travelling in work

The great thing is that I convinced one of my work colleagues to come with me, which has two benefits. She has now been introduced to Danielle's work for the first time and we will have a chance to bond over the event! I can't wait!

18. Create a standard packing list

If you are travelling regularly, save yourself the pain of wondering "have I forgotten something?" Every time you travel. I learnt this the hard way, and have about 20 packets of travel sickness pills in my medication box as a result. Because every time I travelled I would forget them and end up buying yet another box at the airport kiosk. (For about twice the price that I can get them at my local pharmacy). Create your list on your computer and print it out every time you go away, or print it once, laminate it and check the items off with a dry-erase marker. I promise you, this is a game changer and will mean that packing your bag to go away becomes super quick and hassle-free!* 

* Since writing this post, I've upgraded my travel checklist! I now have it in Trello. In fact, I have one checklist for travelling for work and another for personal trips.

19. Take a creature comfort from home

Candice popped back in to let me know that she likes to take a creature comfort from home when she travels for work. Especially if she will be away for a while. Candice suggested that your favourite pillow might be a good option, provided that you have room in your suitcase.

I think this is a fantastic idea. In fact, I've actually been packing my essential oil diffuser with me as my creature comfort. I love setting my diffuser up in the hotel room and diffusing oils to help me sleep, or to ground me after a hard day at the office.

20. Pack a set of clothes in your carry on

This tip only really applies if you are travelling a long distance (like, overseas), or have multiple stopovers as there is more chance of your checked luggage being lost or delayed. Got a meeting first thing the morning after flying? Imagine how embarrassed you would be if you had to rock up in your casual travelling clothes. Bags don't go missing or get hugely delayed too often. But you can guarantee it will always happen when you have somewhere important to be. Isn't that Murphy's Law?

If you pack some spare clothes, you can at least look semi-respectable for that meeting or event! (This may seem a little over-prepared, but if you are reading this, I am guessing you are probably a preparer. Being too prepared has never bitten anyone on the bum. Girl Guide's Honour)

21. Pack as light as possible, then lighter again

While we were on the cruise, Hubs and I spent quite a bit of time in the art gallery and even purchased some art to take home. This meant that we also got to know the ship’s Art Director, Ajay, who had been on the ship for the past seven months! My gosh, I couldn’t even imagine it! With this in mind I figured that Ajay was probably a master at travelling for work. I asked him to share his best tip. Ajay told me that it is all about packing light. He then offered these follow up pearls of wisdom:

• Make sure all of your books are loaded onto your phone or tablet, so that you don’t have to carry physical books.
• Roll everything – you can fit heaps more in. You'll just need to iron when you arrive at your destination. 
• Stuff your socks and underwear into your shoes. You should be able to fit at least 4 pairs of socks in each shoe! 
• If you are going away for a while, pack your socks and underwear into a plastic bag so that you can tip them directly into a drawer in your hotel room.

Have fun when travelling for work!

One thing I have learned about travelling for work is that I always hate it less when I let my hair down a little. Grumbling because you don't like travelling for business will not bring anything good upon you. So, save your complaining and work out how you can enjoy the situation that you are in. Whether that includes going out for dinner with your colleagues, hiring a cheesy movie from the in-room entertainment system, reading a trashy novel, splurging on a massage, or simply just choosing to smile instead of grimace, give it a go and be grateful that you have an opportunity that others would beg for. 

I hope you have enjoyed this huge post about travel tips for work! Have a great work trip and let me know in the comments if you have any other great travel tips!

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About the Author

Bec McFarland is an experienced HR practitioner, manager, career coach and the creator of Pop Your Career. She delights in sharing practical, straight to the point career advice, spending time with her family and eating Mexican food.

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Business Travel 101: Tips For Your First Time Traveling For Work

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Traveling for work seems glamorous on the surface.

You’ve got free flights, time out of the office, and your company is paying for (almost) everything.

Who wouldn’t want that?

But anyone who’s actually taken a business trip knows there’s another side to this coin. Between the red-eye flights, working remotely , and juggling back-to-back meetings and events – it’s exhausting.

Well, it can be.

The savviest business travelers know the importance of time management, efficient packing, and trip planning that allows you to squeeze in some exploration without missing a single meeting (all while still getting enough sleep).

If you’re a first-time business traveler, here’s how you can still bring your A-game and see more of the world at the same time!

RELATED: How to Prevent Burnout When Traveling for Work: 5 Tips

Tips for Your First Time Traveling For Work

Know Your Company’s Travel Policy Like The Back of Your Hand

The secret weapon in your business travel toolkit? Memorizing your company’s travel policy.

Why? Well, for two important reasons:

• If you’re clueless about what is allowed, you could be leaving some serious business travel perks on the table.
• If you’re clueless about what isn’t allowed, you might have an unexpected deduction on your paycheck next month.

Before your first work trip, take the time to review your company’s travel policy word for word and note anything crucial that you’ll need to remember as you begin to pack your bags. 

By the time you’re done familiarizing yourself with your policy, you should know things like:

• Your per diem for travel days (i.e., do you get a flat amount for expenses, or a unique budget per item, like breakfasts, lunches, dinners by yourself or with clients, and transportation?).
• Whether or not you need receipts (physical or a scanned copy) for purchases.
• What expenses are up for reimbursement (e.g., will your company cover your visa application fee? Your rental car? Your checked bag?) 
• The deadlines for submitting expense reports.
• How much can you spend per night on a hotel room? Does it need to be a specific hotel or hotel chain? Can you use an alternative accommodation like Airbnb or VRBO?
• Can you use your frequent flyer number to collect flight miles? Does it need to be a specific airline?
• Can you use your own credit card or is there a company card?

What happens if your company’s travel policy isn’t super clear on the above? Set up some time with HR and/or your boss to go over these details and address any lingering questions you might have.

Doing so will help prevent any surprise expenses before, during, and after a work trip.

Tip: Use an app like Mint.com to track all your expenses and take pictures of every single receipt you get as soon as you’re handed it, just in case you lose any!

RELATED: How to Ask Your Boss for More Vacation Time (The Right Way)

Book The Right Hotel

Booking a hotel room seems pretty basic, right?

Hop onto a site like Booking.com , put in your budget range, select the “I’m traveling for work” box (which allows you to filter for key amenities like free wifi or included breakfast), and you’re done.

Well… it’s not that easy .

When traveling for work to a new city, other factors that you can’t always control come into play.

First of all, you might be limited to a specific hotel or hotel chain your company has a negotiated agreement and special rate with, which means you won’t have a choice as to where you stay. However, if your company doesn’t have a specific hotel requirement, you have to make sure to familiarize yourself with the city and the surroundings using Google Maps. The worst thing you could do is accidentally choose a hotel far away or in an unsafe neighborhood. 

To avoid this, figure out where your meetings or work obligations will be, and try your best to book a hotel room as close as possible to it.

You might have to pay more for a hotel with a convenient location, which will no doubt save you travel time and the stress of navigating a new city. But keep in mind that more expensive accommodations should be discussed with your company in case they fall outside of the suggested hotel budget listed in their travel policy.

What if you’re not the one booking your hotel room? Speak to the person in charge of corporate travel at your company and give them a list of your preferences, such as:

• Walking/driving distance to the location(s) you need to visit for work
• Amenities like reliable wifi, secure parking, a business center, etc.
• Desired neighborhood preferences
• Hotel policy and procedure for booking with a card that is not in your name

Related: Where Traveling for Work Meets Actually Enjoying Yourself – How Cambria Hotels Cater to Business Travelers

Give Yourself Enough Time for the Unexpected

Whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure, you need to expect the unexpected.

• Flights can get canceled or delayed.
• Traffic delays can prevent you from getting to a meeting on time.
• The airline could lose your bags in transit.

While these scenarios may be out of your control, you can give yourself a bit more breathing room to react and recover by doing these things:

• Instead of flying into the city the same day as your meeting, fly in the night before.
• If you’ve booked a red-eye flight, try to give yourself enough time to catch up on sleep before your first meeting.
• Driving to your meeting? Give yourself a bit more time in case traffic is bad or parking is difficult.
• Book a direct flight whenever possible. It will help you avoid missing connections and get you to your destination more quickly.

By following these tips, you’ll arrive on time, feel fully rested, and be stress-free so you can perform at your best!

Plan Your Sightseeing AFTER Important Meetings

If you’re a long-time reader, you’ll know I’m all about maximizing my work trips by using them to help me explore more of the world.

While work travel isn’t a vacation, if you’re smart with your time and plan ahead, you can squeeze in a weekend trip or quick adventure by simply extending your business trip by an extra day or two.

The trick here is to always plan your sightseeing after your meetings or when the conference you’re attending has ended. Give yourself the time to solely focus on your work so you can show up and be 100% focused on the tasks at hand.

Then, when work is over, reward yourself!

Book that NYC food tour of your dreams. Go on a short hike up Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City , or spend an afternoon wandering around the Desert Botanical Garden in Tempe, Arizona.

Just don’t go too crazy with your itinerary. Give yourself ample time to explore without rushing, and keep your sight-seeing goals reasonable, because exploring after work trips usually doesn’t leave you with as much time as if you were just going on vacation.

I promise if you dial back a bit, you’ll enjoy the whole experience more, and you’ll have some time to reset before you’re back at work.

And who knows? You could stumble onto a gem you didn’t know about and would have missed if you stuck to a super rigid itinerary.

RELATED: 9 Tips for Working While Traveling and Staying Productive

Don’t Ditch Your Healthy Eating & Workout Habits

When you travel, it’s easy to accidentally skip a meal here or there with all the running around, or order a super decadent meal because it’s quick and easy (and you’re likely not paying for it).

While indulging in fast food and networking cocktails is all fine and well (and often comes with the territory of entertaining clients and attending events), moderation is key – especially if you’re on the go often!

As a business traveler, you need to fuel your body with things that will make you feel good and maintain your energy levels whenever possible. If you don’t, you might feel sluggish in meetings, and your motivation will plummet before the end of the day, making it hard to concentrate and do your job.

Here are my tips for staying healthy while on the road:

• Don’t skip breakfast. You need to give your body enough energy to last throughout the day, and breakfast is especially important if you’re normally a breakfast eater when you’re home. When ordering your meal, choose something like granola and yogurt, or eggs and turkey bacon, instead of a pastry. Sugary treats don’t give you long-term energy, and you’ll crash from your high before it’s time for lunch.
• Stay hydrated. I always travel with a reusable water bottle, and I bring it wherever I go throughout the day. Lots of conference setups will typically have water refill stations anyway, and you can feel good about skipping the unnecessary plastic if you’ve already brought your own.
• Keep snacks in your bag. Not all airline food is great, and some meetings mentally drain you before lunchtime. Keep a few snacks like protein bars in your bag to munch on throughout your business trip. It will keep you satiated and stop you from spending money on overpriced airport food.
• Research nearby cafes and restaurants. You’re less likely to opt for some Taco Bell if you have a list of healthy eating options at your fingertips. Before your work trip, spend some time researching nearby eateries with healthier menu options for lunches and dinners on the days you don’t have work commitments.
• Try not to skip workouts. Before you start the day, a solid workout can clear your mind, help you sleep better, and keep your fitness goals on track. If your hotel comes with a gym, use it. If it doesn’t, log onto YouTube or turn to pretty much any online bodyweight-only workout program.

Related: 5 Workout Ideas That Can Be Done At Home or On the Road

Pace Yourself at Work Events

When you’re having after-work drinks in a new city, it’s tempting to have more than one.

That’s totally cool, but remember – alcohol and a good night’s rest don’t mix.

It’s long been said that the effects of alcohol significantly reduce the quality of sleep and the amount of time spent in REM.

REM is a mentally restorative type of sleep, and when you’re traveling for work, you want to maximize your time there as much as possible.

I know when I’m away on a business trip, my days are usually packed with back-to-back meetings. The only way I can get through those days is by having a good 7-hour sleep and keeping my night outs short and to a minimum.

If your meetings are out of the way though, by all means, treat yourself on the last night in a new city!

Packing for Business Travel Tips

To end things off, here are some quick packing tips to always keep in mind as a corporate traveler:

• Try to stick to carry on only when possible
• Invest in a sharp-looking purse or tote that can be used both for travel and for meetings
• Pack any items you need to help you fall asleep faster (eye masks, melatonin, earplugs, etc.)
• Pack clothes that don’t wrinkle easily
• Use garment bags to help keep items wrinkle-free, and shoe bags to avoid accidentally dirtying your clothes
• Bring back-ups of important meeting resources (have copies of your presentation on a USB or Google Drive, pack extra business cards, etc)

Business Travel FAQ

• Can I deduct my business travel expenses? Yes, you can. However, you need to check with your employer or whoever helps you with your taxes to confirm what is and isn’t covered.
• What business jobs allow you to travel? In most industries, sales reps and client-facing contributors usually travel the most to attend client meetings and build up relationships. But, all kinds of career paths can have travel perks. Marketers often attend conferences and set up events, specialists in various fields have their annual trade shows, and consultants often hop on planes to visit their customers in person. Looking for something more remote with added travel flexibility? Consider one of these 18 careers that you can do 100% remotely from anywhere in the world. 
• What is good business travel etiquette? Good business travel etiquette is observing and practicing cultural and social norms and representing your personal brand and your company’s with poise wherever you go. It also includes the same principles you’d follow when in the office – showing up on time, preparing your notes, dressing appropriately, and treating your colleagues with respect. 
• What is business travel accident insurance? Business travel insurance is a plan that protects employees who travel for work domestically or internationally. It usually covers occupational and non-occupational accidents and health cover while traveling on company business. Consult your travel policy or ask your employer if this will be available to you when you travel.

If you’ve traveled for work, what are your top tips for first-time business travelers? If you haven’t, tell me below where you’re headed!

Read This Next:

• How to Find a Coworking Space You’ll Love
• 9 Tips for Working While Traveling and Staying Productive
• Where Traveling for Work Meets Actually Enjoying Yourself: How Cambria Hotels Cater to Business Travelers
• How to Prevent Burnout When Traveling for Work: 5 Tips
• 6 Tips For Embracing the Work From Home Lifestyle
• How to Stay in the Zone When You Work From Home

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Hey there! I’m Rachel, a travel writer and a full-time advertising / marketing expert. In 2019, I traveled more than 25 times while working 9 to 5, and since then I’ve committed myself to living a more adventurous life, even if it means bringing my laptop along for the ride. Are you hungry to travel more, but overwhelmed with how to juggle work and play? You’ve come to the right place!

Recent Adventures:

Top Woman-Owned Travel Companies That Should Be on Your Radar

Los Angeles Staycation Idea: Two Days in Palos Verdes, California

How to Ask Your Boss for More Vacation Time (The Right Way)

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• Updated on: July 22, 2021

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How to Work and Travel at the Same Time

• Pam Kosanke

There’s a right and wrong way to do “bleisure” (business + leisure).

If you’re finding it tough to work remotely while on the road, your best bet is to put some practices into place to keep yourself organized and your performance level on track.

• Define what you want to get out of your travels — and out of your job. What would be my ideal day-to-day work life? How does it feel, and what does it look like? The more well-thought-out your own goals are, the less friction you’re likely to encounter when structuring your days.
• Create a structure that supports the lifestyle you want. The simplest way to avoid burdening yourself or your colleagues is to construct a detailed plan. Know where you’ll be and what you’ll be doing the whole time you’re traveling. How much time do you need between transitioning workspaces? How far apart are these locations? Will there be a place to charge your laptop and headphones?
• Overcommunicate with your manager and colleagues. Be respectful and honest. Communicate your availability and average response times well in advance and in multiple media channels (via Slack, one-on-one texts, live meetings, etc.)
• Hold yourself accountable for meeting expectations. Keep yourself focused by traveling with all the accountability tools you need. These can include business operating system tools and project management solutions, as well as reliable devices. Make sure you’re able to update everything regularly and track your progress.
• Travel with people who understand remote working. Explain your commitments to your traveling pals. For instance, you may want to establish times of the day when you need to hop onto Zoom calls or be available for business.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

By 2025,  more than 40 million Americans  are estimated to be working remotely. As such, they’ll be introduced to one of the most highly attractive benefits of telecommuting: the freedom to travel without taking vacation days.

• PK Pam Kosanke is the chief revenue officer for EOS Worldwide , a former professional athlete and multisport member of Team USA, and a Professional EOS Implementer®. She has broad experience working with organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits and small businesses, and across a variety of industries including franchising, packaged goods, QSR, professional services, sports marketing, and retail.

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How to Work While Traveling + Not Lose Your Mind (or Job)

If there’s one thing that we have learned more than any other over the last 5+ years–more than how to adapt to foreign countries on the fly, more than how to haggle in markets, more than how to make the most of long haul flights–it’s how to work while traveling.

From cramped private rooms in hostels in our backpacking days to charming coffee shops around the world, figuring out how to work and travel simultaneously was the most essential component to turning our intended round-the-world trip into a full-fledged travel lifestyle.

Here’s a quick rundown of our story, along with our best tips for handling the logistics of working on the road.

Whether you want to mix up your life working remotely with a couple of weeks in a nearby cabin or are hoping to take off on a multi-country trip, here’s our best advice for working while traveling.

Table of Contents

How We Work and Travel Successfully

Our best logistics tips for working while traveling, faq about work while traveling, planning a trip.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Obviously, when we talk about working on the road, the question on everyone’s mind long before we get to the details of time management, WiFi connections, and tax headaches, is how exactly we make money in the first place.

Here’s the short version of the last 5+ of our lives: in our mid-20s, my husband Jeremy and I set off on a 6 month round the world trip .

We sold our house, a car, most of our belongings, saved money to travel , and set off with the goal of spending it down and then returning to our “normal” 9-5 lives.

By month 3, we knew that 6 months wasn’t going to be nearly enough.

Instead, we sold our other car–our last remaining possession of value–and headed to Latin America for another nearly 6-month trip through Mexico and Central America.

We fell in love with destinations like Oaxaca , Chiapas , Volcano Acatenango (okay, that one is a serious love/hate thing), and San Juan del Sur, all while knowing that we were on a strict time limit: if we didn’t figure out how to make money while traveling, normal life would come calling for us again by mid-2017.

Luckily, we managed to scrape by.

Jeremy leveraged his skills as a software developer to start freelancing, first on Upwork and quickly via word-of-mouth.

Meanwhile, I focused my energies on building the website you’re reading right now.

There was one other detour–Jeremy worked full-time as a remote employee for a US-based company from May 2017 through the beginning of 2018–but with that exception, all of our income since 2016 has been earned via freelancing or through our own businesses.

Along the way, we’ve sat at our laptops in 40+ countries, typing away to earn money while traveling.

Today, our income comes solely from our websites, including this travel blog.

Looking for the logistics of how to work and travel from day to day?

Photos of laptops on beaches are pretty and all, but the behind-the-scenes of working on the road are quite a bit less glamorous.

Start and end your work with a routine.

Even if you don’t “commute” to work in the traditional sense, it’s still important to have a routine to start your workday.

This is a great way to get yourself in the right mindset to be productive and to separate your travel life from your work life.

Your routine can be as simple as brewing a cup of coffee before sitting at your desk or as long as a walk through town on your way to a co-working space–whatever works for you.

Don’t neglect your physical health.

Unfortunately, days spent crouched behind a laptop followed by nights of restaurant food and drink are not a recipe for physical health!

Make a conscious effort to prioritize healthy eating and exercise, of course, but also aim to have an ergonomic workspace.

Working from bed in a cramped hostel is more likely to lead to back pain than success!

At least double the amount of time you hope to spend anywhere.

Want to spend 3 days in Paris or a week in Italy ?

Go ahead and make that 6 days or 2 weeks–seriously.

Once you add in work while traveling, the amount of sightseeing you can do cuts down dramatically.

In general, the slower you travel, the less stressed you’ll be.

Our most productive periods of combining work and travel have generally been when we spent a month or more in one place!

Don’t travel on heavy work days.

Managing your internet connection, from buying and topping off SIM cards to checking to see if the apartment you’ve rented has strong enough internet, is a constant chore when you work and travel.

If you have meetings–especially video meetings–scheduled, don’t move accommodations that day!

The chances of having internet problems are too high to bother with when someone else is counting on your work that day.

Know your physical needs for working while traveling.

Do you prefer coffee shops? Co-working spaces?

A decent desk or kitchen table to work from in an Airbnb ?

Whatever your work preferences are, learn them and stick to them.

These preferences will help you decide everything from what neighborhoods to stay in while traveling to what your daily schedule will look like.

Learn your company’s definition of “working remotely”.

In the last couple of years, there has obviously been an absolute explosion in the number of people working remotely, and many of them may never go back to the office!

If that’s you, first of all, congratulations.

But second, be sure to check with your company before planning to combine work and travel, especially if you hope to travel internationally.

