- When do you leave?
- How long do you plan to be away?
1-2 Years - How much have you saved?
12000 - How old are you?
27 - Nationality
Colombia - Where do you live now?
Chicago, USA - Occupation
Graphic Designer - Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
It’s my career - Have you traveled around the world before?
No - What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
This is a goal but it’s flexible:
From Chicago to Ireland, then travel Europe by train for three months. Then the Middle East from Turkey to Egypt. Fly to East Africa and travel overland to South Africa. Fly to India and go from India to Indonesia overland. Finally flye to Hawaii (my new home) - Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I got suffocated by routine. I decided to relocate from Chicago to Honolulu and decided this was the perfect time to take a gap year. - What is your biggest fear about this trip?
I would hate to have my luggage stolen. - Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
My family is very supportive because they all love to travel. Friends and coworkers think that it’s pretty cool but crazy. - How much planning and preparing have you done?
Just Enough - What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
I am keepin a well document website: www.rtwnomads.com and to be able to update it I have a lot of technological equipment, so I would have to say the laptop and digital camera are critical for this project. - 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 think this will be a life changing experience. I know I will change my career and possibly move internationally in a couple of years, so this will give me a glimpse at other career options. - If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
Follow the journey. - 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?
RTW trips are a way of life where you get to do touristic things but you also try to get emerged into new cultures. - What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
That you have to be rich to do it. - Why do you like to travel?
I enjoy cultural differences, seeing new sites, meeting new people and trying different cuisines. - What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Don’t think about it. You will never regret it. Just do it.
March 2006