BootsnAll Travel Community

Hi, I am looking to plan a RTW trip for maybe May/June and looking to be on the trail for 6 months. Looking to set off from London, do a few European countries before heading of to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sydney, South Africa, South America, North America and back home. As i say, nothing is decided yet, or booked. I would like your advice on the following...

How long do you think you need to plan a trip like that. Visas, etc etc ?

I am gonna have a budget of around £12 grand, will this be enough, and what level of comfort will this afford me ?

Is there a similar sort of trail to the one I mention that is really good for meeting other travellers. Has anyone done a similar route, and can recommend the way I should do it ?

I am prepared to travel alone but would feel more confident travelling with someone else, to be honest. Is there anyone out there who may be planning to do the same sort of route, and fancy getting in touch ?

Do the above questions make sense ?

Hey Alien,

In my opinion it sounds like you're covering to much ground for 6 months. Do you want to just see cities or are you going to check out other parts of the countries as well? Australia, South Africa and South America could take months by themselves. It's your trip, so of course you'll do what you want and maybe you just want a quick sample of each country, so you know where to go back to next time (you'll want to go back to them all anyway), so don't let me kill your buzz. But in my opinion I'd knock off at least one of those destinations. I figure, since I'm all the way out there, I might as well get to know the place a bit, rather than say hi and by.

As far as your budget, you're set! Half of those places you can live like a king on that budget and the other half you can live comfortably, especially within 6 months.

Visa's shouldn't be a problem either. A couple of them you may need to get in advance, but none of them should give you a problem.

Don't worrie, travelling solo dosn't mean travelling alone. You probably won't have been alone more than a couple of weeks in total at the end of your trip. Especially if you don't move around to much. That's my two pence (spl?), don't replan your trip based on my advice though, just consider some of the things I've said. Have the time of your life. You won't be the same after, no matter what happens...

you can extend your trip by alot longer i would say....that's a lot of ground to cover w/so little time like Bear said...and you have more than enough cash lucky you!...be safe,have fun go for the journey not the destinations....take your time if you have it....and if you don't you can always do the rest of your trip later

WAY too ambitious. Pick a couple of countries, and focus.

I agree...that's a LOT of places for a short time. While I think it can be interesting to visit a city or country for a short time (say a week or so) but I wouldn't string a bunch of short trips together to form an RTW. I think that would be stressful and frustrating.

I find that for wandering and exploring, a couple of months is a minimum, and three is better. My recommendation is that you pick two of your major destinations and (say, SE Asia and Australia) and plan a flexible itenerary that lets you stay a little longer in places that fascinate you, or to enjoy events of interest. That's one of the great things about RTW travel, you get to stay long enough and move slowly enough that you really get to see stuff.

A personal opinion, worth what you paid for it.

La

Must seem as ifit is getting worse with each response and I ain't about to change the trend.
You could stay lost in Asia for six years let alone doing SEA and Oz in six months and bugger the rest.

But it's your dough and your time and if you cannot get more time away from a job then yep that's what you've got but think carefully about what you are looking to get out the travels.
You can whiz about and feel after a few weeks, like shit this is hard work or as we're intimating take your time and absorb something of where you head.
It'll not always work in seeking people doing the same route and compromise or even didlike could occur, but wherever you go, it'll always be likely that you may travel with people for a day, a few days or even weeks, but not if you're racing.

If you do not have time commitments, 12,000 quid is a great base from which to travel longer term on,looking at Working Holiday Visas for Oz and NZ (possibly four years in total)and work along with wwoof.org and helpexchange.net to stretch funds and travel.
You can find great (and dodgy)hostels which although not a luxurious hotel are quite comfy and the best place of all to meet other travellers.
Have a look at the various tools available off boots and also do some googling on partticular locations and researching via other travel sites.

OK, too old for normal WHV, but have a look at BUNAC as some talk of that being good for up to 35 now for NZ, not sure on Oz.
Might have to be TEFL for a buck in Asia and the Americas - goabroad.com always having info on worldwide vacancies as well as boots links.

hey everyone,

cheer for all the advice, I reckon I'm gonna need all I can get. i have no job to come back to, as i am being made redundent, so theres no worries there.
I do, however, have a tie as i am in a band, which is what is probably making think about not being away for a long time. I will obviously have to resolve this issue in my mind and make some decisions.

Please, keep the advice coming. Been working so long, the idea of not having to work/ anything seems alien.

ta