Many traditional companies are not interested in the tax headaches that come with nomadic lifestyles and will turn you down flat.

Traveling domestically can be a bit more acceptable, but it depends where and how often.

The bottom line is that if you don’t work for yourself, don’t book a one-way plane ticket before talking to your company (and if you do work for yourself, have a chat with your accountant).

Spend money to make money (and stay sane).

When we first started to work and travel, we focused a lot on saving money (which was necessary, especially while building our businesses!).

The result was a lot of time spent working from less-than-ideal situations, whether that was getting frustrated with work tasks taking twice as long as they should due to slow internet, or ending up with a sore back from hunching over a couch with a laptop all day.

Bottom line?

Be fiscally responsible, but splurge on the best working conditions you can afford.

Not only will you be more comfortable, but you’ll literally work more efficiently, saving yourself stress and giving you more time to actually explore the destination you’re visiting.

Keep track of time zones carefully.

Missing meetings or deadlines due to getting confused about time zones is a sure-fire way to leave your coworkers and/or clients frustrated with your attempts to work while traveling.

As soon as you settle into a new location, memorize your “new” time obligations based on your time zone, and stick to them religiously.

That’s nice, but I don’t have a travel blog or a bunch of savings. Can I still work and travel?

Yes, probably.

Lots of people do–the savings is more of a limiting factor than the website, as many travel jobs have at least some start-up costs.

If you’re working remotely already, some companies are flexible about adding in travel while you work (especially if you stay in the same timezone and/or country).

We’ve based our tips for working remotely around our personal experiences, as well as tips that we’ve picked up from the many digital nomads that we’ve rubbed shoulders with around the world, but there are dozens of ways to work and travel.

Travel jobs such as teaching English abroad or online, working in hostels, participating in a program like WWOOF or Workaway, or building a non-travel-blog online business are all popular ways to work and travel.

It’s worth noting that with the exception of that last item, those travel jobs are temporary, not careers–they may keep you afloat, but they’ll only go so far in helping you to work and travel indefinitely.

People who are most financially successful when working while traveling tend to either run their own business or work a typical 9-5 job that just happens to be able to be done on a laptop.

What do you do about taxes?

We pay all of our taxes with the help of an accountant.

Taxes vary dramatically around the world, so if you’re planning to move to another country while working and traveling, be sure to get professional advice.

Back in our pre-travel days of working 9-5, we did our own (relatively simple) taxes, but these days, we absolutely could not get by without an accountant.

If you plan to work while traveling, we highly recommend seeking professional advice ASAP.

Isn’t it exhausting?

After about year 3, yes, absolutely.

There’s a reason we were talking about getting a home base long before 2020 made it a near-requirement!

However, it’s also incredibly engaging to work in different places around the world–and to enjoy days off in spectacular locations.

Though we don’t foresee being fully nomadic again in the near future, we plan to continue working while traveling for as long as possible, whether that’s by squeezing in an hour of work in the morning before exploring a US national park or by enjoying a couple of weeks on a work-cation in Rome.

Do you ever actually work at the beach?

Did I put this in here as a joke?

Yes and no–you’d be surprised by how often we’ve been asked this!

I don’t think we’ve ever brought our laptops to the beach, and have zero plans to.

I’d much rather be at the beach and not work.

And, at the end of the day, that’s the real draw of combining work and travel.

Your workdays may be similar to being at home, and even more logistically challenging… but in the off-hours, there’s usually a beach, a beautiful city, or an exciting food scene waiting to be explored.

And, for us, that’s worth a lot of headaches along the way.

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

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How to Work While Traveling: A Guide for Beginners

As a frequent traveler and remote worker, I know firsthand the struggles of balancing work and the desire for freedom.

Did you know that many professionals face the same challenge in today’s digital age?

I’ve created a comprehensive guide to help you work efficiently while traveling .

From planning and creating a productive routine to finding reliable wifi and workspaces, this article provides practical tips to ensure you can stay on top of your work while enjoying the benefits of travel.

Let’s dive in and work while traveling like a pro.

Choosing the Right Location: A Digital Nomad Approach

As a digital nomad , my primary concern is consistently identifying an optimum location that caters to my work demands while traveling. This location, the subject of interest, should ideally possess two vital amenities: a dedicated workspace and steadfast wifi.

The dedicated workspace, akin to an anchor in the vast sea of travel, is pivotal in maintaining productivity . It instills a sense of structure and rhythm, contrasting travel’s dynamic, ever-changing backdrop.

On the other hand, steadfast wifi, the lifeline of remote work, is paramount. It facilitates seamless connectivity, enabling collaboration with colleagues regardless of geographical boundaries.

The location could be a quaint coffee shop, an energized coworking space, or a hotel with a business center. If these locations offer the amenities above, they metamorphose into potential workspaces.

Essential Aspects to Prioritize while Choosing a Workspace when Traveling:

• Dedicated Workspace: A foundational element that instills a sense of routine and structure.
• Reliable wifi: A vital tool for staying connected and collaborating efficiently.

Creating a Productive Routine While Traveling

As a seasoned digital nomad, I’ve found that establishing a productive routine is the backbone of maintaining focus and reaching work objectives while on the move. Here are three essential tips to help you weave a routine that optimally leverages your productivity during your remote work journey:

Timetable Determination: Treat your full-time job like a ship sailing in familiar waters, even when you’re oceans away from your home country. Carve out specific work hours and adhere to them rigidly. This discipline is an anchor, helping you stay grounded and resist the siren call of perpetual vacation mode.

Reliable Workspace Identification: Research coffee shops or coworking spaces with robust Wi-Fi speeds before stepping on foreign soil. This preparatory step resembles a bird building its nest, ensuring a distraction-free environment that fosters productivity.

Balance Maintenance: The seesaw of work and leisure requires a delicate balance. Allocate time to venture out, explore your surroundings, and rejuvenate, just as a tree takes a break from bearing fruit in the winter. Weave outdoor time and breaks into your routine, fostering a healthy work-life equilibrium.

If you diligently implement these steps, creating a productive routine will become as natural as breathing. This routine will help you stay focused like an eagle eyeing its prey, enabling you to achieve your work goals while savoring the sweet nectar of digital nomad freedom.

• Main Ingredients of a Productive Routine:
• A firm schedule
• Reliable workspaces
• Balanced work and leisure

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Essential Gear for Remote Work

In remote work during travel, digital nomads like myself prioritize specific, essential gear to ensure sustained productivity.

The primary tool forming the backbone of this digital lifestyle is a robust internet connection . This connection, as vital as the air we breathe, may take the form of a pocket wifi device or a local SIM card, demonstrating the necessity of staying connected at all times.

Moreover, a solar power station is a beacon of power independence when embarking on road trips or setting up a workstation in remote locations devoid of power outlets.

The contrast between conventional power sources and this sun-fueled alternative paints a picture of sustainability and adaptability in the modern work environment.

To illustrate further, consider the following essential gear:

• Light and compact Laptop or Mackbook : Alright, so the first thing you have to have is a super cool laptop or MacBook that’s not heavy and won’t take up too much space. You know, something that you can easily carry around with you wherever you go. It’s like your trusty sidekick that helps you get all your work done while moving!
• Noise-canceling headphones : These are the shields blocking auditory distractions and reinforcing focus.
• Plug adapters : More than mere plastic and metal, these are keys to unlocking power access across different regions.
• External battery : If the work hours stretch, this energy reservoir ensures the digital nomad’s tools function.

Shifting from equipment to workspace, the digital nomad often finds solace in the welcoming environment of coffee shops or coworking spaces. With their ambient noise and comfortable seating, these locations serve as the nomad’s movable office.

Maintaining Productivity While Traveling

The goal of sustaining productivity during travel is accomplished by emphasizing task prioritization and time allocation for work-related activities. The tools for achieving this are threefold:

• Pre-Journey Planning: A detailed schedule is crafted before setting off on any travel. This schedule outlines the specific tasks to be accomplished and their respective deadlines. Doing so establishes an organized framework, the focus remains undisturbed, and time utilization is maximized during travel.
• Technological Leverage: In the era of digitalization, countless remote job opportunities and online resources are at our fingertips. To stay connected and productive, technology plays a vital role. Cloud storage provides easy access to files, productivity apps, and tools to streamline workflows, and video conferencing and online collaboration platforms maintain the connection with colleagues. If this technology is harnessed effectively, then the world becomes your office.
• Constructing a Productive Environment: The work setting is as important as the work itself. Be it a tranquil corner in a bustling coffee shop or a designated workspace within the confines of a hotel room, the environment must be conducive to productivity. Distractions are eliminated, noise-canceling headphones are used if necessary, and the emphasis is placed on adequate lighting and ergonomic setup. The juxtaposition of silence amidst the noise, light in the darkness, and comfort within discomfort subtly highlights the essence of creating a perfect workspace.

By consistently applying these strategies, the scales between work and travel are balanced, thereby maximizing the experience of traversing the globe. In this context, the world is not just a stage but a vast office space waiting to be utilized. This illustrative approach allows the traveler to explore, create, and contribute during the journey.

The following table summarizes these strategies:

Maximizing Productivity during Transit Days: A Strategic Approach

On transit days, you have the golden opportunity to escalate your productivity. The strategies discussed earlier, under the subtopic ‘Maintaining Productivity While Traveling,’ serve as a guiding light in this context.

• Work Tasks: If you are flooded with pending tasks, use these transit days as a stepping stone to catch up.
• Itinerary Planning: Instead of letting your mind wander , channel your thoughts toward planning your itinerary. This could act as a roadmap, guiding you toward your next destination.
• Idea Exploration: Treat transit days like a blank canvas, ready to be painted with your innovative and fresh ideas. Use this downtime as a catalyst to brainstorm and jot down groundbreaking ideas for your projects.
• Social Media Engagement: As a traveler, you’re a part of a global community. Harness the power of social media platforms to connect with like-minded wanderers and draw inspiration for your future work.
• Destination Research: Being an informed traveler can enhance your overall experience. Conduct comprehensive research about your next stop and create a list of must-visit places and activities.
• Itinerary Review: Transit days are your checkpoints if you’re on an inspirational family vacation or embark on an ultimate adventure. Use this time to review your itinerary and introduce any necessary adjustments.
• Organization: The key to a seamless travel experience lies in organization. Implement these tips during your transit days and witness how you transform these ‘in-between’ days into productive ones.

In the dance of travel, transit days are the interludes, offering a chance to regroup and plan. By adopting these strategies, you stay organized and productive and ensure that you make the most of your time experiencing new countries and different cultures.

Securing Dependable wifi and Optimal Workspaces During Travel

Securing relief wifi connectivity and optimal workspaces is the linchpin if preserving work productivity during travels. As a seasoned digital nomad, I’ve garnered vital strategies to ensure my tasks are completed and connectivity maintained, irrespective of my geographic location.

Here are three pivotal tips for securing steadfast wifi and conducive workspaces during travel:

• Preliminary Rewifich: Before setting foot in a new city or country, initiate thorough research on the prevalent wif i reliability and availability of coworking spaces . Seek advice from fellow digital nomads or explore online forums to gather insights about optimum work locations .
• Embrace the Coworking Culture: Coworking spaces serve as a beacon of dependable wifi and a cozy work atmosphere . In the 21st century, such spaces wifi the globe, offering desk renting services or membership plans for varying durations.
• Explore Coffee Shops and Libraries: If coworking spaces don’t exist or don’t match your taste, coffee shops and libraries emerge as alternatives for securing steadfast wifi. However, pick venues known for their robust internet connectivity coupled with a serene work ambiance.

Balancing Work and Exploration

In the quest to manage professional obligations while traversing globally, harmonizing the dedication towards work and the passion for discovering uncharted territories emerges as a crucial aspect. The essence of this discourse lies in furnishing pragmatic strategies aimed at aligning work with exploration.

Adopting a systematic approach is crucial when it comes to balancing professional and exploratory pursuits:

• Prioritization of Tasks : Assigning precedence to work tasks and formulating achievable objectives for each day is the initial step. The day unfolds more productively if the professional tasks are defined and prioritized.
• Time Allocation : It is pivotal to design explicit time slots for work and consistently adhere to them. If a strict work timetable is adhered to, the risk of professional encroachment into exploration time diminishes.
• Planning Exploration : Planning and synchronizing exploration periods with work commitments is necessary. The overall travel experience can be maximized if exploration is scheduled around work without jeopardizing professional commitments.

The journey of juggling work and exploration is akin to walking on a tightrope, where leaning too much on either side may lead to an imbalance. Hence, it’s essential to appreciate oneself for crafting this unique opportunity to earn while experiencing diverse cultures and landscapes. This distinctive lifestyle is a kaleidoscope, offering many experiences while ensuring a steady income. Savor each moment of this journey, as every ripple in this ocean of exploration adds depth to life.

Establishing Boundaries and Prioritizing Personal Time in Work and Travel Contexts

With an unwavering focus on personal time prioritization and boundary setting during work and travel endeavors, maintaining a balance between professional obligations and personal exhilaration becomes a feasible task. The harmonious dance between work and personal life is a preventative measure against burnout, simultaneously enriching the travel experience.

The following three strategies shed light on how the honing of boundaries and personal time is achieved:

• Demarcating a Fixed Cut-off Time : Setting a specific cessation time for professional tasks daily transforms into a golden key that unlocks the door to complete disconnection from work. This step enables immersion in the surrounding environment, devoid of the relentless whirlwind of work-related pressures.
• Curtailing Work-Related Activities Post Designated Time : If the work hours have run their course, the bait of work-related communication like emails or messages is consciously avoided. This stance acts as a sturdy wall, separating professional and personal realms, paving the way for an undisturbed focus on personal pursuits.
• Fostering a Healthy Work-Life Balance : Prioritizing personal time on one side of the scale and allocating time for activities such as relaxation, exploration, and enjoyment of travel destinations, on the other creates a harmonious balance. This equilibrium ensures the liberty to embrace new experiences while maintaining productivity in professional endeavors.

A fulfilling work-life balance is sculpted during travel through the consistent application of these strategies. Like a carefully crafted sculpture, this delicate balance is a testament to the power of setting boundaries and prioritizing personal time.

Traveling Light for Convenience

For those who aspire to strike a harmonious equilibrium between professional commitments and exploratory journeys, traveling light emerges as a significant strategy. The essence of this approach lies in the judicious selection of indispensable items while discarding extraneous ones.

If travelers adopt a minimalist approach to packing, they unlock the potential for a seamless transition in diverse locations, burdened less by excessive baggage. This minimalist strategy metaphorically weaves an open-ended itinerary, infusing a sense of liberation and adaptability in one’s journey, simplifying traversing diverse terrains.

To elucidate the merits of traveling light, a table below delineates the distinct advantages it offers:

From this perspective, the benefits of traveling light extend beyond mere convenience, converging on a broader context of efficient travel. Thus, astute selection and judicious packing of only requisite items emerge as a catalyst for a journey that is convenient and free from unnecessary encumbrances.

I'm Alex Deidda, the founder of LoveForTraveling.com. I've lived in various countries, embracing their cultures and wonders. My passion for exploration led to the creation of my website, offering tips, recommendations, and personal travel stories. Follow LoveForTraveling.com for all your travel needs and join me in discovering the world.

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Traveling for Work: Pros and Cons

There are many careers that require you to travel for a living.  However, if you are looking at a job that has significant travel, it is very important to really understand what you are about to get into.  Since, I have spent almost half my 20 year professional career on the road, I wanted to provide you some of the pros and cons of a travel job.

Being Able to See New Places

Well, the first thing about a travel job is that you get to see a new city.   Depending on your job, it may be traveling to many cities, or mostly traveling to a single city.  It’s important to know this information because they are very different.

For example, at the start of my career, I spent almost a year traveling back/forth to Memphis, Tennessee.   At first, it was pretty interesting because I didn’t know much about the city and was exploring things like where to get good BBQ.  Once I figured it all out, it wasn’t exciting anymore and felt like my travel turned into a long commute from my home!

As I moved up in my career, I started having to travel to multiple cities. This experience was totally different and a little more interesting. I was able to see new places, new airports, new cultures, new restaurants, etc.  However, the more you travel from city to city, it can get really tiring on the plane rides. So, for multi city travel, I noticed that my body started to get more exhausted.

If your job is more demanding, you will have less time to explore the new city you are in.  On many business trips, I have had to prepare for meetings, and sometimes they run early in the morning and last till after 6 pm.   In these situations, you just don’t have enough time to see anything on your travel. This happens frequently since work always comes first.

Saving on Expenses

One major benefit to traveling or working remotely for your job is that you will be able to save on costs for several of your daily expenses.   Some of these include:

• Saving on food expenses.   When I travel for business, all my meals from the moment I step out of my house is covered till get back from my trip.  So, if I travel Monday and fly back on Friday, I will save a significant amount on my grocery and restaurant expenses.
• Saving on gas/auto expenses.   When I worked full time in a cubical, I used to drive at least 12,000 miles per year.  In my travel job, I barely use my car and maybe average 4,000 miles year. This has been a huge savings.
• Saving on TV and internet expenses.   I really don’t need cable TV since I’m able to watch most sports on other channels while at the hotels or bars. I have also been able to get internet and MiFi with travel positions, so I don’t have those expenses.
• Saving on phone expenses.   When you travel for work, you will most likely get a work phone.  You will need to check with your company but many allow you to have them for both business and personal use.

Earning Benefits and Points

Another huge benefit of a travel job is that you will earn lots of benefits since you are always on the road.  Some of these include:

• Earning airline miles.   My company always allowed me to book directly with my primary hub airline.  This allowed flexibility for changing flights. Every flight that I take, I earn air miles.  This means I can take my family on vacations with minimal costs!
• Earning hotel points.   When staying at hotels, you typically can earn points or rewards with them.  I stayed mostly at IHG and Hilton hotels. This has allowed me to gain points with those programs.   This turns into free stays for my family during our travels. Another great benefit you get is that when you move up in the reward system like becoming a Diamond member with Hilton, you also get other perks like free breakfast.
• Earning car rental points.   If you rent enough cars, you will ultimately earn free rentals with some of the car rental agencies.  This will allow you to use those while on vacation or if you wanted to do road trips with the family.
• Earning credit card rewards.   Some companies allow you to use your own credit cards for all the expenses, then reimburse you after doing an expense report.  At my job that is how it worked, so I was able to earn several thousand dollars in rewards for my travels. You can get credit cards that are travel focused that earn more points or rewards.  Of course, always do research and read all the fine print to make sure the card you get is appropriate for what you need.
• Earning points and loyalty rewards on food.   I personally have not done this, since I don’t eat at too many chain restaurants. However, I have many co-workers who say it helps them get many rewards.

Being Able to Meet New People

One really cool thing about a travel job is that you get to meet new people in different places.  I have been fortunate to build friendships with people all across the US. This has helped me by opening up new opportunities for work and/or learning more about a city before moving to it.

Another huge benefit to a travel job is being able to professionally network with other people.   On days where I’m feeling more social on the plane, I might talk to the passenger sitting next to me.  Sometimes, they can be entrepreneurs or higher executives. I’ve never gotten a job this way, but have added LinkedIn contacts.

Work Schedule

The toughest part of a travel job sometimes can be the actual work schedule.  This will depend on when you have to see your clients and how many cities you need to visit during the week.

The ones that involved waking up at 4:30 am on Monday mornings to catch a 7:00 am departure was always the toughest for me   It pretty much ruined my Sunday evenings, since I started thinking about work and having to go to bed early. Then in the morning, I always had to scramble to remember not to forget anything like my watch, wallet, computers, etc.

Once I arrive at the client site from the airport, I still have the rest of the day which involves working with the client.  By the time I get back to the hotel to check-in, I’m absolutely exhausted. Forget about going to restaurants or checking out the city. At this point, I just want to eat at the hotel and get ready for bed. If you have to work onsite almost every week, check out my other blog post to see if you can negotiate ways to work remotely.

After the first night, the next day might require travel to a different city. Hopefully, your travel is not 3 or 4 different cities for the week.  Mine usually were one or 2 per week, which are more manageable.

Towards the end of the week, fatigue starts setting in.  Typically, I try to get home Thursday nights, but if that doesn’t work I fly back on Friday morning.  My problem with Friday morning flights is that if anything happens like delays, it impacts my Friday, and weekends. So, it basically means less time to spend with the family.

Keeping Your Body Healthy

When you are on the road, it can be very difficult to keep yourself healthy.  Just the traveling logistics initially requires you to put your body through security checks at the airport.  Then you need to sit in a small space on an airplane that could last for hours depending on your destination.

Once you are at the destination, food becomes another challenge.  If you are running late, all of sudden you see yourself eating fast food.   If you have more time and a large meal budget, you might find yourself overeating at restaurants.   You might start with appetizers, then a big meal like a ribeye steak, finally you will wash it down with that delicious dessert at the end.

