The Life Less Traveled

In 2006 James and Sarah Welle sold all of their possessions and left their comfortable jobs at Microsoft to bicycle around the world. During their year-long adventure, the pair encountered interesting people, delicious food, new found athletic prowess and the realization of how close at hand freedom and the choice to shake up your daily life truly are. Read about how they decided to bicycle around the world for a year…and how you can, too!

Conception

1) How did you come up with the idea to quit your jobs and travel around the world?
We both had been talking about doing a big trip together before we settled down and started acquiring responsibilities (house, kids, nice cars, etc) that prevent you from doing something like this. We were originally thinking about traveling for a year by train and bus, but then I (Sarah) read a book called Miles from Nowhere about a couple in the 70’s that sold everything and bicycled around the world for two years. It sounded like the perfect way to travel, and so I spent the next 6 months convincing James that it was a good idea.

2) Why did you want to quit your jobs and travel around the world?
We started to feel like every day was the same, we couldn’t remember what we’d done 3 days ago or 3 weeks ago, and it seemed such a depressing way to live our lives. We didn’t want to get comfortable with our Microsoft salaries and build ourselves a golden cage that we’d never want to leave. We wanted to see more of the world, have an adventure, and really enjoy & remember every single day.

3) What worried you about quiting your jobs and traveling around the world?
James was worried about money – both money spent on a one year around the world trip, and also the opportunity cost of losing out on two salaries for a year. Sarah was worried about whether or not she’d physically be able to bicycle 50 miles a day for a whole year while lugging 60 lbs of gear.

4) What excited you about quiting your jobs and traveling around the world?
Adventure! New experiences every day! Eating good food, and meeting interesting people that we’d never run across in our ordinary lives.

5) Were there people who thought your idea was crazy?
Absolutely. When my boss at Microsoft found out I was going to be literally traveling by bicycle around the world he actually said “You’re going to die.” Other people couldn’t get over the fact that we were going to sell all our possessions before embarking on the trip. Others thought we were nuts for quitting stable jobs at Microsoft.

6) Were there people who thought your idea was brilliant?
Lots of people said things to us like “I wish I could do something like that.” Sometimes this irritated us, though, because in truth almost anyone could do a trip like this if they really wanted to. It just hinges upon what you choose to prioritize in your life. James and I have always been very frugal and that lifestyle enabled us to build up a savings account that allowed us the freedom to do this trip. Many other people have told us we’re so smart for jumping in and doing this trip now while we can, and they wish they would have.

7) Was there a specific moment when you thought “Yes, I’m going to do this!”?
After I read the book [Miles from Nowhere: A Round the World Bicycle Adventure], I started talking seriously with James about the idea. We started doing a ton of research, reading other books, reading blogs of people who’d done similar trips, etc. When we sat down and forecasted what our budget would look like for the bicycle trip I knew that he was convinced and we were actually going to do it!

Implementation

1) Was it hard or easy to start quit your jobs and travel around the world?
Easy for me. More difficult for James. He’s the more cautious and responsible one of us, and he was even worried he’d be bored during a whole year with no job!

2) How long did it take from conception of this idea to actually leaving for your trip?
One year.

3) What is your funniest memory of starting the process of quitting your jobs and traveling around the world?
Telling people that we were going to ride our bikes around the world, and then watching people’s faces as they said “YOU?! Cycle around the world for a year? James can maybe do it, but SARAH?! Sarah you don’t even own a bike! Who’s idea was this anyway??”

Reflection

1) What was the most fun thing about quiting your jobs and traveling around the world?
Telling our bosses that we were going to quit our jobs and travel around the world…and then realizing it was actually going to happen and no one was going to stop us. There was a sort of glee about realizing we were adults with the ability to make a totally crazy decision like this!

2) Would you do it again?
Yes!

3) What is the biggest lesson quiting your jobs and traveling around the world has taught you about life?
How much opportunity we have as Americans. We didn’t really appreciate this before.

4) What is your favorite memory from your adventure?
Too many to recount. Maybe just the general daily freedom – every day we’d wake up and the realization that we could literally do ANYTHING was astounding. We kept a journal and are glad we did – it’s fun to go back and read through our adventures. [Check out Sarah & James' blog about their adventure at www.erck.org]

Advice

1) What is your advice to someone out there thinking of quitting his or her job and traveling around the world?
The hardest part is deciding you’re really going to do it. Everything falls into place once you make that decision, and you can always figure out a way to work through any problems you run into along the way.

2) What book would you recommend to someone reading your story?
Miles from Nowhere – Barbara Savage

Lone Traveler – Anne Mustoe