I recently had one of the typical "what if" discussions with the wife. We both are in "good" jobs because we studied fast and hard in order to get there. We both did not take a "gap year" and love travelling a lot. While far from being rich, we do have the savings to be able to live a couple of months without an income... so we discussed the - still very hypothetical - idea to take some months off to make a sabbatical.

I do not want to say more up front as I would love to hear your ideas: What would you do in 3-6 months off the job? Who has actually done something like this and would like to share some of the positive as well as negative experiences?

It really depends on what you want. A keen sailor I know took a year sabbatical, bought a boat, christianed it "Scherzo" and sailed around the world.

For me, I spent it in Cambodia volunteering with a shelter for rescued women and children of sex trafficking. Opened my eyes to much more things around me and changed alot of my perspectives. Its different reading or watching films and documentaries about it and working with these women daily - be it teaching them English, sewing or chatting. Does take a toll on you when you go to bed at night (I cried myself to sleep in the first two weeks because I was so overwhelmed), but at the end of the 6 months, I came away much more refreshed and a stronger person than I ever was.

I took time off work at 25 after we moved here. Having studied and then working for 4.5 years in London wore me out. Just before quitting my job, I bought 2 flats and planned to renovated them. Great fun - and I got to catch up with all my friends back in London while the work was done and I had a place to stay. It was nice not having to do DIY after working all day

The last 2 work breaks I had a baby to keep me company, but I also volunteered using my IT skills.

I would take a minimum of 6 months off and actually would consider going for a year. All depends on if work will give you the time or if you are confident enough to chuck the job and get a new one when you come back.

I know a guy who bought a landrover and drove it from Switzerland around Africa for a year.
I have 2 friends at the moment who have taken a year and a bit off and have just been travelling around the world. Turkey - India - Nepal - Burma - Thailand - Australia - New Zealand - USA - Columbia - Chile - Argentina
They have worked a bit in various countries doing house sitting, or various temp jobs, just for the little bit of extra money.

When I had some time off I took an intensive German course and then did some travelling. In hind sight I would have taken more time off and done more travelling. Probably I would like to do something focused instead of just "travelling" like riding a horse across Mongolia,crewing a tall ship for a month or driving a car across Asia.
I've always really fancied going to all the bits of the world that Britain still owns, but I guess that isn't of such interest for you.

I can't really think of any negatives. It can be quite intense I guess if you spend all your time with just one person and to begin with it is quite a shock. Not getting up and going to work is a little disconcerting. Took me a while to get my head around having to organise my own day etc.

If you can do it, do it.

Hi

I think I would go to live every 3 months in another place... Once Paris, then Berlin, then...
Just to know were I feel nice!...

Years ago was 6 months on an Israeli kibbutz. Best thing I ever did.

What about the Pilgrims path from Santiago de Compostela in Spain to mid-Europe (that is if you like walking and hiking)?

On the negative side I never found such a well paid job again as the one I gave up

My husband's a teacher at a Gymnasium here in Zurich. Every xxx years they get a couple of months off to refresh the batteries, so to speak.

His next Sabbatical will be in 2013 (6 months in total) and he plans to drive from Amsterdam to Vladivostok and back (he's started taking Russian lessons now). I'll be accompanying him on part of the way back (Iran, Turkey etc.) - I run my own company and can't be away for the whole 6 months.

I can only say - Do it whilst you can!!

once stayed with some people in Zürich who biked all across america.

The husband went from Alaska all the way down to Argentina in a year.
The wife joined him around central America for a few months.

Come to think of it I believe they had just recently started dating when he left for his year long bike trek.

If I were to take a sabbatical it would be to go elsewhere for sure. Staying at home is pointless obviously

I met several people with similar statements. What did you do there? I understood that "Kibbutz" is today something rather vague and can range from farming to high tech...

I am pretty sure that it is the other way: From central Europe to Santiago Hiking sounds like fun, but to be honest had I already far too many "religious catholics" in my life that I do no really see myself doing that. Otherwise surely a classic.

These are the typical worries we would have as well.

Most countries have a famous hiking trail. If you fancy hiking you can find some great routes, they don't have to be religious.

