• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Divergent Travelers

Divergent Travelers

Award-Winning Adventure Travel Blog

CLICK TO OPEN MENUMENU
  • TRAVEL TIPS
    • TRAVEL INSPIRATION
    • HOW TO PLAN A TRIP
    • HOW TO SAVE MONEY FOR TRAVEL
    • CHEAP PLACES TO TRAVEL
    • FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS
    • FIND CHEAP ACCOMMODATION
    • TRAVEL SAFETY TIPS
    • TRAVEL ITINERARIES
    • TRAVEL GEAR GUIDE
    • TRAVEL INSURANCE ADVICE
  • USA TRAVEL
    • USA TRAVEL GUIDE
    • USA NATIONAL PARKS
    • WEST COAST USA
      • ALASKA
      • CALIFORNIA
      • HAWAII
    • MOUNTAIN USA
      • COLORADO
      • MONTANA
      • WYOMING
    • MIDWEST USA
      • MINNESOTA
      • NORTH DAKOTA
      • WISCONSIN
    • NORTHEAST USA
      • NEW YORK
    • SOUTHWEST USA
      • ARIZONA
      • NEVADA
      • UTAH
    • SOUTHEAST USA
      • FLORIDA
      • NORTH CAROLINA
      • VIRGINIA
  • DESTINATIONS
    • WORLDWIDE
    • AFRICA
      • BOTSWANA
      • ETHIOPIA
      • KENYA
      • MALAWI
      • NAMIBIA
      • RWANDA
      • SOUTH AFRICA
      • TANZANIA
      • ZIMBABWE
    • ANTARCTICA
    • ASIA
      • CHINA
      • HONG KONG
      • INDIA
      • KYRGYZSTAN
      • MACAU
      • MALDIVES
      • RUSSIA
      • SOUTH KOREA
      • SRI LANKA
      • TIBET
      • TURKMENISTAN
      • UZBEKISTAN
    • SOUTHEAST ASIA
      • BORNEO
      • CAMBODIA
      • INDONESIA
      • MALAYSIA
      • MYANMAR
      • PHILIPPINES
      • SINGAPORE
      • THAILAND
      • VIETNAM
    • CARIBBEAN
    • CENTRAL AMERICA
    • EUROPE
      • NORDICS
        • DENMARK
        • FINLAND
        • ICELAND
        • NORWAY
        • SWEDEN
      • WESTERN EUROPE
        • BELGIUM
        • ENGLAND
        • FRANCE
        • IRELAND
        • LUXEMBOURG
        • NETHERLANDS
        • SCOTLAND
      • CENTRAL EUROPE
        • CZECH REPUBLIC
        • GERMANY
        • HUNGARY
        • POLAND
      • SOUTHERN EUROPE
        • ITALY
        • SPAIN
      • BALKANS
        • CROATIA
        • GREECE
        • MONTENEGRO
    • MIDDLE EAST
      • EGYPT
      • JORDAN
      • MOROCCO
      • TURKEY
    • NORTH AMERICA
      • CANADA
      • GREENLAND
      • MEXICO
      • UNITED STATES
    • OCEANIA
      • AUSTRALIA
      • EASTER ISLAND
      • FIJI
      • NEW ZEALAND
    • SOUTH AMERICA
      • ARGENTINA
      • BRAZIL
      • CHILE
      • COLOMBIA
      • ECUADOR
      • PERU
      • VENEZUELA
  • TRAVEL STYLES
    • ADVENTURE TRAVEL
    • CRUISING
    • CULTURAL
    • HIKING TRIPS
    • KAYAKING
    • POLAR EXPEDITIONS
    • ROAD TRIPS
    • TROPICAL DESTINATIONS
    • WILDLIFE EXPERIENCES
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • MASTER GOPRO PHOTOGRAPHY
    • BEST GOPRO ACCESSORIES
    • BEST CAMERA ACCESSORIES
    • BEST DRONES FOR TRAVEL
    • BEST TRAVEL TRIPOD
    • OUR PHOTO GEAR
  • ABOUT
    • MEET LINA & DAVID
    • WORK WITH US
    • CONTACT

Redesigning My Life At 30: Long Term Travel Career Break

You are here: Home / Long Term Travel / Redesigning My Life At 30: Long Term Travel Career Break

By Lina Stock on February 23, 2014 • Last updated November 1, 2020 • 35 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our Disclosure here

Jobless. Homeless. You can tack on car-less too. Usually, when people say those words it’s negative because they have lost a job unexpectedly or have lost and cannot afford to own a home. 