The other thing that can happen is that you might drink too much on the road.  While drinking and hanging out with co-workers can be fun. It can be easy to sometimes drink too much.  I’ve had many co-workers who would just eat dinner in liquid form.

The last thing that might get impacted on the road is your exercise schedule.  For me, sometimes I get so tired at the end of the day from the travel, that I just can’t hit the hotel gym.  I try to not have excuses, but it really does get more difficult. When I work from home, I always hit the gym at least 6 times a week.  So I know, traveling is causing some of it for me.

Work Life Balance

With a travel job, work life balance becomes more blurry. Let’s say at a typical job you work 8 hours per day.  Well, if you get up at 4 am to catch a flight, and you don’t get back to the hotel till 6 pm, then it might feel like you worked more than 8 hours for the day.

You might say that, well you get to have free time on the plane.  But, plane time versus my time at home is much different for me.  I might be able to catch up on a book or 2, however I don’t get to relax and hang out with the family.

Then you have times where you have to be at client site Monday morning, this means you lost your Sunday night.  Again, spending Sunday night at home, versus traveling to a client site means a loss of my personal time.

Since traveling for a living is very flexible, you might be spending part of your evenings on the road preparing for the client visit. This could be creating presentations, writing code, or whatever else you might do.

If you can figure out a way to balance your traveling career, it can be very rewarding with the best of both worlds.  For example, later in my career I was able to control my travel more and mostly flew Monday nights and came home on Thursday nights. It seemed on Monday nights, the airport was less crowded and I usually was able to get upgraded to first class with my status.

The other thing I did was arrange my travel to be every other week.  This meant I was able to work remotely from home. During the week I was home, I was able to get a lot of work done which really showed my value to my company.

We’re in Myanmar right now and it’s SO epic… click here to follow along on Instagram.

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Home » Work and Travel » 35 BEST Travel Jobs to Make Money While Travelling

35 BEST Travel Jobs to Make Money While Travelling

Do you wish you could travel more but don’t have enough money?

Then this guide is for you! It will tell you all about the types of epic travel jobs that you can do. Ultimately, this post will help you find work and travel the world… FOREVER.

There are a surprising number of jobs that involve travelling, a few canny ways to make money travelling abroad, and even some jobs where you actually get paid to travel… (The best kind!)

From freelancing to affiliate marketing, travel blogging, tending the bar at a hip hostel–there are seriously all kinds of awesome – and some terrible – travel jobs you can get to make ends meet and prolong your travels.

The life of a working traveller is varied and complex: there are countless tools in your arsenal! In today’s post, I’m giving you the lowdown on some of the best travel jobs for backpackers, expats, and aspiring digital nomads. And realistically, for nearly all of them, you don’t need no tertiary education.

Ditch your desk, amigos: the world is waiting and the only thing you need to SUCCEED is  grit.

• Making Money Travelling the World:Types of Travel Work

The 35 Best Travel Jobs in 2024

Did you find your dream travel job, making money travelling the world: types of travel work.

There are lots of different types of travel jobs out there, and they can roughly be broken down into three categories. Let’s take a look at them before we delve into the jobs themselves…

There are some jobs that will pay you to travel the world. This might sound very glamorous at first, but you have to bear in mind you may not get as much of a chance to actually explore as you will be working. These could be travel jobs or potentially even travel careers , but they still generally require the level of input from you that any regular ol’ boring job would.

Jobs that require travel and pay well, such as being an airline pilot or foreign service travel jobs, will offer you a chance to save up mega-cashola and to hopefully see parts of the world during your downtime. But to be honest (and in my opinion) these travel careers don’t have the same kind of freedom as being a digital nomad.

Personally, I’m a big believer in making money through a digital nomad job as these jobs allow you to work from literally anywhere in the world, on your own schedule, and often as your own boss.

It takes time to set up a career as a digital nomad career… But it’s easy to get started now and to begin your journey!

All you need is a laptop plus a few other of the digital nomad essentials , and idea of WHAT you want to do, and a place in the world that you’re content to get some work done from. Well, that and playlist that gets you in the zone!

Beccoming a digital nomad changes how you travel , so for backpackers that want to retain their backpacker-roots, you need a job for backpacker. These travel jobs are job-jobs.

They could be wicked jobs, they could be shitkicker jobs. They could, potentially, also progress into careers, but they wouldn’t be travel careers. You’d just be an expat with a regular ol’ job.

Many of the best travelling jobs for backpackers are super casual affairs – seasonal work or temporary labour gigs. I’ve found paying work on goat farms, behind bars, in hostels, on construction sites, on beaches, and in many other places whilst backpacking around the world. It’s usually very easy to find some casual work as a backpacker.

All you need is a good smile, good work ethic, and maybe the willingess to be paid under the table for less than minimum wage! (Oops, did I say that? You do you.) 😉

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Let’s look at how to work and travel like a BOSS (or self-employed hustler). Ideas range from online trading to teaching yoga to consulting. Don’t Work Another Day ; we have something for every CV!

1. Make Money Blogging

Starting a blog is one of the best travel jobs out there. You can travel whenever you want and make money out of your adventures to keep you going! However, blogging is not easy and it’s not one of those jobs to make money quickly.

Blogging offers a great introduction to many different digital nomad careers. You’ll learn more about SEO, copywriting, web design, social media management, marketing and PR… the list goes on! All you need to get started is a decent laptop for travel blogging and loads of patience!

If you want to get a taste of blogging before launching your own, you can look into becoming a virtual assistant or if writing is more your thing becoming a freelance service provider , like Sofie Couwenbergh is also a viable option. Working for a blogger is the best way to learn the tricks of the trade!

Full disclosure: The travel blogging industry is competitive, cutthroat, and, honestly, oversaturated. DO expect a long road to the top.

How Much Can You Earn?

• From $0 – $50,000 per month!

Finding a work-friendly atmosphere is important – check out Tribal Bali …

Having a job is one thing, but being able to sit down and get some work in is a whole other story. Luckily there are amazing coworking spaces all over the globe. But what if you could combine working and a place to live? Say no more…

Introducing the best Coworking Hostel in the World – Tribal Bali!

A unique coworking and co-living hostel for those that want to travel the world while working from their laptops. Make use of the massive open-air coworking spaces and sip on delicious coffee. If you need a quick screen break, just take a refreshing dip in the infinity pool or grab a drink at the bar. Need more work inspiration?

Staying at a digital nomad-friendly hostel is a really smart way to get more done whilst still enjoying the social life of travelling… Mingle, share ideas, brainstorm, make connections and find your tribe at Tribal Bali!

2. Teach English Abroad

For backpackers looking to settle somewhere for a year or more to save up some serious cash, teaching English abroad is one of the best jobs for nomads.

These days, you can teach English in most countries in the world while seeing all the goods they got to offer at the same time! This is probably one of the best travel careers out there: there’s a low barrier to entry and most native speakers can get a travel job teaching English.

Being a native speaker gives you an obvious advantage, but it’s also possible for non-native speakers to get work teaching English too.  You don’t even really need a degree to teach English in many countries, however, nabbing a TEFL certificate through an online course first will help you hit the ground running. (And hopefully will mean you won’t be a crap teacher too ?)

It’s a small investment that will help you score more gigs AND better-paying gigs in the long run. Plus, think of the children! Won’t somebody think of the children!?!?

• $1500 – $3000 depending on the country.

3. Teach English Online

Thanks to the power of the internet, the world of teaching English online has opened doors to English speakers everywhere! You can work from anywhere! (Provided you have a solid internet connection.)

What’s the best part? Depending on the company you work for, you can choose your own schedule and commitment level. Whatever works for you!

Teaching English online is fast becoming one of the best ways for backpackers to make money online without a doubt. Online teaching platforms connect prospective teachers with keen students. Set your pricing, choose your hours, and market yourself to potential clients.

The money isn’t impressive, particularly in the early days, but this is a job that you can grow and literally do anywhere. Nothing beats a location independent gig!

• About $1500 per month.

4. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is when you ship products to customers, usually in Europe or the USA, from somewhere cheap (usually China). Essentially, you manage the online storefront while a third party handles the logistics of storing and shipping products.

Now, dropshipping CAN be profitable. It can also be a major headache: you have been warned.

5. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is very simple. It means that you recommend a product or service to your audience, and if someone on your website uses or buys that product or service, you get a commission!

Affiliate marketing is basically being a middle man and is one of the most popular, proven, and sustainable ways to create income online.

If you are interested in online jobs travellers can easily utilise, learning effective affiliate marketing strategies is the holy grail. Passive income is fucking POWERFUL.

• Oodles but you need the traffic to earn it. But then, it all flows in passively. 😉

6. Crytocurrency and Day Trading

The exciting world of cryptocurrency investment has come a long way. You can HODL, stake, mine, generate interest (yup – totally a thing now!), and, of course, trade.

Day trading is a really exciting – but very nerve-wracking – way to make money while travelling. I have no experience trading stocks, but a lot of people I know have been trading cryptocurrency for a while now and have seen rather delectables return on their investments (with some losses along the way).

If you have money that you can afford to lose (seriously, this shit carries risk), then day trading is one of the most exciting travel jobs out there right now.

• The sky’s the limit!

7. Volunteering

Okiedoke – volunteering! Now, clearly, volunteering ISN’T a travel job, however, it’s functionally the same. You work (hard), you greatly reduce your travel costs, plus you’ll have some life-changing experiences while you’re at it. So it fits the bill!

Now, while voluntourism has received some flak over the years (and the trade has only become stickier in the COVID-times ), volunteering still remains one of the most meaningful ways to travel. A free feed and bed is certainly a win, but it’s the experience and the knowledge that you’re actually making a difference is what makes it, honestly, one of the best travel jobs for backpackers.

You have a lot of good options for volunteering abroad:

• WWOOF – An organisation primarily concerned with connecting working travellers with volunteering gigs on organic farms and agricultural projects.
• Workaway (and its numerous alternatives ) – As well as agricultural projects, these guys tend to also connect you to volunteering gigs around the board. Hostel work, translation and copywriting, building skate ramps, building backyard dunnies: it’s a wide net.
• Worldpackers – Our personal fave platform for this bizz.

Worldpackers is a smashing organisation. They’ve got more of a community focus than many of the alternatives and they run a tight ship too!

We sent one of our tried and true broke backpackers on a volunteering mission to Vietnam and the results were stellar. So stellar, in fact, that we happily partnered with them to bring Broke Backpacker readers a discount on the signup fee!

Just enter the code BROKEBACKPACKER at the checkout when signing up or do the clicky-click below!

Worldpackers: connecting travellers with  meaningful travel experiences.

We’ve also got a review of Workaway you can peruse if Worldpackers doesn’t float your boat. They’re a bit more stuffy (a natural caveat for being the lead of the pack), but they have volunteering gigs coming out of the ears!

And as one brief little sidenote, it’s worth noting the skills you pick up volunteering can go a LONG way to aiding you in your career as a working traveller. The more you know, the more backpacker jobs open up to you.

8. Become A Freelance Travel Photographer

If you love taking pictures, why don’t you make the most of your skills and be paid for it? Breaking into freelance photography is no easy, feat but it’s totally possible if you have perseverance and work at honing your craft every day.

You can travel the world forever by snapping away… If you get really good at your craft, you can even land a job that pays you to travel as a professional photographer for either the media or, the dream, National Geographic.

• $0 – $5000
• BEST Cameras for Travellers
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9. Teach Yoga

Yoga continues to grow in popularity around the world, and yoga instructors are in high demand. While not the highest paying job for travellers, finding work as a yoga instructor is one of the more assured ways to work and travel.

Travellers love yoga and are keen on lessons just about anywhere in the world. Combine that with hostels, cafes, and community centres (among a million other venues) always being on the lookout

Getting a yoga certification CERTAINLY helps you stand out from the crowd but it necessarily isn’t needed. Talk to other guests at your hostel, or people around any beach, hippy, or traveller town and see what you can rustle up. Start off with a sesh at a world-class yoga retreat to learn a few Asanas and limber up first and the rest will be easy.

Alternatively, head over to Yoga Travel Jobs Directory and see if there are any worthwhile postings. The beauty of this one is that the informality allows you to find work on the road in most places without the added red tape.

• $5/hour or even less in developing nations. Bounce on over to the northern beaches of Sydney though, and activewear soccer mums eat that shit up for $50+ a pop!

10. Fitness Instructor

Similar to yoga, if you’re in shape and know how to break a sweat, you can get paid to help others do the same! I love finding creative ways to stay in shape while travelling and you’ll find plenty of other travellers who will share this interest.

See if your hostel wants to organise any activities or events which you can market by word of mouth or by putting a flyer up. Head to a park or the beach and BOOM! You’re a certified fitness instructor… sort of.

Certifications are for losers without glorious, rippling muscles.

11. Tour Director

Directors accompany a tour group for the entirety of the itinerary and basically make sure people are having a good time. If it’s a twenty-one-day culture tour through Central America, the tour director is there the entire time, leading the group, answering questions, communicating with the bus driver, and, most importantly, creating solutions when shit goes wrong.

This is one of the travel industry careers that require the most work, but if you think you possess the qualities, there are thousands of amazing adventure tour companies looking for new leaders worldwide.

This industry is very competitive, but once you get your foot in the door you’ll be offered work left and right. I’ve got some experience leading adventure tours myself and this is a solid choice of job that involves travelling… You just need to have endless amounts of energy.

These are maybe the best jobs for travel and adventure for those that seek the high life and the pay ain’t too shabby either!.

• $1000 – $3000

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12. Travel Tour Guide

As opposed to a tour director, a tour guide usually does shorter tours (think three-hour walking tours). Ideally, tour guides are experts in their niche, but sometimes just a bit more knowledge than the average Joe will suffice

If you have experience or certification, getting tour guide work will be easy. If you travelling in the EU , you can also find tour guide work within Europe relatively easy (free walking tours, etc.) without certification.

Otherwise, there are lots of people on the web tapping into their entrepreneurial spirit and starting their own tour jobs while on the road.

• $500 – $1500

13. Work on A Boat

Unfortunately, the days of being a pirate are kinda over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still work and live on a boat!

A traveller’s job on a boat is certainly easier to get with experience, but sometimes it’s as easy as just walking onto a dock and asking around. Teach yourself to tie knots first and you’ll be golden.

Want to significantly increase your chances of getting hired on a superyacht or boat? Consider taking a course at the Super Yacht School – an online training company that educates people on everything they need to know regarding how to land a job on a superyacht as a crew member.

Alternatively, become a cruise ship worker and live the party-working-travelling-life on the high seas. Drugs, booze, and nights of wanton hedonism – excellent!

• $1200 – $2500

14. Boat Delivery

More boats! This one is a bit difficult to get into as a newbie, but if you have some experience working on the high seas, boat delivery has some serious work and travel potential. Typically the pay won’t be very high (if at all) but you’ll get your experience up and get to sail the seven seas for free!

Getting into this travel career could lead to more lucrative gigs in the future too, so it’s worth considering if the goal is simply finding jobs that let you travel.

Head over to Crewseekers.net or cruisersforum.com for some killer job leads!

15. Making and Selling Jewellery

Screw travel jobs – be a travel entrepreneur! While you can make and sell anything, jewellery is certainly the backpacker artisans staple, and I’ve met lots of people who make and sell jewellery whilst travelling .

Some critics of budget backpacking might have a go at you for – ahem – “begpacking” , but to those critics I say… get a job, ya hippy! If you’re wheeling, dealing, and hustling on the road, you are the literal opposite of a begpacker. It’s fun too!

The materials can be cheap and light to carry, it’s an artsy and fun thing to do, and you can set up shop (busking-style) in most places in the world that are kind to street merchants (i.e. not Malaysia). Selling handmade jewellery on the street isn’t the path to becoming a billionaire, but if you can make a decent product, it’s a great way to bring in enough to cover a day of gallivanting.

It isn’t strictly one of the easiest travel jobs out there if you genuinely care about your craft. Sourcing ethical materials, making the jewellery, and haggling for a fair price can all be a real battle. But damn you’ll have some ten-outta-ten adventures along the way!

• $300 – $1000 per month

16. Importing Stuff to Sell

A personal favourite of mine, this is what I sometimes refer to as the ‘ stuff your backpack’ method. It’s an easy w ay to make some money back after quitting your job to travel .

When in exotic countries, you will find awesome trinkets and doodads that people back home will go crazy over! Think hippy stuff: chillums, trousers, jewellery, festival belts, etc. These items will be authentic and dirt cheap.

Then, when you are outside that country and back in the good ol’ inflationary West, you can sell the authentic handcrafted Indian peace pipe that you paid $.75 cents for in Mumbai for $15 at festivals or online! It’s a great way to make 1,000% or more on your investments.

To make the most money though, you’ll have to frequently hit the road and stuff your backpack (a big hiking backpack is good for this) as well as have a good eye for stuff to take back home. If you can somehow inject something about chakras into the marketing spiel you’ll give to sell it, it’s a winner.

• $500 – $2000 per month

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17. Busking

Another of the world’s oldest professions that now catches some flak from the world’s newest crybabies: busking. If you have a talent, you can flaunt it for some cash in the street AND – better yet – make a bunch of people smile too!

You doen’t have to be a wandering musician with a travel-sized guitar either; magic, acrobatics, juggling, flow, dance – anything that’s impressive enough to score a tip is worth the shot, and you can score some mean tips! (Believe it or not.)

If the artisti di strada chooses the right location and is talented (or smiley) enough, there’s a pretty good chance they are making some dough! Enough to cover a day’s cost at least… You just need to know how to busk !

Also, if you are a musician, you should look into giving lessons for work while travelling or even playing some low-key gigs at bars or hostels. It’s a good way to score a feed, and it’s certainly not a bad payoff for a few hours of jammin’!

The resident in-house dirtbag busker on The Broke Backpacker team had this to say:

“I’ve had $5/hour days, I’ve had $50/hour days; busking is large part luck, however, there is a hidden art and science to the craft.”

18. Scuba Diving Instructor

Get paid for adventure. Underwater adventures no less!

Becoming a certified scuba diver and instructor takes a bit of investment, but it can be one of the most fun ways to work and travel the world simultaneously. You need a handful of courses and certifications, as well as having logged in a certain amount of hours underwater yourself, and then the world is your… oyster. (Huehuehue.)

If you are already certified, get excited! If you aren’t, you can do it at home, or take advantage of many (significantly cheaper) programs that exist in countries like Thailand and the Philippines. Hands down this is one of the best ways to get paid to travel PLUS you can pick up paying work in lots of different countries around the world.

Plus, y’know, dive for a living. Not bad, ‘ey?

• $1000 – $4000 per month.

19. Surf Instructor

Similar to a scuba instructor but without all of the need for certifications. You just need to be a badass surfer! Surfing instructors can do well for themselves by travelling, surfing, meeting people who are interested and want to learn, and then offering their services.

Plus, let’s be real… you’ll get laid. A lot.

You won’t earn as much as a scuba instructor, but you’ll be getting paid to surf and travel at the same time which is probably the coolest thing ever! I’m a big fan of surfing and hoping to spend a year or two getting a hell of a lot better in the future. If you are looking for cool jobs you can do while travelling, this may be for you.

There are lots of resources for finding potential gigs. Surf Travel Jobs is an excellent starting point.

• $500 – $1500 per month.

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20. Buy A Place and Rent It

If you have been working for a while, you may have some savings. Rather than blowing it all on a couple of fast-paced years of travel, invest it into buying a property at home and renting it out whilst you travel (thus living off the rent money).

You can advertise your place on lots of different websites including Airbnb or one of the many excellent sites like Airbnb , and it can very easily turn into big bucks! Pretty soon, you’ll be making money while travelling; so much so that some of my friends don’t even stay at their own place when they return to their hometown.

• $600 – $2000 per month.

21. Housesitting

Sort of a work-exchange-meets-job, housesitting while travelling is HAWT right now. Typically you pet-sit for an extended amount of time, and in return, you are given free rein over an entire house. Housesitting gigs rarely pay, but you can’t really complain as their still jobs that allow you to travel near-indefinitely.

You’ll be getting free accommodation, a big ass kitchen, and the privacy of your own house! This is one of the best ways to travel!

As with all good things, it’s challenging to crack into, but once you gain experience and a resume, you’ll have your choice of gigs. As far as travel work goes, this one comes highly recommended – it barely counts as working!

• A free house!

22. Work as an Au Pair

Au-pairing is one of the oldest travel careers around and is still a great option to save some money and see the world. Personally, kids ain’t for me, but if you are bubbly, happy, smiley and don’t mind cleaning up the misdirected poopoos, then there are plenty of little ones who need a lovely person like you to help take care of them.

It doesn’t always pay… and if it does pay it’s not always much. But you can earn up to 5k a month if you’re happy to travel for work (which, you should be) to teach in some more far-flung lands.

