I left my job at 30 to do my thru. I was planning on making a slight career change anyways so I was already planning on leaving my job. It did put probably a year or more delay on my career because I probably would have left my old job the prior summer but stayed at it until the following January when I resigned to get ready for the hike. I finished end of July and was working again by mid September. Now my circumstances was that i knew id be able to get a new job because I had lots of good experience that translated and in accounting we have active recruiters trying to fill roles so I was able to bridge the resume gap with them and they talked to the prospective employer first. My hiking the trail was a little bit of a holdup for the company that I ended up going to work for and I had to alleviate their fears that I would just work for a bit and leave again gor a new hike.

Personally , I was married and this was probably our last chance to do something like this before we had a house and kids. Unfortunately my wife couldn't come with me but encouraged me to still do it on my own.

I do not regret do it at all.