am only now being able to travel more. I'm about the same as you. 29 years old, not married, working away.

However, you have a great oppurtunity to go to school, keep earning a good salary, etc.

I find that I now take more specific trips, rather then go backpack for 4 months, I pick a place I want to go and do it for 2-3 weeks. Is it ideal? Maybe not the same as just travelling around, but I have managed to do quite a few great trips every year.

Finally, one thing I did right was rather then negoatiate a high salary at year end review, I negotaiated an extra week vacations a year from 4 weeks to 5. That gives me a chance to do a longer 2-3 week trip, a get away down to somewhere warm and a few days to play with at Xmas etc.

Anyway, you gotta go with your heart, but unless the job is terrible, you will have to come back one day, and starting at the bottom of a company is not always great either (been there as well, but that is a different story)

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Cowboy89]

If they are to send you to Rice I imagine you work for an American outfit. I doubt they will take the hippy find myself thing well, they probably already think 4 weeks is too much.

I think you already know the answer to this question.

Yeah, Americans get meager vacation time and in American corporate culture people get looked down upon for even taking close to all of it. "Oh that John in IT took 1.5 weeks of his allotted 2 weeks vacation, fire that slacker"

[missdpuck]

yeah if you decide to blog it, definitely let us know where to find you!

[Fobulous]

I share similar sentiments as previous posters.

One thing I have realized over the past few years is that life is way to short. Quit and go travel. You will never regret it. When you come back, you will be a better person having gone and experienced a few other cultures along your travels. Something a Rice education will never be able to provide.

If they are willing to put your through this program now, they will be willing to do the same when you get back as it sounds like you are on their future leaders radar.

I am married and have a kid and never got to experience something like this. Although I have no regrets, if I could go back in time I would definitely have taken some time off to experience the world.

-FoB.

[topfiverecords]

I'm assuming you're living in NA...why not look to get transferred to the UK division? Can get to a lot of Europe in short trips from a UK base.

[blankall]

I'm giong to be the stick in the mud here and say that the travelling after/during college thing is not all its talked up to be. I did some travelling after University, and quite frankly it wasn't a cultural experience. I did not find myself. I just partied and hung out with a lot of other back packers.

The travelling that I've done since then, has been a lot more cultural IMO. Even if only for 2-3 weeks at a time, I've taken more from it. Not only am I more mature now, but I've got the funds to visit local restaurants, museams, etc... where the actual culture occurs.

I've never worked abroad, which is something I regret. I think that would be a different scenario entirely than just backpacking.

[Muta]

I took the time off after Uni in 2006, and it was the best thing I ever did. Hell, I still save up my vacation to do 2-month benders abroad every so often.

Take habernac's advice, just go. The workforce will be here when you get back, and someone with proven experience will always be in demand.

[gargamel]

I'm giong to be the stick in the mud here and say that the travelling after/during college thing is not all its talked up to be. I did some travelling after University, and quite frankly it wasn't a cultural experience. I did not find myself. I just partied and hung out with a lot of other back packers.

The travelling that I've done since then, has been a lot more cultural IMO. Even if only for 2-3 weeks at a time, I've taken more from it. Not only am I more mature now, but I've got the funds to visit local restaurants, museams, etc... where the actual culture occurs.

I've never worked abroad, which is something I regret. I think that would be a different scenario entirely than just backpacking.

I agree that just backpacking and drinking isn't a very valuable cultural experience (though it can still be fun), but there's no reason that you have to travel like that even if you're staying in hostels and/or broke. Anyone can afford a trip to the market, some cheap meals in comfort food restaurants and a bunch of food from street vendors, and that will give you more culture than the museums and fine dining restaurants ever will. Just because some people don't get as much out of travelling (culturally speaking) as they could doesn't mean that travelling is overrated or that you need money to do it "right."

[Kswiss]

I'm giong to be the stick in the mud here and say that the travelling after/during college thing is not all its talked up to be. I did some travelling after University, and quite frankly it wasn't a cultural experience. I did not find myself. I just partied and hung out with a lot of other back packers.

The travelling that I've done since then, has been a lot more cultural IMO. Even if only for 2-3 weeks at a time, I've taken more from it. Not only am I more mature now, but I've got the funds to visit local restaurants, museams, etc... where the actual culture occurs.

I've never worked abroad, which is something I regret. I think that would be a different scenario entirely than just backpacking.

Agree with you here. There is a big different between living in a different country as opposed to backpacking. I never had the chance to just go backpacking (something I still need to do) but like you said, its good to have the money to fully immerse yourself into the culture as much as possible.

[CaramonLS]

I have done the year off thing twice. The last time was a complete job quit and subsequently career change. It is amongst the best decisions I have ever made (right up there with lasik and sliding a note under on the girl upstairs door - she is now my wife).

An education is not complete until you go live and work somewhere else. Getting a work visa would allow you to stay put for a little bit of time - this is important when you go on an extended trip, otherwise the grind of constantly experiencing new things can get difficult.

The facts:
You are not married
you are under thirty
you have 9 years experience
you are educated

Finding a job will not be a problem for you upon return at all

I promise you, today will be a day you will never forget.

Buy the ticket... take the ride.

I'd be very cautious about taking this advice.

Not being employed trying to find a new job is much harder than just changing jobs. You are in a far superior position finding a better paying job if you are currently employed in a similar job. If you have that break in employment, expect to take a step back in your career. If that isn't a big deal for you, then go for it.

There has been some research done on this and just about everything points to currently working > unemployed in terms of getting comparable work.

[JD]

Yeah, I tend to lean away from the "drop everything and just travel" advice myself. I get why people do it, but it seems like you can have your cake and eat too, especially when no spouse or kids are in the picture. As many of us know, those minor details can change everything!

Have you had your conversation with your boss yet?

[REDVAN]

Ask yourself: do you want to take the training course and follow that particular career path.

If yes, then don't quit- just take as much vacation you can or try to go for a time-unpaid sabbatical as well.

If NO, you don't want that career path, then WTF are you doing there? Quit immediately and get on with your life- travelling or not.

[Table 5]

Usually the people who are against these big once-in-a-life-time travel decisions, are ones who have never done it. Those who have moved across the world, or taken some massive trip...very few people seem to ever regret them. In fact, it often times, defines their life or their next career move.

Yes, your career may be thrown off the perfect path for a bit (although sometimes this is for the better), but you will grow as a person and will have a lifetime of memories. If it takes you a year to get back on the same track after you come back, so be it. You're still young and responsibilities are pretty minor compared to where you could be 5 or 10 years from now. Do it while you can.

[CaptainYooh]

I see no downside in discussing your thoughts with your bosses. This is honest and will be perceived as a responsible/accountable thing to do. As an employer, I would much rather re-hire someone that told me they're not going to take advantage of sponsored training than someone who took free training and left. You could frame the conversation around your plans as tentative ("I've been thinking about taking some time off in the spring. It's not finalized yet but if I do, it would be unfair to the company to take the training now").

[worth]

So some additional background:

For 7.5 of the 9 years I worked for a small/medium company (50-75 people). I know the owners very well. In 2012, we were acquired by a massive US company and amalgamated into one of their divisions. The upper management is still in tact and the company let's us operate unimpeded, so I am still very loyal to the original owners as they are still around.

What I am doing now is the career path I want, and I enjoy working here. If I were to leave and then look for another job in a year, I would be looking for the same type of thing.

I spoke with my boss this morning (he is the General Manager of the Calgary division). He is very supportive of me and the decisions I make. He said it is up to me to decide what I want to do and he will do his best to support me. I like working for him and there is potential for me to move up within the organization obviously.

He told me there are only two people that he has identified for this course, of which I am one. He said that he has no one to replace me with if I leave, and if I decide to do so, he would appreciate giving as much notice as possible because he will not be able to fill my position from within the company.

I don't think a sabbatical or leave of absence will be accepted, and even if it was, it leaves them in a tough position. They would need to find someone to do my job in the meantime regardless.