Across Iceland would really appeal to me, or trekking through Nepal, boat trip along the Amazon, sea kayaking around the Mediterranean/Caribbean/Alaska, I canoed down the Danube to Budapest once, would love to carry on to reach the Black sea...I could play this game all day.

EDIT: A kibbutz wouldn't really appeal to me. It would be going on holiday to work and the religious thing really grates with me.

I do like hiking, but I do not see me doing it for months... I guess I would rather use something in the line of this for transportation. Looks like reinfocred expedition vehicles depreciate quite well, 25k EUR does not seem too much for this one in my eyes.

My dad drove most of the Panamericana, but I think I would be more interested in Asia. The problem I have when looking at the globe is the "going there" part as soon as you leave Turkey. A friend drove through Iran to India. I would love to see the Persian cultural heritage, but I am not sure if I want to really drive through some of the least stable regions of this world on my own... right now they have obivously some additional flood issues, so I guess it will not get more stable and safe to drive through Pakistan either any time soon.

http://mongolrally.theadventurists.com/
There is a rally that goes to Mongolia from London every year...there is some good information, or links to good information about routes you can take.

That's one problem we're looking at too..... all those "....stan" countries along the way. We have a LR-Defender 110 and we'd never do this trip with anything that can't be repaired at some totally out-of-the-way workshop with a blowtorch and some wire.

I did exactly that in when I was 30. Arranged 5 months unpaid leave at my company in Zurich, loaded up with a backback and sleeping bag and good hiking shoes, then took a train to Rome, flight to Kathmandu, hiked all around Nepal and spent 2 months in India winding up in 2 months in Thailand/Taiwan/California, then back to Zurich. Best thing I ever did. My experiences:

- It is very easy to do: the worldwide backpackers network is a well worn path
- You meet tons of people doing the same, they all fill you in on where's the best places to go
- Internet and phone are everywhere
- Travel in 3rd world countries is extremely cheap: 20 bucks a day and you live well
- It is easier to meet people if you are alone then as a couple
- It is sensory overload (esp. India). After 5 months I was really overwhelmed...don't think I could have done a year (without being stoned every day..lots of travellers out there doing that)
- A sort of "travellers arrogance" sets in...people bragging about how long they've been travelling, how many places they've been to, etc.
- Bring antiobiotics and make sure you visit the Impfzentrum at the universtiy in Zurich to get all the necessary shots and prescriptions before you go

All in all it was fantastic, wish I could do it again, but responsibilities are a barrier. I have to settle on travelling in "only" Switzerland and Europe now, also not a bad alternative.

Look at the Mongolian Rally, the rules state that you have to do it in a 1.0 litre car. A Landrover would be too easy, also if there is any car you can repair with a screw driver and a bit of wire it is a landrover.

That is true, the simpler the car the better it is, a neighbor went to India in a trabbi, had it repaired in a blacksmiths once or twice. But he got there.

A friend of ours is taking part this year. That bit about the 1.0 litre car was what stopped my husband from pining away thinking about it

And the screw driver and bit of wire already came in handy when the ignition fell apart in northern Norway a while back

I find the idea of the rally absolutely great, but the 1.0 litre rule is the dealbreaker for me as well: We want a sabbatical cause we spent too many years in an office... including the resulting back problems, so a minimum standard of comfort is a must. Not as in "four star hotels" but as in "somewhat decent car"... As a gap after uni before the job I would have loved to join, but probably could not afford it.

I took a 3mo sabatical, after I had to medically terminate pregnancy, my lovely boss gave me 3mo unpaid leave. I spent it in Ste-Croix, which was rather shocking.

My point it, some of the employers will completely understand your need to take a breather, you might not have to quit your good jobs. Always worth negotiating, they might let you leave unpaid, if you take the time off they offer you.

I'd bet 10:1 that mine would not, slightly better but still very bad chances for my other half.

That is actually the sad part: I used to work for a company in which everyone who stayed for five years got a 3 month paid sabbatical. Which sounds great at first and I always wondered why few people actually took it. Then I recognized: There was a general strategic goal to reduce headcount by 5% every year - and quite regularly did the people who left for a sabbatical get fired after they came back (you already handed over all your work for your trip, so you were the easiest victim). Really sad, but watching this taught me to always double check if something seems to good to be true - especially in the corporate world.