FAQ

Q: Are you doing this alone?
A: Yes.

Q: Aren’t you scared?
A: Nope. At no point have I been scared, frightened, or even apprehensive about taking this trip or going somewhere new. I’ve always been very independent so this really wasn’t a big deal to me. I’ve lived alone for most of my adult life so traveling alone wasn’t anything new.

Q: How did you know what to pack?
A: I didn’t create a detailed list. I just sort of kept track of stuff in my head. I have a camera bag with electronics and a duffle/backpack with everything else. I don’t have a ton of clothing. I have pair of boots, shoes and sandals, and I almost always wear just the sandals. I have two pair of pants/shorts (zip off legs), 3 t-shirts and 4 button shirts. I could probably lose some of the shirts. My main bag usually weighs in at 16-17kg at the airport and my camera bag is usually 10-12kg. The only major thing I’ve lost so far is my leatherman knife in Rarotonga.

Q: How much did the trip cost?
A: Well, I’m not done yet, so I don’t know. I started in the Pacific because I thought it would be the most expensive and logistically difficult to travel, so I wanted to get it out of the way. Getting money for the trip came from selling my house, so funding wasn’t as big of an issue as it would have been if I was doing this trip in my early 20s. The annual costs for a trip around the world depend on where you go and how you travel. Most people seem to be able to get by on about $15-20,000 per year.

Q: Where do you stay?
A: Low budget hostels or backpacker hotels. I usually don’t stay in dorms but get single rooms. That is my one luxury and what raises my costs a bit over what most people might spent. It isn’t a huge expense however. I did go nuts one weekend in New Caledonia.

Q: Did you buy a round the world ticket?
A: No. Flights in the Pacific are a nightmare and buying more than a few stops at a time wouldn’t be worth it. Beyond the pacific, I don’t plan on flying that much unless I have to. Most of my travel will be overland.

Q: How long will it take you?
A: I don’t know. I’ll know when I’m done.

Q: Do you get lonely?
A: Sometimes, but talking to people you meet on the road and having the internet available (which has been everywhere so far) makes it easier. I hope to have some of my friends join me for stretches later on in the trip. I also read a lot. One problem I’ve had is getting english language books on the road. I read very quickly and usually can exhaust what I have before I can find something new. I don’t like most of the trashy novels you find at book kiosks.

Q: How many languages do you know?
A: Just one: english. Honestly, knowing another language might help me in some places, but the majority of the places I’ll be it wont help much because there are so many languages. If you have to know one language while traveling, English is it. I try to know certain phrases so I can get by. People seem to like it if you at least try.

Q: What did you do with all your stuff?
A: It is sitting in storage.

Q: Who made your website?
A: I did. I’m pretty handy in those things. I’m always looking for help however. The time I can spend online is pretty limited and/or costly. I’m particularly inept at graphics and design. Also, if you want to play with Google Earth/Maps, feel free to monkey with my .kmz file.

Q: What software do you use for your travel blog?
A: I use a self hosted wordpress installation and use the Vistered Little theme.