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Colleen Banto – Round-the-World Traveler

Colleen Banto is a 25-year-old dancer from Ontario, Canada, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2007.

The Snapshot

  • Departure: 2007
  • Age at departure: 25
  • Nationality: Canada
  • Location: Ontario, Canada
  • Duration: 3-6 months
  • Occupation: Dancer
  • Original budget: CAD 5,000 (about USD 3,750; approximately USD 6,000 in 2026 dollars)
  • Regions: Southeast Asia

The Route

Southeast Asia — a rough idea: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and all the little places in between.

In Their Words

Here's what Colleen Banto shared about their RTW journey:

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

I believe i am calling it a quarterlife crisis!!!

What is your biggest fear about this trip?

That I wont want to come back, besides that, not a damn thing.

What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?

Go with it, have fun. Live with no regrets.

What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?

YOU ARE GONNA GET KILLED, you are not supposed to venture off the beaten path, well atleast thats what they tell you at the swank 5 star resorts! LOL naive naive naive, they have no clue what they are missing.

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 can only imagine, that’s why I am so eager to explore.

What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?

My laptop, my IPOD, and my Digi cam. You can always buy clothes when you are away!!!

2026 Context

  • Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of CAD 5,000 (about USD 3,750) would equate to approximately USD 6,000 in 2026 purchasing power, reflecting roughly 60% inflation over the intervening years.