Mike Logan is a 27-year-old from Solomons, Maryland, USA, serving in the US Air Force, who set off on an open-ended round-the-world trip in 2004.
Wanderlust. Those crazy Germans couldn’t have come up with a better name for it. It is what fills my blood. I have an innate desire to see as much of the world as I can – and that involves moving around it. Several books have influenced the timing, but the decision was always from the heart.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2004
- Age at departure: 27
- Nationality: USA
- Location: Solomons, Maryland, USA
- Duration: Indefinite
- Original budget: USD 26,000 (approximately USD 45,400 in 2026 dollars)
- Regions: Oceania, Southeast Asia, Asia, Europe, North America, South America
The Route
In Their Words
Here's what Mike Logan shared about their RTW journey:
How long do you plan to be away?
I ain’t never comin’ back.
What is your advice for other travelers?
Use your gut, listen to your heart, then employ your brain to make it happen.
What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
Some fancy shmancy "travel clothes." A few locks. A medical kit. Four books (a multilingual language/phrase book, a first-aid book, Globetrotter Dogma, and Vagabonding), pens/pencils/paper, toilet paper, disposable cameras, Teva sandals, Montrail boots, and other stuff I probably can’t remember right now.
What is the biggest myth people have about round-the-world travel?
It’s expensive… I say this because I see people piddle away thousands throughout the year on new SUVs and gas for them, plasma TVs, screaming kids, home improvements… and it all adds up to about the same amount that I’ll be spending on my trip. If you ask me, I’d say I’m getting a much better value than they are.
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 26,000 would equate to approximately USD 45,400 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 74% inflation over the intervening years.