Everyone likes to spend time away from home, enjoying a chance to be free from work and the other stresses which they usually have to face. Some people find it impossible to live without vacation, pushing themselves through each workday with the idea that they will be doing something they love a little later down the line. Of course, though, as a big part of this, there’s always the part of the vacation which everyone dreads; coming home. To help you out with this, this post will be helping you to delay the inevitable, opening the doors to longer vacations and extended sessions of freedom.
Time Out Of Work
The first part of this process is going to involve sorting out your other life commitments to make it possible for you to go away. Work will usually be the biggest part of this, with most people only have a few weeks off each year with their current role. Along with this, though, you will also need to think about your family, friends, and other obligations you might have. Below, you can find some examples of the best methods to use when you’re trying to get out of work for your vacation. Of course, though, it will be worth searching in case you can find a better path.
Annual Leave: If your employer is generous with the vacation time they give you each year, taking the time off will probably be the best route to take. To make this possible, you will need to save all of the time you have throughout the year, spending it all at once, giving yourself the chance to get the most out of it. Some employers will be stricter with this than others, making it worth getting the ball rolling nice and early. If you can’t use this method, though, you could consider the option below.
Giving Notice: Leaving your job to see the world may seem like an extreme step to take, but can often be a great way to open the doors to some long-term travel. This sort of option is best for those who plan to go away for more than a month, as you will have to make sure that the change is worthwhile, especially when you consider the work you’ll have to do when you get home to get into something new. This sort of option has worked for many people in the past, but it will be worth assessing your own situation before jumping the gun.
The Right Accommodation
Staying in a hotel for more than a couple of weeks isn’t a cost-effective way to travel, with this sort of accommodation costing a fortune compared to long-term options. Every city and town will have its own examples of vacation property, giving you the chance to find something which will match both your requirements and your budget. Below, you can find some of the best places to look when you’re trying to find long-term housing in another country. This is nice and easy to organise once you have a push in the right direction.
Estate Agents: Estate agencies are one of the oldest business types throughout the world, with a property being a very early form of a product. This means that they can be found just about anywhere, with cheap property to rent in Malaysia, France, and everywhere in between. Of course, when you go down this route, you will lock yourself down to a minimum stay, with the contracts you sign being hard to get out of. If anything, though, this will simply guarantee that your vacation is nice and long.
Travel Apps: Over the last few years, loads of companies have popped up around the globe which are offering affordable property rental through private landlords. Airbnb is the most popular example of this. Not a lot of people realise that they can arrange long-term stays through these sorts of tools, though, and this leaves them wasting an option which could be extremely valuable down the line. One of the key benefits of a route like this is the fact that you will have a lot of flexibility.
Finding Things To Do
Finding things to do in a city when you’ve been staying there for a long time can be a challenge. Without a strong knowledge of the local area, finding new things will always be a struggle, and getting to them can be even harder. This makes it well worth putting some time into making the surrounding area more accessible. To achieve this goal, you’re going to need to work on a few different areas, and you can find some examples below. Like most of this process, though, you will also need to think about your personal preferences along the way.
Transport: Having to use public transport when you’re somewhere which doesn’t speak your first language can be a big challenge. Not only will it be hard to read the signs and figure out your routes, but you will also find it hard to talk to the employees who are stationed to help you out. To overcome this issue, simply hiring a bike or a car can give you far more freedom to travel than buses or trains. While this will cost a little bit of money, it will save a huge amount of unneeded stress.
Knowledge: A big part of being able to explore an area effectively is knowing what will be available when you arrive. In some cases, you may even need to book things in advance, and this will mean being ready to do some research. The Internet makes it very easy to find what you’re looking for when you’re on the hunt for things to do in a new city. By simply looking at a map of your surroundings, you will quickly notice all of the attractions laid out, giving you a great place to start.
Funding While Away
Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about the money you’ll be spending on an adventure like this. Spending a month or two in another country is never going to be cheap, with your food and shelter requirements remaining the same wherever you are. There are a couple of ways to make something like this manageable, though, with some people preferring to do the work ahead of time, and others looking for ways to make money while they’re away. Both of these options can work perfectly well.
Saving Up: If you have a good enough job, being able to save up some spending money for your vacation shouldn’t be too much trouble. While you will have to put a lot of time into this area, it will give you the chance to fully embrace your time off, making the whole vacation much less stressful. To achieve something like this, you may have to live on less than usual for a little while. This will be worth it, though, especially once the time comes to jet off.
Working: While it may seem a little sad to spend your vacation working, a lot of people find this sort of route very satisfying. Unlike saving up for your trip, this will give you the chance to extend your vacation budget if you need to, while also opening the doors to getting a better insight into local life. Of course, it will be hard to get a job in the place itself, as people won’t want to hire someone for such a short time. Freelance work can be found everywhere, though, and you can often do it very far from home.
With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of making a vacation last. A lot of people like the idea of going down this route but never take the chance to give themselves the trip of their dreams.
Featured image: Unsplash.com
Bonnie is always on the road with some amazing adventures ahead. Her favorite continent is South America and she’s passionate about culture-focused traveling and ethical and sustainable tourism. During her time in university as a research assistant for a sociology professor, she realized she can’t fully understand cultures from a safe distance. She quit her job to become a full-time “voluntourist,” which brings her to places where she can immerse in local communities and support their causes. On top of writing, one of Bonnie’s priorities is offering women advice on how to stay safe while solo backpacking.