Michelle S

1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
   August 2005-September 2005

2. How old were you when you took this trip?
   26

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

4. Nationality
   Canada

5. Where do you live now?
   Vancouver, Canada

6. Occupation
   Before your trip: RN
   Now: RN

7. How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
   I realized I dreaded returning to my old job so I quit as soon as I got back. As a result I changed my career path and am much, much, happier now.

8. What is the route you took/places you visited?
   Flew from Vancouver to Seoul, then to Bangkok, Yangon, back to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, South Africa, Dubai, London, Glasgow, Barcelona, London again and then home.

9. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
   I’ve always wanted to travel and wanting to leave the job I was at created the perfect opportunity to just take off. I also finally had the money to do this as I had always been a full time student. I saved for a year to do the trip.

10. Out of all your experiences traveling around the world, what was the:
    • Best Moment
      
      Seeing the temples in Bagan, Burma.

    • Worst Moment
      
      The bus ride to Bagan… I’ve never actually wanted to die before but I prayed for a quick death on this trip.

    • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
      
      So many very long flights in such a short timespan.

    • Biggest surprise?
      
      Nothing went too wrong, nothing was stolen, I made all my connections and I never felt so unsafe that I feared for my safety.

11. Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
    I met this girl who had been travelling for about 6 months. We had a lot in common, we even sort of looked a little bit alike. She went to a lot of places that I would have been worried to go to on my own, (eg the middle east) but now I would definitely do it.

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

13. What was your favorite piece of gear?
    Pants I got a MEC that don’t wrinkle, aren’t too hot or cold and dry in about 10 minutes. They look good too.

14. What did you bring, that in hindsight you could’ve left at home?
    Those stupid sarongs! Everyone was like “they’re the greatest, you can use them as a skirt, head wrap, bandana, backpack, yada yada yada.” Never used them and they took up a fair bit of space!

15. How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
    I HAVE to do it again. And go for much, much longer. It made me realize that I’m at my happiest when I’m moving from place to place — something I already knew but it helped confirm it.

16. If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    Fuckin’ amazing.

17. Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
    Yes. I want to go everywhere but I think I’ll definitely go to south america next year.

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’s so much more interesting to travel continuously. With everything fresh in your mind you can see how different other cultures are from one another, and yet so similar at the same time.

19. What is the most valuable thing you learned?
    I can definitely think my way out of any potential mess!

20. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    That you’ll be mugged/raped/killed as soon as you leave your country. Everything is common sense, you have to have for it to work though.

21. Why do you like to travel?
    Why would anyone not want to?! The world is diverse, fascinating and beautiful. I can guarantee that no matter where you’re living you don’t have everything in your backyard. You have to see it with your own eyes.

22. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Take very little clothing with you, I did and I don’t regret it for a second. You can always buy stuff and do laundry. Make sure you have enough money in the bank when you get back, so that if you’re looking for a job you can live off your savings for a few months if need be!