 |
Amsterdam Baby, Yeah |
It’s just a few more days until I get on the plane here in South Africa and head towards Amsterdam (which will be my home for the next 2-3 months). I’ve already mentioned this trip multiple times as far back as 6 months ago when I first booked my ticket.
At first those 6 months seemed ages away, it did not seem real, so far in the future. I remember when I had just booked that ticket I had around 55 subscribers to UpgradeReality and my goal was to have 100 before I would leave South Africa. As I write this there are 541 subscribed readers! (Thank you all! )
I am going with my friend Glen who will in fact have been in Amsterdam for one week already when I arrive. I booked my ticket for 3 entire months and the reasons why I am looking forward to this trip so much are the following:
Once in a Lifetime Opportunity
It may or may not be set for repeat, but travelling Europe for three months with one of your best friends is something I see as an amazing opportunity. Who knows when I’ll be tied down with work, responsibilities or a family. Right now I’m young and have the opportunity to do this trip, and I’m grabbing it with both hands.
Self-Discovery and Personal Growth.
I’m 23 years old. I have a general and vague sense of direction what I want to do with my life, but nothing concrete. I find that my ideas and values change every couple of months. Things that seem like they are good to have and fun to do may not always be that way. I am pretty sure that on this trip I will learn so much about life and about myself. This is also the first time in my life that I will be away from my parents for 3 months. Even though I have a lot of freedom at home, my parents are still always around and I see them every day. I am curious to see how things will be different if I am more on my own.
No Real Worries (I hope)
Glen and I have both saved enough money for the entire trip so that neither of us have to work in order to pay for the travels and accomodation. This is a real plus point for me, there is no stress and very little that HAS to be done each day. Of course, we are planning to do a lot of work on our internet marketing projects. One of my goals is to start a BIG project in a niche that I will build up as a successful affiliate site to bring in a steady monthly income. The idea is to have two big projects, one will be growing UpgradeReality (this blog) into a wildy popular self-improvement blog, and the other is to have a large affiliate site ranking well in search engines.
I will probably end up spending a good few hours a day working on these projects. I will be keeping a journal of my expenses, what I did and how I did it. Initially I thought I could get by with 1000 Euros a month, but it seems that when staying for a short amount of time (less than 6 months), renting a place in the center of the city is a little more expensive. Right now I can see the entire trip costing around 1500-2000 Euros ($2250-$3000) per month plus the flight.
Seeing The World (By world I mean Europe)
I have been lucky enough to travel when I was younger. I vaguely remember things and don’t have pictures of all the places I visited. I’m pretty familiar with Amsterdam already but our plan is not limited to just that wonderful city. We are planning to take a Europass for the train (A ticket that allows unlimited train travel in Europe for a month) and then head off to some big cities in Europe like Berlin, Prague, Milan, Barcelona, Paris.
We don’t have a fixed plan yet, which is what makes it exciting. At any time we can decide where to go and how long we want to stay. There are some people who have no desire to travel and see other countries, but I am certainly not one of those people. I want to see the major cities in Europe, experience the different cultures and see the histories of those countries. There is this big desire inside me to see, learn, discover and explore. Anything can happen, it’s so exciting to see where this journey will take me.
Earlier I mentioned that my values and perceptions of the things I want change every couple of months. I used to just want a lot of money, beautiful house, nice car and lots of stuff. Not that I don’t want that now, but it is not my main objective. Right now I want to have adventures, travel, meet people and enjoy life as much I can. I want to work hard on my own projects and build something up. Of course I want to be financially independent when I’m a little older (meaning money in the bank, a house, car and stuff) so that I can give the best possible life to my future family. I just have the feeling that if I would slave away doing something I didn’t like in order to get all that stuff it would not mean anything once I had it. I would probably throw it away trying to chase after the things I sacrificed that would have made me happy while I was slaving to get the Benjamins. It’s a fine balance between work and following my passions, but I want to work hard and I want to have fun in life, so that is what I am aiming to achieve.
Socializing
Socializing plays a major part in the journey. One of the things I’ll be working on is a case-study of how to make friends in a new city or when you are travelling. I might even make an ebook about it. As a kid I used to be pretty shy of talking to strangers and making friends. I was terrified of going up to beautiful girls I didn’t know. Lately those things have changed a little, but I am looking forward to seeing if there is a way or process to make it easier to make new friends. I think that this is something that a lot of people would like an answer to and that is why I am looking forward to it.
