Gary Moore completed an around-the-world journey starting in 2001. Their experiences across multiple continents reshaped how they see the world and travel.
Snapshot
- Departure: 2001
- Age: 29
- Location: Cambridge, England
- Occupation: Before your trip:Graphic Designer/DJ
The Route
visited?Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia.
In Their Words
Why did you decide to take this trip? What
got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?It had been on my mind for sometime, lots of my friends had travelled and
done various seasons here and there in France etc, they all used to talk
about the cool adventures, that gave me the idea, I was pretty bored with
my job and needed some kind of adveture in my life so decided to take the
plunge, my friend made me ring everyone up and tell them that I was
“doing the off,” that way if I didn’t go I’d end up looking really silly!
(nice one Damo!) best thing I ever done. :0)
What is your advice for people planning
their own RTW trip?Errr go ahead and do it, keep an open mind and get off the beaten track!
It might not be everyone’s cuppa tea but if you don’t try it you will
never know.
What is the biggest myth that people have
about round-the-world traveling?Worrying about not meeting anyone. There are tons of people out there
doing the same thing as you…no worries!
How did your round-the-world trip change
your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?It made me a happier person and a lot more chilled out and not to take
things like health for granted, it also made me realise that there is a
lot more to life than the 9-5 rat race and the flash cars/big house blah
blah blah. You only have one short life so it’s a good idea to get out
there and do something with it!
If you had to sum up your round-the-world
trip in one sentence, what would it be?Go with the flow, don’t plan everything, try to keep things open.
2026 Context
- Southeast Asia backpacker infrastructure has grown significantly, with better accommodation standards and higher prices than in the early 2000s.
- Digital nomad visas have transformed countries like Thailand and Vietnam, increasing costs but improving connectivity.
- Visa situations have shifted: India now requires advance visa applications, and overland routes are more restricted.