So you are planning on setting off on a round the world adventure? Good for you!
I love travel and all the exciting things that go with it, and have assisted many people in planning the ultimate round the world trip-
By way of introduction, my name is Oliver Bray and I am one of the founders of Xtreme Gap Year, I take a very hands on approach with our customers and their travel plans (if needed!)
I have been on a lot trips in the past (68 countries and counting so far!) and pretty much been to every continent (well not the 2 poles) with work and for pleasure, so I do have some experience in round the world trips, and all that goes along with it.
Many people really don´t know where to start when it comes to planning a huge trip, understandably so, as there is so much to see and do, so I have created a series of newsletters that can help give you some guidance when it come to planning your round the world trip.
Round The World Adventures
If you are planning on that once in a life time exodus, then check out our round the world section. Customisable itineraries taylor made for you, vetted and researched by us. Sign up on this form and we will send you information on planning your trip Including:
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Some of the things covered are:
- Planning your trip
- Finding Round the world flights,
- Insurance
- Different ideas for trips in different countries
- Suggested Round the world itineraries: (The Ultimate, South America, South East Aisa, Australia and New Zealand)
- Where to get further information and inspiration
Firstly some things to think about! Planning a trip is a pretty exciting experience, all the place you can go and all the cool things you can see. The people you will meet on the way from all over the world, and the totally amazing adventures out there that await you, but like many you may be wondering where to start.
Where do you want to go?
Most people have an idea of roughly where they want to go before they set off, knowing certainly helps because it enables you to research flights a lot easier, and once you have a route in mind you can get to the really fun stuff. However if you don´t know, start with an Atlas or Google Earth (there is a google earth plugin on the home page of our site – check out the big map). Think about places you have seen on the TV that are of interest and ask your mates where they would recommend!
Your personal budget will make a difference as to where you can go, Africa and Asia is a lot cheaper than Australia and New Zealand, but they all are a very different travel experience. So think about what you want to get out of the trip!
Culture Vs Adventure or Both
If you want more of a cultural experience head to Africa, Asia or South America, if however you want more of a party and action sports scene, check out Australia and New Zealand and the USA. Just remember the golden rule! Don´t be too greedy! You might have limited time away and spreading yourself too thin can lead to too much travel – sometimes it is best to enjoy somewhere for a while!
Continents or the Whole Shebang!
Sometimes you can combine both quite easily, like Asia and Australia and New Zealand, other time you will find it is a lot more expensive to add on certain continents to a round the world itinerary. In my experience South America always adds on a significant amount to flight prices so consider where you would really like to go carefully and weigh up the pro´s and Cons. Don´t get me wrong South America is a truly amazing place, but probably worth exploring on its own trip, rather than bolting it onto a round the world trip for instance, especially if you have limited time or funds.
Getting Started So where do you start?
Here is a check list, write it down on a piece of paper, buy a little notebook to scribble down your ideas and do your budgeting, or if you are really nerdy sign up to google documents and start planning your trip saving your stuff online (handy to access anywhere on your travels).
Things you want to write down are:
- Budget, per country, per month, per activity
- Itinerary and inspirational ideas
- Stuff to bring and how much it will cost (kit list)
- Stuff to prepare (Visas, Insurance, passports)
- You can also browse our Round the world itineraries here.
So lets cover the basics
Firstly When can you go? So you may just want to drop it all and head off tomorrow, great if you can, but if you are unsure it helps to set a date! Plan you departure on the flight prices and weather (seasons) at your intended destinations. The most popular time to set of on a round the world trip from the UK is After January 21st. Why? The weather is miserable in the UK and the flight prices have decreased after the Christmas holidays.
Remember if you are heading to the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are reversed, and if you are heading somewhere Equatorial, to watch out for Monsoon seasons.
Secondly how much realistically can you save? Money is the life blood of travel, the more you have the more you can do, so work out what you can save, and cut costs like there is no tomorrow. £10 goes a long way in Asia! Once you work out how much you can save this gives you an idea of your total budget and what will be realistic. Remember you will always spend more that you think, so double your estimate. May seem like a lot, but it is pretty realistic.
So there you go, and action plan to get you started, with plenty to think about. If you want lots of further tips and hints sign up to this newsletter it contains lots of advice on finding good flights and travel insurance then its on to the fun stuff, some kick ass ideas for your trip…on that note be sure to join our facebook group for access to photo galleries, videos and ideas for travel options!