Ask HN: Those who quit their jobs to travel the world, how did it go?

I seem to read so many comments on discussion threads in which individuals encourage others to "Quit your job! Travel the world!", which often comes across as shallow and even flippant to me, given that the advice is so easy to extend but the action itself can quite be difficult for one to do, whether due to concrete reasons or any personal reservations.

So, my question: those who have traveled for an extended period of time, either instead of working or by finding a new way to work, what was the experience like? What were you able to do? How did you choose to budget? What moved you to this decision, and how was the process of finding work again after your travels, if applicable? If you were to do it all again, what would you do differently?