Some companies recognize the benefits of allowing their employees to take a sabbatical. If you are lucky enough to work at such a place, find out how long a sabbatical you are allowed to take and the turnaround time for the next possible one. Most likely, if your company allows for extended time off in the interest of travel, it is a job worth returning to and you can probably exercise your negotiating skills for a few more days if need be. If your company only allows for the usual 10 to 15 days off, they will probably not take kindly to an extended disappearance. You will most likely need to quit your job, so take stock of your career path and research how easy it would be to get a job upon your return, how an absence could affect your position in your particular field, and what helpful skills you could possibly return with. If quitting is not an option, find out the longest possible time you can take off and work around that.
A big deciding factor on how much time to take off work depends on your budget. If you have a meager amount of money to travel on, you will most likely need to take off less time -- although travel time can be extended if you don't mind backpacking and staying in hostels. If you've been planning your escape for months or years, or just have a healthy budget, research the total cost of your trip by country and try to juggle numbers, days and money accordingly. Other budgetary factors to consider are whether you will be making any money while you are traveling and what bills you will still be responsible for after you leave. Although it's a larger leap, sometimes it is easier financially to embark on an extended jaunt, giving up your apartment, car, cell phone and any other recurring expenses.
Another major factor in deciding how much time to take off is where you want to go. Luckily, a trip around the world can be done in as little as two weeks or it can last as long as you can afford. Make a list of desired destinations and decide exactly where you would like to go. If the list is rather long, try to paring it down by region, country or continent -- remember, your trip around the world can be done in one long consecutive jaunt, or over myriad smaller trips categorized by location. If you plan to keep your job and find yourself with minimal vacation days, limit yourself to four or five destinations, and don't forget to factor in time changes and jet lag. Also mind the type of experience you would like to have in each place. A more in-depth understanding of each place you visit can be attained by longer visits, and thus, you must take more time off work.
There are alternatives to taking a long sabbatical or quitting your job entirely to travel the world. Depending on your country of origin, you may find it nice to work while you are traveling to earn the money required to stay abroad longer. These options include work exchange programs such as WWOOFing (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), teaching English abroad, or simply picking up the odd job here and there along the way, such as picking fruit or working in a hostel to pay for your stay. There are many options available, but always keep in mind the limits and requirements of visas to make sure you travel, work and volunteer within the confines of the law. Proper jobs often require advance visas or other types of prearranged procedures.
While you will most likely make new friends on the road, another thing to consider when planning to take an extended vacation is relationships -- both personal and work-related. Personal relationships can suffer, and traveling through different time zones with possible limited communication resources can take their toll on some. Depending on your field, keeping up business relationships can be even harder. Keep in mind the expiration dates of your passport, length of leisure visas in the countries you intend to visit as well as weather and political factors as you plan your trip. For example, you may only be permitted to stay in a region for 90 days, even if you would like to stay longer.
