Sometimes I ask myself questions and often when I am around other people I ask them questions as well. I am curious about the world around me and have always been. It’s good to ask questions to gain knowledge. Knowledge is power after all. As we are just past the middle of the year, I tend am looking back and reevaluate what I wanted when the year began. One of my main goals for this year was to travel to 4 countries before the end of the year. So sometimes we need to look internally and gain knowledge about ourselves and what it is that we truly desire. For this goal these are some of the questions I have had to answer this year:

What type of travel do you want to do?

How long would you like to travel between work?

What type of experiences do you want to have?

What do you want the work in between travel to look like?

What type of progress do you want to have made at the year’s end? did you write a list?

Were you able to cross off the things you wanted to do?

If you were would it give you a sense of achievement/fulfilment?

What would make future you look in the mirror and say “I am proud of you?”

It's mid-year and I have now seen a bit of 3 countries and booked the fourth. Sometimes it hits me how privileged I am to be able to do that. As a generation, I think we take for granted the freedom of movement that we are given. These last two years have placed certain things into perspective. The need to escape being glued to one place has increased 3 folds. I started travelling to discover what I wanted my life to be. I wanted to see and experience as much as I could before the age of 35 and decide what is ideal for me. When I started, it was with the long-term Gap year mindset. Given how expensive travelling is, I had to figure out how to travel on a budget and have my money last as long as possible before I started looking for a job again. As accommodation is the most expensive part of travelling it was only logical to focus on getting rid of that expense. This is now the 3rd time in which I have been able to do so through working for accommodation. It’s not technically wwoofing as it’s never been on a farm. However, it is the same concept in a different environment, you volunteer/work for 4-5 hours 5 days per week and get accommodation and food provided. I have had 2 other similar experiences and I am really enjoying this one as well. So I have decided to document this experience in a series in hopes it will help future travellers like me to gain perspective on what’s possible.

Are you thinking of travelling? need a break away from work ? Take that trip!!! Now is the best time to start travelling again. I know it’s all possible through budget travel.

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Taking a short stay trip to explore a new city? Find affordable accommodation on Hostelworld.

Like the first few months in Australia, this work for accommodation life is seeming too good to be true. When I first arrived in Australia, after a few weeks of changing hostels every few days, I wanted a long term stay. I managed to land a work for accommodation job at a hostel for about 5 weeks in Surfers Paradise. I was living my best life, drinking, partying and taking trips to the beach most days . I was having so much fun everyday but I kept feeling “ this is not real life you have to get back to normal”. This second time around, there is no longer such a thing as normal life after experiencing such a variety of ways of living.

This new adventure began June 28th, I arrived early morning. My host picked me up from the train station and gave me a driving tour of the region, told me about activities available in the area and cool sites that were walking distance from the house. I arrived, met the family, had some food after which I took a very long nap. I was exhausted after travelling. In the first few days, yes I worked those 4-5 hours BUT All I wanted for summer was to see a different part of France.

Days 2 after working a few hours taking stones out of a wall, I got driven to what would be first of many water bodies in these chapters. I really enjoy being out in nature but I also like the convenience of returning to my creature comforts readily.

Days 3 was a movie hosted by a local high/middle school.

Day 4 was chill. I had chores to do so i think i stayed in bed

Day 5 we went and had coffee at yet another water body. one thing about me, I love water. drinking it, seeing it, smelling the oceans, hearing the waves, swimming in it. And since I have gotten her everyday there has been water and its been lovely. After coffee we headed into a little town . I walked along the coast with Their daughter and father

Day 6 there was a BBQ and we roasted marshmallows over a fire.

By day 7 I knew i was back to living the life I was meant to be living. Given this is my first experience I would say I would try this again in another part of the country.

I live for a view, and I like when my days are varied I get driven around to see the sites and my meals are included and my recreation is covered. People are around when I want to play board games and I get space to myself to work on personal projects. This is a better life. I signed up for 4 weeks but maybe we will do this again. Part 2 coming soon.