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When I tell friends and family about my trip, after the usual response of, “Please don’t die,” they usually say they’re jealous and wish they could come. I always respond, “So come!” to which they blame jobs, boyfriends, girlfriends, school, and most often: money. When people ask me how much I am spending on this trip, they are always surprised by my answer because of how little you really need to afford international travel. Since a lot of my friends have expressed to me that they too would like to traipse about abroad for an extended period of time, here are five tips to help get them (and maybe even you!) where they want to go: 

1) DON’T BUY SHIT. 

Seems obvious, I know. But you’d be surprised how quickly people, especially young people, will allow money to drain from their bank accounts. I had to really cut back- I don’t eat out unless I made over $600 at work that week (or my parents invite me out). I realized I was drinking 5 chai lattes a week, which is not only bad for me, but bad for my bank account. Now I have Chai-day Friday and treat myself at the end of a long week to my favorite beverage. I only buy what I need– and that is really and truly not a whole lot. When I look for clothes now I think to myself, “How will that fit into my backpack?” “Is this versatile/basic/well made enough to take on the road?” And the answer 99.9% of the time is hell no- my backpack is only holding 60 L and a sleeping bag, first aid kit, flashlights, and a buttload (yeah, a buttload) of other gear are taking precedence over tank tops and sundresses. If you want to have money you have to save your money- and that means not buying stupid shit. 

2) SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. 

Here is the thing about saving money: it’s hard. But when it results in you living your dream, posing for pictures at the Taj Mahal, sleeping on beaches in Australia, eating pho for breakfast in Vietnam- it will never have felt more worth it. A lot of us have jobs that don’t yield much money, which means it may take you a while longer OR you can pick up more shifts/work crazy hours. I didn’t commit to a “career” job yet and am still waiting tables, as I have done all throughout college. I worked four doubles in a row, with today being my first day off in, well, awhile. I’m working my ass off, but I have my eyes on the prize and so does Kate. She’s working 6 doubles in a row…I know! She’s crazy! But when a hostess comes up and says, “Do you want me to cut you or do you want to take this last table?” we just look each other in the eyes and say “Trip money”, and it’s decided. Kate’s bank account is filling alongside mine, and our memories of our twenties are going to trump most people’s, which is a constant reminder to pick up shifts, put that money in the bank, and forget you ever made it. In two weeks at work I made $1100, so realistically within a month or so I could buy yet another RTW ticket, then continue saving for the remainder of my time in Fort Lauderdale. Luckily, I already bought my ticket with money gleaned from graduation cards and the like and am well on my way to 9 months of backpackin’ bliss 😀

3) Use budget travel sites. 

Sites like STA travel and Star Alliance offer amazing deals on international travel. For 14 international flights from LAX to Cairo I spent $3200 with the help of my trusty travel agent at STA. She helped me design a round the world ticket and worked with me every step of the way to make sure I was happy with my flight times, airports, etc. Booking a RTW ticket is a big decision and a lot of work, but it’s worth it in the long run for your wallet and your time, because you can get all your flights figured out and not have to worry about it. The greatest thing about RTW tickets is that they are also easily changeable- you can switch your flights for about $100 each- not too bad! And with the added benefit of traveler’s insurance you really can’t ask for a better deal. Check out STA– a typical RTW ticket is London-Singapore-Bangkok-Sydney, but mine is quite a bit longer and and amazing deal!

4) Research, research, research. 

There are so many amazing resources online and in bookstores, even in your local community for world travelers. If you’ve been bitten by the travel bug, rest assured you are not alone. In fact, there are people out there who WANT you to travel as much as you do! I know! Crazy!!! But honestly, there are a million resources. At the very least you have hostelworld.com which has a zillion reviews of hostels, hotels, bed and breakfasts, etc. all over the world! It’s super easy to use and you can book online. Then, there’s Couch Surfing, Help X, and Volunteer Alliance, which offer cheap accommodation alternatives and volunteer opportunities globally. Another great way to meet other travelers who have been where you plan on going, or have plans to be there too is through social networking sights like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Search things like #Varanasi (a city you plan to visit in India) #RTW (to connect with other round the world travelers) or #airchina or #barnacleshostel to see photos of airplanes or hostel dorms you might end up on. Facebook has been a lifesaver for me- being able to search the page of the volunteer network and then click through the photos to see volunteers tagged, I was able to message them and ask a million questions. A lot of people I connected with were able to give really helpful tips that actually changed a lot of travel plans for me! Check out these resources- you can sleep for free with Couch Surfing, live for free (accommodation, food, etc.) on Help X, and help save the world through Volunteer Alliance, and that is just scratching the surface. Check out other travel blogs and google search anything you have questions about. 

5) Don’t stop believin’ 

The best thing you can do- more important than any of these other tips- is to never stop dreaming. If you want to do something, set your mind to it and do it. The only person holding you back is you. When I started planning this trip there were times it felt like it was never going to happen- that I could never pull it off. But here I am, 78 days away with my plane ticket purchased and a heart full o’ excitement and dreams about to come true! There is nothing holding you back but your own negativity when it comes to traveling and adventure. You CAN do it! If I can do it, anyone can. This trip is going to change my life, and a similar one could change yours. 

