I’VE spent this past weekend doing nothing, just trying to recover from a very long and stressful week at work in order for the cycle to being again on Monday…
It’s okay though, I have an amazing dream to spend a significant period of time next year solo-travelling around Europe. I’ve been planning this for years now and 2020 is going to be the year those plans come to fruition. In less than a year I won’t be daydreaming about it anymore – I will make it my reality.
One of my friends asked me last weekend where I saw myself in a years time, and I realised that talking about this trip isn’t enough – I need to get serious about planning it. It’s been a rough couple of months but I feel like focusing on my 2020 travel goal will help me get through the next few months as I’m tucked away in this little corner of South Australia wishing I was already on the other side of the world.
So this is the exciting part I guess – deciding what I want to do. Where I want to be in November 2020, in terms of physical location and goals accomplished. Obviously there are limitations – factors such as money, female solo-traveller safety and the Schengen Visa restrictions to consider. But I’ve never been in a position before where I finally have the time and (some) funds to move abroad or go on a long-term trip. And I get to plan the whole thing, and go and do whatever the hell I want! It feels so liberating, but it’s very intimidating. What do I actually want 2020 (and beyond) to look like? At least I have time to figure this out before I go, and I can always change my mind once I’m over there..
I guess I’m lucky that I have spent time planning this since semester 2 of my first year of university (in 2015) and immersing myself in A LOT of travel content (when really I should’ve been studying and thinking about my career, oh well). I’ve even started making budget spreadsheets, as you can see. It will be interesting to see what they look like before I leave..
But I have so much to organise and it’s overwhelming. A lot of this changes too if I decided to move to the UK for a WHV. Maybe I’ll plan for both scenarios (4 month trip or WHV). I think I will start today by figuring out how much money I can have saved by mid-May 2020. I might also make some back-up plans for leaving in August in case I decide to stick around in Mt Gambier for a bit longer. Honestly though, I have my heart set for leaving in May, which gives me about 6 months to plan this and save another $10,000. At this point I’m estimating I’ll need about $20,000 for a 4-month budget trip, but you know what they say – bring half the luggage and double the money. I think I’d be waiting a long time before I could save that much!
Some other things I will need to organise that I’m just thinking about off the top of my head: bank cards, travel insurance, a one-way or return ticket, organised tours in Northern Africa and any events I want to go to and will have to book tickets/accommodation for early.
I’m not sure if anyone aside from me will ever read this post, or this blog. I guess it’s a way to update my family and for me to look back when this whole adventure is over. Who knows – maybe I’ll be having too much fun to update this once I’m in Europe?!
I’m going to spend this afternoon listening to my ‘Europe 2018 Playlist’ and beginning to fix up my spreadsheets and figuring out how much money I can save by next May. Wish me luck – posting this really feels like the start of something amazing and I’m so excited for next year.
JESS TRAVELS EUROPE 