Caroline Mason

1. When did you go on your RTW trip?
   November 2002-May 2003

2. How old were you when you took this trip?
   32

3. Including your air ticket and other expenses (from accommodation to souvenir-buying), about how much did your trip cost?
   15,000

4. Nationality
   England

5. Where do you live now?
   Kent, England

6. Occupation
   
   Before your trip: Sales
   
   Now: Awaiting sale of house to move to New Zealand
   

   How did your travels affect your career when you got back?
   They would not have affected it at all apart from my lack of interest to work here now.

   What is the route you took/places you visited?
   Canada, Vancouver Island, USA, Arizona, Nevada, LA. Visting Disney World, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Santa Monica, Las Vegas. Cook Islands, New Zealand 6 week tour most major towns, Taupo, Queenstown, Wanaka, Bay of Islands, Kaikora, to name but a few, through to Bali, then home.

   Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
   Earning a bit of money on a house and deciding rather than to invest materially to invest in knowledge. Excellent opportunity and worth every penny.

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

   • Best Moment
     Las Vegas and scenery in New Zealand

   • Worst Moment
     Bali: the poverty after the bomb etc

   • Biggest Hurdle, Obstacle or Difficulty?
     Money: making it last

   • Biggest surprise?
     The strength of our pound and the cost of living everywhere else

   Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip and why?
   Nula, an Irish girl we met and the likeness of minds and her friendliness.

   How much planning and preparing did you do?
   To the Nth Degree

   What was your favorite piece of gear?
   Flip Flops.

   What did you bring, that in hindsight you could've left at home?
   Clothes: nearly all of them. Travel iron.

   How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
   It has changed me totally. I now know that the world is a huge but welcoming and accessible place. I know that England is not the best place to live financially, and I know that I am moving to the most beautiful country, in my view, in the world: New Zealand.

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

   Are you planning more trips and travels for the future? Are you planning another round-the-world trip?
   Yes we will, definitely. Once we have lived the new Zealand dream.

   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?
   Living the culture, way of life. The freedom and non-routine way of life. The relaxation and excitement of not knowing where you will fancy going tomorrow.

   What is the most valuable thing you learned?
   Stress is pointless.

   What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
   That all travellers live out of ruck sacks.

   Why do you like to travel?
   Because you have not lived without seeing some different ways of living. your way is not the only way.

   What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
   Use the internet. By planning you will save fortunes on accommodation. Always barter on price.