Don't you just love how unpredictable life is?
A spontaneous trip to Australia in January is where it all started.
From that moment on, I was determined to travel. I made it my mission to see as much of the world as I could on a graduate salary and 27 days holiday.
In March, my mum and I went to Paris, France to celebrate her birthday and my new job. In August, me and my friends went to Brussels, Belgium to visit a friend we met in Australia. In October, two of my friendship groups joined together for a winter getaway to Reykjavik, Iceland.
In March, my mum and I went to Paris, France to celebrate her birthday and my new job. In August, me and my friends went to Brussels, Belgium to visit a friend we met in Australia. In October, two of my friendship groups joined together for a winter getaway to Reykjavik, Iceland.
Visiting multiple countries in one year isn't actually as difficult as people think. If anything, the most difficult thing is finding people to go with. Luckily that problem was eradicated for me when I met my 'travel friends' (as I like to call them) in Australia at the beginning of the year. If I hadn't have met them, there's absolutely no way I would have had the adventures I've had this year. I was extremely lucky to meet a group of people who share the same desire to travel as I do, and who are in exactly the same boat as me when it comes to working/studying full time. Trust me, it can be done!
So, if you're lucky enough to have a partner, family member, best friend or group of friends you can go away with - grab the bull by the horns and do it!
TRAVEL. LIVE LIFE.
If not, don't panic! This is how I visited 4 countries in 1 year whilst working full time...
1. DON'T WASTE YOUR ANNUAL LEAVE
27 days + bank holidays (the amount I get) might sound like a lot, but stretch it over the course of a year and you'll find that it runs out very quickly. I've purposely been very sensible with mine. Want a 4 day mini break to Paris? Don't book 4 days off - that's a waste. Go over the weekend so you only have to take the Friday and the Monday off. I flew to Brussels and back in just 2 DAYS and only needed the Friday off work. Trust me, you don't need as much time off as you think you do! Save your annual leave for a time when you'll really need it. There's nothing worse than needing a good holiday but not being able to book one because you've used all of your holidays!
Alternatively, if you HAVE to use up your annual leave by a certain date - make the most of it! Don't sit at home being bored (everyone else will be at work and daytime TV really isn't that great...) Use that precious time off to visit a new country because, lets be honest, who would choose to stay in the UK when they don't have to?
2. EUROPE IS CHEAP - MAKE THE MOST OF IT!
Granted, it isn't as cheap as Asia but still... Europe is so affordable! We're lucky that us Brits live so close to mainland Europe that it literally costs nothing to hop on a flight or jump on the Eurostar and we're there. I'm pretty sure my trips to Paris and Brussels cost no more than £200 (return transport and accommodation) for 2 nights, which ANYONE can save if they put their minds to it. Trust me when I say hostels and airbnb are the way forward! Don't bother with overpriced hotels - they aren't worth it. If you're going away to enjoy yourself and have fun, chances are you won't be spending a lot of time in your room anyway. I'd much rather rough it in a hostel for a couple of nights than pay an extra £100 for complimentary shampoo and conditioner that I won't use.
As for flights, always fly from London. Yes it may be inconvenient getting up at 3am to get the 4 hour coach down to Heathrow (you don't even wanna know how many times I've done that journey), but again it will save you a bomb on flights compared to flying from your local airport (East Midlands why so expensive?!) Do your research and you'll soon realise how cheap holidays to Europe can be.
3. NO ONE WILL GO WITH YOU? GO ALONE!
This decision was the best one I've ever made. You might have the time off work, you might have the money... but oh no! You have no one to go with. I think this is something that holds a lot of people back from travelling as much as they want to. A lot of the time you can't rely on other people because everyone is off living their own lives and have their own schedules that will never match up with yours. You're skint when they have money... they're going back to uni when you have money... you both have money but want to go to different countries. It really is impossible. As I said, if you're lucky enough to have someone to travel with then you're already halfway there! But if you don't, there's nothing stopping you from going on your own! There are SO many tour groups out there and, although they're not for everyone, going on a Contiki tour to Australia was the best thing I've EVER done in my whole entire life! Read about my trip to the land down under here
4. JUST BOOK IT!
One of my pet peeves is hearing people go on and on about how much they want to go somewhere, yet they never actually book anything! What is stopping you? If you can get the time off work/uni and have money saved up (which everyone is capable of doing! Read my tips here) then you've got yourself a winning formula! When my manager at New Look said I could have 3 weeks off to go to Australia, the first thing I did when I finished my shift was go to STA Travel to book my flights. £1200 gone just like that, but I didn't bat an eyelid because it was something I really wanted.
