Quick Guide to Planning a Long-term Trip Abroad
Congrats! You’ve finally decided to take the plunge and travel abroad for a year. But you really don’t know exactly where to start. You have come to the right place. Planning an extended trip doesn’t have to be an unnerving task. We have created this Quick Guide to a Long-term Trip Abroad to give you access to everything you need to know all in one place.
As a traveler myself, I’ve scoured many guidebooks and blog post to get the information I need for all my travel plans. However, it seems that, although there is a good number of sources, there weren’t many that hit every point, at least not for free. Others had too much needless information or links to follow and no real content. We wanted to create a guide that has all the combined elements good easy to follow content, at no cost, easily accessed and downloaded for your safe keeping.
As, a bonus, I am going to give you the option t download the ALLinONE.doc with checklists, to help you stay organized, making it easier for those wanted to follow in my footsteps. Y
GUIDE CONTENTS
I. Phase 1 Destination
A. Step 1 Where are you going?
B. Step 2 When are you going?
C. Step 3 How long are you staying?
D. Step 4 Choosing Your Route
II. Phase 2 Extensive Research
A. Familiarize Yourself with Your Visiting Country
III. Phase 3 Pricing and Budgeting
A. How and What to Price
B. Creating a Cost List
C. Creating a Weekly Budget
IV. Phase 4 Clerical Tasks
A. Documents
B. Financial Responsibilities
C. Signing off on Final Check List
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Phase 1 Where, When & How Long?
Step 1 Where?
First and foremost, where are you going? By now you may already have this figured out. But in case you haven’t. Ask yourself these questions.
Are there any cultures, places, monuments or travel specifics that have always interested you? What type of weather do you prefer? Are you traveling solo?
After answering these questions, I inevitably chose SE Asia.
Step 2 When?
This again is a very important step because it correlates with later planning. Depending on when will determine the type of gear, clothing, accommodations, attractions, and transportation choice.
Step 3 How Long?
Later, we will want to create a budget. Without knowing how long we will be gone, we will not know how much we need. For the sake of this guide, three months or longer is considered an extended stay. When I travel, I like to immerse myself in the culture. Learning and experiencing as much as possible, so I could easily write 3 or more 1500-word articles. Each month of travel should allow for a month-long stay in each destination. 3.5 weeks per country and the remainder for your time in transit. Of course, this is only a plan, and just like my man, Andre 3000 from Outkast said, “You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can’t predict the weather”, the unexpected will happen. You may stay more or less time, depending on how you feel about the current visiting country.
Step 4 Choose Your route
The route will depend on the time of year you decide on and weather preference. Check the weather AND FOLLOW the path in direction of your desired weather choice. You don’t need to decide which cities, on which day or get too far into the details. Just figure out where you starting, and whether you're going NESW from there, and so on.
EXAMPLE:
These are the Countries and Cities I have chosen and the order in which I plan to visit. I already have my cities planned, but this is not necessary until way later.
Thailand Dec – 3.5 weeks Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai
Myanmar Jan – 3.5 weeks Yangon, Mandalay, and Bagan
Vietnam Feb - 3.5 weeks from Hanoi, Hoi An, Ha Long Bay, Sa Pa, Chi Ming City
Cambodia March – 3.5 weeks, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang
Indonesia April - 4 weeks, Bali, Yogyakarta, Ubed, Java, Boneo
Malaysia May – 3 weeks Kuala Lumpor, Georgetown, Penang
Phase 2 Extensive Research
Okay fellow travel junkies, you know when, where and how long. Now, you need to do your part as a responsible tourist and do some internet exploration of your chosen destinations. As a promoter eco-friendly tourism, -research takes the cake on responsible traveling, also, it should continue throughout your whole planning process. There is much to discover before you even think of purchase your ticket and even after. Much of your time, initially, should be spent on Phase 2.
Step 1 Familiarize Yourself with Your Visiting Country
History
Look into the background, learn a little about the place your visiting. There political past, tourism info, language, customs, religion etc.
Local Etiquette
Are there things you shouldn’t say or do? Are there things you should do? How can you be a respectful visitor?
Dress
What should you wear? What do they wear? What is appropriate? What do you need to be comfortable in their weather? How much money should you allocate for clothing? Can you get what you need there? Is cultural appropriation a thing?
NOTE: Little personal advice on cultural appropriation. I have a rule that has always worked for me. Do not wear anything that is represented by religion, cultural customs, or duties.
Laws
What is the legal drinking age? What type of drugs are illegal (prescription too) and what are the consequences of having or doing them? Can I legally drive here? What are the Visa requirements?
Safety
Is this country safe for – solo traveler, women, or any other specifics to your needs? What are the crime statistics? Which cities are the safest? Are there any notifications or advisories specific to travelers from your home country?
Religion
What is their primary religion? Is “this country” a religious place? What are the daily customs of said religion? Are there gender-specific roles you should be aware of? What is the policy on visiting religious locations?
Phase 3 Pricing
How much money do you need?
