Start Traveling in 2024

I get asked all the time how I started to travel, and usually I tell people the same (albeit pretty obvious) advice: I just started. I often Google ways to get out of the service industry and am greeted with the same sentence: “Just get out.” Just find another job, harder than it looks when my entire resume is serving jobs, but there are other things out there. There are other ways of making money, I just had to start. So, as my first post of the New Year, I decided to write a more in depth version of my typical one word answer.

If you don’t have a passport- get one!

For years, I’ve been putting off applying for my European passport, which would allow me to live and work in Europe because I am an Irish citizen. I’m so mad at myself because these things can take so much time and if I had just done it, I could’ve had it by now. I got my first US passport when I was about 7 months old, my mom wanted to take me to Ireland. Since then, it’s just been renewing my passport over and over again. During the pandemic, my passport expired and I had no passport for about a year. I put that off too, until I really needed it and then I had to pay for expedited shipping. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to renew my passport. I got it mailed to my house in 4 weeks. I guess what I’m trying to say here, is that even people like me who travel all the time put off important things like this. Take it from me- don’t put it off! When the courage to book the ticket hits you, you don’t want any red tape stopping you. I believe it’s less than $200 to get a passport- start there!

Weekend Trips & Off Season Travel

If you aren’t in the seasonal industry like me, you most likely have a job or school from Monday through Friday. You most likely have commitments at home that keep you from traveling. I totally understand that, I worked in LA Sunday through Wednesday and had off from Thursday to Saturday. I was usually exhausted from being run off of my feet for 4 days straight, but I made the absolute most of the time I did have, and you should too. I remember a Wednesday I worked from 7.30am until 3.30pm. Then I hopped in my car and drove from LA to the Grand Canyon. I got there at around 1am Arizona time. I was so exhausted, but enjoyed my time at the park. It was pretty in December and very empty. Also very cold, but I didn’t mind. Off season travel is one of the best ways to keep cost down. I was running a pretty tight budget, California isn’t cheap. I spent $250 on accommodation for 3 nights and about $120 on gas. Unless I’m eating out, I don’t usually factor food into my budget, because I’d have to eat regardless if I was in California or Arizona. Call it Girl Math if you want to, but I actually saved money by buying food in Arizona instead of in Los Angeles.

Weekend trips are an amazing way to start, you’re usually close to home, it’s low commitment and high reward. Because you aren’t going too far away, you can sometimes drive to your destination or take a short flight. I usually try to go to at least one new place a month! I browse flights on Skyscanner and then try to just go with the cheapest option for the dates I have available.

Stay in Hostels!

I know they aren’t super common in the US, I’ve actually only stayed in them abroad, but hostels are the #1 best way of meeting people if you have no one to go with you on your trips. The best part, is that 9 times out of 10, the people you meet in hostels will be like minded individuals who will also be traveling alone. Solo travel can be scary, but when you stay in hostels, odds are you’ll be less alone than you think. Hostels also often host tours to nearby activities and you can go with the new friends you’ve made in your dorm! Hostels aren’t the way they used to be even 20 years ago. Most of the ones I’ve stayed and worked in have curtains, clean facilities, lockers, female-only options, and events in the evening. Even if you only make friends for the evening, hostels are a great way to get out there and meet other travelers.

Volunteer

With the rise of sites like Worldpackers, I would definitely recommend doing a volunteer trip. I do Worldpackers all the time and not only has it saved me so much money, it allows me to slow down on my travels and really get to know a place instead of just passing through. Oftentimes Worldpackers will offer things like free yoga classes, meals, accommodation, bicycles, and so much more. I’ve had the best time at all of the Worldpackers that I’ve done and I couldn’t recommend doing something like this more! That is, if you have the time. A lot of Worldpackers do ask that you stay for at least 4 weeks, however there are some that you can do for a few days or 2 weeks! IT’s only $50 a year to sign up and it’s so beyond worth it.

Happy Traveling!

As always my instagram dms are open @_deirdredwyer