Advice! My RTW Trip - Hopefully in April/May

elambra

Hi there,

I have decided that I want to leave my job in mid or end of April this year, to go travelling around the world on my own. I'm late twenties and have been living in England since graduating in 2004 (I'm from Dublin, joined a graduate programme here and stayed).. I feel I have spent enough time in the UK and I now want to see the world before returning to Ireland

So the thing is, I have not booked anything yet, and I want to leave in mid-late April. My plan so far is:
-Mumbai & Goa
-SE Asia
-China & Hong Kong
-Aus
-NZ
-Figi
-Hawaii
-LA
-SF
-then Green Tortoise bus to Chicago
-Home to Ireland

My questions are:

- Is it ok to book this late? I'm thinking Trailfinders (UK or Ire) or os it too late?

- Does anybody have anything good or bad to say about seeing these places?

- Does anybody recommend any additional/better places to visit?

- Has anyone ever done it on their own before, and if yes, how was their overall experience? eg of meeting people and making friends/drinking buddys/good friends?

I've lived in San Fran for two J1 summers and have been to Thailand for 3 week last year, just so you know, I'm fairly travelled

Thanks for your help!

fuse

Now is a good time to book.
I'm heading off end of March & only booked last week.
Finally made the decision & I'm delighted, I've been thinking about it for years at this stage. I'm late twenties & figured if I don't do it now, I'll never get to.
So I'm dropping everything and heading off!

Looks like a good plan, I can't advise as I haven't been to them yet!
But I'm doing pretty similar route as you, except for India at the start

dory

elambra wrote: »

So the thing is, I have not booked anything yet, and I want to leave in mid-late April. My plan so far is:
-Mumbai & Goa
-SE Asia
-China & Hong Kong
-Aus
-NZ
-Figi
-Hawaii
-LA
-SF
-then Green Tortoise bus to Chicago
-Home to Ireland

My questions are:

- Is it ok to book this late? I'm thinking Trailfinders (UK or Ire) or os it too late?

- Does anybody have anything good or bad to say about seeing these places?

- Does anybody recommend any additional/better places to visit?

- Has anyone ever done it on their own before, and if yes, how was their overall experience? eg of meeting people and making friends/drinking buddys/good friends?

I've lived in San Fran for two J1 summers and have been to Thailand for 3 week last year, just so you know, I'm fairly travelled

Thanks for your help!

Hello,
Sounds like a great trip! I'm doing one similar at the moment (22 year old female travelling alone).
Few things, India is an amazing place, but a tough start on a rtw. I spent the summer of 2005 and 2006 there, it's my favourite country in the world but during my first week there in 05 I swore never to leave Ireland again! So make sure you're ready for that. Goa is supposed to be an easier place than the rest of India to travel in anyway.

Make sure your budget is healthy enough to have fun. Nothing more annoying than seeing people travelling for 2 months do stuff you want to do, but because you're travelling for longer you can't afford it. A lot of the people you'll meet on the road will be travelling for a short time, so it can be hard to keep up with them.

Also, how long you going for? Might be an idea to schedule spending longer in one place half way through to take a break. It can be exhausting!

As far as meeting people along the way goes, it's extremely easy. At least 60% of the people I've met on the road have also been on their own. And if you go with the most highly recommended Lonely Planet hostel, you'll be fine.

Have fun!:)

dr_funkenstein

Hey elambra

there must be something in the air because I'm doing the same! I moved over to england when I graduated in 2004, straight into a job etc.. handed in my notice already

Leaving the uk in mid-march and travelling before heading back to ireland possibly. I'm also heading off on my own. I'm a bit anxious but excited about it all! First stop in south america for me. I'll be in SE Asia from June-ish or so. It's definitely not too late. Only bother you might have is with vaccines but you might have most of them already if you went Thailand last year. Ones like Hep B need 2 months (for even the rapid course!)

Flynn

elambra wrote: »

My questions are:

- Is it ok to book this late? I'm thinking Trailfinders (UK or Ire) or os it too late?

No it's not too late i was in trailfinders today (plan to go in march - booking next week) and she said that was fine.. but get movin'!
just gotta finalise my route now

listermint

Hep B is a 5 week course had it done recently off in a few weeks. so plenty of time

elambra

thanks folks, my confidence is up after only a few messages... People here in my job keep warning me to have a think whether its the right thing to do, but I'm not listening to them as I'm a different person and I am open to the whole world, whereas they want to sit in their convenience bubble and grind on with paying bills and working... I've thought about this for years and I reckon I'm doing the right thing..


So, anybody else got any advice?

:-)

TestTransmission

yeah,go do it,back 3 months from my trip and it was fantastic.
Back into the grind already,i daydream every day about packing up and just doin it all again!!

dory

elambra wrote: »

thanks folks, my confidence is up after only a few messages... People here in my job keep warning me to have a think whether its the right thing to do, but I'm not listening to them as I'm a different person and I am open to the whole world, whereas they want to sit in their convenience bubble and grind on with paying bills and working... I've thought about this for years and I reckon I'm doing the right thing..


So, anybody else got any advice?

:-)

Definitely GO! Don't listen to the unadventurous. There are some travel only message boards around too (Lonely Planet isn't the best though). These really made up my mind for me. So many people going on solo rtws that by the end of it I was thinking it's perfectly normal to sell up, pack up and go. And I really didn't listen to those nay-sayers.

elambra

dory wrote: »

Definitely GO! Don't listen to the unadventurous. There are some travel only message boards around too (Lonely Planet isn't the best though). These really made up my mind for me. So many people going on solo rtws that by the end of it I was thinking it's perfectly normal to sell up, pack up and go. And I really didn't listen to those nay-sayers.

..right then, gotta get my flights booked so!