BootsnAll’s Top 10 Round The World Wednesday Articles From 2011

Author:

Adam Seper

Article added 6 years ago

Over the past year, we have seen a renewed focus behind what helped start BootsnAll as a company – extended, RTW travel. Back in April, we launched the weekly series that you’re reading now, dubbed Round the World Wednesdays, where we focus on everything there is to know about extended, RTW travel. We have also been working hard over these past few months to revamp, update, and add content to our massive RTW travel section.

In addition to these exciting new additions, we want to continue to build our community of like-minded people and make connections with other indie travelers. That’s why we’ve launched the new Round the World Traveler Profiles. We want to build a massive database of long-term travelers willing to share their experiences with other BootsnAll readers. If you want to fill one out, comment below and we’ll tell you how. We also have a newsletter, new Facebook fan page and Twitter handle all devoted to round the world travel, so be sure sign up, like us, and follow us for even more RTW travel info.

Because of this new focus on RTW travel, we thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at our most popular articles having to do with extended, round the world travel. We looked at the numbers and chose the top 10 most popular articles and broke them down according to 5 of the most important aspects of traveling around the world:

Inspiration

The first step to taking a RTW trip is to realize that it’s possible. We need to get over those mental barriers that prevent many from thinking that an extended trip around the world can be done. Here are the most popular articles from the last year that should hopefully inspire you to hit the road.

11 Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Start Planning Your Round the World Trip
The very first RTW Wednesday article was actually one of our most popular articles of the year having to do with any subject. The author breaks it down in a way that makes it seem like it would be a great idea to leave your job, sell your stuff, and head out on the open road.

>>Read 11 Reasons to Stop Dreaming and Start Planning Your Round the World Trip

10 Round the World Travel Myths Debunked
There are tons of myths that prevent travel-lovers from taking that next step from one or two week vacations to a multi-month or year-long trip. It’s scary, it may seem impossible, and you will most certainly hear from detractors, but the author has an answer for every excuse you may have.

>>Read 10 Round the World Travel Myths Debunked

>>For more articles that will inspire you to hit the road, check these out:

Budgeting

Once you decide that a RTW trip is for you, most travelers turn their minds to the budget. Your budget will determine where you can go, how long you can travel, and how you will be traveling. The most important thing to remember about your budget is that you need to do what’s right for you. Everyone travels differently – some can get by on a paltry amount, while others like to splurge on nice meals and accommodations from time to time.

How Much Money Do You Really Need to Travel?
This article offers a very practical breakdown of what you need to think about when planning out your RTW budget. From realizing that you don’t need to be rich to travel the world, to figuring out how much it costs to take a trip like this, to offering tips like where to go, you’ll get all the advice you need and then some to start feeling comfortable crafting your budget.

>>Read How Much Money Do You Really Need to Travel?

Round the World Travel Budgets Revealed: The Real Costs of 11 Real Trips
For this article, the author interviewed 10 travelers who have been on RTW trips and got all their budgeting information. Some numbers may scare you a bit while others will make you realize that this whole RTW travel thing is a possibility. Since there was so much interest in this one, we plan on doing a follow-up article breaking down even more budgets after the New Year. If you want to participate, comment below.

>>Read Round the World Travel Budgets Revealed: The Real Costs of 11 Real Trips

>>For more articles that can help with your budgeting needs, be sure to read:

Planning

Once the budget starts to take shape, it’s all about planning. Where are you going to go? How are you going to decide where to go? What are you going to pack? Are you going to buy a RTW plane ticket or point to point? All are things you’ll have to decide during the planning phase of your trip. The following articles will help get you on your way.

The Ultimate Guide to Packing for a RTW Trip
One of the questions I get most when talking about traveling around the world revolves around packing. First time RTW travelers just can’t wrap their heads around the idea of packing for a multi-month or year-long trip, and I was no different before ours. The author breaks down everything you’ll need to consider, including the exact clothes that he and his wife brought on their trip. He even offers a downloadable men’s and women’s packing list to get you started.

