Marta Sousa

1. When do you leave?
   February 2002

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

3. How old are you?
   28

4. Nationality
   Portugal

5. Where do you live now?
   Lisboa, Portugal

6. Occupation
   Cinema Production

7. Is this job one that you actually like, or are you only doing it to pay for the trip?
   I'll come back if they'll have me

8. Have you traveled around the world before?
   No

9. What is the route you plan to take/places you plan to visit?
   Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Brasil, Argentina, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, India, Nepal, Tibet

10. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    I just love to travel and I was bored with my life and job.

11. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Homesickness, and being really sick

12. Are your family, friends, co-workers, etc., supportive of you? What is their opinion of your going around the world?
    They don't think it's very wise or safe, but at the end they will support me.

13. How much planning and preparing have you done?
    To the Nth Degree

14. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Pharmacy, sleeping bag, a few clothes

15. 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?
    I'll tell you when I get back...

16. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    I just want to be out there, no matter how or where

17. 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?
    Because in 2 weeks you can't really let yourself go, leave everything behind and try a new you.

18. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    I don't know anyone that has done this, so I really don't know which are the most common expectations.

19. Why do you like to travel?
    To see different ways of living, meet different people and leave all worries behind for a while.

20. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    Only when I come back I will be able to say what I should have done; at this point I can only say: Go ahead and do it!