There is soo much information that you have to gather before you spring your trip into action. From what to do with your house, to how to home school, to which vaccinations are recommended... there is a small mountain of activities to do beforehand.
The best thing about this pile of "to do's" is that none of it is really hard... it just takes some effort and time. As a rule of thumb, you should give yourself about a year to plan your trip. You could do it in six months or less, but that is really pushing the schedule into high gear... and some items take a few weeks to get done.
Below is an attempt to give you the basics of each major category of extended travel preparation. We have dedicated transportation, lodging, and cool stuff to their own categories and tabs mainly because they each are so important they each need special attention. Here, the focus is on preparation.
"To Sell Or Not To Sell?" This is the hardest question to answer for most... "do we get rid of our home while we travel?"
The straight forward answer is a reflective question, "Will you lose money by selling it?"
If you can answer a fairly strong "maybe" or "yes" to this question, rent or leave your home vacant. So let's look deeper into renting and vacancy:
Rent By Owner is actually really easy. You talk to friends, family, coworkers... anyone you think could rent your house / condo / apartment while you are away. You start here since they are the group you trust the most to take great care of your home.
Realtors are the professionals. Start early with realtors to get the best money out of the deal. They usually will charge around a month of the rental fee to do this service, but they have the skills to get it rented.
Property Management services are everywhere and will do everything for you: have the lawn mowed, bug control, collect rent... all the hassles. They usually charge around 10% of the rent, so you unfortunately have to charge a bit more for you rent and may push the house out of its market.
Vacation Rental Services are awesome for those who are more hands on with management and don't mind other people using their home furnishings. You can charge more (its rented out by the night), will have cleaning done after every rental (up keep is nice), and don't have to pack the whole house up and pay for storage while you're out (a lot of work).
Vacancy is strictly for those with the financial resources to pay for the mortgage, utilities, and taxes while they are away. It still may be more economical and less hassle than selling the property (losing money) and buying a new one when you return (losing more money). It isn't a bad option, just be aware that you need someone to collect mail, take care of the yard, and watch over the general up-keep of the house. Returning to your home after a year trip is one of those few pleasures after fun vacations.
"How Do I Leave My Career?" Each job is unique... some are a dream, most are a nightmare. If its a nightmare, "I Quit!" can't come soon enough. If the job is tolerable or really great, the negotiations are a bit more complicated. Here are a few strategies that you may try out so you don't sabotage your career:
People forget that Quitting is your right and you don't have to apologize for it. Don't be rude, don't burn bridges, and don't close doors. A year off may clear your mind and you change your mind about your job and want it back. A smooth exit makes for a smooth return... especially if you were valuable to the company before you left.
Time Off - that's right, ask for time off, a sabbatical, a retreat... this is very popular in Europe and is spreading slowly to the US. Companies spend thousands of dollars to recruit and train people and the last thing they want is to lose good people. If the company has no options, is your opportunity to request time off and a job to return to... it will be un-paid of course... but having that job waiting for you when you get back is magical to the psyche.
The best option is a Remote Assignment, or telecommuting, whichever your company may use. We are in a portable age, a computer centered existence, where you can connect to the internet or a work system from anywhere in the world. Negotiating these assignments are the most difficult, but when they work, they are awesome. Getting paid to work in Thailand, or Greece, or Brazil... gives you goose bumps.
Start A Business - with so much time off, think of ways to earn money along the way. There are countless examples of people who pay for their travels by working along the way... Not quit as easy, but worth the effort.
Don't forget... you are temporarily sacrificing a year for creating a lifetime of memories. Don't get lost in the vicious cycle of "latter climbing" at the expense of spending meaningful time with your family. Having life changing opportunities with your spouse and kids are infinitely more rewarding than a career that will eventually end or kill you by work overload.
"How Much Is The Tab?" Wow... where does one start? Travel writers boast of travel costing anywhere from $75 a day per person to $150 a day per person. Who do you believe? Both! ... but let's get a few things out of the way first:
Savings - that's right, unless you have a captured leprechaun or a rich dead uncle, you need to save and save big. Most can't do this well enough to ever get off the ground... they will have a life of regrets. Start saving at least five years (most say 10 years) beforehand for a year long expedition. If you are going to be globe trekking for only a few months, a two or three years should be sufficient.
