- When do you leave?
- How long do you plan to be away?
I Ain’t Never Comin’ Back
- How much have you saved?
$17,000
- How old are you?
23
- Nationality
USA
- Where do you live now?
California, USA
- Occupation
Teacher
- 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
- Have you traveled around the world before?
No
- What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
Start in Scotland, through norhtern Europe, eastern Europe, Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, who knows really… it’ll all probably change
- Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
Just had to wait ’til I had enough money to start it out. I feel trapped if I’m not free to take off and go. I lived a very nomadic childhood – life was always a grand adventure. But now the whole ‘school, work, building a foundation for my future’ thing isn’t cutting it – I know there’s gotta be more to life than this.
- What is your biggest fear about this trip?
That I may give in to the pull of social obligation (school, work, wettling down) and return to the type of life I know I can never be happy living.
- Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
I haven’t really told anyone about my plans. I’ve hinted at it to a few people and have gotten mixed thoughts – none completely against it though.
- How much planning and preparing have you done?
Winged it a lot
- What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
A couple changes of clothes, flashlight, pocket knife, basic first aid kit – anything I need along the way can be bought, bartered for or scrounged up.
- 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?
I may finally feel happy and excited again. I feel like I’ve been living someone else’s life the last several years – squeezing in as much school as I can between work, following the same routine day after day. Don’t get me wrong, it’s all been by choice – I thought it was what I should be doing to set my self up for the ‘successful life’.
- If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
Anticipation – I’ve got a few more obligations I have to fulfill here at home, then I’m off.
- 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?
There are as many reasons as there are people who travel.
- What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
Especially in the US, RTW travel (or travel in general, for that matter) is seen as an extravegance of the wealthy. Also, long-term travelers/ vagabonders don’t directly contribute to the work force and are therefore looked down upon socially (though envied by most of those in that very same work force).
- Why do you like to travel?
Freedom of thought – I stop worrying about the future and enjoy the moment.
- What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Reflect on your reasons for going, even if they’re vague. It seems to me that it’s more important to know why you’re going than the details about where and how.
May 2006