- When do you leave?
- How long do you plan to be away?
1-2 Years - How old are you?
27 - Nationality
USA - Where do you live now?
Portland, OR, USA - Occupation
Loan Processor - 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?
New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia, Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, France, UK, USA, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Uraguay, Home - Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
There are too many places I want to see to come home, we have the time and circumstances, and I want to see wine regions all over the planet, as I would like to work in this industry when I return. - What is your biggest fear about this trip?
Missing family, family getting ill, or having life changing things happening while away. Personal biggest fear – getting pregnant. - Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
Yes and No. My siblings, friends, and others very supportive. In-laws are very supportive. Parents are very against it. - How much planning and preparing have you done?
To the Nth Degree - What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
Large Eagle Creek Backpacks with:
Windproof fleece, Waterproof shell, 2 wool sweaters, Few tee shirts, Few long sleeved shirts, 4 pants, few tanks, 2 jeans, few shorts, 3 bikinis, undies, socks, couple skirts, a cute shirt or two, PDA, Camera, Passport, Vaccination cards, Notebook, trail runners, sandals, flip flops, walking shoes, sleeping sac/bag – I think that’s it?
Indispensible item – just CJ 🙂 - 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 hope it makes the world more accessible for me, I hope I make memories that take me through the rest of my life, I hope I come to understand other people better and learn about other cultures, I hope to pick up on languages, I hope I learn to cook really well from other cultures. - If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
I am so anxious and excited for this trip, that every day until then feels like a day wasted – I feel like it will be the experience of my life – and I also can’t wait to start planning the next trip! - 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?
I don’t think that you can remove yourself from your own culture, environment, mind set, routine, etc, in one or two weeks. I don’t think you can soak in and learn enough, see enough, etc in one or two weeks. I don’t want to feel like I’m only familiar, at home, etc, in America – and I don’t think I can achieve that unless I stay somewhere for an extended period of time. - What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
Ummm… that it’s unsafe, you’ll catch a disease, get kidnapped, die in a plane crash, etc. Although I suppose all of those things could happen, but most likely won’t. - Why do you like to travel?
Because there is too much to see and experience in this world to waste time sitting around here…
I like learning things, and travel forces you to learn, adapt. - What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Save your money! Don’t go to movies or out to eat or buy clothes or expensive cars. Dinner and a movie here could cost what an entire week in Cambodia costs. A dollar is worth something somewhere – so don’t waste it!
October 2007