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Long Term Travel Diary – Sean Brett

Sean Brett
Long term Travel Diary

Travel Diary for Funny Backpacker (Sean Brett)

Hello Everyone and welcome to my travel life, If you’re new here let me just give you a rundown of what you will find below.

Simply put, you will find my travel diary. My plans, thoughts and general life updates.

I will try and post when my life changes. In the top corner, you will see the date of the update. The newest article will be at the top of the page.

I use this as a way of just getting my thoughts out.

Newest Article!

The next article below will be the newest article. As you scroll down they get older.
Use the page number at the bottom of the page for even older articles

Date: 11/06/2023

I finished Backpacking Europe. Start of Something New

It’s funny that when we had no job and were travelling at our own time and pace, I don’t have a lot of free time. Actually, that’s not correct. I had 24 hours in a day worth of free time, but I spent it more wisely.

It’s mad when you think of travel, you can logically work out how much a day costs you. You are less likely to waste it, so you spend them wisely. But if you are in the stages of earning for your next travels then, Time seems like it’s against you. You’re wanting for the next trip.

When I was Backpacking Europe, I saw this part of my blog as unnecessary to write in. It wasn’t earning me money, It’s not building a following, most of the time it’s a way of getting my thoughts out. But having this dairy during the time I’m working towards the next big trip, helps me see the bigger picture.

Before I talk about my life now, let’s recap the last 2 months…

We explored Europe, and I got a taste of what it was like to be a full-time vlogger, stressful, but satisfying. We went from Bulgaria to Greece to Albania to Montenegro to Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina back to Croatia to Austria to Hungary To Slovakia to Chezia to Poland. It was Amazing!

But when we got back, after travelling for 2 months, I felt lost. Lost with lifestyle, my decisions and the future. It’s the backpacking blues.

I’m working a Job in one of the most beautiful parts of England, Saving money quickly and doing things that I normally wouldn’t like swimming in a river. But I can’t focus on the bigger picture. That’s why I’m here.

The big picture is going from travelling to earning to travelling to earning…etc Travelling why earning

I have a lot of ideas about what I should do, it is currently their ideas. Here are the problems:

As you can see this is my head at the moment. It’s easy to go all at everything, but I’ve done this before and it’s a huge mess that doesn’t get anywhere.

This is what I need to todo:

Date: 11/04/2023

The first month (nearly) Of backpacking Europe

It is hard to write a diary, and articles and make videos while backpacking.

I kinda use the polar step app and that is perfect for short updates, but trying to keep on top of an app that is designed for daily updates is even hard.

But I have a few minutes so I thought I could update you quickly on my life as a backpacker using all my resources.

This is how it started

From here, were travelled around Sofia. It was Brillant. See it here

From here we went to Plovdiv again I was shocked at how beautiful it was

Bulgaria was great but there was stuff that I wasn’t expecting

You can read about them here Things you wouldn’t think about before visiting Bulgaria

If you want to know what we packed Everything You Need To Pack For Backpacking Europe or watch it here

We’re currently in Tirana But went from Plovdiv to Thessonki to Ioannia to Corfu to Saranda but i run out of time and video to talk about them… dinner time in the hostel

Date: 05/03/2023

Starting A New Travel Chapter

When people decide to travel there are a lot of things that need sorting, planning and altogether a lot of stuff that isn’t too much fun. This gets worse when you are a wannabe travel vlogger and or travel blogger. There is much more than just packing a bag.

When my car finally packed in, we had the decision to fix it, get a new car or … Just pack up our lives and backpack until our savings run out.

We chose option 3. Maybe not the most logical for others. But for us, it was a no-brainer.

The problem was the fact with the car no longer being accessible to us getting to work was going to be a nightmare. This was the main reason we gave ourselves 31 to give up everything, our house, jobs and our current lives.

As I write we are only 10 days away from giving everything up. My bag is semi-packed, the house is half-packed up and I’m here trying to sort out my online stuff.

Everything is about to change once again. A slight rebranding, a little update here and there and upgrading how I do stuff.

One thing you will notice is there will be a lot more “we ” than “I” as the rebranding will include Holly as she is now a massive part o my travel life. No longer a solo backpackers but we are couple backpackers. This means more articles on how to travel with a partner. But there will be still a lot of the same stuff as you got before.

OH, we got engaged, Just remembered I haven’t ‘t actually wrote about this yet here is the video.

I wanted to write about this so much when I was planning it as it stressed me out so much. You can see this in the video. but the result was amazing.

I hope to give you a lot more content on here and on the youtube channel. I am also expecting this website and more importantly the Youtube channel to take off this summer. As I currently write this my stats for my youtube page are 450 subs and 7500 views in 28 days. This website had 1600 page views in 28 days and made £1.28.

I will write more about the trip later!

Date: 12/02/2023

Who Said Travel Was Easy?

I’m sitting here, just wanting to scream.

31 days, until everything changes again. It’s exciting, but it was never the plan.

Stressed is an understatement.

I’ll let you know what this is about when I calm down.

Date: 23/12/2022

2022 All Packed Up

As I scrolled through a year of Facebook posts to find the picture of this year’s goals, I went past all the posts from this year…

All the pictures, all the videos and all the adventures that myself and Holly have been on.

Looking back at Jan 2022, I had a map of Scotland that was barely coloured in. After a full year of travelling, Scotland now has nearly all of the mainland coloured in but not just that there are 7 more countries that I’ve been able to explore a little during this year.

So many things were seen this year. The recent trip to Iceland was amazing, seeing the sights of volcanoes and hot springs. Incredible bars in Prague. Unexpectedly Beautiful beaches in Aberdeen. Tasting the still mouth-watering pizza in Bergamo. And so many more things.

But I write this to see if I’ve completed my goals for this year and to set new goals that will hold me accountable for the year to come.

Goals for 2022

Leave the UK

We did this. At the time of writing this goal, it was looking difficult due to restrictions and looking at flying again was strange.

Leaving the UK to head to Copenhagen early in the year set us on a habit of booking more trips and ticking this goal off many times.

Visit friends and Family

We did this. At the time of writing, I had plans to already see my family and friends in January which we did. We then later went back in October

Get 10k Views on a YouTube Video

This happened just a couple of weeks ago. The video about Oban released over a year ago has been steadily gaining views. I hope that other videos will hit this same marker. Also on TikTok, I got a video that hit over 145k views.

Complete a New Book

This is something I have again put on the back burner as I have been prioritising videos over any other work. When I have free time I put it into articles for the website, Fiverr gigs and promotional stuff. I’m not annoyed that this wasn’t ticked off.

Visit the Hebrides

This was completed, when we visited the Isle of Skye, A beautiful Scottish Island. There are so many Hebrides that I want to see, But starting to tick these off this year was an amazing start.

The Goals of 2022 were 4 out of 5 which I will see as a success but I’m happier about the fact this year has put me on a really good footing for next year. This means the goals for 2023 can be more challenging and rewarding. This year I will be taking things from my bucket list.

Anyways without further ado here are my goals for 2023

Say Screw it one day, and just leave the country

An idea of total freedom why not just wake up and say, I want to go to another country today, and just go. No Plans, Nothing stopping you.

Visit Family & Friends

This again is on my list as it’s important. As much as I love travelling, visiting home is always amazing. I want to make sure I keep in better contact with many friends and family.

Make £100 in A month From Online Creating

This month I’m set to make £10.61 from my online Creating, most coming from a Fiverr gig of writing an Itinerary and the other pennies from website advertisement. I would love to hit the £100 mark in a month. From anything linked to my online creating.

Travel Around Eastern Europe via train

I have fallen in love with Europe this year and I want to see more! I would love to explore Eastern Europe by Train. Budapest, Kraków, Split and Bratislava to name a few places.

Be Proud of All The Content I Make This Year

This year, I have made a lot of amazing content. For the last nine months everything I have posted I’ve been happy to release. Before this mark, I was unhappy with some of the footage in the videos with it being a bit shaky. I want 2023 to be the year I’m proud of everything I make.

These are my goals for 2023, Here’s to ticking all of these off.

Happy new year to all!

Oh make sure you check out the new Iceland series

And Yes it was amazing, too much to write in this diary, but the series covers it nicely.

Date: 20/11/2022

5 years of YouTube

Today marks 5 years of me being on YouTube, Since making my first video on this channel was a promotion for a travel book I wrote.

Things have massively changed not only with this channel but my life.

I started this channel with hopes of motivating people to travel, then moved on to try and change the travel vlogging scene with sketches based on travel comedy.

Then finally committing to the journey of showing others that you can travel full time. I document my travel life, from saving for travel, balancing travel and work and showing you all the amazing places I see on the way.

Next week, Holly and I go on a trip of a lifetime to Iceland, This will be filmed by me in my normal vlog style showing you some of the best things that you can do in Iceland, Ways of saving money and things you must see. But instead of this being one massive video I am already planning on filming this in a series, to give you a better story, better advice and more great scenery of the Beautiful country of Iceland.

Here are my current ideas for upcoming videos and Release dates… (please beware these haven’t been filmed yet and are currently just ideas) 9/12/22 -Things you should know before you travel to Iceland. It’s a talk between me and Holly reviewing the trips with tips.

Upcoming trips

16/12/22 -Super cheap Iceland travel package from the UK- Getting to Iceland Getting to the airport in Manchester , Talk about the deal, what we packed, the UK hotel and our plans for Iceland. Then show you Manchester to Keflavík Airport and an Iceland hotel tour.

23/12/22 -What’s Reykjavik like – is Iceland really that expensive? Show off the area of Reykjavik, and update people on our trip so far.

