Bob Pedersen
Round-the-World Traveler Round the World Travel GuideYour One-stop Source to Plan & Book Around-the-World Trips
After Bob came back to Eugene, BootsnAll's Christina Hur caught up with him for some chat and an interview. Read more about Bob and his trip here.
May-October 2001
55
US$14,000
USA
Eugene, Oregon, USA
I have never really had a "career" to speak of, so my trip did not really cause any interruption. I'll just have to go out and find another job.
I traveled around the world without ever getting on an airplane. A dream since childhood, I went from Oregon to Los Angeles by train, and across the Pacific by freighter to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, I traveled by train through China and Mongolia to Russia, across Russia on the Trans-Siberian railway to St. Petersburg, and finally to Helsinki. I then traveled by train south through Eastern Europe to Istanbul. From Istanbul to selected Greek Islands by ferry, and ferry from the Greek mainland to Italy. On the train again for the northerly trip through Western Europe to Liverpool, England. I then boarded another freighter bound for Philadelphia, and trained from Philly to Eugene, Oregon.
I have wanted to travel around the globe since childhood. After 30 years of travel to over 50 countries, I came up with the idea of doing the trip without ever boarding an airplane. From where does this wanderlust come? Probably too many evenings as a child with nothing but National Geographic for entertainment.
There were so many that it is difficult to select just one. But, Feyyaz Abrak of Istanbul stands out. A friend of a friend of a friend, we corresponded only a couple of times by e-mail. When I was in Budapest, I e-mailed him with the date and time of my intended arrival. I asked that he find a small hotel for me. His reply was that a hotel was not necessary, that I would be he and his father's guest for seven days in Istanbul. Wonderful, wonderful hospitality. I hope that I can return it someday.
Planning is for tourists
Swiss Army Knife
A heavy jacket, and about 20% less clothes.
The trip had an enormous effect on me. Writing for the local newspaper, the Eugene Register Guard, I found out what I want to do for the rest of my life. Additionally, I'll never want for anything material again. I have been so blessed.
Traveling is not what I like to do, but rather who I am.
Yes. I plan to go around the globe again, but this time entirely by freighter.
Follow your dreams. If your dream is a two-week vacation – so be it.
That 99.9% of all the people in the world are wonderful, peaceful, and trusting people.
The cost.
I travel to meet new people. Americans are not the most trusting people in the world. We create many barriers and fences. To travel solo for extended periods brings those barriers down. Travel makes me a better person.
Don't plan everything out. Leave yourself time for things to just happen. I assure you that those impromptu moments will be the most remembered and cherished moments of your trip.
