Scott Amundsen is a 29-year-old bookkeeper and grad student from Montclair, New Jersey, USA, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2005.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2005
- Age at departure: 29
- Nationality: USA
- Location: Montclair, NJ, USA
- Duration: 1-6 months
- Occupation: Bookkeeper / grad student
- Original budget: USD 8,000 (approximately USD 13,600 in 2026 dollars)
- Regions: North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia
The Route
In Their Words
Here's what Scott Amundsen shared about their RTW journey:
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.
Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
It’s been a dream of mine for a very long time, I’m turning 30(!), and things in my personal life have unfolded to allow me to do it. That and I can’t stand my job.
What is your biggest fear about this trip?
Language barriers, running out of money, getting lost and missing an expensive flight.
Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
They all think I’ve gone completely insane.
How much planning and preparing have you done?
Just enough.
What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
It’s all about mobility so I’m packing light – one rucksack that I can wear and a smaller bag. Indispensible? My camera, travel documents and maps and my journal (which includes in the back hotel addresses and airline phone numbers). Everything else could be easily replaced.
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’m not sure really – I don’t expect too much. I’m happy that I stumbled upon a volunteer program in India and I suspect and hope that that will probably be the most rewarding and lasting aspect of the trip.
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 8,000 would equate to approximately USD 13,600 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 70% inflation over the intervening years.