When my husband Shayne and I sold almost all of our possessions to travel the world full time, we thought we were ready for anything. We had spreadsheets, contingency plans, a carefully managed budget and – as two people in our 50s – decades of experience behind us. What could go wrong? It turned out to be quite a lot.
Over the past two and a half years, we have lived in over a dozen countries and traveled thousands of miles. We hiked to waterfalls in Bali, walked the streets of Barcelona, and binged in Thailand.
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Over-planning has caused us to burn out
At the beginning, we filled each trip with attractions without a moment's break. Sunrise temples, food tours, museums, waterfalls, cultural shows – we didn't want to miss anything.
After a few months we were completely exhausted. The pace was unsustainable and some days felt like we weren't enjoying it at all.
Today we travel slower. We leave room for naps, long walks and spontaneous days without a plan.
Some of our best memories now come from lazy mornings and quiet moments—not from what we planned, but from what we stumbled upon by accident.
We underestimated how difficult it is to build a true community
We assumed that traveling full-time would mean constantly meeting fascinating people and building deep relationships around the world.
Although we met many friendly and interesting travelers, most of our acquaintances were fleeting — we shared a meal together or a few days, and then everyone moved on. We had no idea how lonely it could be to be “the new ones” all the time.
Now we deliberately choose places with a developed digital nomad scene, coworking spaces and expat meetings. In Vietnam, for example, we love that locals and expats meet weekly for street food tours and surfing lessons.
It takes effort, but building community while traveling is possible. We just had to actively look for it.
One time we misunderstood our visa rules and had to change our plans at the last minute
When traveling to Vietnam, we completely misinterpreted the rules of our visa and accidentally arrived in the country on the day it expired.
Immigration officials let us in, but warned us that we had to leave almost immediately and apply for a new visa. We booked a last minute flight to Cambodia in a hurry and ended up paying the fine.
It was stressful, chaotic and expensive. Oddly enough, our visit to Cambodia became one of our favorite unexpected adventures. But now we double and triple check visa rules and pre-departure requirements.
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We also lost our vigilance
In Paris, Shayne had his bag slung over his shoulder and down his back as he boarded the crowded subway. The phone disappeared within seconds.
It was a rookie mistake, though sometimes traveling lulls your guard down and gives you a false sense of security.
This one mistake cost us several days of frustration replacing devices and updating accounts, not to mention money spent.
Even experienced travelers need to remain vigilant, especially in crowded cities and transport hubs.
Choosing accommodation without the possibility of walking made it difficult for us to explore
When we started traveling full time, our first stop was Bali. We booked a fairy-tale villa with expansive ocean views and potential for “Instagram” photos. However, we didn't realize that it was over an hour away from the nearest town.
It was beautiful, but everyday activities like walking to a café, exploring the area, or talking to locals were almost impossible.
Now we put location above aesthetics. Being able to get out of the house and explore the area, find a local market or eat lunch at a street stall makes us feel like we actually live somewhere, not just passing through.
Despite the bumps in the road, traveling full time has been incredibly rewarding
The mistakes we made didn't just teach us to travel smarter. They also reminded us to remain humble, flexible and patient with ourselves.
We've learned to slow down, accept the unexpected, and let go of the need for every day to be perfect – because no matter how experienced you are, the journey always has something new to teach you.
And often it is the detours and unplanned changes that turn out to be the best parts of the whole journey.
The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider
