It’s time for another change on AdventureRob.com! Don’t worry, it’s not a redesign (I’m still pleased as a peach about the current design), but I will be lowering the quantity and more importantly increasing the quality of posts.
I’ve managed to keep a consistent 3 posts a week for the past half year (including the mid-week photo) but this means occasionally I have to rush posts to keep up the quota. My personal situation now is I have little money remaining to travel, so I shall be heading back home to the UK to concentrate on producing income. Whilst this website does bring in some money, it’s just covering website costs as opposed to providing an income I can live on, and this is fine as I never set out to make money here anyway.
Another note is I have got rid of Google Ads on this website. They aren’t adding anything for my readers which is turn is making me nothing either. Plus it makes the place look more tidy.
I’m not sure how much interesting things I can write about home life when I return, hence lowering number of weekly posts means I can write about travel for longer. I guess there will be more insights and opinions and less destination specific posts, which is alright as they are usually more interesting anyway, I mean, how many of you really want me to write about XXX and everything there is to do there?
So my plan now is to get a part time job to pay bills and focus primarily on starting a few businesses. I could keep them secret, as most business start ups are, but that just means failure to do them won’t be public; which is good for reputation, but bad for motivation. So I’ll take a risk here for a bit of extra motivation…
The first business is to build a network of travel websites. Clearly money comes in from this niche as I’m doing it myself as are many fellow travel bloggers, but I don’t have multiple websites which is the key to expanding this idea. How much money would McDonalds rake in if they only had a few restaurants? This shouldn’t take too long as I can cross design over between websites using the thesis theme (Which AdventureRob.com runs on) and yet they will all look a bit different still (a bit like re-decorating your house every few years). Next is the content, I’m confident a week of dedication will get me 6 months content per website, maybe more, so this is a very do-able idea for me, the most work will go into marketing after its all set up (something I’ve still not mastered).
Secondly I had an idea of an online photography website, it will be basic and mainly aimed at printing out photos for the home market and framing them. This I’ll need help to do so requires a bit of investment and research to set up, and then the dreaded marketing afterwards of course.
Third and final idea is an adventure tour company. Unique adventures for young people. I’m not talking about competing with travel agents, package tours and contiki here, but something a bit more niche and unique that I think there is a market for as long as the price is right (which will be the hard bit). I’m still not sure whether to take profit from this or make it fully non-profit with all proceeds to charity.
By the end of the year I will be travelling to a different country long term on another working holiday visa, so I’ll have some great experiences to talk about into next year. .
So now what? Cheap Air Asia flight home? Oh no, I want to end this period of travel in style. So I will head to Beijing, China and catch the Transsiberian railway all the way to Moscow, Russia. I’ve not thought of how I will get from Moscow home yet, but that doesn’t matter for now.
So, thats me for this year, What changes are you making in life this year?
{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Taking the Transsiberian Railway? I am absolutely the epitome of jealous right now. You’ve had such an amazing journey through Australia, and I’m excited to see where your travels take you in the future.
Changes for me? Well, the redesign of my website is happening this weekend (fingers crossed that all goes well). I have a few travel plans set for the next couple weeks and then I’ll let the wind take me wherever it wants me to go.
Will you be going to TBEX in June?
.-= JoAnna´s last blog – Cinnamon Rolls Aboard the ms Eurodam – Recipe Included! =-.
Wow the Transsiberian – that’s awesome! I’ve loved reading about your journeys and good luck with all those business ideas.
.-= Amiee´s last blog – Why I Love the West: Dirt Roads =-.
Definitely want to hear about your experience in Russia!
Thanks Joanna – look forward to seeing the new website redesign! Since I wrote this I’ve been considering changing mine slightly, but it’ll be more like adding a splash of paint rather than rearrange the furniture.
I won’t be able to afford to make it to TBEX unfortunately :-(
Thanks Amiee – Hopefully when I start to concentrate on the businesses I’ll document how that goes here as well as the travels.
