Bryan Mulligan - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   November 2005

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

3. How much have you saved?
   $25,000

4. How old are you?
   27

5. Nationality
   Canada

6. Where do you live now?
   , USA

7. Occupation
   Laborer

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   One more paycheck and I'm gone

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Romania, India, SE Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Boston

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    My wife and I figure we should either buy a house and have kids or do a trip like this and maybe radically change the course of our lives. We decided on a RTW trip after experiencing the high cost of short-term vacation travel. I think the allure of seeing how the other 6 billion people live their lives is what is really getting us out the door. That and a really good curry I read about in Thailand.

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Running out of money before I am ready to go home.

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

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Winged it a lot

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Trying to fit everything in one carry-on bag each. We figure we can buy incidentals along the way. Most important item is a good fitting backpack.

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?
    That's what everyone asks me. If I knew I would tell you. I promise.

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

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?
    Regular one or two week trips are part of your daily routine. An RTW trip breaks up any order and routine in your life and exposes you to the unknown.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    That one ends up traveling in places a lot more dangerous than home.

20. Why do you like to travel?
    Good food, interesting people, and airplane toilets.

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Do it now. Who knows how long any of us will be here.