Darren Watkins

Darren and his wife Sarah on desert safari in Dubai.

1. When do you leave?
   November 2002

2. How long do you plan to be away?
   6-12 Months

3. How much have you saved?
   £8000

4. How old are you?
   33

5. Nationality
   Wales

6. Where do you live now?
   London, England

7. Occupation
   Sales

8. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   It's my career

9. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

10. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
    South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    I've always had an ambition to travel but got caught in the university/military/highly paid job rut and couldn't give it up. Recession has hit and industry is stagnating, so ideal time to go.

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    That it wont live up to my expectations.

13. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    Very supportive and envious,

14. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    Just Enough

15. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Got lots of tips from your site but really the basics, as it is mainly hot climate countries (but with one warm set for flights etc.). My camera is pretty indispensable.

16. How do you think your round-the-world trip will change your life? How do you think it will affect and change you as a person?
    Recently married so my wife is joining me, and we are looking forward to having a long time together. I hope the trip will make us both less materialistic.

17. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    Like an 8-year-old's first trip to Disney.

18. Why do you think people should go on round-the-world trips? Why not just take a regular old one- or two-week vacation instead?
    You never relax properly and you always have an end date which is close, and you're often herded about by travel reps.

19. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    The great unwashed. It doesn't have to be sleeping rough etc.

20. Why do you like to travel?
    New culture, broader horizons.

21. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Use the web extensively. Everything is there. Don't take too much stuff and always keep an open mind.

Follow Darren and his wife around the world via their website: www.exlondoners.com.