Janelle Dianne Tilden - Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   March 2007

2. How long do you plan to be away?
   1-6 Months

3. How much have you saved?
   10,000

4. How old are you?
   53

5. Nationality
   Australia

6. Where do you live now?
   Brisbane, Australia

7. Occupation
   Science Communicator

8. 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

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    Brisbane to New York (to catch up with a friend) travel around in USA, USA to New Delhi with friend (want to visit places in the Indian Himalayas - Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh), London (jump off point for other parts of Europe) keen to travel around a lot in Europe including Greece, Croatia, Czech Rep, Slovakia, finishing up in Italy for a conference in May. Could also travel after conference, depending on timing. Will return to Brisbane at the end of May.

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    Want to go to conference in Italy, visit friend in USA and return to the Indian Himalaya (where I've been twice before). My job finishes just before I leave. It will probably be my last chance to do a trip of this kind.

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    I can't think of any fears. Maybe that my health won't stand up to it. It's a long time for an old bag like me to be travelling around. The longest I've been overseas before is 5 weeks, trekking in Kashmir and Ladakh in 1984.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    They are very supportive.

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)?
    Money, passport, tickets ... in that order. Then valuable items like camera. Will need lots of warm clothes for the places I'm travelling. Like to travel as light as possible.

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?
    I have loved every bit of overseas travel I've done and always wanted to go back to places I've just been. I find it incredibly mind-broadening. I love to learn new things.

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 hoping this trip will bring me some of the best times of my life.

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?
    I'm sure it's a totally different experience and different experiences are good.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    No idea. Maybe that you actually have to go around the world.

20. Why do you like to travel?
    Adventurous spirit. Very interested in other cultures, languages. Enjoy new experiences. Like meeting people from other cultures.

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    No advice. I've never done it and wouldn't presume to advise anyone. Maybe it would be "keep your heart and mind open" but that is advice for life.