You’ll get free lodging and food and likely some pocket change for the weekend if you’re volunteering in Europe. Being an au-pair is a pretty solid way to get paid to travel and live in a new country.

• $0 – $5000 per month.

23. Hostel Work

Hostel work is one of the best-kept not-so-secret-secrets of the budget backpacking trade . Once upon a time, it was hush-hush, but now not so much. So let me tell you – finding hostel gigs is SUPER simple and hostel work is one of the best travel jobs for backpackers.

Hostel work is one of the easiest travel jobs to get – just ask the hostels you are staying at if they are looking for any help. They will know exactly what this means. “Help” means manning the front desk graveyard shift, sweeping the floors, or most likely minding the bar, all in exchange for free accommodation.

If they are looking for any “help” , they miiight pay a bit of cash, but more likely, you’ll get a free bed and some food out of it. Hostels are one of the staples for travel work and are a phenomenal way to save money while travelling – not to mention free entry into the hostel life shenanigans is a pretty sweet dealer for a lone ranger looking for some buds.

…And bud. 😉

• Usually just a free stay. Maybe some weed money (or weed) if you’re lucky.

24. Bar Work

Similar to hostel work, bar jobs have kept the backpacker going since basically the dawn of time. Often the bar work will be in a hostel bar (mentioned above) but just as legit is finding work at standalone bars.

This is particularly true in seasonal European cities (but I’ve seen it in South America, Australia, Asia… basically everywhere). Alcoholics are everywhere and they need a charming face with a winning smile to pour their drinks dammit!

The best way to find a bar job is just to walk around and ask if the bars are looking for any help. Or, if you’re having a pint somewhere, strike up a conversation with the bartender and get the scoop. A simple inquisition can lead to a lot of opportunities.

Full disclosure though: the booze and babes of the graveyard shift are fun for a while, but a few too many staffies a few too many months later and you’ll find yourself stuck right in a classic backpacker trap. And hungover.

• $800 – $2000 per month

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25. Become a Party Promoter/Brand Ambassador

If you are a fun-loving party animal with some social media/writing/promoting skills, then you could be a candidate to score a job as a brand ambassador for a tour business specializing in party-based tours. I’ve met someone who did this for a period; while the money wasn’t always hella tight, the nights of debauchery sure were!

A good option to break into this field is Stoke Travel . Every year, Stoke Travel gives 100+ regular travellers the opportunity to work and travel by volunteering at events or doing internships in their Barcelona and Byron Bay Office.

That’s right. Three square meals per day and unlimited booze. You’re basically travelling for free !

For the right individual, this job promises to be helluva of a lot of fun. (Possibly, too much fun…? )

• Free drinks – $1200

26. Seasonal Jobs

This is a large category that encompasses many different travel jobs. Restaurants, construction, hotels, cruise ship jobs, ski resorts, mining, deep-sea Alaskan fishing gigs, the list goes on! While a lot of these jobs are covered elsewhere in this post, seasonal jobs are worth noting.

You can literally travel the world working, chasing the season (which by the way usually equates to amazingly beautiful weather) and making money when jobs are in demand and at their highest paying…

Depending on the industry, you can end up both in some pretty off the beaten path destinations as well as touristed ones. Or both! The ski resorts in the summer trekking season is usually a much more peaceful vibe once all the loquacious Aussies have packed up shop.

• $1000 – $5000 per month

27. Construction

You can find construction work basically anywhere in the world, however, the right destinations (eg. Australia and New Zealand) pay a mean wage. If you’re operating above board that is.

Otherwise, asking around for something more informal is usually the way to go. If you have construction experience, jump on those work exchange platforms for some cheap volunteering gigs .

Many hostels, farms, and everything in between will advertise their needs in hopes of finding a qualified working traveller. You’ll get food, lodging, and (depending on the project) a bit of money as well. It’ll get you networked too – word of mouth carries!

If you have experience as a plumber or electrician, you can make bank and even land a job where you are paid to travel to and from different world projects. Also, insider tip: traffic controllers Down Under get paid an ungodly amount for literally doing nothing. They usually pick the cutest girl to man the stop sign though – yay, sexism!

• $1200 – $3000 per month but hugely variable depending on your trade and skillset,

28. Transport a Car or RV

Car and RV dealerships or car rental companies sometimes hire people to drive cars to different destinations. Rental companies often find themselves with too many cars in one destination and want to move them to an area where rentals are more in demand. Car dealerships may need a specific car, with specific options or colours, that they arrange to get from another dealer.

While most companies work with full-time professional drivers, there may be some opportunities for one-time trips. The trick with these jobs is getting a car that’s going where you want to go at the right time. You’ll need a clean driver’s license and may need a specialty license to drive RVs, but it’s worth it for a free and rocking RV road trip !

Some transport companies that you may be able to score some delivery gigs with include:

• Imoova is one of the biggest search platforms for relocations.
• Jucy has some nice opportunities on RVs.
• Cars Arrive Auto Relocation is USA based and has some good options.
• HitTheRoad.ca is a well-known Canadian company that offers mostly long-distance, one way, one trip driving contracts for cars.
• A free road trip!

29. Professional Chef

If you have some cooking abilities or some legitimate kitchen experience, you can find a job by asking around at kitchens in hotels, cruise ships, boats, or retreats. Also, take a look into Worldpackers and Workaway as you can certainly find some cook-work opportunities for a free place to stay.

The downside is that you’ll have to work in close proximity to chefs. Chefs are primadonnas. Get in and out of the hospo industry as quick as possible, amigos.

If thou gaze too long into an abyss…

• $1500 – $3000 per month

30. Travel Nurse

Stop right now and listen to me. If you are a nurse, or if you are thinking about becoming a nurse, becoming a travel nurse is one of the single most amazing careers you can get into.

Travelling nurses are usually hired for thirteen to twenty-six weeks in whatever location they choose and all of your travel expenses are usually paid. Housing is usually covered, and due to the high demand and urgency, travelling nurses are paid more than regular nurses. It’s one of the best ways to travel, work and save a stupid amount of money.

Plus, you know, saving lives and all that jazz.

• $1500 – $4000 per month.

31. Flight Attendant

An oldie but a goodie, being a flight attendant isn’t as glamorous as it once was, but in terms of travel friendly jobs , this is a fantastic travel career. It’s really the OG travel job (right after busker AKA a wandering minstrel).

Free flights, long stopovers to explore, and the ability to tweak your schedule to have a few weeks off a month – there’s a lot to like! This is one of the best careers that involve travelling, and if you get hired by a quality airline, this is a job that not only requires travel but can also pay well.

• $1800 – $2500 per month

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32. New Zealand/Australia Work Visa

Not strictly a top travel job so much as a top place to find a job. Yes, the rumours you’ve heard are true: Australia does have an obscenely high minimum wage (as does New Zealand, albeit not as high).

Depending on where you are from and if you are able, New Zealand and Australia are two excellent countries to get work visas for. The visa allows you to be employed in most industries, but you’ll most likely find jobs in the hospitality, tourism, and agricultural fields. Come Down Under where you can travel and work for a year or maybe two!

However, both New Zealand and Australia’s cost of living is high, so finding a job that provides you with both a room and food will net you some huge savings. The more remote you go, the better you will earn too. (Sheep shearers make BANK… and then blow it all on cocaine and meth…)

Watch out though: not all Ozzies and Kiwis subscribe to the “mateship and fair go for all” mentality they’re known for. It’s not uncommon to get paid a fraction of that obscenely high minimum wage.

• $1800 – $3500 per month
• Backpacking Australia Travel Guide
• Where to Stay in Australia
• Backpacking New Zealand Travel Guide
• Where to Stay in New Zealand

33. Ski Resort Jobs

While I mentioned resorts and seasonal gigs before, skiing deserves its own holler(back girl). Ski resorts are notorious for hiring travellers and often under the table. Ski resort gigs can be the best seasonal jobs for travelling.

As an “unofficial” ski resort worker, you won’t get paid much (and you will likely be overworked), but it’s a great way to work hard, play hard, and make some travel friends along the way! Plus, there will always be the skiing/snowboarding perks which are obviously EPIC.

You don’t have to be an instructor though. Many seasonal jobs in lodges or working the lifts are widely available. Oh, and the snowbum life is pretty hedonistic – it’s basically working, partying, and picking up Insta-brand vacayers between your shifts.

• $1000 – $2000 per month.

34. Tattoo Artist

Backpackers love to get tattoos on the road , so there is always a demand for talented artists. And I’ve met some amazing tattoo artists travelling the world and paying their way through freelance work in hostels and backpacker hangouts. Talk about a creative travel job!

The better you get at your craft, the more doors that will open up to you. You don’t even need a gun! I’ve met and befriended some phenomenal stick-and-poke artists who earn money working while they travel.

Plus getting paid by people to inflict large amounts of bodily harm on them really isn’t too bad either!

• $500 – $15000 per month (be prepared to adjust your rates to reflect the country you’re in – ain’t nobody stupid enough to pay $100+ an hour in Mexico).

35. Join the Peace Corps

This is certainly one of the noblest travel jobs on this list and it deserves a mention! Providing a different work and travel experience, the Peace Corps is no joke and essentially makes you an international aid worker in a foreign country.

It’s a two-year commitment, you have very little influence on where you are stationed, and you only get two days off per month.

You don’t get paid much but, hell, you will be earning and you will get paid to travel to somewhere new. And what’s more, is relevant work experience can take the place of a college degree.

Check out:  This Peace Corps volunteer’s blog all about her experiences volunteering in Vanuatu.

Do You Need Insurance as a Working Traveller?

If you are going to be living and working outside of your home country, you really do need to think about getting health insurance. If you have an accident or get sick, then those hospital bills are going to completely nullify any money you’ve earned and saved.

For long term cover, we recommend SafetyWing . They specialise in covering digital nomads and those working outside of their home country. It’s basically a subscription model – month to month payments – on international health insurance without the need to provide an itinerary.

Month to month payments, no lock-in contracts, and no itineraries required: that’s the exact kind of insurance digital nomads and long-term traveller types need. Cover yo’ pretty little self while you live the DREAM!

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to work! Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

There are so many ways to work and travel; sometimes you just gotta get a bit creative! As long as you are cutting the costs of travel and picking up a job where and when needed, you’ll find a way.

Not every traveling job needs to be a career. Covering your living costs is a fantastic start, and all the skills and confidence will take you soooo much further in life than one simple job ever could.

Taking a leap of faith on a new vocation on the road is fantastic. It’s a step outside of your comfort zone and right into the growth of travel. In many ways, that’s what it means to BE a broke backpacker .

You don’t have to be broke to be a broke backpacker. Nay, being resourceful, willing, and kind-hearted with a good work ethic – that makes you more of a broke backpacker than holes in your undies and lack of consistent showering ever will.

So get out there and work on the road! Start with a shit-kicker job. Then once you’ve levelled up appropriately (and with some ingenuity), you’ll find a job that involves travelling and where you get paid to travel and live in a new country. Maybe you’ll even live in a mini-campervan conversion and start rockin’ the super nomad life. Then, you’re not just hunting for the best travel jobs anymore.

No, that’s a travel career: a whole new adventure!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Elina Mattila

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Travelling for Work: The Dark Side of Work Travel [Updated for 2020]

There are many positives to regular work travel ranging from increased career opportunities, more visibility inside your company and of course you get a chance to see different parts of the world on the company’s dime. But the truth is travelling for work has a dark side.

In a 2019 study , NextTravel reported that 1 in 5 business travelers said traveling for work negatively affected their mental health. 25% of respondents noted difficulty in maintaining personal or family relationships and 23% noted having missed an important family event for work travel.

Bottom line : traveling for work has a dark side.

Travelling for Work – quick overview

This article examines the dark side of travelling for work on a regular basis. Specifically, readers will learn five downsides to regular work travel . Here’s a quick summary, before we dig in:

• You are alone a lot
• Sleep schedule / patterns off
• Hard to eat healthy
• Miss family events
• Tough on personal relationships

We deep dive into each of these elements of regular work travel so you know what to be on guard for if you take a job traveling for work. As a frequent business traveler myself I live the grind of recurring work travel every single week and use this insight to share some of the downsides of a life spent on the road.

You are alone a lot when traveling for work

Regular work travel can take you all over the country (or world). You may get to see amazing sights, visit bucket-list destinations and eat at once-in-a-lifetime restaurants – all on the company dime . Except you are likely doing it alone .

When you travel for work there is one consistent element: lots of alone time . For example, on a work trip to Oregon I had some time to kill and took the long way back to the Portland ( PDX ) airport. It was incredible. While wandering around a pretty neat castle in Poland I was, surprise, alone.

In a sweet Mustang convertible (courtesy of National Rental Car ) I drove up the Oregon Coast with the top down. Cute seaside towns, a great lighthouse, a cave full of seals and craggy windswept cliffs. Truly incredible stuff.

But I was alone .

I would have loved to share this experience with my wife (who loves lighthouses) but alas – I was travelling for work again – and thus, oh so alone.

Speaking of Oregon, you might want to check out my post on Things to Do (and eat) in Salem Oregon

Whether it’s night after night by yourself in hotel room, or a tour of the Empire State Building, you are often alone when travelling for work. It’s a huge downside.

In fact, if you’ve ever watched the now famous George Clooney movie, Up in the Air, you know that one thing was very apparent in the actor’s life: he was lonely. Now, in his case, he also had no family and intentionally detached himself from friends and family. But he was alone and his loneliness was a key part of the story.

If you take a job that has travel , try to avoid alienating yourself from friends and family. Invest in these non-travel relationships. If you have a family, make it count when you are home.

Sleep schedule / patterns off when you travel for work

Regular work travel typically means numerous time zones which means it can be incredibly challenging to maintain regular sleep patterns. I live in on the West Coast and often, when travelling for work, I head east.

Waking up that first morning in Eastern or Central Time Zone is BRUTAL. And while many years spent travelling for work have allowed me to hone my body rhythms to not care so much about the time zone I am in, it’s still rough .

The copious amounts of coffee I drink probably help (but are likely not healthy!).

Jetlag , or as the Mayo Clinic defines it , “a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across multiple time zones” is a real thing and it can cause fatigue, sleeplessness, mood changes, and put your body in a position where you can be susceptible to sickness (never mind the prolific amounts of germs you come into contact with while travelling for work!).

Bottom line: with work travel, you will be tired . It will be hard to sleep, at times. But you soldier on!

PS…this we wrote about How to get over jet lag while you travel 11 Jet Lag Tips for every traveler , check it out!

It’s hard to eat healthy when you travel for work

I’ve written an entire article on staying healthy while travelling for work because this is such an important subject. It is darned hard to eat healthy (and stay healthy overall) with regular work travel!

When travelling for work, you will eat out for every meal (unless you shop for food which is not always convenient). That means you have an opportunity to eat lots of unhealthy, calorie-laden food!

Don’t get me wrong, it will be GOOD food…good as in tasty in many cases (eating dinner with customers at nice restaurants is a nice perk). But, man, it’s tough to eat healthy. And hard to stay hydrated.

This is a big downside to regular work travel that can sneak right up on you if you are not careful!

By the way, here are some healthy travel snacks ideas

With work travel, you will miss family events

As I write this post I am preparing to head out on another business trip. And unfortunately, with this trip I will miss my children’s choir recital. It’s not the first “kid” event I’ve missed and it always hurts.

I hate being away from my family and I hate missing their events. I’ve missed piano recitals, school plays, soccer practice and more.

It sucks! It really does. But I’ve sat down with my kids and explained to them this is how daddy makes his living. And my wife and I have made a calculated trade off.

This job (which I am really good at) is how I provide for them. I explain I don’t want to miss their events, and I always work REALLY hard not to miss them. I also make sure to be PRESENT when I *am* home.

In fact, that’s Habit #7 of my 7 Habits of the Healthy Business Traveler: How to Stay Healthy While Traveling for Business: Staying Connected ! Whether its regularly texting your loved ones, or using Google Hangouts , or Facetime and making sure you are HOME when you are home – staying connected is critical to maximizing your relationships with your kids.

And I strongly encourage you to have a sit down with your children and explain to them your travel job.

Traveling for Work can be Tough on personal relationships

After years of travelling for work, I can personally attest that it is very difficult on personal relationships. While I’ve been married for over 23 years, we’ve had our rough patches.

One of my job had really heavy work travel and it had me on the road almost every week of the month. It took a brutal toll on my marriage. It came to a head and I had to tell my boss fire me if you want, but take me off the road for a bit.

He was a gracious boss, liked me, and didn’t bat an eye. I took a breather (for a year or so) and worked on my marriage. Then, in a better place (both of us), we agreed it was time to start focusing on my career again – and that meant travel.

Time apart is not on the only challenge on personal relationships for the person with regular work travel. Long periods of time with the opposite sex, including regular work dinners and drinks (all under a work context) can occasionally create situations that can be devastating to a marriage or committed relationship.

The regular work traveler has to be on guard against these things.

How to survive frequent work travel

To summarize, there’s a few key aspects to surviving the downsides of frequent travel:

• Be home when you are home!
• Maintain non-travel friends and family
• Sleep when you can!
• Enjoy the sights as best you can (don’t stay in your hotel room)
• Eat as healthy, but don’t over rotate.
• Take advantage of Bleisure whenever you can
• Bring your family with you if you can
• Travel smarter whenever possible

Employ these tips and you life as a business traveler may not be perfect, but it won’t be all bad.

Final Thoughts on Travelling for Work and Downsides of Regular Work Travel

At this point you might be seriously wondering if there are ANY good things about travelling for work. This is, obviously, quite the list of negatives to travelling for work. And no doubt – that’s true.

But, there are also many positives to a job that travels for work. For example, greater opportunities with your company, higher profile jobs, a chance to meet with clients important to the company, travel with the boss , and more are just some of the pluses to a job with regular work travel.

Additionally, you may get the opportunity to see the world (or parts of it) on the company’s dime . To visit locations you might never get to visit, and to eat at places you might not ordinarily get a chance to eat at. For example, I recently visited Krakow , Poland and it was incredible. Next up (for company work travel) is a trip to England, Copenhagen and Norway. Yep…can’t beat that.

Suffice to say that like any job, you should carefully weigh the pros and cons. A travel job can be incredibly rewarding, but it comes with some downsides. I urge you to consider both the pros and cons of such a job!

If you liked this content, please do us a favor share it on social media and click the “like” button below and don’t forget to follow us on social media including Twitter , Instagram , Pinterest and Facebook .

And, of course, if you are interested in more travel tips and travel advice, you might like these great articles:

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Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I may also earn commissions from other affiliate programs as applicable.

Jeremy Ballou is the editor of the CBoardingGroup.com and a long-time writer in both the travel and tech industry. Most days he's in thinking about travel or writing about it.

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Working for Travel vs. Traveling for Work: What’s the Difference?

By: Frayed Passport

As a keen nomad, you know that few things are free in this world—being able to travel is a costly undertaking, especially if you’re traveling long-term. Many long-term travelers must pick up additional paid work to fund their lifestyle, including work on the road and  freelance or remote jobs .

There’s an additional way to get the money you need to explore, which comes in the form of traveling for work in the first place! How does traveling for work vary from working to fund your travels—and which jobs would allow you to best enjoy the benefits?

Let’s have a look!

Working for Travel vs. Traveling for Work

Working for travel  means your work can be completed while traveling, but it’s not tied to your trip. Usually, that’s a job you already have that lets you operate remotely, freelance work you do while on the road, or something similar.

Traveling for work  means accepting a job in advance that includes some form of travel, whether on-site work, driving, or similar.

Both of these pursuits will ultimately help toward your travel goals. But it’s worth noting that different people may be suited to each option:

• Working for travel will likely be best for the determined nomad with set ideas about locations they would like to visit and the time they’ll have to explore each area. Working for travel tends to be unstructured and may buy more time for enjoyment, though your income may fluctuate accordingly.
• Traveling for work is excellent for people with no set travel plans but a general passion for seeing more of the world. There may be less of a work-life balance in this instance, but depending on the job, you can find time for exploration. Income is also more reliable and tends to be based on a pre-agreed salary.

While we talk a lot about the best  work-for-travel positions  for the average nomad, there’s surprisingly little information about how to quench your wanderlust while traveling for work.

3 Jobs That Allow You to Travel for Work

Most nomads are familiar with work-for-travel careers like travel vlogging or freelance writing. You may be less familiar with jobs that allow you to travel for work and explore your surroundings while you do. We’ve excluded careers like airport crew in this list, as you’re not likely to spend much time in the locations you’ll visit. But, for those seeking the security of a travel-for-work salary with a little more freedom, some fantastic careers to explore might include:

Travel Writing

You may be surprised to see travel writing on this list because many nomads use this as a working-for-travel option en route, either through their personal blogs or by selling articles to travel magazines or publishers. There is also a level of travel writing that fits far better into the traveling for work category, and it brings all the benefits of a pre-agreed salary and even prepaid accommodation, activities, and more.

