How Did I Prepared my Trip Around the World ?

"Drop everything and travel around the world" – this idea had been a dream of mine for years until THAT day, when I left it all behind: my job in Paris, my beloved apartment, my friends and my comfort. I grabbed my backpack and set off to travel around the world all by myself, at 27.

How did I prepare for my trip?

Honestly, I didn’t prepare much. I had a rough idea of the places I wanted to visit but kept things open to change based on the people I would meet, the advice I would get, etc. Clearly, the fact that I had already traveled solo helped me not to stress too much about organization and gave me confidence that I would always find a solution.

Nevertheless, I did have the basics covered, meaning:

1. An idea of the itinerary

Southeast Asia was the region I wanted to visit the most, for its landscapes, nature, and also because I knew it was probably one of the most backpacker-friendly regions (backpackers are "sac à dos travelers" in French). I wanted to minimize air travel, so my challenge was to travel between countries only by land or sea.

When I left, I had just one must-do over the year: to be on the East Coast of the U.S. in April for a family event. So, I planned my trip around that. My initial itinerary was to go: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Singapore, the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. I made some adjustments along the way and ended up finishing in Guatemala.

To visualize my route, I used the "Planificateur à Contresens" website, which includes an estimation of daily costs per country, helping to get an idea of the budget needed and adjust the itinerary accordingly. Here’s an example for my first country, Thailand.

Roadtrip in Thailand

A Round-the-World Ticket?

Some airlines have teamed up to offer round-the-world packages, such as OneWorld or Star Alliance. For a flat rate, around 2,000 euros (depending on the offer), these companies allow you to book several international flights. However, the restrictive conditions of the offer, the price compared to my estimates, and the need to commit to an itinerary at the time of booking (even though there are possibilities to change it) didn’t convince me. So, I booked each of my transports separately.

2. Visas

I glanced at a few websites about visas in Southeast Asia, especially for Thailand and Laos, which were the first countries on my list.

⚠️ For many countries, including Laos, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your departure date from the country. Other than that, there wasn’t much to do in advance. You can get the visa for Laos upon arrival. So, I didn’t dig further into this.

These details apply only to French passport holders in 2024. Always check for updates before leaving! (Visa article coming soon)

3. Vaccinations Up to Date

Before leaving, I also visited my general practitioner and the International Vaccination Center in Paris to ensure my vaccinations were up to date and get the necessary ones. Based on the doctors' advice (I gave them my list of intended countries), I got vaccinated for:

• Hepatitis A + Typhoid

• Yellow Fever

On top of the standard vaccines, I had updated at age 25: diphtheria, tetanus, polio, and whooping cough.

I didn’t get the rabies vaccine, but it’s advisable. Note that it takes time since it's done in three stages. The rabies vaccine doesn’t immunize you but buys time to reach medical care after potential exposure.

Regarding malaria (paludism), there is no vaccine, but a preventive treatment can be taken (though it has side effects like any medication!). You can get it in France or abroad; Thai pharmacies and some in Laos have it. To be on the safe side, I’d recommend buying it in France.

4. Travel Insurance

Essential if you're traveling outside of Europe, always get travel insurance. I hope you never need it, but trust me, it’s better to have it if something happens, and things can go wrong quickly. I took out travel insurance with CHAPKA, a frequently recommended provider.

Like most travel insurances, it doesn’t cover some scooter accidents, so pay attention to the conditions.

Personally, I was dissatisfied with CHAPKA’s assistance service, but the biggest expenses I incurred were covered. I’ll write another article soon comparing travel insurance options.

5. Travel Essentials

Foreign transaction fee-free bank card (link to Revolut), travel backpack, list of my essentials – you can find the full list here: Travel Advice

A Travel Guide? I bought a travel guide covering Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, but honestly, I opened it three times, and it ended up being more of a burden than anything. I mainly got my information from blogs and websites.

All this prep took me only two weeks!

When I left, I had booked my first three nights to know where to go upon arriving in Bangkok. I had also started preparing my itinerary on the STIPPL app, which gives a better view of the schedule. The rest of my trip was written along the way through the people I met, my gut feelings, and the advice I received. A new article about my experience in Thailand is coming soon!

Feel free to comment if you have any questions – I’d be happy to help!

Cheers!