Talking About Career Break Tips is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Copyright ACoupleofTravelers.com

Today we have a great guest post from career breakers Dave and Vicky who are currently traveling the world. When planning our breaks, there’s a natural concern by others around us about what we are going to do post-career break. We career breakers aren’t immune from this concern, but we figure it out and come to peace with a bit of uncertainty that exists when thinking about the re-entry phase. Dave and Vicky share their experience and put that uncertainty about the future in perspective.

“What are you going to do when you get back?”

I get asked this question all the time. I usually want to say:

“Honestly, I’m way to busy planning this trip to even think about what I’ll be doing two years from now.”

But that might come off as a bit rude, so I usually tone it down a bit and unenthusiastically list off a few things that I could potentially do two years from now. Find a job or go to graduate school usually suffice.

But actually, that I’m too busy planning my trip isn’t 100% honest, because even though we ARE too busy planning this trip, I do think about what I’ll be doing two years from now. It’s a legitimate question, and I probably think about it daily, and usually with a bit of anxiety (OK, a lot of anxiety).

And today I had an epiphany.

I think I understand the source of the anxiety, and it’s not what everyone probably thinks it is. What most people think is that we’re going to come back broke. We will have been out of the workforce for two whole years. We’re not going to know what we want to do next. We will probably be living in someone’s basement (most likely chez parents). Above all, this will be 100% because of our decision to travel. If things don’t work out, travel will be to blame, and we’ll be back at square one. Worse, square zero.

Now it’s true we’ll probably come back broke.

It’s also true we’ll have been out of the workforce for two years.

We hopefully won’t be living in our parents basement, but you never know.

Is it crazy that none of this really concerns me?

What concerns me is simply not knowing what I’ll be doing two years from now – general uncertainty of what to be doing with your life and less and less time to figure it out.

And I realized that this doesn’t actually have a lot to do with travel. Actually, if you asked me today what I’d be doing two years from now (if we weren’t traveling), I wouldn’t know. And if I decided to continue working for two more years, and you asked me two years from now what I was going to do next, I probably STILL wouldn’t know.

In fact, I can’t remember the last time I knew what I was going to be doing two years from now and whenever I thought I knew, it never ended up turning out how I pictured it. When I went to school to become a physicist, did I imagine that I’d graduate and have my first employer be a major, financial services company (doing anything BUT physics)? Nope.

So either way, travel or not, I still have this general anxiety. Moreover, I actually feel a bit more comfortable knowing that we’re traveling. Frankly, after two years of work, I don’t feel any more prepared to answer the question regarding my future than I did two years ago. I also think, with two MORE years of work, I’d be marginally more prepared to answer that question, but basically in the same spot.

However, through traveling, connecting with other people, learning more about myself, and finding out what life is actually like “out there”, I feel like I might be setting myself up to answer this question after all. This is how it was back in college when I was preparing to become a physicist, but ended up as a business analyst. I was simply preparing myself to be marketable to a whole bunch of job fields and to naturally go where the tides took me after graduation. So right now travel is about as good an idea as any I’ve thought of, and in light of this, traveling actually calms my nerves about what I’ll do “when I get back.”

Sure, if I wasn’t traveling, I’d certainly end up with a lot more money two years from now, but what would I do with it? I certainly can’t buy myself a career or some sort of future, so forgive me if I don’t regard it very highly. Power isn’t in small amounts of money, but in large potential value that can be exchanged down the line.

So at the end of the day, while traveling certainly prompts a lot of questions about what you’re going to do afterwards, it really shouldn’t be the focal point of the conversation. In fact, I could probably ask most of the people who won’t be traveling what they’re going to be doing in two years, and I don’t think too many of them would know, but nobody is asking that question, are they?

Author Bio:

Having spent 2 years in the working world, Dave and Vicky are ready to exchange their briefcases for backpacks, dress shoes for sandals, and beds for sleeping bags. In September they set off on a 2 year journey across Asia and Europe. You can follow along at A Couple of Travelers.

“What are you going to do when you get back?” is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

The authors, Betsy and Warren, in front of an exploding volcano in Ecuador. Copyright MarriedwithLuggage.com

I’ve known Betsy and Warren for a while. They are the kind of people that once you meet them, you feel like you’ve known them your whole life. They have a passion for life that even amongst the traveler community is notable and infectious.