The best thing about travel writing is that it keeps exploration at the center of every journey—even more than most other travel-for-work options. To earn a travel writing career that allows you to travel for work, you will need to  gain a regular spot  in a respected travel magazine or on a high-performing third-party travel blog. This can be a challenging field to break into, so you may need to opt for work-for-travel positions first with more personal, low-paid writing as you build your audience, meaning that  individuals who prefer financial freedom  may still want to steer clear of this choice.

Careers in Construction

While not all construction work will see you traveling the world, a great deal of construction careers can involve at least a fair amount of cross-state work if you’re with a big enough firm! If you brush up on your  commercial construction glossary  and affiliate yourself with global brands, you may also be able to travel to different countries for work. And there are few better ways to get to know a community than to literally build something within it.

Construction workers tend to put in long hours, especially with commercial clients who value building speed. That said, commercial work is only possible in daylight, meaning you would have evenings and early mornings to explore. Like high-end travel writing, construction travel costs are typically paid in advance. Construction careers also pay famously well, meaning that you could make a great deal of money and have some traveling fun in the process.

How About Hospitality?

Photo by  Pixabay

Most hospitality roles don’t require travel; those options, like hotel or hostel work, are common work-for-travel positions. There are some hospitality roles that fit the bill of traveling for work, including options like  cruise ship work , yacht work, and certain tour guide roles.

Tour guide roles are probably the best positions that allow for exploration of your surroundings during work itself. Cruise ship workers tend to be allowed into port between cruises and during dock days, while yacht workers will have at least some downtime en route. The typically long hours of full-time hospitality positions like these also can pay well and should cover travel costs during the off-season if you work throughout the high season.

Really, it doesn’t matter whether you work for travel or travel for work, as long as you’re able to see the world in a way that suits you! But if you’re fed up with traveling from paycheck to paycheck, you might find that traveling for work is a better nomad option than you’ve previously considered.

If you’re ready to jump into finding jobs that’ll let you explore the world more frequently (and even get paid to do it!) check out our  Careers & Finance section , which has tons of advice about building a lifestyle that balances travel, life, and work the way that works best for you.

Featured image by  Monica Silvestre on Pexels .

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45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them

Looking for the best travel jobs? If you think that you can’t afford to travel the world, finding a job on the road may be just the ticket. Travel’s wonderful, sure, but little things like food and a place to sleep are good too.

The Best Travel Jobs

We’ve found some of the best ideas to get paid as you travel the world , with some help on how to land each job.

Tip! While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great place to start.  Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

You should know the basics of sailing for this gig, although some jobs only require a keen willingness to learn and a great attitude. Check out Find a Crew or Crew Seekers  online or ask directly at a local yacht club. Well known jumping off points include Darwin, Phuket, San Diego and Panama. We volunteered as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane and found the club and captains to be friendly and open to our help.

Freelance Travel Writing

Traditional freelance travel writing is a tough gig. The competition is stiff, and the life of a freelance travel writer usually doesn’t pay well (or reliably). Even if you’ve got stellar contacts, don’t expect to get much pay in the first year or so. Even irritatingly talented writers struggle as travel writers.

One of the best places to start looking for freelance writing jobs, and that includes freelance travel writing, is FlexJobs .

FlexJobs screens employers for you. FlexJobs comes with a small, flat monthly fee, but they also vet all of the job opportunities, meaning that there’s a lot less spam to wade through.

FlexJobs is one of the top job boards for remote work, but there is a monthly fee (about $14.95 USD a month).

Check out FlexJobs here.

Check out Virtual Vocations job listings here for freelance writing and plenty of other online jobs. You can try it out for free, but there’s also a paid version.

Looking for help with your resume or CV? Check out a top resume review .

Cruise Ship Work

Cruise ships hire all sorts of folks, from entertainers to waiters to cooks. This type of gig is best for those without kids or a spouse. It may also not be great long term for a digital nomad who needs reliable internet access, since WiFi at sea can be spotty.

Earl from Wandering Earl has used cruise ship work to fund a large part of his 12 years on the road, and wrote a book called How to Get a Job on a Cruise Ship .

Click here check out his book on getting a job on a cruise line .

Royal Caribbean even hires horticulturalists and cupcake supervisors (now that’s a job I could handle). Check out careers at Royal Caribbean  or Carnival Cruise Lines .

Travel Blogging

If you’re the enterprising sort, you can start your own travel blog. You’ll be putting in a lot of work (trust us on this) as you build your blog. Even if your blog becomes well known, you’ll need great business sense and a way to stand out from the crowd before you start bringing in any income. We’d estimate it takes about a year of hard work blogging before you can start to make any real income here (and by real, we mean around $1,000 per month).

Tip: To really enjoy the combination of work and travel, don’t forget about your safety. Here’s when a reliable VPN service may come in handy to protect your online presence and unlock geo-restricted content.

While volunteer jobs by nature don’t pay, some will provide (often very basic) accommodation or meals, or both. Conservation Volunteers  provides basic accommodation, but not meals, in exchange for help on conservation projects. Be careful with this strategy, as many voluntourism placements charge you a significant amount of money to volunteer. This helpful article from Wisebread will point you in the right direction.

If you’ve ever been interested in volunteering on an organic farm, this might be the gig for you. WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) brings together volunteers and farmers. You’ll work a set number of hours in exchange for room and board.

No previous farming experience is required, so all you need to do is check into visa requirements first an you could find yourself on a flight to Europe to work on an organic farm!

Flight Attendant

This is one of those jobs that require travel as part of the career. Flight attendants wages vary depending on the airline, and new employees don’t have a great choice of shifts or destinations. That said, you can still score some great flights while being paid. Airline employees often get substantial discounts on airfare for themselves and their family. Some airlines even allow you to pass on discounts to specified friends.

We always get travel insurance when we travel.

SafetyWing Nomad Insurance covers nearly every country on the planet.

While this is out of the reach of most of us, those with flight experience can score great flights. To become a pilot , you’ll need over 250 hours of flight experience, decent vision, a clear criminal record and good health.

Technical Writer or Editor

If you’re technically (or scientifically) inclined, and have great writing skills, technical writing and editing can be a great gig on the road. Technical writers write everything from website text to software user manuals to detailed computer hardware specifications. I’ve worked as technical writer for the past ten years, both remotely and in cubicle nation. I’d suggest getting a certificate in technical writing and a few clients under your belt before you hit the road. Starting pay is about $25/hour for North American gigs for native English speakers, but experienced writers and editors can earn $60 an hour or more.

Academic Editor or Writer

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so

Academic editors and writers are often in big demand. English is a second language for plenty of students, so getting an editor to proofread academic papers is common.

Editors can work on articles all the way from high school to PhD level, depending on their experience. Writers are also in demand with paper writing and editing services, which offer work in fields as diverse as English, biology, and physics.

Busking can be great if you have a skill in some sort of performance art, from singing to drumming or juggling. Pick a busy area to maximize your tips, and be careful not to run afoul of local city ordinances for street performers. Check out the video below of talented electric violinist Ed Alleyne-Johnson doing some busking work to get you motivated. Amazingly, all the music you hear is coming from his violin!

Bartender or Waiter

Depending on the country you’re visiting, you may be able to score a job waiting tables under the table. As you’ll be working illegally, you face a few risks, including being nabbed by the tax man, or even deported. That said, if you’re looking to work in a restaurant or bar, try to find a place where tips are good, as most of your income will come in the form of tips. There’s some helpful info here on traveling and working as a bartender .

Work for Your Accommodation

Many hostels will let you stay for free in exchange for light work around the hostel. While we were in Adelaide, Australia, we exchanged a couple of hours cleaning the hostel each day for a comfy double room with shared bath. All in all, it wasn’t a bad deal, as rooms were going for about $50. You research hostels before you leave on sites like Hostelworld.com .

Peace Corps Volunteer

The Peace Corps is serious business. Only apply if you’re able to commit to a long engagement in what might be a difficult environment. The application process is stringent, and usually includes an interview. The Peace Corps doesn’t pay a lot, but does cover health insurance and deferrals of student loans (for US Citizens), plus a bonus at the end of your term.

Run an Import/Export Business

The premise is simple: Find a product in one country, and sell it for a tidy profit somewhere else. This is perfect if you have a strong entrepreneurial bent, as you’ll have to dig up the product, the market and the suppliers all on your own.

Interpreter or Translator

You’ll need to be fluent in either written (a translator) or spoken (interpreter) two languages or more, and many employers want a university degree in linguistics.

If you can herd groups of confused people, and enjoy talking about the sights, this job might be for you. Tour guides don’t just schlep people around museums; you might even score a job as a wilderness guide. Speaking multiple languages isn’t a must but would be a definite asset.

Tour Organizer

If you can build trip itineraries, plan visas and stay arrangements, group tour organizing might be for you.

Seasonal Fruit or Vegetable Picker

The work is long and hard, but demand is often high for seasonal farm labor in Australia and many other countries in the world. If you’re staying in a New Zealand or Australian city with outlying farms, you should be able to find some work picking crops or shearing sheep.

Because the jobs depend on the harvest, timing can be a bit tricky. Here’s a tip from a backpacker we met in Cairns: Don’t pick watermelons, they weigh a ton and you’ll be exhausted within the first hour.  Anywork Anywhere is a good place to start looking for jobs.

Ethnomusicologist

I have to admit to being a little skeptical when I first ran across this job . Ethnomusicologists are involved in the anthropology of music and study how music and culture relate. The Society for Ethnomusicology  is a good place to start. Grant competition is fierce, and an academic background is highly recommended.

Online Poker Player

While this requires mad poker skills (obviously), the good news is that it’s open to anyone with a good internet connection and a small bankroll to start. According to the FBI, online gambling is illegal in the United States .

Day traders buy and sell stocks and other financial securities online, usually within the space of a day. A word of warning: You really need to know what you’re doing here, as this is a risky job for those without solid experience and knowledge. The large majority of day traders actually lose money .

Scuba Instructor

You’ll need a minimum of a PADI Open Water Scuba instructor course (or a similar accreditation). The more qualifications and specialized courses you take, the more marketable you’ll become. Instructors don’t make a lot of money, but the great perk of this job is that you get to teach in some of the world’s most beautiful locations.

Massage Therapist

While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist in certain countries, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.

Skiing Instructor

In most parts of the world, ski instructors must take courses and become accredited. Canadian ski instructors earn about $12 an hour to start.

Freelance Photographer

With the advent of digital cameras and the Internet, freelance photography has gotten a lot more competitive. That said, if you have great photography skills and a keen business sense, you may be able to sell some of your travel photos.

Travel Agent

Years ago, being a travel agent was one of the dream jobs for would-be travelers, who dreamed of perks and discounted fares. Today, travel agents are a rarer breed, as commissions have been cut and the internet has allowed consumers to book more of their own trips. You can work as a home based travel agent through a web-based travel agency. Successful travel agents today often offer specialized services that don’t compete with discounted web fares. Commissions and wages these days are low and perks are hard to come by.

An au pair is a nanny who may also be expected to do light housework. A large proportion of au pairs are female, and tend to work in Europe, the US and Canada, and Australia and New Zealand. If you’re looking to cover a lot of ground, this arrangement may not work well, as au pair contracts range from six months and up. Check out the  International Au Pair Organization  to start.

House Sitter

While house sitting may not pay all of your travel bills, it can take a huge bite out of accommodation costs. Trusted Housesitters  is a great places to start.

Check Trusted H ousesitters job listings here.

Also check for caretaking jobs, which generally involve a longer time commitment and increased responsibilities (like taking care of someone’s motel while they’re on vacation). Caretaking jobs often pay a stipend in addition to free accommodation. You can find caretaker jobs through the Caretaker Gazette . There’s a small membership fee for most sites.

Check Caretaker jobs listings here.

If you own an apartment or house, consider swapping for a place at your destination. You can save a fortune in accommodation costs, and often live much better than you would in a hotel.

International Resort Worker

International resorts like Club Med hire a wide variety of people, from electricians to bakers to activities coordinators. Check out Club Med jobs for information.

Time Share Salesperson

The bane of resort goers everywhere, time share salespeople make a commission by convincing vacationers to purchase a partial ownership of a vacation property (or multiple properties). For a set amount of money, the vacationer gets access to a vacation property for one or two weeks per year. Timeshares have taken a beating in the press for scamming vacationers out of their money. Even timeshares on the up and up are often sold with restrictive dates for access, hidden fees and taxes. Check out RCI.com  to get an idea of what kind of time shares are available worldwide.

Work at a Campsite

If you’re the outdoorsy type, you may be able to combine camping and work in Canada and the US. Work camping involves either hooking up your own RV or on-site housing and working as a camp host, desk clerk or even a tour guide. Private campgrounds and national parks like Yellowstone offer seasonal employees RV hookups or onsite housing.

Real Estate Agent

You’ll need to pick a specific area, become knowledgeable in the local real estate market, but many expats make good money as real estate agents, especially specializing in selling to other expats.

Location Independent Businesses

You can take many businesses with you on the road. These are usually computer-based business like website development or computer programming. All you’ll need is a laptop, internet connection, and a mad set of skills and you can work anywhere in the world. Sites like Freelancer.com  let you bid on jobs from all over the globe, while Fiverr gigs are set at a $5 (though you can add on extra services for extra $$).

Check out our article on the best online jobs for travelers for some ideas.

Deckhand on a Cargo Ship

While not as glamorous as working on a luxury cruise liner, working on a container ship can be a more leisurely way to see the world. Workers often acts as lookouts and perform maintenance like painting and maintaining containers. You’ll need a high school diploma and many deckhands have training through industry or labor union schools.

Back in the day, legit international businesses would pay couriers to fly packages as carry on between select destinations. Cheaper and faster international shipping, increased security and transporting docs electronically have made these jobs almost non-existent. Use a lot of caution with courier sites, as most seem to be trying to sell a membership, a supposedly discounted airfare or an outdated e-book written 10 years ago. Courier List, once one of the biggest names in the business, suspended subscriptions because of decreased opportunities.

Transport a Car or RV

Car and RV dealerships or car rental companies sometimes hire people to drive cars to a different destination. Car rental companies sometimes find themselves with too many cars in one destination and want to move them to an area where rentals are more in demand. Car dealerships may need a specific car, with specific options or colors that they arrange to get from another dealer. While most companies work with full time, professional drivers, there may be some opportunities for one time trips. The trick with these jobs is getting a car that’s going where you want to go at the right time. You’ll need a clean driver’s license and may need a specialty license to drive RVs. Transport companies like DAS Auto Shippers and RV Transport  hire drivers. HitTheRoad.ca  is a well known Canadian company that offers mostly long distance, one way, one trip driving contracts for cars, while AutoDriveAway  has listings for the USA.

Camp Counselor

Countries as diverse as Canada, the USA, Croatia and even Russia hire camp counselors. Check out Bitten By the Travel Bug’s helpful  articles on camp counseling .

ESL Teacher

Teaching English as a second language is a well worn staple for travelers, and for good reason. Some countries, like Japan, China and Korea are well traversed by ESL teachers, though there are opportunities around the world. Japan and Korea pay reasonably well, while countries in South and Central America generally pay less. Depending on the country, accommodation may be included in your pay. Many teachers also tutor after hours for extra cash. An English as a Second Language (ESL) Certificate  helps, as does a Bachelor’s degree, though with persistence it’s possible to get a job without either if you have the right connections. If you can figure out a way to break into the field, teaching business English to adults is reputed to pay better. There’s a helpful guide to teaching English abroad here .

Online Teacher or Tutor

Many universities and colleges are moving to online learning. While this is great for students, it’s also a fantastic perk for teachers or tutors, who can work from almost anywhere to teach their online students. An advanced degree is helpful for teaching, but it is possible to teach for a trade or technology school with experience and good connections.

Check out  Teaching Traveling  for a profile of a web and mobile design instructor who worked remotely for nine months while traveling from US to Argentina. The best part of this gig? You’re paid as well as if you were working at home. To find work, browse the teaching listings at university like the University of Phoenix , community colleges, and even technology and trade schools.

Geologists often travel as a requirement of their work. They can work in fields as diverse as oil and gas exploration, climate change and mining. You’ll need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree .

Join the Military

Joining the military simply to travel seems like a bad idea, given the chance that you could be permanently stationed in your home town, or … well… killed. That said, military service can lead to opportunities to work overseas, though there may be little time for recreation.

Personal or Virtual Assistant

A personal assistant wears a thousand hats, depending on the needs of their employer. Personal connections seem to be critical.

Virtual Assistants offer administrative services to clients from a remote location. Virtual assistant services include scheduling appointments, managing email accounts, managing social media accounts, and more.

Marine or Wildlife Biologist

For nature lovers, the great perk of working as a marine or wildlife biologist can be location. Marine biologists can be stationed in fantastic locations like Hawaii and Costa Rica, while wildlife biologists can be found anywhere on the globe. Biologists need a minimum of a four year undergraduate degree, though researchers who work with universities usually require a PhD.

Internet Affiliate Marketer

Internet affiliate marketers create websites that sell other people’s products and then take a percentage of the sales. While the industry has a smarmy reputation, it is possible to make money through affiliate programs. No formal education is required, but a strong entrepreneurial bent and tech savvy is needed.

Working Holiday and other Visas

If you’re under 35, see if your destination country offers a youth working holiday visa. Many countries have agreements that allow youth to work on a working holiday visa for up to one year. Check out Wikipedia’s list of working holiday visa programs .

When planning to work in a foreign country, check into visa requirements first. In many countries it’s possible to work illegally (under the table), but be aware that there can be consequences that include immediate deportation. Receiving lodging or a stipend for volunteering may fall within the category of working under the table, depending on the country.

We hope we’ve inspired you that there are a lot of ways to make money on your travels . Now get out there and get one of these best travel jobs!

There’s always options if you really want to travel! 🙂

My boyfriend is a programmer on the go. He wrote a post to share some inspiration with other programmers, if anyone is interested or seeking an excuse to hit the road while still working as a programmer.

Hi Zara, Some helpful tips, there! Charles is a programmer, too, coincidentally enough. We’ve found that sites like oDesk and Guru tend to pay less than if we can manage to take our work for existing clients on the road.

Same here, a programmer… who is willing to be on the go….

Great list…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Hi D.J., These days, I really favor jobs that I can take along with me – the whole digital nomad thing. It’s not quite as glamorous as everyone thinks, but honestly, it beats working in a cubicle 9-5 every day (been there!)

Fantastic list – very inspirational! I’ll send people this way – what a great resource!

Thanks! I know that we struggled with how to find a job when we were traveling, so I hope this can help someone out… 🙂

Quite an extensive list! I’ve looked into more than a few of these in the past (and am even considering a couple of them right now) and they’re all very viable options!

I tried to make a list of jobs that were possible for most folks. I honestly wouldn’t have thought working as yacht crew was viable if Charles and I hadn’t spent time at the yacht club and met a few people. Who knew? Now that we have kids, yacht crew may be out for a few years :), but then again, maybe we’ll get our own catamaran when they’re a bit older and be our own crew. 🙂

Anyone know if it’s necessary to have an ESL teaching certificate? I do not have a degree so thought maybe TESL cert might be helpful but many friends say not so much? Would love some feedback… Great article. Thanks!

Nice to see you here! I’m going to copy my answer from our chat on our Facebook page , in case someone else reading this would like to know.

“From what I’ve read, if you have a Bachelor’s degree, the TESL certificate isn’t necessary for most overseas teaching jobs (it depends very much on what the specific school you’re approaching wants, of course). Some schools will hire a teacher who doesn’t have a bachelors or TESL, but you need to have a connection (like knowing someone in the school who’ll vouch for you), or experience. Since you have experience, I’d say that trumps an TESL certificate for most schools. I’d try contacting one of the schools you’re interested in and asking – you never know, right? Hope that helps a bit… ”

Another good place to start is Nomadic Matt article on TESL certificates .

TEFL cert not that important, but you pretty much have to have a BA/BS in anything unless you have contacts and connections.

Many great ideas and a great single source of links! I can vouch that travel blogging requires a lot more time than the writing time! I would say that my preferred would be one job not mentioned: husband to a high-flying career (business, diplomat, etc.) spouse stationed in a well-located country 😉

Wow Raul, this was Micki’s post however I have to interject my thoughts on what you just wrote. I’m 100% in favor of that and will toss the idea to Micki. If she questions it I’m going to refer her back to you, okay. 😉

Nice article!

That’s a whole lotof jobs to consider! 🙂

Thanks, Tommy. Hopefully, the tips should keep someone well funded for a while 🙂

Fantastic Tips!

I never know we can exchange a hostel stay with cleaning and home Swap!

Opened my eyes really!

