Hey guys

So I was just wondering if anyone has any advice on the Very exciting subject of health insurance.

I'm planning on going on an extended trip to Asia from spring next year- I have dual citizenship, Germany and the UK but will be spending most of my time in Germany with family in between travels (not sure if it's relevant but just in case) so I need something that covers me all year around, for Asia and Germany.

I've found a few quotes and the cheapest I could find so far was around 157 pounds sterling a month which would be alright but am wondering if anyone is using a plan that's less than that? Or if anyone has any recommendations on a provider?

Thanks and happy travels:)

Hi everyone! 👋

I’m a UX designer working on a project to improve currency converter apps for travelers, and I’d love to hear about your travel habits and how you manage your budget on trips. Your insights will help us design tools that make managing money while traveling easier and stress-free.

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• ⏱️ It only takes 3–5 minutes to complete.
• 📋 Your responses are completely anonymous (we value your privacy 🤞).
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Your input will be invaluable in creating a better travel experience for everyone. 🌟

Click here to take the survey! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeimhz71NGZbUa5MykOYTLHPjfjyLdFJNPfuDefpgr33_tliw/viewform

Thank you for your time and support! 💛 I’d be happy to answer any questions or hear your thoughts in the comments. Together, we can make traveling better! 🚀

Everyone seems to recommend traveling light, ideally with a carry-on, especially in Southeast Asia where you don’t need much clothing due to the tropical climate.

My question is: is traveling with a carry-on really a gamechanger because of the time saved avoiding baggage claim, or are the benefits not that significant? Should I stick with my 70L backpack, which I love but would have to check in every time?

Looking for insights from those who’ve traveled the region!

Edit: ITS A 8 MONTHS TRIP BACKPACKING TO S.E.A

Hello all! I am conducting a research project on people's different travel habits and behaviors. If you have the time, I would greatly appreciate if you could take my survey. All responses will remain anonymous.

Link to survey

Your time and input is greatly appreciated! Thank you

Hi all,

First time in Asia, just got to Thailand. I'm really enjoying the food here and want to keep exploring the rest of Asia, very slowly (1 month at a time in each city ideally). Next, heading to Vietnam for 3 months. I plan to be in Asia for at minimum 6-8 months but probably a lot longer. It's all based on how I am feeling and if I am still enjoying my time here.

After Vietnam I was thinking 3 months in Japan and then 3 months in Korea. Reasoning is weather + I want to see Japan the most but if I don't like it, I might skip Korea and go back to South East Asian countries. I am hoping I'll really like it though!

I prefer warm/ hot weather. Really dislike the cold. I am used to very warm places, and I prefer them.

My current plan is not set in stone. Perhaps I should reconsider it and move Japan after Korea? The other downside is the flights to Taiwan are slightly more expensive in Oct (from Busan about ~$130 vs from Japan ~$220). But as far as I can tell, Kyoto can be more beautiful starting in September?

Saigon (Feb) -> March [undecided, maybe Vung tau] -> Hanoi (April).

Osaka (May) → Kyoto (June)→ Tokyo (July)

Seoul (Aug) → Jeju (Sept)- > Busan (Oct)

Taipei or Hong Kong (Nov) -> etc.

I try to keep my budget quite low. Normally I am a budget traveler (but only private rooms & bathroom from now on). I know Japan will be a lot more $ than other places but that's okay, I've always wanted to visit Tokyo. I expect Korea to on the higher end for food. And Hong Kong to be very expensive. Not interested in Singapore at this time.

Let me know if I am overlooking anything?

Note: I would also like to visit many more countries in Asia, but figured Japan and Korea get colder at other times. Since I'm in the region, I am trying to do these countries before moving on to say India, Central Asia, etc. Aim is to max out the "normal" visa in each place.

Places that I'm interested in (ranking is arbitrary and I am not sure I can predict what I will actually like/dislike):

Thailand (currently here, staying for 2 months)

Vietnam (just applied for Visa, waiting for approval) (high interest)

Japan (high interest)

Korea (low interest)

Taiwan (low interest)

Hong Kong (only1 month, looks quite expensive like Tokyo) (medium to high interest)

Cambodia (medium interest)

Philippines (medium interest)

Laos (low interest)

Indonesia (low interest)

Malaysia (low interest)

I would love to visit China but it seems it would be expensive and a complex visa for USA passport holders. I am considering the 144 hour option to go to Beijing. But I would rather not move so quickly.

