Julie MacArthur

Round-the-World Traveler

1. When do you leave?
   January 2004

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

3. How much have you saved?
   $10,000

4. How old are you?
   24

5. Nationality
   Canada

6. Where do you live now?
   Vancouver, Canada

7. Occupation
   Student

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or
   are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   It’s my career

9. Have you traveled around the world
   before?
   Yes

10. What is the route you plan to take/places
    you plan to visit?
    Vancouver, Sydney, Malaysia, Delhi, Kenya, London, Toronto and back to Vancouver. Lots of trekking around in Oz, India and a trip through Masai Mara, and down through Tanzania to Zanzibar.

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What
    got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    I’ve been travelling on and off my whole life, but never so many
    countries back to back. I’ve always lived in countries, as opposed to
    just travel, so this is really new for me.

12. What is your biggest fear about this
    trip?
    Going by myself. But that’s the point, isn’t it? A benefit and a
    drawback, I suppose.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc.,
    supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the
    world?
    They all think it’s perfectly in character for me, so they’re not exactly
    fighting the outlay of cash. This has been a plan of mine for a few
    years now, so I suppose they’re happy I’m getting to finally go.

14. How much planning and preparing have you
    done?
    Winged it a lot

15. What are you packing? What do you consider
    your most indispensable item(s)?
    My convertible pants and Macabie skirt (which I’m completely attached to)
    a couple t-shirts, tank tops, basic first aid, camera, walkman, journal,
    tevas and runners. OH, and sunscreen.

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’m really not sure, there are the obvious ‘better sense of myself’
    things, but you never really know, do you? I hope I’ll gain a few more
    perspectives to see with – that’s always handy!

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings
    about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it
    be?
    Excited, it’s about time!

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?
    To test yourself, and get out of your comfort zone – vacations aren’t
    enough time to let go of anything, you just get over your jetlag and then
    you’re back.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have
    about round-the-world traveling?
    Expense. Compared to a hefty Christmas, or a European 2 week ‘family
    vacation’ they’re relatively cheap, for what you get. Especially these
    days with all the airline deals.

20. Why do you like to travel?
    I like the sense that it’s just me, that my days are so flexible and
    there’s no schedule. There are always challenges, surprises, and most of
    all frustrations. I love that. I love not feeling obligated, and the
    freedom of travel.

21. What is your advice for people planning
    their own RTW trip?
    Just buy a ticket, the rest sorts itself out….

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