This is an article written for those of us dedicated to long-term travel who are a little bit tired of the same old questions. “Why are you leaving everything behind?”, “What about your job?”, “Aren’t you scared?”. It gets tiresome, so maybe print out this page and hand it to anyone who asks you travel-related questions. Of course the short answer is “because I bloody well want to!” You’re young, hot and living by the laws of YOLO baby…

1. If not now, when?

You’re not getting any younger, so make hay while the sun is shining and head out into the big wide world. Seriously though, the older you get, the harder it is to drop everything on a whim.

2. Everything will still be there if you go back

The career you left, your friends and family, they’ll all be waiting for you if and when you choose to go back home. Taking a year or two out of your life is a drop in the ocean – You’re not Rihanna, no one minds if you take a break.

3. Your Instagram feed will be sickening

Legit reason to visit 20 countries – you will induce envy in all of your friends back home every time you post a picture of you on a white sand beach (which will be frequently). Sorry not sorry.

My Instagram Feed

4. It will look good on your CV

Far from ruining your job chances, taking a sabbatical from your career can be very appealing to employers. Firstly, if you’ve visited most of the globe, you’re unlikely to quit one day while saying ‘I need to see the world’, you’ve been there, done that. Plus solo travel requires a lot of independence, organisation and gumption (possibly the first and last time I’ll ever use that word). If you’ve navigated South America with only a backpack and three words of Spanish, that presentation will be a breeze.

5. You’ll never have to wake up early again

Okay, so maybe you have a flight to catch or you just want to, but really you’re not going to be getting up at 6.30am five days a week while you’re travelling. That would be madness.

6. You don’t have to work!!!

No boss, no annoying colleagues (not my old workmates, but y’know), no commute. Dream, imagine how stress free you’ll be! And if you do have to work it’ll be picking fruit or bar tending just to get you to your next destination… no stress at all.

7. You’re going to see so many new things

When was the last time you saw something that took your breath away? Corny sentence, but still, answer the question… Can’t remember? That’s normal. Real life tends to see us stuck in a routine so same-y that we get deja vu almost daily. If you’re a in a new country every month you’re going to have so many first time experiences you’ll feel like  newborn baby.

8. You’ll meet lots and lots of new people

Yes, even if you’re travelling alone. This is because there will be lots of other people travelling alone, eager for a mate to talk to. You’ll meet people from all over the world, from all walks of life. This will come in handy in a few years time when you want some free accommodation in Sydney.

Ph. Credit: Grey Malin 

Why do I travel? Find out here.