Iowa to California, then on to see the world

[Andrew]

I have been hoping to go overseas, more than likely India to do some vagabonding. Currently though I am unemployed, other than day labor through a daily paid temp agency, and will be with no place to live within a week. I have things set up to crash with a friend in Los Angeles for a while and was going to take a pretty cheap, like $140, plane there next week. I would really like to take that $140 and whatever else I can scrounge up, get a $50 or so bus or train ticket as far south or east as I can and then just make my way to California slowly. I won't have much for money but will be trying to stop in places that have branches of the temp place I currently work for. The place pays out daily and you usually make like $40-60 for a days work. I figure if I can do that every so often it will give me enough to cheaply bum across the country.

Once in Los Angeles I plan to stick around for a bit and try to get some money saved to go to India or wherever else I can find that is cheap and interesting.

I figure the experience in the US will help me get accustomed to constant travel by myself. I'm quite sure that it is much more expensive to do this in the states but am hoping it will work as a crash course in vagabonding before I set out to live a life of travel.

I would love to get any feedback, suggestions, warnings, or anything related to this.

A bit about myself:   I am a 26 year old guy who has lived all over the US and currently, for the next week, resides in Cedar Rapids, IA. Living is cheap and there are jobs here so I always seem to come back. I love traveling and I have done some multi-week bicycle tours through the Midwest usually by myself but occasionally with others. I live cheap, don't have any attachments, and don't have any friends/family or anything keeping me from going wherever I want to whenever I want to. I have worked in call centers for most of the last 10 years and am sick of working for just enough money to get by and hating my existence. I want to explore, experience, and enjoy life.

[Greg]

Hey Andrew,

Sounds like a good plan. Try websites like www.couchsurfing.com (use the forums) to pick up local friends and work, also I use www.craigslist.org to find local gigs, temp work, etc...there will be a LOAD of jobs in LA. The best thing to do is sign up for email alerts for the categories you want, that way it gets dropped in your inbox and you are one of the first to respond when a guy needs help on a Saturday, etc.

You are correct, it is far more expensive to vagabond in the US, but entirely possible for sure!

[Andrew]

Thanks for the encouragement Greg. Unfortunately I didn't see it until after my trip. It took me nine days to go from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Los Angeles California hitch hiking. It was an experience to say the least. I'm now trying to adjust to Los Angeles/Hollywood while looking for some work. I'm going to be doing a full write up with pictures and videos sometime soon. I kept a pretty detailed travel journal and will be sifting through it and pulling out the best stuff once I have a chance, and my OWN computer to do it on.

[Greg]

Hey Andrew,

Yeah...my responses are pretty erratic both in email and the forums unfortunately....I guess that's the downside of trying to run things from the road.

Definitely try to send me the link/details or even an article and I'll put it up on the site.

Cheers!
- G

[SaraJohnson]

Vagabonding is a desire or passion to have a constant journey and pleasure to see the world. It has so many pain and patience. I appreciate you for leaving your homeland, family and friends for travel. You will certainly find a good job which will enable you to save enough money to fulfill your passion and desire to do vagabonding India and the world. www.losangelesrecruiter.com is a good site to help you find a job of your choice. Kindly post your travelogue on your own blog so that we the readers can also enjoy the journey experience.

[Abstract87]

You should definitly read the book On the Road by Jack Kerouac!!  It is right up the alley of what you are planning and set in the 40's/50's vagabonding around the USA!  Im reading it now!

[Greg]

Damn good book!

Here are a few other recommendations for vagabonding:
http://www.startbackpacking.com/travel/backpacking-books/