Keith Nobile

1. When do you leave?
   August 2004

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

3. How much have you saved?
   $15000USD

4. How old are you?
   26

5. Nationality
   USA

6. Where do you live now?
   Palm Springs, CA, USA

7. Occupation
   Military

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?
    I plan to leave the US - Europe - India - China - Vietnam - Thailand - Australia - South Africa - up through South America and back home.

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    I just got home from Iraq and it made me realize how much of this world I haven't seen yet. I want to exprience as many different cultures as possible.

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Being alone...

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    Everyone I have shared this with has been really supportive. Many say they wish they could do something like that.

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Planning is for tourists

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Sleeping bag
    As litle clothing as possible
    Water bottle
    Camera, journal
    and an open mind...

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 really don't know yet. I hope it will make me feel a little more at peace with myself.

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    I wish I did this a long time ago...

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?
    People get caught up (espcially in the US) with STUFF. They gather so much stuff, until that stuff owns them. Instead of gathering, people should exprience things that will always give them a sense of meaning.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    Oh, it is so dangerous!!

20. Why do you like to travel?
    I love to move around and change things up in my life. Sitting at a computer day in day out isn't really living.

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Do not listen to people who discourage you about it and make sure to have fun :)