Whether they’re words, sights, sounds, or smells, I’ve experienced several distinct, powerful moments that served as inspiration to travel. Just a few minutes ago I was reminded of one of those moments. I found a note I wrote before my trip to Australia about an experience I had in early 2008, and I can’t help but share the brief encounter that gave me a boost of confidence.
Me and my bestie in Tasmania
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In April of 2008, a business trip took me to San Francisco for the first time. On an afternoon off, I caught up with a friend who lives just outside of the city, and we walked across the Golden Gate Bridge and back. On the return trip a man asked us to take his photo…a man with an accent! He was from New Zealand and traveling around across the USA. He spoke about his journey, and I shared my interest in one day embarking on a RTW trip — or at least on a long-term adventure. As soon as I mentioned that New Zealand and Australia were high on my list, he emphatically cut in with a “DO IT.”
That was it. That was his advice. It was so matter-of-fact and simple, but something about the way he said it made me feel like it would actually happen one day. Something in my mind (or heart) felt like I was turning a corner. That the notion of resigning from a job, (temporarily) leaving my family and friends, and living on the opposite side of the world wasn’t such an overwhelming concept after all.
Many months would pass before I would make the decision to travel long term, and for several months after that I vacillated between doing a proper RTW or picking a region or country to focus on. Obviously, I chose the latter — at least for now.
After saying goodbye to the man on the bridge, my friend and I continued walking, and I said, “If I ever do end up traveling long-term and people ask why, I’m going to say that the Kiwi on the Golden Gate Bridge made me do it.”
He gets partial credit anyway.
Wearing the team scarf of my AFL team
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Another friend emailed me in the midst of my travel indecision with some wise advice:
“Can you hear yourself saying ‘I had the opportunity to just leave for a round the world trip, but if I had I wouldn’t be where I am today’ or ‘I took a round the world trip and if I hadn’t I wouldn’t be where I am today’? Neither are negative – you’ll have different life experiences no matter which you choose, both a mix of good and bad I’m sure.”
I remember a tiny voice instead of me saying, “Choose travel, choose travel!” After living in Australia for a year, I can say with absolute certainty that I wouldn’t be where I am today without that experience.
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In early 2009, a friend revealed that she wanted to leave her job to travel to New Zealand, and we excitedly discussed her plans. Sometime during our conversation, the peace and mindset I had been waiting for arrived, and I went to bed that night finally ready to make the dream of long-term travel a reality. The fears I had about leaving a job, missing a year in the life of friends and family, and potentially coming home with more questions than I left with had evaporated.
In a few days, I will have been home from my year in Australia for six months — SIX MONTHS!! I’m not quite sure where the time has gone, but I’m pretty sure the “one year anniversary” of returning home will be here before I know it too.
I pray that in the next six months I’ll continue making progress toward my goal of greater mobility and location independence — I don’t count on being there just yet, but I want to continue moving forward. I hope that another powerful moment of travel inspiration comes my way and I am able tackle another destination on my bucket list. I find I’m quite comfortable being at home at the moment — and there’s nothing wrong with that(!) — but I know I want the travel bug to return sooner or later.
Enjoying being home for the fall with my youngest sister
Any special moments that stand out for you in helping you make the plunge on a RTW trip or long-term travel?
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I love the inspiration that can just come along. I think when you’re unsure about something and pray for answers, sometimes God just sends a passer by along just to give you that little bit of an insight or push you need to make the decision.
The Australia trip was what you needed at that time in your life, right now you need the settle life to get things in check and prepare for the future.
I’m sure with your plans and brainstorming, you’re a smart girl, you’ll come up with your next adventure soon 🙂
I know what my next adventure is, I suppose 😉 Everything else will sort itself out over time (with some effort, of course).
My best friend told me that I would never move to France–that it was just another one of my big dreams that I talked about but would never actually do. I booked a ticket the next week, and forwarded her the itinerary–without that little push, I probably never would have. My best/worst quality is that whenever someone says I can’t or wouldn’t or shouldn’t do something, I usually do 🙂
I’m glad your friend said that if that gave you the push you needed to go to France! I learned about your blog while you were there, and I instantly fell in love with your voice and writing style. You’re living some great adventures and I look forward to seeing what comes next 🙂
To be honest, encouragement doesn’t really work for me. I need a push (a STRONG one) rather than a gentle nudge to get myself out of whatever rut I’m in.
That’s how I ended up leaving the States to work in Japan. When I returned to school to get my teaching degree, it was with the intention to move overseas & teach. But I ended up getting a great job at the university in my hometown & loving it and thinking, “Hmmm, maybe I’ll just stay a little bit longer.” Well, as I was graduating, I was informed that the university program was cutting back on teachers & since I was the lowest in seniority that meant me. I was devastated when I was first told the news. But I decided that was the push I needed so I applied for the job in Japan and got it.
I was in the same boat when I was contemplating leaving Japan to travel for a year — I didn’t love my job but I was living comfortably & really liked the area I was living in. And then one bad meeting with my supervisor proved to be exactly the push I needed — the next day I handed in my resignation letter.
