Full-Time Travel Discussion: Should He Quit His Job to Travel the World?

A random viewer in his mid-50s asked me for advice about quitting his job to travel the world full time. In this video, I share my detailed advice based on my personal experience.
✅ I am the owner of all video content on this channel. Filmed with a GoPro camera.
✅ Do you need gear for your travel adventures? Visit my Amazon e-store for ideas: www.amazon.com/shop/wandererbell
✅ Do you need some good music for your social media content? I use and recommend Epidemic Sound. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking here: share.epidemicsound.com/po8d3b
✅ Find me on Instagram: / wandererbell
✅ Check out my blog: www.wandererbell.com/
**Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn revenue from qualifying purchases.
#fulltimetravel #earlyretirement

[@user-ev9mr1zi5e]

I have visited the U.S., Canada, Europe. Norway, sweden, Germany, England, Holland, Belgium, France, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, spain, greece and Egypt

[@WandererBell]

Wow, you've traveled to so many amazing places! That's an impressive list. Thanks for sharing!

[@HarryOsirian]

Great advice. I honestly was wondering the same. How do people do this? Constant travelling sounded amazing, but also very tiring to me. I mean, when I recently travelled to Iceland (again, 2nd time) for 2 weeks, I came home and felt like a wreck 🙂 I appreciate your tips about changing countries whenever you feel homesick or not comfortable. The one-way ticket is ideal for trying out and you can always decide to stay longer or move on whenever you feel like it. Of course, within the country's visa limitations. Also, very good advice on killing time with hobbies and not being a tourist every day. You are 100% right about seeing and visiting many sites in a short amount of time. It's crazy. You run from one place to another and don't allow yourself time to enjoy it. Also, is age a factor if one decides to travel constantly and to have a plan B? I mean, I see a lot of those so-called expats/travellers who are in their early to mid-30s jumping from country to country. I realize it's mostly for clicks, views and engagement and they only show the flashiest moments (color graded, of course) with lots of special effects and cinematic background music to make it look exciting. . What I do have questions about, is the financial aspect: How much money/cash do you need to have on hand (or readily available) not to worry about sudden expenses? My personal idea is about 6 months worth of rent as a backup. Is this somewhere along the lines? Did you sell everything back in California or do you have your plan B in place if you ever decide to go back? The stock market tip is one that I'm going to look into. I think this is very interesting. Is there a guaranteed return on investment? Medical plans / Medicin What do you do for medical insurance? I know that across the states and Europe there is good coverage. Is there an international insurance plan you can sign on to? Same with medications. In some countries they can be quite cheaper than europe or the US, while in others they can cost an arm and a leg. For example: In Iceland you need a doctor's notice just to buy Ibuprofen! I'm guessing you need to stock up on essential medications that are not readily available everywhere? I can imagine that's not easy to do. Luggage/ clothes Clothes, luggage, electronics: Do you need a lot of luggage or do you just pack the essentials and purchase clothes in the country where you are? ==> does this add to the amount of luggage you have to haul around with you? Finally, I love that you also talked about what you did to overcome boredom and home sickness. It is important not to be a tourist every day and have something to occupy your time with. I never thought of that until you brought it up! Can you please add the names of the bank (the ATM bank which pays you back any fees) + the eSim card you talked about? Great video, as always. Thank you very much for sharing your adventures with us, the viewers. You've helped me more than you know :-) Maybe I can offer you a tip with regards to the GoPro battery. They don't last very long. My setup is listed below: I got the USB-pass through side door from this brand called MaxCam and replaced the original Gopro door with it. You can find the side door here: www.amazon.com/MAXCAM-Aluminum-Alloy-Battery-HERO10/dp/B095HH282H/ The GoPro batteries go into my triple charger (also from Maxcam) : www.amazon.com/MAXCAM-Power-Triple-Battery-Charger/dp/B08P1VR5N7/ Now, I can plug a USB-C to USB-C cord through the side door and attach a powerbank (I have the Anker portable charger 20.000 mAmp) : www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Charger-High-Speed-Charging/dp/B0BYP4Y1N8/ Hope this helps. Till next time.

