Michael Colucci is a 46-year-old machinist from St. Petersburg, USA, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2005.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2005
- Age at departure: 46
- Nationality: USA
- Location: St. Petersburg, USA
- Duration: 1-6 months
- Occupation: Machinist
- Original budget: USD 3,000 (approximately USD 5,100 in 2026 dollars)
- Regions: Southeast Asia, Europe, Middle East
The Route
In Their Words
Here's what Michael Colucci shared about their RTW journey:
Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
It’s my career.
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?
I just feel that I need to see how the rest of the world is coming along. I am a bit of an anthropologist and enjoy other cultures.
What is your biggest fear about this trip?
That I will not want to return home.
Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
I would not even tell them. Maybe I will send a postcard. 🙂
How much planning and preparing have you done?
To the Nth Degree.
What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
Ultralight as possible. I have everything for camping, but I will not bring it, instead I will use hostels and such. I will try to buy local when possible.
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?
It should bolster my Kantian cosmopolitan beliefs.
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 think it is incumbent on people to leave their “comfort zone” in order to understand others.
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 3,000 would equate to approximately USD 5,100 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 70% inflation over the intervening years.