Abbie – stay tuned then! It’ll all be up later on this year hopefully n_n Need to do the trip first though!
changes changes! changes are good. especially if they challenge you to keep striving to be everything you can be! well, looking at the trip u mapped out, if you are not broke now, you will be by the end of it :P LOL
great Rob, sounds really fantastic and I am totally psyched for you! wishing u all the best. I cannot wait to read about the adventures u encounter, on your way home :)
.-= ciki´s last blog – Why I cannot get enough of Thailand =-.
wow! i am jealous too…always dreamt of the trans-siberian. Good luck with everything and looking forward to reading about it :)
Oh man, putting it all down on map like that makes you realize how much distant you’ve covered or are about to cover. SO MUCH. Crazy. Changes for me? We shall see…
.-= Candice´s last blog – I Don’t Give a Damn How You Travel =-.
Ciki – I am broke now! The sale of my campervan in Australia will fund the rest of this trip and I’ll probably arrive home broke! haha
Denise – Yeah I think the trans-siberian is something every traveller should have a go on at some point in their life. Which is why I am! n_n
Candice – Yes, that’s a good point, it is quite a long way, I believe 8 time zones the rail goes through!
Wow Rob, as per the other comments, I”m extremely jealous of the Transiberian Railway trip! Sounds amazing. Your business ideas seem pretty solid as well, good luck there!
.-= Matt´s last blog – Friday Travel Photo: New Zealand Sunrise =-.
Wow, you’ve got loads of plans! Good luck with them all.
If you ask me the best way for you to continue your journey from Moscow to the UK would be more trains. Moscow – Berlin – Brussels – London. All by train. Anyway, that’s in the future. Love to read about your transcontinental train journey.
Thanks very much Matt, I hope I can get the businesses, or at least one of them going sucessfully :-)
Rob those sound like some amazing changes. Let me also add I’m extremely jealous of your Trans Siberian Railway trip. Can’t wait to read about that. And the business ventures sound like fantastic ideas. I’m sure they’ll be very successful.
My big life change this year – going back to school.
.-= Alouise´s last blog – List #1 – Things That Will Never Be :( =-.
Sounds like a great plan :)
Thanks for comment Maria, The train will definitely be a consideration when I’m in Moscow, although I’m pretty sure I’ll be fed up with trains by the time I get there!
Going back to school is a big change Alouise! I’ve thought about it too, it is a big commitment. Thanks for stopping by.
Did you start learning Russian already? :)
.-= Vi´s last blog – How much cost taxi from Kathmandu airport to city =-.
wow u r really taking up big challenges. we r looking forward to see how ur projects go, good luck with that. changes are good!
Vi – No, I won’t be in the country long enough to start studying the language, although Russian looks interesting, the text is so straight and lacks curves in the letters, which is pretty unique :-)
I am sure it will be fun to ride train with locals :D
p.s. what tool did you use to draw your route ?
.-= Vi´s last blog – Don’t forget to change time on your camera =-.
Didn’t use any tool, I got that photo online somewhere.
Shame, I just discovered your blog and you’re heading home already. Good luck with the business plans. I’m just working on setting up my own travel blog, and I also head back to blighty each year for a cash injection, so it’ll be intersesting to see how you keep the site going when you get back.
Russ
Hi Russ,
I’m heading home, but that is certainly not the end of the blog, I admit travel will become a smaller part of it, but it’ll still keep on going with probably more interesting things anyway :-)
Good luck with your travel blog, let me know when you’ve got it going.
.-= AdventureRob´s last blog – Samul Street Performance in Seoul =-.
Travel would be so easy if you didn’t need money! I totally understand what you’re trying to do. Monetizing your love of travel is what many of us are attempting to do. Will keep watching…
.-= brian´s last blog – Shut Out Doubters, Shut Down Your Own Doubt and Travel =-.
It certainly would!
I don’t want to overly use travel to fund my future, as if I stop travelling then the money stops, I think a lot of people overlook the fact they might want to stop one day too, which is why I want several ways for money to come in.
Thanks for stopping by Brian n_n
Always it is good to have couple sources of income and even better when some of it comes not only from internet.
.-= Vi´s last blog – What’s on in Sydney in April =-.
Yes, long term plan for me would be offline income as well as online, however that is typically more expensive to start up, apart from URLs I have everything I need already paid for to get online income coming in :)
.-= AdventureRob´s last blog – Esperance =-.
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