- When did you go on your RTW trip?
- How old were you when you took this
trip?
24 - Including your air ticket and other expenses
(from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip
cost?
10,000 Euro - Nationality
Germany - Where do you live now?
Stuttgart, Germany - Occupation
- Before your trip: Student
- Now: Job searching
- How did your travels affect your career when
you got back?
So far job interviewers have been from neutral to very positive about
it…it is definitely a career plus in my eyes.- What is the route you took/places you
visited?
USA- East Coast, West Coast
New Zealand- both Islands
Australia- all the way around and through the middle
Thailand- Centre and North- Why did you decide to take this trip? What
got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I have studied international business, therefore have lived abroad for a
while and love travelling. Once the travel bug has you it will never
leave you again!I decided to do a world trip about two years before the end of my studies
and started saving money. The time in between studies and your first job
is ideal, a once in a lifetime chance. You are young, you are free, what
holds you back??- Out of all your experiences traveling around
the world, what was the:- Best Moment
- Worst Moment
Christmas day (24th in Gemany) alone in Sydney, and the moment when I
realized I am running out of money - Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
Missing friends at home - Biggest surprise?
Amazing Thailand
Many…Skydiving in New Zealand, diving the Great Barrier Reef, smiling
children in Thailand.- Who is the most memorable person you met on
your trip and why?
Another hard one…maybe Marion, I met her in Cairns, then again in
Sydney, then we did a roadtrip down to Melbourne together, met again in
Perth and then again in Bangkok. Now we often meet since we only live 30
minutes away from each other 🙂 it’s a small world.- How much planning and preparing did you
do?
Just Enough- What was your favorite piece of
gear?
Teva sandals, flip flops, credit card 🙂- What did you bring, that in hindsight you
could’ve left at home?
I had quite a bit of stuff, but no matter how often I repacked, I didn’t
know what to send home.- How did your round-the-world trip change
your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
It didn’t really change my life, I have travelled before, but I have
grown personally and have achieved something for myself.- If you had to sum up your round-the-world
trip in one sentence, what would it be?
Something worth to be repeated.- Are you planning more trips and travels for
the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
Yes, definitely another RTW trip..maybe not alone next time..although
travelling alone has advantages as well.- Why do you think people should go on
round-the-world trips? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week
vacation instead?
Only on a RTW trip you can challenge yourself and you can learn
enormously about you and others. You may find what is most important to
you in life and what you don’t need anymore when you come back.- What is the most valuable thing you
learned?
That traveling is great for a certain period of time, and although you
meet many great people on the road, real friends and family can’t be
replaced by that.- What is the biggest myth that people have
about round-the-world traveling?
That it is always fun and great…there will be hard times too, but they
are important because you will grow personally.- Why do you like to travel?
Because I am very curious and want to see things from different points of
view, want to meet new people and learn new things.- What is your advice for people planning
their own RTW trip?
Don’t hesitate, dont wait for anyone to join you, start saving, and go to
the places you always wanted to see. - Before your trip: Student
October 2002-April 2003