Avinash Kachhy recently posted a question about Travelling and Careers over on the CGOAB forums: (https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/forum/) where he had some good observations on work / careers that are conducive to bike touring.
Amanda and I view our stance on this as Avinash’s Option #1. We hope to take as much as 10 years away from the workforce, we call it early retirement, and live off of savings during that time.
I received a warmhearted response to my post that I thought I would share with you all.
Hi Andrew
You are very fortunate to have a spouse that participates wholeheartedly in your travel plans. I am always curious to know about the professions of cycle tourists, especially in your case where you are prepared to take a hiatus of up to 10 years during the prime of life. That is indeed quite courageous and noteworthy.
Thanks
Avinash
Avinash, in response to your question I’m a sales person, and my wife is a human resources professional. I’m not rich, and for years struggled, living paycheque to paycheque. As a young adult, I did all of the things society expected of me: got married (and divorced) and re-married, bought a house with a huge mortgage, bought a car, clawed my way up the corporate ladder, going from job to job, also trying to find something that paid more, got disgusted with it and quit. Never was my focus on what was truly important. my way up the ladder in each of our professions, got disgusted with what we were doing and quit, and started all over again. Strangely enough, while when I was younger I wanted to be the president of a company, or heck, even the Prime Minister of Canada, I came to realize that my reasons for wanting these things were not based on the values that I hold most dear, but perhaps representative of some other part of myself.
It wasn’t until a few years ago, working with my life coach, Jill (http://www.meridianlifedesign.com) that I came to the realization that sitting in a cubicle, staring glumly at the grey carpetted wall wasn’t the path I was seeking to fulfillment. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I prefer being outdoors, riding my bike, skiing, playing sports, having fun. I would describe my life purpose as “The little boy who invites you out to play”. By talking with Jill, I came to recognize that the things I value most: curiousity, creativity, family, honesty, making a difference, respect, challenge..these were not present in my job. I knew that if I wanted to be the most fulfilled I could be, I had to honour these values. It just so happens that Amanda shares these same values, and perhaps that is why this journey has become so important to us.
I also know that there are other ways to honour these values, and still collect a paycheque. I could find a job that meshes more with what I describe above. Yet, it clicked with Amanda too, that taking 10 years off, while scary, seems like the right thing to do. So that’s why we’ve decided to not work at all while we travel. Travelling is stressful enough, I don’t want deadlines and thoughts about work distracting me from the beauty that Earth has to offer.
I have also come to realize that something I take for granted is thinking that everyone has the same goals and dreams as Amanda and I. After all, people are always telling me that I’m “…living the dream…”. Often I forget that this is a big change, and that not everyone is in the same shoes as us. I find myself trying to encourage those around me by saying that riding a bike around the world is something anyone can do; but the truth is that it does take courage. Reading about other people who have gone before me, especially on CrazyGuyOnABike.com, give me the knowledge that I think I need before setting out, but I also rely on those around me, like you, who’s reading this post. Thank you for your encouragement and your generosity, thank you for caring. While I am truly blessed to have Amanda, a partner who shares the same life purpose as I do, I am also very lucky to have my friends and family who cheer me on from afar. Years from now, when Amanda and I are holed up in a small village somewhere, where its raining, and our bikes have broken down, and we’re feeling blue, I know that I’ll be able to count on you to help keep us going.