Webby
Tue 20 Feb 2007
I thought it was about time that I mentioned the down side to this working and travelling life that has consumed me over the last year and a half.
Don’t get me wrong when I say I am still enjoying what I am doing and feel very fortunate to be given this level of freedom. I just thought it would be useful to mention some of the negatives.
One such negative I suppose is always being on the move. I guess this is just like normal travelling when you become tired of constantly moving on. Similarly moving on from a place means moving on from friends that you make. This again is something else that normal travellers experience.
I also have very little structure in my life at the moment; in fact I have no structure whatsoever! This is not so much of a negative as it is quite easy to reverse this by staying put in one place (like I did in Auckland and have done in Bali).
On the work side of things I do find working on my own not so fun anymore. I had a job before where I could work from home three days a week and once the novelty had worn off I actually looked forward to going in to the office!
Well I do miss the social contact that a normal job brings. I would be a liar if I said I did not.
So ultimately I will be going back to a job that does not involve working so much on my own. Of course I am never alone when I travel. It’s actually hard to be by oneself!
I will continue to work on my sites while they are providing me with an income. Perhaps I could sell my sites one day but it’s still a great (paying) hobby as well as being a constant challenge. So why would I?
I have been somewhere for the last few days without mobile phone coverage so apologies to anyone who is waiting for me to get back to them.
February 20th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Do you think needing to work kept you from going places or doing things that you wanted to do? Did you find yourself thinking, I’d like to go there for a couple of weeks but the internet access is bad, or I need to stay here and work?
And how was the heli-hike?
February 20th, 2007 at 11:42 am
why not start up a company when you get back - employ a couple of other people to start up similar websites, do the day to day running, monitor some PPC campaigns, and generally expand until you have some large authority websites?
you could easily then just take a few weeks off when you have other people running it for you, and travel when you feel like it, plus you’ll have something more solid that you’ve built.
I’m starting by employing my mother! she retired last year and is bored, so i’ve got her writing me fresh articles on subjects when i want to start a new site! it suits me, and it pays her better than taking a low paying 2 day a week admin job to keep her occupied. As an ex-english teacher, she’s ideally suited to writing mini articles for me!
February 20th, 2007 at 2:59 pm
Feeling this way is a natural side-effect of long-term travel…. Hang in there Webby, trust me, you’ll be sick of the social interaction at the office within a month of being there again…..
Keep livin’ the dream!
February 20th, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Hey Webby.
Just wanted to share a story with you.
This exact same thing happened to me after about 16 months in Japan/SE Asia. I started thinking about everything that I missed about home or my old life there. But I felt like I “had to travel”. It’s what I do, and that’s why I was still doing it.
You might just need a little reminder as to why you started travelling in the first place.
Listen, if it’s time to go home, then go home. Trust me, you won’t be there long. I bet within 6 months of being back at an office job, you’ll be ready for the road again.
Travelling is a personal choice made for personal experience and growth. If you’re doing it for any other reason, it starts to feel like work.
Best of luck. Your site is an inspiration.
February 20th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
>So ultimately I will be going back to a job that does not involve working so much on my own.
Wow… big decision. Not back to the 9-5, surely? The thing we’re all clawing to get out of back home?
I think Matty’s idea of starting a business is a great one… employ some people to talk to and do the menial tasks ;D
February 20th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Sure you might be working alone but how many hours a day do you actually work? I thought it was only a few hours. Do the work, maybe scatter it out a bit with an hour in the morning and a couple in the afternoon and then you’re free to socialise with whoever you like without being chained to your desk and trapped with the same people all the time.
I’m afraid I’m not very sympathetic. haha
February 20th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
I think you are confusing long-term travel which yes can get a bit old and lonely, and being self-employed. most people who are self-employed dont travel as you do. You could easily rent a house somewhere (the south of France would probably be my choice) and continue working but also have the opportunity to make some community connections and setup a “routine”. You just sound a bit lonely - I wouldnt consider getting a job as an antidote for that.
February 21st, 2007 at 12:53 am
I’d trade places with you Webby. After all you do have the option of staying put for a while any time you feel like it without having to think about getting a job.
You may find that your reason for hitting a brick wall, so to speak is not the lack of company or office banter, but something within yourself that’s simply unfulfilled. Don’t we all have our own personal version of that?
Travelling alone makes you more aware of what’s going on inside of you. Many people who commute to the office are just too preoccupied to notice. I think you’re alright mate, nothing out of the norm.
Keep it up Webby we’re all relying on you to keep us inpired
February 21st, 2007 at 3:14 am
The grass is always greener…
Matty had a good suggestion - about the business.
Remember too that there are many people like you in every city who work alone and need some social interaction.
In Sydney there are actually a few places where you can rent a desk (instead of a whole office) for quite cheap (Australia Technology Park for example). Gives you the social interaction and let’s you leave whenever you want. That would be the best of both worlds.
February 21st, 2007 at 8:38 pm
I am certainly not looking for sympathy!
I thought it would be good to mention some of the down sides to this, it certainly is n’t all good all of the time.
The only place I have held back on is Nepal because I would go there to do the Annapurna circuit which can take 20 days - 20 days is a long time to be away from the web and I would find myself rushing around to get back which would ruin the experience.
The helihike was excellent fun thanks! Highly recommend it. I am going to be paragliding next in Queenstown…
February 24th, 2007 at 1:55 am
I will never go back to the 9-5 office thing, as long as I can help it - i was thinking more of doing a job like teaching at a college, perhaps part time so I could work on the web the other time.
I am considering moving to Madrid to take Spanish lessons and do a CELTA with a view of teaching English in Madrid on a part time basis to see if I would enjoy teaching….
Thanks for all your advice by the way, much appreciated
February 24th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Just got back from Madrid and the Pueblo Ingles thing… LOVED it! Am signed on to do another at the end of June then do a bit of travelling around Spain to some of the places recommended. Madrid seems like a fantastic city.
February 24th, 2007 at 10:46 pm
Glad you enjoyed it Kirsty, fantastic experience is n’t it!
I am going to do one later in the summer again and yes Madrid is a fab place…
March 11th, 2007 at 7:33 am
Hi folks,
This is a great topic. I started travelling (long term) when I was 24 and now I am almost 32. I changed pretty much myself during this period, and yes, I agree that some growing pains are more clear when you are out on the road and definitely when you are out on your own. I reckon you all agree on this.
Having no structure can be very stressy sometimes but hey, order is for full-time 9 to 5 dudes,…, genius can handle chaos
” I will never go back to the 9-5 office thing, as long as I can help it ”
I have been going back to Europe - Belgium in my case - frequently to get my hands on some cash however, and I still think it is a good combination doing the 6 months work/6 months traveling thing. (or 75 % travel if possible).
A few webpages that bring in some pocketmoney for on the road expenses would be highly appreciated though. Or like Midelifetravel stated to have a movable office and go to the south of France and work from there if you feel like doing so … count me in.
Guess you will see me on the WN forum, because I am signing up.
Dionys
Dharamsala, India
(yes yes, broadband-connection over here)