Almost every day I see the incredible traveling lifestyle being shared by people on Instagram, YouTube, or travel blogs. You know the types ... beautiful photos of sexy people lounging in a chair by the infinity pool or relaxing in their 1969 VW bus with a huge smile on their face.

Is this the reality of traveling full-time or are you simply being sold a lie?

Our Traveling Lifestyle Experience

After spending almost three years on the road I can certainly say the traveling lifestyle captured on social media is the exception.

Yes there are those times when everything is perfect and you find yourself in that magical Hallmark movie moment, but like any true story, there are plenty of instances where life is filled with challenges or disappointments.

It's always easy to see the tip of iceberg, but not what's underneath the surface. So today I want to share what full-time traveling is really like for us.

The happiness of total freedom is real.

Nothing makes us happier than being on the open road and exploring new places. Knowing you can go almost anywhere at anytime is an incredible feeling! The variety of experiences are priceless and there are days where I have to pinch myself to see if it truly is real.

Donetta and I can't imagine a life where we don't travel because we love it so much. Yet I also know this ride won't last forever so we will take all we can to enjoy it to the fullest.

The challenges for every day travelers is growing.

Between the increasing prices for hotels and food, the rudeness and asinine behavior of other people, the economic problems in our country, and the amount of people living from the road now, the traveling lifestyle is becoming harder.

We're considering buying a travel van or B Class Motorhome to offset our hotel costs, especially since we'd actually own it, but that also brings a set of problems like maintenance or where to park and sleep without getting a ticket.

The opportunity to work from anywhere is amazing.

While working from home isn't new to us, the ability to work from anywhere with good WiFi has been a tremendous blessing. Rather than spending hours in traffic going to a typical job, we get to spend more time on hiking or other fun activities.

On the flip side though it can be tough to manage the work vs. play balance and traveling can interfere with getting things done, especially when the WiFi sucks. So posting those filtered Instagram pics is not always possible. LOL

The expenses can force you to stay put.

Unless you're independently wealthy or living off the grid like a dirtbag, the costs of everything can prohibit your travel plans.

There are times when we've had to stop going places in order to save money because our budget was blown or were forced to choose crappier destinations because tourist seasons raises the prices exponentially. This totally sucks!

That being said we're not always at a gorgeous National Park; sometimes we're slumming it from a Rodeway Inn in Hartford, Connecticut.

It's still worth it all.

The every day romantic life fantasy is just that, a fantasy. It doesn't matter if you live in a van, a hotel, or a million dollar bus. Traveling full-time has it's share of ups and downs as any other lifestyle.

There are really good days and really bad days. That's the truth of it all.

In our experience it has been mostly positive but I've read stories from people who are struggling each day to survive while living from the road. Every person's journey is going to be different and it will depend on what you want out of it.

So if you're considering the traveling lifestyle just know you won't know how it's like until you try it. Maybe you'll fall in love with the adventure or absolutely hate it after a weeks stay in a hotel.

The best thing you can do is just GO.

Live without any regrets. See for yourself what it's like. Embrace it all because it's definitely worth the risk. We're here to cheer you on!!!