See the world on a budget

Those who follow me on social media have noticed that I go abroad and explore various parts of the world quite often. I often get asked how do I afford it? What I do for a living, How I get the time off, Where have I gone?  Along with a lot more questions.

Geneva's tallest fountain

 

To answer these curiosities it's pretty simple. I plan like there's no tomorrow from about December times, I look at when there's bank holidays (as I do not have to work them) for the following year, I workout how much time I would need off to go certain destinations and I plan an average of just how much money I need to make my trips happen.

Borderline France/Switzerland

I was actually in and out of jobs for the last couple years which surprisingly helped my travel plans go to plan. As and when I started new jobs or contracts, I would tell them that I have holidays booked prior to me starting the role. This lead to employers granting me the leave I already requested due to my future plans having already been booked.

Athens in Greece

When I started travelling solo as a young lady I had to assess risks. This included me researching simple questions like is where I am visiting safe? Letting my loved ones know where I would be and the distance I would have to travel to local attractions.

Portugal 

Malta

I started off using Airbnbs before using Couchsurfing to get an idea of what Couchsurfing would be like. For those who do not know what Couchsurfing is, it's a global community built for travellers to meet locals or other travellers. Using this community you can arrange meetups, request hosts, be a host and join various events. I feel it is a great way to make friends abroad and find out about local events.

Athens

Athens

Getting away is not as expensive as some may think. Financing getaways are not an issue if you do not have high expectations such as 5 star hotels, 1st class flights or all inclusive holidays. I have booked flights for as little as £4.00 GBP return (I signed up to a new letter through Ryanair for this). I have got free meals and even paid nothing for accommodation.  Explore your options (this can take time) by weighing up if if it is cheaper to book flights and accommodation separately instead of with a travel agent. 9/10 it's cheaper to book everything separately than it is through a travel agent. Obviously visiting some countries will be a lot cheaper compared to others but this is where planning comes in.

Miami coast 

Sweden

Again with my planning, I planned and still do how my trip would go by making an itinerary and would share it with locals or hosts from couchsurfing. I read reviews from airbnb hosts and couch surfing hosts before agreeing to stay with them to ensure my safety and comfort, I looked up local supermarkets within the country and where the locals would eat. Had I stayed in a hotel, I would not necessarily gain the correct information on how locals lived, learning about their culture and cuisine.

Tunisia

Life is not meant to be lived in one place. Some may go abroad to get away, have a relaxing break, get a tan etc. When I travel, it's because I want to learn, see things for myself as oppose to listening or following what other sources like the media are saying. If you would like to know things like how I managed to fly out 11 times last year, follow me on Instagram: Shortiesmall or Facebook: Solange Spyriadis