I find myself very lucky, having saved enough money and found enough time to travel to nearly all of the places in the world that I've always wished to see. As a young kid, I read the atlas for fun - indeed, my library today still contains many dating back to the 1800s. I know my Novaya Zemlya from my Norfolk, and my Queen Maud Land from my Prince Edward Island. Nonetheless, planning a trip of this magnitude took an incredible amount of time, and my best source of information has been the blogs and travelogues of those who came (or, more accurately, left) before me.

In this section, I've posted my Route, including notes on why each place was chosen (or not chosen), as well as links to useful planning resources. The Packing section lists my full (very tiny!) pack, along with health information and costs. Finances will provide a running total of spending by country in order to help future travelers accurately set their budget; woe is he who chooses to travel when the dollar is at 1.55 to the Euro, instead of the 85 cents of 2001! Finally, I've chosen Books to accompany each section of the trip - some read in advance, and some to be read in situ; on past trips, I've found, for instance, Sinbad the Sailor and Wilfred Thesiger fine companions in the Arabian desert. For this section, I am particularly appreciative of suggestions!