Stephen Jonathan Feinberg – Round-the-World Traveler | RTW

Stephen Jonathan Feinberg is a 24-year-old engineer from Los Angeles, USA, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2006.

The Snapshot

Here's what Stephen Jonathan Feinberg shared about their RTW journey:

Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?

I’ll come back if they’ll have me.

Have you traveled around the world before?

No.

Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?

Strong passion for travel. Feel now is the right time to do this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Have a brother who did a similar trip for 7 months.

What is your biggest fear about this trip?

Safety, money and getting back into the swing of things once we return home.

Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?

Yes. Very supportive.

How much planning and preparing have you done?

Control Freak.

What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?

Camera, lightweight and versatile set of clothes, girlfriend 🙂.

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?

Make me more well rounded. Give me a better understanding of other cultures and people.

If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?

Gotta go do it before it’s too late.

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?

More efficient and affordable. See places that can’t be seen and do things that simply can’t be done on a regular vacation.

Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 10,000 would equate to approximately USD 17,000 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 70% inflation over the intervening years.