Is long term travel still possible in a recession?

Even with the recession in full swing, many people still think that long term travel is possible.  Just last week, I mentioned the couple behind “World in Slow Motion”. Right now they’re in Mexico, still pushing through with their journey. Is it possible for the average Joe and Jane to go ahead with their long term travel plans despite the economic downturn?

I believe it is, especially if you’re willing to make adjustments to your plans based on special deals in transportation, accommodations, and food. After all, affordable travel opportunities are still around, if you know where to look. Chris Guillebeau, the owner of “The Art of Nonconformity”, recently made a list of 24 ways to travel for (almost) free. The article contains practical advice, including the following:

Fly at 4am in Europe from secondary airports. RyanAir and EasyJet are the classic providers of middle-of-the-night flights from random airports. Warning: this is usually a fun adventure the first time, but it gets old after a while. I’m not a huge fan of the RyanAir experience myself, but it deserves a place on any good “almost free” list

CNN.com’s travel section also has a new article that includes predictions about travel related businesses lowering their prices:

Although many travel companies will slash their prices in 2009, others will probably resist. But if you look closely, you’ll find a bargain there, too. Take hotels, for example. “Instead of looking at the cost per room per night, look a little deeper to find the real deals,” says Glenn Haussman, editor of the Hotel Interactive Network, a lodging Web site. “Rather than dropping room rates dramatically, many hoteliers are throwing in all sorts of free goodies to lure business. That means you can get all sorts of deals, such as free room nights, complimentary spa treatments and meal credits.”

Source: “9 Essential Travel Strategies for 2009” by Christopher Elliott, CNN.com

Based on both articles, it seems like research and planning play important roles in keeping long term travel affordable during the recession. But those are things you have to do anyway before you travel.

Do you think long term travel is still possible in today’s economy? Is this something you would want to do?