My husband and I are seriously considering traveling the world for a year. Last year, we traveled the Mediterranean for a month and had the time of our life.We would like to hear about other's experiences, especially from those who have traveled anywhere extensively. Where did you go? For how long? What would you do differently? How much (ballpark) was your trip? Anything interesting and/or helpful would be appreciated!

Hi, Jennifer, <BR>Gosh, what questions! <BR>So back at you: where do YOU want to go? Traveling all the time or staying put and getting into some place deeply? Cheap, midrange or splurge, or some of each? <BR> <BR>We've been gone for up to 4-5 months at a time, although we've worked overseas for months to years at a time, too (very different from traveling, obviously). Both can be transforming experiences. <BR> <BR>I know this forum has many contributors who have traveled extensively and who have many suggestions to make, but it will help if you can share a little more of your and your husband's tastes and travel dreams. <BR> <BR>In the meantime, though, try these web sites for some long range daydreaming: <BR>1. Interesting do-it-yourself round the world air planning: <BR>http://www.highadv.com/MainHAT/ATWFares.html <BR>2. Take one or a series of freighters around the world, getting off and back on where you choose (surprisingly affordable, too...) <BR>http://www.freighterworld.com/index.html <BR>Good luck!

My husband and I are also planning to travel the world for a year from around Feb. 2000 and am very interested in suggestions for places to work (we speak only English and Hebrew) and costs involved. We have accepted the sad reality that it will be a budget trip, as we want to see and experience as much as possible. We're interested in S E Asia, Nepal, Italy, France, Switzerland, Jordan, Egypt (except Cairo), South America and perhaps an African safari. <BR> <BR>Any feedback would be appreciated. <BR>

Thanks Jacqie and John. Like I said it is still in the very early planning stages. I will look up the sites you rcommended. I have also heard that there is at least one book on this subject. <BR> <BR>John, you ask where do we want to go? Well is literally traveling the world resonable in a year's time? We want to keep in somewhat flexible and spend more time in a place we are particularly fascinated by. We want to stay at a midrange hotel about 4 times a month and either camp out or stay at hostels or mom and pop's. We want to backpack most of the time. We are both architects so the architectural and natural beauty are big to us as opposed to inside museums ( although we enjoy a great musuem). What are some of the basic essential that you could not live without? Did you take a lot of guide book information? Information on the world might undoubtedly add up.Did you plan day by day or were you flexible? We are not big on cuisine meals so most of the time we will probably eat at mom and pop's except for an occasional nice dinner. What is your best guess of what something like this will cost? Thanks in advance.

Hi again, Jennifer, <BR>Sure, it’s reasonable to travel the world in a year, and the equation is easy to figure out – more time here, less time there... <BR>First, a web suggestion: the Round the World Travel Guide, http://www.travel-library.com/rtw/html/ - a valuable site for your purposes IMHO. <BR>I can only comment based on our (not quite) comparable experiences: <BR>A year is a long time, and I would not discount homesickness, the need to return home for paperwork, family obligations, major holidays, the like. In that case, round-the-world airfares may not be preferable to a sequence of round trips, but again it depends on overall itinerary. (You don’t need to microplan, but a basic outline is important, for example, do you want to be in Norway in February or Bangladesh during the monsoon? Probably not.) <BR>Backpacking is fine in some places, probably dicey in others. Basic hotels or hostels may be preferable (or even necessary) in some countries; bad weather can send you indoors for months. Health and personal security issues need to be considered carefully, because in a year there’s probably a measurable chance one or both of them will confront you. <BR>What essentials couldn’t we do without? Family. Also we really missed our washing machine (laundry becomes a REAL annoyance.) That’s about it. <BR>Costs are so hard to predict because of the range of destinations and conditions you may opt for. These forums are great starting places – you can get current information from a lot of people covering a lot of the world. I would certainly get regional travel guides (Europe, Africa,...) and devour them for guidance on budgets. Don’t scrimp on things like museum, historic site or theatre admissions, after all, that’s one of the reasons you go. For a start, ask yourself what would it cost to spend a year at home, add airfare, decide. I have to say personally the investment, whatever the scale, is a good one. Happy planning! <BR>

John, just a quickie to say thanks for the great web reference - it looks like all 170 pages will be invaluable. Jennifer, I recommend that you check it out, as it's very thorough. <BR> <BR>Thanks again. <BR> <BR> <BR>

Thanks agian John!Jacquie, would you mind sharing information as we research?We are tentatively planning on or voyage in spring 2001(nothing to do with Y2K)at the earliest. <BR> John, Since it will be my husband and I, we are pretty sure we will not be homesick. As for the paperwork, we plan on having a family member have the power of attorney. Have you ever traveled via a freighter? Some of the information you gave on the last message we will use to reconsider how often we stay in a hotel, especially in some ot the less safe places (weather, politics, etc.I am sure more questions will come up. We will try to continue with this message but do you mind if you email specific questions directly to you? and you Jacquie? Thanks to both!Others all welcome to comment, suggest as well. <BR>

John, what were some of the most memorable and interested places you have visited and why? What part of the world is your absolute favorite and why When and where are must be places to be in a any particular time of the year that you have either experienced or heard about, ie Christmas in Paris, Pamplona for Running of the Bulls?

Hi Jennifer. Yes, it's fine if you want to e-mail me directly, but you will probably get a more prompt response from me if you use this forum. The e-mail address is at home and I sometimes have problems with it. <BR> <BR>I would recommend you visit Israel, as it's so different culturally. My husband is Israeli (he now lives with me in Sydney, Australia) and we try to visit there for one month each year. I always have such a great time and feel so different when I return. If you're interested, I could provide some recommendations of places in Israel to visit. This is the only place I am competent to advise you on, as I've spent a total of say 5 months there. <BR> <BR>Where did you go in the Mediterranean? I am particularly interested in extensive travel in Italy, but am open to other suggestions. <BR> <BR>Thanks. <BR>

Hi, Jennifer, <BR>I only mentioned the things we missed, not what you might miss. <BR>Yes, we’ve traveled by freighter and it is a remarkable experience – a real insight into how goods move around the world, and the chance to meet some people who travel the world for a living at ground (sea) level. Very relaxing, a chance to contemplate. Younger passengers seem to be the exception, mainly because the longer duration of travel this way may not work with the tighter schedules of vacationers. <BR>Memorable places? How many? The northern Highlands in the autumn; the Orsay museum in Paris (not to be missed for architects interested in adaptive reuse); (agree with Jacquie) Israel, especially (for us) the Golan, northern Galilee and the Dead Sea; St. Petersburg (Russia, not Fla.); Merida and Chichen Itza in the Yucatan; politics permitting, Samarkand in Uzbekistan or (please let Americans go there again) Isfahan in Iran; the glow worm caves on the North Island of NZ, the market at Suva in Fiji... <BR>the cup overfloweth. Plan, but remember adventure happens. <BR>

Jacquie and John, Thanks. Israel is at the very top of my list. Actually the entire mediterranean region is what is what to spend the most time in. I have been to Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Portugal but am dying to visit places like Morrocco, Egypt, Israel, etc.Jacquie I might take you up on some recommendations as our voyage nears. I will be happy to help you out with some of the places we have visited. John, thanks for listing your favorite regions. The region is Israel you have listed I am very interested in but also Merida where I am currently working on an architectural project. Them more I hear from you two, the more excited we are about making this round the world trip a reality! I am short on time but I am sure I will have more later.

We would appreciate more feedback from new comers to this message!!