Paul Roben

1. When do you leave?
   January 2003

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

3. How much have you saved?
   US$20,000

4. How old are you?
   33

5. Nationality
   Ireland

6. Where do you live now?
   San Diego, California, USA

7. Occupation
   researcher

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?
    Nepal - China - a cool island in the pacific! - New Zealand - South America

11. Why did you decide to take this trip? What got you into this type of travel, and/or influenced you to go?
    Always loved travel – want to see the world before I get old and boring!

12. What is your biggest fear about this trip?
    Ending up in too-touristy places!

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

14. What are you packing? What do you consider your most indispensable item(s)?
    Travel documents, money, camera, tent

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?
    Hopefully open up my mind to a whole new set of possibilities and make me a little less stressed out!

16. If you had to sum up your thoughts/feelings about your round-the-world trip in one sentence, what would it be?
    Can't wait!

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?
    Life is too short not to experience the world. Broadening your mind is one of the things that matters – along with family & friends.

18. What is the biggest myth that people have about round-the-world traveling?
    People over-emphasize the dangers of some places.

19. Why do you like to travel?
    It reminds me how trivial many of the day-to-day things that I obsess over really are!

20. What is your advice for people planning their own RTW trip?
    GO!