Thanks in advance!

I'm solo traveling and I've never been to either country!

Which country should I give more time if I want to hit most of the major attractions / areas for a first timer?

I'm thinking end of January, or early February. Maybe three weeks? Is that too long?

I love food, clothing shopping, outdoors, and history! Occasionally, night life.

Bonus question: what are your favorite highlights from each country?

After years traveling with.. 

• Constant SIM swaps
• Bill shock from outrageous roaming fees
• Supposed “worldwide” plans with limited coverage
• Lack of transparent pricing

I got fed up and built a better solution for stay connected abroad:

Willow is a global phone plan for nomads.

• $68/month unlimited everything
• 100+ countries, no roaming fees
• Keep your number wherever you go
• Manage everything via app - no contracts or hidden terms.

Just started our waitlist (https://willow.international) and I’d love to get feedback from this community. What were your expectations with your current phone setup and what’s been frustrating about it now?

I’m planning to travel solo through Southeast Asia for 6-7 months starting in May 2025. Currently, I’m in Australia and just beginning to organize everything. If anyone can share advice on planning a route, recommend any blogs, YouTube channels, or resources that helped you plan your trip, or suggest itineraries for a similar timeframe, I’d really appreciate it! I want to use the next 5 months to create a solid plan for where to go and in what order.

I’d love any tips, like:

• Apps you found helpful.
• Countries, places, or activities you'd recommend (or suggest avoiding!).
• Airlines or apps for finding good flight deals.
• Advice on accommodation, transportation, or anything else that made your travels easier.
• Mistakes you made that could’ve been avoided!

So far, I’m thinking of visiting: Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, and possibly Sri Lanka. Any insights or advice on these countries would be amazing!

Thanks so much in advance! 🙏🙏

Hello everyone! This question is for the people who travel consistently. Go on a trip, come back home, work and save money, and then leave again. What sort of industry or work are you in that allows you to work and then leave for a long period of time (2+ months)?

I was in Türkiye for 2 months this last summer which was amazing. But when I came back I struggled a lot for 4 months to find a job (draining the rest of my bank account in the process).

I’m so curious as to some jobs/industry which is accepting of travel and allows you to save money in the process. I’m a jack of all trades/master of none kind of person. I have a little bit of experience in everything but am not a professional in any particular field. Thank you so much!!

Hey everyone!

I’m planning some upcoming trips to a variety of countries and want to make sure I stay healthy on the go. I’m curious—what kind of health supplements do you take with you when you travel?

Also, how do you carry them? Do you use pill organizers, small containers, or just bring the full bottles? I’m trying to figure out the most convenient and space-efficient way to pack everything.

For context, I’m particularly interested in supplements for:

• Immunity
• Stress or jet lag
• Digestive health
• General wellness

I’d love to hear your recommendations or any tips you have! Thanks in advance 😊

Hi all,

We are retired and planning on selling our house in 2026 and traveling the world for a few years.

The goal is to stay in one location for 2-3 months then move in to the next.

Are there any travel agencies that specialize in planning these kind of trips? It would be good to have someone for advice before and during the trip.

Look forward to any recommendations!

Hello !

I'm taking a methylphenidate-based drug, which is a very controlled molecule and can give false positives if tested for amphetamines.

Have you ever travelled with highly controlled drugs and encountered problems? Which countries and what were the solutions?

I know that with my prescription, or its original duplicate, I can travel to most countries in the European Union without any problems.

I'd be delighted to hear your opinions, experiences and advice on this subject.

Thank you in advance for your answers

pig one got me

https://www.tiktok.com/@vrbo/video/7431275608690216235?lang=en

https://www.tiktok.com/@vrbo/video/7431275608690216235?lang=en

https://www.tiktok.com/@vrbo/video/7431273395892899114?lang=en

I'm interested in hearing how others make their long-term travel fulfilling and purposefull.

