GloboTreks is reader-supported through affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I might earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support! – Norbert
This is the first post on a RTW planning series…
Round the World (RTW) trips are a growing trend in the travel industry. Every day people are realizing that taking an extended RTW journey can be a reality.
Whether it is because of the inspirational stories on many RTW blogs, the plethora of available planning resources on the web, or the fact that many jobs today can be properly executed location independent; more and more people are taking a step forward in exploring this life-changing experience.
There are two things I think are very important to note: Anyone can do it, and a good source of inspiration or a purpose will keep you going and make the experience more satisfying.
Yes, ANYONE can do a Round The World trip
Whether you’re a teacher, student, consultant, service professional, or any other, the option of doing a RTW is there, and it’s open. You just have to decide to take it, plan it, and follow your dreams on what you really want.
And, of course, having the right travel planning tips also help make the planning stage of the trip as easy and smooth as possible.
Make your inspiration be the life and purpose of your trip
I personally believe that the most successful RTW trips are the ones that either have a theme or have a purpose behind them that goes beyond the act of traveling.
The reality is that not everyone needs a purpose or theme to take a RTW trip, but having it will keep you inspired to do more things and keep traveling in the long run.
That inspiration will keep your spirit up during the hard times that inevitably come with the travel experience and it will help keep you open to new and foreign experiences.
Some people take cooking classes around the world, others do yoga, others go volunteering through third world countries, and others challenge themselves to accomplish certain adventures like climbing mountains, exploring natural wonders, and others.
Many also travel to explore themselves, to change the scenery, and to meet new people. No matter what it is, the important thing is that it has to be something that interests you.
For my upcoming RTW I’m all about experiencing first hand the architectural wonders I studied in college, tasting the cultural contrasts and interactions in the different parts of the world, and how they affect their current social life.
And for my adrenaline junkie side, challenging myself with physical activities like hiking, climbing, spelunking, bungee jumping, and more, in the most unique and distinctive places in the world.
Now, inspiration is not the only thing you need in order to do a RTW, and I know you must have a lot of questions flowing through your mind about how to do this, how can you pay for it, where to start, where to go, etc.
The most common question, as usual, has to do with money. It is expensive? Well, it doesn’t have to be. It all depends on what you do -sightseeing, tours, parties; where you stay – hotels, vacation rentals, hostels, couchsurfing; where you go – Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America; and others.
These are all variables that make our travel style and our experience on the road. But more than that, your passion for travel and for the destinations you want to experience is what will influence the most your journey.
That’s what will keep you on the road when you question yourself, “why am I doing this?”, and when you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere because the bus broke down.
This series will cover many details of the process of RTW planning as well as the things I’m doing in my own planning for my trip.
There is a lot to cover during RTW planning, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ll just take it one step at a time, but the first step is to have the desire and inspiration to do a RTW trip!
Do you want to go on a RTW? What’s inspiring you to go on a RTW trip?
Update: You can check out my comprehensive guide on becoming location independent, where I lay out everything I’ve done to travel the world long term for over eight years now.
Images 1, 2, and 3 from Flickr’s Creative Commons.
LET ME HELP YOU TRAVEL MORE BY GETTING ADDITIONAL TIPS AND INSPIRATION VIA THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER.
Plus, receive a short e-book with 15 Beginner Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Flights!