Steena and James Anderson was 35 years old when planning their round-the-world journey in 2005. Based in Seattle, USA, Steena was working as before your trip: program analyst/network engineer now: still looking before embarking on their adventure.
The Snapshot
Age: 35
Nationality: USA
Departure: 2005
The Route
Regions: Europe, Southeast Asia, Oceania, Central America
cross-country USA trip (Washington DC to Seattle) Mexico-Europe (Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Czech, Hungary, Germany, Denmark) Fiji-New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Nepal, Thailand-Seattle
Spanning multiple continents, Steena's itinerary covered europe, southeast asia, oceania, central america, offering exposure to diverse cultures, landscapes, and travel experiences.
Note: This interview was conducted in 2005. The travel landscape, accommodation costs, transportation infrastructure, visa requirements, and accessibility have evolved significantly by 2026.
In Their Words
Q: Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
Finished school in DC and decided to take a “small trip” before relocating back to Seattle. Deciding where to go turned from “small trip” to RTW.
Q: Best Moment
either eating crepes in Oaxaca or sitting in some hot springs in New Zealand during a freak spring snow storm
Q: Worst Moment
having everything stolen in Mexico
Q: What was your favorite piece of gear?
The backsafe. After all my stuff was stolen, the backsafe gave us a sense of security.
Q: How did your round-the-world trip change your life? How did it affect and change you as a person?
I definitely see the world with new eyes now and I worry much less. There are so many things to concern yourself with while traveling you just have to let most of it go or you will go insane.
Q: If you had to sum up your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
Going on a RTW was the best decision we ever made.
2026 Context
- This profile reflects round-the-world travel perspectives from the mid-2000s.
- The destinations and routes mentioned have experienced significant changes in accommodation costs, transportation infrastructure, visa policies, and overall accessibility to travelers.
- The RTW travel community, available travel tools, digital connectivity, and shared travel resources have evolved considerably over the past two decades, creating both new opportunities and challenges for contemporary travelers.