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When you tell people that you are going on a trip around the world, they get a funny look on their face as if you are pulling their leg.  After they believe you, all of the questions come out.  Sometimes it's about the money, other times it's the time off, some people want to know where you go to the bathroom.  Hopefully this will answer some of the questions, but feel free to ask more.  

Here are our most frequently heard questions.  We believe there are no dumb questions, but we'll provide plenty of dumb answers, so here goes.

Table of Contents

  1. Why are you doing this?
  2. How did you get the time off?  What will you do when you come back?
  3. How can you afford this?  Did you win the lotto?
  4. Why did you choose these countries?
  5. What kind of luggage are you taking?
  6. What stuff are you taking with you?
  7. What did you do with all of your stuff at home, and apartment (and cats)?
  8. Where are you going to stay?
  9. What types of transportation are you taking?
  10. How did you plan this, on your own or with a travel agent?
  11. How much does this really cost?
  12. How are you paying your bills at home?
  13. How are you bringing money with you?
  14. What if you get sick?
  15. How are you going to update the web site?  Are you taking a laptop with you?
  16. How many shots did you get, and did it hurt?
  17. How long did it take to plan this?
  18. What will you miss the most?
  19. Where do you go to the bathroom and what's the deal with those squat toilets in Asia?

Email us with any question.  Check out our links site, everything you want to know and more could be there.    Links
brucejonesworldtour@hotmail.com 
Revised: June 06, 2008 .
  1. Why are you doing this?  

    Bruce:
      It's a great adventure that has been on my list of to do things for 10 years.  After being hospitalized for a bleeding ulcer (and in intensive care) I've decided not to leave life doing or saying the things I want or need to do.  If I die one day and old man and have told and showed people I love them, and try all of the things I dreamt of, I would have no regrets.  There are plenty of dumb things I've done that I regret, but the worst is the regret of not doing it.

    Julia: 
    You ask, "Why travel around the world with a really fun guy (that would be Bruce) meeting interesting people, learning more than I ever did in any class, and not having to fight traffic going to work everyday"?  Well...I have always wanted to travel and had not yet made it happen.  I was always fascinated with the stories my parents and brother shared about other cultures and the beauty in other countries.  For me the opportunity to have such an experience was in the timing.  All the things I needed in order to make this happen just fell into place all at once, so I know it was meant to be.  The way it all unfolded with meeting Bruce, the sell of the house, having friends willing to help me with loose ends etc. was so unbelievable that I really think my parents and brother somehow had a hand in making this incredible gift happen for me.

  2. How did you get the time off?

    Bruce: 
    I resigned from a business I co founded a few years ago.  I'll worry about a job when I come back, I've got an adventure to think about now, and there are plenty of jobs waiting for me when I need one.

    Julia:   I resigned from my position at HotJobs.com.  (They were very cool & very supportive, by the way). 

  3. How can you afford this?  Did you win the lotto?

    Bruce: 
    I recouped money from the business I had invested in and am selling my car as well.  Hopefully I won't need to sell my soul to the devil for enough money.

    Julia:  I sold my house, invested the money & am traveling off the interest.  My Momma didn't raise no fool!

  4. Why did you choose these countries?

    Bruce:  Good question,
    1/2 of these came from suggestions from people who have traveled pretty extensively (including 3 people I met who did a world tour for over a year).  Europe stuff is just for kicks, a few castles, some good beaches.  Africa (Morocco, Egypt, Kenya and Tanzania) is to see the wild things that movies have been made of.  Exciting safaris, cool mummies, and bizarre bizarres.  Asia is to see all of the things that are changing so fast that they will be gone in the near future.  It's also dirt cheap and beautiful.  Australia region is for plain fun.

    Julia:  Europe because I studied art history in college and have always wanted to see the "real thing".  Morocco, Turkey, East Africa, India because I wanted to experience cultures that are completely different than America's.  I knew I would appreciate my privileged life in the USA much more after seeing these places and gain a new understanding of people who are culturally and religiously different than myself.  Asia and southeast Asia because they are changing very rapidly, becoming more and more westernized.  I want to experience their culture before it is gone.  Who wouldn't want to go to Australia?  Those people are a hoot!  (I miss you, Holly and Andrea!  Get ready, we're headed your way!!!)
  5. What kind of luggage are you taking?

    We are taking big hiking backpacks, it's the easiest way to carry stuff.  This will be our home to live out of and move stuff, but most days we will just carry a day pack with our camera, a few medical items, guide books, and umbrella.  We also carry a money belt that has all of our essential documents and money.  

    IMG_0994.JPG (15668 bytes)Julia:  I started our journey with a pretty serious backpack (as big as me).  It was excellent for carrying, but a real pain to live out of because it was only "top loading" and anytime I needed anything it was like digging in the great black abyss.  I found that I was living out of that thing much more than carrying it so on my trip back to Chicago in November, I bought a different pack.  I love this one.  It is made by Eagle Creek and is a suitcase/backpack combo.  I can carry it like a backpack or roll it on it's Rollerblade wheels using the pop up handle.  Also, it unzips around the sides and has a separate base compartment so it is much more accessible.  Best of all, it's RED!


