SP completed an around-the-world journey starting in 1996. Their experiences across multiple continents reshaped how they see the world and travel.
Snapshot
- Departure: 1996
- Age: 31
- Occupation: *Before your trip:Teacher for “at risk youth”
*Now:English Teacher
The Route
visited?PR – Argentina (mostly Patagonia) Uruguay, Paraguay, Brasil, Australia, Nepal, Thailand, Europe (work in Germany and UK) return to
Nepal, India, Back to Europe, Nepal/Tibet, Germany, Thailand, Germany
In Their Words
Why did you decide to take this trip? What
got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?I just knew I had to and it was “now or never” feeling 🙂
What is your advice for people planning
their own RTW trip?Bring a light pack with things that you wouldn’t care if you lost… trust your instincts on the road… Keep an open mind…. and when you think you can’t do it anymore… give it a week (normally things change within the next hour).
What is the biggest myth that people have
about round-the-world traveling?In the US (near my home, NJ) people think you are crazy to do it..that it’s too difficult..etc. Others think it is only a party.
How did your round-the-world trip change
your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?Opened my eyes a bit and reconfirmed my feelings that we are all the
same…makes it difficult to live a normal day to day life at times – often
homesick for the road.
If you had to sum up your round-the-world
trip in one sentence, what would it be?It was something I had to do and I am so glad that I did it…it has
changed my life immensely
2026 Context
- European travel has become significantly more expensive, with accommodation and transport costs rising across the continent.
- Open borders within the Schengen area remain consistent, but Brexit has added complexity for UK travelers.
- Southeast Asia backpacker infrastructure has grown significantly, with better accommodation standards and higher prices than in the early 2000s.