My RTW Route and Travel Specifics

This blog started as a travelogue detailing my one-year traveling around the world and backpacking through 15 different countries many years later I am still on the road and this site has morphed into quite a bit more. This page details that first year trip, because now I tend to travel a lot slower, living in certain places for 3-6 months at a time. If you re wondering where I am at any given moment the A Little Adrift Facebook  is usually the most accurate information spot.

2008-2009 Round the World Route

If you re planning your own travels around the world, check out the 11-month RTW route from my 2008-2009 backpacking trip for some ideas!

The gist of the route timing goes something like this:  Australia (two months), Thailand/Laos/Cambodia (six weeks), India (seven weeks), Nepal (seven weeks), Italy (three weeks), Croatia/Bosnia/Slovenia (five weeks), Czech Republic (two weeks), Netherlands (two weeks), England and Scotland (four weeks), Ireland (three weeks).

Check out the links above lead to three posts providing a quick run-down of some of the most exciting/bizarre adventures from the trip (like diving. zip-lining. elephant-trekking. or near-solitary confinement !)

My Budget for that 11 Month Trip

I posted my full breakdown of expenses for the 11 months I spent traveling, and that post went viral over the years as readers were surprised by how affordable travel can be once you hit the road. The complete budget breakdown  documents every penny I spent and where that went so you can browse the spreadsheet by country too, and find out which countries cost more, why, and where that money went (places like Australia were expensive on the daytrips, whereas Europe your money goes to food and lodging!).

My Flights

I chose to book my flights as I traveled rather than buy a round the world ticket I had many reasons for this and I outline the pros and cons of each here. but it boiled down to the fact that I really liked the flexibility of one-way tickets so I could travel through a region for as long as I wanted and shift travels to what others are suggesting.

Travel Insurance

I thank all there is out there that I never needed my travel insurance, but if I knew that there were risks involved in a long-term trip on rickety transport through remote regions. I used (and still generally use) World Nomads. and I lay out the reasons I went with them in this post .

My Packing List

That first year had a lot of specific needs on the travel packing front because I went through different terrains and climates over the course of the year. All the details are here. as well as updates on modified packing I do now that I travel for smaller bursts as well as a large list of links to the packing lists of others who have gone on long-term trips.

Have questions, need tips, or just want some moral support as you plan your own travels around the world?

Contact me and I ll be glad to help you out however I can!