Using Online Poker to Fund My World Travels (Long)

[J Chap]

===="Around the World in 80k Hands"====

My Dear Fellow Poker-Dominating Community...

I just graduated from college and I'm a naive, quixotic, ADHD-ish, 22-year-old. I'm hungry for an adventure, not to mention a way to put my American-ness into perspective (a.k.a. worldliness).

I've been toying with this idea for a while, as I think it could make for a fun, memorable trip. I will make my way around the world, funding my transportation and expenses by playing online poker for a few hours each day. To spice things up, I might vary my living conditions based on my day-to-day successes and failures (e.g. nice hotel after awesome sesh, cheap youth hostel after bad day, or vice versa, as long as it averages out). I will buy my return ticket to America ahead of time, and I will make sure to bankroll myself outside the reach of reasonable variance. If bad luck or bad playing catches up to me and my bankroll falls below a predetermined amount, I will come home early, ashamed but glad I tried. Maximum predicted trip length: a few months.

Really, I just feel like I have one life, and this seems like a logical time to try something silly like this (e.g. I have no career-path job, no dependents, no commitments or attachments, etc. Well, I have a girlfriend, but she's stuck doing a fellowship until May, anyway, so we're already doing long-distance).

Any feedback, ideas, encouragement, questions, flaming, warnings, advice, wisdom, quotes, etc would be hugely appreciated.

FWIW, here're some quick issues I've been thinking about:
-account security (i'd almost certainly need to use my own laptop)
-availability of wireless internet in different countries
-approximating cost of travel and expenses
-necessary sustainable winrate and bankroll
-travelling lightly, hygiene
-how best to utilize the global-ness of the 2+2 community

Thanks in advance, guys.

J Chaaaaap

"A bit of nonsense, now and then, is relished by the wisest men." -Willy Wonka

If I were only 22 again...

Good luck to you. It sounds like a blast!

I wouldn't be able to help with the details, but just wanted to encourage you.

[J Chap]

Cool...thanks, man-

i'll keep you posted

[Landon_McFly]

bang hot chicks

[rchandra]

Just making sure, you have considered going to where your GFs fellowship is? She'll be busy but it could still be good.

Anyway you probably don't need that advice.

Some poker sites will block you when you travel due to security reasons, if you let them know first you shouldn't have a problem. Stars didn't block me in Toronto, Alberta, or Switzerland FWIW.

I understand that you can get "round-the-world" tickets for reasonable rates, you get to make a lot of stops and use a network of airlines (example, Star Alliance). The main restriction is you have to keep going in the same direction (eastwards / westwards) and you have a year to finish. My father travels using those almost exclusively. Talk to an agent, preferably in person at a real agency.

Sounds like a lot of fun. I have neither the bankroll nor skills to do that myself, but I wish you well despite my jealousy. If for some reason you visit Newfoundland send me a message and I'll help you find a hostel /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[KaneKungFu123]

rule #1: dont buy return tickets. buy a one way ticket to one place. then when you are ready to leave, you make future arrangements. dont go into traveling with a strict agenda. just take each day as it comes - that is what is going to happen anyways. youll spend more time in some places then you planned and less time in others.

"availability of wireless internet in different countries"

you didnt mention any of the places you want to go. carrying around a laptop can make it difficult to travel cheaply and to travel freely. if you are staying in cheap hotels then you dont want to leave it there, and you dont want to lug the thing around.

if your maximum trip length is three months, i think you should forget about poker altogether and just go and be free.

[J Chap]

as far as the girlfriend, i've already been over to visit her a number of times...and, no offense to it, but the fine city of pittsburgh does not a grand world adventure make. : ]

...and yeah, i've heard of those one-way, year-long things. that would be excellent. thanks for the tip.

awesome

[J Chap]

[ QUOTE ]

if your maximum trip length is three months, i think you should forget about poker altogether and just go and be free.

[/ QUOTE ]

cool...got some cash for me?

jk jk lol lol

but seriously i wouldnt be able to pay for it all without playin

[ QUOTE ]
bang hot chicks

[/ QUOTE ]

[J Chap]

Anybody know about those world-travel airline tickets? Which are the most flexible, etc?

Thanks,
J Chap

[AlexHoops]

http://www.eurail.com/

I've been toying with this idea too. This won't get you around the world and back but it will get you around Europe for a month or two. Check in the general Texas Holdem forum for a similar trip report. It

What stakes do you play?

