Andrew Woods

Round-the-World Traveler

Round the World Travel Guide
Your One-stop Source to Plan & Book Around-the-World Trips

Andrew falls out of a plane, er, goes skydiving in New Zealand.

1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
   September 2000-July 2001

2. How old were you when you took this trip?
   23

3. Nationality
   England

4. Where do you live now?
   Portsmouth, England

5. Occupation
   Before your trip: Student (Undergraduate)

   Now: Student Teacher

   How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
   Not at all – already had plans and stuck to them when I got back.

   What is the route you took/places you visited?
   South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru.

   Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
   Needed time away from UK and familiar surroundings/people. Had never done any budget travel previously.

   Out of all your experiences traveling around the world, what was the:

   • Best Moment
     
     The whole of my time in India; surfing deserted beaches in Australia with two best mates; South African and South American scenery.

   • Worst Moment
     
     Only mild illness in Thailand, nothing really bad at all.

   • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
     
     Making the money stretch without losing out on the experience (managed it though).

   • Biggest surprise?
     
     New Zealand, as I thought it would just be like Australia.

   Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
   Met loads of people, but none compared to the mates I went away with.

   How much planning and preparing did you do?
   Control Freak

   What was your favorite piece of gear?
   Decent outdoor trainers

   What did you bring, that in hindsight you could’ve left at home?
   Ended up ditching lots of clothes – could have taken less as it’s easy to pick up items to suit the climate wherever you are. Also, you can get second-hand guidebooks everywhere to save carrying them too far.

   How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
   Got me back to the “old” me…

   If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
   Unforgettable and life-changing.

   Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
   Not soon – married now with first child on the way.

   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 trip means living the experience rather than holidaying, if that’s what you want.

   What is the most valuable thing you learned?
   Make the most of your life.

   What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
   That it’s hard…

   Why do you like to travel?
   Removes all the surplus bits of life for a while.

   What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
   Be realistic about money/working in your planning, leave your travel as open to change as possible, and get on with it.

Start Planning Your RTW Trip

Back to Travelers on Round-the-World Trips