AN ARTIST has revealed how she impulsively decided to drop everything and travel the world, sometimes living off as little as £5 a day to do it.
Erica Pham,27 felt like her life was over after she graduated from university and started working in a nail salon.
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On a whim, she and her boyfriend Terrydecided to both quit their jobs, pack up their lives and start travelling with no plan and no tickets booked.
It was a three-year adventure through Europe, including 16 countries.
Erica shared her story with Sun Online about how she was able to complete her journey while spending as little money as possible.
She explained that “it wasn’t in high season, because it was literally at year-end.” We were able to find very affordable places mainly through Airbnb.
“We wouldn’t live in private houses, but we would rent houses in the middle village to stay with the family. We ate dinner together.
“We stayed in hostels for £3 pounds and we volunteered as well, and they put us up in exchange for that.”
Erica and Terry left their Peugeot, an old Peugeot with a broken engine, in the beginning.
They took the hatchback all of the way to Athens, and it was eventually abandoned.
The couple learned how to maximize their time and budget while traveling through Europe.
“If you go to a city, you might get art museums and galleries for free,”Erica.
You can also rent a bike and explore a whole city in one day. It all depends on what you are looking for.
“If you are looking for a particular type of experience, it might be necessary to pay money.
“But if all you want to do is just see the culture and what people are like, see what art’s around and things like that, you can do all of that for nothing.”
Erica and Terry had one thing in common when they traveled: eating cheap. This meant that there were very few restaurants to choose from.
The pair was able to live frugally at university, and they were able to eat well while staying within their budget. They also had a lot of fun.
Erica stated, “We were purchasing produce from supermarkets, and you know, going Lidls or Aldis.
“We even had our own cooker in the back of our car so that we could make our own food. It was just like pasta, or student food.
Eating cheap does not necessarily mean eating bad food. You could eat fresh fruits, vegetables, and bread.
“And you get five litres of wine in the Aldi section – you get this fake-looking barrel that’s made out of plastic and has a tap on it. And it’s three quid for five litres of wine.”
After leaving Europe, the couple traveled to India and Australia. They returned to the UK in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Erica was able to discover a passion through the whole experience. ArtPainting is a particular example.
She now takes her journey back through her work, which is done from a Manchester studio.
She said: “I had Start sketchingWhile I was in Australia, it all started to snowball once I returned to the UK.
“I was painting all the nooks and crannies where tourists don’t usually go and it made me feel like I was revisiting everywhere I’d been.
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“I needed that experience to motivate me now, and make sure that I am able to get out of my comfort zone and put myself out there. to try new things.
Erica isn’t the only travel expert who can tell you how to save money on your trip.
These Squeeze Team hacks can help you save money on your summer trip.
Meanwhile, this mum has revealed how she managed a summer holiday this year for less than £2.
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