Don't say... do. I could reel off a million and one travel quotes from Pinterest right now but I'll try and refrain myself. But honestly, anything is possible if you put your mind to it :)
xxx
So, if you're lucky enough to have a partner, family member, best friend or group of friends you can go away with - grab the bull by the horns and do it!
TRAVEL. LIVE LIFE.
If not, don't panic! This is how I visited 4 countries in 1 year whilst working full time...
1. DON'T WASTE YOUR ANNUAL LEAVE
27 days + bank holidays (the amount I get) might sound like a lot, but stretch it over the course of a year and you'll find that it runs out very quickly. I've purposely been very sensible with mine. Want a 4 day mini break to Paris? Don't book 4 days off - that's a waste. Go over the weekend so you only have to take the Friday and the Monday off. I flew to Brussels and back in just 2 DAYS and only needed the Friday off work. Trust me, you don't need as much time off as you think you do! Save your annual leave for a time when you'll really need it. There's nothing worse than needing a good holiday but not being able to book one because you've used all of your holidays!
Alternatively, if you HAVE to use up your annual leave by a certain date - make the most of it! Don't sit at home being bored (everyone else will be at work and daytime TV really isn't that great...) Use that precious time off to visit a new country because, lets be honest, who would choose to stay in the UK when they don't have to?
2. EUROPE IS CHEAP - MAKE THE MOST OF IT!
Granted, it isn't as cheap as Asia but still... Europe is so affordable! We're lucky that us Brits live so close to mainland Europe that it literally costs nothing to hop on a flight or jump on the Eurostar and we're there. I'm pretty sure my trips to Paris and Brussels cost no more than £200 (return transport and accommodation) for 2 nights, which ANYONE can save if they put their minds to it. Trust me when I say hostels and airbnb are the way forward! Don't bother with overpriced hotels - they aren't worth it. If you're going away to enjoy yourself and have fun, chances are you won't be spending a lot of time in your room anyway. I'd much rather rough it in a hostel for a couple of nights than pay an extra £100 for complimentary shampoo and conditioner that I won't use.
As for flights, always fly from London. Yes it may be inconvenient getting up at 3am to get the 4 hour coach down to Heathrow (you don't even wanna know how many times I've done that journey), but again it will save you a bomb on flights compared to flying from your local airport (East Midlands why so expensive?!) Do your research and you'll soon realise how cheap holidays to Europe can be.
3. NO ONE WILL GO WITH YOU? GO ALONE!
This decision was the best one I've ever made. You might have the time off work, you might have the money... but oh no! You have no one to go with. I think this is something that holds a lot of people back from travelling as much as they want to. A lot of the time you can't rely on other people because everyone is off living their own lives and have their own schedules that will never match up with yours. You're skint when they have money... they're going back to uni when you have money... you both have money but want to go to different countries. It really is impossible. As I said, if you're lucky enough to have someone to travel with then you're already halfway there! But if you don't, there's nothing stopping you from going on your own! There are SO many tour groups out there and, although they're not for everyone, going on a Contiki tour to Australia was the best thing I've EVER done in my whole entire life! Read about my trip to the land down under here
4. JUST BOOK IT!
One of my pet peeves is hearing people go on and on about how much they want to go somewhere, yet they never actually book anything! What is stopping you? If you can get the time off work/uni and have money saved up (which everyone is capable of doing! Read my tips here) then you've got yourself a winning formula! When my manager at New Look said I could have 3 weeks off to go to Australia, the first thing I did when I finished my shift was go to STA Travel to book my flights. £1200 gone just like that, but I didn't bat an eyelid because it was something I really wanted.
Don't say... do. I could reel off a million and one travel quotes from Pinterest right now but I'll try and refrain myself. But honestly, anything is possible if you put your mind to it :)
xxx
Love these tips! I'm a part-time traveller too and I can never understand the people that don't take advantage of their vacation days!
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