Even though we won’t be celebrating Diwali in India, I cannot wait for our five weeks there. If anyone has any suggestions for great places to know, please send them my way! So far we are planning on drinking all the chai in the country, doing yoga in Rishikesh, seeing the sunset ceremonies in Varanasi, and taking a camel safari because c’mon, ya gotta!

This picture that I came across inspired me today and got me even more excited than yesterday, which was my birthday, and I was gifted with some awesome new supplies! My Mom got me my pack, a 60 L Gregory in Bodega Blue, it’s beautiful and hopefully as functional as they say. I also got a daypack from a mysterious donor on my Amazon registry, a headlamp from my Grandma, money from my Dad (thanks, Dad!), a “flashlight” (read: taser) from my Aunt Alice, a journal from my Aunt Kathy, a Klean Kanteen from a family friend, a digital camera from my stepmom, and from my best friend Leif a KA-BAR combat knife for my protection and to up my kickass-ness tenfold! Of course, Dad has already helped me start looking into knife fighting classes. Also, my travel buddy and BFF made me a globe cake:

There’s still a lot to be purchased though, so if anyone was planning on gifting me a Christmas present: FEEL FREE! Nothing will go to waste, I promise!

It’s great to be 23! My dad says 23 was one of the best years of his life, here’s hoping I can follow in his footsteps, though it’ll be a bit longer of a path 😀

Planning a trip around the world is serious business. Do you start in Fiji? Do you start in South America? Do you talk about it all?

People seem to have the same reaction when you lay it on them that you’re living out of a backpack for a year to wash baby elephants and eat weird fruits. You’ve been tuning into the travel channel’s many cultural exploits, discerning how easy it would be if you didn’t have a network budget and a camera crew. You still feel pretty okay about it.

Sometimes, thinking about not seeing anybody you know for a year, thinking about getting into the wrong cab or meeting the wrong people scares the shit out of you. What are you going to do when you get stuck at customs in Kenya? Do you have a plan? You don’t. But you take a deep breath and tell yourself you’ll figure it out, and you’ll be all the better for it.

Things you have to remember:

I)     Despite your plans for African adventure and time spent near the sea, you will not be living like Hemingway.

II)   Even though everyone tells you to write a book about this, and then just “coast”, remember this trip is about making memories as quickly as possible. You have to take the chances one right after the other and then hope you remember the way it felt on the 18 hour bus ride.

III) You will be peeing into holes in the ground. You will come out of this experience all the better for it.

IV) Everything is going to be okay, because everything happens for a reason, you just have to remember to wear sunscreen.

Everyone is worried for you. So worried you almost feel like you don’t have to worry yourself. You aren’t worried though, because when you come back, at least, this is what you tell yourself, you will be a totally different person, and that person doesn’t have to worry about having an hour to get ready for the party, because no matter how you look you’ll have the best stories, and isn’t that what really matters?

Right now everyone is mad at you because you are going around the world for a year. Seeing everything and eating everything and sleeping on floors in countries with civil wars and poisonous bugs and as much as they are looking forward to their entry level jobs and first years of graduate school, they want to come too. They’re mad at you because you get to be the one to use your zoom lens on the poisonous bug and eat the weird fruit and have the best stories. So you can’t be scared, you just have to go, because you’ll be all the better for it.

Dear Young Traveler,

Anthony Bourdain once said: “If you’re 22, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them – wherever you go.”

My advice? Just go.

Just go, and at any age, because, the real question is, why wouldn’t you?

Go drop your fears.

Go take EVERY CHANCE.

Go take a road trip with your friends. Go book a plane ticket to a land far away. Go spend money that you don’t have.  Go get stranded. Go hitchhike. Go learn the histories of other peoples and cultures. Go learn about their triumphs and their fatalities. Go with just a backpack.  Go eat foods you have never tried. Go question yourself and question the world. Go learn about what is important.  Go wake up early and hike a volcano. Go stay out late drinking beer and wine around a fire with the locals. Go take pictures. Go put the camera down and just take it in. Go sit in cafes and ponder a city. Go get a tattoo. Go meet people that will change your life. Go immerse yourself in nature. Go learn a language. Go challenge yourself and do something you never would think of. Go listen to stories. Go to museums. Go read everything. Go take a gamble on hostels and random floors. Go keep a journal and write everything. Go without a guidebook. Go make your own plan. Go educate yourself. Go take it all in.

And, if you’re like me. Go and fall in love.

Fall in love with cities. Fall in love with states.

Fall in love with countries. Fall in love with people.

The world is yours. All you have to do is GO.

And remember, home will always be waiting.

May you find nothing but happiness and adventure.

Viaje Seguro,
Bailey B. 
P.S. Don’t forget an open mind, a full heart, a pocketknife, a box of matches, and Kleenex.

Bailey runs the blog postcardsfrommytwenties.tumblr.com

You can find more letters like these at: moreloveletters.com

Hey guys!

A couple weeks ago in Rome (it’s been awhile!) I did it in a dress all around town! Of course, I am referring to my fundraiser- http://www.dotinadress.com/erinkelley ! It was a great opportunity to spread the word about OneGirl and their amazing Do It In A Dress campaign! I walked around, showed off my dress, and answered a few questions from quizzical tourists.

Here I am at the Coliseum, Forum, and Trevi Fountain…in a dress!