I have experienced backpacking. I have been to Japan, Egypt and Europe solo for 2-3 weeks at a time. I could continue doing this every year or two as suggested and try new places each time.

I don't have any debt and have the money to travel for a while.

My boss said I can have until Friday to decide if I would like to take the course or not. It's actually not a given I will get in. He has nominated me and if I accept, I have to go through a selection process. They run the course once or twice a year and it comes highly recommended but there are only 30 spots for a company of 50,000.

I'm going to do some more soul searching and talk to some friends as well. Thanks very much for your opinions guys, they are greatly appreciated.

[Muta]

Usually the people who are against these big once-in-a-life-time travel decisions, are ones who have never done it. Those who have moved across the world, or taken some massive trip...very few people seem to ever regret them. In fact, it often times, defines their life or their next career move.

Yes, your career may be thrown off the perfect path for a bit (although sometimes this is for the better), but you will grow as a person and will have a lifetime of memories. If it takes you a year to get back on the same track after you come back, so be it. You're still young and responsibilities are pretty minor compared to where you could be 5 or 10 years from now. Do it while you can.

This is the golden post right here.

[WhiteTiger]

I'm of two minds of this. While I have not "taken a year off and slummed around"...I have done a lot of traveling via being a military child. I like traveling, but I like the security of a job more, honestly.

I have known several people to take a "sabbatical", and not one ever had their old job back for more than a couple months after returning. They have always been released for some reason or another.

It sounds to me like you are well on the path you currently want, and now want to see what you might have "missed". I would ask yourself what you really want from a trip like this. We can't answer that for you. Once you have your answer, decide if you can get what you want from the 'standard' vacation or if you really HAVE to take a year off to get it.

I'd also be very wary of folks saying "You'll get a job right away in the exact same field, no problem!" upon your return. Maybe do some research into what the opportunities in the field you want are, and the sort of availability of them and try to project that a year forward. If the answer is favorable and what you want will take you taking a year off...go for it. If the answer isn't favorable, consider that your single year sabbatical may cost you your chosen career (the "year off to travel" is generally best left to unemployed-just-out-of-university folks for a reason).

[Table 5]

Just remembering at a past big American outfit. An employee did the same thing, supervisors were all for hiring back at the end, HR was definitely not and it was a non-starter.

I've never been directly employed by a big corporation before, but I have spent several weeks at quite a few of them as a vendor... and I've noticed that they are not that different for each other despite what they like to think. If you leave a a job at some big American outfit, chances are there are 100 places exactly like it that you would be suitable for. It seems like people in downtown Calgary hop jobs all the time from one oil company to another. I have friends who job hop every 2 years within the publishing industry...it's like musical chairs, and nobody misses a beat.

I think if you're job is highly specialized, or it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity, then you have some tough decisions. But leaving a corporate gig because you don't think you could get another corporate gig? I'd take that chance any day of the week if it meant a life-altering type of trip...especially if I was good enough that I was singled out to be fast-tracked. If you're good, you're good...employers will notice that. If you suck, thats another thing.

[JD]

Usually the people who are against these big once-in-a-life-time travel decisions, are ones who have never done it. Those who have moved across the world, or taken some massive trip...very few people seem to ever regret them. In fact, it often times, defines their life or their next career move.
With me, you'd be wrong, and right. I'm sort of against the idea, and I have done it. But my argument is to find a way to do both. And for the 2nd part of your paragraph, absolutely, it does.
This is the golden post right here.
For you, maybe. It's one of those things that's pretty personal and it's not fair to paint with one broad stroke, such as how we paint all Canucks fans as bad people.

[nik-]

To me, it sounds like you can get the best of both worlds here if you wait a little bit. You have 4 weeks of vacation which is 2 pretty good vacations a year. I'd take the training, continue working and go on those 2 a year. If after a couple years, it's not satisfying the itch, go travel. Except now with even better training under your belt and a little more money stashed away.

[gargamel]

What I am doing now is the career path I want, and I enjoy working here. If I were to leave and then look for another job in a year, I would be looking for the same type of thing.

I'm all in favor of hitting the road if you're not happy with what you're doing, but in your situation, I really think I'd stick with it and try to take full advantage of your vacation time.

[killer_carlson]

I'm so glad I travelled before jumping into my career.

Once you get married and start hatching kids, you can park the "travel" concept for a couple of decades. You will still "vacation" for weeks at a time, but if you are the type of person who draws a distinction between travelling and vacationing, then you can forget planning some travel.

My vote is to take the year to travel. I suspect you will be better at your job or a future job once you have that new found perspective.

[habernac]

I'm so glad I travelled before jumping into my career.

Once you get married and start hatching kids, you can park the "travel" concept for a couple of decades. You will still "vacation" for weeks at a time, but if you are the type of person who draws a distinction between travelling and vacationing, then you can forget planning some travel.

My vote is to take the year to travel. I suspect you will be better at your job or a future job once you have that new found perspective.

Without the travel bug, we never would have had the snotboy story. :)

Worth, we need more of these kinds of stories! Get out there!!

[GP_Matt]

I took 8 months to backpack around during University and definitely do not regret it.

I noticed that in Australia though we mostly dealt with other backpackers. A lot of the people working in hospitality on the traditional backpack route were backpackers themselves. We had work permits for Australia but never ended up getting jobs there partly for this reason. A lot of the people working there were making terrible money and really only enough to live the backpacker lifestyle with less alcohol and responsibilities. We turned an 8 month Australia trip into a 3 month trip with 5 months traveling SE Asia and Europe and definitely enjoyed the later portion more than the former.

[undercoverbrother]

http://www.teetshirts.com/images/uploads/join-the-army.jpg

[worth]

I have absolutely no fataing idea what I want out of this trip. All I can keep thinking of is if I don't go now, when looking back on my life, I will regret it. If I go and it was a mistake and I end up regretting it, I can live with that because at least I tried it.

[surferguy]

I have absolutely no fataing idea what I want out of this trip. All I can keep thinking of is if I don't go now, when looking back on my life, I will regret it. If I go and it was a mistake and I end up regretting it, I can live with that because at least I tried it.


I think your have made your choice but you just need to convince yourself that you have

[undercoverbrother]

I have absolutely no fataing idea what I want out of this trip. All I can keep thinking of is if I don't go now, when looking back on my life, I will regret it. If I go and it was a mistake and I end up regretting it, I can live with that because at least I tried it.

That....

I think your have made your choice but you just need to convince yourself that you have


Take the trip, jobs are a dime a dozen. If you are honest they will understand, if they don't no loss.

Perhaps you should discuss a sabbatical (might have been mentioned already). Although that being said they might wonder why at 30 you already need a rest from work.........

Good luck what ever you do, remember Regret is a useless emotion.

[4X4]

I have absolutely no fataing idea what I want out of this trip. All I can keep thinking of is if I don't go now, when looking back on my life, I will regret it. If I go and it was a mistake and I end up regretting it, I can live with that because at least I tried it.

Do it, man. I did it at 27 and f'd off for about 15 months. Best thing I ever did. I really doubt you'll regret it, but I'm sure you will really regret not doing it.

[OutOfTheCube]

Opposed to what people might say, good jobs where you have established a very strong rapport where they are targeting you for a leadership position AREN'T a dime a dozen. You could come back and never be in a similar position, let alone right away.

[Temporary_User]

Why don't you give yourself a hard deadline to quit by and do this?
I could see quitting and doing this now appealing, but could it also be that since you are now 30 you are sort of going through a quarter life crisis of "did I waste my fun 20s?"
I think I would take this career opportunity and see if through until you are 33 or 34 and then go travel. How big of a career opportunity is this, once in a lifetime? You would have this on your resume then showing 2 years which is somewhat respectable and this will help you get a better job when you return.
While you may think you will be too old to travel, you aren't or won't be and travel will always be there.

[getbak]

You mention that it's formerly a small company that was recently purchased by a much larger company.

They may be giving you autonomy now, but I've never seen a takeover like that not end up with the smaller company being assimilated into the culture of the parent company, especially if the parent company is 1000 times the size.

