words + photos by Jenny McIver
Five years ago I had a dream – to take the trip of a lifetime “Round the World.” Visit the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall – there was so much of the world I longed to see. So I did it. I cashed in all the airline miles and hotel points that a decade of business travel had afforded me and after a solid year of planning, I made it happen. It was the most amazing experience of my life and forever changed me as a person and as a traveler. I confess…I am hooked.
What I thought would be a once in a lifetime trip quickly turned into an annual adventure to ring in the New Year. And as I embark upon my 5th circumnavigation of the globe this month, I am happy to say there’s no turning back now.
Why RTW? Well, any old vacation can take you to Rome or Thailand or Australia, but only an around the world trip can take you to all of them on one plane ticket. That’s the draw. More bang for the buck, so to speak.
There is quite simply no better way to see as much of the world in as little time. Though my own journeys have taken about a month each, if you have as little as two weeks or as much as a year – a RTW trip could make an addict out of you, too.
Ellen Barone is an American writer and wanderer. She co-founded and publishes the group travel blog YourLifeIsATrip.com and is currently at work on her first book "I Could Live Here".