Vagabonding Case Study: Paul Farrugia & Karen Sargent

Paul Farrugia & Karen Sargent globalhelpswap mongolian steppe b

globalhelpswap

Age: 39 & 36

Hometown: Birmingham, England & Malta

Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did so. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

How did you find out about Vagabonding, and how did you find it useful before and during the trip?
We read the book before we went on our 18 month trip and it really helped to put us in the right frame of mind.

How long were you on the road?
For the first trip, 18 months but we have not really stopped since then.

Where did you go?
Well we traveled from England to Asia without using planes. Here is the list: England, France, Germany, Russia, Mongolia, China, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia.

What was your job or source of travel funding for this journey?
Paul sold his house and car, Karen saved money.

Did you work or volunteer on the road?
Yes, we volunteered on a boat in Malaysia, in a school in Thailand and on an ashram in Australia. That’s why we have volunteering opportunities on our site to help other travellers find free or low cost placements.

Of all the places you visited, which was your favorite?
Oohh, that’s too hard. It changes all the time. Today it’s Mongolia.

Was there a place that was your least favorite, or most disappointing, or most challenging?
China was the most challenging. We got scammed and sometimes the rail journeys were tough going but we still loved it and would go back tomorrow.

Which travel gear proved most useful? Least useful?
Most useful would be duct tape! Especially on night trains as the a/c is so cold so we would tape over the vent with newspaper. Least useful would be most of the clothes we took. Never again!

What are the rewards of the vagabonding lifestyle?
Freedom without a shadow of a doubt. After the initial 18 months we vowed to keep the sense of freedom we had travelling. We are lucky enough to say that we have.

What are the challenges and sacrifices of the vagabonding lifestyle?
Not seeing family and friends as much as you would like. Not having a routine which sometimes we all need. erm, thats about it, what can we say, we love the lifestyle!

What lessons did you learn on the road?
The main one is that 99% of people are good. No matter where you are, people will help and share with you. We learnt how to let go and plan a lot less. In the end we just went with the flow. We also learnt that we don’t need to buy half the crap that we do! We never missed any of our possessions back in storage in England.

How did your personal definition of “vagabonding” develop over the course of the trip?
Well it’s still happening. We now live 4/5 months on the road and 6/7 months in London. We do this by renting out our place, working freelance and spending the money we do earn on travel as opposed to stuff we don’t need.

If there was one thing you could have told yourself before the trip, what would it be?
Plan less and just go.

Any advice or tips for someone hoping to embark on a similar adventure?
Less is more. It’s better to see less countries and stay longer in places. That way you really get under a countries skin and start living like a local. Plus you make much more meaningful connections that way.

When and where do you think you’ll take your next long-term journey?
We normally leave for European winter. We don’t really decide until a few months before ( you see, less planning!) but so far, Namibia, Mozambique, Argentina and Canada have sprung to mind.

 

Read more about Paul and Karen on their blog, Global Help Swap, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

 

WebsiteGlobal Help Swap Twitter@globalhelpswap
 

Are you a Vagabonding reader planning, in the middle of, or returning from a journey? Would you like your travel blog or website to be featured on Vagabonding Case Studies? If so, drop us a line at casestudies@vagabonding.net and tell us a little about yourself.

Posted by | Comments (2)  | August 20, 2014
Category: General, Vagabonding Case Studies


2 Responses to “Vagabonding Case Study: Paul Farrugia & Karen Sargent”

  1. Roger Says:

    I love your attitude, Paul & Karen.

  2. Paul Farrugia Says:

    Cheers Roger!