>>Read The Ultimate Guide to Packing for a RTW Trip

Planning Your RTW Trip – Overplanning vs. Spontaneity
Planning where to go, what to see, how fast to move, and making the decision on whether to buy a RTW plane ticket or point to point tickets is all part of the process. There are pros and cons to every decision you make, and there’s no one right way to do this. The important thing to remember is doing what’s right for you.

>>Read Planning Your RTW Trip – Overplanning vs. Spontaneity

>>For more articles on the planning aspect of RTW travel, be sure to check out:

There are all types of different travelers out there, and dispelling the myth of RTW travel being for college students, retirees, or Europeans is an important part of realizing your RTW travel dreams. There are plenty of solo travelers out there, many of them female. And you wouldn’t believe how many families have taken long term trips with their kids. Once on the road, there are lots of things to think about, and these articles will help you prepare for life on the open road.Going at it Alone: Top Tips for Solo Travel from Those Who Have Done It
For someone like me who is part of a traveling couple, I am constantly impressed and amazed at these solo travelers. Traveling solo for any trip, much less a long-term, RTW trip, can be extremely difficult, but these people have had tons of success doing it. So if you are a travel lover who doesn’t have a partner to share your passion with, have no fear. Hitting the road alone is a possibility that can truly change your life.>>Read Going at it Alone: Top Tips for Solo Travel from Those Who Have Done It21 Reasons to Travel Around the World with Kids…From Those Who Have Done It
Some say it’s impossible. Some would never do it. Some think it’s crazy. But the fact is that there are a multitude of families out there right now traveling the world and loving it. But don’t take my word for it, check out what these traveling families have to say about how long-term travel has improved their lives and family dynamics.

>>Read 21 Reasons to Travel Around the World with Kids…From Those Who Have Done It

>>To read more about what to expect once on the road, read:
Destinations

Choosing where to go is one of the most difficult parts of planning a RTW trip, and many travelers automatically leave out more expensive destinations in favor of traveling longer. But you may be surprised at the tips you can find for traveling in traditionally more expensive regions. Where to begin, where to end, and whether or not to leave those notoriously dangerous destinations off your wish-list.

9 Great Destinations to Begin Your Round the World Trip
Where to begin your trip is extremely important as you want to get your trip off to a great start. These 9 destinations are a good mix of easy-to-travel-in countries and countries that might provide culture shock but still have a well-trodden tourist trail.

>>Read 9 Great Destinations to Begin Your Round the World Trip

Five of the World’s Most Expensive Countries and How to Visit Them on the Cheap
Even if a country is traditionally expensive, and travelers urge you not to go there for fear of blowing out the budget, there are always tips for visiting that place on the cheap. Backpackers use ingenuity like the best of them in order to save a few bucks to make their trip longer, and the author gives advice for traveling around these notoriously expensive countries without killing your budget.

>>Read Five of the World’s Most Expensive Countries and How to Visit Them on the Cheap

>>If you want more destination specific information for RTW travel, don’t miss these articles:
- 10 of the Most Dangerous Destinations (& Which Ones Are Worth the Risk)
- 12 Budget European Destinations to Add to Your RTW
What was your favorite RTW BootsnAll article from the past year? Is there anything you’d like to see us cover that we haven’t already? Is there something you’d like to see more of in 2012? Comment below to share your thoughts.

Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Adam Seper and his wife, Megan, decided that 50+ hour workweeks with 2 weeks of vacation a year simply wasn’t going to cut it. So they decided to take a leap of faith and put The American Dream on hold. In October 2008, they took off on an epic, year-long adventure, traversing the globe and traveling to 89 cities and 11 countries across 4 continents, never to be the same again.

Now Adam is going to tell you how you can plan your own epic adventure. Every week, on “Round the World Wednesday” he’ll share tips for planning, budgeting and selecting a route, plus advice on where to go and what to see and do all around the world.