- When do you leave?
January 2004
- How long do you plan to be away?
6-12 Months
- How much have you saved?
£10,000
- How old are you?
53
- Nationality
England
- Where do you live now?
Birmingham, England
- Occupation
Fundraising Manager for a children's Charity
- Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
One more paycheck and I'm gone
- Have you traveled around the world before?
No
- What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
I fly to Rio, Brazil in January next year, after 3 days I intend to travel overland to Venezuala. Back to meet a friend in Rio for Carnival. I have given myself approx. 5 months in South America, then on to New Zealand for 1 month, Australia for 2 months. From Darwin I fly to Singapore and spend the remaining 4 months travelling through Asia. I will travel overland to Bangkok, on to Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong - into China. Back to Hong Kong and fly to Delhi. Onwards to Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet back into India and see as much as I can before flying home via Dubai.
- Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I have reached a cross roads in my life. As I said before wonderfully, blissfully divorced. My children have grown up and my job has run it's course. So this for me is the ideal time.
I have travelled to South America twice and having met travellers there and talked to so many freinds who have travelled - the bug has bitten and it is something I just have to do.
- What is your biggest fear about this trip?
Loneliness
- Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
Very much so - my kids think it's a brilliant idea. So do all of my friends.
- How much planning and preparing have you done?
Just Enough
- What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
This is all so new to me. I am told to pack the barest minimum and buy as I go. So that sounds good enough for me.
- 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?
Unbelievably. I hope to come back more tolerant, and more relaxed.
- If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
I have never been so excited or scared or so determined in my life.
- 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?
By doing a trip like this I will get to see the "real" Country, not the touristy bits that you get to do normally.
- What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
I don't know - perhaps I'll find out on my travels and prove them wrong.
- Why do you like to travel?
It's an adventure, it broadens your horizons and life is too short to stay sitting firmly in that rut.
- What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Go for it - now!!!