[MicroBob]

Read this thread from the general forum form a few weeks ago. Lots of good stuff in there.

backpacking/pokering through Europe (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=3910589&page=0&fpart=all &vc=1)


good luck on your journey.
I highly recommend taking way more money than you think you will need.
Also consider that you probably won't want to be spending THAT much time on a computer grinding out the hands when you could be seeing the world.

Note that the poster in that thread reported only about 10 hours per week.


So why not play enough NOW to mostly fund the trip...and then just keep up the momentum of playing through as much of the trip as you can?

That way you might not be stuck eating and lodging super-cheap and miserably through too much of your journey.

[gabyyyyy]

[ QUOTE ]
===="Around the World in 80k Hands"====

My Dear Fellow Poker-Dominating Community...

I just graduated from college and I'm a naive, quixotic, ADHD-ish, 22-year-old. I'm hungry for an adventure, not to mention a way to put my American-ness into perspective (a.k.a. worldliness).

I've been toying with this idea for a while, as I think it could make for a fun, memorable trip. I will make my way around the world, funding my transportation and expenses by playing online poker for a few hours each day. To spice things up, I might vary my living conditions based on my day-to-day successes and failures (e.g. nice hotel after awesome sesh, cheap youth hostel after bad day, or vice versa, as long as it averages out). I will buy my return ticket to America ahead of time, and I will make sure to bankroll myself outside the reach of reasonable variance. If bad luck or bad playing catches up to me and my bankroll falls below a predetermined amount, I will come home early, ashamed but glad I tried. Maximum predicted trip length: a few months.

Really, I just feel like I have one life, and this seems like a logical time to try something silly like this (e.g. I have no career-path job, no dependents, no commitments or attachments, etc. Well, I have a girlfriend, but she's stuck doing a fellowship until May, anyway, so we're already doing long-distance).

Any feedback, ideas, encouragement, questions, flaming, warnings, advice, wisdom, quotes, etc would be hugely appreciated.

FWIW, here're some quick issues I've been thinking about:
-account security (i'd almost certainly need to use my own laptop)
-availability of wireless internet in different countries
-approximating cost of travel and expenses
-necessary sustainable winrate and bankroll
-travelling lightly, hygiene
-how best to utilize the global-ness of the 2+2 community

Thanks in advance, guys.

J Chaaaaap

"A bit of nonsense, now and then, is relished by the wisest men." -Willy Wonka

[/ QUOTE ]

What happens when your laptop and wallet get stolen your first day abroad?

[J Chap]

[ QUOTE ]
What happens when your laptop and wallet get stolen your first day abroad?

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

If bad luck or bad playing catches up to me and my bankroll falls below a predetermined amount, I will come home early, ashamed but glad I tried.

[/ QUOTE ]

[Subfallen]

Are you any good at poker?

[Nick-Zack]

[ QUOTE ]

but seriously i wouldnt be able to pay for it all without playin

[/ QUOTE ]

I would be very nervous taking off around the world without enough money to get back. I am of course old and have kids. I guess at 22 I had no fears either - Have Fun!!

[r3vbr]

My idea is to play a lot now, gather up 40k, and spend it all on the trip.

Live the good life. Four Seasons dude...

[SnglMaltScotch]

I was lucky enough to spend 3 1/2 weeks eurorailing thoughout Europe after I graduated from high school. It was the time of my life. The only thing that I would suggest is the you stay at the youth hostiles even if you run good. It sounds like you are going to be traveling alone and the hostiles are a great way to meet other people that are about your age. The feeling of community in these places is great and you can often find a group of people to hang out with in each city.

Asia is a bit different. I have not travelled extensively in Asia, but it is much more difficult. There is a lot of paperwork (visas etc.) so be careful to make sure that you have all that covered ahead of time.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Eder]

Dont screw up your trip w poker (use whatever bankroll you have...rebuild it later)....travel light and cheap....pick up odd jobs in places you will spend some time. Dont plan a return date...err dont plan period.

Get proper immunization shots !!

I'll be 23 this summer and fresh off graduation. I am backpacking Europe for a month, then going to Korea for ten days, then playing in the WSOP before I hit the real world. I do not plan to bring a computer with me, but I have already funded this trip. I went to Europe two years ago, some internet cafes let me play party poker, I don't think I would try it now, as I was playing much lower limits back then. Either way, you will have a great time. Wireless internet should be fine in major tourist cities, you just have to find an internet cafe that has it. Definitely get the Eurail pass, but you will need to be EXTREMELY careful about your laptop, especially at train stations.

[raze]

Another year of beating online poker @ I'll come with ya ! Seriously, I was discussing the exact same plan with a friend of mine - except he wants to see Poland only.. and he doesn't play online.. or have a job in Poland.. or any money.