A year (or ten months) sounds like a long time, and at first, it seemed like we could go to most of the places we’d want to see. Japan, sure! South Africa, why not! Brazil, of course! Spain, let’s go!
Well … it’s likely that we won’t go to any of those places above. Ten months will go by quickly, and from what I’ve learned in researching round-the-world travel, it’s important to go slowly.
So Vikram and I had to decide the top-priority places we wanted to visit (and for us, that means regions rather than specific countries or attractions) , in order to build the “pillars” of our trip. These didn’t have to be the only places we would visit, but instead the places that would guide how and when we travel. Then the details and other places should fall into place around these pillars.
And although picking the pillars wasn’t a perfect science, three criteria we had in mind were 1) budget-friendly, 2) would become increasingly difficult to travel to and through later in life, and 3) areas with major attractions that we want to see (e.g., Machu Picchu, Angkor Wat).
Pillar 1: South America
This is where we’re starting on January 14 with a flight to Bogotá. We’ve heard great stories of people backpacking through South America, and there’s a huge diversity of things to do—from Incan ruins to dramatic landscapes and colonial cities. I also want an opportunity to practice my español más.
And okay yes, I realize this is a whole continent. In our defense, we have sub-pillars to guide our time in South America: Colombia, Patagonia, Salar de Uyuni / Southwestern Bolivia, and trek to Machu Picchu.
Pillar 2: Southeast Asia
We want to do the traditional backpacking route through Southeast Asia, traveling throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. It’s a region that neither of us have ever visited, though we’ve both wanted to for a long time. And since it’s so far away from the east coast of the United States, it’s hard to get to—so a long-term travel adventure seems like the perfect time to explore and enjoy the region. Bonus: cheap travel costs and street food!
Pillar 3: Visiting Family
This is a part of the trip that I’m most excited about. We’re planning to spend time in the Philippines with my family, and then also in Malaysia with Vikram’s family. I haven’t been back to the Philippines in over five years, and I can’t wait to see my cousins, aunts, and uncles again—and especially my nieces, two of whom I haven’t met yet! (I hope they like their cool Aunt Mary, or just Cool Mary for short.) I’m also looking forward to Vikram meeting everyone, and to similarly meet a lot of his family in Kuala Lumpur.
Pillar 4: Eastern Europe
This portion is slated for the final leg of the trip. We’ll fly out of Asia into Eastern Europe, and then also hopefully travel through parts of Western Europe before coming home. We both wanted to spend some time in Europe generally, but we’ll likely focus more of energy on Eastern Europe—it’s relatively much cheaper and less touristy, while still full of interesting places to explore.
Have you been to any countries or regions included in this list? We’d love to hear any tips or advice you may have!