So, keep in mind that if you do stay, you're making a long-term commitment to the parent company and the culture of that company, especially if you end up on a management track within the parent company.

[worth]

My deadline to decide is this friday. If I accept the company's offer of going to Rice, then I won't be able to travel for months on end for a few years. Basically I am committing to the company like getback has said.

If I decline the offer to go to Rice, then I am essentially saying I want to go and travel. I wouldn't decline and then stay at the company, there is no real point to that to me.

The lease on my apartment is up at the end of March. In the back of my mind I had envisioned putting my stuff into storage and then leaving at the beginning of April.

And yeah, I think I have already made my mind up as you say surferguy. It's just putting that into action which is the hard part. Especially when things are good.

[Muta]

worth, you're always gonna wonder. Sometimes you just gotta up and do it. Your background gives you the best possible chances to pick up where you left off when you get back. It's not like you're a gas pump attendant with no prospects.

[Hack&Lube]

I was fortunate to have been able to be able to travel Europe as part of University and never regretted it and it was also a boon to get that itch scratched and out of the way. I have other itches to scratch now before they become old-age regrets.

The way I see it though, you have 4 weeks vacation. Ask for another 4 weeks of unpaid leave or ask your company for an official sabbatical. If they really value you, I think you might stand a good chance at getting that time off to see the world. You can do a hell of a lot in only 1-2 months if you find the right opportunity/program/itinerary.

[Mr.Coffee]

couple questions I have and maybe you addressed them and I missed them but:

a) are you in the energy sector?

b) are you an engineer?

If the answer to a is yes... then if you're an engineer, the answer to this is travel. If you're anything else, there's probably a higher risk on the job front. Just my 2 cents.

[worth]

Yes, i'm in Energy, not an Engineer, a PM with a PMP.

[Jonrox]

Keep in mind a lot of the people telling you to take the trip did their traveling when they were younger than you and a lot less established. It's easy for them to say take the trip because they weren't risking much by doing it so early.

You said yourself "things are good". There's a lot of people that can't say the same and it's a huge risk to potentially throw away the goodness and come back to the unknown. For sure, the trip may be life-altering but are you prepared in case the life you come back to isn't as good as when you left it? The grass is always greener isn't it?

I know people that take amazing, life-altering 1-week trips all over the world with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. There are ways to have life expanding experiences without having to risk your future. You just need to open your mind to the opportunities.

Although, not being from Calgary it's very interesting to see the confidence (bordering on arrogance) about the ability to find amazing, stable careers so easily. I guess Toronto really isn't the centre of the universe, it seems that title now goes to Calgary.

[Street Pharmacist]

I took my wife on our honeymoon to the places of been in Europe when I traveled through there when I was 19/20.



It sucked. Nothing was the same as it was 10+ years ago when I was young and dumb

[GreenLantern]

I would go the opposite route, intricate lie. Spin a web of lies that would make even George Costanza proud.

[surferguy]

Keep in mind a lot of the people telling you to take the trip did their traveling when they were younger than you and a lot less established. It's easy for them to say take the trip because they weren't risking much by doing it so early.

You said yourself "things are good". There's a lot of people that can't say the same and it's a huge risk to potentially throw away the goodness and come back to the unknown. For sure, the trip may be life-altering but are you prepared in case the life you come back to isn't as good as when you left it? The grass is always greener isn't it?

I know people that take amazing, life-altering 1-week trips all over the world with organizations like Habitat for Humanity. There are ways to have life expanding experiences without having to risk your future. You just need to open your mind to the opportunities.

Although, not being from Calgary it's very interesting to see the confidence (bordering on arrogance) about the ability to find amazing, stable careers so easily. I guess Toronto really isn't the centre of the universe, it seems that title now goes to Calgary.


I did my trip when I was 30, had a mortgage, full time job and a pet. I made it work. I quit my job, rented my condo and my mother took my cat for the year. Everybody takes a different path in life and I think this thread shows that everybody thinks differently about this type of trip. I am "PRO" worth go on the trip because I know what it did for me.

That said I can also respect why others would question giving everything up to do something like this, It can be scary as hell stepping outside the box and into the unknown.

Do you fall back or leap in?

[undercoverbrother]

I took my wife on our honeymoon to the places of been in Europe when I traveled through there when I was 19/20.



It sucked. Nothing was the same as it was 10+ years ago when I was young and dumb


I have a vision of you trying to convince you wife it would be awesome to go drinking all night and try to pick up chicks.....I have no idea why.

[undercoverbrother]

I would go the opposite route, intricate lie. Spin a web of lies that would make even George Costanza proud.


That is great advice. He could send emails from elsewhere in the world, and they would populate at crazy times of the night in people's mailboxes.

"Damn see Worth was up working at 3 am. That boy deserves a raise,"

[lazypucker]

I know a couple people who had pretty cushy jobs right after graduation, worked a few years, then said "F- that" and quit to go teach English in Asia.

They came back a few years later, and their careers were never the same again. They have lost their Canadian work history as they went overseas for a long while. They are now working at entry-level low end jobs that are totally irrelevant to their education. In fact, one of them came back for a year, cannot find suitable employment, working temp jobs, and now went back to Asia and he will probably never come back to Canada for work.

What I try to say is that if you decide to quit your current life and venture out for a long period, when you come back, prepare to start your life from scratch...

[Hockeyguy15]

I'm going to play a different card here, obviously you are always going to have people second guess you whatever you decide to do. I think the biggest thing is you have to man up and just make the decision you are happier with and stop trying to listen to what other people say.

[fundmark19]

I would agree with the sentiment of this for this case, but another good lesson in life is that whenever anyone's advice contains the phrase "man up", look elsewhere for advice.

What if it is for the boys? Nothing bad ever happens as long as it is "for the boys"

[blankall]

I know a couple people who had pretty cushy jobs right after graduation, worked a few years, then said "F- that" and quit to go teach English in Asia.

They came back a few years later, and their careers were never the same again. They have lost their Canadian work history as they went overseas for a long while. They are now working at entry-level low end jobs that are totally irrelevant to their education. In fact, one of them came back for a year, cannot find suitable employment, working temp jobs, and now went back to Asia and he will probably never come back to Canada for work.

What I try to say is that if you decide to quit your current life and venture out for a long period, when you come back, prepare to start your life from scratch...

This is a different scenario than the OP. You are talking about people with 2-4 years experience who took multiple years off. The OP has 9 years of experience and is only planning 1 year off. His experience will still be worth something when he gets back, and I'm sure he'll be able to find some job without having to start from scratch. The issue is whether he will get this opportunity for training/management again.

[automaton 3]

I'd wait and see if you are accepted into the course at Rice first. That opportunity might not come up again, and may open doors for you down the road whether you choose to stay with this company or not.

If you aren't accepted, you can still leave and never have to wonder "what if".

Edited to add: good luck with your decision, and hopefully the answer becomes clear.

[Rutuu]

Wait...let me get this straight:
1. They're going to pay for you to go to Rice in Houston for a year?
2. Do you have to work during this period?

If you have money saved, and are going to be around University aged girls all day at Rice you're going to hate yourself for missing that.

1. You're screwing your career you worked 9yrs for...I literally just met a female/male that "took a year off" from a mining company here in Australia. The mining industry turned and now both of them can't find jobs. They're both engineers too, so it should be easy. Anyway they wanted to switch to O&G, but the first thing I thought was you screwed your co-workers by just quitting one day, so what's stopping you from doing that to us. No thanks. I didn't recommend either. Nice people, but I wish them luck. :)
2. You're missing a MAJOR opportunity to meet the girl of your dreams. You're going to be around young (18-30yr old) girls that are smart enough to get into Rice and are low on emotional baggage. You're still close enough to home that they're a definite long term option as well.
3. Finding those girls will be more fullfilling then talking to other backpackers that just came out of Uni and are interested in "travel". Haha. I'm sure since you're 30 you've figured out some more interests. Trust me you won't be talking about politics, business, or even interesting things about the places you're seeing. You'll be taking selfies next to world landmarks then getting wasted...which is fun, but not life changing.
4. You can just go work/live in a new place too. If your company is that big they'll transfer you. You'll get a WAY better experience if you can spend more than a month in some place and make some real friends, not just meet other backpackers/travellers.

