Victoria Clarke - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   January 2007

2. How long do you plan to be away?
   6-12 Months

3. How much have you saved?
   0

4. How old are you?
   24

5. Nationality
   England

6. Where do you live now?
   London, England

7. Occupation
   Administration Manager

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   I'll come back if they'll have me

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    Want to go to North America (NYC, San Fran, Chicago), South America (Peru, Ecuador, Brazil) Africa (Zimbabwe, Kenya) and New Zealand

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    Always wanted to travel but got put to the back of my mind when i got into a longlonglong-term relationship. Relationship ended, work bores me so decided to focus again and do something with myself!

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Being too scared to talk to people, so spending time being lonely. Not getting it for months on end. Running out of money. Usual,I guess.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    Haven't told too many people yet. Mum is v. supportive although worried. My best friend will be gutted because she wants to travel and needs a travelling buddy, but I've decided I need this to be a solo trip. Can't tell work until nearer the time. Dad will freak!

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Just Enough

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Clothes, shoes, hair straighteners (I know, I know!), camera, pens and notepad, pics of family, map!

16. 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?
    Hoping it will make me a lot more confident. Should make me realise how indispensible and non-important most things are and how important it is to just be happy with yourself.

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    I'm terrified about most aspects of it, but throughly excited about all aspects of it.

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?
    You're more likely to be working to a budget, which i think means that you'll experience a 'truer' lifestyle while you're there. You can totally relax and not worry about going back to work and rushing to fit everything into the 1/2 weeks you're there.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    

20. Why do you like to travel?
    Like the challenge

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Need some of my own!!!