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Author: Sean Keener

Mary Weatherburn – Around-the-World Traveler

  1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
    November 1999-June 2000

  2. How old were you when you took this trip?
    18

  3. Including your air ticket and other expenses (from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip cost?
    £5000 Sterling

  4. Nationality
    English

  5. Where do you live now?
    Kumamoto, Japan

  6. Occupation
    Before your trip: Student

    Now: Student

  7. How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
    Not really applicable. I always do temping work during holidays from uni to earn money from travelling – usually working as a secretary/PA through employment agencies.

  8. What is the route you took/places you visited?
    London, Los Angeles, Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, India, London

  9. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    Wanted adventure and gap year before university seemed excellent time to go, before I had any responsibilities which might tie me down. Not that this will probably stop me from travelling now – I’m hooked!!

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

    • Best Moment

      Sky-diving.

    • Worst Moment

      Saying good-bye to the school I’d worked at.

    • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?

      When I’m travelling, the hard moments seem to add to the experience, and I’ve been lucky enough not to have anything important stolen, get too ill, etc.

    • Biggest surprise?

      How easy it was.

  11. Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
    We arrived in Darjeeling late at night, having just crossed the boarder from Nepal. There was something big going on so ALL accommodation was full-up with Indians. A kind family (guy from Mumbai, wife from Tibet, babe in arms, little girl) took us into their tiny tiny dingy little cupboard of an apartment, even though their parents were staying there too and there was no room AT ALL. (In the end their friends managed to put us up in their guest-house but it was the sincere gesture that stuck out).

  12. How much planning and preparing did you do?
    Just Enough

  13. What was your favorite piece of gear?
    Toothfloss. I recommend it to every traveller. It’s strong so is much better than thread for repairs, e.g. backpacks; it can be used for a whole range of other useful things such as washing line etc. – even flossing your teeth from time to time!!

  14. What did you bring, that in hindsight you could’ve left at home?
    A universal plug. Useless.

  15. How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
    It made me more broadminded and gave me so much more confidence – exactly what I needed at 18 years old. It made me see my potential future with a much wider view and gave me the ability to relate more easily to people.

  16. If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    It’s horribly predictable but: the best thing I ever did with my life.

  17. Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
    I’m already on my second RTW right now, stopping off in Japan for 10 months to study Japanese for my uni degree. Came from London via Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and will return via Thailand, Cambodia (maybe more of SE Asia) and Amsterdam.

  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?
    Because it’s just utterly and completely not the same and an entirely different experience. A vacation is equal to a brief escape from your life to something better. Travel is MAKING your life something better. To me anyway.

  19. What is the most valuable thing you learned?
    To relax, enjoy life and – it sounds affected – but to be true to myself.

  20. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    That it’s hard to organise and execute. All you have to do is leave.

  21. Why do you like to travel?
    Because it enables me to escape the monotony that awaits me at home. A new setting means that you can continue to learn about your surroundings, so even if you’re working as you travel and therefore get into a routine, it doesn’t get boring.

  22. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    It’s not as hard or as daunting as it may seem the first time you do it. Everything falls into place – all you need to do is to leave; after that the momentum gathered by this action will carry you to wherever you want to go.

    In terms of practical advice, budgeting is important. You need to have a decent amount of money to set off with and have an idea of how long it will last you; flicking through the relevant sections of a guidebook like the LP will help with this. When you’re away, it’s a good idea to jot down what you spend everyday so you can plan ahead and establish whether you need to cut down on your spending, get a job, cut down intended travel time, or whether it’s time to treat yourself!