  6. What stuff are you taking with you?

    As little as possible.  The key is to bring 1/2 as much stuff and twice as much money.   Weight is the key to an easier time.  Basically we are following the warm weather which helps keep the clothes list shorter. 
     
    Clothes: 
    2 pairs of pants, 3 shorts, 1 swim suit, 3 t-shirts, 3 polo shirts, 1 long shirt, 1 fleece, 1 rain jacket, 1 pair of Tevas (sandals), 1 pair of hiking shoes, 1 hat.  (a few skirts and a dress for Julia as well)

    Other stuff: 
    Toiletries (including a few rolls of TP), a bunch of medicine and band aids, a deck of cards, a couple little games, a little water color set, a journal, a digital camera, clothes line, packing tape.

    Sleep stuff: 
    Julia's most important possession are her "little pillows" of which she has slept with every night since she was about 2 years old (these are not the originals, of course and she actually made new ones for the trip that have kitties printed on the fabric).  Those who have known her forever will understand, roll your eyes, and get a big laugh out of this one. Bruce has not mastered the art of hiding them from her like her cousins and friend, Kathy George mastered over the years. She is also taking a sleeping bag, Bruce is taking a fleece blanket (very lightweight).  Both are taking a sleep sack (essentially a sheet sewn into bag you get into), and a therma rest (inflatable little thing to lay on).  Julia ditched her sleeping bag in Amsterdam and has only needed it once.  Both ditched the therma rest (too heavy).

  7. What did you do with all of your stuff at home, and apartment (and cats)?

    cats.JPG (311891 bytes)Bruce sublet his apartment with the furniture in it to a nice couple and put the personal stuff in storage with his wonderful neighbor, Nancy Blank, who we think sold all of it and is on an exotic vacation as she is MIA.  Julia's friends, Anne-Marie and Brian, who are getting married took her apartment and large pieces of furniture. She put everything else in storage.  Anne-Marie and Brian kept her cats first.  Later, our friend Barb took them in as they were terrorizing Anne Marie's cats (boys will be boys).  (Thanks for the huge try Brian & Anne-Marie!).  It all worked out well and the kitties are very happy.  Also, anything we ship home while traveling is going to Julia's friend John or Bruce's brother.

  8. Where are you going to stay?

    Is that an offer?  A lot of youth hostels (which are essentially dorm rooms for cheap traveling), in Europe it's usually $ 10 - $ 15 a day.  In India and Asia, it's so cheap there, that a nice hotel is about $ 8 a day.  We will also stay with a friend in Turkey.  We have also found pensions and guesthouses to be nice and affordable.  We will sleep on a few trains in the sleeping car overnight.  We've also found a cool site that is an exchange program for travelers that extend there home to guests.  There are over 5000 people in 60 countries who will host you.  http://www.globalfreeloaders.com/ 

  9. WhatIMG_0335.jpg (77257 bytes) types of transportation are you taking?

    We have flights to Amsterdam, to Portugal, then from Morocco to Malta, from Venice to Athens, from Turkey to Cairo, Cairo to Kenya, Kenya to India, India to Thailand.  Everything is trains, ferries, busses, subways, rickshaw, and a lot of walking.  Probably a few camel and elephant rides too!



  10. How did you plan this, on your own or with a travel agent?

    Bruce: 
    I planned most of this by pulling out a world map and finding places that seem cool, mostly from what we know of the world from movies and TV.  I then started interviewing as many of my world travel friends and there friends to find the coolest places in the world to go to.  Then I mapped it out and spent about 5 weeks talking to travel agents who specialize in around the world airfares (including a few late night talks at 3 am to Australia).  Money is obviously a restraint so I found the best way for us on this trip (there are cheaper around the world trips, but going down in Africa was extra, and we are trying to stay with the warm weather and out of typhoons).   An extremely helpful book is "The Practical Nomad, How to Travel around the World" . 

  11. How much does this really cost?  

    That seems to be the big question. 
    A lot, but much less than you think.  For 1 year, about $ 12 - 14,000 US dollars.  About $ 2,300 for flights (US thru Thailand) and maybe another $ 800 from Australia to US or to S. America.  About $ 1500 in overland travel.   About $ 4,000 for accommodations.  About $ 2,000 for food.   The medical shots were close to $ 1,200.  Health  & Travel insurance another $ 350.  Our gear, including backpacks were $ 600.  Misc supplies along the way, and the rest in adventure (ie, $ 400 for safari), fun, museums, tours.  Julia added a "carpet and art from around the world budget" on top of this.