Hi Lex, Nice to see you here! I was surprised how many hostels were interested trading light housekeeping for a room. I haven’t tried it, but I’ve heard of people building a small website for a hostel in exchange for a short stay. I’d imagine any kind of barter might work, really, anything from cleaning to carpentry to gardening.

A terrific post jam-packed with great ideas! In short, there’s no reason to stay home.

Hi Terry, So true. I spent a lot of my 20’s working crappy jobs, and barely getting by. Honestly, I could have been traveling and working at the same time, and been just as far ahead financially.

This is a great list of ideas for people looking to travel long-term and work. Thanks very much for sharing!

Hi Emma, you’re welcome. Hope it provides some inspiration.

This is fantastic list and an inspiration for those who are considering travelling indefinitely but wondering how they can continue their journey. I know a lot of friends doing scuba dive instruction in Thailand and the Maldives.

Hi Samuel, Scuba diving in Thailand or the Maldives sounds like a great way to earn money on the road! We took our Open Water PADI course in Ko Tao. Thailand, and loved every second of it.

Great list! Very inspiring to those who may not have realized all the options out there. I’ve been going the digital nomad route myself, but I also love the idea of taking on seasonal jobs in different places. Especially things like campground host would be really fun, I think!

Great tips. But they really fall into two categories, don’t they? The jobs that you can do anywhere in the world which will fund your travels – and those which will also get you actively involved in the local community. I hope people will consider the latter and really see the world while they’re making some cash on the side!

That’s a really great way of thinking about work. Not only can it make you some cash, but working somewhere can help you connect with the local culture and people.

Great list! Some of these are really great suggestions, though some might not work out so well if the end goal is to travel. Getting a pilot’s license is extremely expensive, and it’s a very low paying job for several years when you first start. But picking up jobs along the way, teaching ESL and staring your own location independent business are solid choices. I always thought the different cruise types of jobs sounded interesting, but I don’t think I could handle the seasickness!

Yep, I won’t be taking up flying as a commercial pilot any time soon, either. I’ve had a couple of friends who put in some serious time flying in Northern Canada (mostly for oil and gas companies and flying firefighters up North). They really put in their dues for a lot of years, that’s for sure.

A lot of people are choosing the location independent work route, whether it’s working a regular job remotely, or starting their own business. The idea of sitting under a palm tree with a laptop while getting paid to work is a pretty powerful draw. Though it’s not all it’s made out to be – sand’s pretty tough on keyboards and there’s a lot of glare on the screen 🙂

Hi, What can i do for getting a job the above mentioned 45 list.I am interested to travel the worldwide.So please give the suggestion to get a job in the above mentioned list.

Don, some of these jobs require degrees or certifications. Some are as simple as showing up at the place you want to work. Others require that you apply for the position just as you would in your home country.

It really depends on the job you want, what you’re qualified to do, where in the world you happen to be and whether you want to work for cash only or after filling in the proper paperwork and getting a work visa.

The rest is up to you. Good luck!

Nice article also its nice to date airhostess so you keep getting cheap tickets…. Rest is everyone knows… 🙂

Ah, now that’s the SMART way to go about travel. Ren, I think you’ve got it all figured out 🙂

Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to say that I’ve truly loved surfing around your blog posts. After this I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I am hoping you write more often!

Roccia, we’re so glad you stopped by! If you every have any questions, or need any help, give us a shout!

Great list! The best job Ive seen someone have that allowed them to travel with ease was as a hairdresser. They would rock up into a city – put up a sign in the hostel saying $30 a cut and would have queues of people getting a trim – just how they liked it back home. Then they would cash out and move onto the next city.

Peter, now that’s a fantastic idea! Love how enterprising that is – and at $30 a cut, they could make some decent money!

I wrote this article really just to get people thinking about all the options that there are to make money traveling. In my 20’s I worked a LOT of crappy jobs trying to save money to travel, when it would have been just as easy to work on the road.

What a great list! I’ve done a Work & Holiday in Australia and was able to get a couple “real” jobs in marketing that paid well enough to fund my travels (in such an expensive country), but some of these sound really tempting!

Rachael, the working holiday visas are a fantastic way to travel.

Some countries are starting to increase the holiday visas age to 35 for specific visitors (for example, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand residents up to age 35 can visit Italy on a working holiday visa).

Most folks think that the working holiday visas are only for jobs like fruit picking and waiting tables, but you can actually end up with some good jobs (like your marketing jobs) that give some great work experience and pay reasonably well.

Really great list! Thank you, Micky

What an awesome resource for people looking to travel but worried about income! This a great page to bookmark and share around. Thanks for putting this together.

Thanks so much Aloyna and JRinAsia! Glad we helped out.

I took your advice and recently became on online tutor… I started sharing this as well with kids that I tutor who are looking for a job.

Ralph, That’s so wonderful to hear! I tutored for a couple of years as well (though not online), and think it would be a great travel job. Thanks for sharing!

Great list of jobs here. I’ve done / still do many of these. Writing, photography, tour guiding, car delivery, working for accommodation. The only negative experience I’ve had was with hittheroad.ca so I can not recommend that service, but the more skills you have, the better, right?? I’ve travelled with a few geologists…and they get to go to some remote, crazy places…wish I knew that when I was in school.

Some great ideas, travel blogging is a challenge but rewarding.

Great post, great site. We’re a travelling family so always great to read about others. Looking for inspiration to find a new travelling career ideas and help us stay on the road for longer so this is great! Thanks!

Great ideas. This is the dream of all of us to finance our travel with work during our trip.

If you’re a certified teacher, you can easily travel by working in an international school! They pay your flights each year, give you a house or housing allowance, and the salary is usually good enough to travel every glorious school holiday! I’ve been doing it for 6 years now, and I will never go back to Canada to teach… No jobs! I can live in paradise, or a couple hours flight to it. You can’t go wrong! 🙂

Meg – overseas lifer

What an awesome list! It just goes to show that you can do anything if you are creative enough to figure out a niche that aligns with your destination. This is a much harder lifestyle to maintain when you have kids so I always recommend younger travellers go far while they are single:)

Some of these ideas seem really great. The list really is extensive!

I would have never thought to work while traveling, usually that’s my vacation time away from work. Though that could greatly extend your vacation and/or allow you do more if you are constricted by money and expenses. Having some cash inflow allows you to do a lot more than otherwise. Though as an Austin mover I have been lucky enough to travel and see a lot of places while working.

Myself a pilot, I would love to see the entry regarding traveling on a pilot’s wages changed. There is no need to have perfect vision innately. It simply needs to be correctable to perfect. Most contacts and glasses have no problem with this issue.

Andrew, yes it is a common misconception about perfect eyesight and pilots. Contacts and glasses are fine for most airlines if you can see 20/20 with them on. Most fighter pilots need perfect vision (whether naturally or via lasik) however I’m guessing the average traveler doesn’t fall in that category. 😉

Thanks for the comment.

Charles/Micki,

Thank God, I stumbled upon this site, this list is a terrific resource guys, I love traveling and this will help tremedously! In fact, I am in Europe right now, lol. 😉

Always like to stumble blogs I read by accident! I’ve done so many of these – most noteably, teacing English and summer camp work, with a dabbling in blogging, translating, tour guiding, etc. Definitely helps ease the blow!

Great share and post!

Tour guide is a very good way to make extra money while traveling. There are even some people who actually travel TO a country, work as a guide for a few days and vacation a few days.

Ha. Pretty good list. I have actually had a fair few of these. Timeshares was definitely an interesting experience.

I have yet to bartend. Australia maybe on my horizon.

This is great! Thanks for writing it 🙂 I plan to go work and travel Europe in 2014!

easy in theory…..1st: for how many of those jobs do you require a specific specialization? and also the percentage of employer happy to give a job, even if small or temporary,to a stranger traveller and very often from another country?…I’d say not very high,I aqm italian and have constantly travelled for the last twentyfive years (travelling is my life), and my opinion is,that,if it wasn’t for busking,probably, I would’t have never gone all the way I did,nice your ideas though,inspiring.thanks

Amazing post. So far we have been working as English teachers in China and web designers in Cambodia, but there are more job opportunities, as you say, we would like to go for in the future. Greetings from Macau!

Very nice tips. Thank for this. Travel Blogging is the best for me!

Fantastic post! Very useful info! Gave me some ideas of jobs I didnt know you could do!

Excellent list! yardandgroom.com has taken me around the world (before responsibilities & a real job!) It’s great for horsey types who don’t mind serious hard work.

Complete List..but in 2013 and so on, I think Internet Marketing will be a great job. Just traveling worldwide and sit relax in front of your laptop

Wow … A lot of different opportunities listed. Making income from Blogging is tough, but if you have the time, one day it can pay off. I also like the idea of a campground host in the near future. Thanks for sharing!

Great article, so many job apportunities , who would have thought so?? dont stop writting 🙂

Thanks for sharing this wonderful list – so many jobs here I hadn’t even thought of! Ethnomusicologist ;-D

When I was in Australia a girl came into my hostel about every other week and would cut everyones hair and within a few hours would walk out with $200-$300. She didn’t charge much (maybe 10-15 for guys and 20-25 for girls) but most people needed one. She would then head out and party till she ran out of money and start over again. I on the other hand utilized my skills as an entertainment coordinator for hostels and got free accommodation from them and would put on tournaments for money where winner takes all except for the organizing fee i took.

Great list. The working online options are better for persons like myself who don’t travel on a US/Canada/UK passport. Working holiday visas and sometimes just tourist visas can be such a nightmare.

Nice article. There are lots of jobs to do while traveling, I like to work in camp site while traveling to Australia. My main concern is the working permit.

I love walking bare foot on the grass in winter morning.. ahh.. feels so awesome..

I’d love to have more than one of the jobs on the list. This is a comprehensive post!

I was really enjoying your article and stopped at the campground picture because it looked so much like home to me. Imagine my surprise to see it WAS! Paul Lake is basically the closest campground to my hometown of Kamloops, BC, Canada. It was really cool to stumble on this. I am a relatively new single at 42. I am hoping after a few more years of work in a steady well-paying job I will have some freedom to travel extensively. I think you have listed a lot of great ideas and resources. I wonder, do you think a lot of them will apply to me at this stage in my life with no real formal education beyond high school? I am going to send this to my young adult children too. I think travel when you are young is a great idea!

Thanks for the list.

Very useful tips. I wish to use few of these some day.

Great article . Very informative

Hey what about looking after Elephants, or other animals abroad? Is the pay good enough to feed and let you have accommodation? I would be very interested in this type of work…..Let me know….Someone!!

Hi Dianne. There are a lot of places in the world where you can work for room and board however I’m not sure about looking after elephants specifically. I suppose you could get a job abroad in a zoo or perhaps work for a lodge in Africa or India.

There are lots of animal sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers around the world as well so that’s always a possibility however there’s usually a fee involved so it will actually cost you money rather than the other way around. Here are a few sites of that nature: Globalteer , Go Eco or Conservation Volunteers

Most places operate on small grants and donations so being paid to do a job where thousands of people are willing to pay their own way makes it hard to find. That’s not to say it’s impossible however you would have an easier time tracking down a privately owned animal reserve or animal rehab center if you want to actually make money looking after animals abroad.

If you’re lucky enough to have a background in animal biology or animal behavior, you might be able to join an expedition on a grant that would cover your expenses however that level of detail lies far outside the scope of this article.

Dianne, we wish you good luck finding something of this nature and if you do, please come back here and share your findings!

This all sounds pretty amazing….I always wish I had all this info in my early 20’s! Now, I’m more interested in how you guys keep up the travelling with 2 kids! I know from experience that it’s really expensive to travel on poor currency as the Commonwealth countries are 10 – 12 times more expensive!!Currently my husband’s job takes him away from us for 2 months at a time…it would be really great to be able to be a family unit again and still see the world 🙂

It’s always a bit of fun juggling work and travel with our two little ones :).

Wow, and we were trying to think of things we could do when we hit the road. Great list this will come in very useful! Great blog by the way!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post 🙂

Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Fantastic list! I just wish that there were more options eligible for members on non-EU states as for instance House Sitting and House Swamping request you to be from a certain country. Moreover, there’s always visa issues to solve.

WOw its a great combination of two sites including traveling and job information. love your this informative blog…

thanks to share!!!!

Wow, that list is great. I never realized how many different opportunities there were for travelers. I especially like the tour guides. Always thought that would be fun.

Thanks for putting this together, some great ideas I hadn’t thought of! We’ve done a fair bit of volunteering along the way, which saves us money but certainly doesn’t make us any. I’d soooooooo love to volunteer on a sailing yacht for a long trip!

What an awesome list! Thank you so much for sharing!

Are you aware of any online opportunities which require extensive excell/analytical skills which can be done from remote locations? I am fully qualified accountant and auditor but not a huge fan of working in the profession. I really want to travel and try use the skills I have from remote locations…just not sure if those opportunities exist?

Hi Ant. The best way to work online is to try to find a local company that is willing to let you work remotely before you even start traveling. It will be steadier income and if you’re from a wealthier nation then the pay will be more than you’d make in a lot of countries with lower living costs. If you know you’ll be staying someplace that costs less, you can also offer your services for lower than the going rate to help guarantee your position. Because you’re also a local, you speak the same language, have similar views and can meet them in person. A lot of companies have no problem hiring remote workers however a lot of them have trouble outsourcing to employees in foreign companies.

In terms of your skillset, I can think of tons of industries where it would be in demand. Of course anything financial like banks, accounting firms, tax preparers, market analysis experts or any large company’s payroll and HR department need people with analytical skills. You can also browse the jobs on Monster or Workopolis to give you some ideas.

Other than that, there are numerous sites where you can bid on jobs or offer your services on a smaller scale. Odesk, Elance, Guru and Fiverr are 4 that quickly come to mind. You likely won’t be making the same money you could earn with a dedicated position however there are plenty of people that do just as well taking on numerous small contracts and they can pick and choose as they go.

Good luck on your search!

“While you don’t technically need an accreditation to be a massage therapist, it may help you land clients and gigs. There are probably hundreds of styles of massage, ranging from deep tissue to Thai. Pay depends on the country you’re in, but the job can extremely flexible if you work as a freelance massage therapist.”

Please change this horrible piece of information. It’s called a Massage License, and it is absolutely required to legally practice massage therapy in most countries. Here in the US, a MINIMUM of 500 hours from an accredited massage school is required. Upon completion of school, you are then required to pass a state licensing examination. And every state has their own licensing requirements. You cannot just simply start massaging for the hell of it anywhere you want. It is against the law and fairly strictly enforced.

Hi Robbie. Yes, a message license is required in the US and in 3 provinces in Canada it actually falls under the governmental health care service so you are right that in these countries it is illegal to practice without a license. The same holds true for a good portion of Europe and scattered first world countries around the world.

That being said, it’s not governed in a good portion of Asia, South America, Africa and many tropical islands around the world. So like we said, a license helps however we’ve seen many people offering massages in hostels we’ve stayed around the world and I’m pretty sure they weren’t licensed in that country. They all seemed to be making money doing it so obviously it’s a viable business.

In regards to your comment I’ve modified the line to clarify it more. Thanks for pointing that out.

It seems very useful for everyone. Nice info

Great list Micki! As a pilot myself, I can attest to the amazing flight benefits! The sad part is that most pilots probably travel only slightly more on their personal time than non-pilots. Many of my colleges tell me that the last thing they feel like doing after flying at work for 4 or 5 days is hopping on another airplane. It’s sad to see them lose the love for travel. After all, I think that’s why we all got into it.

Add travel nursing to the list! My husband and I started traveling in 2011 and LOVE it. Traveling abroad is a little more difficult but possible. We have stayed in the states but there is plenty to see in this great country. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for adventure and excellent pay.

Flight Attendant…..I’m glad you listed this as people rarely realize how much “perk” travel is associated with being one. I took a “gap year” between my undergrad college & next one to pursue this. It was the best choice I ever made. In the span of one year, I had opportunities to explore US (home base), Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, Carribbean (over 15 islands!, often more than 3’xs each!) and this position was held almost 20 years ago. I am now fully into another career but this is always the job employers ask me about first in my interviews. They are very curious about how I became one, where did I go, how did I live out of a suitcase, etc. It was really quite easy. I answered a newspaper ad (yes, I’m that old :-)) and showed up for an open call. From that, about 450+ people were eventually narrowed down to 25 selected for training. My best asset was having a outgoing personality and decent work ethic. After waiting tables in highschool and having a Associates degree, they were happy to have me join. On my days off, I’d jumpseat to other locations and split bills w/ fellow crew members to say, spend 4 days in the Keys to go snorkeling or take 3 days and go explore New Mexico. I think it sounds so daunting and courageous to follow travel dreams by reading blogs but truthfully, once you’re out there doing it, it’s so fun you forget why you had any fears holding you back. Cheers. Here’s to just going for it. We only *know* that we’ve got this 1 life. Right now.

WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for travel jobs

Everyone loves what you guys are up too. This kind of clever wokrk and reporting! Keep up the terrific works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to our blogroll.

I’m a Freelance Photographer and capturing amazing sights to places where I spent my vacation. I even collect photos. Will probably sell my photos nest time. Thanks to your ideas.

That’s a very cool list. Love to explore the world. I am going to try this. Even-thought I have been traveling for the last 5 years with my wife. It helped me a lot since she is a travel nurse and willing to travel 3 months at a time.

Great article. Many choices. What this shows is that you can really put yourself in a no excuse position if travel is your main focus. I have a family of 5. We sold everything and went from a 4700 sq ft house to a 40 sq ft cargo trailer and SUV. For my revenue, I do consulting on 2 fronts: personal and professional. I do business strategy and tactics consulting for businesses and personal accountability and objective acquisition and completion consulting for individuals. Consulting is a great revenue stream as long as you actually know what you are talking about and can adequately relay advice. Anyway, great article. Thanks for sharing and have safe travels and a prosperous future!

Regarding the military option, I can tell you from experience that you would have time for recreational activities. I was stationed in Mannheim, Germany during my time in the Army and I got the chance to travel to surrounding countries during my time there. We had a lot of three or four day weekends that would come up plus all of the holidays. I had a great time during my time in Europe. Unless you’re a barracks rat or a natural homebody, you will more than likely go many places while stationed overseas. Deployment is about the only time you wouldn’t have much in recreation.

WOW! I pinned this for future reference! Very extensive and complete list and many I have never heard of or thought of!

The younger or older you are the more attractive this life style may be. As they say, where there’s a will there’s a way. Of course the more money you can make the better the travel (I’m for that). Thanks for the insight!

I love traveling and these are great ideas. We always stucked and can’t due to jobs issues but now i feel i really travel 🙂 thnx alot!!!

We no longer have any excuses…

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel, but this serves as proof that it’s not so. There are so many ways to make money on the road. Great job.

Awesome post.

HI Micki, thank you for this extensive list. You provide great information and resources! There really are countless options when you want to finance your travels. When there’s a will, there’s a way!

Thanks to this site i got my job due to this sit i am enjoying

Great list ! And very Wise to recommend checking for the visa situation too…. been there done that and unfortunately it’s not that easy… 🙂

I want to travel the world. What kind of jobs should i take if i start. Can someone help me . I am from India and want to travel the world and get paid while i travel as travelling is my life.

Thanks for sharing such a detailed list!

Thank you so much for such a detailed article. It’s becoming easier and easier to work remotely while travelling and being able to pick up freelance work by advertising on websites like Elance and Upwork (formerly Odesk). If your dream is to travel and visit new places, you can find a way. There’s still plenty of places where it’s very cheap to live and get by, and half decent internet is available in most. It’s how I’ve been living my life for most of the last 15 years and hopefully will continue for many more 🙂

All the best

Working at a campsite, lol it reminds me of Regular Show even though they work at a park.

Well, it caught my interest and would definitely be one of the jobs that I would look for if I would travel the world. TV shows can be super inspiring :U

Thanks for sharing these jobs, these are very useful to me. When I go for travelling, I definitely try some of these.

I came across your website while searching for articles about tolls in Portugal (btw, thanks for sharing your experiences) which led me to continue reading your posts in your travel blogs and tips . I enjoyed reading them especially this one which gave me possibilities to travel without having 9-5 job.

Great stuff guys! Keep up the good work…

Web Design is a great idea too! Can do that sort of thing anywhere with a laptop and internet connection. You meet tones of people and potential clients while travelling meaning you could be doing work for people all over the world!

Hi Micki !! Great ideas, I admire your style of writing and can definitely feel the sense of adventure in each. Good reads !! 🙂

Great post – lots of jobs on there that don’t appear on most lists! You’ve given me a few great ideas!!! Thanks heaps!

Thats a great resource shared.

Wow great list, you thought of almost everything and I totally agree with you that blogging is not easy, it is a real job and you have to take it seriously!

Great list, as always…hope to put some to use full time one day:)

Thanks for sharing!

