What happens if everything goes wrong whilst you’re traveling?

One of the things I’m frequently asked, when it comes to permanently traveling the world, is what my husband and I would do if everything went wrong.

Whilst it’s a relevant question, I don’t think it’s a very good one. Firstly, there’s the question of definition; what does one mean by “everything”? Secondly, there are so very many things which could go wrong that it’s hard to answer.

At the very least, this is what I’d recommend as a “contingency plan” for anybody wanting to travel permanently (perhaps running your business as you do, or perhaps not):

1. Have a financial safety net – a little nest egg tucked away that could get get you a flight home, cover your expenses for a few months or get you out of a sticky situation, should the need arise.
2. Have a trusted contact on hand – somebody who you can contact whenever and wherever you are – who is practical, logical and won’t fall apart if you ever need their help. It’s also worth plugging their contact details into your cell phone or in your diary as the “ICE” (in case of emergency) contact should anyone else ever need to contact them for you.
3. Carry the numbers of your travel insurance company for emergencies and any other professional advisors you use – Abha posted some great advice about whether to get travel insurance for your travels or not.
4. Take paper copies and soft copies of important documents with you – taking a snapshot of your documents with a digital camera is a quick and easy backup option

I’m a planner by nature so I like to have contingency plans for as many things as I can think of – whether they will help or not, hopefully we’ll never have to find out!