For us it’s different, it’s positive! We are taking an RTW career break. Make that an RTW life break.

We have worked extremely hard to get to say those words and it hasn’t been easy. We executed a plan over a year ago that would put in motion a chain of events that would leave us to those words.

Jobless, homeless, car-less and we couldn’t be happier. We had to be able to say those words in order to pursue our dream of traveling the World.

RTW Career Break

5 years ago I would never have envisioned where we are today. We were career-focused and sprinting towards 30.  When I turned 29, I sort of freaked out.

I looked at my life and realized there was a lot that I still wanted to do, yet there 30 loomed. Giving me a curt reminder that I wasn’t getting any younger and that my list of things to accomplish by the time I turned 30 wasn’t getting any shorter.

I am not ashamed to say I have been living with my in-laws for the last 2 weeks because we sold our house and quit our jobs. 

It’s not what I had in mind for being 30, but what comes out of it is something I couldn’t have hoped more for. I am getting a chance to see the World, a life long dream and huge item on my get done by 30 list.

Yes, I know, I am already 30, but I figured as long as I started at 30, it still counts.

The other word that comes with the homeless, jobless, living with the in-law’s variety is debt-free.

For the first time in my adult life, I am 100% debt-free.  No car loan, no mortgage, no unnecessary credit card debt. It is an amazing feeling especially since it was our reward for a year of hard work and preparation for this change.

RTW Career Break

The last part of this was freeing our selves from all the stuff we had so we could lead our new minimalist life. We managed to liquidate and sell 95% of our stuff.

What we still own fits into a closet at the in-laws, with the exception of our bed.  That’s pretty insane if you ask me. Most people can’t believe we have done that and quite honestly I can’t believe we have either.

It is incredibly liberating though and something we felt was necessary to transition to our new nomad lifestyle. We didn’t want to be worrying about our stuff at home.

On Friday, February 21, 2014, despite the largest snowstorm of the season, we boarded a flight in Duluth, Minnesota and flew to Auckland, New Zealand.  We are now nomads and ready to see the World. Call me crazy, but we’re pretty damn excited!

Note to readers: We departed on our around the world (RTW) trip on February 21, 2014. We traveled full-time, backpacking across 6 continents for the next 2 years. Since 2016, we travel 7-10 months out of every year creating content and telling stories for this website. It’s been a wild ride!

More on Long Term Travel:

  • How to Plan A Trip: Step by Step Guide
  • How to Plan A Travel Budget
  • 11 Easy Tips on How to Find Cheap Accommodation
  • 10 Killer Tips on How to Find Cheap Flights
  • How to Save Money for Travel: A Step by Step Plan
  • Essential Travel Vaccinations Guide: What You Need & Why
  • How to Sell Everything to Pursue Long Term Travel
  • What We Told Our Families Before Long Term Travel
  • Giving Up Our Couch to See the World
  • 20 Days Till Liftoff: Long Term Travel Preparation Checklist
  • Ultimate Long Term Travel RTW Packing List
  • Where Will 2 Years of Long Term Travel Take Us?
  • House to Hostel: A Married Couples Perspective
  • 6 Month Long Term Travel Recap
  • 2014 Travel Review: 1 Year of Full-Time Travel
  • 2015 Travel Review: 26 Countries on 4 Continents
  • 2 Years of Long Term Travel Down: What’s Next for Divergent Travelers?
  • 2016 Travel Review: 16 Countries on 4 Continents
  • 2017 Travel Review: 7 States & 7 Countries
  • How Traveling the World Changed my Perspective of the USA
  • 5 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprints while Traveling

Did you like this story? Share it!

Article by Lina Stock

Lina is an award-winning photographer and writer that has been exploring the world since 2001. She has traveled to 100 countries on all 7 continents. Member: SATW, NATJA, ATTA, ITWA
111shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Trip Planning Resources

TRAVEL GEAR & PACKING
Check out our packing lists and  travel gear guide to ensure you’re bringing the right items on your trip.

BOOK YOUR FLIGHT
Ready to fly? We use Skyscanner to compare prices and book flights. You should also check out our tips for finding cheap flights.

CAR RENTAL
We use Discover Cars to compare car prices, find deals and book rentals.

FIND ACCOMMODATION
Compare prices and book with our custom-built hotel search engine. You should also check out our tips for finding cheap accommodation.

TRY OUT AIRBNB
Get a discount with AirBNB and learn how to maximize your savings with up to $100 in discounts.