30/12/22 -Secret lagoon and golden circle tour We have a tour planned and we hope to show you this tour

6/1/23 Day3 No plans for this day yet

13/1/23 Day 4 No plans for this day yet

20/1/23 -South West tour ( waterfalls and Black sands) We have a tour planned and we hope to show you this tour

27/1/23 -Last thoughts on Iceland plus Showing off Keflavík Airport airport Summarising the trip

This is a list of a short videos I hope to make and publish at some point. (normally as soon as they are made I publish them)

How expensive are 8 days In Iceland

Must see places in Iceland Coolest things to do in Reykjavik

Reykjavik airport Things you should and shouldn’t do in Iceland

As you see I have quite a lot of amazing videos on Iceland Upcoming on this channel, so If you haven’t Already Subscribed, Do it now so you don’t miss out… Oh for you guys that’s enjoy the Scotland vlogs… We have plans to visit the north of Scotland so Stay tuned.

Date: 08/09/2022

Making My Biggest Change Yet!

For years I have believed that if I was to go back to my old job as a dental technician I would be giving up on travel as I know today. Blogging would be no more and no more vlogging.

I’ve been telling myself for years, the only way I can stay travelling is by staying out of that profession.

I only just understood why I thought this as I wrote up my CV with the details of me being a dental technician. Back in 2016 just before I left to travel to Australia I had a very bad relationship with work, money and life. I would somehow be able to spend all my money, travel around 150 miles to and from work and still spend around 15 hours at work every day.

This wasn’t always the case. over years, I chased higher positions which meant more travelling to work, and I chased the money as I was spending so much which meant more hours. This happen until I broke, And decided to go off travelling.

I blamed dental being the reason why I had a bad relationship with money, work and life. When it was me.

Going to Australia taught me that you can earn money in a more relaxed environment. You could earn less and spend less. But Australia only taught me to slow down. I was still terrible with money and I was back in debt very quickly again.

I chased the idea of getting money online, to save myself. Blogging and vlogging weren’t a passion just a way out. I worked so much on learning how to build websites and YouTube pages. Not for a hobby but for an income that never came. I still had a problem I just covered it up with something new.

The money never came and the travel slowed down. Moving back to England and travelling on little trips so I could blog and vlog more. Travel wasn’t for me, but chasing the money and telling myself the dream wasn’t over.

After hitting rock bottom at 10k worth of debt, and living on a sofa bed at my mum’s house, I focused on fixing my debt by working many hours at a supermarket. After 6 months of extreme work and saving, I was able to fix my debt and learn how to balance money and not hope the internet was going to be my saviour.

With the new mindset, I was able to turn Blogging and Vlogging into a Passion, with no pressure. This made travel more of a passion too, not chasing the best places for articles but going where I wanted.

This continued when I met Holly and continued into more hospitality jobs. I was able to balance money and travel, with this I had someone to travel with.

We have travelled so much of Scotland and been on many trips in Europe. Using free time. But the problem with hospitality jobs was the free time isn’t a lot. Unsociable hours, and unpredictable rotas makes planning for travel harder than necessary.

Going back to a Mon-Fri job was the right move, going back to dental was right. I finally feel I can control Money, Time and Work.

It’s time to balance a Career and Travel. Well, I’m nearly 30 I need to at least try.

Date: 08/09/2022

Making My Best Better

Just a couple of things that have been achieved since I last wrote an update on my diary. The funny thing is the last couple of months have felt very same old. Work, work, work, work, Sleep. Travel when we can.

This is why I like sitting here and writing this diary.

You can easily overlook all the places you have been, and all that you have achieved in your life when you are thinking about the next destination, your next trip, or your next day off work.

This diary is my most unsuccessful piece of work, of the amount of effort but in, to the amount of time others spend reading this, I know this (I’ve got the stats). But this diary helps me organise my brain and I highly recommend anyone travelling to have a diary.

Let’s talk about how I have decided to make my best better

But the main way I’m making my best better is by focusing on a new way to travel. I can’t say anything yet, as we are in the very early planning side of things, plus I have many trips already planned like the return trip to England to see family and Iceland at the end of this year. I’m super excited about both of these trips.

I will mention more at a later date.

What plans do I have for the near future?

This is a hard one, as work is a lot at the moment, 50-hour weeks of continual standing and serving some rude customers, setting up weddings by carrying heavy stuff and just tiring us out. So a lot of the planning for trips has been very last minute. This means going on trips on our days off from work if we get days off together. But we have made this work and started saving money too.

This way of travelling continually can get tiring. I’m sitting here writing this an hour before work and 12 hours after getting back from Dublin. It’s a lot. That is why things need to change.

The good thing is, in the next couple of months we actually have some time off work, for gigs, the earlier mentioned trips and other stuff meaning we have a little more time to recover. With the fact “winter is coming” flights should be cheaper again so may leave the country where possible but with the goal of saving money.

Plans for growth for content

The YouTube channel growth is very slow, with the amount of content I have made over the summer the growth hasn’t really seen much of a change. Especially on the new subscriber front. The video continually seems to do better at the start but overall, very little impact to the growth of the channel.

Maybe time is needed for YouTube Videos or I need to look into further improvements.

But on the opposite side of the fence, This website seems to be growing at 20% a month, with very little input from myself but this is on very old articles, I’m talking 2/3 years old content.

My YouTube channel content is now no longer older than 16 months old. This is because I deleted a lot of the older content as it didn’t match the style of video I make now. Maybe time is needed for YouTube.

Fivver the place where I have a range of jobs that I can do for money seems to be getting more traction after my 1st sale, which is good, but currently, no new sales have come from this.

Well this has been my update thanks for reading and I’ll see you …… wait, my next video out is Dublin. not tomorrow but next Friday………. Sooon.

Date: 11/07/2022

Since Prague, I have been busy. Life, work, travel the usual stuff. It has been a hard couple of weeks, even with the promise of future trips, balancing a heavy workload and busy travel life. It can cause stress.

This in turn makes me want to find quit my job and can focus more on travel, but travel isn’t free. This then leads to me thinking about new ways to fund travel…

A quick Google search Of ” How to Fund Your Travels” leads to…

Best way to fund your travels while just laying down – come to our 5* Hosptial where we will remove a kidney, an eye and half your brain for a great price of £99.99

Sell your friends the holiday of your dreams – its the holiday of your dreams as you make a commission off selling over-the-top expensive holidays which just use Ryanair and motels

This guy makes millions for his travels– This guy has got 25 years of experience a massive loan from his parents and makes a million Indonesian rupiahs

After reading all of these extremely weird ways to try and make money to fund your travels. I felt deflated and annoyed me to think there are so many people that want to scam others to fund their own travels and there is no one out there to actually give good advice.

I decided I would be the person to actually help others, while helping myself, try and fund their travels.

Setting up a couple of things

While focused I decided to try and set up a couple of new ways to try and make some money online.

Of course, this is done as a side project to the Funny Backpacker and I still plan to make the normal content on this website and Youtube Channel.

My last couple of trips

We have also made plans in October to fly back down to Essex for a week so I’m excited about that too.

What’s coming out soon

last week was my second week this year that I hadn’t released a video, for the reasons, I had a bit of burnout mixed with lack of time and mixed focus.

But yesterday I was able to regain focus (as you can tell because I’m writing my diary) I was able to get a few things done.

I’ll add links to these next time I update my diary

Until then, thanks for reading and I’ll see you again SOOooon

Date: 26/05/2022

Setting up for the Summer

This is going to be a quick update due to the fact I’m writing this 30 mins before I need to get ready for work. Currently Rending a video on the most Southen Part of Scotland in the background and still have my bag from Prague to unpack fully.

Since I had my car back a month ago life, has been all go for travel. This is a list of adventures I’ve been on all in the last 4 weeks.

It’s been mad, I’m tired but wanting more; Bigger Adventures, New Stories and New places.

I’m trying to update, this website with places I’ve been to, this diary and hopefully new articles. Also, need to edit the Aberdeen video and Prague video. As well as I’m trying to make a short video now once a week too.

But the biggest thing that I want to learn to do now is to learn how to make an income without being fixed to a place. Even if it’s not ready until this time next year, I know it’s time to start thinking about it.

Just a little update on Youtube stats, the video is getting views of 50-200 views a day. Website is making 10p-£1 a month.

Date: 21/04/2022

My Travel Life Broke Down

I never wanted to rely on a car to travel. Cars are expensive!

When my car decided not to start again at 3 am in the middle of the city of Glasgow, I knew at that moment I was going to have to make a decision. Do I try and save this car, or do I bin it?

By 6 am I have a breakdown company out and they got it started, with the note, “don’t stall”. If I was to stall this car it wasn’t going on without another push start. It was the starter motor that had decided to randomly stop working.

After a very cautious ride home, I turned the engine off, for what I thought was the last time. Saying my final goodbyes to a car that had explored so much of Scotland and the same car that drove all the way to Essex and back to Glasgow. I thought I’d try to start it again, nothing.

It was left there with the thought of come Tuesday, my next day off work, I’m scrapping this car! I got myself a monthly bus pass and started my new life as a bus w*****r.

By the time Tuesday rolled around the more me and Holly had spoken about the amazing time we have had because of the car, more importantly, the things we couldn’t do because of the car. She said if we could get it started one last time we could get a final check from a garage before sending it off to the scrapyard.

We took off the handbrake and rolled it and tried starting it, barely it 3 miles per hour, as Holly herself was pushing it. We attempted it about 4 times by pushing it up and down a little hill. Nothing. With this, we were ready to give up, But one last time we would push it on a straight and push it and try and reach 5 miles per hour then kick start it.

This brought the attention of the few neighbours and within 2 minutes we had a random guy in my car and me and 2 other guys pushing this car, we got it started.

We got it down to a garage and they said the car wasn’t in too bad nick, they would look at getting a cheap starter motor and I’ll have my car back in no time.

Currently writing this, I am a Bus w****r still but my car will be back shortly for more adventures.

See You SOOON!

Date: 07/04/2022

The Best Location For My 30th!

We have been thinking about this trip for a while now, We came to the realisation that planning a trip with no guidelines can be near to impossible. Not having such a strict time and money budget really does open you up to the world.

Imagine you get to plan one epic trip over 7 days where would you go?

Sounds like an easy to answer a question. Giving yourself this opportunity can make you like a Kid in a candy store. Let me explain why it took me and Holly, over 3 weeks to make the same decision we normally do within an hour.

