England Journal

(Keith) Wow, what a fabulous year! - Twenty four countries, a complete circumnavigation of the earth, scuba diving under the oceans, climbing into the highest mountains, tracking wild game, and meeting very different people. I couldn't have asked for more.

Since our departure in January, the world has dramatically changed. In today's geopolitical environment, there are many places that we would not feel comfortable traveling too. The world seems to be at a crossroads and hopefully will remain safe for those wishing to follow in our footsteps.

This trip provided more than I had dreamt - allowing us to learn more about the world and its peoples, to learn more about ourselves, and to learn more about each other. I am not sad about ending, but excited about returning home and sharing what we have learned and seeing how this marvelous experience will influence our lives.

(Lea) This is a big week for me. After visiting 24 countries, we end our 2001 RTW trip. I start a new career in writing. And, I turn 30! And...well, does there need to be anything more? As I write this we are in London and will return to the States in a few days. London is an excellent last stop as it is full of so much to do and see. The entire city is dressed in evergreen and colored lights, ready for Christmas. While here we have strolled and shopped downtown, bought tickets to 2 plays (Les Miserables and Buddy Holly), enjoyed an afternoon traditional tea, toured the museums, cathedrals and all the main sights.

Ending this trip is bittersweet. I love this constant travel and it will take some adjusting to living in one place. This type of travel gets in the blood. On the other hand, I can't wait to see the family, start writing, join a gym, get a library card, enjoy Keith's cooking and eat a good bagel. And I know that this trip ending does not mean the last of our travels. There are so many more places I want to see...Tanzania, Jordan, New Zealand and Peru are some examples.

If anyone out there is even slightly considering a trip like this, I highly encourage it. I have loved it more than I even imagined I would. I have learned and changed more than I thought I would. It may seem daunting to plan and save for a trip like this, but it is possible if you can organize and discipline yourself. As for planning, just start researching with Lonely Planets and other guidebooks, web sites, and magazines. There is tons of info out there. Then just make a list of things to do. Web sites like ours and www.2goglobal.com and www.wired2theworld.com go through our preparation and you can always send emails with questions. As for saving, this is a matter of planning and discipline. First you need to come up with an estimate - you need to decide your length of travel, level of travel, where you are traveling to and then use books like Lonely Planets (which proved to be very accurate for us) to come up with daily costs. The daily cost is a wide range depending on your level of travel and where you are traveling. For instance, in places like Thailand, you can live WELL (hotel room with tv, private bath; dinner with wine; visiting all the local sights) on $30-40 a day. You can live a bit less luxuriously (hostel dorm bed, eating at food stalls, seeing a couple sights) for $10-15 a day. In England it is a whole other story. Once you make the budget start saving for it monthly - it may take years, but it is absolutely worth it. Aside from marrying Keith, this has been to date the best decision of my life.

Check out our London Photos.

[ Home ] [ RTW 2001 ] [ Lea, Keith, and Grace's Lives ] [ 2003-2004 China Journey ] [ Photo Albums ] [ Site Map ]

Copyright © 2000 Keith and Leanne McGhee, All rights reserved.