I’m starting a new series about the people I met during my travel sabbatical because I want to share inspiring and interesting stories about regular people who have chosen to live life on their own terms, a life filled with travel.  While I have great memories of quite a few “travel friends,” there are a small number who I really connected with and have kept in touch with.  Some of those friends are well-known travel bloggers, but this series is about introducing you to new faces and new stories.

Meet Kim

Kim is from central New Jersey and in her late twenties.  She has degrees in Marketing Management and Hospitality and Tourism Management.  After starting her career, she quit to live her dream of seeing the world.  I met Kim in Salta, Argentina, quickly sensing that we have similar travel styles and a shared love of peanut butter.

 

You are one of the few super-long-term solo female travelers I met on the road. How long have you been living a nomadic life and what parts of the world have you traveled?

I left my career life behind to see the world in November 2009.  I’ve visited Tokyo, Southeast Asia, a bit of Africa, Australia, and South America.  Oh, and by the way, I had started off thinking that I’d be gone for up to 18 months.

 

You are also one of the few super-long-term travelers I met who does not have a travel blog or an online business to earn a few bucks along the way. How do you support yourself?

Well, I’m pretty good at saving and living on a small budget.  Before I left my job, I saved enough to carry me through until I got to Australia where I worked a lot and saved a lot, thus allowing me to travel in South America.  Along the way I live and travel as budget-friendly as possible while still feeling safe (e.g. I don’t hitchhike even though that might save me a lot in travel costs).

Some of the volunteering I have done has also helped me keep costs down by providing accommodation and/or meals.  That said, I would very much like a more consistent income stream, but I’d prefer it not to be tied to working on a computer.

 

Why did you choose this lifestyle?

I guess the easiest answer is that I love to travel and I wanted to experience more and spend more time abroad.  While pursuing a career I would take nice vacations, but I felt restricted by (1) the few days I actually had away, (2) the fact that I never really stopped thinking about work, (3) not being able to travel very far away because of having only a few days off, and (4) the punishment of returning to a mountain of work because of those few days off.  I had also studied abroad a bit during college, which were nice introductions to staying in a foreign country for a longer time.  I wanted that again, but more.

A big part of why I travel is to better understand cultures and appreciate different ways of life.  I have found that traveling on a tight budget can help toward this in that I share the same transport as locals, we eat at some of the same eateries, we shop in the same markets, and staying in budget-friendly accommodations offers more of a community environment.

Another reason I chose this lifestyle is that I was seeking contentment with minimal material goods.  I sort of love that I only have what fits in my travel pack.  There are some times when I am around fashionable people and I miss having a wardrobe with fun outfits and awesome shoes to choose from, but that usually doesn’t last too long.

 

I find it freeing to not be overly concerned with stuff.

 

Also, I wanted a challenge.  I had been volunteering some with New York Cares but had been opening my eyes to more global issues, and I wanted to see if I had the courage to try and help in environments that were new, unique and challenging to me.

One of the things I loved about my sabbatical was having the time to do things I enjoy and explore my interests.  What hobbies or interests have you discovered or indulged during your travels?

I read.  I used to enjoy good books here and there before traveling, but now I pretty much always have a book or three ready for me on my e-reader.  I think it has helped to keep me sane.  There is a lot of down-time and repetition in traveling and while I love meeting new friends it can be exhausting to continually meet new people every day, so having an escape is nice.

One of my favorite things about traveling is visiting the local markets.  I can spend hours wandering around – watching the people, the vendors, browsing the selections and bargaining over some produce.  Even though I’m vegetarian and truly prefer not to see cut-up animals, I find the rows for meat and poultry fascinating – it’s macabre, but it’s so much more real than walking through the aisles of a grocery store.

Also, just absorbing a bit of the local flavor…be it food, music, beverages, dance, religion, whatever.  Often times it’s not going to become a favorite of mine and I may only try it once, but it’s fun all the same.  Sometimes, though, it’s such a wonderfully serendipitous surprise – for example, snacking on local olives and empanadas while enjoying a wonderful Malbec and listening to a folk guitarist in the nearby plaza while in Argentina; or attending a beautiful church service that is led in three of the local languages in South Africa in order to be inclusive (by the way, there are 11 official languages in South Africa).

Finally, I like to try and see animals in their natural environments – it is the main reason why I went to South Africa, why I waited several days for a boat in the Patagonia, it was one of the best parts of visiting the Australian outback, and is often a highlight of anywhere I’m visiting.

 

What do you miss about home…. A food? An activity? A convenience? A place?

Being where I am, what I have available to me here, and that I’ll be in the States soon….I’m looking forward to:

• Foods: Sushi, Thai food, Indian food, bagels, brunch
• Activities: baking, cooking creatively (instead of simply), having brunch with friends, hugging those I love
• Conveniences: hot water showers, being able to put toilet paper in the toilet
• Places: a room of my own

 

What place has affected you the most in your travels and why?

This is a tough question as each place is unique and special.

For the sheer impact, I’ll go with Tokyo.  It was the first stop on my journey.  It was the first time I had been someplace so unfamiliar (the language, written characters, the toilets, and overall culture).  It was the first time I had ever carried my luggage on my back (previously I used a roller-suitcase like all normal travelers).  I was totally on my own.  I did get lost a few times in the city, I did get yelled at by the police, and I was served food that I was afraid to eat, but I was also loving it and felt so free to just be and absorb everything around me.  Plus, I’m a city girl and it’s Tokyo.

 

What is the best thing you’ve ever eaten?

I love food, so this is really tough…and I’ve had a lot of really good food, much of which has been in New York.  But, on my travels so far here are some of the top.

• Food in Thailand…pretty much everything is just awesome.
• Vietnamese fresh spring rolls.
• Very fresh and flavorful fruit – pineapple and dragon fruit in Thailand, mango in Australia, papaya in Colombia, raspberries in Bariloche, Argentina, strawberries in the highlands of Malaysia.
• Lemon pie in Bolivia.
• Smoked salmon in Australia.

 

Got any special packing or travel gear tips?

Most things are not as essential as you think they are.  But I really recommend having comfortable shoes and walking sandals (Merrell have been my go-to).  I’ve found it very difficult to replace sneakers/trekking sandals, but maybe I’m just picky.

Never keep all of your money and payment card together.  Robbers usually don’t attack people who look like they have less than they do.

An e-reader was the best gift I have received since beginning my travels – but I do really love to read.  It’s the simple Nook, and it’s just great.

It’s totally okay to bring a jar of your favorite peanut butter with you in your checked bag