[@WandererBell]

Glad to hear from you! I hope you enjoyed your second trip to Iceland. I'm really tempted to do another road trip there in the near future, God willing. Thank you for the GoPro battery tip; I'll definitely look into that solution. Regarding your questions, let me try my best to answer: The Financial Aspect: It's important to have liquid assets that you can easily access in case of an emergency. These can be in the form of money market funds, high-interest savings accounts, or even stable mutual funds that pay dividends. Avoid keeping too much cash in a non-interest-bearing account because inflation will reduce its value. I suggest that your emergency fund should be sufficient to cover at least one year's expenses. Investing in the Stock Market: If your total net worth (including retirement and non-retirement accounts) is invested in a US stock market index fund, S&P 500 index fund, or a similar index fund, and this amount equals or exceeds 25 times your annual expenses, then congratulations-you can consider yourself financially independent. Look up "the 4% rule" and The Trinity Study for more information. Medical Insurance: I have two health insurance policies-one that covers me in the US and another that covers me internationally. With these two policies, I don't worry about unexpected medical expenses. Most countries outside the US have more affordable healthcare, and some even offer better quality care. As long as you are properly insured, this shouldn't be a major concern. Medications: I usually stock up on essential medications when I visit home. My doctor knows that I travel long-term and prescribes enough medication to cover at least six months. Luggage/Clothes/Electronics: I sold everything I had in California and gave away a lot of stuff. Now, everything I own fits into a small suitcase and a backpack. The suitcase must weigh below 20kg to meet airline weight requirements and avoid extra fees. I don't have many electronics-just a laptop, a GoPro camera, and a phone. If I need new clothes during my trip, I buy them and get rid of something else to make room for them. ATM Cards: I recommend Schwab Bank. Esim: I recommend Ubigi eSIM. I hope this helps!

[@HarryOsirian]

Hey there, So glad to receive your reply. First off, I hope you're doing fine and you're in good health. Second, this trip to Iceland was amazing. I spent time in the Westfjords and actually did the same walk in Isafjordur, Patreksfjordur, Latrabjarg and so many more magnificent sites. I'm grateful for your videos who were my main guide to planning my itinerary. I also went to Thorsmork and hiked the trail from Langisdalur to Valnajukur. Man, that hike was steep! :-) I thought I was in good shape, but that climb was testing my limits. I stopped several times to catch my breath but once I arrived at the top the view was superb. What's left to explore are the Highlands (landmannalaugar) and the East Fjords. You guessed it, I'm intending on going back :-) Hope you'll consider coming back to this manificent land. Which reminds me: Driving around Iceland with a hard shell suitcase (from the brand Delsey) in the trunk of the car is not a good idea. The better option is a soft shell one a rolling duffel bag, in my opinion. The suitcase I was driving around with, was a pain when I needed to take out some clothes or camera gear. As for your reply, thank you so much for your elaborate advice. Really helpful! I'm glad I watched this video because I never understood how constant travelling could be fun and satisfying as opposed to living out a suitcase. You really layed it out perfectly and I'm glad you decided to shed a light on what your travel schedule is really like. Having hobbies, filling time and not being a tourist every day are honestly things I never heard mentioned on other travel blogs. They (as I mentioned earlier in my former message) always seem to have a smile from ear to ear and make it all seem so easy. Looking forward to your next videos. In the meantime, I have some catching up to do watching your most recent videos :-) Have a blessed day.

[@WandererBell]

Those young KZbinrs use that flashy style because it attracts more views. They’re focused on getting views. If they adopted my approach, they wouldn’t get as many views. My approach doesn’t attract a broad audience, so I don’t get many views. When I watch KZbin, I usually prefer KZbinrs who are older than me because they are more mature, have more experience, and don’t chase views.

[@kelvinyschun]

Thank you for the interesting viewpoints... There are many lifestyle choices... Traditional... marriage, family, invest in children's future Non Traditional...personal choices Great you took the out of the box approach Traditional lifestyle travel domestic...Disneyland, Las Vegas, tour company Travel now is more advantage than 30 years ago with technology You giving a great advice of a millennial... I am a senior citizen and retired in my mid 50s ... i could do more 10 years ago than if I retired in mid 60s Follow your Ikigai Purpose in life Some work till 70 and can't travel the same ...yes, pension is big but for healthcare... Follow your dreams in life Solo travel is flexible Some treat life and income like the shape of a bell curve .... making $ at the peak and when end of life, the money dwindled to zero. There are some people who never traveled outside their city or state ... many lifestyles. Mahalo

[@WandererBell]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful perspectives. Your insights truly touched me and provided a lot to reflect on. I appreciate the wisdom and experiences you shared, especially about following one's Ikigai and the value of pursuing dreams. Mahalo!

