It’s a common chain of events. Someone starts thinking about taking an around-the-world trip. They’ve got most of the money saved. They’re tying up their affairs at home. They’re dreaming of far-off lands. Then they start looking at all the choices they need to make and they freak out—sometimes literally sweating over all the odds, ends, and destinations they need to make decisions about.
Relax. While you may have to figure out a rough road map, get some shots, and make sure your bills are paid while you’re gone, much of the rest you can figure out through the guidance of others and some creativity down the road.
First of all, realize that millions of people have done this before. You’re not trying to beat the first path to the North Pole. Some of those people have even committed what they know to books you can buy or check out in the library. Here are a few of the most helpful.
Philosophy of the Road
Vagabonding , by Rolf Potts, is about taking time off from your regular life to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Quotes from Thoreau, Lao-Tzu, and Walt Whitman pepper thoughtful chapters about working to live rather than living to work. A great antidote to the culture of consumerism.
The World Awaits , by Paul Otteson, is a philosophical guide on how to travel far and well. A reasonable amount of practical advice thrown in as well.
Globetrotter Dogma is a pocket guide to giving up the rat race for a while and seeing the world.
Practical Tips
The Rough Guide First Time Around the World is a good primer that delivers on its promise.
The Frugal Globetrotter , by Bruce Northam, supplies would-be travelers with the will & the way to explore the world on a shoestring budget. Advice on cheap flights, innovative ways to save on travel costs, etc.
World Stompers , by Brad Olsen, has become a classic for those first-time travelers who fit firmly at the bottom end of the budget scale, especially younger ones who plan on partying their way around the world for cheap.
Traveler’s Tool Kit , by Rob Sangster, is packed with 528 pages of practical international travel advice. If you like to be fully prepared (from packing to dealing with requests for bribes), this covers all the bases.
The World’s Cheapest Destinations gives you a quick rundown on where your money will buy the most food, transportation, and lodging. Helpful in planning your itinerary if you’re not feeling rich.
Web Sites
Rough Guides and Lonely Planet both host excellent sites with profiles on different countries. The latter has what is by far the best message board on the Web, including a specific thread for around-the-world travel.
The Round-the-World Travel Guide is a non-commercial collection of great tips for journeys around the globe. A wealth of advice that most anyone would wish they’d had before they boarded that first flight.
If you’re having trouble deciding where to go, immerse yourself. Spend some time in the library looking at guidebooks, watch the travel shows on television, flip through the glossy travel mags at a bookstore and see which photos blow you away.
Be aware of your own personality though. I was the type who wanted to know the costs and what there was to do and see before deciding where to plop down. My partner was far more flexible and just wanted to hit the road. When we started moving around, however, I loved to go get lost in the streets and take things as they came. She clutched the guidebook like it was the key to life itself and wouldn’t walk a block without looking at a map.
For some people, it’s the journey, not the destination that matters, so they won’t need to do much planning. Others will want to have it all mapped out. Figure out what makes you happy and go with it. Just remember that it won’t be nearly as hard as you thought it would be. English, phrase books and hand signals work fine. Transportation is easier than it’s ever been. Internet cafes pop up like mushrooms every week.
Also, realize that no amount of preparation will help if things change, which they always do. Be ready to forget everything you’ve heard and read once you arrive somewhere. The other travelers you meet will be better informed than anyone you’ve gotten advice from before. What they’re telling you may be colored by opinion (get a second one when possible), but it will certainly be up to date. Much of the adventure lies in figuring it all out as you go.
