Grant Williams is a 22-year-old student from Arizona, USA, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2006 with two friends.
The Snapshot
- Departure: 2006
- Age at departure: 22
- Nationality: USA
- Location: Arizona, USA
- Duration: 1-2 years
- Occupation: Student
- Original budget: USD 11,000 (approximately USD 18,700 in 2026 dollars)
- Regions: Asia, South Asia, Europe, Oceania, North America
The Route
In Their Words
Here's what Grant Williams 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 am a senior in the undergraduate program at Prescott College…a small liberal arts private school with an emphasis on experiencial education. I figured what a better way to finish my senior year than to do independent studies around the world.
What is your biggest fear about this trip?
Honestly, I have no true fears other than the strange social, economic, and political situation that is going on in the world today.
Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
They all think it is the most fantastic thing I could ever do.
How much planning and preparing have you done?
Planning is for tourists.
What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
Indispensable items: sleeping bag, pack, clothing, water filtration. The necessities.
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 am sure it will affect me in ways I cannot fathime.
2026 Context
- Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 11,000 would equate to approximately USD 18,700 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 70% inflation over the intervening years.