A Week-In-The-Life of Ed: RexyEdventures

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Ed Rex is a British RTW Solo Travel Digital Nomad who decided to jack in his corporate job to follow his dreams and recapture his childlike wanderlust whilst blogging his โ€œRexyEdventuresโ€. He is also deaf and wants to show other deaf people that they too can travel around the world solo. Please enjoy this week-in-the-life of Ed as he embarks on a new chapter in his life.

This post was originally published in 2012. It has since been updated for accuracy of links and content. 

Day 1 โ€“ Sunday 1st January 2012

Today, my life will change. After keeping it a secret for sooo long, the zip covering my mouth can be unzipped. I will now tell the world of my 2012 RexyEdventures travel plans that will be taking place this year! Off to SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and USA! I cannot wait! I announce it to all my family, friends and the travel community over my blog. Iโ€™m giddy. Iโ€™m excited. Iโ€™m awesome! All day Iโ€™m bouncing around with a smile from ear to ear and on this day, itโ€™s certainly a NEW YEARโ€™s DAY!

Ed of RexyEdventures, about to start traveling the world

Day 2 โ€“ Monday 2nd January 2012

I receive my paper copies of my RTW Tickets in my hands. Iโ€™m finally going! Everything is real. I check out the coveted flight numbers and stare intently at the destinations.

See also: Things to do Before You Travel

I relax in a bath reading a guidebook about SE Asia. What I’ve been reading finally makes senseโ€ฆI will be going to these places. Bangkok! Vang Vieng! Siem Reap! Hoi An! Singapore! Panang! Everywhere!

I make my travel new year resolutions. No alcohol until I go travelling โ€“ three full months (sob sob)! Tone my body up to look good for travel photos (ha ha), try to do a photo-a-day challenge to symbolize travelling, backpack around Britain, and ensure my travel planning goes smoothly.

Will I keep to them? Of course I will!

Day 3 โ€“ Tuesday 3rd January 2012

I leave my family home to go back to the daily grind of work. I travel down to Leicester, where I work at my own pace. I think about family. Will they be okay while Iโ€™m gone on my travels?

Arriving back, I sort out some of my belongings. I am moving to another place this week to help cut costs and sort out bills before I go. Itโ€™s a long arduous process and I throw out or give to charity a huge portion of my belongings. I canโ€™t exactly carry everything in my apartment in one rucksack on my travels can I?
(See also: check out what to pack for full-time travel).

I find my old I love Munich T-Shirt. I thought I lost it! Brings back good memories of beer, sightseeing, a harrowing experience of a concentration camp, a side trip to Salzburg and dancing on the fountain to The Sound of Music in the rain!

I love Munich T-shirt, a fav possession for RexyEdventures

I have dinner with my friend and which we discuss where I will be travelling to. This gets me excited again!

Day 4 โ€“ Wednesday 4th January 2012

I move more of my stuff over to my new place. Take my readings. Itโ€™s still a long arduous process!

I check out travel visas and figure out which ones I need to sort out before I go. Vietnam, Australia and USA it is!

I practice packing my new rucksack. And againโ€ฆ.and againโ€ฆand again. Hmmm, this needs fine-tuning and also I need to pack less. This makes me write out a packing list. I cut it down by half. Leave it for a while. Add a few more items. Then a couple of hours later, my original packing list has doubled. Damn!

Ed Rexy ready with the rucksack to travel the world

I read more about Australia. Where do I want to go? Everywhere! But Great Barrier Reef to snorkel is number one.

It has been a slow day at work, now I have told everyone outside of work that I am travellingโ€ฆI want to travel nowโ€ฆit seems like the work days are going ever slower! Iโ€™ve yet to hand in my noticeโ€ฆ

Day 5 โ€“ Thursday 5th January 2012

Iโ€™m bricking it. Todayโ€™s the day Iโ€™m handing in my notice at work for travels.

I try to catch my managerโ€™s attention all morning. No avail. I try making him stay behind at a meeting that morning but the meeting runs late and we are kicked out of the room. I try catching him at lunch but food calls me. I try catching him all afternoon but computer issues catch him. I try catching him in the kitchen but I spy a Yorkshire Tea. I try catching him when Iโ€™m putting on my coat but he wants to discuss future plans.

Finally, I try catching him when Iโ€™m walking through the door; I say โ€˜Can I have a private word?โ€™ Heโ€™s completely surprised by the news but accepts. I feel a sense of trepidation, relief, amazing, very nervous, and excited and also a sense of loss. That happens when you hand in your notice.

I slowly unwind by reading about New Zealand. Milford Soundโ€ฆhere I come!

Day 6 โ€“ Friday 6th January 2012

Everyone now finally knows Iโ€™m travelling soon. Family, Friends, Work, Travel Community and everyone!

I check out travel insurance. There are hundreds of deals! Which one is the best? I pour over my computer for ages figuring out the best one. I ask people on Twitter, I ask people on Facebook. Does anyone know what the best deal is? I narrow down some options but Iโ€™m still confused.

I get de-stressed by reading about Fiji. Just looking at the photos make me relaxed. Imagine how relaxed I will feel when Iโ€™m there! Am I recapturing my wanderlust? My enthusiasm for life? Itโ€™s all coming back!

Day 7 โ€“ Saturday 7th January 2012

I finally officially move over to my new place. From this moment on, my living costs are cut 45%. The amount I save will go into the travel pot!

I collapse on the sofa, bring out my laptop and research what to do in USA. Grand Canyon? Vegas? San Francisco? Yellowstone? Iโ€™m there!

Finally, I chill out, have a pizza, and wonder whatโ€™s to come.

I cannot wait for the travels and my Rexy Edventures. Bring it on!

At the end of March, Ed will be leaving Heathrow to go to Bangkok to start an eight-month journey around the world going through SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and USA. But that’s not the end; he’s already starting to plan out his 2013 itinerary. Check out his website at Rexy Edventures to follow along his journey, and be sure to follow him on Twitter @rexyedventures and Facebook too!

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4 thoughts on “A Week-In-The-Life of Ed: RexyEdventures”

  1. Yay! Rexy’s one of my favourite bloggers out there – he’s getting everywhere online these days, right little travel celeb haha! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Can’t wait to read about this adventures – good luck! I’ll be hugely disappointed if there are no hilarious tales of Bangkok’s Red Light district, kangaroos, and being a cheesy tourist in Hollywood (take note Mr Ed haha ๐Ÿ˜› )

    Great interview!

    Reply
  2. Of course I am biased as all get out, but you are going to enjoy NZ the most. The people, the sunsets, the scenery, cannot be beaten.

    Reply

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