How to take a break from work and travel in Europe on a budget

In 2023, Rowena Hennigan got here to a troublesome however crucial conclusion — she wanted an prolonged break from work.

Hennigan was coping with disrupted sleep, nervousness, mind fog — all regular signs of menopause – but it surely was wreaking havoc on her work and her psychological well being.

She mentioned she tried train, a brand new weight-reduction plan, hormone dietary supplements, remedy and occasional days of respite, however a number of nights of damaged sleep would set off stress — and made her really feel like she was operating on a hamster wheel.

However as a self-employed distant work guide, taking time is simpler mentioned than accomplished.

“Being afraid that what I had constructed from nothing over six years — my enterprise, my purchasers, my viewers, my lifetime of work-from-anywhere freedom — can be in danger made me hesitate. If I finished, would I lose all of it?” mentioned Hennigan.

“Then I noticed … how might I be a complete, fruitful and properly particular person with out my well being? I accepted the fact that I might solely get well from correct relaxation.”

Hennigan’s four-month break from her enterprise, RoRemote, began in December 2023. Although her husband continued working, she set a strict price range for her time away as she was with out her personal earnings, she mentioned.

Initially from Dublin, Hennigan and her household — who are actually primarily based in Zaragoza, Spain — spent the year-end holidays in Gran Canaria, the biggest of Spain’s Canary Islands. They stayed with buddies, eliminating lodging prices, and saved to a price range of 20 euros (round $21.50) per particular person per day for meals and drinks.

The journey was 15 days lengthy.

Complete value for Hennigan’s portion: $731, together with flights 

Again in Zaragoza, Hennigan budgeted in her portion of her household’s fastened prices for lease, payments and meals.

This totaled about $860 monthly, or $3,440 for the 4 months of her sabbatical.

That did not go away a lot left for her journey price range, however Hennigan had a plan, she mentioned.

Complete fastened prices: round $3,440

In mid-January, Hennigan set off for a close to four-week keep within the Spanish Pyrenees with a price range of round $54 per day.

Her greatest expenditure was a one-bedroom Airbnb: $915, or round $32 per night time. However she was capable of eat and drink for simply $16 per day, on common, by purchasing at native supermarkets.

Consuming out can be inexpensive in Spain, she mentioned. A espresso and sandwich in a restaurant averaged $11-$13, she mentioned, whereas a restaurant’s three-course “menu del dia” (lunch of the day) would begin at round $21.50 per particular person, she mentioned.

Her predominant exercise, climbing, was free. Hennigan mentioned she had deliberate to ski, as she had credit score on her ski move from final yr, however there was little snow this yr due to hotter climate.

Top-of-the-line components: Hennigan’s husband and 10-year-old daughter joined her on the weekends.

“I’m so grateful for this assist from my household. It makes such a distinction, figuring out there was a compromise to be discovered,” she mentioned.

Complete prices: $1,502

Hennigan returned house for a couple of month, spending weekends at a pal’s home in Valencia, round three hours away, and snowboarding in Formigal, round two hours away. In Formigal, she break up time staying with buddies and at a lodge, the latter a Christmas current from her husband, whereas using ski credit score bought in 2023. Her greatest value throughout this time: about $170 in petrol, she mentioned.

Then in late March, she set off for a month-long journey to Villembits, France. Via Trusted Housesitters, she discovered a four-bedroom farmhouse, which was free in return for caring for the proprietor’s chickens, cats and gardens.

She arrived two days earlier than the homeowners left to study the home and the chores she was required to do. Finishing all these duties took about 5 hours a day, she mentioned, break up throughout the morning and night, leaving her free to hike and discover the native space in the course of the day.

Hennigan spent the primary few days on her personal, earlier than her husband and daughter joined her.

“It was such a distinct environment and vibe from traditional rental lodging,” she mentioned. “It was a house, with a lot of bedrooms, backyard, outhouses, a library, summer season room, a fully-stocked kitchen, an attic, artwork room and two places of work. There was a lot room to discover and luxuriate in the entire completely different nooks and crannies.”

Right here, Hennigan spent round $11 a day on meals, as she principally ate eggs from the property’s chickens, and greens from the backyard, she mentioned. Her daughter used the eggs and components from the kitchen to bake desserts, and so they each used mint from the herb backyard to make tea.

The household plans to do one other home sit in France throughout their summer season holidays this yr, she mentioned.

Complete prices: round $300 (excluding Trusted Housesitters’ annual membership charge of $240)

Hennigan spent slightly below $6,000 throughout her four-month sabbatical, spending most of her time on free actions like climbing and native sightseeing.

She was capable of break free from work, although she mentioned she allotted an hour each Monday to verify her e mail inbox and one instantaneous message channel, the place her digital assistant would share any necessary messages.

She’s now again at work, and has taken on a part-time head of distant operations function for a cryptocurrency and cloud computing startup, alongside her wider consultancy. 

“My power and focus has returned,” she mentioned. “The largest studying is that I can take most of the classes from taking supported relaxation with me now into my day by day work and schedules.”

Plus, she mentioned, she realized her fears about breaking away have been unfounded, and that her purchasers have been understanding and supportive of her determination.

“Being open about needing to relaxation as a precedence, whereas asking for assist and getting a lot of assist in return, was an actual lesson in human understanding and kindness,” she mentioned.  “As soon as I knew I had assist, I discovered I obtained higher at planning and organizing, realizing I might actually shut the laptop computer and relaxation as deliberate.”