Tutti Taychakhoonavudh is a 25-year-old user interface designer from San Francisco, California, USA, who took a round-the-world trip in 2002.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2002
- Age at departure: 25
- Nationality: USA
- Location: San Francisco, California, USA
- Occupation: User interface designer
- Original budget: USD 8,000 (approximately USD 14,700 in 2026 dollars)
- Regions: Africa, Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Asia
The Route
In Their Words
Here's what Tutti Taychakhoonavudh shared about their RTW journey:
Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
Interested in the Middle East. Especially interested in spending 3 months in China to get a broad overview of the country and to practise my mandarin (I’d been taking night lessons for 3 months).
What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Go for it! Know yourself and what level of planning you need to do. If you go without much planning, everything will be just fine.
What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
That it’s too expensive. I spent $8000 in 7 months! That’s less than most people’s rent in San Francisco.
How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
Not sure yet. It’s too soon afterwards to tell. I did realize that I would be happy to go for another trip by myself, because it’s a great opportunity to meet new people and hang out.
If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
It’s more work than you might expect, but nothing beats the experience. Or, “Everything will be just fine” (off a Chinese plastic tea canister).
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 8,000 would equate to approximately USD 14,700 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 84% inflation over the intervening years.