• Home >
  • RTW  >
  • John Smith – Around-the-World Traveler
Author: Sean Keener

John Smith – Around-the-World Traveler

  1. When do you leave?
    October 2003

  2. How long do you plan to be away?
    6-12 Months

  3. How much have you saved?
    enough

  4. How old are you?
    74

  5. Nationality
    Canada

  6. Where do you live now?
    Canada

  7. Occupation
    Retired

  8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
    It’s my career

  9. Have you traveled around the world before?
    No

  10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    Europe – South America – Australia – Vancouver

  11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    At 74 it is hard to know how many more travel years one has, so why not consolidate 3 or 4 trips into one?

  12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    That it will be too expensive.

  13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    They are used to our travelling, and we don’t much care what their opinion is.

  14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Just Enough

  15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Passports, tickets, comfortable shoes

  16. How do you think your round-the-world trip will change your life? How do you think it will affect and change you as a person?
    We will likely come back more fit because of not having a car. We acquire new ideas from the new cultures we encounter.

  17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    While we have certain concerns about remaining healthy, the prospect is exciting.

  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?
    Not everyone should go on an around the world trip. Those who are looking for a restful vacation would be an example. If you like to travel, however, you can see more on a RTW trip than you can see on several one-destination trips.

  19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    I don’t know.

  20. Why do you like to travel?
    We like to see different cultures and meet different people. We feel that people tend to become less flexible as they age, and it helps us to remain flexible and open to new ideas and experiences.

  21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Don’t feel everything has to be arranged before you leave home. Many options are available on site, and usually at a far better price.