Anyway your call...

My background...I moved from Calgary O&G when I was 28 to Australia. It was a great move, but I also had dreams of just quitting and doing the same thing. Having a real job and a comfortable place to live down here is WAY better than working at the hostel bar. Trust me...since I still frequent the backpacker bars. ;)

[jtfrogger]

You are in a great situation. You have two great opportunities in front of you. Trust your gut and run with it.

I know which one I would chose. I would travel.

I'm 39, married with a kid. Last year when our daughter was seven months old, I walked away from a good contract. I would have been renewed continuously if I wanted it. We spent about two months travelling (France & various spots in Canada), and then another three months chilling out in Calgary. I loved it.

I'm now thinking about when we will do it next. I'd like to take six months and spend the whole time in a foreign country. Our current plan is to do it on the latter half of a mat-leave again. But if it turns out that we do not have another kid, I would still like to do it.

If you don't travel now, you will have opportunities later if you want to do it. But if you don't travel now when you really don't have many excuses, I am sure you will find more reasons not to travel in the future. You will always have a great reason why it isn't a good time to travel.

Although, not being from Calgary it's very interesting to see the confidence (bordering on arrogance) about the ability to find amazing, stable careers so easily.

Last year, I confidently left a contract job while my wife was on mat-leave, spent a fair amount of money on travel, and did substantial renovations on our condo. Lots of cost, negligible income. And I had no doubt I would find something. After spending a bit of time in various places, it became quite clear to me that there is no other place that I want to consider home than Calgary because of this. In no other place that I know would we have saved up enough money to not worry about this and also have confidence of finding a new job.

That said, it was a bit of an adjustment. Getting my mind back into the work environment at the same time as starting my daughter in day-care and my wife going back to work was difficult. It took a couple months longer to land another contract than anticipated, but I will admit that I really didn't try too hard. I did blow one interview because my mind was really not back in a work mindset. But, now I'm adjusted and going better than ever.

[worth]

I resigned my position as of March 2014. In April I will hit the road. Thanks for the thought provoking discussion CP!

[tvp2003]

I resigned my position as of March 2014. In April I will hit the road. Thanks for the thought provoking discussion CP!

Congrats and good luck! :)

[surferguy]

You bought the ticket, enjoy the ride.

Congrats!

Now that the road is wide open, where are you going to go?

[worth]

Thanks guys. There are relatively cheap and accessible flights to Beijing, so I think this will be my starting point. I would really like to go to Mongolia, but would also like to spend time in South East Asia, so not sure how I can work that out.

Eventually I would like to make my way to Nepal and India and then over to Turkey. Not sure how to get to Turkey since there are a few trouble spots in the way. Perhaps I can go north into Russia and take the Trans Siberian Railroad, but I've heard Russian visas are a bit of a pain to get.

In any event, i'm very much looking forward to it.

Anyone have any tips for me?

[lazypucker]

Congrats to you Worth for making a decision. Keep us in the loop as you travel around the world! Have fun.

[Kybosh]

That's awesome. Congrats.

Some random musings to consider:
-In addition to the trans-Siberian railroad there are also extensions and slightly different lines in the trans-Manchurian and trans-Mongolian lines. Check them out on a map. One might fit with your plans.
-Russia seems to keep changing their visa requirements and I think you need some sort of "invitation" from a third party now.
-I was recently in India and the visa was pretty easy to get and lasts a long time (6 months). You can easily get it right before leaving and have it still be valid several months later. You can do it through the BLG office here in Calgary but they will send your visa and the application to the consulate in Vancouver. I loved India and would consider spending a serious amount of time there.

[habernac]

A friend recently did a bike race in Mongolia and had a great time. Barely a paved road in the place, people are hardy and friendly, sounded like a good time.

[GP_Matt]

The Russian visa wasn't too difficult to obtain but you do need that invitation letter. We got ours from the first hotel that we stayed at. We just booked a room and then asked for an invitation. It took a bit of time though and I think they need to know your dates and entry/exit points on the application.
When going to Turkey check out Pegasus Airlines. They are Turkish and have really great prices. I just looked and saw $75 from Moscow to Istanbul.

[automaton 3]

Congratulations and good luck! Just thinking about all the cool things you're going to see makes me want to quit too :)

If you have time and good internet access please consider posting updates from time to time, I think many of us would love to hear about your travel adventures.

[HockeyIlliterate]

Anyone have any tips for me?

There are many travelogue websites (mostly dating mid 90's to early 2000's) on the internet that you can find and get advice and inspiration from. The Great Out There (http://www.gonewalkabout.com/got/) is what got me started years ago; Marie's World Tour (http://www.mariesworldtour.com/) was (originally in 2001) done entirely overland; 2 Go Global (http://www.2goglobal.com/) was a massive RTW trip that made me realize it was, indeed, possible to travel for a very long time; Mike Pugh's Vagabonding (http://www.vagabonding.com/), while not a pure RTW, has fantastic videos, photos, and commentary from his travels during the early 2000s. Search around and you'll find plenty of information on how to do your trip. Long term traveling now is--more or less--much easier than it was a decade ago.

That all being said, here's my advice:

Pack so that all of your belongings fit into a carry-on sized backpack (or roller).

Get an ATM card that allows you to withdraw cash worldwide for free (Schwab offers such a card to USA-ers; they might offer a similar one to those outside of the US).

Don't plan any specific part of your trip too far in advance; you may fall in love with a particular area and just feel like settling down there for a few weeks.

Expect to get sick a lot...and expect to get bored at times, wonder why you thought taking off was such a great idea, and decline the opportunity to visit some sight that many have saved months for to see. 9 months of continual around-the-world travel was enough for me. You may have a longer or shorter timespan.

Once you have your list of everywhere you absolutely want to see and everywhere you'd like to see, try to plot a route that takes into account the weather and tourist seasons. Best case is that you visit everywhere during the shoulder seasons. Planning the route to hit that window of time in each place is hard, but can save you money and sanity in the end, since accommodations are usually more expensive during the high seasons (and there are a lot more tourists to deal with too).

If you haven't done a lot of foreign travel before, it might be smart to start off somewhere that is somewhat like home and not too expensive. For that reason (and a few others) New Zealand is a common starting point for long-term travels. That way, you can learn how to deal with extended travelling without language barriers and without it costing too much each day.

Take a journal and write in it every night. I kept a daily record of what I did each day, what I saw, and how much I spent. Over time, the trip will blur together and you'll forget a lot unless you write it down.

In hostels (and elsewhere), you'll likely run into someone who has been to a lot of places but doesn't know much about what they've seen, and who likes to talk about everywhere they have been. Don't be that person. Slow your trip down; it is cheaper to travel slowly and it will likely be more rewarding as well.

Most of all, have fun and learn something about yourself and the world. You will probably return as a different person.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Anyone have any tips for me?

http://www.travelfish.org/ is a pretty popular and well thought of site for travel to South East Asia. I have been reading through it as I am pondering a trip there upon my graduation.

[Knalus]

If you are looking to travel the road less traveled, don't go to SE asia. That's the most traveled road out there. Korea, Mongolia, China, far less traveled than Vietnam.

If I were you, I would look at a goal on your trip. Perhaps to cross the continent by land? Train travel from Beijing to Morocco? Visit all 7 continents? It may help future employers understand the trip if there is a stated goal that you can have accomplished along the way.

[GP_Matt]

Dammit, now I want to quit my job and travel as well. Why did I have to read this first thing in the morning at the start of a work week. I have a vacation coming up that I am looking forward to but with a leave of absence it could become something spectacular.

Back to pretending to work and dreaming about elsewhere until lunchtime.

[rd_aaron]

Congrats worth. A big decision like that takes a lot of guts. Hope everything works out.

[gargamel]

If you are looking to travel the road less traveled, don't go to SE asia. That's the most traveled road out there. Korea, Mongolia, China, far less traveled than Vietnam.