I feel like I could really use that same kind of push right now. I don’t love my job in China & I don’t even love where I live, but I’m comfortable and I’ve made some good friends here. I could easily see myself staying another semester… heck, another year… even though I know that’s probably not the best idea for me. Want to come to China and give me the heave-ho I need? 🙂
I would LOVE to come and help you find what’s next — let’s keep emailing 🙂
I LOVE this story and this needs to be the title of your future book! 🙂
Future book?! I like the way you think, Andi 🙂
For the benefit of your readers, most of whom don’t know me, I’m the guy who lives near San Francisco who was with you on the bridge that day. I remember how excited you were to meet the guy from New Zealand and hear about his experiences. It’s cool that that ended up being a major turning point… funny how little conversations and chance encounters can be so life-changing. Thanks for sharing!
It was so helpful talking to you about my travel hopes and dreams on that trip — thank you for being part of the journey! And for helping me eat the Ghirardelli sundaw…man was that thing spectacular! We need another visit…haven’t seen you since San Fran!
Don’t remember you ever telling me this story….It would be great if that man on the bridge had a way of knowing what his “DO IT” accomplished!
I love that you also posted a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge 🙂 It’s been the site of inspiration for me as well, even if it wasn’t for my rtw trip! Good for you on following your heart and taking the plunge. And you mentioning that you’ve almost been home for 6 months made me realize that I’m nearing (gasp) a year!!! Yikes. Time to make plans.
You’re on for the Skype chat this week — I think we both have loads to talk about!
I love it. The Golden Gate Bridge is such a special place to begin with anyways. What a cool and memorable moment.
My DO IT moment was when Seba got fired from his job and two days later I got hit by a car. We decided not to look for new jobs while I was recovering and said, “Ok, let’s buy plane tickets, let’s go travel and do this RTW trip we’ve been talking about (and saving for) for so long.” It ended up not being a RTW trip because people started hiring us for more and more wedding so we had to go back to Chile. But as it turns out I don’t love long term traveling. I need a base. I’m glad I now have a job that gives me both travel and a home to come back to!
I remember reading your posts about getting hit by the car for the first time and being absolutely floored. Very thankful you are healthy and pursuing what you love with someone you love!
LOVE this title! 🙂 Isn’t it funny how one moment you can be struggling with a big decision & the next you suddenly feel so at peace with it? Of course you already know that seeing your life in Oz was my inspiration to consider giving it a go, but I still needed to convince myself that it was OK to take a “risk.” When I realized that I kept looking for any reason/excuse/sign to tell me to do it, I finally understood that this was what my heart truly wanted & needed at this point in my life.
I’m so thankful for your visit and couldn’t believe my ears when you Skyped to tell me you had applied for and secured the visa!! 🙂
It’s cool knowing how it all got started. I’m sure all spend the next few days thinking about the genesis of my own trips… Thanks!
Swinging by your blog to see if you’ve written about it 🙂
The Brits in Iceland made us do it!!!
Adam of travelsofadam.com fame and I went to Iceland for 3 days in 2009. Neither of us had enough vacation days to take off from work, but we really wanted to go, so we did it on Labor Day weekend. We met 2 British guys in our hostel. They were also in Iceland for only 3 days, but on their way back to Britain after something like 2 years of travel. They lived in a country, made some money there if they liked it, moved on when they wanted. Wash, rinse, repeat. They didn’t have to go back to work in 3 days. If they wanted a month off, they took it. If there was a cheap flight to Sweden on a Tuesday, they bought it. No hesitation. Nothing holding them back.
Adam and I soaked up every word these Brits told us. And when they said, “Why do you guys have to go back to work?” neither of us could come up with a good enough answer. You were just supposed to work. That’s just what people did. But these guys were the first who told us, to our faces, that we didn’t have to. Wow.
We both took extended trips around the world, and now I’m living in Sydney and he’s in Berlin. And every once in a while, we bring up Iceland. Where would we be without that trip? Really, I have no idea.
So to the Brits in Iceland, as we’ve said many times without actually telling you, thanks!
Liz, I LOVE your and Adam’s story! It’s an eye-opening moment when we come face-to-face with the idea of living a different lifestyle and seeing that it’s entirely possible. I don’t know what my next move is, but I haven’t given up the idea that I don’t have to do what I’m “supposed” to do.
You’re living in one of my favorite places in the entire world. Hope you’re loving it too!
I love that you can trace it back to a moment (or two). I don’t really have an “aha” moment.
I was super unhappy where I was, like SUPER unhappy, and so I had planned to run away to Vietnam…but it just didn’t feel right so I came to Melbourne in stead.
These moments really helped me take steps forward in a travel dream I wasn’t sure would ever happen!
I’m glad life took you to Oz — you probably wrote about it long before we met, but I’d love to know that story.
My moment was in 2006 – Indonesia… I’d already travelled a little bit, but that was my biggest trip to date and I knew at that point in time there was more to life than I was experiencing and that I was the only person that was able to change it. Amazing how my life is so different now… Amazing how different yours is too!
You definitely have a defining moment or two, and I know that trip was very meaningful! Your life is different how and I love how you’ve made it work. I don’t feel mine is vastly different yet, but hopefully I’ll see it soon…I know it’s changing!