BootsnAll Travel Community

I'm planning a RTW beginning in late-Sep, early Oct of 2007. Before that, I'm attempting a thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail beginning in March 2007. If I finish that in less than six months (not likely), I may be leaving the US sooner. The question - during that time of year, where would be the best place to start?

Things are still in the very early planning stages, but I'm hoping to travel 12 months or so with about a $40k reserve (I'm going to need some of that to hold me over while I look for a new job upon returning). I had originaly thought about starting in Europe, just to get gradually acclimated to cultural differences, but also had considered South America due to the climate during that part of the year and the fact that I can manage rudimentary Spanish.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Scott

Depends what your priorities are - weather? activities? culture? work? museums?

My thought would be to make a general list of the places you hope to visit and what you hope to do there, that way you can make sure you don't end up showing up in a place trying to do an activity that is shut down every year in that particular month. Alot of countries have wet/dry seasons which limit the activities/roads/areas that are open and some activities are just season specific in general. For example, you wouldn't want to show up in Sept to see the Cherry Blossoms in D.C., or July to surf/swim/sun in Sydney or June to ski in Europe; while you *would* want to show up in Maine in May to catch the dam openings for white water rafting, or Melbourne in April(?) to catch an Aussie Rules football game etc etc etc. You also wouldn't want to turn up hoping to get a fruit picking job somewhere when it's not harvest season, etc.

I'm not suggesting that you plan everything, more like figure out what the "I only want to go to this places because of X" items are. Then figure out your order from that...