The struggle with choosing the perfect destination

We got both our Birthdays off to go on a trip for a week in late November. Which compared to our usual trips of 2 days off work. It opened the doors to a lot more places, as we weren’t restricted to the best flight times and how long we fly. On top of this, our budgets are much higher due to it being a big trip.

This meant literally we could fly anywhere this meant there was a lot to discuss.

We started with a destination that I had in mind for a while, Iceland which looks amazing. Definitely a bucket list place! But the flights from Edinburgh & Two Glasgow airports were pretty bad. so we carried on thinking.

Next, we had the idea of Spain and getting an all-inclusive hotel and relaxing but due to it being November the Temp was hot but not great unless you went to Tenerife, but I’d to travel, todo that I would probably have to hire a car, then I wouldn’t be able to drink and relax…

So travelling in mind we thought of Thailand another one on my bucket list, but looking at all the countries and places it would be very busy and would miss a lot.

Back to bucket list places, we looked at Japan and South Korea but thought they would be good to do together at some point, San Francisco was the same, as it has Las Vegas near, New York but it was around Thanksgiving and it would be busy

Then looked at random Hot places, Cape Verde & Mauritius because they were far away from anywhere and wouldn’t be any cheaper or a better time to fly to. But flights were ridiculous times or prices.

We went back and forward on ideas and ended up looking at package deals from Manchester Airport which is 3 and half hours from home but massive savings on flights and good times. but it didn’t feel right.

Well not until we looked at flights to Iceland from Manchester… They were perfect. We are Heading to Iceland in November and I can’t be more excited.

Don’t think that’s all the travelling till then though

Since Bergamo, we have been to the east borders of Scotland and England (exploring New Asgard) And we have been to Helensburgh and the coastal area. It’s been fantastic. Videos coming shortly

Other than that I have written an Article on Bergamo
How To Spend 24 hours In Bergamo On a Budget
This is for you guys that want to explore Bergamo as we did!

As well as all of that I’m currently writing an article all about every single place I’ve Been to since starting the 10-year Adventure, As you can probably tell even though I’ve only been travelling for 11 months there are a lot of places to write about!
I’ll put a link when I’m done don’t worry.
This is that link


Other than all this, I have ended up having two days next week to explore alone, I’m not sure on the plan for that yet. But I can imagine it will be fun.

See you soon!

Date: 24/03/2022

Struggling To Keep Up With Myself

On the 9th of this month, I wrote about climbing the Whangie and not knowing what I was going to do next in the way of travel. 15 days later I have travelled again to a new part of Scotland, Left the Country and travelled to Italy and home and writing about it on another update to the diary.

It feels like life has just sped up, and everything around is keeping to its pace. With now the amount of trips we are doing in short spaces of time, The amount of traction to this website has increased massively in the last couple of months hitting new highs. This is matched on the YouTube channel too. The best thing is this seems to be coming from sources where people are searching or finding me and not me promoting myself.

I believe the quality of my videos now have hit a new level too, giving it that professional feel that I wanted a year ago when I started this journey. To be fair I am doing exactly what I wanted to do a year ago when I started this journey, which is travelling a lot.

So why do I feel I can’t keep up?

It’s not that I don’t feel like I can’t keep up, but there is a lot more adjustment needed. I have been able to set a great bar for the year 2022 and if I was to keep it going I can see how amazing the results will be both for travel and creating. I am loving every minute.

This Friday will be the first week there will be no new video. When I first started YouTube this would have been the end-all. I had to release something. Now it’s quality over quantity. But with the aim of a video a week.

What have planned and what have I done?

Let’s start with the trip to Greenock Cut, a beautiful area of Scotland, With a lot of great walks. Not far from Largs ( a great place for fish and chips). This was a day trip on our day off work, we are currently working 60 hour weeks, this being another factor of struggling to keep up.

This was an amazing place, you can see here in the video.

As mentioned in the video, once we arrived home and during editing of the video, we planned our next trip on our next days off. Which was Bergamo in Italy. We decided to visit the Town of Bergamo instead of Milan due to time factors and price.

Bergamo was amazing and there will be a video here once I finish the editing. Be here sometime after the 1st of April.

Here it is!

As I write this I got back from Bergamo yesterday so I have been extremely busy. Just with life, but that hasn’t stopped me from writing a script for another video… Which will be about living a travel life when having a full-time life.

I look at filming this next week and working more on this website with new articles and stuff due to the fact I have a holiday allowance that was need to be used, meaning I have 4 days off next week. I don’t plan to leave the country, during this time either.

Hopefully, I can catch up on creating new content to match all this new travel.

Date: 09/03/2022

5 years of travel blogging

This title might be a bit confusing for you guys that are following my 10-year journey of travelling the world. As you know I’m currently only 10 months into this and not 5 years.

But for the OG’s that have been following my blogs way before there was a Funny Backpacker and there wasn’t even a YouTube page, will know that this whole thing started with a diary-based blog, a bit like this that your reading. It was called destionsean or something like that.

I started this around 5 years ago today when I was planning for my big trip around Australia. It was meant to be a diary for friends and family to read to keep up with my travels.

This wasn’t easy for them, as my grammar and spelling at the time were near impossible to read. Even though this was the case I continued to write. This blog which became a book that in turn made me start vlogging has inspired me to continue travelling.

As much as I’m 5 years into making content online,  which means a lot of money spent (too much, I don’t want to think about) and countless hours spent on making content in some shape or form. I wouldn’t change it.

I haven’t made an income that would pay me back for the time and money spent from any of my online content But It has given me more of a get-up and go and not to stop doing what I love.

Talking about inspired travel…

Last 2 weeks of Travel

Copenhagen

Copenhagen was just amazing, a last-minute trip which became a bigger adventure than I originally thought. It was 36 non-stop hours of exploring the beautiful city!

I could write so much about our trip but there is no need you can watch it here:

In the next couple of weeks, I will make some articles to match this video. About Copenhagen and how to do last-minute trips, just like we did.

The Whangie

You might have thought with a hectic week of leaving the country and then working 60 hour weeks, the last thing you would want to do is a hike. But that’s exactly what we did.

We decided to hike the Queen’s View and See the Whangie. And of course, I Vlogged it!
You will get to see this video on Friday 11th March at 6 pm.

This hike should be on your Scotland bucket list, It will be added shortly to my Hidden Gems of Scotland.

Whats next?

As I kinda mentioned earlier, I’m currently working a lot of hours, Which is great for cash flow and future trips but not so great for making plans and actually going on trips… But saying this, we are looking into more last-minute 1 night trips. Places like Madrid, Amsterdam, Brussels, Gdansk and Krakow seem to be likely as they are cheaper to fly to.

Let’s see how it goes!

Here is another Quiz, Enjoy

[ays_quiz id=’5′]

Date: 20/02/2022

Copenhagen Is Booked

Booking a flight to a random country a week before you go might seem stressful to some. Others might find the fact we are using the only 2 days off work that week for flying to Copenhagen and back. But for me, this is part of the adventure.

When our rota come out Late on Tuesday (15/2/22). I and Holly (my Girlfriend) noticed we had two days off together, so we planned to leave the country. Within an hour of this rota coming out we had flights, accommodation and insurance to a country that we had no previous plans to visit.

Filming Denmark

As much as the trip to Denmark is massively exciting especially as it’s been a long time since being able to leave the country. I have been thinking a lot about how I want to document or film this part of my life.

Let me run a couple of things past you that I want to show you on my trip to Denmark

As much as all these things might be interesting, it’s hard to make all these videos

Let me explain what I mean. My best video from last year was: OBAN

This currently stands at 3,800 views at the time of writing. This video is just about Oban if I was to repeat the vlog style on Copenhagen. The Video would be called, what is their todo in Copenhagen for 2 days. As much as that would be a good video on Copenhagen, it’s a much harder Youtube Market to break into. But high-risks high-reward.

This video would cover: “Showing Off Copenhagen” very nice but that’s it. I wouldn’t be able to show my journey there and wouldn’t be able to make a second video covering that as it would overlap too much with the first video.

My Current YouTube Channel

Over the last 6 months, my YouTube Channel has slipped more away from my original plan of doing vlogs of my travel life and instead split into 3.

Where the original plan was to put all three of these styles mixed into one video. Like this video About heading off on my travel life.

Only a poor 224 views at the time of writing (not my worst but not great)

Watching this video back now, If I were to remake this video there are many things I would change, As the video starts really slow and is harder to follow. Probably the reason it didn’t do as well as I hoped and didn’t do as well as the Oban video.

At the time I thought the Oban Video Did better as it’s about one area and has good search terms and has a bigger market for people wanting this video. This probably is true too but the Oban Video gets to the point and is easy to follow which I think is a bigger impact.

The Plan for Denmark video

As much as my head is kinda saying make a video on “Things to see in Copenhagen” then a second video on “How to get cheap flights and pack for Copenhagen” meaning I would cover more of the YouTube Search Market. But I don’t want this.

I really want to show the full journey, as much as Copenhagen is part of my travel life, the biggest impact on my travel life is the journey, the journey of leaving the country for the first time in years, the journey of experience of the airport and the journey of the first time I leave the country with my girlfriend.

I’m going to try and remake the original style of Vlog that I wanted to do at the start of my Travel journey. by including everything into one long but easy to follow video. I’m not hoping to break view records, but the video hopefully redeems the Glasgow Vlog and helps find my style again for upcoming adventures.

This video is going to take a lot of work, but It’s going to be worth it.

Date: 25/01/2022

Visiting Home & Seeing England

Visiting home is a vital part of travelling, seeing family and friends after a being away from home can be exciting and especially as things change and you get exciting updates, celebrations and for me meeting new family members

A short while ago I was an uncle, so going back to England wasn’t just a short stay back to see family and friends, it was going back to meet a new member of the family. As well as giving my Girlfriend (Holly) a chance to meet all the family and friends. But there was one massive problem that I caught covid, yet again.

It did put a dampener on the celebration but we made do. I have been able to see travel to parts of England in the times we weren’t isolated, We still saw a lot of family and friends but not all.