Don't listen to this travel hipster.;)

Mongolia and parts of China are certainly less traveled than some parts of Vietnam, but I'd hardly say that SE Asia is the most traveled road out there. Go to Vietnam or Laos outside of the cities and the big backpacker destinations, and it will be as "untraveled" as just about anywhere that you'd ever want to go.

[worth]

Do you guys recommend a travel agent to help with visas, or just go through one by one and apply where needed? I know some are available on arrival, but others are required in advance.

[killer_carlson]

Get the visas yourself. Use the web to help, but take that responsibility on yourself

[GP_Matt]

I would only recommend an agent if you need a bunch in a tighter timeline. The agent can go door to door in Ottawa to get your stamps while you would have to mail them back and forth.

A lot of the get in advance ones can be had pretty easily at the border as well or in the neighboring country. We sent away for our first China visa and it took weeks but when we were in Hong Kong our hotel lined up the visa in an hour.
Cambodia used to insist on visas obtained in advance but if you showed up at the border you just filled out the form and paid less than the advance fee.
Russia on the other hand you need to apply in advance as far as I know. If you make a list of the countries you are hoping to visit I am sure the board can help you out with the easiest way to get each visa.

[Hack&Lube]

Do you guys recommend a travel agent to help with visas, or just go through one by one and apply where needed? I know some are available on arrival, but others are required in advance.

I prefer to get them in advance where possible at consulate and visa centers in Calgary (like the Chinese VISA for example). It might cost a little more but this will save you the valuable time you will spend standing in lines, dealing with bureaucracy, red tape, officials, borders, unfamiliar customs, intimidating security, and foreign language barriers.

[worth]

I'm about 2 months away from departure. Here is my blog if anyone is interested:

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

I have 4 main adventures on this trip that I have come up with so far. If anyone has any other suggestions, please post them.

1) Hike to Everest Base Camp
2) Travel the Silk Road from Xi'an to Kashgar and then cross the border into Kyrgyzstan
3) Buy a bike in Hanoi and ride it 2000km to Ho Chi Minh City
4) Cross an ocean on a Cargo Ship, possibly from India to Africa

[surferguy]

I'm about 2 months away from departure. Here is my blog if anyone is interested:

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

I have 4 main adventures on this trip that I have come up with so far. If anyone has any other suggestions, please post them.

1) Hike to Everest Base Camp
2) Travel the Silk Road from Xi'an to Kashgar and then cross the border into Kyrgyzstan
3) Buy a bike in Hanoi and ride it 2000km to Ho Chi Minh City
4) Cross an ocean on a Cargo Ship, possibly from India to Africa

This is adventure - go make some memories!

[undercoverbrother]

I'm about 2 months away from departure. Here is my blog if anyone is interested:

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

I have 4 main adventures on this trip that I have come up with so far. If anyone has any other suggestions, please post them.

1) Hike to Everest Base Camp
2) Travel the Silk Road from Xi'an to Kashgar and then cross the border into Kyrgyzstan
3) Buy a bike in Hanoi and ride it 2000km to Ho Chi Minh City
4) Cross an ocean on a Cargo Ship, possibly from India to Africa

I am not sure if it is an adventure compared to your list, but I would put safari on the list. There are a number of different options beyond sitting in a land crusier.

I might know a fella that could help you with contacts.

PM if you are interested, I can hook you up.

Another one that just jumped into my mind, is act as a crew on a yacht delivery. A buddy in Cape Town SA makes part of his living doing this. The list of places he goes is pretty awesome, and they often are 3-6 weeks trips.

Again PM my if you want his info.

Finally, have a great time.

[sun]

Wait...let me get this straight:
1. They're going to pay for you to go to Rice in Houston for a year?
2. Do you have to work during this period?

If you have money saved, and are going to be around University aged girls all day at Rice you're going to hate yourself for missing that.

1. You're screwing your career you worked 9yrs for...I literally just met a female/male that "took a year off" from a mining company here in Australia. The mining industry turned and now both of them can't find jobs. They're both engineers too, so it should be easy. Anyway they wanted to switch to O&G, but the first thing I thought was you screwed your co-workers by just quitting one day, so what's stopping you from doing that to us. No thanks. I didn't recommend either. Nice people, but I wish them luck. :)
2. You're missing a MAJOR opportunity to meet the girl of your dreams. You're going to be around young (18-30yr old) girls that are smart enough to get into Rice and are low on emotional baggage. You're still close enough to home that they're a definite long term option as well.
3. Finding those girls will be more fullfilling then talking to other backpackers that just came out of Uni and are interested in "travel". Haha. I'm sure since you're 30 you've figured out some more interests. Trust me you won't be talking about politics, business, or even interesting things about the places you're seeing. You'll be taking selfies next to world landmarks then getting wasted...which is fun, but not life changing.
4. You can just go work/live in a new place too. If your company is that big they'll transfer you. You'll get a WAY better experience if you can spend more than a month in some place and make some real friends, not just meet other backpackers/travellers.

Anyway your call...

My background...I moved from Calgary O&G when I was 28 to Australia. It was a great move, but I also had dreams of just quitting and doing the same thing. Having a real job and a comfortable place to live down here is WAY better than working at the hostel bar. Trust me...since I still frequent the backpacker bars. ;)
Wow, good thing you didn't listen to this guys' advice. Invert every single thing he told you and that would've been my advice.

Congrats, man. Gonna be a life-defining trip. Don't sweat the job at the end of it. What's the worst that can happen?

[Keselke]

Don't think I would have had the courage to make the choice you eventually did. definitely would have taken the schooling, regardless of my future plans.

I hope it all works out for you, and you enjoy the ride. maybe update the board with your travels/debaucheries

Good luck!

[worth]

Safari should definitely be on the list and will be if I make it to Africa. I just don't know how long I will be in Asia for, so that is my problem. I may run out of money before reaching Africa.

I have a few more visas to get before I leave and 1 or 2 more rounds of vaccines and I am good to go. I've got my yellow card so I can actually get into Africa if I end up there.

Thanks for the support guys.

[Jayems]

I can provide nothing of worth outside of perhaps this video, which I saw on Reddit and thought was awesome and may help you if you need to pack a lot in small pack.

L5UlxHsgD58

[darklord700]

Good luck and enjoy the world, Worth. I look forward to following your journey on tubmlr so be sure to post photos and blog often.

If it was me, I would for sure have taken the money, education and chances of meeting members of the opposite sex over travel. You're a brave man, godspeed and have fun.

[OutOfTheCube]

Yep, I wouldn't have done it. Hate traveling to start, love routine and security. Without it I have major anxiety.

But I got married and often have people tell me they would NEVER get married and hate the idea of it. Everyone is different with what they value. Good on you for figuring out what's important to you.

[gargamel]

I'm about 2 months away from departure. Here is my blog if anyone is interested:

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

I have 4 main adventures on this trip that I have come up with so far. If anyone has any other suggestions, please post them.

1) Hike to Everest Base Camp
2) Travel the Silk Road from Xi'an to Kashgar and then cross the border into Kyrgyzstan
3) Buy a bike in Hanoi and ride it 2000km to Ho Chi Minh City
4) Cross an ocean on a Cargo Ship, possibly from India to Africa

Sounds like great trip, and the blog looks good so far. I tried the sketching thing when I started traveling last year, but everything that I drew looked like it was made by a 5-year-old, so I went back to photos. It appears that you have the artistic talent to pull it off though.

If you make it to Angkor Wat/Siem Reap, let me know and I'll buy you a beer.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Safari should definitely be on the list and will be if I make it to Africa. I just don't know how long I will be in Asia for, so that is my problem. I may run out of money before reaching Africa.

I have a few more visas to get before I leave and 1 or 2 more rounds of vaccines and I am good to go. I've got my yellow card so I can actually get into Africa if I end up there.

Thanks for the support guys.