PROTECT YOUR TRIP
Don’t forget your travel insurance! Protect your investment and yourself. Read Is Travel Insurance Worth It?

Divergent Travelers - Adventure Travel Blog

Disclosure: In accordance with FTC guidelines, we disclose that we may be compensated if consumers choose to utilize links located throughout the content on this site. Some posts might be sponsored to support this blog.
Divergent Travelers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lana says

    April 11, 2019 at 10:15 AM

    So excited to have found your page!! My husband and our friend are planning to leave for our RTW trip in eleven months!! I can hardly believe I’m saying that. It’s been about two years since I first introduced the idea to my husband and he looked at me like I had 12 heads lol. And now we are preparing to quit our jobs and sell everything. We are looking for the ultimate place to settle down and build a sustainable eco community to live with our friends and family. I can’t wait to scour through your website to find all the tips and tricks! Sending love from central Florida!

    Reply
    • Lina Stock says

      April 11, 2019 at 1:37 PM

      Hi Lana and welcome! So glad you found us and how exciting!! You’re about to go for the best ride of your life. 🙂 What’s your travel plan?

      Reply
  2. madi says

    July 12, 2015 at 8:35 PM

    This is so inspiring! I’m creeping slowly closer to 30 and I can already predict I’ll have that freak-out moment! In fact I had one the other day… my partner in crime however does not seem all that keen on packing up to travel the world – so I might have to ease him into the idea over the next couple of years 😉

    Reply
    • Lina says

      July 13, 2015 at 4:35 AM

      It was the same for us, Dave did not want to travel and I did. It is hard to change from the comfort of routine to a life of the unknown, but so worth it. Best of luck to you!

      Reply
  3. JonathoP85 says

    January 8, 2015 at 6:47 AM

    Hey there! I’ve been following your weblog for a long time now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Huffman Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the excellent job!

    Reply
    • Lina says

      January 8, 2015 at 8:29 AM

      Hi there, thank you for your kind words. We’re happy to have you on board the adventures!

      Reply
  4. Rooz says

    May 14, 2014 at 1:17 AM

    Congrats guys, I’m following in your footsteps. My apartment is on the market, once its sold i will give me job a few months notice and sell my truck. I will be following you guys closely. I’m looking to get the Tortuga v2 and also budgeted about $70-$100 a day.

    Reply
    • Lina says

      May 14, 2014 at 5:40 PM

      Hi Rooz! That’s awesome, congrats! The Tortuga is a great bag if you have a longer torso! $70-$100 will be plenty for one person on the road. You’ll be able to do everything and eat well on that budget. Best of luck in selling your things and preparing to set out on the road.

      Reply
  5. Claire says

    April 28, 2014 at 8:02 AM

    Loved this post – we’re in a very similar situation and set off for our trip in less than 2 weeks – your post really captures how exciting it all is! Really looking forward to following your trip!

    Reply
    • Lina says

      April 29, 2014 at 8:21 PM

      Hi there!! Glad to have you following!! You are in for the adventure of a lifetime!! I can remember the last couple months at home so vividly, embrace it all. I have never experienced such strong emotions all at once before! So excited for you, where you off to first?

      Reply
  6. Cam says

    February 26, 2014 at 1:26 PM

    Fun times ahead! Happy travels

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 27, 2014 at 4:16 AM

      Thank you! YES! We are so excited to finally be on the road! Loving New Zealand right now- more importantly because it’s summer here and winter back home!

      Reply
  7. Kady Saari says

    February 26, 2014 at 8:28 AM

    So excited to follow you sissa! Can’t wait to see all the crazy things you do!

    Reply
  8. Lisa Imogen Eldridge says

    February 24, 2014 at 3:34 PM

    Well done guys! Jobless, homeless, car-less and FREE!

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 26, 2014 at 4:20 AM

      It is so strange for us! but we are ready to get out there and explore! Thanks Lisa!

      Reply
  9. Tamara says

    February 24, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    Looks like we found you just in time, only two days in! We look forward to following your adventures. Welcome to the nomadic lifestyle. We liberated ourselves from “stuff” once and for all about 6 years ago (though a couple of pesky bins remain in parents’ basements). We’ve done two extended trips of about a year each. New Zealand was one of our favorite places. Are you going to campervan around?

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 26, 2014 at 4:16 AM

      Hi Tamara! No, not doing a campervan in New Zealand! We will be doing that in Australia though. It is weird to be on the road and telling people what we are up to! So surreal to have no plans of returning home.

