Location Independence

Backpacking Southeast Asia for 9 Months

I resigned from my corporate job last January 2012 because I wanted to go on a long-term travel adventure. I was able to accomplish it by backpacking for nine months in seven countries in Southeast Asia. Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand-Indonesia-Singapore-Malaysia-Philippines I haven’t exhausted all the places in Southeast Asia which I could’ve done simply by hopping on a … Read more

7 Lessons from My First Month on the Road

I didn’t realize it’s been a month since I took a flight from Manila to Vietnam to start my backpacking journey in Southeast Asia and become location-independent. I travelled to Ho Chi Minh City and Mui Ne in Vietnam, Siem Reap in Cambodia, and Bangkok in Thailand.

I didn’t maximize the number of days before my passport expired for each country as this month was more of a vacation than anything else. Despite the sudden change of locations, I came across a few realizations and learned some lessons along the way.

1. Stay healthy!

I overdosed on spicy food in Thailand but I still kept eating them. I also didn’t watch what I ate that I ended up having diarrhea for a couple of days.

I can’t afford to get sick. Aside from the cost of medicines, I also wasted time trying to recover my health. I could’ve used the opportunity to work on other jobs that would allow me to generate more income. Or I could’ve used the time to explore other areas in Bangkok.

thai food
Thai Food – spicy!

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Let the Delusions Begin

Note: This post was written prior to my departure, I didn’t have the opportunity to publish it right away.

It’s 9pm and I’m waiting for my flight at 10:50. A flight that marks the beginning of my journey which according to my friend, is my biggest adventure so far. The initial plan was to stay for two weeks and go through the Indochina route. But with the recent turn of events, I’ve decided to stay longer and travel to more countries.

Everything is falling into place yet I’m having mixed emotions. Should I push through with the trip or am I just carried away?

laptop
typing thoughts

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Delusions of Grandeur: Taking the Step to Location Independence

I wake up, take a bath, go to the office, work, clock out, go home, work online, and sleep. On weekends, I travel to let loose and stay sane. This routine has been going on for a couple of years and I’ve grown comfortable with my surroundings that I feel the need for change. Somehow, … Read more

Beyond Comfort

2012 will be a year where I’ll go out of my comfort zone and test the waters. I’ll be travelling to different countries in Southeast Asia and if all goes well, I’ll be able to live like a nomad. I know a few people who have already done this backpacking journey and I’m inspired to take the same route since I’ve been prolonging this travel adventure for quite some time.

highway

But I couldn’t just pack my things with me and go on a trip until I’ve settled a couple of financial setbacks. Even up to now, I’m still working on a few items that I should’ve completed a long time ago. Mapping out the locations, figuring out the itineraries, computing the budget, and basically coming up with a plan – all of which I haven’t really done yet and I’m ready to hit the panic button. I’ll probably just throw caution to the wind and make those decisions when I’m out there.

This is scary sh*t but ever since I was able to go out of the country, I’ve also been taking a step higher to see how far I can go in staying out of my comfort zone and travelling beyond boundaries. I’m an adrenaline junkie and I plan to go for those moments that get me all pumped up.

active lifestyle

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