[@kelvinyschun]

@@WandererBell As an educator, we value lifelong learning. I traveled as a child to Disneyland in the 60s, worked at the cannery at $2/hr in the 70s, worked to enter college, majored in business but switched to education to contribute to society. My oldest students approaching 60. I traveled during school breaks. I remembered driving NZ with a paper map. I remembered booking a solo tour to China of the places I wanted to go. I remembered the 1st ipod with wifi to help plan locations. I had landlines till 2016 and got my 1st cell phone I have traveled to China 53 times and Japan 42 times. I document my experience on KZbin and Facebook but it is for my records. I have many Facebook and KZbin posts but more of a slide show .. for my memories. It doesn't bother me if only 3 views...me, myself and I I starting to forget what I did last year so I make a list. I first followed your Iceland video and that helped me a lot to break out of my shell. I also followed your Austria video closely and now planning Peru with Ecuador. Every new country is an adventure and planning helps. I used to backpack China hostels to meet friends and get ideas. Now I like your hotel choices because I know you plan well. Being a minimalist is great if you don't have life's baggage... as we age, must declutter junks. Memories can be digitized. My father lived to 53, and family history indicates diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. Every day is a bonus. I am the guy with ikigai... My hobbies are travel, magic and kites! Enjoy life to the fullest and take 1 step at a time. Hawaii is expensive and many are priced out of paradise... Mahalo

[@WandererBell]

Thank you so much for sharing your incredible journey and experiences. Your approach to documenting your travels, even if just for yourself, is a wonderful reminder of the importance of preserving memories. Mahalo for your thoughtful and inspiring words.

[@kelvinyschun]

@WandererBell As an educator, I taught the concept of electronic portfolios. My students would save their files yearly. When they graduated, they could have a website or KZbin channel, which is a lot better than a sheet of paper listing their resume'. Multimedia is a valuable asset.

[@aleksdude]

@@kelvinyschun Nice! I'm glad you found time to do what you really wanted to do (one of them was travelling). Amazing.

[@user-ev9mr1zi5e]

Interesting viewpoints. Even if I dont travel outside my country. Because of my heart insufficiency and back arthritis. So I need a rollator

[@WandererBell]

I am really sorry to hear about your health issues. I suffer from vertigo and balance issues, and I try hard to manage them during my travels. It must be very challenging with heart insufficiency and back arthritis.

[@HarryOsirian]

@@WandererBell Is this inner-ear related? Vertigo/dizziness is mostly due to this. Hope this get's resolved. Wishing you all the best

[@WandererBell]

@@HarryOsirian Yes, you are correct. It is related to the inner ear and occurs without any warning. Unfortunately, doctors have not found a solution to prevent it from happening.

[@Abilovesjack]

“Bring tears to my ears” is the funniest thing I have heard. Thanks for making me laugh today. I would like to quit my job and travel the world, however, I have aging parents to ( their only living child) provide for. But I do my best to try to solo travel at least twice a year without feeling guilty of not taking them on vacation. Because honestly, I cant afford to take 3 people with me and still pay bills. Thanks for the videos. Travel safe❤

[@WandererBell]

Thank you for your kind words! I'm glad my mix-up could bring a smile to your face-I caught that error too and made sure to correct it. Your dedication to caring for your aging parents is truly admirable and something you should be very proud of. Balancing this responsibility with your love for travel is inspiring. Stay safe on your journeys, and thank you for watching!

[@aleksdude]

You live a very respectable life. To take care of your parents still.. and then finding a balance with travelling. I have 4 kids who are still in elementary school. I don't know when I'll be able to travel.. but watching WandererBell travel the world is sometimes enough for me.

[@user-ev9mr1zi5e]

I also visited Beijing in China

[@WandererBell]

That's on my bucket list.

[@sivakumarsathiamoorthy6583]

This is the type of video I was expecting. thank you.

[@WandererBell]

Awesome! I hope you enjoy it.

[@sivakumarsathiamoorthy6583]

@@WandererBell Yes it was very informative. I can imagine burnout and loneliness to be the biggest issues. I think money won't be a problem. It is how you manage yourself. Thank you for your insights.

[@WandererBell]

You are correct. Initially, burnout and loneliness are significant challenges, but over time, you adapt and they become more manageable.