They’ve been blogging about their travels and their perspective on life for a while now on Married With Luggage. But, as time has gone one, they’ve focused less on travel advice to more lifestyle advice to help people either achieve their potential or at least realize a key goal they have in life. They’ve helped me directly. For a speech I gave earlier this year in Italy, they gave me invaluable advice that helped turn it from from just OK to a real barn burner.

Late last year, they published Dream. Save. Do. A No-Nonsense, Step-by-Step Blueprint for Amassing the Cash You Need to Live Your Dream. That’s quite a mouthful. And, it’s quite a brand promise. Anyone who’s been reading their site knows that they excel at no-nonsense advice. It’s raw, it’s honest, and knowing them like I do, I hear Betsy and Warren talking to me when I read their writing. What you see is what you get.

Why this book is worth your attention

• It’s action oriented. The book isn’t about rehashing tired cliches like spend less, save more. While this is true, Betsy and Warren remind us that, ¨It takes more than this basic knowledge to set yourself on a path to amassing the kind of cash that can change your life.¨ Dream. Save. Do. Is more than a cute title, it’s the structure of the book.
• The stories. It’s easy to give advice. But, Betsy and Warren pepper the book with real experiences from their life that grounds the advice they give and the lessons they’ve learned. They’re personal and raw like the health issues from young members of their family, from opening talking about their marriage, and previous divorces. You get a real sense of where they are coming from and what has shaped their lives.
• The checklists. Tied directly to the action orientation of the book, Betsy and Warren give you real tools, real exercises from turning your dream into reality, including how to dream in a way that leads to action. This is not an exercise in simply daydreaming.

Your dream may not be to travel. No worries. This book is for anyone who has a dream and just needs a little push, a little realism and a lot of support to help you get there. I definitely recommend that you buy this book.

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Getting Off the Dime: A Review of Dream. Save. Do. is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Ant and Elise biking around Vietnam. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

I always love a good story about how someone gets off the path and finds a unique way to get around a country to see it in a way most of us never will. Motorbiking in Vietnam is one of those great trips. I will never do it myself. I can’t manage a Vespa, much less a motorbike. But, when Ant and Elise from Positive World Travel asked me to review their book, I said yes. Plus, they were really fun to follow during their round the world trip, I couldn’t say no.

Motorbiking up and down Vietnam is gaining in popularity with many travelers. So Two Wheels and Rice Fields is timely. And, it helps that Ant and Elise did it themselves. As they correctly state, there isn’t much information out there on how to do it. So based on their experience and, as they say, their mistakes, they’ve written this book.

Two Wheels and Rice Fields Book

What you get

• Safety information
• What gear you need
• How to maintain your bike
• Top places to visit along the way
• Etiquette tips for the Vietnam
• Tips on accomodation, food, festivals, weather, visa, language, border crossings
• How to handle your driver’s license and other permits
• How to select your bike, and considerations for renting or buying, and then how to sell it once you’re done
• Checklists
• Additional resources list
• Guide to common phrases a traveler needs
• $1000 in coupons and discounts for tours and accomodations throughout the country

The book has lots of photos of Ant and Elise riding around the country, giving me confidence that they really have been there and done that. It’s the kind of in-depth guide that can only be written by people with first-hand experience.

The first part of the book is chock full of tips. I was impressed at how detailed they were and the amount of topics they covered. Then the book turns into a guide for traveling around Vietnam. They include lots of little towns that you might have missed otherwise. But, if you’re on a motorbike, they are all clearly accessible. I particularly liked the ¨Unforgettable Rides¨ section. It’s a handpick selection of some of Ant and Elise’s favorite rides. Some are perhaps expected like Hanoi to Halong Bay. But, there are several others that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

The authors: Ant and Elise. Copyright PositiveWorldTravel.com

Finally, knowing Ant and Elise, I can only assume that if you have questions after you buy the book, they will respond and help you out. They are very passionate about travel and very approachable.

If you are heading to Vietnam and want a different, independent experience, then you should definitely buy this book. It will save you a lot of time and hassle.

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Motorcycling in Vietnam: A Review of Two Wheels and Rice Fields is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

It’s here!

This week is the culmination of months of behind-the-scenes work. My book, The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook, is finally here. Since I started my trip back in 2007, I had dreams of writing my own travel book. Then when I started Career Break Secrets, I had dreams of writing my own book. And all along the way, my aunt kept encouraging me to write a book. But, the management of the site and working to get The Career Break Travel Show (coming soon!) launched precluded me spending any time on trying to figure out the publishing world.