  12. How are you paying your bills at home?  

    Julia : My friends, The Culvers in Texas, and John in Chicago have all the power. 
  13. How are you bringing money with you?  

    2 different debit cards from different banks with different networks, 1 a visa debit, the other a mastercard debit.  Travelers checks, and some US dollars always on hand.  We have found that having 2 debit cards from 2 different banks is a must.  One or the other usually doesn't work at any given time.

  14. What if you get sick?

    IMG_0193.jpg (10489 bytes)Julia got sick (really sick) in Spain for 6 days, so we took her to the hospital for a check up and antibiotics.   Bruce got an ear infection and narcosis from SCUBA diving in Greece and went to the local doctor.  In Turkey, Bruce got bit by a dog and needed to go to the hospital 2 times for rabies shots (that $ 600 for the shots before leaving paid off).  Big rule:  Don't drink the water!  We only drink bottled water, and that includes brushing our teeth.  Don't eat anything you can't peel.  Beware of dairy products.  Not all countries pasteurize or have the same standards for non-spoilage such as refrigeration.

  15. How are you going to update the web site?  Are you taking a laptop with you?

    140-4059_IMG.JPG (37324 bytes)This answer has now changed.  Originally we were trying to update it via internet cafes, but found the connection slow, the programs in different languages, difficult to sneak on the software, and the cafes were too smoky.  We also found it very difficult to transfer our digital photos from the little disc to a cd.  In Europe we could pay $ 20 a cd (about 500 photos), but the middle east it was virtually impossible.   So we thought it was originally ridiculous to bring a laptop along (heavy, easy to get stolen), but we need to burn the photos to a cd (we bought an internal cd writer) and can now spend time on the website having fun and creating something we are proud of.  We spent 2 weeks lounging around on the island of Zanzibar catching up with 6 months of travel, so hopefully you will like it, we do.  Hopefully, it won't be stolen.  

  16. How many shots did you get, and did it hurt?

    We got all of them.  Really.  The travel clinic had a good time with us trying to coordinate 15 shots in 6 weeks.  It mostly made us a bit woozy for one day following our weekly injection of 3 shots.  The Chicago heat also knocked us over when combined with the shots.

  17. How long did it take to plan this?

    A life time of watching PBS travel shows for the inspiration.  A few years of misc. book reading on extended travel, a lot of day dreaming.   The petal hit the metal on the planning in mid June with calling people who've traveled extensively, going to the bookstore, surfing the internet, and then pulling out a map.   A total of 5 or 6 weeks of non stop air fare searches and routing and it was done, the money was paid for the tickets and the needles were going into the arm.  Only 3 weeks to rent the apartment and get moving.  Not the best way of planning a year trip, but when you set a date, you just need to make it happen.  Julia had 6 weeks to close on the sale of her house in Texas, get everything there into storage, store apartment contents in Chicago, take care of legal matters (writing a Will and appointing someone as Power of Attorney),  plan an awesome going away party, find cat sitters, do last years taxes (don't ask), shop for shoes and a backpack (a major time consumer since she is 5 feet tall and wears size 2.5 shoes) arrange for a year's worth of medication and the list could go on and on.  

  18. What will you miss the most?

    Emma2.jpg (14066 bytes)  Cami6.JPG (14903 bytes)Bruce:  I really miss my bed, it is the best, and a good quiet nice sleep.   Many places are just hard and lumpy.  In Muslim countries, there is a "call to prayer" from the mosques at sunrise that wake us up.  ouch.  I also miss my nieces, Emma and Camille.  Emma is now 3 and could talk and do the hokey pokey with me.  Camille (1 year old now) didn't speak when I left, but can now.  I miss playing with them and seeing them grow up.    I also miss being able to work out.  Running around the streets of Cairo, Egypt or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania will probably have the police after you or kids throwing rocks (the kids really do that). 


    Julia:
      cats.JPG (311891 bytes)My cats.  I miss them so much I can hardly stand it.  I also feel terrible for leaving them.  Knowing they are happy and being cared for immensely is a huge comfort.  In fact, they are being soooo spoiled they probably won't like living with me again and want to go back to Ms. Barb's.  I also miss my friends, talking to them and spending time together and having dinner parties.  We'll have a lot of catching up to do.  Email has helped fill this vacancy.  As far as material items, I miss having a bathtub and a real washing machine and dryer. In the food category, I miss oatmeal, cereal with milk, and grits (stop laughing you yankee Chicago friends).  Should we mention that we miss our sanity due to the Malaria medication?

  19. Where do you go to the bathroom and what's the deal with those squat toilets ? 
    IMG_1299.JPG (14708 bytes)
    Another good question:  Check out our toilets around the world section!

Bruce and Julia, World Travelers and Adventure Seekers Extraordinaire.
Copyright © 2002 by [MyWorldTour.org]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 06 Jun 2008 10:17:12 -0500 .