The Journey Down

Me, Holly and Jess (our Candian friend, Or known in the Harry potter sightseeing video The Candian Hermione Granger) We all headed off to Newcastle and stayed the night from Glasgow. There will be a video about this on Youtube at some point!

We then all travelled to Watford for the one and only Harry Potter Studio Tours. Again this will be on the Funny Backpacker YouTube Channel given time.

After seeing Harry Potter Studio Tours we Kicked Jess out of the car and she went off to see London while we moved on to Essex.

Essex and Suffolk

Went spent most of the time in the Essex, Suffolk area. Seeing places like Chelmsford, Colchester, Sudbury & Lavenham. Here is a video of Lavenham. See I have already made a video

Lavenham In Suffolk

The Journey Back

The Journey back was via Manchester, Which is a massive city. We spent the day there before heading back to Glasgow.

Here is our day in manchester if you want to do the same as us.

Other than England

There has been a lot of time this month where I have been off work, due to travelling to England, getting stuck in isolation and due to the fact January is a slow month for work in a hotel and pub. I have had a lot of time to make a lot of content for this website and YouTube as well as schedule months worth of old posts on the Facebook page.

Here is the latest article I wrote, It’s all about 2-6months of your nomadic life. I decided to make a series to help people that want to travel.

Here is the latest article I wrote, It’s all about 2-6months of your nomadic life. I decided to make a series to help people that want to travel.

The Plans Now

To be the plan now is to try and leave the UK on a short trip or maybe go see the Hebrides. But before I plan I need so time to get back in the swing of life in Scotland!

Saying this, there are plans to go to Loch Ness Tomorrow. So I guess straight back in to the traveling

A Basic England Travel Knowledge Test

Here is a quiz I made up based on locations that I travelled to. So enjoy the quiz, I will try and make a new quiz every time I update my diary so enjoy!

[ays_quiz id=”4″]

Date: 03/01/2022

The Harry Potter & The Scottish Filming Locations

As I sit watching a marathon of Harry Potter, there is no better time to talk about the trip I went on yesterday!

The trip around the West of Scotland viewing all the wonderful locations used in the Harry Potter Film Series. It’s very weird watching the films and seeing all the locations that we saw yesterday. Here are all them Locations;

Glencoe

It is surprising but understandable how much Glencoe was used in Harry Potter but the place. The place has so much beauty and the mountains used as the background in a lot of the outdoors scenes just work perfectly with the magic.

Hagrid’s hut was filmed here too.

You can see why this place is chosen by Harry Potter as Backdrop

This location is used in James Bond Skyfall too!

Glenfinnan

Another Beautiful location that seemed to be lost in time

This area is famous for the Viaduct that is where the Hogwarts Express is found and the loch opposite was the black lake, Which is actually Loch Shiel.

This is just the best area for Harry Potter Fans.

More locations

Not going to lie there were a lot more locations for Harry Potter films yesterday but this isn’t that blog article, this is just an article explaining that I have started this year off with a lot of big travels, Which I plan to continue in the next couple of days. With a trip to England with the next stop on the Vlog stop Probably being Newcastle.

But for you want to see all the locations here is a video

This is a vlog of all the Harry Potter locations in West Scotland

Harry Potter Scotland Quiz

But for each Blog Update, I’m now going to try and add a quiz for a little bit more fun. So for this week here is a Harry Potter Location-Based quiz good luck and speak to you soon!

[ays_quiz id=”3″]

Date: 24/12/2021

Merry Christmas From Scotland & Goals

It’s that time again, where we say merry Christmas to each other and give each other gifts (or maybe not all but, you know what I’m talking about)

Travelling during this season can be very stressful, due to the fact travellers can be missing home, family & friends.

For me, it’s very strange as much as I do miss home, friends and family, I have created a new life in Scotland. It’s going to be nice to have a Christmas with all the new people I met last year.

Summarising 2021

My Goals for 2021

YouTube Channel Growth and 2022 plans

To be fair in one way or another I had completed every one of these goals. Which I am proud of.

I personally believe my camera skills and Youtube have massively improved within the last year. Here is the first video in 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZnZ_xUrTnA&t=106s

This is my last video in 2021.

Personally think my latest video is a much better video! The stats say you guys are preferring them too.

Not just the one-off video is better the whole channel seems to be improving, Current YouTube Subscribers: 252 and at the start of 2021:145 which was a growth of 73% growth. Most of the videos are only 6 months old, leading me to believe that there could be massive growth in 2022.

YouTube Plans for 2022

As I was saying the growth of 2021 was great but I really hope the growth of 2022 is much better, Hoping for a 400% growth in Subscribers, but my main goal for YouTube will be hitting 10k views on a video.

There are two current main contenders for hitting the 10k views for the Funny Backpacker channel.

The Oban Video:

This video currently sitting at 3k, with it getting around 600 views a month in the summer months. this could possibly hit 10k by the end of 2022 but if this video has peaked, it will make around 8k by the end of the year, not bad but not hitting my goal for the year.

The second video is:

This video has less than half the amount of views as Oban, Currently only sitting at 1.3k views but with the fact, this view is less seasonal than Oban and I believe this video hasn’t peeked yet with 400 views being its best month. I think it will be hit around 800 views a month.

But saying this, I think my latest video of best places to see in Scotland could peek at 10k views a month if it does as well as hoped.

Growth of the Website

The website page views for 2021 is 2,552 which is 86% growth of 2020 which only had 1,370. The growth of 2021 is pretty good especially as it seems to be growing based on how many people are currently searching about travel on google not really the new articles I’ve made.

The new articles on the website seem to take a while to get shown on Google. Apart from the home page none of the top 10 2021 landing pages were any articles written in 2021. Meaning that as much work I do in 2022 it will be hard to build the website more than the work I did in 2021 and prior. So I hope I did enough to build the website by 100% giving the website 5000 page views in 2022.

Apart from some of the articles I made about Scotland and long term travel, I made a few web stories and I’m yet to see what google is to do with them. All I can do is hope and promote the website via social media to get 5000 views.

How To Overcome The Backpacking Blues
How to long term travel
Why you should work in a hostel
5 Must see places in Scotland
Long Term Travel In Scotland
View all stories

Other goals for 2022

So apart from the website and Youtube, I do have goals relating to travel and other things I want to do in 2022

–Leaving the UK, might seem an easy one but it’s been so long since I’ve done this, as much as I’m loving exploring Scotland. I want to get on a plane again!

–Visit Family & Friends, A big part of travel is actually going back home. It’s not normally in travellers plans to go home, but it’s in mine! Deal with it.

– Get 10K views on YouTube, As I mention I have 2 videos that I hope will meet it. But I really hope I’ll make more!

– Complete a New Book, I have a couple in the works, I want to finish one!

– Visit the Hebrides, Not sure if it’s the inner or the outer but I want to see the beauty of them!

I’m looking forward to 2022 and what the world offers!

Date: 18/12/2021

Finnally Finding Calm (Within a Travel Life?)

As much as travellers love to claim that travel is a great way of getting away from the stress of today to today life, Travel itself comes with new and interesting stresses. It seems the harder you travel the more stress comes to life. I guess it can be the difficulties of travel.

As you probably know, I have been in a lot of different jobs in the last little while, but this does come hand in hand with the lifestyle. But finding a good job is harder than it should be, especially when a good job is normally down to one factor, the team.

I’ve started my new job at the start of the month and I can already say it’s a fanatic team. which makes the work-life, so relaxed. Especially with the whole news at the moment, hospitality isn’t the easiest job to be in.

Finding my home

I never planned on finding a base while travelling, I wanted to travel nomadically just so I wouldn’t get stuck in the 9-5 lifestyle, not being able to travel. Or worse doing what a lot of people do “I’ll travel there tomorrow”. which means never getting around to going on that trip.

But since moving to Glasgow and being in a Relationship it’s been a nice change of pace, With it being winter too it is harder to see a lot of places in Scotland but it hasn’t stopped us. Edinburgh the other week and just a few days ago getting to Balmoral Castle (which was closed) and seeing the snowy roads.

The nice thing about the more relaxed style of travel means, Spontaneous day trips and planning some longer trips. One of the upcoming trips is going back down South to England. To see family and friends which I’m super excited to do as it feels ages since doing so.

What I’ve done Online Since last update

As it’s running on to Christmas but more importantly it’s now winter, it is harder to make brand new content plus a lot of people are not bothered by travel content as much in the winter. So it gives me time to learn or practise new ideas.

Shorts

One idea I have been playing with is Youtube Shorts.

For each of the shorts I made, I tried different styles. For the Ballater one, it’s literally just a short vlog style. But for the Scotland Drone, I Tried to make a similar style to the ones I make on Tiktok and the B roll I use for my vlogs.

Personally, I like the shorter Vlog style video. It stays with more of the style of the YouTube Channel itself and Currently, the stats are telling me other people do too.

Infomational Youtube Video

After putting around 12 hours plus making this video I am very optimistic to see how it performs in the long run. I not expecting anything to happen before March on this video, I doubt it will even reach 100 videos before then but in the long run, expecting to be in my top 3 best performing videos.

Best Place To Start Travel In Scotland And Places To See. This used my 7 months worth of footage of Scotland to make.

Goes live at 6 pm on 17/12/21

Other Stuff

Other actual content I made I designed a couple of Christmas Jumpers.

It was made really to test the water and for next year. It would be too late to buy one for Christmas now, sorry.

Other than this I’ve decided to try and put more effort into the social media behind the Funny Backpacker again, But it can feel fake if I push it too much… I’ll see how we go.

Here is a little quiz I made to see if you are a long term traveller, enjoy. I was bored and messing around.

[ays_quiz id=”2″]

Date: 24/11/2021

I’m Glad That’s Over With!

I’m not going to lie, life has been a little stressful lately. It’s good to be able to have a bit of a breather.

But where the hell do I start with this update. Let’s just say work has definitely been in the way of life. Since the last update, I’ve left two jobs, and not for reasons that are easily explained online but I’m going to try my best without talking badly about people or companies. Wish me luck.