I (30M) have been planning a long term trip through SEA & India, together with my girlfriend. We're leaving next year and looking at doing a one year tour. I've done long term travel before (6 months through the Andes-countries) and lived abroad, but while I'm looking forward to this trip it feels a bit hollow - like it's lacking depth, purpose, or a sense of fulfillment.

Maybe it's just me leaving my 20s behind, but I feel like I need some more self-development or a way to contribute to society while I travel. I had this in my previous trips, though work opportunities and language learning, but I'm not really seeing those opportunities in the countries I'll be visiting now (though they’re fascinating places to me). I'm done teaching ESL and don't feel attracted to a yoga/meditation retreat nor do i have a deep intrest in the local languages (plus they're quite divided). The volunteering opportunities I'm seeing don't appeal to me, either because they’re not relevant to my field or they feel like “been there, done that.”

Someone suggested reaching out to universities and propose to do a workshop/lectury on my current field (education policy), which sounds cool but feels a bit 'out there'.

Has anyone else wrestled with this feeling? What do you do to add purpose to your travels? Any tips?

Hi everyone. Since I (36M) was a teenager, it's been my dream to travel the world for a year or more. I traveled for 2 months in India and had the time of my life. I came home and shortly after had a child who is now almost 13 years old. I've been separated from his mother since he was 5. He's my world so my primary goal right now is to support him and his development.

But with him approaching his teen years, I've been thinking about what I'm going to do with my life when he's grown and off to college. I really don't want to get married, I don't have much family, and the thought of working in IT, in this house, in this boring little town for the rest of my life sounds like hell to me. I figured I didn't have much of a choice in the matter. Live, work, die....right? Not since last August.

Through life circumstances, I now receive around $2,000 per month (tax free, inflation adjusted every year) until the day I die. This seems like a golden ticket ticket to travel to me. I currently live in a low cost of living area and make $88k with my job alone. My plan is to use the $2k to pay off my debt and save a large chunk of cash over the next 6 years (I'll be 42) . Part of it will be for emergencies and my "soft landing" money for if/when I return to the US. The remaining will go towards my son's education and paying for him to come and visit (he loves to travel). I'll use the $2k for my actual living expenses while traveling and living in places like LA, Africa or SEA.

This dream has breathed new life into me. I'm optimistic for the future like when I was in my early twenties. But I can't help but feel like I'm abandoning my fatherly duties, even though I will continue to financially support my son and will be a phone call away. Also, I feel like this could be a terrible move career/retirement wise.

Just wanted to bounce this idea off the community. Has anyone done something similar? Any major oversights in my plan?

Background:

Im a young man (early 20s) and have lived my entire life in Sweden and have been pretty much isolated by my family(immigrants) which is dysfunctional. They are pretty religious and have a lot expectations from me and are very religious. Whatever I do they hang over me like a dark cloud and cant go anywhere without informing them and that is the reason I have never tried to leave because my religion forbids to cut any contact with family and why I have only existed but never lived whatever step I take has to told in advance. There is so much more like abuse and having to share everything but dont want to go through it but you get the picture.

Plan:

What I have always wanted since I was a child was to travel the whole world, explore, have adventures, try diffrent things, experience diffrent cultures and LIVE on my own terms. But my family being dysfuntional, my parents never having a job and wasting every cent we got (even money we children saved on our own) has made it HARD to travel and go forward. Even struggling financially during our upbring as soon as we became adults we have take the responsiblity and I NEVER even agreed to it and its mainly my brothers and me, my parents were suprisingly leanient with my sister then us and dont put as much presseure on them as us. I used to think that I just have be patient get a stable job and then fullfill my desires, BUT NO Im not allowed to even move out and I have to get married if I want to. So by the time I can do my travels I will be to old and have a family of my own.

Now I have decided that I want to save up at least 11k usd and that would take me around a year. Then I want to some major city in Europe and disappear and I will travel around a lot from country to country, city to city and when Im finally done I will settle in the place I loved the most.

Questionmarks:

I want to this in a leagal way but im not sure how I can because my family will hunt for me. I first thought changing my name legally and then leaving but i think they will find out very quickly since they see who in the registry for everyone living at home. And I really want to avoid them for the rest of my life and if i have to get dirty so be it.