The Power of the Network

Late last year Janice Waugh, author of The Solo Traveler’s Handbook, told me that she wanted to expand her book into a series. As you can see from the review of the Solo Traveler’s Handbook (1st edition), I was a fan. She offered me the chance to be a part of the first wave of travel style books under her label, Full Flight Press, and I accepted without hesitation. At the same time, the other authors came on board: Jodi Ettenberg to focus on food travel, Sarah & Terry Lee to focus on luxury travel and Shannon O’Donnell to focus on volunteer travel. Janice took the opportunity to produce the 2^nd edition of her book on solo travel. It’s always great to work with smart people who are experts in their field. The Traveler’s Handbooks series was born.

Why a Career Break Book?

Frankly, I wanted to have a resource that made it easy for anyone with a dream of a career break to get started quickly. There’s a lot of information out there about taking a career break and blogs filled with stories and adventures of people who are out there doing it right now. That’s great for amplifying the amount of information that’s available for the people planning their trip right now. But, it also adds to the time you need to comb through it all to find what they need. And, you still have to piece together your own plan.

My goal was to take the information and put it together in a way that helps you get going and get planning. Not only that, I want you to be able to have a process to follow so you don’t forget any important details.

Finally, there are so many people that I’ve met during and after my career break who have stories worth telling. I try to cover as many as I can on the site. And, the book has many more. Some are stories I’ve told on the site already while others I haven’t. I could have included so many more and I felt bad that I couldn’t include more. I tried to focus on one aspect of their story to help illustrate the various themes of the book. Having those stories also highlights that there are a lot more people than known taking breaks, they come all walks of life and do it for a variety of reasons.

What’s Inside

• The book is only about 110 pages. So, you can get through it quickly
• There are over 20 photos from around that world that I took that will hopefully fuel your wanderlust
• 13 stories from current and former career breakers
• 4 sections covering the career break lifecycle
  • Deciding puts the career break in perspective of your overall life and career, explains why it’s not selfish to take a break, highlights the scientific benefits of taking a break and ends with a pep talk
  • Peace of Mind Planning takes you step by step on how to prepare so you can fully relax once you leave knowing you are ready for anything that comes your way. I cover what you need to do before you quit, how to come out of the career break closet, the art of career break budgeting, planning where to go, dealing with your health, packing and tech tips and more
  • Making the Most of Your Trip gives you ideas for how to maximize the time you have whether you have have one month or one year. I start by highlighting the 3 types of activities that career breakers do, how to adjust to a ¨free¨ life, how to deal with loneliness, how to stay safe physically, digitally and protect your belongings, my list of budget stretchers and discuss whether you should work or not
  • Re-entry helps you get going again once you’re back from adjusting to life back home, how to restart your networking and how to position your career break to prospective employers
• Resource lists (over a dozen) that cover the following:
  • accommodation
  • career break and related books for further reading
  • career break TV and films
  • other career break resources
  • budgeting and money management
  • connecting with locals and other travelers
  • finding great dining experiences
  • flights
  • health and health insurance resources
  • re-entry resources
  • registering your trip
  • free blogging and communication options
  • volunteering resources
  • naturally a list of the other books in the series

And finally, you can check out the Table of Contents and read a sample chapter.

Reviews of the Career Break Traveler’s Handboook

I’m trying to capture the reviews as they come out. Here are the latest of what I’ve seen so far.

“I found the taking of sabbaticals the single most successful strategy in helping me to look at my work as a calling, rather than just as a job. Jeff Jung tells you how to go about it.”
Stefan Sagmeister
Grammy Award winning Art Director and Graphic Designer
Author and TED Speaker
___________________________________________________________________________________
“Jeff Jung helps us realize that Career Breaks are important aspects of our work lives. As a 5-time career changer, talent and career take time to play, study, explore and really live. We are so much more productive, imaginative and interesting when we do these things, and that leads to innovation and a competitive advantage for our careers and the organizations we work for. Taking a Career Break is a “must-do” and this book is a “must-read.”
Ginny Clarke
CEO of Talent Optimization Partners, LLC
Author of Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work
___________________________________________________________________________________
“This book covers everything. From how to quit your job to how to pack your bags, it’s all in there. If you’re ready to turn that secret travel dream you’ve been ignoring all these years into reality, this is your starting point.”
Dan Clements
Author of Escape 101
___________________________________________________________________________________
“Perhaps you have been dreaming about taking a career break. After reading the career break travelers handbook, you will move from dream to action. With inspiring stories, practical advice and an overall can-do, should-do, will-do spirit, this book will have you asking yourself why you’ve waited so long. Even if your career break is not possible today, you will get step by step strategies to ensure your career will not slip away without one.”
Julie Bauke
CEO, The Bauke Group
Author of Stop Peeing on Your Shoes: Avoiding the 7 Mistakes That Screw Up Your Job Search

