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Author: Sean Keener

Clayton Trapp and Family- Round-the-World Travelers

  1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
    March 2001-October 2001 (for the moment, anyway)

  2. How old were you when you took this trip?
    38

  3. Including your air ticket and other expenses (from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip cost?
    $30K and counting

  4. Nationality
    England

  5. Where do you live now?
    Exeter, England

  6. Occupation
    Before your trip: lawyer

    Now: freelance writer

  7. How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
    I’m a dual USA/UK citizen, previously living on Orcas Island, Washington. I don’t contemplate “going back” until either Warren Beatty is President, or the building housing the Washington State Supreme Court is named something more accurate than “The Temple of Justice.” My career is happier now, healthier, more honest, and less inclined to listlessly look out the window at what others are doing.

  8. What is the route you took/places you visited?
    Crossed the USA by car from Washington to Vermont. Crossed the USA from north to south from New York to Miami. Cruise ship from Miami to Virgin Islands, Canary Islands, Funchal, Spain. Europe by VW van, repeatedly in a criss-cross manner with major tennis tournaments as reference points. Ongoing, Rocamadour is next! After the Fawlty Towers house in Torquay.

  9. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    The depression caused by reading about American politics in the press on a daily basis.

  10. Out of all your experiences traveling around the world, what was the:

    • Best Moment

      So far, probably the procession in Lourdes.

    • Worst Moment

      Blowing up an engine in France.

    • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?

      Dealing with writing markets that owe me money going out of business.

    • Biggest surprise?

      How cool the French are.

  11. Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
    President of the VW club in Orleans, France. The incredible lengths he went to ensure that we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves while the engine got fixed.

  12. How much planning and preparing did you do?
    Winged it a lot

  13. What was your favorite piece of gear?
    250 watt-per-channel Aiwa

  14. What did you bring, that in hindsight you could’ve left at home?
    My list of solvent writing clients

  15. How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
    Less frustrated.

  16. If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    The Knight of Faith was born to jump.

  17. Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
    We’re not going to stop any time soon. It’s all one endless tour until we stop.

  18. 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?
    It takes at least a few weeks to get a proper feel of being on the road. Nowhere can be experienced in a few days, although there are certainly places that you don’t need that long to get a sense of (see Washington State Supreme Court).

  19. What is the most valuable thing you learned?
    Clarified, not learned. People are good, but situations can jam them/us a bit.

  20. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    That it costs more than staying home and watching TV and eating Dominoes pizza.

  21. Why do you like to travel?
    Variety.

  22. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Do it.