Linda J. Brown – Round-the-World Traveler

Linda J. Brown is a 67-year-old retired travel tour manager from Clearwater, Florida, USA, who set off on a year-long round-the-world trip in 2005, funding it entirely on her Social Security.

The Snapshot

• Departure: 2005
• Age at departure: 67
• Nationality: USA
• Location: Clearwater, Florida, USA
• Duration: About 1 year (May 2005-May 2006)
• Occupation: Travel tour manager (now retired)
• Original budget: USD 25,000 (approximately USD 42,500 in 2026 dollars)
• Regions: Europe, Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, North America

The Route

From Clearwater, Florida to Castledawson (Northern Ireland), then Slovenia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Poland, with Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, and Turkey ahead; then two weeks in Egypt, three months in India, four months in Southeast Asia, and home via Hawaii, Seattle, and Denver to Florida.

In Their Words

Here's what Linda J. Brown shared about their RTW journey:

How did your travels affect your career when you got back?

I am not back yet. Just two months into a year journey. Hopefully, I will write about traveling alone as a senior citizen woman, using only my social security to pay my way.

Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?

I have traveled a great deal….under the radar….but never for this long and RTW. So, it was time. Before I grow OLDER, for goodness sakes. I used to lead trips to the Soviet Union and learned to love the unknown and the uncertain in travel. The Spirit of Adventure got me into it.

What was the best moment of your trip?

Meeting another travel writer in Sofia, Bulgaria, and spending 4 hours talking to him.

What was the worst moment?

None really, unless its sitting in a train station at midnight, waiting for the 1 am train to Krakow, as I will be doing tonight.

What was your biggest hurdle, obstacle, or difficulty?

None really, unless it was cooking in the heat of the Sofia-Budapest train that sat on the sidelines for ten hours in Belgrade.

What was your biggest surprise?

So far, its been as expected.

Who is the most memorable person you met on your trip, and why?

Eric Torjuson, who is Norwegian but now lives in Spain.

2026 Context

• Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 25,000 would equate to approximately USD 42,500 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 70% inflation over the intervening years.