One of the first things people normally say to me when I tell them that I write about travel for a living is, “How lucky!” With no disrespect intended, the truth is that it has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with real, hard work.
Not everyone can cope with leaving friends and family behind, living in a different place, with different rules and cultural attitudes. Few people can cope with not knowing if they’ll have enough money to pay the rent and eat the following month. Even fewer people have what it takes to get on a plane with no-one to wish you a good trip, to arrive to a foreign place with no-one to greet you and then to spend the entire time wandering around your chosen destination on your own. Eating alone in a restaurant isn’t for everyone.
What’s more, plane journeys are expensive, hostels are cheaper than hotels but they’re not cheaper than paying normal rent and travel journalists are not the best-paid professionals in the world… particularly those of us, like myself, who work freelance and who have built up their reputation with editors and magazines on their own. So, being a travel writer has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with hard graft.
Having said that, I wouldn’t change my life for a second. Firstly, I get to write about sunsets that I watch, like this one below taken in Punta Del Este, Uruguay in March 2013…
Secondly, not everyone has what it takes to wake up every morning in the same place, head to the same office, at the same hour, on the same bus and work in the same building, every day, until the clock strikes “home.” I just can’t do it without dying inside.
I recently went for an interview to be the editor of an international city guide magazine (who can guess which one?), but the routine life that it would have tied me too scared the hell out of me and I politely refused the post. A fixed salary might have been nice for a while, but at what cost?
The long and the short of it is that being a freelance travel writer is not a life of luxury, but it’s a life which keeps me feeling free, optimistic and alive. It’s true that I have to manage my finances with acute care and attention, but I’ve developed a number of ways of fooling myself into thinking that I’m enjoying the high life and experiencing luxury despite my budget restrictions.
For those people wanting to travel on a budget, whilst treating themselves whenever possible (or for those travel-writing wannabes in need of some money-management tips), here’s how a female, freelance travel writer gets her luxury kicks on-the-road when she can…
1. Hot, sweet, or shaken to perfection
The small luxuries, in-between the haze of the daily grind, are the ones we appreciate the most. There’s no need to spend lots of cash on an expensive meal in a top restaurant every night. In my opinion, there’s little more luxurious in the world than a well-served cocktail, a knock-out afternoon coffee, or a creamy, full-fat ice-cream. Splash out on the small delights and savour them. Luxury comes best in small doses.
2. Queen of discounts
Sites like Groupon and Last-Minute should be bookmarked on your laptop. The words “cheap” and “discount” don’t have to be associated with poor quality. Finding luxuries when traveling for less is a skill.
Paying less to live “the high life” doesn’t devalue the quality of your experience. Regular travelers or freelancing hopefuls can save on cash without living the life of a penniless hobo if they make the effort to investigate into available offers.
3. For one night only
Book one night in a really great hotel and be a princess (or prince) for the day. There’s no need to stay for the whole week and spend all your cash on accommodation costs. One night of luxury in the middle of a long stretch of cheap hostels is the best way of recharging those tired, long-term-travel batteries and of making yourself feel pampered.
I recently enjoyed two nights (photo above…. and I was really splashing the cash here) in a four star hotel in Acapulco, Mexico at the end of a four-week backpack across the country. Two nights with cable TV, a private bathroom, clean towels, a double-bed, a private balcony and direct access to the beach below was enough to make me believe I had traveled for the entire month under the same level of luxury.
4. Back to nature
Take advantage of the natural luxuries when traveling. As a long-term traveler, I come into contact with other travelers all the time and I hear them say things like, “Yeah, but it’s just another waterfall!”
It’s sad to hear such comments. Long-term travel can make you jaded and can roll your experiences into one if you’re not careful. The different landscapes and the different people/cultures that we connect with when we travel are the biggest luxury of all. Just being present in another place and having the opportunity to be there is a luxury that most people in the world don’t have.
Value what you see and experience. Make a conscience effort to be in the present and connect with your surroundings wherever you are. Nature is free. Feel the wind on your face when on the bus or traveling by car, hire a bike and just ride!, use the sand on the beach to exfoliate your skin and the salt from the sea to energise it.
5. Earn your keep
For those people who intend to stay abroad for a long period of time on a gap year or perhaps to learn a language, try working when you travel. Offer to work in the hostel where you’re staying for free room and board, save on cash and stay abroad for longer. You’ll be able to afford more luxuries every now and then if you’re getting some kind of income whilst on-the-road. Working abroad is also another “rich” experience which we cannot put a price on. The connections you’ll make by working directly with people who live in the places you visit is invaluable.
Remember… luxury doesn’t always have to mean expensive. The “luxurious” lifestyle I lead as a travel writer is rich because of the freedom that it affords, the memories I generate and the unexpected moments of comfort that I’m able to take advantage of every now and then.
