what if the money factor was taken out of the equation and i could show you a way to travel for free: would you travel more?
my three exit strategies are not only trips waiting to happen but also ways of getting closer to achieving a less stressful, closer to nature kind of life: it’s a more literal give-and-take approach to traveling.
- have you ever considered wwoofing? wwoof is a world wide platform linking offer and demand aka volunteers and organic farmers. in return for your volunteer help, the hosts will offer food, accommodation and opportunities to learn about the organic lifestyle. the whole process helps people enjoy a more sustainable way of living. imagine spending a few weeks in a tofu factory in japan. or working on a rose field in bulgaria. or gardening in algarve.
- become a workawayer! workaway.info helps you work abroad, integrate in local cultures, learn a new language, acquire new skills and meet people. you can currently volunteer with the following: icelandic horse tending at a danish riding center, catamaran building in germany, helping out in the indian hymalayas or on an organic bamboo nursery in the netherlands, etc. difficult to choose?
- helpx is a version of the above: an online list of hosts (organic and non-organic farms, homestays, ranches, lodges, hostels and even sailing boats) inviting volunteers to stay with them for a short while in exchange for food and accommodation (the typical arrangement is that the helper works an average of 4 hours per day and receives free accommodation and meals for their efforts). among the listings that caught my eye: help out with a sleigh dog operation in alaska, a macadamia nuts and coffee farm in hawaii or a quince orchard in turkey, redecoration of a town house in antwerp. so many options, so little time.
to use any of the above mentioned websites, you need to subscribe. that implies a small fee that goes to the upkeep of the operation.
you have always wondered what you can do to contribute to a simpler, greener way of life, right? the above mentioned options may just be your answer. or even the beginning of a long sabbatical.
if you have by now decided that your future will include at least one travel for free, you need nothing else but some flight hacking to secure the cheapest air tickets out there and you’re on your way!
safe (and affordable) travels!
photo credits: little aesthete