Destinations have the biggest impact on overall cost. If you stay only in Asia or only in South America, the airfare can be a fraction of those who travel to 20 plus countries in a year. If you go to third world or developing first world countries exclusively, the overall cost will be much, much less. Destinations should be determined with an eye to your overall trip budget and an eye to your dream trip locations. Warning: Try not to go cross-eyed with differing priorities!
Children are another price variable. The younger they are the cheaper they are. Every parent understands that feeding and housing an elementary kid is half that of an active, growing teenager. This philosophy stands true with traveling with kids. If they are 12 years old or older, plan on their cost equaling that of an adult. If they are younger than 12, assume they will cost about 80% of an adult. This assumption works for the overall trip expenses (food / flights / entrance fees / etc.).
Money shouldn't be the reason you don't travel though. It sounds ridiculous to say this, but any budget and a little imagination can go miles. You may have to go to Peru instead of Argentina... or to Croatia instead of Italy, but the experiences are priceless and the adventure the same... so never give up on your family travel goal.
So, back to how much it Cost? Once you settle on how much you have in the bank, how much you can create on the road, or how much you can borrow (Careful now... don't lose your shirt here), you can understand your travel situation. If you have a family of 5 (2 adults, 1 teenager, and 2 Children), you can plan on paying as if 4.6 people are traveling with you. Do a little internet research regarding housing, airfare, and food costs for the countries you want to visit. This will give you a good idea on what the bank statement and the travel route and timeline have to be.
"How Many Shots Did You Say?" Yep... living in a first world country has some inherent benefits... fewer of those nasty diseases you read about. Prevention is the key here. Look at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website and learn about each country you are visiting. The CDC can be very conservative minded, but they are the experts here. Typhoid, malaria, and yellow fever kill millions every year and you don't want to ruin your dream trip with a hospital stay. Stay out of the jungle, wash your fruits and vegetables, drink bottled water, use bug spray in high risk zones, don't walk barefoot, and use mosquito netting over your beds where applicable. So, go through the following list repeatedly and just be smart:
Check out and research each country at the Center For Disease Control for which vaccines you will need and which areas to avoid.
Use Mosquito or Bug Spray for daily walks in areas of blood transmitted insect diseases.
Consult your Physician before you go to get your shots, get a check-up, and learn what they recommend for you physically while you travel. They are the trained professionals and you should heed their options.
Purchase Travel Insurance before you go. It is the peace of mind you need to protect yourself, your spouse, and your kids in the event of an emergency. It is very cost effective and can save you boat loads if things go wrong.
"I Have To Teach What?" Teaching your children during an extended trip can be the best bonding opportunities a parent can ask for. Not only are they learning about your views on life, you can be the fountain of knowledge every parent craves to be. To keep this section simple, view the following suggestions:
School Requirements - Chat with your child's teacher about the next years curriculum. Get a copy and plan accordingly.
Home Schooling Books - You can buy not only the curriculum, the textbooks, and the practice workbooks, you can also buy self-help guides to home schooling. All you have to do is type "Home Schooling" on any search engine and you will find more than you can ever digest.
"Please Let Me In... Please!" Visas are not required by every country. In fact, as a citizen of a first world country, you will probably not have to request but a few visas for your entire trip... if you are traveling as tourists, that is.
The easiest and fastest way to find out whether tourist visas are required is to look at your country's department of state website. For Americans, the United States Department of State can be accessed HERE. This website contains some of the best non-biased travel advice and information you will find. Visa requirements are listed under each country along with travel warnings, medical facilities, and crime (ooo... fun reading!). Once you figure out which visas you need, contact the consulate for visa applications and questions. The take home message here is "tourist visa" verses "business visa." If you aren't a tourist when you are traveling, more than likely you will need a business visa for every country you go to.
"GO!FIGHT!WIN!" Why add motivation to a long list of "To Do's?" Because the "To Do's" aren't really that much fun to do. Some potential travelers might even consider the list work! Ouch!
Well, it may be a little work... but is anything truly rewarding if you didn't have to work at it first? Lottery I hear you say... ok, anything "probable" truly rewarding without working at it? No!
Find a picture of your favorite foreign beach, world wonder, or outlandish attraction... put it where you can see it everyday, and envision yourself there when you can't stand eating another bowl of ramen noodles (saving technique) or your arm hurts after your hepatitis shot. Motivation will get you on that first airplane. Motivation will make your family world travels a reality.