We will try to go out every single night. Not neccessarily to a bar or club, but some social venue. I have never done that for so many weeks in a row and expect to get pretty tired. I’m going to eat healthy in order to have enough energy to go out so much. I might even take on a total raw-food diet, something I have been wanting to do for a long time.
Conclusion
I realize that I am very fortunate to be able to make this adventure with my friend through Europe. At the same time, I want you to know that you are also able to do it. I have worked hard and saved up for an entire year to be able to go on this trip. If you think that my trip would be too expensive for you, I agree that it is kind of costly. There are other alternatives like Thailand and Asia that are much cheaper and yet still incredible adventures. My philosophy is that you live once so if you want to do something and you have the chance, just do it.
I hope that I did not bore you too much with all the ranting about myself and my goals. I will definitely be posting updates on my trip and probably a couple of videos too 
Have a Rockin’ day
Diggy
|
|
|
|
Stumble | Tweet | Bookmark |
Get UpgradeReality articles straight to your inbox
Subscribe via Email
Similar Posts You Might Enjoy
- » 100 Reasons To Travel The World
- » Travel,Adventure,Lifestyle Design,Self Improvement and Passion
- » 7 Ultimate Europe Travel Tips - Save Money And Time
rss 
twitter
facebook 
Great to hear more about your plans Diggy – I feel really excited for you reading this & really look forward to reading your updates.
Travelling is one of the best things I’ve done, as you mentioned, it just opened my mind to other experiences and cultures. Awesome that you will be working on your online projects too … all the best and although you’re moving I guess I’ll see you oline soon! 
Jen x
Heya Jen
Thanks for stopping by! Yeah Ill keep to my regular post schedule of 1-2 times a week. The plan is to get many more readers whie Im on the trip!
Have a great day!:)
Hey Diggy, it is nice to see you list some of your goals here as this will allow us to know what are your future projects that we can look forward to. Have a great time at Amsterdam and I will look forward to some videos and photos.
Cheers,
Vincent
.-= Vincent´s last blog ..I Beat Myself Up For Failing To Complete My To-Do List And Why It Is A Bad Idea =-.
Hey Vincent!
Thanks buddy! Can’t wait to give you guys updates
Hey Diggy, good luck in your trip. Let me know if you decide to visit Venice so we can finally meet (I’m not sure I can make it to Amsterdam).
.-= Oscar – freestyle mind´s last blog ..Is Learning to Program Worth Your Time? =-.
Oscar!!
We’ll probably do a eurotrip in the last month which is february
Yeah I will let you know! It turns out that the apartment we booked is 10 times better than the one we saw in the photo! Totally pimping
I just checked and flying to Amsterdam is not expensive, so I think I’ll come anyway, I just have to find where to sleep for 2 nights
.-= Oscar – freestyle mind´s last blog ..Analysis Of A Typical Working Day =-.
Cool:) Just send me an email when you think of coming over
You are absolutely right, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Veel plezier in Amsterdam!
.-= Zenneke´s last blog ..Zenneke: RT @OHHDLInfo: QOTD: "Sleep is the best meditation." ~His Holiness, the Dalai Lama =-.
Dank je wel Zenneke
I’ll probably end up speaking English most of the time since Glen is English too
Diggy, your excitement bleeds thru your words. So, so awesome! Have a great trip. Don’t forget to make a video on the last day talking about your trip as a future (digital) keepsake.
Have fun guys!!!
.-= brian papa´s last blog ..You’re never too old… =-.
Hey Brian!
Thanks buddy! I’m planning to film it from start to finish. It will be a lot of editing and compilations but will come up with some awesome videos
Thanks for stopping by!
Heya Diggy! I’m sure you would have a rocking good time at Amsterdam. Grabbing the opportunity with both hands now = priceless.
Have fun!
.-= Daniel´s last blog ..Go Hustle =-.
Hey Daniel!
I’m sure I will!
Thanks
Have a great weekend!
