Last updated on April 28th, 2023 at 08:54 pm
Ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to travel the world. That dream never faded and only intensified, as I got older. Finally, I decided that I didn't want to wait any longer, and I began to set up my life to be able to work while traveling and see the world.
I will reveal some tips for how I have made it all work in a later post. But in short, it took about 2-years of strategic planning and making choices to set myself up to travel the world while doing a job that I love.
When I dreamed of travel, I always imagined exploring exotic places, experiencing new cultures and trying new foods. All of those things come with world travel, but the one thing I never expected is what made the difference for me.
Meeting amazing people
The number one-way travel has changed my life is meeting amazing like-minded people that I have connected with and have helped inspire and mold my life into what it is today.
Over the past year, I've met a few key people who, after meeting them, altered my path and direction. I have always been a (maybe slightly obsessive) planner. Through these experiences, I have learned to give in to seeing where life takes me and making fewer plans.
The first of those life-changing meetings took place in the summer of 2015 in Yosemite National Park, in California. I was there on a solo trip for my 30th birthday to fulfill a dream: hiking to the top of the iconic Half Dome.
The magic of Yosemite
Yosemite is a magical place. Standing on top of Half Dome, overlooking the whole valley, really is an incredible experience. It wasn't until the day after my climb that I realized I had met one of those life changing people I keep talking about.
While having drinks for my birthday with some new friends, I met a Brit named Sarah, and we quickly bonded over whiskey. We were talking about Half Dome and eventually realized we had been on top at the exact same time. I scrolled through pictures on my camera and found one of both of us on Half Dome. It was a great coincidence and Sarah asked me to email her those photos.
Sarah handed me her business card noting she is a filmmaker. The next day, I emailed her the photos and told her about a film idea I had recently dreamed up.
Now, we are amid a kickstarter to raise the funds to make a film called Endure Nepal. It’s a women's mountain biking film featuring riders in Nepal helping Nepalese to rebuild after the earthquakes of 2015.
On the road to Europe and the Far East
In the Fall of 2015, I took off on a solo trip to Spain, Thailand, Bali and Italy. I spent the most time in Chiang Mai, Thailand and quickly felt at home. One morning, I was at my favorite local coffee shop, the Chiang Mai Clay Studio in the Garden near the Chiang Mai Gate. Two couples came into the courtyard and started taking photos, so I asked them if they would like me to take a group photo. I started chatting with one of the men, Tom, and we sat for well over an hour talking about travel. Tom introduced me to his wife Karla, and we became friends, meeting for dinners while in Chiang Mai. I now call Tom and Karla friends, and they asked me to become a contributor to their new website. You may have heard of it – it's called RoverTreks :).
Roving means making new friends across the globe
During my travels, I've seen amazing places and had some incredible experiences. But the memorable experiences of all are the new friends I’ve made.
I plan to travel to Italy with new friends Shaine and Lisa. I met them in Chiang Mai, Thailand a few months before my arrival via a mutual friend. My new Italian friend Alessandro is helping with the travel plan.
I've kept in touch with Kayla, who I met on the quiet island of Nusa Penida off the coast of Bali. We hope to reconnect somewhere in the future. But we'll stay in touch digitally thanks to the Internet.
These are a few of the people that have made an impact on my life, inspired me with their stories, and are now people I consider good friends who I talk with often.
Technology has allowed me the luxury of working wherever I am in the world and to stay connected with the important people in my life back ‘home.' It also allows me to stay connected with my new friends while we continue to roam around the world.
Even as I continue to make some plans, I am throwing of them out the window, because I never know who I will meet causing me to change my path!
Update: 2023
Julie continues to empower women through her leadership via mountain biking. You can see her posts on Instagram here. She is the organizer and leader of world-ride.com.
