I tell ya, we never expected that planning a round-the-world (RTW) trip would require so much research and so many details. Every week, we find ourselves adding more items to our to-do list than we’re crossing off. I personally want to get to the fun part of shopping for the clothes and other items that I’ll carry on my back every day for the next year. But however boring it is to compare the fine print of one travel/health insurance policy to another, it must be done. And we have learned a lot in the process.
So where did it all begin? I take credit for the idea, and give Mike credit for being game for absolutely anything that involves an adventure. I was going through a sort of quarter-life crisis in early 2011 and freaked out about what my next move would be. Do I stay in DC or move to experience a new city? Do I stay on the career path I’ve started or take a serious look into the health field? Each time I asked a question, I went back to the same thought: Why can’t I just stop this worrying and travel the world?
Somewhere along the way, that thought gained traction in my mind and stuck. Then I started wondering, “And why can’t I?” When I brought up this possibility to Mike, he expected it based on the conversations we had about where our lives were headed. So we talked it out, looking at the hard facts, our savings and what we want out of life. It seemed like a no-brainer. That elusive “perfect time” to do something monumental that people always say doesn’t exist was actually right before us.
Since our decision, we’ve scoured the Internet for travel blogs and RTW planning tips, and we’ve discovered that there are actually a lot of people out there going down this road: quitting their jobs, selling their possessions and packing their bags for a chance to travel the world. All of a sudden, it didn’t feel like as crazy an idea as we originally thought. In fact, it felt even more exciting — like joining a [not-so-]secret society.
And thus brings us to the planning of it all. And let me remind you that we’re planning our wedding at the same time. Certainly not ideal, but maybe one day I’ll look back at this prep time and think, “Wow, that was fun/challenging/insane/stressful … but worth it.”
The planning process is really extensive and would make this post soooo much longer than it already is, so I’ll break it up to make it easier to chew and swallow. Just click here.
francaangloitalian says
I can’t believe you planned your RTW trip at the same time of your wedding, that must have been quite difficult and stressing perhaps? You did more than well though! 🙂
Tara Shubbuck says
It was stressful beyond belief! Glad it’s over, but we’d do it again for sure.