Bad Jobs

Let’s go with the first job, As I mention publicly online, I worked at the Crianlarich Hostel. I loved the job and company but it is a seasonal job I would have had to leave in October time anyways. But let’s just say I left this job because a person made me unsafe in my home. But this wasn’t the fault of the hostel in any way, would happily work with them again and recommend them.

The second job was at a hotel in Glasgow, heavily understaffed during the busy times, especially during Cop 26. Witnessing someone have an injury at work, the lack of staff during busy events, the constant abuse from customers (and staff), the bad hours, the lack of benefits that’s was mentioned in the contract, the bar itself, the fact I couldn’t see change happening, the chasing for correct pay, the fact the place doesn’t run as a team. Made me think another place might be better to look for another job.

The quotes that are stuck in my head are “what do you mean the bars shut!?!”, “Do you know how much we paid to be here!?!” “Can you get more people to serve!!!!” and my personal favourite “we got told it would be a late closing bar!!!” (at 4 am) Of course, these are just the clean quotes in my head.

Moving Forward

I’ve got a new job, in another hotel, doing a very similar thing. Bartending. I have high hopes and have heard very good things about this place. I’m excited. I’ll be starting there at the start of December giving me a week to unwind, Celebrate my birthday and My Girlfriends birthday.

This will be my 1st week off other than sickness in a year and a half. I need it.

Things I Have Done

So even going from one job to another and working a lot I have had time to make some videos and articles about travel;

HOW TO START LONG TERM TRAVEL IN SCOTLAND

This is perfect if you want to start travel life in Scotland as I have!

Long Term Travel In Scotland

See the Full article here
https://funnybackpacker.com/travel-in-scotland/

VIDEOS

I have made a lot of videos in the last couple of months.

The Hermitage

Pitlochry

Killin

Galloway

A Life update on Changing Styles

And finally a video on the N.E Coast Road trip which now is my favourite video.

So what’s next?

I’ve cleaned a bit of the backlog up that was made over the summer, it’s a lot harder to film now due to the fact days have a lot less light, it’s colder and doesn’t look as good.

I’ve got a video on Stirling to edit and a couple of videos I’ve mentioned previously that I have in the pipeline. But like most winters I spend more time on the website and writing as it’s easier to do that.

I have a week off this week so I can imagine there will be a lot of changes, videos or articles. If you don’t see any of them, I decided against constructively managing my stress and decided on alcohol.

In Jan I have plans on going back to England for 2 weeks, which I’m looking forward to. So there will be a video for that at least.

Date: 01/09/2021

Being Backed Up

Dam I’m so backed up right now it hurts, more keeps coming and nothing is coming out. I’m not here asking for help I’m asking for forgiveness.

I have about 20 million things to do and writing this diary is low on this list. So here is a very short update of the videos I’ve kinda filmed but need to do my talk over, script and editing for;

Pitlochry

Dundee

St Andrews

Two beaches in Ayrshire

The Hermitage

Best Places in The West Highland way

Probably more… but as you see I’m travelling a lot at the moment and living my best life.

Anyways here are my latest videos;

Date: 05/08/2021

Health Check

Isolation came and went but yet, I feel like I’m still stuck inside.
Sounds so sudden to go from walking around and exploring Edinburgh to clocking a fever of nearly 40’C in hospital only a couple of days apart. But that’s exactly what happened.

A simple thing as an infection of the throat can not only trap you in a bed for well over a week but it can damage your invincible mindset thinking that plans wouldn’t really be held back ever because of health. Once you work out you are not a robot and yes you will get sick, you work out you need to plan for this.

Bit of background, I got an infection that put me in bed for 2 days then, in the hospital for 5 and now on drugs and recovery that even this simple bit of writing I find hard. I’m hoping by Sunday I’ll be back on my feet but that is hope.

I write this diary entree, not for sympathy ( but flowers and chocolates can be sent to the usual address). Just in a way if you are following this diary as a way that you plan to travel nomadically, that you need to think about your health. This may be making sure you are covered with insurance or may a simple thing as drinking more water. Drinking more water is now on my list. But don’t let this put you off.

I know I got away very lightly this time, I am thankful for that.

In other news I got a car but more on that in a video.

Date: 15/07/2021

Isolation 2.0

Here we go again, another 10 days stuck inside. This time it’s away from home. I don’t want to go into much detail about who, why and how got in to locked in isolation, but I’m good. I didn’t want to talk to you about what happened, I wanted to explain how easy it is to use time like this very negatively. I’m technically halfway through this lockdown and to be fair, I’ve used to it as a good time to slack off. Instead of using it as a way of refocusing on my goals.

Since arriving in Scotland there has been a lot of changes in my life, this was mainly down to Scotland not being anything like I planned in my head, Well to be fair Scotland is, I wasn’t. Scotland is the same place I researched but I planned to use this as a stepping stone to the next adventure, Scotland has become my base.

That might sound un-nomadic but more the case that the way I plan to see the world having bases actually helps, giving myself rules like moving on every six months or no returning to a place, might sound good on paper, because if you keep moving your see more. This isn’t always the case. You see more when you move slower. Fly over a country, you see nothing. Take a train across it, you just see landscapes. In a car, you see the landscapes and the roads and the people when you stop. But if you walk you see the country.

Saying this change in mindset really shouldn’t take me away from my goals for the year, my goals keep me focus on my future.

So I’ve got 5 days left of being shut in so I’m going to try and focus more on these goals and even go through this diary and try and write all the articles that I keep promising you.

Here are the Hidden Gems that I mentioned last week: Scotland’s Hidden Gems

Date: 07/07/2021

Traveling isn’t as lonely as first thought

Current travel life has slowed for a couple of reasons. But it’s not a bad thing by any means when I imagined the whole travelling for 10 years, I never planned for a break. There was a lot of things I panicked about.
The whole building of meaningless relationships was the main problem that I saw. You build short term relationships with friends that you meet in hostels, workplaces and with women that it would have to stay casual because the chances of finding anyone that would want to or plans to travel with or in the sameish direction as you was near to zero.


But the funny thing is when you travel you meet other travellers. You attract the people around you that are similar to you. Working in a seasonal job, you work with people that work seasonally. Sounds basic knowledge, but that means they are more than likely to be the same as yourself.
When it comes to forming romantic relationships, even that isn’t as hard as it might seem your not the only one in the world that wants to travel. You might need to change the next destination in some cases but a lot of the time your end up going to all the places you want, but with someone.
So yes, maybe I’ve not done a lot of travelling in the last month but I’ve been learning that travelling isn’t so lonely as I first imagined.


In other news, I have started to fall in love with Scotland. It has many sides to this place, it has a very similar vibe to Australia, without the weather. I say this but it could just be I don’t feel I’m in the 9-5 lifestyle at the moment and the last time I was out of the 9-5 was Australia. But the people here are friendly and open. the place is very diverse, go from cities to hill walks to history to hipster vibes. Glasgow even has the balance of clean tidy and a little rough around the edges that I love about cities.
If your reading this diary I’m sure you’re watching my videos but, here are the last two


Oban:

Crianlarich:

Yeah, I’m a little slow on getting the videos out at the moment. This is because I’m actually a little slow on the whole process I filmed Crianlarich, Oban and Glencoe all in quick succession of each other and still yet to film more. Editing seems to be a bit of a struggle with the balance of time but.. in a weird way I’m enjoying a 2-week break between videos at the moment, seems to give a good balance of life and YouTube. The stats show you guys are too. I appreciate all the support, it’s been fantastic.

The next place I’m looking at is Edinburgh which I plan to film, Next Wednesday but your probably a while from seeing this.

I hoped you enjoyed this update, I look forward to showing you more of Scotland soon… actually I forgot to mention I plan to put together a list of hidden gems of Scotland but as you know I’m not the best at putting all my planned blogs into action.

Date: 05/06/2021

Scotland is a party!

How the Hell do I catch you up…

Well luckily for me I made a video about moving to Scotland so that makes it easier, This video here explains me leaving my life in Braintree and moving up too Scotland (well its gets you up to Glasgow.) There been much more than that happened but this video is a start.

This video takes you from Braintree to Glasgow.

This video took place on Friday the 21/5/21

It’s been 2 weeks since I’ve arrived in Scotland, Man… it feels like a lot longer.

Nomadic Life has begun! I don’t know what I expecting when coming up to Crianlarich. Maybe just a village in the middle of nowhere, not a lot to do, time to work on me, time to work on The Funny Backpacker. This hasn’t happened yet, it’s been a busy life so far. If I’m not out exploring the local area, the distance area (via train) or working or drinking… I might find time to write a short diary entry. This is my first diary entry since Scotland.

I have 2 videos in the works, one a Vlog/ Documentary on Crianlarich and the other a Vlog on a Weekend in Oban. Both I’m very excited to show you. Just need to film the monologue of the Crianlarich video, and the script of the monologue of the Oban one. Edit them and get them out on a Friday.

Crianlarich is so Beautiful, I will be writing an article on it in the future so stick around for that, Will relink it here if I remember once I wrote it. ( Hey, look I actually keep to my word)

Oban was a lovely seaside town, great fish and chips!

I know this was a very short update on my life, and to be fair it wasn’t very detailed but hopefully looking at putting more time into this in the next couple of weeks. When I release the video on Crianlarich I hope to have an article on here as well as following diary update.

Oh before I forget I released my Travel bucket list, 10 Year Travel Bucket List

Date: 06/05/2021

Let’s Get This Party Started!

Feels like entirety since I wrote in this diary, Not because of how long it’s been a time more the fact of how much I’ve done so much in the way of planning for future travels… I actually have a destination. Crianlarich, Scotland!

I have less than 20 days from when nomadic life begins, It’s a scary thought that all the prep work I have put in the last 6 months is nearly come to fruition. It’s actually a bit of scary thought how well, everything has played out to get myself in this position.

