RTW Planning Guide - What You Need To Know

For those who have joined recently, Living the Dream was founded to chronicle the planning and execution of my own long-term RTW trip.  I designed the site to give enough detail to help others to do the same based off my own experiences.  After planning my travels for over two years, I have research and discussed nearly every topic that needs to be addressed when traveling for not only long term travel, but any trip in general.  Since searching through the hundreds of posts on this site to find the most relevant to planning your own trip is time consuming, I put together a guide to highlight the best posts for each stage of planning.

As I see it, planning and executing a long term adventure can be broken down into 5 major categories.  The first is an Initial Stage in which the route and budget is being loosely formed.  After a basic plan of the feasibility of the trip, a significant Refinement Period needs to be addressed in order to meet saving goals and find more intricate details relevant to your journey.  Once those topics are fleshed out, it is Commitment time, when the first purchases for the trip come into play to lock the start of the journey.  The clock ticks down, and it is time to go On the Road, and a whole new series of issues come to play that many not necessarily be known in advance.  The adventure then comes and goes, and After the Fact, there is only one question:  What's Next?


Although my travels only hit certain parts of the world and other travelers may want to visit different spots, the topics listed below should be universal regardless of location.

Initial Stages - What Can You Do?

Deciding Where To Go - The first check list of necessary thoughts when putting together the adventure of a lifetime
Budget Savings - Small lifestyle changes can save significantly more money for the long term travels
Top Ways to EARN Money Pre-Trip - Outlining ways to make money (and my actual amounts) prior to leaving for your trip!
Money Money Money Exchange - Currency exchange rates can greatly affect how far a savings can go on the desired route
When to Travel? Look to the Weather - Visiting the Caribbean during hurricane season, or India during monsoon season is the easiest way to destroy a trip.
Independent vs Guided Tours Part 1: Introduction - Part 1 of 4 in the series, illustrating the pros and cons of taking a guided tour over independent travel.
Independent vs Guided Tours Part 2: Sample Itinerary - Part 2 of 4 in the series, showing a sample itinerary from a great tour I took in 2009.
Independent vs Guided Tours Part 3: Extended Travel - Part 3 of 4 in the series, dissecting the monetary differences in the two travel styles.
Independent vs Guided Tours Part 4: Tour Companies - The final entry into the series, listing the top travel companies in the industries that offer a large variety of tours with the highest ratings.
Cruises: Is It Worth It? - While not common place in RTW travel itineraries, cruises are an overlooked form a travel by most backpackers.

Refinement Period - What Do You Need To Achieve It?

Visas, Just Another Bureaucracy to Deal With - A passport is not the sole requirement to enter a country.  Many require visas that cannot be purchased on arrival.
Proof of Onward Travel: Part 1 - When looking at visas, many countries require the infamous proof of onward travel.  What is it?
Proof of Onward Travel: Part 2 - Getting to the bottom of the onward travel requirement with the big sticklers, the country of Brazil and the airlines.
Deciding Where to Sleep, Hostels are the Answer! - The biggest budget killer is easily the accommodation factor.  Don't want to couch surf?  Give hostels a try!
Rail or Wheel? Comparing Bus and Rail Travel - For the budget conscious, airfare is killer and overland travel is significantly cheaper albeit time consuming. 
Getting the Needle - Sometimes painful and expensive, vaccinations now protect from nasty diseases and decommissioned days later.
Useful Planning Links - The Best Sites Out There - Once you know the big issues that need evaluated, check out these sites for your answers!
Massive List of Travel Bloggers - The largest list of all travelers who have been on extended travel and blog about it.  Great to find more info about the specific regions in your trip through the eyes of someone who has done it before.
Traveling on a RTW Trip Soon? Twitter Search #RTWsoon is For You! - The twitter conversation RTWsoon is the hotspot for long term travelers!  Chat away and ask questions!

Commitment - What Purchases Need Made Pre-Trip?

Duffels, Backpacks, and Suitcases: How to Choose! - What type of luggage is right for you? A detailed comparison of the 3 major types
Clothes Purchase and Respectful Dress - In many places, shorts and a t-shirt can be offensive.  While tolerated for tourists, its best to follow cultural norms for the least amount of hassle.
Itinerary Changes: RTW Ticket Issues - Purchasing a one shot package was not the best option for me.  This post outlines the issues I found.
RTW Ticket Issues: Update 1 - Evaluating individually purchased one-way tickets as a valid option over a RTW ticket package.  Surprisingly, it works for me!
Acer Aspire One D250 Netbook Review: Great for Travelers! -  My review of the netbook I purchased for the trip with a pros and cons list of useful things for long term travelers!
iPod and iPhone Apps Essential for Long Term Travelers - A detailed list of the applications that should be included in your travel arsenal.  The best part? They're all FREE!
Purchasing a Visa at Home - More Difficult than Abroad? -  After personally paying more than 50% higher than necessary for a visa from using an online 3rd party, many necessary thoughts need to be kept in mind while getting a visa at home
Visa Acquisition at Home - Just Kidding, Its Not Fun -  My second attempt at obtaining a visa at home was not nearly as fun as the first.  Some extra thoughts to keep in mind while sending out your beloved passport for servicing.
Don't Be Caught Without Cash - Call Your Bank! -  Don't get your credit card and ATM card declined abroad and be stuck without cash, let your bank know of impending travel!
Promote Your Blog - Business Cards - Plan on making a blog? Don't forget to make business cards to pass out to travelers along the way to drum up support and views!
Around the World Packing List  - What all is necessary to take for a long term trip? Well, the answer is the same as a 2-3 week trip!


On the Road - What To Do?

Visas on the Road: Preparing the Route for Bureaucracy! - Beating the visa point until it wont move anymore, some places do not allow visa on arrival, so plan to get some visas on the road.
Have Extra Time? Cheap Airfare is Abound - A tutorial on how to lower airfare cost by using hub cities around the world. A few extra days is necessary, and hundreds of dollars in savings and an extra city is your reward!

More Coming soon...

After the Fact - What's Next?

Coming soon...

This list will be continually updated as my RTW journey progresses to become an all inclusive guide for all of the listed steps above.   Access this guide from the top drop down menu or through the Planning category on the sidebar!