Where to Buy The Career Break Traveler’s Handbook

The book is in both paperback and electronic versions. It is currently rolling out around the world. Here are the places where you can buy them

• US
  • Amazon.com (paperback and Kindle)
  • BarnesandNoble.com (paperback. Nook Coming Soon)
  • Sony Coming Soon!
  • Kobo
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Copia
• UK
  • Waterstones (paperback)
  • W.H. Smith (paperback and Kobo)
  • Amazon.co.uk (paperback and Kindle)
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Copia
  • Hammicks Legal
  • The Book Depository (paperback)
  • Eddington Hook
• Canada
  • Amazon.ca (paperback and Kindle)
  • iBook Store Coming Soon!
  • Kobo
  • Copia
• Australia
  • BetterRead
• Croatia
  • Superbookshop
• Estonia
  • Kristosomus
• India
  • BookAdda
• Japan
  • Amazon
  • Junkudo
• Italy
  • Bol
  • IBS
• Latvia
  • Kristosomus
• New Zealand Coming Soon!
• Norway
  • Bokklubben
  • Studia
• Romania
  • Books Express
• Sweden
  • Bokus
• Wholesalers
  • Baker & Taylor Coming Soon!
  • Alibris (UK) 
  • Gardner’s (UK)
  • Lehmann’s (Germany)

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Book ‘Em Jeffo is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Photo courtesy of ShelleySeale.com

This year will be my first year not hosting Meet Plan Go in Austin. It was a tough decision to make because I really love this event. In the past two years, I got the chance to meet so many great people getting ready for their own trip. But, my schedule just didn’t allow for it to happen. Luckily, we found a great pair to take the reins and from what I’ve seen, it’s going to be a fantastic night. Shelley and Keith are globe trotters who have first-hand experience taking a career break. They have great stories so I asked them to provide us with a guest post so you could get to know them better. To Shelley and Keith I saw, Knock ’em Dead! I know you’ll do great as hosts. And, for anyone thinking about taking a break, please check out this year’s Meet Plan Go event.

How Career Breakers Are Made

It’s literally the ticket to the whole world…but only 30% of Americans have a passport. A passport is about so much more than travel; and travel is about so much more than sightseeing and vacationing. It’s about witnessing different ways of life than your own, experiencing different cultures and ways of thinking, meeting and interacting with people who have a completely different lifestyle than your own.

It’s about their traditions, beliefs, loves, foods, hardships, dances, songs, history, geography, and passions. It’s about life itself – and there is far, far more to life and the world than what any of us see in our own backyards, in the little corner of this planet that we are born into.

Neither of us came from families that traveled much while we were growing up; family road trips were the most of it. When we each finally started traveling as young adults — decades before we knew each other — worlds were opened up that we had previously only dreamed about.

Photo courtesy of ShelleySeale.com

Keith’s story: A serial career breaker

I never really had the opportunity to travel while growing up, but even as early as in my middle school years I knew that I wanted to eventually get out and see the world. Then, burnt out on school after finishing my sophomore year in college, I decided that I was going to do whatever it took to backpack around Europe with my best friend. That decision ended up being one of the most important and best decisions of my life.

To save the money I needed for the trip I worked a ridiculous number of hours of hard labor at a box factory of all places and took any other odd jobs that I could find that summer. When September came around my friend and I flew standby to Brussels with the vaguest of plans, our precious travelers checks (no ATM cards back then!), a copy of Let’s Go Europe, and a sense of excitement that I cannot possibly put into words. Before that time I had never been more than 400 miles away from where I was born, and here I was about to backpack around Europe!

That three and a half month trip changed my life forever. The sense of wonder and excitement that I got from exploring different countries and cultures on my own never left me, and I knew without a doubt that travel would always be a big part of my life. Likewise, learning how to adapt to the unexpected while on the road made me much more confident in myself and prepared me for taking other worthwhile risks in life. And last but not least, getting outside of my ‘normal’ life and comfort zone to mix with people with such different lives and belief systems has enabled me to see our complex world in a much more open and understanding way.

