I am new and maybe just a whale in terms of life experiences. I invested in travel experiences that are saved in a vault somewhere down my mind, and now steemit has given me the key to unlock it. That’s 4 years of crazy, dangerous, happy, sad, exciting experiences in different parts of the world worth writing about. I only wish I have all the energy to write more posts every day.

I was a Reports/QA Analyst for like 7 years, but I didn’t find meaning in this earn more, buy more, work more anymore. Now I am more into work less and live more. Friends are getting married and I’m still that crazy woman-child who is not taking life seriously. I read a book about this artist who sketches and travels with less money, and he inspired me to travel. Che Guevara's’ Motorcycle Diaries and Into the Wild also motivated me to get out of my comfort zone and defy society.

I booked a one-way ticket and only had around $800 me. That was not really enough to travel the world actually, but during those years I met some friends along the way who helped me big time. I also had some jobs and volunteering opportunities that helped me fund my trip.

I had nothing but courage. I just trust the universe will conspire to help me achieve my dream.

I don’t think I will go back to the corporate life, a lot of things have changed and I don’t think the same anymore. I prefer to work on a start-up project however difficult, and just be my own boss someday.

Long-travel is really life-changing for me, as it has broadened my mind, gave me new ideas and meaningful experiences. Below are the reasons I can travel and live off steemit at the moment.

I live simply

Minimalist life is the number one thing for me, and it was not an easy lifestyle at the beginning. Gone were the high heels, compulsive shopping and party days. I packed my life in a 32L backpack, and after a couple of years, I was surprised how I was able to live just with that. But of course, there is this constant adding and eliminating of stuff along the way. I always remove the extra weight as I prefer to be able to walk freely for a long time and run quickly when I need to. It is true when they say that ‘less is more’. I realized that I don’t really need that much in life, but I’m willing to invest in things that will give me some return like a laptop (I used this for writing and freelancing), camera (travel photos) and a cellphone (for useful apps). But these are not expensive brands because I always lose stuff when I travel anyway. I just make sure I have what I need.

When I removed all the clutter in my life, I was able to give more space for those things that matter to me.

I choose how to spend my money

Rather than buy a lot of shoes, expensive bags, and gadgets, I choose to spend my money on things that are more important to me or those that will give me some return on investment. I wouldn’t hesitate to pay the national park entrance fee or some nature activities. These are writable experiences. I will also treat myself with good food and drinks. Traveling on a budget does not mean I will deprive myself of good things, I just learned what are the things worth spending on.

I prefer a good conversation over a beer

Instead of spending money on things that I will only lose in the end, I’d rather buy you a beer, sit down on the sand and have an enlightening conversation while gazing at the sunset. We can talk about existentialism, computer, life in general or even stupid things. I’d rather spend my money to listen and learn from others and have a more human connection. I learned a lot from people I’ve met during my travel, those who gave me ideas and changed my outlook on life. And they all contributed to that vault of knowledge.

I try to be resourceful

I don’t travel with a lot of money but there are many ways that help me minimize the costs. I usually stay with the locals through Couchsurfing, and I also found volunteering opportunities through workaway. This is helpful especially when I am traveling in expensive countries. Accommodation is one of the biggest fixed costs travelers have and the good thing is that there are now tools and communities online that can reduce the expenses. If you are not so keen on staying for free with strangers, there’s also hostelworld, airbnb, and booking.com. I also use these especially when I needed a break from people.

I don’t have to wait until my savings run out, I try to look for jobs to further fund my trip. I usually prefer to work in scuba dive shops or travel agencies as these have the perks of having free tours while earning money at the same time. I even crossed off items on my bucket list through this way. These companies sometimes don’t advertise their job openings, so I just check trip advisor and just message all of them. I get lucky when out of those messages, one will respond and accept me. It’s all about being proactive and resourceful.

I am a learn-it-all than a know-it-all

I believe that I am still stupid, and that’s why I try to learn as much as I can. My problem is that I doubt myself all the time, even though I know that I can do something. When I am traveling, I try to see what I can learn from any situation - good or bad. I like to learn from people and from experiences. I'd rather have more books than clothes, as I prefer to invest in things that will remove my ignorance and enrich my mind.

I try to set aside some time to read every day wherever I am. I believe that if I don’t have time to read then I don't have time to write.