I really like your post. It’s a great resource for traveler that need extra income. May I suggest a company named VIPKid? VIPKid is a great place to work if you are looking for a job while traveling. I have been with the company for a year now and it’s so rewarding teaching English to students in China. You are able to make between $14 and $22 an hour as well as set your own work schedule. This job affords you the opportunity to earn extra income from anywhere with internet connection. All you need is a Bachelor’s degree, be a native speaker of English and have some teaching experience (formal or informal).

hi, I am currently 17 and a senior in high school, and I am confused I have no idea what I want to do with this life of mine after highschool I want to go to collage that’s for sure but I have no idea for what kind of career I want something that is a high salary and I like traveling a lot so I hope my future career would require that, but most of all I want a career that I like something I would have a passion for I want to do something I love, not just sit at a desk doing paperwork all day, no offence too anyone who does that but my point is I just need some advice here

Fantastic list! Thank you so much for the brilliant as well as comprehensive list !

Traveling with family is the best and most enjoyable

I started travelling by teaching English and that served me really for 5 years until I got into travel blogging! With the list you have though, you’re proving that there are a ton of ways to make your dreams come true these days <3 I recommend to just ask yourself what your passion is, and then work out how you can make money from it 🙂 Then you're laughing 😀

I really love the idea of work for accommodation. It offers an opportunity into the the lives of the locals. Got familiarized with the term recently on Hippohelp. Have you ever used it?

I do online marketing, with blog review, so it is very convenient to travel. I take advantage of these to make money and develop blogs stronger. The work you propose is also good, I will refer and try it!

Great list! Hope to use that list some day 🙂 Thanks for your post

If we enjoy working on cars and are looking for a new career path, consider enrolling in a career training program to become an automotive technician. There are many types of programs in the field.

Nice tips and work mention are really helpful. I definitely use some in my life.

Great tips for those who want to take advantage of their time even travel but I think he needs to have relations with the local people or know people there what do you think?

Such a beautiful blog. its really worthful. thanks for writing this.

Very helpful and motivating article. Thank you!

Great article! It really helps us think about our work opportunities on our 18 month around the world

I like your tip to work for your accommodation when you’re traveling abroad. My brother wants to travel to Canada to work while he’s taking a break from school. I wonder if there is a program that he could go through to get work.

This is such an informative article. Thanks for sharing 🙂

This is an outstanding post that’s filled with so many useful nuggets. Thank you for being so detailed on great Jobs you can do while travelling the world.

Ever since the covid 19 pandemics started, many people have lost their jobs. And just now I was thinking that what are those people doing now whose jobs have been lost. The importance of this post of yours has increased, even more, I have also read it, it is really very factual, that how we can move again along with travel.

Great list, really thorough! I know a lot of my friends think that you’ve gotta be some sort of millionaire to travel

You have post brilliant list of jobs.. I like this article.

Thank You! It’s actually a cool and useful piece of information. I’m satisfied that you simply shared this helpful information with us.

Thanks for these impressive ides. I have already chosen travel blogging to survive for a bike tour but after reading this, I am confident that I can do may other things to fulfill my worldwide bike tour dream

Working whilst travelling the world sounds like an absolute dream! I hope one day I have the guts to take a leap of faith and give it a go!

Thanks for providing these amazing suggestions about the great jobs in which we can travel the world such as pilot, travel blogging, trader, etc. as they will help a lot of people who like to travel and by reading this blog, they will get know about some fabulous opportunities.

Absolutely wonderful article!!! How I would love to travel the world while traveling, But alas I can’t. But I would definitely keep this article in mind, for future references. You never know when you might get the spark to leave all aside and live.

You posted a fantastic list of jobs. This article is good.

Amazing article! In my opinion, this is the best job in the world and everyone wants to travel and get paid for it. See the world without spending money on it and besides being free, this is something worth living for.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that there are a few jobs listed that don’t require a college degree, such as au pair and travel blogger. This is great news for people who might not have the financial resources to go to college but still want to travel and work at the same time.

Great post, thanks for the tips!

I can’t express how much I appreciate you for producing this list of fantastic employment for travellers! There are numerous opportunities. Have you or a loved one worked one of these occupations while on the road?

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How to include travelling on your CV

If you’ve been away travelling the world, you might be wondering if you can add any of these amazing experiences to your CV.

Well, you’ll be pleased to know that you definitely can.

In fact, travelling can be a great way to strengthen your CV and make yourself more attractive to employers.

So, this guide will show you everything you need to know about including travel on your CV and even has 7 examples of real-life CVs with travel sections added to them.

CV templates 

Should you add travel to your CV?

You might be concerned that adding travel to your CV will make employers think you’ve just been off work, having a nice time in the sun.

However, there are a number of reasons why adding your travels to your CV can help you get hired.

Traveling experience can actually help you to gain and strengthen a number of transferable skills that will appeal to hiring managers.

For example, if you’ve travelled across the world, it can show that you’re organised, confident, and adaptable. Not only this, but it proves you can immerse yourself in new groups and cultures, as well as communicate with people from across the globe – a great selling point for any CV.

If you worked or volunteered while you were abroad, this is even better! This can be a particularly great way for students or junior professionals to highlight their skills and experience despite being new to the working world.

5 examples of travel on a CV

Here are 4 examples of job seekers who have successfully added travel to their CVs.

Gap year in Asia

Volunteering in Africa

Backpacking through South America

Working for a school in mainland Europe

Studying for 6 months in Japan

What skills can travel demonstrate on a CV?

Traveling requires a range of skills and abilities that can be transferred to the workplace. Here are a some of the best ones to include in your CV.

• Organisation – Planning a trip requires careful organisation , particularly if you’re going for a long time or to multiple locations. Skills like budgeting, packing, planning itineraries, and booking transport, can easily be helpful into the workplace.
• Communication – Whether you’re making friends, chatting with the locals, or asking for help, communication is a vital skill while traveling. Showing you can communicate with people from all walks of life is a very desirable trait for employers.
• Adaptability – Unfortunately, not everything goes to plan while you’re traveling, and the same applies to the workplace. So, if you can prove your ability to adapt accordingly to different situations, you’ll make yourself more attractive in the job market.
• Confidence – It takes courage to travel to unknown places and experience new things, particularly when you’re far from home. Showing this courage can prove you’re confident in new situations and around new people – a great trait for starting a new job.
• Social skills – Whether you’re traveling alone or with friends, it’s likely that you’ll meet fellow travellers along the way, as well as locals. Being able to converse with a broad range of people proves you have the social skills require for the workplace.
• Cultural understanding – Spending time with people from different backgrounds, races, religions, and experiences can help to boost your cultural understanding. You can show empathy, respect, and intrigue for cultures that differ from your own.
• Languages – If you travelled to a country where the locals speak a different language to your own, and you’ve taken the time and effort to learn some key phrases, this can look great on your CV.
• Resourcefulness – When you’re presented with tricky situations whilst thousands of miles from home, you have to learn to navigate them and solve problems as best you can – another excellent ability that can be used in any job.

What type of travel should you include in your CV?

Of course, when we talk about adding travel to your CV, we don’t just mean the week-long family holiday you went on last summer, where you sat by the pool all day.

CV-worthy travel needs to consist of meaningful experiences that contributes to your personal development and which have relevant applications to the working world.

So to ensure the travel experiences in your CV actually help to get you hired, include the following type of travel:

A gap year gives you a chance to take some time out after your studies to refresh, find out more about yourself, and gain some valuable life experiences.

With a whole year to travel, you can fully immerse yourself in new places and cultures, you can even take the opportunity to work or volunteer, and you’re bound to come away with a new perspective, as well as some new skills.

Therefore, a productive and interesting gap year can be a great addition to your CV and can give you lots of talking points during the interview stages.

Backpacking

There are lots of different ways to travel, but backpacking, in particular, is one style of travel that can really boost your skills and give you lots of talking points for interviews.

Often, these trips will last for a few months at a time and will test skills like flexibility, organisation, budgeting, and compromise more than traditional travel will.

Being able to highlight how you implemented and strengthened your skill set whilst living out of a backpack can be great for your CV and is a testament to the type of person you are.

Working abroad

Highlighting valuable experience is always important on your CV, but if you’ve worked abroad, you could actually give yourself a competitive edge. This is particularly true if other candidates on similar footing have no such experience.

This is because working in another country can show your personal and professional growth, as well as showcase the different skills required to work in a country that isn’t your own. For example, being able to speak another language or even just having the confidence and drive to work internationally.

This is even better if the job you did abroad is related to your chosen field and gives you lots of relevant talking points.

Volunteering abroad

Volunteering looks great on your CV, as it proves that you’re proactive, caring, and you teaches you tons of valuable transferable skills. These are all desirable qualities in an employee and can boost your chances of getting hired.

So, if you’ve gone abroad to volunteer, this is a great way to show that you are kind and compassionate and you want to engage and help those from different cultures. It also shows you didn’t just travel for fun; you wanted to do something positive, and learnt some skills along the way.

Studying abroad

When you study abroad , you’re not just learning about your chosen subject but also about adapting to new surroundings and cultures. You’re expanding your knowledge, and you’ll also gain lots of other practical skills along the way. Of which, language skills are often some of the most beneficial.

Not only this, but you’ll meet lots of people from different walks of life and grow your personal and professional skills set as a result.

Proving you’ve got the skills needed to live and study away from home can be very desirable to employers.

What travel should you avoid putting in your CV?

• Short holidays – Some types of travel won’t add any value to your CV, and a short trip is one of them. Although you might have gone to a lovely destination, it’s unlikely that this trip was designed to boost your skills or immerse yourself in the culture. After all, people take holidays all the time to unwind, and telling recruiters about your 2 weeks in the Canary Islands sipping Mojitos is unlikely to bag you an interview.
• Stag/Hen party trips – Similarly, you might have gone on stag or hen trip to blow off some steam and hang out with friends, and that’s OK. But even if you did go somewhere interesting, this experience doesn’t really belong to your CV or present itself as a career gap that needs filling, so it’s best to leave this out.

Where should you add travel on your CV?

If you’ve got some exciting travel experiences to share on your CV, you need to make sure you present these effectively and put them in the right place.

In your CV profile

For any experiences that you’re particularly proud of or that you think show skills closely related to the job you’re applying for, you could lead with these in your CV profile . For example, if your travels allowed you to practice your language skills and these are going to be important in the role, add a few words about into your profile.

E.g “Conversational Spanish learnt from my year working in Barcelona”

In the work experience section

There are several reasons you might want to include traveling in your work experience section;

Firstly, it explains any gap in your career, which is vital if you’ve been away travelling for 3 months or longer.

Secondly, if you had a job or did some volunteering during your travels, then it is perfectly suited to be included the work experience section as job. That way, you can then go into more detail about what you did and the skills involved.

In the additional information section

If you’ve got other relevant experiences to talk about that feel more important, but you still believe your travels can boost your application, then you might wish to include them under the additional information section.

This way, you don’t take up valuable space in your employment history or CV profile, but you can still showcase your skills and experiences from your time abroad.

How to include travel on your CV

Now you know where to include your travel experiences on your CV, here’s how to write about it in a way that will engage and impress recruiters.

Structure the experience like a job

When adding this to your work experience section, you should format this the same as you would a job. For example, put ‘traveling Asia’ or ‘gap year’ as your title and follow this with the dates you were away.

You can then add bullet points underneath that showcase your most important and relevant experiences and the skills you used.

Draw out workplace skills

Never just list the places you went to or the cool things you did there. You need to make sure you’re always drawing out the workplace skills and making these relevant to the role.

An example of this could be ‘had to quickly adapt and arrange new travel plans after disruptions due to dangerous weather conditions’.

Show contributions and achievements

Showing and quantifying your achievements is always important in your CV, and this still applies when including your travel experiences. Wherever you can, you should provide figures that show your contribution and what you have achieved.

For example, if you volunteered to teach English in a local school, how many pupils did you teach? Or if you had to do three months on a tight budget, what money-saving hacks did you use, and how much did you save?

• Travelled across South Asia for 3 months on a budget of £2,000, visiting a total of 9 countries.
• Learned a good level of conversational German in 6 months of living in Berlin

Tailor toward your target jobs

Make sure that when you’re picking highlights, skills, and achievements to include on your CV, these are as relevant to the role as possible.

If the employer is looking for someone organised, explain how you planned your itinerary, or if they want someone confident, discuss how you travelled solo for two months before meeting a group of like-minded travellers and asking them to join you.

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For Baltimore-area residents, bridge collapse means longer commutes, uncertain prospects

Laurel Wamsley

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by the Dali container vessel, as seen from Riviera Beach, Md., on Tuesday. Carol Guzy for NPR hide caption

Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after being hit by the Dali container vessel, as seen from Riviera Beach, Md., on Tuesday.

For Marylanders like Becky Grimes, who works at an Amazon warehouse near the eastern end of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the bridge's sudden collapse immediately changed the shape of her day — and many days ahead.

She normally takes the Key Bridge to and from work, but it now takes an extra half hour each way to drive through the city of Baltimore instead of around it.

What we know and don't know about Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse

"I'm not looking forward to it," she says. "There's a lot of people that already want to transfer out."

The collapse of the bridge and the closure of the Port of Baltimore is upending life for countless people in the Chesapeake region.

For many residents, it's the bridge closure that will shake up their daily lives, lengthening commutes and clogging the city's tunnels.

But for the regional economy, the far bigger blow is that the fallen bridge and the container ship Dali are blocking the Port of Baltimore .

A sign warns drivers heading to Baltimore that the Francis Scott Key bridge is closed and to use alternate routes. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

A sign warns drivers heading to Baltimore that the Francis Scott Key bridge is closed and to use alternate routes.

"Because of the port being suspended, we don't have any traffic yesterday, today, at least for the next week or a week and a half," says Brent Howard, president of the Baltimore County Chamber of Commerce. "That's money that we're losing every day because those ships are being redirected to other ports. Norfolk, Newark, Philadelphia are getting that revenue on a daily basis that was already slotted for Baltimore."

And the Key Bridge is a toll bridge that last year generated 7% of the total revenue for the state's transportation authority, according to an analysis by Moody's.

Mercedes, GM, Stellantis scramble; Port jobs are at risk after Baltimore disaster

Howard says getting the port and bridge running again is pivotal to the region , both economically and emotionally.

"We're the Chesapeake," he says. "Baltimore is really connected to the port and connected to water and connected to ships and vessels. That's something that's always been intrinsic to Baltimore's history, going back to our inception."

A bustling port, now in limbo

Brenda Cotsairis has seen the area weather its ups and downs. On Tuesday, she joined others at a lookout in Dundalk, Md., where the collapsed bridge was visible. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

Brenda Cotsairis has seen the area weather its ups and downs. On Tuesday, she joined others at a lookout in Dundalk, Md., where the collapsed bridge was visible.

As a little girl in the 1970s , Brenda Cotsairis's father brought her to a sandy beach to see the Key Bridge under construction.

She works at a local grocery store and has seen the area weather its ups and downs.

"For a lot of years, good jobs were gone and then things started to come back," she says. "And now we have Tradepoint Atlantic and we have the port bustling — it's a very, very busy port and it's thriving for Baltimore. And now it's devastated."

Baltimore's Key Bridge was built in the '70s, but has a deep and patriotic history

Daraius Irani, an economist at Towson University, estimates that the port's closure is costing between $10 million and $15 million a day in lost economic activity. And at least another $1 million a day in state and local taxes won't be collected while the port is closed.

Still, Irani says the port — which last year had its best year ever — should fully rebound. That's in part because Baltimore's port is about a day further inland than many others on the Eastern seaboard, putting it closer to points in the Midwest.

More from WYPR in Baltimore:

• No immediate public health hazards from Dali, Maryland gets $60M for cleanup
• Maryland lawmakers want to expand state of emergency powers in wake of bridge collapse
• Baltimore Orioles Opening Day now, 'Reopening Day' to come, governor promises
• Shipping closure at Port of Baltimore could have worldwide economic impacts

For the latest from member station WYPR in Baltimore head to wypr.org

He says if the port remains closed for months, there could be some furloughs, but he doesn't expect layoffs among workers there. And Irani says the bridge's collapse will likely create some jobs.

"You hate to say this, but in any kind of disaster, there's obviously the opportunity for the rebuild. So new construction jobs will likely come up because they need to build a new bridge," he says.

Businesses near the bridge could see fewer customers

The town of Dundalk is among the Maryland communities near the Key Bridge likely to see less traffic while the bridge is down. Laurel Wamsley/NPR hide caption

The town of Dundalk is among the Maryland communities near the Key Bridge likely to see less traffic while the bridge is down.

The bridge's absence will almost certainly have a longer impact on the small businesses located near its entrances on either side of the Patapsco River.

Joe Gold is the general manager of Key Brewing, a craft brewery in the town of Dundalk. Like the bridge, the brewery was named after Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner."

"We're not shut down I mean, it's not like that," Gold said Wednesday. "It's just ... the community is going to have to readjust."

With the Key Bridge closed, the traffic that would have passed by to get on I-695 is now taking alternate routes — routes that don't pass by Key Brewing's taproom.

"When I came to work this morning, past 95 to our office, it was the least amount of traffic that I've ever seen on my commute," Gold says.

He says that's a sign that people aren't coming that direction anymore, at least during their daily commutes.

Loss of ship's power and stiff current may have led to bridge collision, experts say

Is he worried about his business surviving? Not just yet.

"It's still too early," he says. "It's still too fresh to kind of know how deep of an impact this is going to have."

It all depends on how long it takes to clear the port — and rebuild a very long bridge.

• Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Baltimore bridge collapse
• Small Businesses

I wanted to make quick money and travel the world — so I moved to Australia and became a FIFO worker

• Cal Mcilwaine gets flown in to Pilbara, Australia to work 12-hour days for three weeks straight.
• So far he's made around $80K before taxes, has no living expenses on-site, and travels on his week off. 
• After a year of working, Mcilwaine plans to use the money he made to go on a 10-month trip.  

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with  Cal Mcilwaine , a 29-year-old FIFO worker in Australia. This essay has been edited for length and clarity. Insider verified his identity, employment, and salary.

I'm the lone wolf of my friend group.

Back in Ireland , all of my friends were getting married, buying houses, and having kids. I wanted to set off on an adventure and travel the world.

I started to research different career opportunities that would allow me to make good money that I could spend on travel . I always had an interest in visiting Australia and I had heard about mining jobs years ago.

I figured if I did that for a couple of months, I would have a piggy bank for traveling. So in June 2023, I left Ireland and moved to Perth, Australia to become a FIFO worker, which stands for "fly in, fly out."

Landing a FIFO job in a new country wasn't easy

FIFO is an industry that largely exists only in mining fields in Australia, Canada, and Alaska. Mining companies in Australia extract iron ore along with other minerals and send it to crushers and refineries. Then, it goes to Port Hedland , which is the main port in Australia, and cargo ships send it to China.

Australia is one of the most mineral-rich countries in the world, so there are a ton of mining projects and FIFO jobs available here.

But that doesn't mean it was easy to land one.

I found some YouTube videos about FIFO work, but there was no how-to guide on what to do if you want to enter the industry from a foreign country.

I had to come up with my own game plan, which included applying for a working Visa. I had no experience in mining and I had never driven a truck or bulldozer — I also didn't have a license in Australia. It wasn't going to be easy moving to another country and landing one of these jobs, but I was determined.

After arriving in Australia, I spent about three days exploring tourist sites before I turned to the job hunt process. In Australia, you need to get tickets, which are like qualifications. I spent two and a half weeks at a training center getting certified in CPR and working on an elevated platform, along with a heavy rigid license to drive big trucks.

Once I did that, I paid a company called W1n W1n to do my résumé and absolutely hammered job pages and applied to as many FIFO jobs as I could for about 10 days. Within a month of arriving in Australia, I secured a FIFO job.

Now, I help others get into the industry with videos on social media and a guide I made for foreign workers interested in FIFO.

I work 12-hour days for three weeks straight

I get flown in from Perth to work in Pilbara, a northwest region of Australia that's rich in iron ore.

Related stories

I wake up around 4 a.m. to get ready for work, which starts at 5:30 a.m., and I spend the next 12 hours in the mining field.

The conditions are physically strenuous and the average temperature during the day is 95 degrees Fahrenheit. In peak summer time, it hits about 113 degrees.

As a serviceman, I maintain a fleet of 45 or 50 machines, including dump trucks, diggers, dozers, scrapers, and other mining equipment. Throughout the day, I fill them up with fuel, grease them up, top up fluids, and blow out their air filters.

Then I pack everything back into my truck and drive to the next machine. I usually end work at 5:30 p.m., and the ride back to the site takes about 40 minutes so I usually get home at 6:10 p.m.

Normally, when I get back I try to shark down food and organize lunch for the next day. I aim to go to bed at 9:30 p.m. so that I can get as much sleep as possible for the next day.