Sounds like an opportunity of a lifetime! Have a great time and let me know if you’re interested in coming to Helsinki/Finland for a weekend
One thing I’ve heard long-time travelers recommend, though, is that when you finally get to your destination, just chill for the first 2-3 weeks. Don’t try to control things and get yourself “established” there. Simply relax at first and try to sense the feeling of the place.
In other words; live in the moment. Don’t think and concern yourself with all the things to come and places to visit. I trust that in your case this won’t become a problem
//sami
.-= Sami Paju´s last blog ..3 simple things for happier life =-.
Hey Sami!
We have booked an apartment in amsterdam for 2 months, and after that we have one month to travel Europe. Not sure where we are going yet, but if we go to Finland I will definitely give you a shout
Thanks for the words of wisdom
it’s gonna be a great trip
I am excited for you 
…I loved the netherlands…I look forward to hearing some great stories…take care my friend…
.-= Ivan´s last blog ..What Time is It? Time To Reexamine Your Relationship To Time =-.
Hey Ivan!
Thanks!!
I hope it’s going to be an awesome trip! Costa Rica is definitely something I want to see too, but probably only in 2 years or so. First its europe and then asia
Hey Diggy I hope you have a great trip! Looking forward to reading more about it once you get there.
.-= Nate´s last blog ..challenge everything =-.
Hey Nate
Thanks !!
Hi Diggy,
Looking forward to reading about your European adventures! I bet you will learn so much from it. I am off on an adventure myself (in Brisbane, Australia for a year) – only been here for a week and so far it’s been great.
Hey Anna
I am so looking forward to it! Good luck on your own adventure! I’ve never been to Australia, somehow it does not really appeal to me much. I will visit the continent one day, but for now there are man places I want to see first!
Thanks for stopping by.
“My man in Amsterdam!”
Congrats on your travel plans. Enjoy your adventure. I agree that NOW is the best time to do anything. When you get older obligations and lifestyle inflation start infringing on your dreams.
.-= John Bardos – JetSetCitizen´s last blog ..Interview with Pat Flynn, $200,000 per year in 15 minutes a day! =-.
Hi John!
Thanks for stopping by
I’m sure it’s also possible when you are older, it’s just a bit more difficult, especially if you have a family. Hopefully I’ll be able to experience that kind of travel too
I’m thrilled and excited after reading your post Diggy. All wishes to you, have fun and rock the world!!! I’m so happy for you and Glen..you two are guys with great talent. You’ve inspired me to save money for traveling. Truly, nothing can match the joy of adventure. If possible, post on what you experience in the cities. Bon Voyage! Celebrate life!
Hey Hey!
Thanks for the kind words miss Kols!
I will definitely post updates every now and then
Have a great weekend!
Do excited for you, Diggy!! I have a feeling that you and Glen are going to be tearin’ it up in Amsterdam. watching you make your travel dreams, and business and blogging dreams happen is super inspiring. Can’t wait to read updates from the road!
Karen
.-= Karen´s last blog ..I Don’t Want to Be The Alcoholic That I Am =-.
Hey Karen!
Long time miss, how are you doing?
Haha, thanks! Glen is already tearing it up, he arrived yesterday and is already painting the town red
Have a great weekend!
Sounds awesome, Diggy! I am very jealous, i need a holiday too! You should def go to Paris and Milan if you haven’t been! Have a great time and keep us updated
Hey Renee!
You’re welcome to hop over to amsterdam for a week or so and party with us. There’s enough space
Milan and Paris are part of the Eurotrip plan for the last month in Europe
Have a fabulous weekend!!
How exciting, Diggy! I’ve been hearing about this trip from both you and Glen for a while now and I can’t believe it’s already here! I wish you both the best and I know this will be some of the best times of your lives. Look forward to hearing more of your adventures!
.-= Valerie M´s last blog ..Obligatory post in which I babble about authenticity, imperfection, negativity, and then somehow throw Thanksgiving into the mix. =-.
Hey Valerie!
Thanks for stopping by!
Hope you have an awesome weekend and that you will enjoy the future updates!
Enjoy! Looking forward to your travel tales.
.-= Sheila´s last blog ..Fishegg # 58 Happy Thanksgiving =-.
Hey Sheila!!
Thanks for the comment!
How is Fisheggs going?
Way to take action and just do it. You’ll love Amsterdam – it’s a wonderful city.
