This post caught my interest since the last year of freewheeling without plans included a mix of paces that fell into place naturally. The January through April portion was mostly one month or six week stints. The Mid-June through October portion began with a two week and a one week stint in small places in Ireland, followed by short hotel stints in Dublin and Glasgow. Then came week or ten day stints in Oban and then Tobermory, Scotland. From there I went to an Airbnb in Edinburgh for a few days, a hostel in Vilnius, Lithuania for a few days, then a combination hostel/hotel (pods) for a few days, then a private room in a huge Generator hostel in Stockholm for about ten or twelve days. I needed a break from the bunk in a hostel approach and needed to slow down. (I am the 82 year old taveler with a backpack.) I booked an apartment in one of my very favorite locations for a few weeks, extending it for a few more, Tivat, Montenegro. I developed a very satisfying rhythm there. I had planned to go from there to Vienna for a couple of weeks to participate in an event there, but a medical issue that needed attention brought me back to the US, where I stay with one of my children's family when I am in country. I don't do the detailed planning you do, although you mentioned that you are not hesitant to change plans at any time. This last year, I generally did not decide where I would go next until two days before I left to get there. There was only one activity in the year that was scheduled and that was the one in Vienna that I ended up missing. I have been traveling pretty much full time for three years and at least two months at a time for more than ten years before that. As a result, I intuitively manage the mix of cheaper Airbnbs and hostels. I have a fixed income and own nothing, so my income is available for travel and its costs. Thank you for your thoroughness in this post. It has helped me evaluate my situation in reationship to what you describe.
Oh I'm so glad you've read and commented. This life is a crazy life where many just scratch their heads endlessly trying to understand an untethered life. You've been to some great places! I do think that over time a rhythm finds us. Ours, like yours, varies as needed.
This is extremely helpful, thank you! T-3 months to launch day. Around 6 of our first 7 months are locked in for accommodations: 1x2 months, 2x1 month, and a few 1-2 week stints with some open spaces in between. Thinking 3 weeks working our way down the Baltics may be the longest stretch of fast-ish travel. Little dog Wally is coming along which adds another filter to planning. Thanks so much for sharing - your blogs and videos have been so helpful even to this quite experienced adventurer.
Great article 😊 We definitely fall into the “mixed category” even though we set out to “slow travel”. Slowly finding our rhythm. At the moment staying a month in one country but a few different locations seems to be working for us. Our dilema is usually that we like the infrastructure a big city has to offer but not so much the ambience for a 30 day stay. Walkability and transportation options without having to rent a car can be challenging in more rural areas. We are noting the addition costs to travel between locations associated with short term stays and would like to decrease this. Let’s see. We have an upcoming 25 day stay in Morocco - I am excited to see how it goes!
This post caught my interest since the last year of freewheeling without plans included a mix of paces that fell into place naturally. The January through April portion was mostly one month or six week stints. The Mid-June through October portion began with a two week and a one week stint in small places in Ireland, followed by short hotel stints in Dublin and Glasgow. Then came week or ten day stints in Oban and then Tobermory, Scotland. From there I went to an Airbnb in Edinburgh for a few days, a hostel in Vilnius, Lithuania for a few days, then a combination hostel/hotel (pods) for a few days, then a private room in a huge Generator hostel in Stockholm for about ten or twelve days. I needed a break from the bunk in a hostel approach and needed to slow down. (I am the 82 year old taveler with a backpack.) I booked an apartment in one of my very favorite locations for a few weeks, extending it for a few more, Tivat, Montenegro. I developed a very satisfying rhythm there. I had planned to go from there to Vienna for a couple of weeks to participate in an event there, but a medical issue that needed attention brought me back to the US, where I stay with one of my children's family when I am in country. I don't do the detailed planning you do, although you mentioned that you are not hesitant to change plans at any time. This last year, I generally did not decide where I would go next until two days before I left to get there. There was only one activity in the year that was scheduled and that was the one in Vienna that I ended up missing. I have been traveling pretty much full time for three years and at least two months at a time for more than ten years before that. As a result, I intuitively manage the mix of cheaper Airbnbs and hostels. I have a fixed income and own nothing, so my income is available for travel and its costs. Thank you for your thoroughness in this post. It has helped me evaluate my situation in reationship to what you describe.
Oh I'm so glad you've read and commented. This life is a crazy life where many just scratch their heads endlessly trying to understand an untethered life. You've been to some great places! I do think that over time a rhythm finds us. Ours, like yours, varies as needed.
This is extremely helpful, thank you! T-3 months to launch day. Around 6 of our first 7 months are locked in for accommodations: 1x2 months, 2x1 month, and a few 1-2 week stints with some open spaces in between. Thinking 3 weeks working our way down the Baltics may be the longest stretch of fast-ish travel. Little dog Wally is coming along which adds another filter to planning. Thanks so much for sharing - your blogs and videos have been so helpful even to this quite experienced adventurer.
Great article 😊 We definitely fall into the “mixed category” even though we set out to “slow travel”. Slowly finding our rhythm. At the moment staying a month in one country but a few different locations seems to be working for us. Our dilema is usually that we like the infrastructure a big city has to offer but not so much the ambience for a 30 day stay. Walkability and transportation options without having to rent a car can be challenging in more rural areas. We are noting the addition costs to travel between locations associated with short term stays and would like to decrease this. Let’s see. We have an upcoming 25 day stay in Morocco - I am excited to see how it goes!