Round the World via East Asia

Round the World via East Asia

An Interview with Hannah Simmons and Adam Lunn

Name: Hannah Simmons

My RTW route: London >> Tokyo >> Hong Kong >> Bangkok >> Sydney >> Christchurch >> Los Angeles >> San Francisco >> New York >> London

How would you rate your RTW destinations on a scale of 1 - 5? 1 being completely rubbish to 5 being completely awesome?

Japan (4) Hong Kong (5) Thailand (4) Malaysia (4) Singapore (4) Australia (4) New Zealand (5) USA (4) Canada (4)

What was the best destination of the lot and why?

Hong Kong - I just fell in love with the place as soon as I arrived. The harbour at night was amazing, and all the people were so friendly. Plus, it was so easy to get around.

What was the worst destination of the lot and why?

Bangkok - it was hot and smelly and I got so much hassle from tuk-tuk and cab drivers. It was a shame really as the palaces were quite cool and so different from anything you'd get in the UK.

What was the absolute highlight of your RTW trip?

Just the one? Lake Mackenzie on Fraser Island was amazing. Getting a Hummerzine ride down the Las Vegas strip was very cool, but it would probably have to be the Grand Canyon. We watched sunrise, then hiked the Bright Angel Trail down to Plateau Point 4,500ft below. Because we left so early there was only us down there and it was so peaceful. By the time we got back up we were absolutely knackered but the views were stunning and it was well worthwhile.

Looking back now, what would you have done differently when planning or booking your RTW trip?

I would have done more research before I booked the ticket. I went to the travel agent knowing what countries I wanted to visit but didn't decide which places until after the ticket was paid for. In Japan it would have been easier to fly in and out of different places, whilst in Australia it might have been easier to start somewhere else as I seemed to be going back on myself a lot. Plus, I would have put in a couple of internal flights.

What top tips would you pass on to anybody about to book their RTW ticket or head off on their trip?

• Keep a diary, either a written one or an online one (or both). It will help remind you what you've taken photos of and recount some of those amazing memories. An online diary also cuts down the number of group e-mails that have to be sent!
• Make sure you get the right ticket for you. Tell the travel agent the places, not just the countries, you want to visit. It will stop you going back on yourself. Also, get a ticket that allows you lots of flexibility. Your plans will change. You'll want to spend longer in some places, shorten the time in others. Make sure you can do this.
• Work out how much you think you will spend each day, then take double that amount. I budgeted what I thought would be enough and then spent so much more, mainly on activities such as bungees, skydives, helicopter flights or tours. You don't want to have to miss out on something you really want to do because you don't have the money.
• Don't be afraid to walk into a room/bar and say "Hi, I'm ..." No one will think you're mad and you'll meet so many interesting people that way. Plus, if you're lucky, you can stay with them when you visit their country, either on your trip or in the future.
• Most importantly, have fun and take loads of photos. You don't know when you'll get a chance like this again and many natural features may have changed should you visit again, so always get lots of photos! Always carry spare batteries and a memory card with you as you don't want to run out of either!!!

Name: Adam Lunn

My RTW route: London >> Bangkok >> Singapore >> Hong Kong >> Tokyo >> Osaka >> Cairns >> Auckland >> Fiji >> Los Angeles >> New York >> London

How would you rate your RTW destinations on a scale of 1 - 5? 1 being completely rubbish to 5 being completely awesome?

Bangkok (5) Singapore (3) Hong Kong (3) Tokyo (5) Osaka (5) Cairns (4) Sydney (3) Auckland (3) Fiji (5) Los Angeles (1) New York (4)

What was the best destination of the lot and why?

My best was probably Japan as it seems to have a completely different take on everything!

What was the worst destination of the lot and why?

Worst destination by far was Los Angeles. It was dirty, smoggy, expensive and most people around are up their own arses. The rest of California is sweet though.

What was the absolute highlight of your RTW trip?

Arriving in Bangkok on our first night in the dense humidity and finally realising... 'this is it!'

Looking back now, what would you have done differently when planning or booking your RTW trip?

Left out LA!

What top tips would you pass on to anybody about to book their RTW ticket or head off on their trip?

• Sort it out well in advance so you have plenty of time to save the cash.
• Don't rush into a route... plan it carefully.
• Try to avoid LA!
• Make sure you go with good mates.
• Try to add somewhere unusual to your itinerary just to make it that little bit more special