- When do you leave?
May 2003
- How long do you plan to be away?
1-2 Years
- How old are you?
29
- Nationality
USA
- Where do you live now?
Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Occupation
Tax Consultant
- 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?
First we are traveling through eastern Canada, then flying to Alaska for a month. Then we are flying down to South America, starting in Bolivia and moving up through Peru and Ecuador then through Central America. Then it is on to Africa, starting in Morocco then flying to South Africa, Namibia, and Madagascar. From there we will head over to Sri Lanka and the Indian sub-continent and work through Southeast Asia up into China, and from there who knows!
- Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
Travel has always been my wife and I's greatest passion. Ever since we got married 4 years ago we have saved for one trip after the other, traveling for 3-4 weeks a year to places like Africa and South Pacific. We just finally came to the conclusion that 3-4 weeks in an organized tour was not enough time to experience the cultures and the things we want to experience. We have been planning this trip for about a year.
- What is your biggest fear about this trip?
We have travelled quite a bit already so not much really bothers us, but I am actually the most worried about coming home or more appropiately not wanting too.
- Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
Our families have been very supportive which is a huge relief. Friends and co-workers are very sad to see us go but for the most part are supportive. Actually most people are very jealous.
- How much planning and preparing have you done?
Just Enough
- What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
Still debating this, fortunately we will be coming home after our first leg in Alaska and Canada to repack for the rest of our trip. I think the most indespensible item will be this great little thermo-rest compressible pillow we got.
- 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?
I think this trip will change our life more than anything we have ever done except having kids (which we are in no hurry to do right now). I think our whole perspective might change, along with our life goals.
- If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
We are very excited, but reality still has not set in.
- 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?
I don't feel that on a short package tour you really get to experience local cultures and truly see how others around the world live and appreciate their remote wonders as they do.
- What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
That you need to be rich in order to do an RTW trip. At least I hope this is a myth!
- Why do you like to travel?
Meeting new and interesting people with different perspectives and outlooks, and seeing new places and trying new things.
- What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Stop thinking and worrying about it and just do it. If you think about it too much you will never do it.