Leigh Johnson - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
   September 2003-December 2003

2. How old were you when you took this trip?
   23

3. Including your air ticket and other expenses (from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip cost?
   2200 pounds

4. Nationality
   South Africa

5. Where do you live now?
   Durban, South Africa

6. Occupation
   
   Before your trip: Personal Assistant
   
   Now: Account Manager
   

7. How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
   I was a PA in London, UK before we left. When we finished our travels we came back to SA and I walked into a job in Advertising which is what i always wanted.

8. What is the route you took/places you visited?
   London to Saigon, overland from Saigon to Cambodia, over to Thailand, overland down to Malaysia and Singapore, flew to Syndey, overland up to Cains, flew to New Zealand, overland around the South Island, flew out of Auckland to LA, overland to Las Vegas, flew to San Fransisco, flew back to London.

9. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
   My visa for the UK was up, so we had to head home. We had traveled through Europe quite a lot and loved it, and knew it very expensive from South Africa, so decided on our way home, was the time to do it.

10. Out of all your experiences traveling around the world, what was the:
    
    • Best Moment
      watching the sun set over Ankor Wat in Cambodia with my boyfriend

    • Worst Moment
      searching for a place to sleep at midnight in a foreign country

    • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
      not having a plan.. and eating rice everyday for weeks on end

    • Biggest surprise?
      That I didnt need make-up and hairdryer

11. Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
    Probably a couple who we met and traveled with through Cambodia and Thailand. They had been teaching english in Japan - they were just great people and more experienced than us traveling, so we learnt alot from them.

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

13. What was your favorite piece of gear?
    my hat

14. What did you bring, that in hindsight you could've left at home?
    Sun tan lotion

15. How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
    Millions of people have no food, housing, or family. Puts life in perseptive. I'm not such a planner anymore and take more risks in life.

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

17. Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
    Being in SA, it limits our travels as its so expensive. We'll going to South America next year on holiday, not for 3 months, but only 3 weeks and we absolutely cant wait.

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?
    Its an amazing adventure and you really get to experience every day life with the community. You dont get that on a 2 week holiday..

19. What is the most valuable thing you learned?
    Patience..

20. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    That only certain people can backpack

21. Why do you like to travel?
    A new adventure everyday, meeting people, seeing places you never thought you see or experience.

22. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Go for it - if I knew my job would be here in 6 months time, i'd leave tomorrow - and seriously, if I could do, anyone can!