Tutti Taychakhoonavudh completed an around-the-world journey starting in 2002. Their experiences across multiple continents reshaped how they see the world and travel.
Snapshot
- Departure: 2002
- Age: 25
- Budget: USD 8,000 (USD 8,000, or USD 14,700 in 2026 dollars)
- Location: San Francisco, California, USA
- Occupation: Before your trip:user interface designer
The Route
Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, China, Tibet, Mongolia.
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?
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
- 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.