You're 26 years old with a high demand skill set, enough money to last a couple of years, and presumably no kids to consider - there will not be an easier time

You're 26 years old with a high demand skill set, enough money to last a couple of years, and presumably no kids to consider - there will not be an easier time in your life to make this move. Certainly perform your due diligence at Google to make sure you're leaving on good terms with, ideally, the opportunity to come back at some point. But start planning your future now. Traveling the world for a few months will open your eyes to new project/company opportunities you will never even be exposed to sitting in Mountain View. If you're gonna be on the road longer than a few months, plan to pickup an open source side project to keep your skills sharp, build your network, and create a "balanced center" that you can return to no matter how foreign your surroundings. Ah, to be young again with the world laid out at your feet! Not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous :) I wish you the best of luck and guarantee that, no matter what ultimately comes of it, you will never regret chasing your dream at least once in your life.