This just goes to show that you can do these things. Instead of worrying about it and thinking you can’t do it, you planned it out carefully and you’re on your way! Have fun!
.-= Nate´s last blog ..Life Lessons from Steve Jobs: Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. =-.
Hey Nate!
Thanks for the words of wisdom! I’m sure I’ll have a ball!
Diggy, Have a great trip!
.-= Ken Kurosawa´s last blog ..The Formula of Motivation | Motivation Series Part 4 =-.
Hey Ken!
Thanks for stopping by!
Have an awesome day!
Cool move, Diggy. Perhaps by the time you read this, you’ll already be in Holland? I hope you have a blast in Europe – I look forward to reading about your time here!
.-= Christine Livingston´s last blog ..How to kick workplace stress in the butt: part one =-.
Hey Christine!
Welcome to UpgradeReality
Nice to have you as a reader!!
Nope, I am reading your comment while I’m still in South Africa, but tomorrow this time I should be in Amsterdam
Thanks for stopping by!
I really hope that one day, I can experience this too.
Sounds so AMAZING!
.-= Syuxx´s last blog ..REVIEW: How To Be Remarkable (e-Book) =-.
Syu!
Welcome to UpgradeReality!
Thanks for the kind words! I’m sure you will experience it too! You just have to decide how bad you want it and what you can do to make it happen!
This should be a fabulous trip and experience. It will be nice for you to work on your new projects as well.
I like what you wrote about self discovery. We do change our goals and ideas over time. We are ever evolving. (Hopefully)
Be blessed, take a risk and have fun.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..Advent =-.
Hey Erin!
Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words:)
Have an awesome day!
Hey you bloody underwear model, you! You’ll be having a blast on the social side of your trip, I guarantee it
.-= Albert | UrbanMonk.Net´s last blog ..Gratitude – A Positive Psychology Perspective =-.
Albert!!
Hey Buddy!
Thanks for stopping by!
Just arrived in amsterdam, its awesome and our apartment is amazing!
Hope things are good with you too!
Hey Diggy, veel plezier in A’dam! Geniet ervan! Groetjes Katja
Katya!!!
Dank je wel, het is heerlijk hier!Wanner kom je langs?
Hi Diggy!
Such a beautiful story – a stoy full of reality!Good for you! Your thinking way reminds me about Denmark – I have been living there for 5 years, but don’t ask me why I decided to come back to Romania?! I was a child?!These days I’m thinking a lot about Denmark – actually around winter Hollidays – Copenhagen it’s “dressed” like a fairytale, just like in Hans Christian Andersen fairytales:)Memories…:)You are 23 years old? With your philosophy and experience, I thought that you’re around 35-40?! Mamma mia, you are certainly a real writer. When you’ll come to Romania? I’d like to see your point of view after trip:)
Diggy,nowadays, when time is passing by, when everything it’s just like “back and forth”, it’s a pleasure to read your great thinking daily:)
How can I put my photo in here – I can see everybody, but nobody can see me:(you – for example:)
Cheers and take care, you’re special:)
Hey Sabina!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving such a kind comment!
I am happy to hear that you enjoy my writing! I will still get better over time.
If you want to get an avatar for your post comments so that people can see your photo, you must go to http://www.gravatar.com, register with the email address you use to leave comments on a blog and then upload a picture.
It will take you 5 minutes.
Have a great day, keep in touch!
Diggy
Hey Diggy, Your post was so enlightening and also full of such determination as to what road (the road of life) you plan on taking for the next few months. After reading this post I knew right then and there that this would be a trip of your lifetime. I give you lots of credit for the planning and saving that you put into this trip and agree that now is the time to do your traveling,adventures, and finding what direction this journey will lead you on. I think there is nothing like a trip to another country,culture,history to become aware of what path you want to travel on later in your life. One must travel to learn more about oneself. I hope but know you will have the time of your life, be safe, rock ‘n’ roll, learn, teach, and meet everyone you can. Happy New Year Diggy!! Luv ya jj your fellow blogger buddy.P.S.Is Amsterdam the city with the girls in the windows? kiddin
Hey JJ!
Yes, Amsterdam is the city with the girls in the windows, and also the one with the coffeeshops and legal marijuana 
heheheh Keep well miss!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you had a wonderful new years eve