How To Travel For A Year

Have you ever thought about how to travel for a year, exploring the entire country and even the world?  Traveling can be a very exciting and enlightening experience, especially if you have a chance to meet new people and experience different cultures.  Of course, if you are wanting to travel for a year, you have to think of a reasonable way to support yourself while you embark on this new endeavour.  With a bit of luck and planning you will be on that Transatlantic flight in no time!

 Things You'll Need:

• passport
• laptop
• driver's license
• cell phone
• plane tickets

1. Obtain employment so you have income.  If you did not happen to save up money before deciding to travel for a year, you need to be working while you are away.  If you have skills in writing or photography, a freelance job will provide you with an opportunity to travel for a year, and work remotely.  You can search for publications online to acquire freelance employment prior to your departure.  If you are not interested in writing or photography, consider working for one of the cruise lines or a job where you are telecommuting.  The only thing you really need to work remotely is a laptop and the sky is the limit in terms of where you can go and what you can do. 
2. Make sure your passport is current.  Anytime you are traveling overseas, always make sure your passport is current and that it will not expire before you return.  Have a couple of copies of this in a separate location from the physical passport, in case the passport is lost or stolen while you are traveling.
3. Figure out if you plan on driving. If you are thinking of how to travel for a year, having a driver's license will make things much easier for you in terms of getting around.  You may want or need to rent a car to get from point A to point B. 
4. Call your cell phone carrier.  Make contact with your cell phone company and tell them you are planning to travel for a year.  Figure out if you will have international coverage and if you will need to change carriers.  It is best to have a cell phone in case of an emergency if you travel for a year.  Consider buying phone cards overseas, and making calls to the States from landline phones so that it is not too expensive for you.
5. Research countries overseas and plan an initial itinerary. If you are wanting to travel for a year it is best to have a general plan.  Some countries want you to have a visa for entry so you can opt to avoid these countries or to apply for the necessary visas. 
6. Book airfare for the trip.  For the first part of your trip you can book one way tickets to a couple of countries.  Give yourself ample time in between your departure dates to visit various cities within the specific country you are visiting. 

Tips:

• Europe can definitely be more expensive than traveling through Asia and Africa, so keep this in mind. 
• Always make sure you are honest with Border Agencies for each country, to avoid being detained.  If you are traveling for a year, make sure you have the money to do so or that you will be working.  If the Border Agency for a certain country feels like you may be trying to live there indefinitely, they may send you back to the United States.  That is why it is a good idea to have a general plan if you are trying to travel for a year.  Aside from those minor details you are all set!