Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Decide on the basic framework of your plan. How much time and money do you have? Where do you want to go exactly? How do you want to get there? Do you really plan on circumnavigating the entire globe?
Circumnavigating the globe means to navigate the circumference of the earth. In other words, to travel all the way around the world.
With so many countries to see and different ways to get around, this can be a daunting proposition, however, to start planning you must have some idea of what you want your trip to be like.
Once you've done some research and have a basic foundation for your circumnavigation plans, it's time to really get serious. You should still have at least 6 months to make plans at this point before departing on your adventure.
Focus on the big and critical aspects of the trip. Determine where your major stops will be and how you will get from one place to another. Learn enough about each country you plan on visiting to know if you will need a visa and what to expect culturally and climate-wise. An important part of planning an extensive international trip is to visit places at the right time of year. Southern India might be at the top of your list, but perhaps not during the heavy monsoon season.
Around-the-world plane tickets, in which you buy an all-in-one package of plane tickets that takes you around the world in a number of stops, are a popular means of around-the-world travel these days. These tickets, which can start at as low as $1,500, not only simplify the planning process, but they can also save you time and money.
If you're worried that you won't get to travel by other forms of transportation, such as boat, car, bike or even foot, with an around-the-world ticket, don't worry. Aside from being able to take excursions from your different destination points, around-the-world tickets can leave you one place and let you take off from another. For instance, you could land in Paris and travel to Barcelona before catching your next flight.
Start thinking about what to bring. Most people traveling for long periods of time in lots of different places, such as circumnavigating the globe requires, tend to travel light. Usually everything a person brings can fit into a large backpacker bag, which might be the most important thing you bring on your trip--so make sure to do your research and purchase something of high quality.
When considering where to stay, joining online sites such as hostelworld.com and couchsurfing.com can be invaluable. Sites like these provide a wealth of information on common travel issues, not to mention providing good ways of meeting people and finding things to do.