Going to have to disagree on a multi country safari Africa - by far one of the most expensive trips I've been on. (2x vs Asia / Middle East) Lots of flights to get around. Food is expensive, as are accommodations. Visas will cost you a lot (@#$! Zim). You will get a bigger return for your buck in other parts of the world. Now if you do a single country in africa (SA) you might have better luck. Decent flight pricing from the UK. The SA Rand has been killed the last few days (see below)

Don't forget Ha Long Bay. Amazing.

One tip I'll pass on - look for great experiences where having CAD will go far - it's automatically cheaper that way.

You left off the middle east - amazing experiences. Discovering it was no where near "Blackhawk Down" and some of the friendliest people I've met on the planet has been the highlight of my travels. Syria used to be my reccommended go to, but obviously no more.

Following my tip - try Turkey, the Turkish Lira has been beaten down the last few days. Another tip - go where where the common tourist is *not* going, knowing that all parts of the country are not bad. Egypt right now is pretty quiet - do you homework on where it's OK to go and you'll get some amazing value right now.

Save 1st world places till the end - you may get too accustomed to creature comforts. Australia would be a great place to end it all. QLD is just stunning (and that's just the girls).

------

I hear from friends all the time - I'll travel when I retire. Here's the honest truth. You travel differently when you're 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years of age. Once that decade passes, you'll rarely go back. You'll do all manner of stupid stuff when you're 20 but probably take a different route later on. By 60 you're comparing pills and medication with your other retirees. It's never the same afterwards.

[WhiteTiger]

It sounds like you have a great trip planned. I couldn't do it, but I wish you well!

[worth]

Sounds like great trip, and the blog looks good so far. I tried the sketching thing when I started traveling last year, but everything that I drew looked like it was made by a 5-year-old, so I went back to photos. It appears that you have the artistic talent to pull it off though.

If you make it to Angkor Wat/Siem Reap, let me know and I'll buy you a beer.


Thanks for the kind words. The sketching is more for my own personal pleasure, so even if it turn out to be crap, I don't care.

I'm sure I will make it there are some point! I will let you know!


Going to have to disagree on a multi country safari Africa - by far one of the most expensive trips I've been on. (2x vs Asia / Middle East) Lots of flights to get around. Food is expensive, as are accommodations. Visas will cost you a lot (@#$! Zim). You will get a bigger return for your buck in other parts of the world. Now if you do a single country in africa (SA) you might have better luck. Decent flight pricing from the UK. The SA Rand has been killed the last few days (see below)

Don't forget Ha Long Bay. Amazing.

One tip I'll pass on - look for great experiences where having CAD will go far - it's automatically cheaper that way.

You left off the middle east - amazing experiences. Discovering it was no where near "Blackhawk Down" and some of the friendliest people I've met on the planet has been the highlight of my travels. Syria used to be my reccommended go to, but obviously no more.

Following my tip - try Turkey, the Turkish Lira has been beaten down the last few days. Another tip - go where where the common tourist is *not* going, knowing that all parts of the country are not bad. Egypt right now is pretty quiet - do you homework on where it's OK to go and you'll get some amazing value right now.

Save 1st world places till the end - you may get too accustomed to creature comforts. Australia would be a great place to end it all. QLD is just stunning (and that's just the girls).

------

I hear from friends all the time - I'll travel when I retire. Here's the honest truth. You travel differently when you're 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 years of age. Once that decade passes, you'll rarely go back. You'll do all manner of stupid stuff when you're 20 but probably take a different route later on. By 60 you're comparing pills and medication with your other retirees. It's never the same afterwards.

Great tips here, thanks. I have been to Egypt before, and it was a great experience. I would like to make it to the middle east, it's not a place I am frightened to go to. I actually know quite a few people out that was as well. And Turkey was on my list as well. I may try to end my trip there if I am in the area because I've always wanted to go.

I have pretty much zero interest in visiting first world countries at the moment. Too expensive and much more exciting to visit the third world. I was in Europe last year and I had a good time, but it doesn't match the excitement you get in other parts of the world.

[undercoverbrother]

Essentials

Passport
Visas
Leg Wallet
Drivers License
Debit Card
Visa Card
Spare Passport Photo
Photocopies of all Documents
Cash
Insurance
Dopp Kit

Mirror
Eyeglasses & Case
Contact Solution
Contacts & Case
Lubricating Drops
Comb
Toothbrush & Cover
Toothpaste
Floss
Deodorant
Shampoo (Bottle & Sheets)
Soap (Bottle & Sheets)
Shaving Oil
Razor & Blades
Nail Clippers
Hair Pomade
Sunscreen
Toilet Paper
Towel
Lip Balm
Clothing (Includes what i’m wearing)

Gregory Z30 Pack (30L)
Utility Straps (x2)
Pack Raincover
Black Diamond BBEE Daypack (11L)
Large Packing Cube (3 shirts & 1x base layer)
Small Packing Cube (3x socks & 3x underwear)
Merrel Moab Gortex Hiking Shoes
Socks (x4)
Underwear (x4)
MEC Pants (x2)
Swim Shorts
Shirts (x4)
Light Fleece
Long Sleeve Base Layer
Rain Jacket
Sandals
Buff Scarf
Sunglasses
Medical Items

Band Aids
Polysporin
Ibuprofen
Moleskin
Imodium
Water Disinfectant tabs
Insect Repellant
Yellow Card
Gravol
Knee Brace
Tensor Bandage
Sudafed
Writing/Sketching

Journal & Pen
Notepad
Sketchpad & Pencil
The Art of Pilgrimage (Book)
Electronics

Kindle & Charger
Camera & Batteries & Charger & Cable
Larry Light LED
Headlamp
Spare AAA batteries
MP3 Player & Headphones & Charger
Travel Adapter
Cell Phone & Charger
Miscellaneous

Maps
Paracord
Duct Tape
Laundry Sheets
Postcards
Sleep Sheet
Ear Plugs
Spork
Plastic ZipLoc Bags
Watch
Compass
Nalgene Water Bottle & Sipper
Cable Lock


You know you forgot something, right?

[Hockeyguy15]

Clear your internet history before you leave.

[worth]

You know you forgot something, right?

I didn't put it on there because my parents read the blog and I didn't really want to have a family discussion over dinner about it, haha.

[undercoverbrother]

I didn't put it on there because my parents read the blog and I didn't really want to have a family discussion over dinner about it, haha.


Fair enough, I just want to make sure you didn't get wet if it rained....

[darklord700]

I didn't put it on there because my parents read the blog and I didn't really want to have a family discussion over dinner about it, haha.

I expect to read every triumpth alone the journey on your blog and please don't skim on the details.

[worth]

Tomorrow is the day I leave for Beijing, so I probably won't be on here too much for the next year, but I may stop in every now and again.

Thanks for all the advice from this great community.

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

[endeavor]

Enjoy seeing the world! I'll be sure to follow your blog. I'd like to do something like this some day.

Stop by once in a while to say hi!

[Makarov]

Tomorrow is the day I leave for Beijing, so I probably won't be on here too much for the next year, but I may stop in every now and again.

Thanks for all the advice from this great community.

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

Just saw this thread for the first time (I think, anyway).

I lived in Beijing for several years (albeit about 15 years ago now) and have visited frequently (most recently about 6 years ago.)

With respect to your proposed Silk Road trip, I've also travelled from Beijing to Kashgar as well as from Kashgar down to Pakistan, and then up through Afghanistan to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan (again, this was about 6 years ago.)

If you want any advice, just let me know. Am happy to provide it.

[worth]

Any tips would be great. I don't have visas for any of those countries, I plan on getting them in Bishkek. I think language barriers will be the biggest problem. I don't speak mandarin or russian or any of the other languages mashed up in central asia and am traveling alone, so won't really have anyone to translate for me.

I plan to study some Russian basics while in Bishkek.

[Makarov]

Any tips would be great. I don't have visas for any of those countries, I plan on getting them in Bishkek. I think language barriers will be the biggest problem. I don't speak mandarin or russian or any of the other languages mashed up in central asia and am traveling alone, so won't really have anyone to translate for me.

I plan to study some Russian basics while in Bishkek.