The money I save up will last me over year if I spend correctly and its from my fulltime job and I thought a side hustle like Copywritting would make possible for more money but if there is no side hustle and just my saved money, what options do i have when i run out of money and where can I go to recharge?

My plan for now is traveling thorough eastern europe - Turkey - Georgia - Central Asia and then to Southeast Asia. I have to how can I travel between all of these countries by land and remain undetected? Which countries wont bother you too much and which ones will?

And finally i just want practical advise i can use and point out any flaws with this plan.

I need a solution. I’ve spent a fortune for data. I travel and do some Workaway’s and some work (for myself) and every Workaway I’ve been to is TERRIBLE WiFi. (I’ve done about 11). Even when I rent air b and bs it’s mostly been really bad service. I’ve had to use a hotspot (Glocal me) and buy esim from Airalo. But it’s like every few days that I have to buy a new package. Even air b and bs that promise good service is usually spotty and disconnects (in my experience). It’s very frustrating. I mostly have to have zoom calls.

What do you do? I’m tired of asking my hosts to please provide service . For example I’m in an air b and b now, where WiFi worked for one day and that was it. It no longer works and they’re not even trying to fix it.

Thx for any help.

I'm looking at this bag for long term travel (probably 1-2 years). I'm 26F and need it to big enough for everything (think clothing for casual, hikes, something smarter, and ofc comfies, couple of pairs of shoes, sleeping bag, tech wise I'm not taking a lot, and some hobbies (crochet, drawing), plus toiletries).

I will most likely be doing a few weeks/months in one place at a time OR be in a van which is why I'm looking at a duffel thats packs down, and not needing hip straps. I'm not worried about it being carry on size/weight as I've already come to terms with paying for the hold. I'll also take a regular backpack and small sling bag for everyday use. I'm also a keen packing cube and little bags user! Everything will be organised within the duffel.

Bags I'm looking at are Cotopaxi Allpa 50l (I really like the blue), and Patagonia Black Hole 55l

My main questions:

• Does this sound like the right size bag for me?
• Are there any other brands that I should also look at?
• Any other advice from people whoe have done similar travel

Just curious.

I have a reliable car but I just want to go state to state, what good online jobs are there or other ways to earn income

I'll be visiting Japan for the first time as a mid-20s guy excited to do lots of clothing shopping, eating, appreciation of history, and meeting locals! How's this:

Osaka (5 Days) - Added extra days because so many day trips

• Kobe + Himeji Castle (Day Trip, back to Osaka)
• Nara (Day Trip, back to Osaka)
• Hiroshima + Miyajima Island (Day Trip, back to Osaka)

Kyoto (3 Days)

Tokyo (7 Days)

• Kamakura + Enoshima (Day Trip, back to Tokyo)

Hokkaido / Sapporo (4 Days)

• Otaru (Day Trip, back to Sapporo)
• Noboribetsu Onsen (Overnight, back to Tokyo for flight home)

This is for Nov 22 - Dec 14

My partner and I M31 F30 from Australia are quitting our jobs in June next year to take 1~2+ years off life and travel around Europe. We are going to base ourselves in Scotland (that is where I was born and have family there). We are trying to save a large amount of money to allow us to travel and only work odd jobs here and there. When we were 25 we spent 3 months touring Europe and went from England to Russia ticking off many of the big ticket items in Europe. I would love any tips or insights from anyone who has done something similar, anything from cool places to go, must eat foods, must-do experiences, things to avoid, things you wish you knew before you did your trip. Any helpful tips? Thanks.

Lately, I’ve been asking myself, “When was the last time I truly felt at home?” It’s weird, but the more I think about it, the more I realize how much my sense of home has shifted over the years. Especially after moving around so much, it’s not as tied to a place as it used to be. Have you guys ever felt that way? Like, home isn’t a place but more of a feeling you get from certain moments or people?

Hello all,

I’m going to Australia for a year as a work holiday. My children will be living here in the US. I need to pay their college tuition fees, while living in Australia.

If I just have the tuition charged to my credit card, can I pay that credit card with Australian dollars?

Do I have to transfer money to a US bank account instead?