During my week off, I get flown back out to Perth. The flight takes about two hours. Some people go on weekend trips to Bali. I like to go on road trips around Australia.

I also have the flexibility to go on breaks during the year. I took seven weeks off around Christmas and went to Esperance, which is on the southwest coast of Australia.

I've made around $80,000 so far this year pre-tax, and my expenses on-site are paid for

As a FIFO worker, companies pay for employee flights to and from the mining field. They also pay for housing accommodations and offer amenities like a food court and gym at the housing site.

@calmcilwaine What is my FIFO Room like? 👀 This will give everyone an idea of what the typical FIFO room is like. #fifo #FIFO #fifolife #fifoworker #fifoworkers #fifoaustralia #fifojob #fifojobs #fifojobsaustralia #fiforoom #fifocamp #fifocamplife #roomtour #fifomining #fifominingaustralia #flyinflyout #flyinflyoutlife #flyinflyoutjobs #australia #westernaustralia #miningwa #miningaustralia #pilbara #pilbaraliving #pilbaralife #pilbaramining #australiajobs #miningindustry #fifogirls #fifoedition #fifouze #whv #work #worklife #workingholidayvisa #workingholidayvisaaustralia #workingvisa #workvisa #417 #417visa #88days #regionalwork #regionalworkaustralia #miningtok #irishtiktok #irishinoz #irishinoz🇮🇪🇦🇺 #irishinaustralia #irishinaus #irishinperth #irishinsydney #irishinmelbourne #backpacker #backpackers #backpackerjobs #highpayingjobs #highwages #wealth #flyin #movetoaus #movetoaustralia #movetoaustraliawithme #movingtoaus #movingtoaustralia #newtofifo #fifotiktok #fifotips ♬ original sound - Cal McIlwaine

My room is dorm-like and it's nothing special but it has everything I need and I use it for sleep.

There's a big workout culture among FIFO workers and the gym is well-equipped to satisfy those needs. The gym has a strength room, a cardio room, an outdoor gym, a CrossFit room with classes offered, and a female-only gym. I usually walk about 25,000 steps a day on the job but still try to work out about two or three times a week.

As someone completely new to the industry, I make $5,329 Australian Dollars per week before taxes, which is around $3,477 USD — but I also don't work every single week of the month. So far, I've made around $80,000 before taxes working the last nine months, including a seven-week break I took to travel around Australia.

During my week off, I fly back to Perth and either go away for a week or pay a friend to stay with him for the week. My expenses during my week off usually come out to around $1,300 USD.

I'm getting the adventure I was searching for

I originally planned to work this job for three or fourth months at most.

But now I've been here for nine months and I plan to stick it out for the rest of the year. Once I learned about the machines, became a part of the crew, and started making good money, I didn't see a point in leaving.

I'm enjoying learning new skills and my bank account just keeps growing. Once I wrap up the year, I'm going on a 10-month trip to Vietnam, Thailand, New Zealand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

I won't have to worry about working and I'll get to experience the adventure I've been craving.

Once I'm done, I plan to get right back into FIFO work for my second year and do it all over again.

Watch: Inside the floating tin mines that host one of the most dangerous jobs

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How to travel around the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore: A look at the traffic impact and alternate routes

By Rohan Mattu

Updated on: April 1, 2024 / 8:13 AM EDT / CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE -- The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore early on the morning of March 26  led to a major traffic impact for the region and cut off a major artery into and out of the port city. 

Drivers are told to prepare for extra commuting time until further notice.

Alternate routes after Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Maryland transit authorities quickly put detours in place for those traveling through Dundalk or the Curtis Bay/Hawkins Point side of the bridge. The estimated 31,000 who travel the bridge every day will need to find a new route for the foreseeable future. 

The outer loop I-695 closure shifted to exit 1/Quarantine Road (past the Curtis Creek Drawbridge) to allow for enhanced local traffic access. 

The inner loop of I-695 remains closed at MD 157 (Peninsula Expressway). Additionally, the ramp from MD 157 to the inner loop of I-695 will be closed. 

Alternate routes are I-95 (Fort McHenry Tunnel) or I-895 (Baltimore Harbor Tunnel) for north/south routes. 

Commercial vehicles carrying materials that are prohibited in the tunnel crossings, including recreation vehicles carrying propane, should plan on using I-695 (Baltimore Beltway) between Essex and Glen Burnie. This will add significant driving time.    

Where is the Francis Scott Key Bridge? 

The Key Bridge crosses the Patapsco River, a key waterway that along with the Port of Baltimore serves as a hub for East Coast shipping. 

The bridge is the outermost of three toll crossings of Baltimore's Harbor and the final link in Interstate 695, known in the region as the Baltimore Beltway, which links Baltimore and Washington, D.C. 

The bridge was built after the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel reached capacity and experienced heavy congestion almost daily, according to the MDTA. 

Tractor-trailer inspections

Tractor-trailers that now have clearance to use the tunnels will need to be checked for hazardous materials, which are not permitted in tunnels, and that could further hold up traffic. 

The MDTA says vehicles carrying bottled propane gas over 10 pounds per container (maximum of 10 containers), bulk gasoline, explosives, significant amounts of radioactive materials, and other hazardous materials are prohibited from using the Fort McHenry Tunnel (I-95) or the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel (I-895).  

Any vehicles transporting hazardous materials should use the western section of I-695 around the tunnels, officials said. 

• Francis Scott Key Bridge
• Bridge Collapse
• Patapsco River

Rohan Mattu is a digital producer at CBS News Baltimore. Rohan graduated from Towson University in 2020 with a degree in journalism and previously wrote for WDVM-TV in Hagerstown. He maintains WJZ's website and social media, which includes breaking news in everything from politics to sports.

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New York Takes Crucial Step Toward Making Congestion Pricing a Reality

The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to approve a new $15 toll to drive into Manhattan. The plan still faces challenges from six lawsuits before it can begin in June.

By Winnie Hu and Ana Ley

New York City completed a crucial final step on Wednesday in a decades-long effort to become the first American city to roll out a comprehensive congestion pricing program, one that aims to push motorists out of their cars and onto mass transit by charging new tolls to drive into Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

The program could start as early as mid-June after the board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the state agency that will install and manage the program, voted 11-to-1 to approve the final tolling rates, which will charge most passenger cars $15 a day to enter at 60th Street and below in Manhattan. The program is expected to reduce traffic and raise $1 billion annually for public transit improvements.

It was a historic moment for New York’s leaders and transportation advocates after decades of failed attempts to advance congestion pricing even as other gridlocked cities around the world, including London, Stockholm and Singapore, proved that similar programs could reduce traffic and pollution.

While other American cities have introduced related concepts by establishing toll roads or closing streets to traffic, the plan in New York is unmatched in ambition and scale.

Congestion pricing is expected to reduce the number of vehicles that enter Lower Manhattan by about 17 percent, according to a November study by an advisory committee reporting to the M.T.A. The report also said that the total number of miles driven in 28 counties across the region would be reduced.

“This was the right thing to do,” Janno Lieber, the authority’s chairman and chief executive, said after the vote. “New York has more traffic than any place in the United States, and now we’re doing something about it.”

Congestion pricing has long been a hard sell in New York, where many people commute by car from the boroughs outside of Manhattan and the suburbs, in part because some of them do not have access to public transit.

New York State legislators finally approved congestion pricing in 2019 after Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo helped push it through. A series of recent breakdowns in the city’s subway system had underscored the need for billions of dollars to update its aging infrastructure.

It has taken another five years to reach the starting line. Before the tolling program can begin, it must be reviewed by the Federal Highway Administration, which is expected to approve it.

Congestion pricing also faces legal challenges from six lawsuits that have been brought by elected officials and residents from across the New York region. Opponents have increasingly mobilized against the program in recent months, citing the cost of the tolls and the potential environmental effects from shifting traffic and pollution to other areas as drivers avoid the tolls.

A court hearing is scheduled for April 3 and 4 on a lawsuit brought by the State of New Jersey, which is seen as the most serious legal challenge. The mayor of Fort Lee, N.J., Mark J. Sokolich, has filed a related lawsuit.

Four more lawsuits have been brought in New York: by Ed Day, the Rockland County executive; by Vito Fossella, the Staten Island borough president, and the United Federation of Teachers; and by two separate groups of city residents.

Amid the litigation, M.T.A. officials have suspended some capital construction projects that were to be paid for by the program, and they said at a committee meeting on Monday that crucial work to modernize subway signals on the A and C lines had been delayed.

Nearly all the toll readers have been installed, and will automatically charge drivers for entering the designated congestion zone at 60th Street or below. There is no toll for leaving the zone or driving around in it. Through traffic on Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive and the West Side Highway will not be tolled.

Under the final tolling structure, which was based on recommendations by the advisory panel, most passenger vehicles will be charged $15 a day from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The toll will be $24 for small trucks and charter buses, and will rise to $36 for large trucks and tour buses. It will be $7.50 for motorcycles.

Those tolls will be discounted by 75 percent at night, dropping the cost for a passenger vehicle to $3.75.

Fares will go up by $1.25 for taxis and black car services, and by $2.50 for Uber and Lyft. Passengers will be responsible for paying the new fees, and they will be added to every ride that begins, ends or occurs within the congestion zone. There will be no nighttime discounts. (The new fees come on top of an existing congestion surcharge that was imposed on for-hire vehicles in 2019.)

The tolls will mostly be collected using the E-ZPass system. Electronic detection points have been placed at entrances and exits to the tolling zone. Drivers who do not use an E-ZPass will pay significantly higher fees — for instance, $22.50 instead of $15 during peak hours for passenger vehicles.

Emergency vehicles like fire trucks, ambulances and police cars, as well as vehicles carrying people with disabilities, were exempted from the new tolls under the state’s congestion pricing legislation .

As for discounts, low-income drivers who make less than $50,000 annually can apply to receive half off the daytime toll after their first 10 trips in a calendar month. In addition, low-income residents of the congestion zone who make less than $60,000 a year can apply for a state tax credit.

All drivers entering the zone directly from four tolled tunnels — the Lincoln, Holland, Hugh L. Carey and Queens-Midtown — will receive a “crossing credit” that will be applied against the daytime toll. The credit will be $5 round-trip for passenger vehicles, $12 for small trucks and intercity and charter buses, $20 for large trucks and tour buses, and $2.50 for motorcycles. No credits will be offered at night.

Grace Ashford contributed reporting.

Winnie Hu is a Times reporter covering the people and neighborhoods of New York City. More about Winnie Hu

Ana Ley is a Times reporter covering New York City’s mass transit system and the millions of passengers who use it. More about Ana Ley

April Fools' Day pranks: Apps to translate baby stoner sayings, a ghostbuster at Tinder

Every april 1, brands and companies want to get some laughs – and attention – with goofy new 'product' launches. here are some ideas from companies such as sweetgreen, welch's and omaha steaks..

If you don't like Mondays, this one may especially be grating. It's April Fool's Day , when you should trust no one and question everything.

The roots of April Fools' Day may date back before to before the 15th century. But the modern-day April Fools' Day has become a day to prank a friend, family member, co-worker − or your customers.

Even though some companies have had April Fools' pranks backfire , marketers continue to issue spoof products in attempts to get some laughs and attention.

Already ahead of April Fools' Day, 7-Eleven has hinted at a possible prank product: In addition to new Lemon Lime, Green Apple and Sweet Orange flavored 7-Select sparkling waters, out now with partner Miracle Seltzer, there's a fourth flavor coming April 1: Big Bite Hot Dog.

The hot dog-flavored water "combines the mouthwatering experience of 7-Eleven’s iconic Big Bite Hot Dog into one refreshing beverage – ketchup and mustard included," the convenience chain says in a press release . "Say goodbye to the days of alternating bites of a hot dog with sips of a beverage, now those on the go can swap the bun for bubbles."

Krispy Kreme: A special doughnut deal for April Fools' Day

Will Big Bite Hot Dog sparkling water be sold? Its availability will be announced April 1. However, some reporters were sent a can of the drink. USA TODAY can confirm that it definitely smells like hot dog water and has a smoky aftertaste.

If you are interested in trying it, both 7-Eleven and Miracle Seltzer have hinted at having some to give away on their Instagram pages. (If you get a can, share with a friend as it's 16 ounces.)

Here's a roundup of many of the brand-related April Fools’ gag announcements. You've been warned.

Sour cream & onion flavored soda

Despite the proliferation of crazy-flavored products including Peeps-flavored Pepsi , Frank's RedHot sauce-flavored Vlasic pickles and Doritos Nacho Cheese-flavored liquor , healthy soda brand OLIPOP and Pringles are not really teaming up to bring to market a Sour Cream & Onion soda.

The product would have been "a match made in heaven … to bring the delicious, tangy flavor of Pringles’ Sour Cream & Onion flavor to life in liquid form with prebiotic benefits," the companies said.

Stoner lingo translation app

Another dream team prank product: Rosetta Stoned, a mobile app from Rosetta Stone and medical marijuana company Fluent , that "bridges the conversational gap between novice users and seasoned stoners in any social setting."

Da da decoder

Infant equipment site BabyQuip has its own language-bridging lark: the “Baby Translator” app, to decode your baby's secret language.

"Say 'goodbye' to restless nights as you decode your baby's coos and cries instantly, providing you with the understanding you need as a parent, all in one convenient app," it promises.

An AI-powered plush doll

Custom stuffed animal maker Budsies already makes selfie plush dolls with a built-in voice recorder. Its April Fools' spoof: Artificial intelligence-enabled dolls that "come programmed to learn everything about you and to become your new best friend."

A 50-pound Bearabuddy

Sorry to the 3,500 or so who have already signed up to buy Bearaby's Jumbo Benji plush toy, which is four times the size of its regular weighted plush toys and twice as heavy as its heaviest weighted blanket . This isn't actually going to be sold. But it is real and will be making its home in the lobby at The Child Mind Institute in Harlem to welcome children and their families. More weighted plushies are due the day after April Fools' Day, the company says.

A sleeping bag to go bananas over

The Dole Banana Peel Sleeping Bag, conveniently promoted as being available on April Fools' Day only, is made from actual banana fiber and "allows parents to escape into their own cocoon of sensory deprivation."

A full-body cleaning suit

Outrageous clothing company Tipsy Elves has a special product for April Fools' Day: The Mopsie. You don't need paper towels anymore, you can use your body to clean up those messes, with this "innovative, wearable microfiber towel jumpsuit" for "effortlessly soaking up spills and messes with ease." There's also a Baby Mopsie for "hard to reach places."

Korean BBQ deodorant

Kevin's Natural Foods , which has paleo- and keto-certified ready-to-cook and easy-prep entrées, is touting a new line of personal care products inspired by its food dishes including Korean BBQ Deodorant, Cilantro Lime Toothpaste, Lemongrass Basil Shampoo and Tikka Masala Sunscreen.

"These new face, body and hair care essentials will help fans prioritize self-care inside and out," the company says. 

Omaha Steaks' meaty sprays

Omaha Steaks has its own personal care prank product: Meaty Spritz sprays with flavors such as Omaha Fog, Hog Haze, and Cock-a-Doodle-Dew.

"The world’s first protein-infused, flavor-packed, portable pump spray … (to) enjoy all the mouthwatering flavors of your Omaha Steaks gourmet favorites no matter how far away from the kitchen you are!" the company says.

Sriracha toothpaste

Asian sauce maker Lee Kum Kee , which makes Sriracha Chili Sauce and Sriracha Mayo Dressing, is introducing – not – its Siracha Mayo Toothpaste. It's "fiery and creamy goodness … is sure to spice up your morning dental routine."

Post-salad dental kit

Need some less powerful toothpaste? Sweetgreen offered these fanciful personal hygiene products as part of its Sweetgreen After Salad Kit, which is "designed with your pearly whites in mind … offering everything you need to freshen up post-meal."

Choose from Miso Ginger Toothpaste, Spicy Cashew Mints, Lime Cilantro Dental Floss, and Sweetgreen Toothbrush and Floss Picks.

Fruit juice lip gloss

More personal care prank products: Welch’s Juicyfuls Juicy Fruit Lip Gloss – now available in five flavors: grape, orange, peach, strawberry and raspberry – made with real juice from Juicefuls fruit snacks so "you get that irresistible sweet flavor you love, all in a lip gloss that's as fun as it is nourishing."

Protein-powered seasonings

Quest Nutrition , maker of protein powder, snacks and other products, has a prank product line of seasonings including All Purpose, Lemon Pepper, and Garlic Herb, each of which deliver "21g of protein, 2g of net carbs and less than 1g of sugar."

If you want to try Quest's real products, you can use code NOJOKE for free shipping on online orders over $49 April 1-3.

Superpowered Superfeet?

These would certainly come in hand on a run, but – sorry – it's a jogging joke. Superfeet SuperBoost Power E-Soles gives you 8 hours of continuous battery-powered boost, for almost Iron Man-like propulsion. "All the comfort and support of Superfeet , now with electrifying performance," the company says in a video about the prank product. "It's like having a powerful electric motor in your shoes."

Scotch tape-branded Scotch?

This shenanigan seems like a blend that could stick: Scotch Whisky by Scotch Brand. The whisky "features a nose of cherry wood and a delightfully smooth finish that hits like a well-wrapped gift."

Who you gonna call when ghosted? This new title at Tinder

Dating app Tinder announced a new April Fools' Day hiring quest for a Vice President of Ghost Hunting to help combat "one of dating culture’s most prevalent vices – ghosting," a practice inflicted on 78% of singles already in 2024 (an untrue fact from Tinder).

Patrón's bringing back a beloved liqueur. No kidding.

Patrón patrons get some good news today. The premium tequila maker chose April Fools' Day to announce the return of its Patrón XO Cafe tequila-based coffee liqueur, which was discontinued in 2021. Since production ceased, devotees took to social media and signed a petition asking parent company Bacardi to bring it back.

Made with Patrón Silver tequila and Arabica bean coffee – the dry liqueur can be sipped straight, in cocktails and as dessert topping – Patrón XO Cafe will begin arriving in stores again later this month.

Say it with dead flowers

Don't forget to put roses on your April Fools' Day list. UrbanStems has this "special" delivery, The Dead Inside Collection, "an assortment of dead flower bouquets, dead plants, half empty vases, and more for the pessimist in your life." But, for real, check UrbanStems' social media accounts including Instagram for how to get 20% off an order of real flowers.

Cheesecake Factory's real deals

The Cheesecake Factory  also has a deal that's no joke: Sign up for the chain's Cheesecake Rewards loyalty program on April 1 to get an Any Slice, Half Price reward, redeemable for 50% off any slice of cheesecake or layer cake, with any food or beverage purchase (no gift cards).

Those who were members before April 1 will find something special in their account on Monday, too: either a free slice of cheesecake each month for a year, a free whole cheesecake, a free slice of cheesecake, $5 off $25 purchases, or $10 off $40 purchases. (All rewards redeemable by April 16; can be redeemed for dine-in, to-go and DoorDash.)

New merch from Dunkin', bonus points in app

Dunkin' announced it is going back to its roots and rebranding to just "Donuts'" on Monday, April 1. To celebrate the rebrand, the company is selling "Donuts'" merch, including sweatshirts that read "DONUTS," on ShopDunkin.com .

Additionally, Dunkin' Rewards members will receive 3x bonus points on any donut order through the mobile app on April 1.

Urban Outfitters launches 'Name Three Shirts' movement

Urban Outfitters said it is launching a global movement to "stand in solidarity against band-tee-shaming" by launching a new collection called "Name Three Shirts."

The t-shirt line "playfully mocks the gatekeeping attitudes of older generations who insist that band-shirt wearers should be required to name songs by those artists," the company said in a news release.

The line, which features revamped logos from bands such as The Grateful Dead, Joy Division and Led Zeppelin, is a "playful jab at the attitudes of older generations, and fights back against the misogynistic undertones of the infamous ‘name three songs’ line of questioning," Urban Outfitters said in the news release.

The collection of shirts is available online and in select Urban Outfitters stores starting April 1. You can shop the collection online here .

Auntie Anne's, Frontier Airlines collaborate on Pretzel Plane

Auntie Anne's pretzels and Frontier Airlines announced they have collaborated on the newest addition to Frontier's fleet: the Pretzel Plane.

According to a news release, the plane includes new in-flight entertainment featuring Auntie Anne's pretzels rolled seat-side, the "luxurious" smell of hot, fresh pretzels throughout the cabin and airplane-shaped pretzels if you're feeling hungry.

Moe's Southwest Grill, Sonic team up to introduce a Queso Slush

Two popular fast food chains announced a collaboration that is sure to be polarizing.

Moe's and Sonic announced a new beverage, the Queso Slush, a queso-flavored slushie. "The frozen goodness of a Sonic Slush meets the delicious flavor of Moe's queso."

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads:  @mikesnider  & mikegsnider .

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].

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