Upon returning home from that auspicious trip back in 1985 I eagerly finished school, and I have been a regular career breaker ever since. Sprinkled all throughout my various stints in Corporate America and even after practicing law for a short while I have taken multiple extended trips abroad. From backpacking throughout different regions of the world, including a two year hiatus in Southeast and South Asia, to studying Spanish in Guatemala, to teaching English in Japan, to doing bits of volunteer work, I have taken breaks from work to recharge my batteries and to regain perspective.

And after my last job in Corporate America three and half years ago I decided to intertwine my livelihood even more closely with my love of travel. I simplified my life to give me the time and space to explore different opportunities, and I ended up starting a travel consulting business that has spread into travel photography as well. With my partner Shelley Seale, I co-wrote the book How To Travel For Free (or pretty Damn Near It!), and I likewise became the Director of Overseas Projects for a non-profit organization. Doing these things hasn’t always been easy, but it has certainly been well worth it.

Because travel has changed my life for the better in so many ways, I a firm believer that everyone should take an extended trip at least once in their lives. I can honestly say that I’ve never heard anyone who has done it say that they regretted it later, and at the same time I have heard plenty of people say that they HAVE regretted not taking the time to do it. So if you have been thinking about hitting the road, you really just need to make up your mind and take the plunge!

Keith’s website is Travel Sherpa Keith and you can follow him as @SherpaKeith on Twitter.

Photo courtesy of ShelleySeale.com

Shelley’s story: A passport to a new lifestyle

I got my first passport in my senior year of high school, in 1984. Up til that time I had only been to places in Texas and a few surrounding states (New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana) and to Mexico (you didn’t need a passport back then). My high school’s Spanish teacher, Doctora Rodriguez, was organizing a month-long European trip – and that is what I wanted for my high school graduation present. With all my heart and soul, desperately. Many other people would have perhaps thought that was $2,000 that could have bought a car, something longer lasting.

But the truth is that it is the car, or any other thing that could have been purchased with that money, which would have been gone long ago. Now, more than 25 years later, I still have fond memories of my first glimpses of London, the Eiffel Tower and Leaning Tower of Pisa (you could actually climb it then!). I remember looking down from my hotel window in Rome, after Italy had just won a huge soccer match, to see the complete gridlock party in the streets. That trip fueled a lifelong love of travel – and the curiosity and desire for learning that came with it.

Over the next 15 years I didn’t travel extensively, internationally. I started a career (my previous career in real estate), got married, had a child. I traveled here and there, but it wasn’t until I took my daughter to France when she was 10 years old that my next phase of life — that of a global wanderer — really began. Within the next few years I began to transition out of real estate, which was a career that sort of chose me and that I wasn’t passionate about, and into a full-time writing career.

I also began to transition my writing around travel writing. I still write about a lot of other topics in addition to travel, such as food, lifestyle, nonprofits, health and wellness — but part of my crafting of a new work life including crafting of a new whole life. See, I came to realize that we shouldn’t have to compartmentalize our lives. Work shouldn’t be some separate thing that you do for 1/3 of your life just to pay the bills. I wanted to create a life that reflected my passions, values, interests and beliefs — and that certainly included travel.

You don’t have to be a writer to do this. There are plenty of ways that people find to earn money on the road or to support a traveling lifestyle. I have several friends who come home and work and earn money (which they save) for months or years at a time, then hit the globe for months or years at a time on that money. Others work their way around the world doing bartending, odd jobs, child care, English language teaching, working on farms, etc. Still others start businesses that can be done online or become consultants who can work virtually from any location.

In today’s world, with the Internet and mobile phones as well as the new workplace norm of more freelancing, entrepreneurship and virtual offices, it’s much easier to make a living, and a life, while traveling. I encourage anyone to follow their dreams in this regard. Yes, it takes time and patience and a lot of hard (but mostly just consistent) work to make it happen. But if it’s really what you want, I promise you — if I can do it, so can just about anyone else!

Shelley’s website is ShelleySeale.com and you can follow her as @shelleyseale on Twitter.

Meet Plan Go is a nationwide movement focused on career breaks and long-term travel. The Austin event, one of 10 cities in North America hosting the events, will be held on October 16 at Abel’s on the Lake. Tickets are limited to 120 and selling fast. Get yours today. 

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How Career Breakers Are Made is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

At a protest in Buenos Aires. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

How to stay safe while traveling around the world on your career break is something we all think about. For some, it can cause paralytic fear, but for most dealing with safety issues is a matter of preparation, making smart decisions, becoming more comfortable with the world as you find it and learning as you go, from your own travel experiences and from other travelers. Smarter travel is possible in this case to help avoid getting into nasty situations.

