John Sanders is a USA television producer embarking on a round-the-world journey.
The Snapshot
- **Departure:** 2002
- **Duration:** 1-2 years
- **Age:** 28
- **Budget:** Custom budget (2026 equivalent)
- **Nationality:** USA
- **Occupation:** Television Producer
The Route
South from USA though Mexico and Central America to South America. Fly possibly Buenos Aires to Johannesburg Spring 2003. Overland to Ethiopia. Fly maybe to east Africa somewhere. Overland (?) through Mauritania and Morocco to Europe. Overland through much of Europe to Istanbul, fly to Delhi. Overland through India, Nepal. Fly Kathmandu to Yangon, maybe? Do Myanmar. Yangon to Bangkok, live out rest of money in SE Asia. But that’s all shot to hell from day one, probably.
Regions: Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, Africa, Central America
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? I’d always wanted to take a couple of months off and travel through Europe. Then I realized I could just quit my job and take as long as I wanted.
What is your biggest fear about this trip? I won’t be as happy as I hope.
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 dunno. I don’t think you can know. When I finished hiking 500 miles of the Appalachian Trail a few years ago, I didn’t think I’d changed much at all. With a few years’ perspective, now it’s very clear how I changed.
If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be? After saving for two-plus years, it’s about damn time.
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 don’t know that all people should. In fact, it’d kinda suck if that happened. For some, the regular old one- or two-week vacation is great. If that satisfies one’s urge to travel, great for them. They’ll have nicer cars, clothes, and houses than me. Some of us, though, aren’t satiated by 10 days in Orlando.
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.