- When did you go on your RTW trip?
- How old were you when you took this trip?
33 - Including your air ticket and other expenses (from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip cost?
6000 euro - Nationality
Netherlands - Where do you live now?
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Occupation
- Before your trip: HR assistant
- Now: costumer care representative
- How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
Not sure yet as I just started work again and haven’t really looked for a job that would be my dreamjob this one just pays the bills at the moment. - What is the route you took/places you visited?
Started in northern Vietnam then slowly worked my way south into Cambodia and Laos. From Nothern Thailand all the way to Southern Thailand. Onto Malaysia and from Sumatra (Indonesia) through Java down to Bali. - Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I always loved travelling and made a good deal with a former employer that provided me with a lot of extra money so I decided to do this before maybe settling down. - Out of all your experiences traveling around the world, what was the:
- Best Moment
- Worst Moment
the one night I spend alone in a room full of huge roaches - Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
can’t think of any - Biggest surprise?
how much I hated the touristy areas
So many but one that stands out was the trip to my grandmother’s birthvillage in Java - Best Moment
- Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
So many people have been memorable, but one person stands out a guesthouse owner in Melaka malaysia, she took me to local places to eat every single day 3 times a day while I was there and loved seeing me eat and she didnt let me pay for any of it. - How much planning and preparing did you do?
Winged it a lot - What was your favorite piece of gear?
A tiny little wallet that I got from a friend. Very handy and useful. - What did you bring, that in hindsight you could’ve left at home?
Pretty much all my clothes and toiletries - How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
I live every day with passion and realise money is really not that important as long as I have enough to pay for food/drink and bills. - If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
life changing, challenging and loads of fun a good learning experience!!! - Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
Absolutely more trip but then I’ve always done that would love to go on another RTW trip but that means I have to start saving !! - 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?
Go because you won’t regret it !! It can be challenging and life changing and make you a better and wiser person hopefully !! - What is the most valuable thing you learned?
People are what make the world !!! - What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
It’s scary and people you cannot communicate with will take advantage of you !!!! Both are just BS… - Why do you like to travel?
Because it’s fun, educational and just plain lovely to do !!! - What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Don’t plan to much, take only 1/4 of the stuff you plan to take with you !!!
March 2005-October 2005