Round the World Trip 1997/98

How do you get the idea of doing a Round-the-World Trip? While living in London I met heaps of people who had travelled extensively or were planing to do so. I thought that I can easily do that myself as well.

For quite a while it was just a dream but the more I talked to people about it the more it became real.

Some time in spring 1997 I was walking past a travel agency and thought why should I not get some information about Round the world tickets. About an hour later I had booked my Round the world ticket leaving from London in September 1997.

My planed route was London - New York - San Francisco - Auckland - Melbourne overland Sydney - Bangkok - Rome - London. My initial plan was to stay in New York and San Francisco for a few days each, then spend about 8 weeks in New Zealand, 6 weeks in Australia, 4 weeks in Thailand and a few days in Rome. To be able to stay longer in Thailand I changed the flight to Rome and only used this airport for changing planes.

I didn't really prepare and plan that much before taking off. I handed in my notice at my job (which was only temporary anyway), got an travel insurance (mainly covering health insurance), got information about visa and vaccinations, read up about the countries in travel guides and bought things like a backpack, rain jacket, hiking boots and Tevas. I didn't have to hand in the notice at my flatshare as our lease run out in September anyway.