Island Hopping

For many intrepid explorers, nothing quite beats the allure of island hopping through great expanses of Ocean. There is something quite whimsical about being on a piece of land surrounded by miles of water. 

There are any number of islands that one could explore but these are indeed sometimes out of reach for most travellers. 

This comes down to one factor that real estate agents will know well, location location. Given that islands are by their very nature remote, it is indeed quite expensive to get there and for the resorts / hotels to operate there. 

This was something that was indeed beyond my reach for a number of years. I was a massive fan of diving and sea life but found it hard to take days off work. 

It was also quite expensive for me to afford this type of holiday as I was working in a normal desk job in London. Although this was an island it was not the type that I had in mind.

Breaking Free

The first step that I needed to take in order to realise my dream of island hopping was to get out of my current job. It was stifling and not giving me the opportunity to pursue my passions. 

I needed to find a job that would allow me the flexibility and freedom that a nomadic life entails. I then decided to search online for ways to make money in a remote manner. 

There were many suggestions, some entailed "blogging", "social media marketing" or general internet businesses. Although alluring, the returns from these careers was less interesting. 

Moreover, they required me to be photo friendly which I would not really characterise myself. It was then that I came across online forex trading. 

Although I did not have a background in the industry, the idea of making money on the movement of global currencies really did pique my interest. 

I read all I could about online trading and the skills needed in order to make a success of it. I also read countless books on other financial instruments including education on options and CFDs. 

After 6 months of reading up, I took the plunge and quit my job. It was quite a surreal experience but one that I would most definitely do again.

Flying to my first Island

Feeling as free as a bird I decided that I wanted to visit my first Island. I had read a number of times about the Maldives and was dying to go. Apparently the sea life and diving in the Maldives is some of the best in the world. 

Moreover, the Maldives is slowly disappearing on account of rising sea levels. Hence there was a certain sense of urgency with which I decided to visit. 

After booking my flights, I downloaded my mobile trading app. This would allow me the oppurtunity to trade online while I was in the remote destination. 

The flight was quite long and we had to make a stopover in Dubai. Yet, when I landed I felt relieved. So beautiful and pristine. I checked into my lodge and opened the app. There was US Non-Farm payrolls coming out and I wanted to make the most of the market volatility. 

After making a few hundred dollars on the Euro, I decided it was high time I hopped on a boat and started to explore this amazing island. 

I had never seen such a range of sea creatures from the most beautiful coral fish to the massive whale sharks that swam offshore. I immersed myself in everything there was on offer.

Anyone for Madagascar?

Another Indian Ocean island that I always wanted to visit was Madagascar. Although quite a large island I still was intrigued by what it had to offer. 

The flight was a bit shorter but still quite long. After touching down in Antananarivo (the capital), I rented a 4x4 which I was going to use to drive to the coast. 

Before I did this, I opened my app and decided I needed to make some money trading. The UK was about to vote in the EU referendum and the volatility on GBP was quite intense. I placed a short GBP position as I thought the market was slightly skew. 

I made the trade and placed my stop positions in. I proceeded to drive through incredible rain forests. Madagascar is home to hundreds of species of Lemur. This are unique to Madagascar and are indeed a sight to behold. 

After reaching my destination on the coast, I decided to check in on my trades. The UK had elected to leave the EU and GBP had collapsed. I had made over 4,000 on those trades. It was truly a rewarding experienced. 

Happy with my performance in the day, I decided to eat at a local restaurant and savour the traditional recipes. These were indeed quite scrumptious and I am always amazed at the amalgamation of flavours possible. 

Although an amazing country, Madagascar was also slightly less developed which could be a good or a bad thing. There was not always cell phone reception which meant that I sometimes found it hard to do my trading. 

However, the untouched nature along the drive and on the coast made up for this lack of connectivity.

Where to next?

Although I have just started my journey jumping from numerous islands, I know that I have the means to make money freely from wherever I want. Trading online has not only allowed me the freedom to travel to far off destinations but it has also provided me with the funds to pursue these dreams. 

On our next stop, I will be sharing my experience in the Pacific from the French Polynesia to Vanuatu. Happy travels!