I can guess about it more or less what comes to minds when the topic is how to start traveling etc. Actually, going on a world tour or start traveling is a thing that could be done in many different ways. The vehicle used may change as well as the method may change. Some people want to travel by bus, some people by plane. Some people prefer not to return in three years when they are on the road, while some people may find it more advisable to have a journey in every three months. I am recently in a period of I started as world tour and I am at the very beginning of the way. I started with Turkey as my first long journey within this period. From that day to this, I am trying to answer the frequently asked questions about my journeys in this page. You may comment or send your questions too.

How To Start Traveling and Questions Come to Minds

Who am I?

Hi, I am Melike. You may reach to detailed information about me here.

What do I do?

I am traveling around the world to explore, to learn different cultures, to know new people. Sometimes by bicycle, sometimes by hitchhike, sometimes by plane; shortly I travel in a way what and when the road requires. You may want to read “Leaving Corporate Life” page to see how I start traveling

Saying world? All of it?

To where the wind takes me to.

How did you find money to go to tour?

I almost had all of money necessary to be on the road by working or saving it. I know it doesn’t seem real when I say like this. But there are a lot of things we spend money for unnecessarily and unawares. You can read how I saved money before I began my journey here. My close friends and my family contributed small amounts too. When I was on the road contributions of my friends who wanted postcard and video from the “Ad&Collaboration” section on the website were coming. Besides, while I was travelling, I was balancing my budget by working.

How much money do you spend while you travel?

In fact to be on the road is not that much expensive as it is assumed. On the contrary, it is cheaper than a settled life. I am trying to keep expenses as much as minimum because I travel with a limited budget. I spent very small amount as 7 liras in a day in my Iran travelling in nearly 82 days. My daily expense was 10 liras in my India travel for 5 months long. Certainly expenses change by expectations. Travelers who don’t have a limited budget spend very much more money than me. You may reach to detailed list of my expenses in the end of articles about the countries I visited. Here you can find all the articles from Countries Category.

How can you travel for that much cheap?

I keep my expenses minimum and travel with a low budget and work sometimes when traveling. “Budget Travel” category may help you to find the tips that may reduce your travel expenses.

Do you always travel by bike?

I started my first long journey by bicycle. After traveling by bicycle for nearly 10 months, when I was in India, I’ve sent my bicycle to Turkey and keep going with my back pack towards Thailand.

Are you going to travel by bicycle always?

I do not have such a claim like this. As I always say, I make my way by wind. I’ll travel however circumstances requires and however I want. In addition to this, there are places I would like to travel with my back pack by motorbike and caravan too. I hope to make these projects real in the future.

Isn’t it hard traveling by bicycle?

There are advantages of traveling by bike as well as disadvantages of course. But at the same time there is a great comeliness too. You may click on to look at advantages and disadvantages of traveling by bike.

What are challenges of traveling by bicycle?

It may be some tiring at the beginning because you should make an effort consistently. But after your body gets used to it, the rest is easy. The biggest difficulty I’ve seen about having bicycle is keeping it safe. When I camp and want to tour in the city, it can be hard to find a place to leave my bicycle. When I find a place the rest is easy because I use Abus lock the world’s best lock brand.

Isn’t it tiring traveling by bike?

Let’s take you there presently: Is it tiring traveling by bike?

Well, what do you do on the slopes when you travel by bike?

That I sit and bike goes itself I would like to say but unfortunately the facts are some different. You may look at here for the facts: Cycling on the slopes.

How do you handle accommodation issue while traveling?

I usually camp for accommodation when I travel by bike or I use Warmshowers. Couchsurfing is another application I use too. So, I choose the free accommodation techniques primarily. If free accommodation is not possible, then I try to find cheap hostels and hotels.

How long are you going to travel?

I want to travel as long as I’m healthy and conditions are available.

Don’t you miss your home?

I see the world as my home. I feel belonging to everywhere I go as much as I feel foreign. So, it’s not missing home but “the place I own” sometimes.

What if something happens to you? Don’t you scare?

I believe in nothing will happen to me. Everything happens to me will teach me something new. Thus, I don’t scare in general. But sure I am a human, sometimes I may beware or be stressed. But I’m thinking positive and paying attention to energy I spread to be a smiling energy.

What was the worst thing happened to you so far?

Except a couple of difficulties nothing happened to me. Mentioned difficulties were people-driven, mostly because of misunderstandings, problems had simple solutions.

How could be dealt (coped) with diseases when travelling?

I had no illness except a couple of cold so far. When I had cold, I was not in camping atmosphere luckily. I was staying with a friend I met from Warmshowers in Tabriz and his/her/friend’s family took care of me like their own child. The only problem of mine could be troublesome is panic attack. When I have attack I try to relax with suggestions, music, and breathe techniques. I mean, if you want to be well, the universe cares of you.

Besides, of course I don’t neglect having travel health insurance in short travels, private health insurance in long travels including abroad too.

Don’t you stay for a long time where you arrive?

The answer of this question is totally about what you expect from the journey. My expectation from the journey is not to see somewhere and to pass to another. I want to live where I travel, experience there, and want to be involved in local people’s daily life. If it is possible, I prefer to stay in the place I go and to learn their culture and language. I don’t boogie down to somewhere, so I travel enjoying it, not making difficulty to reach to next destination. Thus, I stay at the places I go for how long I want.

Which apps do you use when traveling?

The navigation applications I use: Pocket Earth and Maps Me

The accommodation applications I use: Couchsurfing, Warmshowers, Hostelworld, Trivago, and Booking.com

The flight ticket applications I use: Turna.com

Isn’t the Visa a problem?

I generally prefer visa-free countries or countries which it is easy to get the Visa for. I’ve had no problem about the Visa so far.

Does not your family make a problem?

It was expected that just like everyone else me to get a job, if possible to pass KPSS exam, guarantee my retirement, get married, my insurance to be paid, this idea was considered bizarre by my family at the beginning. To persuade my family for that it was the thing in my dreams and I would be happy was not a bed of roses and for both sides caused backbreaking process. But after all of these processes and being some patient, eventually they believed in me and trusted me. Although they didn’t want that, as they were seeing my happiness, they started to support more and after a while it became something they wanted too.

Please share your own story with us and inspire people in order to let them find their own story of how to start traveling