I’ve had multiple trips lately, as always. Trapped in the sky, with a few options as far as activity goes, I spend time thinking about interesting details to share with you guys. While doing that, I remembered a conversation I had with a friend sometime ago. We talked about my travel experiences and I remember sharing excitedly how my job and personal love for travel has afforded me the opportunity to see great places in Africa.

I’ve always believed Africa is a great place to start as a new travel and adventure enthusiast and this was part of what I shared with my friend. She, in turn, shared with me how she has never traveled outside of her country and the Nations she hoped to visit someday. Mixed with the joy in her voice when she spoke about the prospects of visiting her “dream” Nations, was a sense of fictitious fantasy and surrealism which made travelling and exploring look like a farther reality than I undoubtedly know it to be. I had to correct that mind-set. I did with her and I hope this post does it for you too.

Travelling (for an adventurer) is a “venture” driven by two key things: passion and resources. Many have the former in abundance but are stalled by the belief that they have to wait until they have the latter in equal measure before their adventure can begin. Going on the adventure of your dreams, no matter how expensive it seems now, becomes very possible and within grasp with just one thing: a plan. As far as resources are concerned, the bulk of what you need as a plan is your adventure fund.

What is an adventure fund?

An adventure fund is money set aside over a period of time to cover the cost of holidays and adventures. This is the plan you need to bring you closer to a vantage point where the trips you’ve dreamed about start to appear as the reality they are. Call it the trap you set to catch your dream trip and feel it in your hands.

Why have an adventure fund?

The reason you may speak about your adventure dreams and goals with such dreamy words is because you are convinced you are not able to afford them at the time. You need an adventure fund because it helps you take a step past dreaming. Once you make a habit of putting money aside, you can literally start counting the days towards your first trip. You need resources to embark on an adventure, but no rule says you need to have it all at once. Deciding to create an adventure fund is proof that you are willing to take responsibility for giving yourself the great experiences you desire and deserve.

How to create an adventure fund

I’ll be teaching you a way which might seem very unconventional, but I believe it’s effective. The first thing you should do is decide which one of your dream locations you’d like to start with. Choose a specific one and do a research on how much you need, realistically, to fund the journey. It is important to take into consideration all aspects – from transportation to accommodation, feeding, payment for on-site fun activities and even souvenirs. Value your perfect adventure. After this, do the following:

1. Decide, realistically,the date and timeline you want to embark on this adventure. Go as far as setting a prospective departure date,if you can.
2. Calculate how much you need to save per month before the set date to reach the needed amount. Do not be discouraged if the amount you need to save is more than what you can afford. All you need to do is work with your purse by pushing the date further and further until you reach a date where the amount required monthly, to save up the total cost, is attainable. There you are! You have your travel date and you can start saving and counting down.
3. I advise you get a physical or digital or physical piggy bank/money jar to store your adventure fund away from your other funds.

Embarking on this course of actions will kick-start your first real-life adventure. You might have to make sacrifices – maybe a few changes to your spending habit – to achieve your goal. If you’re asking “how much should I sacrifice?”, well, my answer to you is hidden in the question“how badly do you want your dream holiday?”

Till I bring you more tips next Tuesday, have a nice week.