I sold everything last March and flew to El Nido to stay there for a month. I flew to Beijing afterwards and travelled overland To Hanoi. I went up to Sapa and cross the Vietnam-Laos border over to get myself to Luang Prabang where I stayed for another month. I crossed the Laos-Thailand border to stay again for almost a month in Chiang Mai. And will be crossing more borders in the coming weeks.
So what is it like living this unstructured and unconventional life. It’s actually very challenging and at the same time very rewarding.
Budget: The budget is not that big, but I’m getting by. Good thing I’m travelling with my buddy and we split the cost. We also travel sometimes with other backpackers that we meet on the road so we could further split the cost. A few bucks also come from this blog, it helps me stay afloat.
Fears: Fears will always be present regardless of what we do. In my case, some of my fears include personal safety, fear on having no money and fear of the unknown.
I also realized that my passion to travel is bigger than my fears. I do acknowledge their (fears)existence but I don’t and I won’t let them immobilize me.
Online Business: I consider this as one of my challenges because my online income does not come from diverse sources yet. I’m in the process of building them up so they could generate a “decent” income.
A Taste of Location Independence: At least for the first three months I was able to manage afloat without having to work in an office. I’ve stayed in different places and travelled around while working on my laptop.
Lessons Learned and Experiences Gained: This is by far outweighed every challenges that I face now. The experiences that I’ve had (some of them shared on this blog) will be forever remembered. I remember that I once asked myself, “What would happen when I grow very old and couldn’t even move my body to wipe my own a$$?” And I realized that I could reminisce all the wonderful memories that I earned and all the adventures and misadventures that I’ve been thru.
Living in the Moment: For the past three months, I’ve been living what I’ve always wanted, which is to travel. Although sometimes my mind takes me to unnecessary and unproductive wallowing moments on my fears.
The only question that I ask myself now is, “How long can I keep on doing this.” As much I hate the idea of having lack of money, it’s still a reality that I still have to face.
I am taking advantage of the economic differences in the places that I go. I always make sure that I would only spend a certain budget that is lower than my cost of living when I was still in Makati. With the advent of technology, I’m also taking advantage of the opportunity to earn on currencies that has more value than the local currencies of my destinations. Earning Euro or Dollar and spending it in Baht, Dong or Riel seemed to be the way to do it. Well, at least for now.
I’m really enjoying this personal experiment that I’m doing. I’m learning so much and developing new competencies and skills that I would be able to use to pursue other things in the future.
If you are, I suggest you start brainstorming on how you could make it a possibility. There’s no harm in trying and I can assure you that you’re not alone in having this kind of goal. There’re so many nomads now roaming the planet. However, only a few of them are even blogging. I even met a couple of Vietnamese backpacking around Southeast Asia with no plans at all.
All the while i thought you’re alone haha o hindi mo lang name-mention sa post? Or hindi ko nababasa ng mabuti?
100 days on the road and still kicking! Go Flip!
na mention ko me kasama ako pero di lang “name-mentioned”… i use “we’ frequently and sa budget posts shared cost lagi yung mentioned ko… by September baka 3 na kami yey!!! hehehe another friend quitted her job and flying out of Manila
2011 seem to the year to quit careers and pursue travel 
Hehe si ‘Kite’ ba si third friend? if yes, naku i’m excited for her rin!
hindi sya, iba pa pero she quitted her job rin to study
I’ll definitely do this after I’m done with my studies. A challenge that must be taken for a nomad wannabe like me.
You should write a book about this experiment. If you do, you would be like a traveling Tim Ferris.
i read his book… really great information in there
go for the challenge 
Hi Flip! I always check your blogs for recent updates! I always enjoy reading yor travel stories! I recently quit my job and traveled for a month. I just got home yesterday. It’s just funny when you said that 2011 seems to be the year to quit careers and pursue travel. Hehehe.
haha 3 of my friends quitted their jobs too to pursue something that they really want.. one of them will be joining us on this trip… 2011 is indeed the year to turn your life upside down… im so glad you’ve decided to travel this year
hope you had fun 
Wow!! Living in the moment was so special to me — glad for you, too. Not having a life scheduled out to there really helped me see things as they were. I try to still live that even though I’m back to work!
im trying my best to live this chosen life but im still not sure if i could sustain this
MABUHAY ka flip! sharing this post para as marami pang ma-inspire mag travel. astig ka talga
thanks James… keep on doing your budget challenge din
Wow, great tips for us planning (but still unable to fulfill) a long life on the road. You’re such an authority in backpacking / border crossing / budget traveling (along with Journeyingjames)
thanks for the kind words Marky…
so inspired after reading this, Im looking forward to do the same in the future.
Thanks Flip for sharing this great experience of yours.
you’re welcome Darwin…
the rewards definitely outweigh the challenges. the one month stay in el nido for me is simply the best. because i was there on a long weekend and the experience was already amazing.
another dream of mine is to live in el nido… im just captivated with the beauty of the place and the simplicity and kindness of the people that i’ve met there
Fantastic! Di ko ata kaya yang ginagawa mo, hebi pre!
Wow and I know there’s a lot more adventures as the days go on! way to go flip!
I thought ur its only a month stay in Palawan.. sumobra pa pala.. and almost around the world na.. 
hehe
I might be doing the same thing soon.. quitting my job to pursue the world!
Taking the risk shall all it takes..
goodlulck on your trip jeff
my biggest challenge is to keep my blog updated! i know i have to set a time to write but when i’m not out, i feeling asleep. :s Anyway, happy travels and i wish you no more fears!
thanks for the kind words Lil… happy travels too…
Your blog was my inspiration when I started blogging 6 months ago. I am so inspired by your activity nowadays- that of travelling slowly. Nevertheless, I feel that I can not yet, as of now, follow your path. Maybe, I can do it in due time. I am happy for your sojourn… keep inspiring us Pinoy travel bloggers. . .
thanks for the kind words Sir Ed…