Here’s the good news, you already have when, where, how long, and a possible route. Now we need to figure out how much it will take to execute that plan. So, as I said before, research will be continuous. But I’ve figured out a strategy. Stay with me here. This section has a lot of information because we have taken the time to explain in depth how to create a successful budget plan, that has proven to work for me time and time again
Step 1 Pricing
Passport
(2019) Passports can be obtained at your local post office. Bring a copy of your state-issued license, and an original copy of your birth certificate. You will have to let them send your original BC, but they will copy your ID. You can either get your own passport photos at most pharmacies or take and purchase them at the post office. You will be sworn in and provide money order in the amount of $191. 4- 6 weeks later, you will be internationally approved. (CHECK YOUR LOCAL OFFICE TO MAKE APPOINTMENT AND VERIFY DETAILS).
Visa Requirements
This is easy. There is either Visa on arrival, in which you can obtain a Visa at the airport or applying ahead of time via online or in person at an embassy. Depending on the country that issues your passport, you may not need to pay for a Visa at all. Each country has its own requirements, that change frequently, which can be found on their websites.
Lodging Accommodations
What type of sleep arrangements do you prefer? There are budget hotel and hostels, camping, glamping. Airbnb, couch surfing, house sitting, volunteer stays. Do you prefer a private bathroom? What are you looking for in accommodations and budget?
Transportation
Do you plan to drive, rent a scooter, take a bus or train? Does your visiting country have a taxi service like Uber or Grab? What would be best on a budget?
Activities
Are you an adrenaline junky or a slow pace site see-er? Do you the beach or jet skiing? Walks n the park or group adventure treks? There is something for everyone, everywhere. But you will want to get an idea of what you want to do, so you can get an estimate of the cost.
Airfare
Finding the cheapest flight. Now I suggest looking up ticket prices and the moment you have enough to make your purchase you do so. The problem here is until you actually make a purchase, you can only estimate the cost. The price can change between time researched and bought. It is well known that the sooner you buy a ticket, the better the price will be. When making a purchase, you will want to look into a few things. How many overlays does our flight have? Sometimes, if you don’t mind multiple or long overlays you can get a better price. What are the luggage stipulations? How much can you have? What is the price if you are overweight?
Vaccines
There are requirements and recommendations. Pay close attention to the differences. I suggest doing your own research, making an appointment with a physician and discuss the options specific to your personal medical needs. I find it better to be safe than sorry. Here is a list of the possible vaccinations.
Travelers Insurance
I never travel overseas without travel insurance. I used World Nomads and have been satisfied up to date. Make sure to read the fine print and choose the right plan.
Gear and Clothing
Need a camera, clothing, backpack or luggage, hammock, or any other travel gear. Here is a very simple way to narrow down your provisions and save money, while organizing, and estimate their cost of these necessities.
A. Make a List of what you think you need
B. Go to Amazon.com/Walmart.com/ or your chosen online shopping Website
C. Price the Items and add them to your cart
Now, look at the total…freak out, take all not needed items out, look at the total, repeat if needed. Trust me, once you start online window shopping, you find things, unnecessary, pointless things, and want to buy them. Remember:
You do not have a home while traveling, so…
You have to carry everything with you most times.
You will acquire and most certainly purge items as you go, so make smart purchases
I like to add everything to my cart and get a total I can live with. I have what is needed, I won’t do a bunch of sporadic purchasing, thus saving money.
Packing
What do you need to pack, depends on weather, activities, and accessibility to personal hygiene and toiletries. What type of clothing and gear will you need? What can you acquire in your travels?
Step 2 How to Create a Cost list
Step 3 Create a Weekly Budget Plan
Doing a budget by the week allows me to keep a consistent amount designated to my bills. Whatever is left over go directly into my travel funds, hopefully, what I need or more. If I were to wait until the end of the month, that money may be spent as it is thought extra. Also doing a weekly budget is a great way to get ahead, as you’re paying on bills before they are even due. More importantly, a budget allows me to see real financial possibilities. There have been times where I’ve had to change departure dates after completing my chart.
EXAMPLE
Time Budget Spreadsheet
Formula: X total needed /divided by/ X # of weeks of saving = X amount per week
From this point on you should be saving and making purchases as you go. In the last few weeks before departure there are a few small but mighty “clerical task”, to be completed.
Scan all Documents
--->Passport & Passport ID Card
--->ID
--->Birth certificate
--->Airline Itinerary
--->Bank Card
Save Copies
--->Cloud
--->External Hard Drive and
--->Email a copy to yourself and trusted person (not bank card)
Print Out Copies:
--->Passport 1 for you, 1 for home, 1 for travel buddy
--->ID & Birth Cert. 1 for you, 1 for home, 1 for travel buddy
--->Airline Itinerary 1 for you, 1 for home, 1 for travel buddy
Financial Responsibilities
--->Contact banks and notify of travel dates and countries
--->Switch account to travel friendly Account
--->Cancel Recurring Paid Subscriptions
--->gym
--->monthly deliveries
--->games and programs
--->car insurance
--->house hold bills
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Thank you and i hope this guide helps to get on the road and start living your dream.
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Great advice! I've been to many of the places on your list, and it looks to be the trip of a lifetime.
@joshman thank you. I've been once before and I am going again with a one-way ticket. I'm currently working on a more in-depth guide to visiting Myanmar. Hopefully you like that one to Again, thank you for the vote.