Language will definitely be a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. In China, very few people speak English. This is especially true of people in industries where a smattering of English would make your life far easier (ie, taxis, restaurants, train stations, etc.) Of course, perhaps Beijing has improved in this respect post-Olympics. I recommend writing out your destination etc in Chinese characters in order to show to train station attendants and taxi drivers.

Speaking Mandarin in Xinjiang wouldn't help you much in Kashgar anyway as the Uighurs' Mandarin was even worse than mine when I was there.

Beijing is a handy place to obtain visas as essentially every state in the world has a significant embassy there (although the ease of obtaining said visa likely depends on Beijing's relationship with that particular state at the relevant time.)

I can't recommend taking the bus from Kashgar to Gilgit, Pakistan (at least) enough. Its one of the most spectacular drives in the world (the highest paved road in the world apparently.) It passes through the Hindu Kush only several hundred kilometres from the base of K2.

[squiggs96]

http://www.explosm.net/db/files/Comics/Kris/reality.png

[Rutuu]

Wow, good thing you didn't listen to this guys' advice. Invert every single thing he told you and that would've been my advice.

Congrats, man. Gonna be a life-defining trip. Don't sweat the job at the end of it. What's the worst that can happen?

You guys are like Oiler fans in year one of the rebuild.

Best of luck worth.

K

[tvp2003]

Stumbled across this thread again and thought I would bump it if anyone is interested. According to his last update, our old pal Worth is getting ready for an epic bike ride in Vietnam.

http://strattondelany.tumblr.com/

Warning - beware of the rabbit head happy meal and the midgets in the panda suits. +1 for finding China's biggest Flames fan :D

[worth]

So i'm back in town... it was an incredible trip of a lifetime. A year goes by just like that. I went to some weird (by western standards) places, and if I can take one thing away it's that everyone is basically the same. We all want safety for ourselves and families, we all want to be healthy and happy and for the most part respect each other and all that gushy stuff. Doesn't matter if you live in downtown Calgary or rural Uzbekistan.

Anyway, I have to return to normal life unfortunately, at least for a little bit, but hopefully soon I can get back on the road again.

I've got a pile of photos to go through and once I do that i'll post some here that you guys might enjoy.

Thanks for all the advice!

[surferguy]

Welcome home worth! You are richer for having done this.

[Kswiss]

Nice to hear Worth! Sounds like an epic decision you made. I am wondering if I should do this myself :)

Let me know how you are dealing with reverse culture shock, if any. I am always curious as to how people adapt to this.

[darklord700]

Has it been a year Worth? I'm sure you have collected a lot of amazing memories along your trip.

[worth]

Do it man. Seriously. I'm going to do it again. Maybe not for as long next time, buy the time month 9 rolled around I was a bit beat, but it is something I can never forget.

Yeah, reverse culture shock is definitely a thing. I went to Australia to visit a friend 2 weeks before coming home. I think this helped a lot since I was in a western country with expensive prices and English speakers everywhere, but I was still away from home. So this "transition country" helped. I think I would have been way more messed up coming straight back from Cambodia or Thailand to Calgary.

The way i'm dealing with reverse culture shock is being around people as much as I can. I'm hoping to move to the beltline on April 1, I need to be around some sort of stimulation and all my friends are there. I need to keep busy with things otherwise my mind will drift into how much I wish I was somewhere else.

Don't get me wrong, Calgary is a great city and i'm looking forward to spring and summer, but I know this city well. When you travel, no matter where you are, you see something you've never seen before. To go from that type of stimulation into a routine is hard.

I think starting fresh is the best way for me to approach Calgary. New apartment, new job, new surroundings. If I came back to my old apartment and slid right back into everything that was old, i'd be bored as hell.

[worth]

Has it been a year Worth? I'm sure you have collected a lot of amazing memories alone your trip.

I left April 1, 2014 and returned March 18, 2015, so not quite a year. 352 days.

[shermanator]

Wow, sounds like a hell of an experience. Anyone else regret opening this thread because they now want to do the same?

[darklord700]

Wow, sounds like a hell of an experience. Anyone else regret opening this thread because they now want to do the same?

It's more jealousy than regret for me as this is something I can never do.

[Simon96Taco]

Love this thread.

Can't wait to hear more about the trip, and your re-adjustment to life in Cowtown!

[surferguy]

It's more jealousy than regret for me as this is something I can never do.

can I ask why never? physical limitation?

[darklord700]

can I ask why never? physical limitation?

Well, I can't live without running water, modern plumbing, internet connection and other creature comfort that my life has afforded me so far. Actually rather than I can't it's more like I'm not willing to give them up in exchange for someting else.

Occasionally, I do want to breakout of my shell to be adventurous but the comfort of my shell just keep pulling me back.

[surferguy]

haha! Very well then!

[troutman]

Don't get me wrong, Calgary is a great city and i'm looking forward to spring and summer, but I know this city well. When you travel, no matter where you are, you see something you've never seen before. To go from that type of stimulation into a routine is hard.

I think starting fresh is the best way for me to approach Calgary. New apartment, new job, new surroundings. If I came back to my old apartment and slid right back into everything that was old, i'd be bored as hell.

See you at Sled. Get involved there, and at CJSW. I'm having a blast. I love Calgary in a whole new way.

[shermanator]

Well, I can't live without running water, modern plumbing, internet connection and other creature comfort that my life has afforded me so far. Actually rather than I can't it's more like I'm not willing to give them up in exchange for someting else.

Occasionally, I do want to breakout of my shell to be adventurous but the comfort of my shell just keep pulling me back.

If it helps, I'm the same way. I can give up Internet, but not water / plumbing. I say I want to do this, but I can't imagine I ever will.

[Huntingwhale]

So i'm back in town... it was an incredible trip of a lifetime. A year goes by just like that. I went to some weird (by western standards) places, and if I can take one thing away it's that everyone is basically the same. We all want safety for ourselves and families, we all want to be healthy and happy and for the most part respect each other and all that gushy stuff. Doesn't matter if you live in downtown Calgary or rural Uzbekistan.

Anyway, I have to return to normal life unfortunately, at least for a little bit, but hopefully soon I can get back on the road again.

I've got a pile of photos to go through and once I do that i'll post some here that you guys might enjoy.

Thanks for all the advice!

God that is so true and is exactly what I think when I meet new people in my travels as well. Doesn't matter if your someone living in the slums of Cebu or someone who's well off in Los Angeles. We're all human and want/need the same basic things in life.

One of my favourite things in life is travelling to a far away place, experiencing that culture shock and having it set me and my priorities straight when I get back home.

[undercoverbrother]

One of my favourite things in life is travelling to a far away place, experiencing that culture shock and having it set me and my priorities straight when I get back home.



This is why people should travel, not just to appreciate places you go, but to increase the apprecaition of where you come from.

[trumpethead]

I for one, am incredibly jealous. Not of where you went or even what you did when you got there (as cool as all of it was). I am jealous of your front row view of the human experience for 352 days.

"Of the gladdest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands. shaking off with one mighty effort the fetters of habit, the leaden weight of routine, the cloak of many cares and the slavery of home, one feels more happy. the blood flows with the fast circulation of childhood, and the journey appeals to imagination, to memory, and to hope.”
- Sir Richard Francis Burton

[Simon96Taco]

God that is so true and is exactly what I think when I meet new people in my travels as well. Doesn't matter if your someone living in the slums of Cebu or someone who's well off in Los Angeles. We're all human and want/need the same basic things in life.

One of my favourite things in life is travelling to a far away place, experiencing that culture shock and having it set me and my priorities straight when I get back home.

So true. I love how traveling has the ability to "reset" my brain sometimes. Those are the times that I realize I was really getting caught up in some meaningless BS.

[darklord700]

One of my favourite things in life is travelling to a far away place, experiencing that culture shock and having it set me and my priorities straight when I get back home.

One of my favorite quotes from T S Elliot:

"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time."

[DoubleF]

Wow worth... that trip sounds awesome. An epic year it must have been.

