Pre-trip BNA interview
When do you leave?
January 3rd 2007
How long do you plan to be away?
6 months
How much have you saved?
enough!
How old are you?
26
Nationality
American
Where do you live now?
Tampa, Florida USA
Occupation
Auto Finance
Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
Well, I don’t exactly hate my job but I want to try new things. And yes, this job is paying for my trip.
Have you traveled around the world before?
Not exactly around the world but I have traveled before.
What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
East Africa: Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda
South East Asia: Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Phillipenes, Myanmar, Hong Kong
I may check out the U.S. Pacific North West before returning home.
Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
I have been wanting to do an extended trip for a long time. I read a few books and used the tools online to give me the confidence needed in order to take a step like this.
What is your biggest fear about this trip?
Nothing too deep. Pretty superficial fears like… spiders, toilets, and uncomfortable sleeping arrangments. All of which I should overcome pretty quickly. I figure i’ll save the worrying about my future once I get back.
Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
I don’t think I have had one person tell me that this isn’t a good idea. My mom and dad are both extremely supportive. My friends seem genuinely interested.
How much planning and preparing have you done?
I am not really sure what to gauge my planning against. I feel like I haven’t done enough but how prepared can I really be? I figure I will find out how well I prepared myself once I hit the road.
What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
a few t-shirts, 2 pairs of pants, a pair of shorts, something warm, boots, sandals, flip-flips, toiletry, ipod, digital camera, and mosquito repelent! The digital camera is a must.
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 kind of considering this my own personal boot camp. Living the life of a vagabond for 6 months can only make a person stronger and less dependant on the comforts of home. In addition, I want to learn more about the world I live in through experience rather than in the news.
If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
Holy shit!
Why do you think people should go on round-the-world trips? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
To each his own. It doesn’t matter what I think. I am doing this because I want to try being away from home for more than a couple of weeks, learn to live differently and fully emerce myself other cultures, which is something you can’t do in 2 weeks.
What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
That it is dangerous. Although, I can’t really answer this question until I have done it myself.
Why do you like to travel?
I think I get bored with things pretty easily so travel gives me the opportunity to try new things and go on adventures and really get the most out of my life.
What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
Watch your airfare. Don’t rush into purchasing any flights but don’t wait till the last minute either. I think I could have saved myself a few hundred dollars if I had waited a little longer to buy some of my flights but since I didn’t foresee my plans changing at the time then it really isn’t too bad.
Joey
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