Dawson McCall – Round-the-World Traveler

Dawson McCall is a 24-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, who set off on a round-the-world trip in 2008.

The Snapshot

• Departure: 2008
• Age at departure: 24
• Nationality: USA
• Location: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Duration: 1-2 years
• Occupation: Nothing important
• Original budget: USD 3,000 (approximately USD 4,600 in 2026 dollars)
• Regions: Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania

The Route

From the US overland through Central America — Panama — into Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela, then flying to England and across the continent by train, ending in southern Spain and crossing to Morocco to travel Africa down to Cape Town, on to India, up through Nepal, southern China, Mongolia, Korea and Beijing, then Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia, over to Australia and back to the US with a stopover in the Pacific Islands.

In Their Words

Here's what Dawson McCall shared about their RTW journey:

What is your biggest fear about this trip?

Being away from family/friends.

Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?

Mostly supportive, but many think I’m crazy and that I’ll never do it.

2026 Context

• Budget inflation: This traveler's original budget of USD 3,000 would equate to approximately USD 4,600 in 2026 purchasing power.