Tom Rogers, 24, and Anna Faustino, 27, are currently in Sumatra, Indonesia.
2015-09-22Together, they've also tackled parts of Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. Combined, their travel history stretches across much of the globe, from Greece to Cambodia to Singapore.
After meeting on the road, the two travelers decided to head off on a new adventure together, building a blog, Adventure in You, to support themselves as they see the world.
Here's how they're making it work.
Follow along on their site, Facebook, or Instagram, @adventureinyou.
Rogers and Faustino met in 2014, while sand-sledding in Vietnam.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on May 20, 2015 at 4:01am PDT
Sand sledding in Mui Ne, Vietnam.
Rogers was six months into the two years of travel he'd planned, after leaving the UK with £15,000 (~$23,300) he'd saved from his university stipends. Faustino was coming to the end of her own year-long trip, planning to head back home to the Philippines.
Motorbiking in Vietnam.
They went their separate ways, reconnecting briefly in Thailand. A few months later, Rogers moved to the Philippines, taking a full-time job with a tech startup while Faustino finished a year-long masters course.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on May 8, 2015 at 6:25pm PDT
At the Spider House Resort in Boracay, in the Philippines.
They stayed there for eight months, starting a blog to document their adventures so far in the spring of 2015. In July, Rogers was exploring a new job opportunity in the Philippines when they had a better idea: head back out onto the road, this time together.
In the Philippines.
"The reason I decided to leave my current job and turn down the other was because I hadn't done the full round-the-world trip I had always planned to do," Rogers says. "Simply put, I hadn't seen enough just yet."
In Koh Tao, Thailand.
Plus, their blog had started getting some traction, and they wanted to take some time to focus on it fully. "I saw the potential to monetize it, and we both wanted nothing more than to travel again while trying to build something we love," Rogers says.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Jul 1, 2015 at 2:28am PDT
Getting ready to leave the Philippines.
They left the Philippines in July, heading first to Indonesia. "I left with about £7,000 (~$10,800) and Anna with about £5,000 (~ $7,700), with the aim to work on the move," Rogers says. "We're open to taking jobs when we need to, but we decided until we're down to our last $1,000, we won't take other jobs — just focus on building our site."
In Cemoro Lawang, Indonesia.
They budget $15-$20 each per day, a total of $900-$1,200 a month for both of them together. (They now track their earning and spending in USD for simplicity.) "Sometimes we do find it uncomfortable, and sometimes we do want to treat ourselves," Rogers says.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Aug 26, 2015 at 8:02pm PDT
In Ubud, Bali.
As their site is still new, it isn't earning enough to cover both of their expenses. The second month of their travels, between some freelance writing and advertising and sponsorships on their site, they earned about $750. According to the business plan Rogers drew up before they left, they're aiming to earn $1,000 in September.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Mar 14, 2015 at 3:30am PDT
In Bagan, Myanmar.
One trick they use to reduce their expenses is to work with hotels and tour companies for complimentary stays and tours in exchange for reviews on the site. "Our treats are those free stays and accommodations which we wouldn't spend on for ourselves," Rogers says. They've secured around $2,000 in free services so far.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Jun 1, 2015 at 3:08am PDT
In Cambodia.
They also make a point of familiarizing themselves with the local prices as soon as possible after they arrive in a new place, especially if the currency is unfamiliar. "A lot of people who travel from the UK and US, when we arrive somewhere, we see something in that currency and we think it's fine, then we learn it's three times cheaper normally," Rogers says.
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Aug 20, 2015 at 1:42am PDT
In the Gili Islands, Indonesia.
Faustino adds that clinging to Western culture can also drive up a traveler's spending. "When you look at the menus and stuff when you're traveling, there are Western options," she says. "They're double the price. You have to be ready to step out of your comfort zone."
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Feb 1, 2015 at 12:37am PST
In Oslob, the Philippines.
"People who want to travel should start looking at the ways they can use their skills online," Rogers advises. "Anna can write and design, and I had basic experience in product development, so I looked into coding and designing a website. If you're looking at traveling a bit longer, look at what you're good at and see if you can do it online."
A photo posted by Tom&Anna (@adventurein_you) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:28am PDT
In Batu Karas, Indonesia.
