7 Months Around the World: The Real Cost of a Long-Awaited Dream

For as long as I can remember, I had a dream. It wasn't just a fleeting thought over coffee; it was a persistent, quiet hum in the back of my mind. I wanted to see how people on the other side of the ocean lived, what they thought about, and why their cultures blossomed so differently from mine.

That dream finally became my reality. From April to November 2025, my husband and I embarked on a 200-day journey across three continents—Africa, the Americas, and Europe.

This wasn’t a spontaneous escape. It was the culmination of a "2,000-day plan": 1,000 days spent in Vietnam preparing for our move to Europe, followed by another 1,000 days in Germany before we finally found the courage to step out into the vast unknown. At 40, a "gap year" is a different beast than at 20. It is less about "finding yourself" and more about investing in yourself.

As I start this new blog series sharing our journey, I want to begin with the question I get asked most often: "What did it actually cost?"

The Big Picture: 200 Days – 30,000 EUR
Over the course of seven months and 10 countries, our total expenditure for two people was approximately 30,000 EUR.

To make it more digestible:

• Average Daily Spend: ~158 EUR for two people.
• Per Person: Roughly 79 EUR per day.

This figure is all-inclusive. It covers the long-haul flights that made the world feel small, the humble guesthouses, the street food, the visas, and the once-in-a-lifetime tours.

How the Budget Was Distributed
I’ve always viewed travel costs through the lens of my life in Vietnam and Germany—the two pillars of my world. This perspective helped us decide when to save and when to "invest" in an experience.

• Transportation (32%): Our largest expense. Crossing the Atlantic and moving through the vast landscapes of South America and Africa isn't cheap.
• Accommodation (23%): We prioritized character over luxury, staying in everything from cave hotels in Cappadocia to local riads in Morocco.
• Tours & Sightseeing (19%): These were our "textbooks." Whether it was a Nile cruise or a safari, this is where the real learning happened.
• Food & Daily Life (17%): We ate locally, though I’ll admit, after months on the road, I found myself deeply longing for a simple home-cooked meal.

A Tale of Values: From Budget to Splurge
Every country we visited offered a different lesson in economics and lifestyle. Here is a quick snapshot of the "Value for Money" we found:

• The Best Value: Bolivia (54 EUR/day). It was our most affordable stop, yet the Salar de Uyuni offered some of the most surreal, "rich" experiences of my life.
• The Worthy Splurge: Kenya (233 EUR/day). A safari in Masai Mara is a heavy financial commitment, but witnessing the raw circle of life in the wild is an investment in your soul that never depreciates.
• The Cultural Sweet Spot: Turkey and Morocco (90–130 EUR/day). These countries offered an incredible quality of life for travelers—modern, warm, and deeply hospitable.

More Than Just a "Liability"
Some people view long-term travel as a waste of money or a "depreciating asset." To me, it is an invisible investment in knowledge. Stepping out of the "village pond" allowed me to see that the world is massive, and my personal worries are small. It taught me that while I wanted to see the world, the further I went, the more I appreciated the peace of home.

This post is just the beginning. In the coming time, I’ll be diving deep into each country—sharing the hidden gems, the practical itineraries, and the personal stories that 30,000 EUR bought us.

If you had the chance to take a gap year today, which country would be your first "investment"? Let’s chat in the comments!

A Little Something Extra...

For my Vietnamese-speaking readers (or those who want to hear the raw, unedited version of these stories), I’m excited to share that I am launching a podcast series soon! The first episode, "7 tháng lang thang thế giới – chi phí thực tế & bài học," dives even deeper into the nuances of our budget and the emotional highs and lows of the road.

Stay tuned for the link, and let's get ready for our first stop on this journey: Turkey.