Everything I have worked towards in the last 6 months, as it being paying off debts, Losing weight, Planning a future, building a kit for both travel & travel creating I have achieved with a greater completion than I believe was possible in November. This does sound like a brag, in a way it is but I want to show what you can do it too, even at times of little hope. This is what this diary is for and my vlogs, they are not a way too brag but a way of saying “if this idiot can it, I can”

What planning have I done? And what’s left to-do?

So I’ve worked out how I plan to get to Crianlarich from Essex. That is a journey and I half, I can tell you. But more on this in a later vlog.

I’ve done a Further test video for my YouTube channel as well as cleaned up all the videos that don’t fit with the vlog, challenge, short style on YouTube in a bit of a way for brand Identity. The channel is set up ready for the next 10 years. Anyways here is a link to Video of the Latest challenge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-6ryqFAzvA

I brought all the items for my trip, Bag is “packed” well I say packed. I have the stuff. I need to sort it out and need to get rid of all the other stuff I have in the room. Finish off the downsizing.

To be fair the rest is a lot of mental planning. Saying goodbye to friends and family if I get the chance before I go but other than that I’m pretty much ready to pick up a bag and go.

I’m excited to show you this journey!

Date: 19/04/2021

Testing the water

With the fact, I have my new camera and now a new complete editing software on a new laptop. I need to really start using it, well at least learning how to use it for when I get back in to the whole travel creator lifestyle again.

This is exactly what I’ve done!

Life+Travel update: I haven’t had much free time yet and no actual plans in stone yet… a couple of options might come to light in the next couple of days but can’t say much at the moment. I’ve had this weekend off but due to working nights and trying to turn it over to being awake in the day time during the weekend and swap it back for my night shift tonight I’ve so how managed to give myself an 18-hour body clock. (get tired quicker but sleepless time in periods)

Anyways this update is about me testing my new kit in ways that I will be using when traveling

#Shorts

I was able to test the whole YouTube shorts (Also uploaded the same video to TikTok and Insta). This new idea is a quick style review of a place or an area when it comes to travel, its super easy to make when actually travelling its no extra effort when recording (as it clips I’m likely to film when walking anyways), just more editing.

I aim to make these 30 seconds and more cinematic less talking very basic and similar intro and outro to each

Here is the first attempt, there is a few details that need changing but this is an outline out what I will be doing when visiting new places.

Saving for travel video

This video was filmed in a way that makes it sound like I’m no longer saving for travel, well thats because. I’m not. Yes I’m working my arse off at times but its defiantly dropped off in the last couple of weeks that due to work demand as well as the fact, I’ve hit my targets and being burnt out.

This video might seems a little early for release as yes I’m still at work and haven’t given in my notice at all. But with the current expiry of my temp contact being early June, me saying I’m saying i’m planning to leave late june wouldn’t and shouldn’t be an issue.

Here is the video

https://youtu.be/aZnZ_xUrTnA

Issues I had with filming this was mainly down to camera position and holding it, was a totally new experience and something I need to practise with.

Date: 1/04/2021

New Camera, New Look.

I got a New Camera as it was the next logical upgrade I needed for improving my videos as I mention in the last entry.

Well, this camera turned up, It is a Sony ZV-1 which is designed for vlogging… And so far has gone above and beyond everything, I could have hoped for. Due to upgrading from a Nikon B500 Coolpix which is designed mainly for photos, I’m finding the Sony camera has much more automatic features as well as better quality upgrading from HD to 4K video. I could go into more minor details of the camera but I don’t want to bore you… just say it’s an improvement, one for ease of use and better quality for you.

I’ve had this camera for a few days now but only had a chance to play with it today due to the fact I have been working a LOT of hours lately (13 days in a row, 7 of the days alone totally 67.5 hours all night work).

I decided to make a test video for the Patreon Page (Become a Patreon Here)

But for for guys that are not Patreon here is a whole 5 second clip of the new camera

https://youtu.be/_DG_mTQKP4s

There is so much to learn about this camera and I feel in the next month or so I need to practise new techniques for the return to YouTube in June time.

I also mentioned how I want to do 3 returning videos to YouTube, I’m a little unsure at the moment as something has happened that makes me think doing a video about “shit-talking the whole use of YouTube to travel the world for free” might not be the right video as my angle has slightly changed on how to make money to save for travel… don’t get me wrong it’s not changed from the fact I could shit talk use of youtube travel the world for free but working your arse off like me is also stupid… I have a new idea but it’s a work in progress.

Anyways this was an article to say I worked hard and brought a camera this month… Watch this space.

PS. You might see some ads on the website now (who do you think brought this camera, only joking) this is more of test of the water, they may stay or go who knows.

Date: 11/03/2021

Setting Up a New Chapter

Bit of a quick one today, Just writing this because I don’t want to go ages without an update on here because “I’m busy” because this dairy was made for when I’m too busy to make a video.

But as I was saying, I am busy. Busy doing a lot of big stuff that will set me up for June time. I realised that I need to get back in to whole creator Lifestyle again. I’ve been away for a long time (about 3 months now) and I’ve spent most of that time working, paying off debts and getting in shape. But other than this diary not much has been done to help me in the future for my creating.

I kind of have a plan in my head which I will share with you now, but I have to state things change, and This is just an idea at the moment. I have to be carful what I write as people from my work place know I do YouTube and have watched my video… that was fun, not.

The plan is Cat 3 plan of June start time and I should if I worked out my money properly I should have a new “smaller” set up by then too. (New Camera, Laptop and Editing software.)

So the next 3 Months I need a return plan, And this is it.

There is a lot more smaller stuff you will see as time goes on and new ideas form but these are the main things I want to achieve before leaving in Around 3 months (if all goes to plan.)

Date: 24/02/2021

Timing is key!

Being at the right place at the right time can be luck. But luck is made with good judgement and working hard. The right time and the place could be giving your cv in just as a position opens, yes you didn’t know there was a position going but giving out CV to many companies will increase your luck infinitely.

With this knowledge and the knowledge that I nearly rushed in to the Nomadic life before at the wrong time (with debts, overweight, being unhappy and during the a coronavirus lockdown) making a call on when to straight this life isn’t as start forward as I keep thinking.

As I said before I’m now fine-tuning 2 of my goals (becoming healthy & Money) I have no reason this couldn’t be done in a nomadic lifestyle But why start on the back foot, as this isn’t a sprint but a 10-year marathon with a finish line of massive challenges. With waiting a little longer I would have a much better financial position, better equipment for this and the YouTube channel and even have a little bit of a social life with friends and family which is needed.

But as a counter-argument in my own head I have, why am I waiting, do I really believe this, Do I need to set my self up to this standard? is this just a way to put of something as new and scary?

Apart from the controlled factors above. There is many factors that may help me decide, if things was to change:

I kind of a have an idea, it is vague. Again certain things above most happen to keep this plan…

Around early June, I will be looking at starting work on a farm in Scotland. This is later than originally planned (May). As the season goes from May- Oct but with the main season going through Jun-Sep. This could mean more hours per day which in turn means more money. In May work days can be short due to crops, where my current work is good hours so I wouldn’t lose there. (I would need to keep my current job and find a farm job for this to work)

When it comes to YouTube, Lockdown will be technically over in like a couple of weeks. This means I can go back to filming my vlogs outside. I’m in two minds about what I should do here. I could go back to filming Vlogs about how I’m saving for travel…Or wait.

Yes, there are loads of things I want to Talk about. But will it be better if I wait? Yes. Then putting pressure to film these subjects while doing vlogs about my current life, causing balance and storytelling issues.

I’m thinking of doing one massive video. This will not work well on YouTube. Due to the size and the Niche subject, I’m not looking at this video ever to reach the amount of watch time that it takes to create it. But for the ones that will want this information, it would be a resource like no other. I will do a diary of how I was able to start life as a nomad, with tips and things to do and not todo. This video will summarise all the previous videos, add a lot more subjects that need to be spoken about and close the gap leaving me to get back to vlogging. I will think about starting to film this soon but this won’t be finished until I have started my Nomadic life. So sorry My YouTube will be closed, until June?

I don’t know if it sounds like I’m putting my life on hold. This is far from the truth the real behind the scenes are happening and it’s not fun, it’s repetitive and boring. These decisions are hopefully going to be all made at the right time, taking me to the right place!

Date: 18/02/2021

I’m Back

I feel back in control of my life, I’m so close to completing goals that I thought I would struggle to complete come December. The main thing I’m happy.

I just pulled off a 13 day stint at work, doing averagely 60 hours a week on night shifts, A physical job. Doing this job has not only helped pay off debts at a rate that my bank might phone me up and worry about where I’m getting the money from. But also has taken me to my goal weight without “just losing weight” building muscle and fitness.

Can’t quite say it yet but my goals as it will take me a year to finalise positions on my health and money but my current standpoint means I’m able to maintain more than struggle at these challenges.

Without going to much details into my money online… I’m happy to say what I’ve achieved in the last 3/4 months has cleared me mostly. I will a better cost analysis at some point for you guys that want to know how to this yourself.

Since this photo (below) I have lost nearly 3 and a half stone. Most of this weight loss taken place since November 2020.

So as you see the last three to four months has had a massive impact to my life. I’m looking forward to continuing this, with futher goals.

But the most important thing I would like to mention, Due to the fact, I’m no longer focused on money and fitness… This leaves me open for more exciting parts of my life… Travel.

With lockdown still in place, it is still hard to plan ahead for travel. But there is a different feel within the travel community online, A sense of optimism I guess. I have even noticed a growth in the YouTube of around 10% even though I haven’t posted a video since early December. Which is exciting.

I feel like I have a new energy, or it could be the Monster I’m currently drinking at 1Am. But where before I was focused one area of my life due to trying to complete the goals I now have this sense of relaxed and readiness to take on the world, this is in the metaphorical sense and the literal sense.

