John E Ball is a 34-year-old telecoms consultant from England who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2002.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2002
- Age at departure: 34
- Nationality: England
- Duration: 6-12 months
- Occupation: Telecoms Consultant
- Budget: Not specified
In Their Words
Here's what John E Ball shared about their RTW journey:
Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
It’s my career.
Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
The truth is I am at heart a young 34. I have worked across much of Europe and visited further-flung places for the typical 2-week vacation. I have always had “itchy feet” and have for a long time had the urge to make a trip of this nature. I guess the truth is that I know that I will never be able to truly settle down until I get it out of my system. Until July 2001 I was so much like everyone else who thinks “I would love to do it but I cant because….” It was at this point that I met someone who helped me to realise that I could do it, I just had to accept a few changes to in my life. So I decided not to take another contract for a while, rent my house out and sell my car. At the time of writing this I have just about finished re-organising my life. At the end of the day, what’s one year of a lifetime.
What is your biggest fear about this trip?
That the people I care most about will still be there when I return.
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?
Maybe it won’t. I am sure however that if there ever was something that would change my life dramatically then it would be this. I am sure that seeing so many different cultures and lifestyles is bound to have some effect on me. One further thing is I truly believe this: If you have your eyes and your heart open to what surrounds you, who knows where your soul may find itself.
If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
I’ve talked about doing it for long enough, it’s time I took some bloody action.
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?
I’ll let you know when I get back.
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler did not specify a budget; early-2000s round-the-world costs are substantially higher in 2026, reflecting roughly 84% cumulative inflation since the 2002 departure.