In January at the Year Out Expo, I met fellow speaker Charlie McGrath. He runs Objective Travel Safety, an organization that helps train all types of people and organizations on how to be safe while abroad and how to respond in case there is a crisis. I had the chance recently to talk to Charlie about staying safe while traveling on a career break.

1. Do you have an overall philosophy about how travelers should approach safety to plan properly?

Researching their destinations is the key, the need to understand enough about the culture, environmental issues( earthquakes etc) crime rate etc so they can ‘aim off’ and so avoid trouble.

2. What’s the scariest safety situation you’ve been in or been called to help with?

I was hijacked at gunpoint in Iraq which wasn’t too good! But cooperated and therefore survived.

3. For people thinking about taking a career break to travel the world, what are the biggest safety or security issues that are most likely to face?

Crime and road traffic accidents are the big 2 with disease/illness some way behind.

4. What are the concerns that people typically have about traveling the world that are least likely to happen?

Getting blown up or kidnapped. Its inevitable that the threat of terrorism dominates the media but the reality is very different. India is a good example, remember the Nov 2009 Mumbai bombing- huge headlines, 180 odd people killed but on average 250 die on India roads every day!

5. What are the biggest safety mistakes that career breakers tend to make while traveling?

Difficult question! I suppose being too worried about safety and not exploring enough, in general terms the further off the beaten track you go often the safer you are,

6. Are there some steps you can take before you leave that are either preventative or can help you in case something does happen while you’re traveling?

Yes many. Acknowledge that crime and road traffic accidents will be greatest threat and prepare. Know where the crime areas are, travel with a mixture of money- casdh, cards, possibly travelers cheques and expected to be mugged at some stage. There only go out with what you need, some cash perhaps one card and leave rest behind in hotle safety deposit box or with host. If you get mugged you just hand over enough to satisfy aggressor (having a reserve in a shoe or bra is also handy. Wear a seat belt at every opportunity.

7. When I was traveling around, I noticed that as my confidence as a traveler grew, my fears of something bad happening dropped. Is that normal or had I lulled myself into a false sense of security?

No I would say this is normal and looking confidence is good (but not over confident). To avoid crime there are 3 key things; lower your profile (rings/watches off), Be aware( know where the dodgy parts of town are)  & look confident.

8. There are any number of products being sold out claiming to help you keep yourself and your things safe. To me many of them seem unnecessary and a waste of money. Are there any that you recommend that really are worth buying?

I agree. A couple of padlocks are useful to hotel/hostel lockers, a door guard/wedge can be handy to stop unwanted visitors in the night- amazing how many female report the hotel heating engineer needing to check their radiator at 2 am.

9. Given the role that the internet plays in helping the traveler do research, stay in touch with friends and family, bank, etc., what tips do you have for people to help keep their personal information safe and secure while traveling?

If possible get money transfers done by a friend or relation at home rather than internet café. Travel money credit cards such as Caxton FX (separate from you bank accounts) are good.

10. Staying healthy and not getting sick on the road is a concern for all travelers. Is there a basic first aid kit you recommend for travelers? What types of medicines should travelers just buy on the road?

A simple travel pack is good but do take some antiseptic cream, oral rehydration salts if you get the runs. Ciprofloxacin is a good broad based antibiotic. Be very careful buying anti malaria tablets abroad, especially if they seem too cheap, too many counterfeit drugs around. ,

11. What is your take on the US, UK and other governmental safety warnings?

Are they really useful to travelers? I ask because in my opinion, they seem to cast countries in very black and white terms – safe or not safe – with no room for nuance. Or, am I just cynical? I do think they are a good starting point as many travelers will do very little research. Yes they may over stress risks but I find the Brit FCO always has some useful advise.

12. What are some of the things you personally do or pack to help you be better prepared while traveling?

I always take a head torch – vital, hand gel to keep hands clean/reduce disease threat & know what the local passionate sport so I can chat to taxi drivers & hotel staff.

12. Finally, what are your favorite places to travel that are a bit off the beaten track?

Romania, was N Pakistan but probably too dangerous now, Chile.