Date: 04/02/2021

Imposter Syndrome

Funny you want to travel the world but who knew it would become you. The last couple of weeks since becoming human again and getting feelings and emotions has been odd, difficult hard to adjust to.
If you want to know what I mean about being human again Scroll down to to the Post called “Am I doing the right Thing?” (Or just click the link)

So there have been some difficult things to adjust to. One being a normal person having normal conversations when you switched yourself off for 3 months and got used to having conversations only about practical things i.e. work-related stuff and talking about your day. It’s been hard to talk to co-workers about my life, especially as I feel if I reveal myself to them. I would be considered weird. Which is massively a knock to me as I know I’m weird…

Look at this video I made in Minehead I run around the town making a weird arse action movie, even got a local to scream at my camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-4ml4r1sn4&t=4s

Keeping this part of my life secret, which is a massive my life. From anyone, just seems like I’m trying to fit in. This is something I’ve never worried about doing before. For goodness sake, I write a blog to about my life to the world without a worry. So the concept of hiding things in conversations about things in my life is strange on paper.

Being a temporary member of staff in the contract sense, but also knowing this is my temporary lifestyle. It doesn’t feel right and I guess I know I know deep down everything I have done and will do while working at this place will be forgotten in less time than I spend working there. So what is the point trying to let people know me… But I know doing this will set a bad president, as my travel lifestyle will be an ongoing cycle of temporary places.

So of you might read this a say, “it’s ok you don’t belong working 60-hour weeknight shifts, You are a travel creator” I would love to say that’s the case, even when I’m “on the road” and my whole life is devoted to this. I can’t truly call my self a travel creator as it will still be a hobby, not a full-time job.

The problem is, more than feeling like an imposter in travel and in current work place. The problem is I feel like I have no direction, no plans and really no idea when and how I’m going to start this lifestyle that I’ve been drawing out in my head for such a long time now.

The small details for the future

You probably heard me speak about my plans about a million times already and they always seem to change but having no idea when and what’s going to happen next. it’s hard to plan anything.

My work contact could run out any day, I don’t see it happening for the next couple of months but who knows?

I’ve tried planning ahead but it’s extremely hard to plan anything at this time. You might be certain you can do it but things are still changing daily around the world.

Date: 31/01/2021

Doing things in the background

Before I begin this week, Can the dickhead spammer just know that he is the reason we can’t have nice things!

I wanted to keep the comment board open on all the articles on this site as again I like that old school blog post feel. But we can’t currently have that due to a someone dick trying to get back end links to there sites via the mine. What I have researched when it comes to getting backend links, comments in the comment board don’t work and its a very old method which Google now has got rid of, again I’m not a master webmaster just a traveller. Until I worked out how to get rid of this dickhead I’ve closed all comments. If you want to contact me or leave a comment you can tweet me @funnybackpacker

As you can tell by the introduction I’m doing a lot of backend work and what I mean by that is stuff you don’t know that I’ve done but just keeps stuff flowing and tidy.

The most annoying part of this is to keep everything looking open but not running. What I mean by that if your a new person seeing this for the first time how can I say “I’ve not gone, just on a break until the lockdown is over?” The Website says, in the top pannel “No new videos due to lockdown 3.0. Check out Funny Backpacker Travel Diary (BLOG) for Current updates. Videos to Return ASAP.” It kinda explains that videos probably won’t be back until April which sucks but the content will be better then.

Patreon

Most of my time in the last week has been spent on thinking about the future of my Patreon Page. A page that I love to give extra too. I never want that to go inactive as people(person) there spend money to support me.

Saying this I have struggled to think of extra content to give to them until I had this Idea

For you guys that can’t be bothered to read it, it says they get to choose a yearly challenge which only they will get updates for.
I Gave them 6 different options. I will show you the 5 options they didn’t pick. But only patrons can see the picked one.

“|The Handstand. 

This Challenge is going to be the most simplest challenge in the whole list but the hardest physically. This will tie in Health and mainly losing weight. Its simply over a whole year to build up strength to be able to do a handstand in December. I’m currently not sure it’s even possible.

This challenge is something I would love to do from a fitness point of view as I’ve never been able to get never this even at my last physical peak. 

What you get –

Each month you will get a video of me training and attempting this challenge (written when not travelling) I will talk about my fitness training weight loss and how I’m learning the technique. 

In December I will share this challenge on Youtube in the form of a montage challenge video  

Travelers guide to Meeting new people

Unlike the challenge previously mention this close to the opposite.  Not physical at all and will be less about the challenge itself and will be more about my life of meeting new people of the road. This will tie in with the fact I want to travel more in 2021

This challenge is something I will have to do no matter what. Meeting new people is always going to happen but the added research and learn and trying techniques  for meeting people could be more than embarrassing at times and sharing these with you will be worse

What you get- 

For the first couple of months due to lack of meeting new people, it’s going to mainly me learning weird and wacky techniques from books, the internet. I’m not going to lie the next couple of months would be very slow in the way of posts but after that, it will be a monthly vlog on updates on the techniques with inputs on which to techniques and how I should try to use them.

In December I will release a short video montage to advertise a book called ” Travelers guide to meeting new people” Which will be released in Jan 2022 and all current patrons that have been patrons for at least 6 months prior to release will receive a signed copy. 

This book will include chapters such as – How to meet fellow travelers, How to make relationships when traveling. Opening lines at hostels…Etc

Broke But Woke

The title of the challenge will tell you it is linked to the fact I plan to be debt-free by the end of the year. This challenge is perfect for you guys that love facts and figures or just want to know how to budget for travel.

This challenge itself is something that I will be doing already there isn’t much extra in the way of physically learning but I will be more open about my current finances and explaining my thoughts behind trying to find the most budget things travelers can do 

What you get-

Each month I will translate my budget into time. for example, I have 10 days left at emergency 20 days left at budget travel. There will be a key to explain what I mean. This is to stop me from just writing I have £2484 overdraft left and £200 cash. It will make sense and will be accurate but not bank details level ( as I don’t plan on being robbed).

I will also tell you about the tips I learn on the way. 

In Jan  I will release a book called how to save money to travel by traveling. all current patrons that have been patrons for at least 6 months prior to release will receive a signed copy.

This book will include chapters such as – How to pay off debts to travel, using travel techniques for saving money and extreme budget travel. 

Party tricks

This challenge again is from the travelling and meeting people goal for this year. But is less about my personal life and more about some tricks and games you can play with these people. These tricks may make me hated more than liked though

Being from a bartending background but more from drinking in bars I learnt a couple of tricks and games to play in bars but wouldn’t say I have enough for an arsenal but this is what I would like to build on. Knowing this stuff is always fun to do with friends, not so much with new people that might punch you in you leave them trapped on a table with a beer balancing on their thumbs. 

What you get- Each month I will learn a new trick with hopefully a story to go with it, when I try out my new trick to new people. 

In December- I will do a vlog where i try and get myself in with a group of people just by doing the party tricks…. could go well but probably not.

Yoga and meditation 

This challenge again comes from the health and fitness goal with it being about mind and body. 

I wanted to include a challenge that I don’t have much interest in at all. to learn something completely new. And also to see if your dicks and choose it.  

What you get- Each month you learn my thoughts as I learn the art of medtion and yoga

In December I will post a Yoga and Mediation video on the youtube page…. not sure what it will be.”

So as you see these challenges are a way of trying somthing new and giving monthly updates on the subject and it is revilled to everyone on in December so If your not a Pateon you will have to wait to find out. But the one they have chosen will keep me busy and i’m looking forward to it, but not.

Apart from work and Patreon, it has been a slow week and I’m not expecting it to pick up any time soon. Which is the calm before the storm

I will leave you this week with a picture of the Patreon Of The Year Ross McIntyre

Date: 23/01/2021

A question I’ve been asking myself for months.

It’s easy with life to do the easy option, With me the easy option after the break up wasn’t to my mums house, in fact this possibly could of been the hardest decision I had to make at the time. But like a lot of the decisions I had to make at the time, it felt it was made for me, more than its being chose by myself.

I didn’t choose to break-up, I didn’t choose to move out my house – I couldn’t afford it alone. I didn’t choose leaving my job – well I did, but the option was to stay in a place that I barely enjoyed and work with the pain of seeing her everyday, With this, I felt the decision was made for me.

When choosing where to go with no money, no job, no house and very little idea what I was going to do with my life, My decision was to run away and hide. Manchester in fact. Due to the fact I could start new up there with a job in a bar and build a new life, I guess. Traveling when I wanted/ could afford too.

I’m trying to explain this the best way possible but what I’m trying to say my original plan was to get away from the situation rather than confront it and actually work out what I want in life and what I enjoy.

I would have run away and hide, if it wasn’t to the fact Lockdown and restrictions took this away from me in November, giving me little choice to move in with family making the situation real. So real I just worked on fixing a part of my life I Currently hated the most. My Debt. Working nonstop to get rid of it as quick as possible. Because in my head, the only thing that stopping me from running away right now is my debt. To be fair even with the restrictions there is a way of travelling during this time… some countries are open to tourism and have didfferent limitations but… This isn’t my idea of travel.

The moment of clarity

Over the last week, something happened to me. My head finally cleared. It stopped trying to make the best logical decision and let me think about what I want, what I would enjoy.

It must sound super weird to read but I spend the last 3 months just trying to logically solve everything a bit like a computer because I had switched off my emotions rather than dealing with them but at the time I didn’t know this.

Main function: Earn as much money as possible, spend as little as possible, pay off debts, go traveling

Every choice I made, I would use the above to make the decision.

So when I asked myself where I wanted to go when I pay off my debts the vague answer of traveling would come up with 7-10 Vague options.

What opened me back up and turned me human again? Writing did.

As some of might know I’m currently writing my second book which in a weird way is more for myself than anyone. I use this book in a similar way to this diary to reflected on stuff in life.

I hadn’t touch this book for around 3 to 4 months and in a way closed the book never to be opened again and never to be finished. But when opening to write a bit more down, it was difficult because the words on how I felt about stuff really had to come out, I felt so much better after, it was a nice release .

The best way of explaining the release and going from robot to human, was not like you was deaf and Then you could hear perfectly again. More like you had off hearing and you just noticed you haven’t been hearing well for the last 3 months, then over the next couple of weeks you start hearing noises like zips on coats and people chewing from the other side of the room as your hearing gets better and better.

