John E Ball is a England telecoms consultant embarking on a round-the-world journey.
The Snapshot
- **Departure:** 2002
- **Duration:** 6-12 months
- **Age:** 34
- **Budget:** Custom budget (2026 equivalent)
- **Nationality:** England
- **Occupation:** Telecoms Consultant
The Route
Regions:
2026 Note: Travel conditions, visa requirements, and costs have evolved significantly since this profile was originally recorded.
In Their Words
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
- This profile was recorded before departure. Many travelers never return home quite the same.
- This journey is now 24 years in the past. The world has changed significantly.
- Exchange rates and travel costs have shifted considerably since the original planning date.