Good luck trying to tell anyone the story. I went to Asia slums and rural areas for a month, almost a decade later, I still can't figure out how to tell the story. I've tried, but it's not easy to summarize certain things. A month was hard for me. 12 months for you? Damn.

Mad jealous of you. Sad I'm old enough for nostalgia.

Agree with undercoverbrother. My trip made me appreciate what I had more.

[worth]

See you at Sled. Get involved there, and at CJSW. I'm having a blast. I love Calgary in a whole new way.

I will be applying to volunteer at Sled. Let's meet up at a show or two. for sure.

-----

I think i've become a minimalist over the past year. I traveled with a 30l pack. I went to my brothers where all my crap is that I packed up and looked at it and realised I didn't need half the stuff I have.

[V]

Geez, I had a massive reset of perspective after 2 weeks in Asia. I can't imagine coming back after a full year. I'm jealous.

[Incogneto]

Being addicted to travelling is the best and worst thing that ever happened to me. I am 34, been to 37 different countries, 5 continents, and loved something about each of them.

The bad part is that I can't do it all the time. I spent 2 months in Central America in Jan-Feb, and this was the hardest of my trips to come home from. The Adjustment was excruciating.

Good luck in getting back into the groove of life. And I look forward to hearing about your NEXT trip...Because anyone that has ever done a trip knows....There is ALWAYS a next one.

PS - Scuba diving changed my life. I hope you have your ticket and dove all over the world. On to your blog to see your travels.

[RedMileDJ]

nm

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Well, I can't live without running water, modern plumbing, internet connection and other creature comfort that my life has afforded me so far. Actually rather than I can't it's more like I'm not willing to give them up in exchange for someting else.


You can easily travel the world without giving this up entirely. You might pay a little more but it doesn't mean you have to stay at the Ritz or local Westin. Think of coming to Calgary and staying at a Travelodge. I'd recommending doing this for your 1st trip to put your concerns at "ease". Might lead you to going cold turkey - at a minimum it's still getting you out to see the world....


One of my favourite things in life is travelling to a far away place, experiencing that culture shock and having it set me and my priorities straight when I get back home.

I think this is one of the best things about travel. In Hanoi I met a woman working at a restaurant who worked 7 days a week, 12 hours a day for about 50 cents per day. But she did it with a smile, and was fast and efficient - but boy did she work hard doing pretty much everyhting. When you see people like that it puts Calgary and the wealth we have into perspective... you learn to become happier with with you have instead of lusting for the best of the best and trying to keep up with what you "think" is necessary.

I've often thought that people in the world must think that that "westerners" are so damn SOFT! Wanting special water and food, air conditioning, and all these amenities.... You kind of feel embarassed when you buy a bottle of Nestle La Vie water for the same price that feeds a local for 3 days... Or you go to a hotel room that an entire family would normally cram into.

Travel (especially to non 1st world western countries) truly does change your perspective on things - as long you're the contemplative type. I have a friend who's idea of travel is Phoenix/Vegas when you travel for a "good time" and whom fine dining is Montanas. Pretty closed minded as to what the world and life should be. The concept of being a traveller is completely lost to him and frankly, wasted on him. You can see that in some of that in earlier comments in this thread.... :)

Yeah, reverse culture shock is definitely a thing. I went to Australia to visit a friend 2 weeks before coming home. I think this helped a lot since I was in a western country with expensive prices and English speakers everywhere, but I was still away from home. So this "transition country" helped. I think I would have been way more messed up coming straight back from Cambodia or Thailand to Calgary.

LOL, I had a friend that went through this (unfortunately with work I've never been able to get away for more than 4 weeks). "Argumentative" is the word he used to describe it. He said coming from asia he found himself constantly trying to haggle prices when he came back. He'd walk into a store/restaurant like Starbucks and automatically want to pitch a price 20% less because that's what he was used to doing in Asia. That and the storekeeper was always trying to hose the whitey with the tourista premium.

[CliffFletcher]

Y
I think this is one of the best things about travel. In Hanoi I met a woman working at a restaurant who worked 7 days a week, 12 hours a day for about 50 cents per day. But she did it with a smile, and was fast and efficient - but boy did she work hard doing pretty much everyhting. When you see people like that it puts Calgary and the wealth we have into perspective... you learn to become happier with with you have instead of lusting for the best of the best and trying to keep up with what you "think" is necessary.


What I've been amazed by in my travels is how genuinely hospitable people are once you get a bit off the beaten track. Being invited to eat meals with families, or even spend the night in their home with only a few hours acquaintance. Can you imagine Calgarians inviting a Turkish traveler they met at Prince's Island into their home for dinner and a bed for the night? A truck driver offering to give a couple backpackers from Slovakia a ride to Vancouver 15 minutes after meeting them? There's almost an inverse relationship between how affluent people are and how open-handed and trusting they are.

[FurnaceFace]

I've spent part of today going through your entire blog. Really enjoyed reading about the stans and some other areas I'm unlikely to travel to. Your experiences are awesome, I can't imagine biking as much of Vietnam. Your patience through the difficulties of traveling in off the beaten path places is impressive. I'm happy you were able to go on a trip like this. I think travelling on your own is a right of passage everyone should undertake at least once.

Cliff has an interesting point about hospitality. I think in our culture we are more apt to assume people are self sufficient where other cultures this is less so. I suspect people who have travelled are more in tune and more open to helping. Small example but walking to the train on Friday I happened to notice a couple who had backpacks, their phone out, and we're looking around. Sure enough, they needed directions to a bus which required my navigating the transit website to get them directed. Lots of other people had passed by them without helping but having been there before many times myself, I stopped.

Back on point, awesome trip Worth, you should do some presentations/talks about your trip.

[worth]

The Stans to me seem so foreign now. I can imagine being back there in Bishkek or Tashkent and it's sort of hard to believe I was there. I organized some of my pictures last night. The first time I've seen them since taking the photos back in August/Sept. Hopefully by the weekend i'll be ready to post some up.

On the hospitality thing, you guys are dead on. I Hitchhiked through Turkey ad got bought breakfast and lunches and tea. I cycled through Vietnam and got offered beer and rice wine and tea, everyone in Thailand is so smiley, in central Asia I drank enough vodka to never want to return (almost) and was fed everywhere I went. People would give me their phone numbers even though they could hardly speak a lick of English and tell me to call them if I needed help. And they genuinely meant it. I have a notebook full of phone numbers of random strangers offering help.

The other thing, in a lot of other countries, it is really easy to spot who's a tourist, and who isn't. In western countries it can be a lot harder because of our multicultural background. I stick out like a sore thumb in rural Uzbekistan. But an Uzbek in Canada is not necessarily an odd thing. I think if Canada was a homogeneous society, and tourists were coming here, we'd react much more in the same way that we find others do to us. That being said, I met plenty of people that wanted to hang out with me on their weekend off or show me around, and i'm not sure I can say that I would want to do that for some random person. It is an interesting thing to think about and how it relates to your own life.

[CliffFletcher]

A lot of countries still have a very traditional attitude towards hospitality that goes back to the times when people mostly lived in isolated communities. Travelers were interesting people because they brought news, and they would return to the rest of the world with news about your community. So if you were the household who hosted a traveler for a meal or an overnight stay, it reflected well on you within our community. And if you treated people well, news would spread outside the community. "The people of [town XYZ] are honorable and hospitable people."

And people in countries that the Western media has a negative or wary attitude towards (such as Turkey) are aware of that reputation, and are really keen in dispelling it by being friendly and helpful (I've heard Iran is one of the most hospitable places in the world).

Some countries also have very strong social norms around eating. Meals are a communal, social activity, and you just don't eat a meal without offering to share it. I spent the morning at a restaurant in Turkey once. It was the off-season, and the restaurant was dead, so I just had a bowl of soup and spent the next two or three hours writing letters and reading the newspaper. I'd nod and say a few words to the waiters/owners once in a while. Lunch time rolls around, they're all about to eat, and they slap a bowl of spaghetti on my table. At some point, I went from being a patron of their restaurant to being a guest, and they would not eat without feeding a guest also.