This was me and over the last couple of weeks I started caring and feeling a lot more. I felt happier, Again it wasn’t like I was sad before, just numb with a smile. I got bored at work, yes over the last 3 months of working 60 hour weeks I didn’t feel bored or anything really just did the job to earn money. I someone asked me “how’s the job“. My reply would be “I get paid well.” Which isn’t an answer to the question, but that’s because I couldn’t answer the question as it involves feeling.

The main thing is and something I never noticed… “I’m now excited to travel” before in a video, this video….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5zYwDeMu0s

The bit where I’m at the bus stop I talk about “The itch of wanting to travel” This Itch looking back at it was more a need rather than a want. I needed just to get out, no emotion with it. I needed to run away.

Now I have the want, I’m excited for the future. I don’t need to get away to get away from life.

I don’t look at the bag no more and count down and say as soon as “I’m debt free I’m off anywhere. I don’t care.” I look at the bag now with hope, I see myself in a hostel somewhere chatting with random people. I see myself sweating my arse off not knowing when and where the next F%$king bus is at. I see myself back in Dublin on that pub crawl having a great laugh.

When I look at my YouTube Channel and this website, I don’t see it as something I have to do weekly to keep up with content otherwise I lose subs. I see it as a way getting a message across about something I enjoy. I forgot the feeling of this. It feels great to be back and really can’t remember when I felt this good. I can’t wait to get in front of that camera again and talk about trips and show amazing stuff and getting back in character as the Funny Backpacker for some challenges in places I can’t pronounce the names of.

But like travel, It will wait.

Scotland Here I Come?

when I think about what I want in my upcoming travel future there is Two things I want.

One: To be apart of the travel community, talk to like minded travelers and not about “I wish I could go travel again” Or “Throwback Picture to when we could travel last” I want to meet others that are actually traveling. Difficult I know, but there is one place I know is full with travelers … I’m not talking about hostels (even though this is my first port of call) Farms and working on farms. It’s Fucking hard work. Fast paced but the community makes it.

Two: Go somewhere new …. Sorry quick tweet

Sorry I’m was about to write this and I thought it sounded like a tweet so I tweeted it. I probably heard it from someone on twitter opps. But this is exactly what I want. I want to go to a new country or place and I want to not be able to understand simple things, so doing daily to things are fun and crazy and weird.

So why start it Scotland?

Well, lets just say I will be debt free in April/ May or close to debt free, It doesn’t mean one I’ll have the money to travel or 2 be able to with the Current limitations.

Scotland technically is one of the furthest places that I haven’t truly experienced. But again this isn’t the reason. The main reason is the fact I was thinking about the whole farm work and saw Scotland has a lot of farms in a “small” area. I say small I’m talking about the county of Fife. This is helpful because I can focus my job hunting to one area not to the world.

I want to try and do a full season. for 2 reasons, One the money but also a full Season would hopefully mean the farm would want me back again… Meaning it gives me more options when needing money in the future. This works out perfect as I believe my current job as a night shelf stocker would would have me back next Festive period or future period leaving me only a couple of months of the year where I would need to look for a new job if I needed one. Its like having an unofficial backup, as there is no guarantee but hope.

Where after Scotland?

Well there is two “places” that are currently holding my thoughts.

One being Eastern Europe. Traveling around eastern Europe. Going from Germany to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and finish in Bulgaria or something like this. I wouldn’t take to long to complete this probably only a month. It would be very unstructured and go where I felt on the day.

Unlike Eastern Europe taking a month I would be looking at 3-6 months in S.E Asia but again it wouldn’t be just about going place to place here but more staying an area for a couple of weeks and moving on when and if I felt like it. Much slower paced.

The plan is to be going on one or both of these late this year but its not just about money or my plans that might get in the way. The world needs to recover still.

So that’s my year plan

They have changed a lot I still want to achieve 4 out of the 6 on my list to achieve this for my Goal of “Traveling to every country in a year” -10 year Timeline

2021 plans

But with me now realising what I want, not what I need. I’ve delayed Applying for Uni. This is one to give me more time to find out about me in this new lifestyle. Two the exams for A-level was cancelled meaning I would be doing and Level and Uni at the same time, which is stupidly and pointlessly stressful.

This may of put me back a year, but I actually doubt it. As I feel this is the right path for me.

Anyways plans might change again soon anyways they always are changing at the moment. So let’s see what happens

Date: 19/01/2021

Planning, Saving and Waiting to Travel Update

As you should already know that I’m planning to travel soon but can’t due to the restrictions put on the world currently, lockdowns and the fact i’m in massive debt, I can’t travel YET.

This was my last update for you guys which was released 5 weeks ago. But closer to 2 months due to filming, editing and publishing.

I would love to say a lot has happened in 2 months and this update is going to be extremely helpful for you guys that are saving to travel…

Just knowing that saving is boring and hard is helpful but in the way of “a lot happening” that would be a lie.

So the build-up to Christmas and New years happened and as Christmas got closer I got more and more tired and generally exhausted. I believe this was due to the fact I do night shifts at the supermarket. When I started in November I did 2 nights the first week then 5 nights a week, then 6 a week to build up to Christmas where I was doing 7 nights a week for a 2 week period. The feeling like shit, the nose bleeds and the random fainting was just down to being overworked and pulling over 60 hour weeks…

Christmas arrived and I was so tired all day, I felt shit to be fair and I struggled to take on this…

But Boxing day, I was back at it. Back to work for 2 nights then off for 3. Well, that’s what I thought… Got a call on the third night. “where are you?” “it’s my Night off” “Oh is it, can you come in?” “Yes of course…” And like that, I lost my next 3 nights off. My next day off was in a weeks time… But again stuff doesn’t go to plan”

New year’s Eve 2020: I get home from work to find one of my family feeling run down like me, but with coughing and a temperature. 2 of the symptoms that meant me phoning up work and telling them I can’t come in due to a household member having symptoms. I had to isolated for 10 days or until the test came back negative. But it didn’t it came back positive.

Within the first day I had my energy back but they get worse for the next 5 days getting to a stage when they would be out of breath just talking. They recovered but it was scary at times especially with reports of hospitals filling up. Was it me that gave it to them? Did I have it? Or was I just overworked?

Hindsight I believe I had it. After seeing my family member having a lot of my symptoms and more (being the symptoms you have to isolate for). My workplace people all over the shop have it, prior to my isolation and even prior to my feeling weak and even still it’s being passed around like your mum. I do feel guilty, But I did everything by the book. But knowing what I know now I would lie to the government and said I had symptoms, just to get a test and isolated then. *Update the are starting to roll out non-symptom tests for the general public.

So what did I do In isolation for ten days…

Cracked out this bad boy.

The Wii, But more importantly the Wii Fit

I didn’t just play the Wii Fit, I won the Wii Fit…

Ski Jump
That stupid arse balancing the balls in the holes.
That snowball one

You probably notice a theme on this Wii fit, yes my name is now on the top spot, but my sister, Emma was there. Playing the Wii over the 10 days wasn’t about having fun or losing weight just knocking my competitive sister off the top spot for as many games as possible, as she isn’t in the household and sending her these pictures over what’s app annoyed the fuck out of her. She held the records since 2009, yes the Wii might not be used much in other houses at the moment…But it’s still highly competitive here.

Since returning to work at 10 past midnight on the 10th I have been working every day since. with my next day off on This Friday to give blood (linked in case you want to donate to, as your not travelling out the country you can do it.)

Working 14 nights in a row is difficult and my neck aches a little but hopefully, that will improve in the next couple of days. Also started packing my bag with stuff from amazon but more on that later

I have no plans at the moment to get out the camera but I have ideas of what I need to film, other than general updates. These will probably be articles on this website too when I get round to it. (will link these when they are on the site)

Date: 18/01/2021

Introduction and Why I’ve made this diary

Where the hell do I start with this, Do I tell you who I am? Well if your on this site you know I’m Sean Brett AKA the Funny Backpacker. But a little bit of

my history can be found here: https://funnybackpacker.com/sean-brett/

Then Move on to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfZFXPvR-Tk&t=436s

See this is going to be a very lazy writing style, it is a diary. I will talk about the stuff I want to talk about and link you to things I’ve spoken about previously. It makes sense. If you are a fan it will bore you to look over this stuff again, and if you haven’t seen it more watch time and clicks for me, win,win.

So You know who I am, and if you have been following the “10 years to travel the world in a year” you will know how I lost everything, moved to my parents in Essex 2020, it was during Lockdown 2.0, got a Temp night job and planned to travel when everything went back to normal.

Then In the last video promised to update you about Christmas and New Years and If I kept my job due to it being a temp Christmas job but I wasn’t able to it and it has been nearly 3 weeks.

So why haven’t I filmed, Well Lockdown 3 happened. This lockdown means I can’t go out and film and I don’t want to film my parent’s house… So it left me no choice but not to film.

So This is where this blog will come in handy, This blog has a lot more uses than just being a lockdown blog or a blog when I can’t film. it will be a weekly update to my current life… As the videos take time to edit, record and write scripts and normally I will wait to update you on a whole subject in the video from start to finish. The video is a little delayed of around two weeks. Unlike this blog, I plan to write every Sunday but nothing is stopping me writing every day. So make sure you check back regularly.

But don’t worry when I can film there will be this blog and the videos again. Just a heads up, you guys that read this, might get a preview of what’s to come on the videos.

Who is this blog for? You, If your reading this you want to know more about real travel life or your maybe a friend, family that might want to know I’m alive and what continent I’m currently in. This blog is going to be unlike the other articles I’m not directly going to give tips on places or ways to travel but I will link you to the tips I used or wrote about because of my travels.

All I know is this diary is going to be messy, structurally messy. How do I know this? Well, it’s about my Travel life and that’s exactly what that is like.

Disclaimer: The way I proofread, anything, My books, Other Articles on this website, long paragraphs to friends bitching about over friends, is by using text to speech and listing back and correcting as I listen. Doing this for a diary blog post might prove difficult at times so bear with me if words are missing or misspelt. oh and there may be the odd swear word too.

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