People always say your 20s are for exploring the world, meeting new people, learning new languages, emerging in a new culture, and all that fancy stuff. Yet, this sounds almost only possible if you are already a millionaire or financially supported by your family.
Understanding the paradox, there are several travel agencies in the world that offer people who would like to go on a trip around the world but are on a limited budget. I was introduced to such an agency called Oneworld when I was around 18, which was over a decade ago, when social media, travel vlogging, and doing it for the ‘Gram was not even popular.
You can imagine being 18, young, passionate, eager to see the world out there, dreamy, and bold, or reckless as some might prefer to call it. Whichever adjective you choose to use, 18 is the time to make crazy decisions and I did just that back then. When I knew about the offer oneworld provided, I made up my mind right then and there to save up enough money to take this trip when I was 25.
And I achieved that goal. In this article, I will share with you my story and hope to inspire young people to go for their dream like I did back then.
What is Oneworld?
Oneworld is an airline alliance that is affiliated with some of the world’s biggest airlines such as American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, or Finnair to provide their customers with great flight deals.
Oneworld allows you to book a round-the-world trip, as long as your first and last destination is the same and your trip must be a continuous direction. The tickets give you unprecedented access to as many as 1,000 destinations in more than 170 territories. Travel must be completed within 12 months of the original departure date and you must cross both the Atlantic ocean and the Pacific ocean in your journey. Their program allows you to literally travel across the globe with the price of one first-class ticket, which is around $3000.
When I heard about them, I was stoked. I saw my dream becoming reality clearer than ever and I started to work hard, save enough money, and finally had the chance to book my flights via Oneworld when I was 25.
My around-the-world trip
I left my work when I was 25 and booked flights from Vietnam to New York to Japan to North Korea and back to Vietnam again, which took 4 months to complete. It was truly a journey of a lifetime.
New York in winter
I landed in New York sometime during November and was greeted by the cold. Not too well-prepared, I brought with me only one hoodie which was not proficient to keep me warm. As I was on a tight budget, I had no money to spend on new clothes so I stopped by a thrift store and bought a $5 jacket, which I was able to bargain down to $2.
I found my accommodation through couchsurfing on Craiglist. I stayed with a nice Vietnamese family who spared me a room during my one month in New York.
In the city that never sleeps, I got to visit a cafe that I had always wanted to visit ever since I saw it in a movie. I also got to receive baking lessons from two lovely ladies who owned a bakery in New York. They were my first inspiration to become the successful female entrepreneur I am today. Seeing how they could build a business for themselves, I was astounded and determined to learn from them. However, as I had no spare coins to enroll in their baking course, I asked them to let me help out in the bakery in exchange for a sit in the class. They agreed, and from then on, my dream of becoming like them started to ignite.
Exploring in Japan
Leaving the Big Apple, I arrived in Tokyo, Japan. A close friend of mine flew in from Vietnam and we stayed together for the whole trip. We enjoyed ourselves, we shopped, we partied, and we had the time of our lives. This was where I got to discover more about myself and what I want out of life. This was also where I dared myself to do things I would never do and had new experiences that shaped who I am today.
A bizarre trip to North Korea
Legally, you can’t fly to North Korea. I flew from Japan to China and took the train from China to Pyeongyang, North Korea instead. Back then, I was curious about a country that is never on mainstream media and is hidden away from the world. Even though I was aware of how dangerous it could be for me and many people told me not to go, I went anyway, because that’s how 20-somethings are: bold, brave, unwavering, and a bit rebellious.
Upon getting off the train, I experienced probably the strictest entry. The security checked my belongings and asked me tons of questions before granting me access. In Pyeongyang, you cannot travel on your own. You have to go on a tour with a licensed tour guide. After joining the tour, I was taken to a government-approved house in the city which was dedicated to foreigners only.
The following mornings, I heard sounds from nearby speakers waking me up at 5 AM. It sounded like the country’s national anthem and it routinely played at 5 AM every morning without fail. As the day started at 5 AM, it ended at 7 PM. After curfew, no stores were open, all houses were dark and dead silent, and no one was allowed to go outside. During my one week in North Korea, I traveled to lots of places and was amazed by how modern and well-off the country was. I did take a lot of pictures but eventually got deleted by the immigration when leaving the nation.
Back in my days, traveling around the world at 25, especially for the ladies, was extremely rare. Women are expected to have a stable job at that age, settle down, and plan to have kids. I had another plan and I went for it. Now that society is more open and receptive and chances to explore the world are more available than ever, there is no time better than now to start moving, traveling, and expanding your horizon. Maybe you’ll make a trip of a lifetime out of it or better yet, find your purpose in life when seeing the world.