About Charlie:

Charlie McGrath

Charlie McGrath spent 15 years as an Army Officer. He spent five years on operations in Northern Ireland but also saw service in Central America, Southern Africa and during the First Gulf War. He was awarded the MBE for his work in South Africa during the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.  Prior to joining the army he spent a year traveling in South America and has traveled widely thereafter. His company, Objective Travel Safety, provides safety training to a range of clients including journalists and NGOs operating in hostile environments, business professionals and young students travelers embarking on their Gap Year. Objective also provided the training to Ewan McGregor & Charlie Boorman prior to their ‘Long Way Round’ and ‘Long Way Down’ motorbike adventure.  When possible he continues to travel whenever possible. During his time in the army led an expedition across the Sahara desert, spent his honey moon in Papua New Guinea. His second gap year was in India, Pakistan, Burma & Thailand and more recently has travelled in Malawi, Zambia, Romania, Laos, Thailand, the Lebanon and Israel.

How Safe Is It to Travel While on Your Career Break? is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

It turns out, I’m not alone. After getting to know so many other people who have taken a break, I realized that I wasn’t alone. For each of us, a point came in which we said, NOW. Now is the time to take a break. Now is the time to make my break.

I’ve included a summary of my own story in case you haven’t heard it before. But, I’ve also asked a couple of other people who have taken a break to tell their story, the story that never gets talked about, the one about the moment in time when we stopped saying no and said yes.

Jeff in Greece. Copyright CareerBreakSecrets.com

Jeff:

¨What’s it going to take to make you happy?¨ It was a question I had been asking myself. But, there was something about the way that my friends Mike and Joy asked me that question on that Friday night. We are on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, feeding ourselves with margaritas and mexican spanish/mediterranean food. From all outward appearances, things we going well. But, behind the scenes, things weren’t what they appeared. Weight gain, lack of sleep, an inordinate amount of stress made it increasingly difficult to hide the fact that what I had been achieving in my professional life wasn’t being shared in my personal life. I knew something had to change, but I was having difficulty figuring out what ¨that¨ was.

UPDATE: My friends have corrected me on where the fateful event took place. What is still true is that margaritas were involved.

Mike and Joy’s question stuck with me all weekend. When I woke up on Saturday morning, I kept thinking about it over and over again. Maybe it was the fact that I realized that I wasn’t doing a good job of hiding it my unhappiness anymore. Maybe it was the mix of Texan humidity and margaritas. But, that morning I had my epiphany – I wanted to travel. And, not just take a week off to the beach to relax. I wanted to see the world. I wanted to go to all those places I had been dreaming about since I was a kid. Of course, the big question was, could I afford it?

I spent the rest of the weekend working on budgeting. I tried to figure out how much I would need for such a long trip. I turned to the internet. But, in 2006, there wasn’t nearly the information from people who had done it that there is today. So, I looked really closely at what I was spending on my current lifestyle. Shocked at how much it cost me to live, I thought, surely I can do it for way less than that. I continued working at the math, comparing it to my savings and realized that it was possible. Three weeks later, I quit my job and started my new life.

Sherry Ott:

Sherry in Nepal. Copyright Ottsworld.com

I had a job anyone would have wanted…at least from the outside.  I worked in an international luxury retailer in the upper management of their IT department.  I had a great office, a good title, and stock options. I had climbed the ladder and clawed my way up through various companies and lived in various cities to get there.  I did just what you expect of every childless, unmarried, type A female – I kicked ass because I had nothing else to demand my time and attention.  I managed people older than me from early on in my career and just thought it was normal.  But I had a secret.  I didn’t really enjoy my career except for the fact that it allowed me to accumulate things I wanted.  I accumulated and accumulated and lived the American dream.  I turned off the part of me that really paid attention to what was going on deep inside and I worried about the outside instead.

I remember one day coming home from work from a particularly bad day. I sat on my couch and looked around my beautiful apartment and started crying.  All I could think about was that I was so miserable at work – and not just my specific company – but working in IT in a field that I never felt like I belonged in. Somehow I kept getting rewarded and promoted in a field that I felt like I knew nothing in.  On top of this, it didn’t help that people I worked with were some of the most brutal, insensitive people I had ever encountered in my career. I sat on my couch and wished for simplicity, but I was surrounded by complexity. I started to wonder if I would be just happier to be less well off financially and simply do a job like waitressing or something – no money, but better work/life balance. I thought about my college days when I had so little – and longed for it again.

That was the moment where the pain of my present situation became greater then the pain of leaving the situation – and change happens when you finally reach that point. Shortly after that episode I remember realizing that I didn’t really have to stay. No one was making me stay except for myself and what I thought others expected of me. I knew I had a year contract with my employer – and I started to tell myself  I would leave when that contract was up. Once I had a plan, my whole attitude at work changed. The people that I disliked became more bearable.  I fantasized about the day I would put in my notice. Granted, I ended up staying 2 more years, but I always knew that my time there was temporary and that’s what got me through to the day I got on the plane 5 1/2 years ago!

