Travel around the world: From Dream to Reality

Planning a trip around the world sounds both incredibly cool and a bit crazy at the same time. The world is vast, filled with endless things to see and experience, which makes the idea of such a project feel almost impossible.

For a long time, I kept pushing this idea away because I couldn’t figure out how to make it happen, or even where to start. Things always seem impossible until you actually dive into them.

By researching how I could turn this dream into reality, I slowly began to prepare it. The first step in planning my trip was to write down my absolute conditions to make it.

How to plan a world tour?

1. Geographic Zone

This was the toughest question to answer. I had a strong desire to visit Asia first, but South America also had a big appeal for me. I kept both options in mind and moved forward with my list.

2. Safety

As a solo female traveler, safety was one of my top priorities. Without becoming paranoid, I wanted to avoid unnecessary risks. I read several solo female travel blogs to get an idea of which destinations were considered the safest. Southeast Asia seemed like an ideal choice, though South America also received some great reviews.

3. Weather

Since I was backpacking and wanted to travel light, I couldn't (and I don't recommend) bring clothes for all seasons. So, I planned my itinerary around the weather in the countries I wanted to visit, prioritizing warmer destinations so I could pack only summer clothes. (Side note: of course, I had a few surprises, like being in northern Vietnam in December, but one of the perks of traveling in Asia is that I didn’t have to break the bank to buy an extra sweater or leggings.)

4. Trip Duration

My goal was to travel for a year. This gave me the freedom to organize my itinerary in a way that allowed me to explore without rushing. I stayed in most countries for at least a month, including Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala.

5. Non-Negotiable Dates

Everyone has their own scheduling constraints. For me, I had two main commitments: celebrating Christmas in a city and attending two weddings, one of which was in the United States. So, I had to adapt my itinerary to account for those important dates.

6. Budget

Budgeting is a crucial aspect of any world tour, and the low cost of living in Asia played a big role in shaping my travel route. After doing some research on hotel prices, browsing travel blogs, and using tools like Le Planificateur à Contresens, I quickly got an idea of the average cost of staying in each country.

7. Transportation

I wanted to limit air travel as much as possible. For Southeast Asia, I initially planned an itinerary that relied solely on ground and sea transportation. Although I didn’t entirely stick to this plan, it helped guide the structure of my trip.

By taking the time to set these conditions, I realized that this journey was much more achievable than I first thought. What seemed like a distant and nearly impossible idea turned into a project that was well within reach. Breaking the journey down step by step allowed me to see that it was possible, as long as I truly wanted it.

If you’re dreaming of taking a trip but don’t know where to start, leave a comment or write to me—I’d be happy to help!

Stay tuned for my next article on Thailand!

See you soon!!!