      Reply
  10. TurtlesTravel Blog says

    February 24, 2014 at 7:57 AM

    Welcome to the nomadic lifestyle! It’s so exciting to see you starting out. Enjoy New Zealand! Can’t wait to see what else you get up to!

    Reply
  11. Jenna says

    February 24, 2014 at 1:02 AM

    Congratulations! Although we didn’t have a house to sell, we did everything else (left our jobs in London, sold the car etc) just over a year ago, and haven’t regretted it for a moment. 2013 was a whole year of highlights for us, and we’re hoping for more of the same this year too! If you’re anything like us you’ll have lots of ‘If I was at home I’d be sat at my desk/teaching/walking home in the rain, and instead we’re… riding a camel in the Thar desert/trekking in the Himalayas/lying on one of Sri Lanka’s pristine beaches/climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge). Enjoy them and happy travels!

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 26, 2014 at 4:21 AM

      Thanks Jenna! Yes, we are looking forward to all the experiences and we tend to do the same thing, playing the if I was at home game! Just did it today on a hike actually! LOL

      Reply
  12. Matt M says

    February 23, 2014 at 8:15 PM

    I’m so glad you guys made it out on Friday. I was watching the weather closely hoping you would make it out.
    I’m so looking forward to following your adventure.

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 24, 2014 at 12:17 AM

      yea it was a close one! We missed one flight but were able to reschedule and still make it to San Francisco in time to catch our flight to New Zealand. 🙂

      Reply
  13. Deia @ Nomad Wallet says

    February 23, 2014 at 4:26 PM

    Congrats! So many adventures are ahead of you. I know what you mean about how liberating it can feel to be completely debt-free. Not having mortgage or car payments to worry about — that’s freedom!

    Reply
    • Lina says

      February 24, 2014 at 12:27 AM

      Thank you! Yes, it is so liberating and weird! LOL But we are so happy to be free of that and on to new adventures.

      Reply
  14. Jessica - Notes of Nomads says

    February 23, 2014 at 11:57 AM

    Congratulations! Nothing more liberating than hitting the road with just a backpack! All the best 🙂

    Reply
  15. Betsy Larson Skerik says

    February 23, 2014 at 11:56 AM

    Good for you! You’re living what many of us could just dream of.

    Reply
    • Divergent Travelers says

      February 23, 2014 at 12:29 PM

      thanks Betsy!

      Reply
  16. Kady Saari says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:58 AM

    Awesome sissa!!!!

    Reply
  17. Krista says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:58 AM

    I am so excited to follow along on your journey!! I hope to one day be in your shoes – jobless and homeless!!

    Reply
  18. Suzie says

    February 23, 2014 at 6:39 AM

    Awesome. Enjoy New Zealand. We loved it.

    Reply
  19. Lucy M. Scheer says

    February 23, 2014 at 6:20 AM

    Very impressive. I’ll definitely follow their adventure!

    Reply
    • Divergent Travelers says

      February 23, 2014 at 12:30 PM

      Hi Lucy, thanks for following!

      Reply
  20. Jeff Johns says

    February 23, 2014 at 2:03 AM

    So excited for you guys! Been counting down the days along with you guys the last few months. Happy trails in New Zealand and hope to see you in Thailand soon. We’ll be back in Phuket around April/May.

    Reply
  21. Hannah @getting stamped says

    February 23, 2014 at 1:54 AM

    Congratulations guys!!! It’s a crazy and fun new life, we’ve been in the road eight months and wouldn’t change a thing! Hope to see you soon

    Reply
  22. Steve says

    February 23, 2014 at 1:54 AM

    Good luck and enjoy.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hello & Welcome to Divergent Travelers

Divergent Travelers - Adventure Travel Blog

We are David & Lina Stock, a married couple from NW Wisconsin who have been traveling together since 2001. We’ve visited nearly 100 countries on all 7 continents. You can learn more about us here.

Looking for something?

AirBNB coupon

Latest Posts

  • Hiking Angels Landing in Zion NP (A Survival Guide)
  • Best Time to Go to Zion National Park (A Guide to Zion Park Weather)
  • 2020 Travel Review: The Year of a Global Pandemic
  • Essential Grand Canyon North Rim Guide (Things to Do, Tips & Advice)
  • What to Do in Medora, ND (Top Sights, Eats & Advice)

Divergent Travelers

© 2021 Copyright · All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy · Disclosure · Terms

BLOG / PRESS /  WORK WITH US  /  CONTACT