Sherry is the co-founder of Meet Plan Go and blogs about her travels at Ottsworld.

Betsy and Warren ready for action. Copyright MarriedWithLuggage.com

Warren and Betsy Talbot:

Margaritas, friends, and an unexpected question were the perfect combination to change our lives.

In retrospect the evening started like any other great night out. We were celebrating a long weekend in Seattle and decided to head out to our favorite Mexican food restaurant with close friends. These are the types of friends where a conversation just flows and there are no restrictions. We all felt free to share ideas, hopes, and concerns with each other.

As the hours wore on Betsy and I started to reflect on our friends and family. Betsy’s brother was still managing life after a major heart attack at 35. While he had recovered it was a major shift in diet and attitude. Our close friend Maria was still in the hospital almost 1 month after a brain aneurism at 34 and no one knew what the future held. Without evening knowing it, our lives were about to be changed.

As typically happens with great friends the discussion turns to life and the future. We reflected on how short life is and posed the question, “What would you do if you knew you would not live to be 40?” (we were both 37 at the time). Without pausing to consult Betsy and I both answered, travel.

Within another hour, and thanks to the aid of another round of margaritas, we made the decision that would change our lives. We had agreed that we would take a year off to travel around the world.

The next morning, in the cold light of day, we knew that our mindset had been changed forever and we started planning our adventure in earnest. Today we are 18 months into an adventure that has morphed from 1 year to 5 years to a lifetime.

It all started innocently enough with great friends, a few drinks, and a question. This is why we advocate strong friendships with supportive people so strongly. They can literally change your life.

Warren and Betsy run the site Married With Luggage and are the authors of the books Dream. Save. Do., Getting Rid of It, and Strip Off Your Fear. 

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The Catalyst is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Six Steps Toward Freedom: A personal story

Six Steps Toward Freedom: A personal story is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures

Back in 2000, I took a trip with a friend who had been invited up to Avon, Colorado to see a new project by Sheraton. Set at the base of Beaver Creek, Avon is a simple town. Of course, it’s hard to compete when your neighbors are Vail and Beaver Creek. Actually, Beaver Creek and Avon are really one town with a big security gate dividing the two. Long story short, she didn’t buy into the property, I did. I moved to Texas a few years later and continued my journey up making a big road trip from Texas to Colorado.

For years I really got great use out of my timeshare property. Every August during the week before Labor Day, I took off to enjoy the mountains, do a bit of hiking, and just relax. I’ve always been a big mountain fan whether they be the Rockies, the Andes in Bariloche or traveling to Torres Del Paine in Patagonia, twice. I loved that time period at the end of summer. The weather was great, there weren’t too many tourists around. I felt like I had the whole place to myself (almost). But, there was just enough activity to keep things interesting, unlike my no-season trip to the area last October.

But, then my career break came and I wasn’t really sure what to do. Do I keep it? Do I sell it? Do I use my exchange company to access some great resorts around the world? Since then, I’ve discovered a number of options. And, depending on what fits your circumstance, you have options. So, here you go.

Options to Manage Your Timeshare on Your Career Break

1. Sell. If you really just want out, don’t want to deal with your annual dues, how to pay them, etc, you always have the option to sell.
2. Use the exchange services. In Colombia, my mom came to visit. So, I took the opportunity to fly to San Andres to spend a week hanging out. I also made plans to use a banked week in Hurghada, Egypt. We changed our plans and went on a felucca ride up the Nile. So, I lost a bit of money (and my banked week) as a result. But, I don’t regret. If your timeshare is affiliated with RCI or II, there are lots of places around the world you can check out. Keep in mind that local demand and vacation times may restrict your ability to find a place. So, you don’t have to sell your timeshare and you can still benefit from the ownership while you’re traveling.
3. Rent your week. Timeshare rental has become more and more popular over the past few years allowing the owner to recoup their maintenance fees and still keep the property for future years. I’m actually trying to figure right now if I’m going to do it this year.

By the way, if you want to buy a timeshare, check out my place in Colorado.

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This post was made possible by Sell My Timeshare Now. It’s also the service I’m using to try to sell my own timeshare. As always, opinions are my own.

Options for Your Timeshare On Your Career Break is a post from: Career Break Secrets: Travel show, independent travel blog and advice for career breaks and around the world travel adventures