RTW ’23: Q&A

This week, I took some time to answer a few questions that were submitted to my RTW inbox by some of you! I’m so excited to connect with you in this way, and I hope that by answering some questions you are able to better understand some aspects of my journey. For those of you who submitted questions: thank you! It has been so much fun receiving inquiries and focusing on different aspects of my travels. For those of you who haven’t submitted questions yet, there’s still time! My RTW inbox is always open, so if any questions (or anything you want to reach out to me personally about) pop up, please feel free to email them to me at rtw23.contact@gmail.com.

Q&A

Milly Burrows wrote: I am so impressed by all that you’ve been able to do on this journey, how you have connected with people in the places you’ve visited, and how you’ve taken in stride (pun intended) the challenges that arise from time to time.
1. How will your worldly experiences affect your day-to-day life when you return home? 
2. Will you change anything?

1: It’s difficult for me to know for sure how my day-to-day life will change when I return home, especially since I retired just before leaving. I feel like so many things have changed since last summer! I do know that all the experiences I’ve had so far have reinforced that traveling brings me joy. Those unexpected encounters with meeting people have reinforced my optimism and hope for mankind. My faith that things will work has also been really reinforced. I seem to meet the people I need to just at the right moment, and conversations with strangers turn into valuable friendships with gained insights. That belief will continue when I return home, I’m sure. I also know that when I see pictures of home (Parkwood and Onset) my heart aches just a little. I love my home, and no matter where in the world I roam, I will eventually return. It took me a long time, but I have put down roots in Cape Cod, and it’s my forever home!

2: I’m sure I’ll return home a changed person– I just can’t say yet what those changes will be. I have the belief that a person’s life arch peaks at midlife, and as a person ages beyond that midpoint, they return to be younger in spirit. I’ve often joked and said that this is my “gap year” after graduating from my career, but there is a lot of truth in it! I feel like a 20 something — my body aches sometimes, but my spirit and heart are getting younger. I hope to live to 100, but I also know from my cancer journey that  today is all we have for sure. So, I try to take care of my body as if it needs to get to 100, and live today as if it could be my last. I joked with my son during his visit that he and Corrine are doing a great job parenting me as I wander around the world. I promised to check in and stay safe! So, to answer, I try to stay open to changing and being open to new possibilities. my day to day life — I might need less possessions, and hopefully i’ll have more friends visiting me from around the world.

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Francesca Boone wrote: I  have wondered how you manage to be long term on just a backpack (1)… makes me imagine Harry Potter and how they were magically able to pull things out of nowhere. It just goes to prove we all have too much STUFF.
I’ve also been curious as to how you planned this journey (2). A world tour seems like a massive undertaking… enquiring minds want to know.
I am so very happy that Mike was able to visit you! What a joyful reunion that must have been.
I’ve always looked up to you in awe and amazement, you are an incredible human being that I’m proud to share a teeny bit of DNA with!

1. It’s been a process to get used to living out of a backpack. It’s been harder than I expected. Previously, I’ve done backpacking trips lasting a couple of weeks. For that reason, I was overconfident that it would be easy… it wasn’t. I bought a new backpack right before leaving and that was a mistake. I would try living out of a backpack BEFORE leaving if I did this again.  Once I bought a new backpack in Spain things started to fall into place (literally). My first backpack didn’t fit my body properly and was too square (length to depth ratio). Some of the things that helped me get into the groove of living out of a backpack are similar to organization tips for home. 
a. Have a place for everything and stick to that location– don’t throw things into any ol’ place! My passport and important papers are always in the same spot.  
b. Find a way to not have dead space in a bag (much like Tetris, I can pack my bag with no lost space).
c. I have 2 packs. The big one has things I use less frequently and there are lots of pockets where things are organized. Stuff that I need infrequently is packed away, and things that I need more frequently (toiletry resupply) are handy. My 26 liter (day bag) pack has things I need for a few days– electronic power cords, toiletries, a sleeping outfit, and a change of clothes for one day. That way, if I’m staying at a place for 1-2 days, I don’t need to open the big bag. I think of my big backpack as my traveling “storage unit” .
d. I use my supply chain skills from work: put things at the “point of use”– my phone and glasses are always in my coat pocket, right side. My power brick is in the left side pocket of my coat. My shopping bag is in the outer pouch of my day pack.

2: I started planning this journey during COVID, when we all had time on our hands. I couldn’t travel, so it brought me joy to research places and dream about the time when I could travel again. I use a lot of resources, such as Youtube channels, for long term travel, slow travel, and digital nomads. I also listen to travel podcasts (ZerotoTravel, World Wanderers, Armchair Explorers, She Explores, Active Travel Adventures).  I get a Lonely Planet book (pdf and paperback) for each place I visit. I like to have a paper book on my person when I’m traveling. Just like in the US, I use booking.com for reservations. I’m lucky to have friends who have traveled, and I love talking with them about their travels! First hand knowledge is so valuable! During COVID I did a lot of journaling and I just let my imagination go wild — what would I do without any limitations? It was ironic, really, when we had so many restrictions in place, but it helped me imagine a world post COVID. I also used resources from my J&J contacts — like the Leiden visit and charity NGO research from the J&J foundation contacts. I also like to research travel in general. It’s a hobby for me , not a chore. I have a spreadsheet template that I use to fill in details once the plan comes together. My Supply Chain friend Gena has a spreadsheet, too! Funny enough, our templates were almost identical! So, I’m transferring skills from work to my passion for travel. 

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Tricia Ferrari wrote: I’ve loved watching your journey.
1. What has been the best part of the journey so far; your favorite?
2. The place you would love to explore more of?

1: I get asked a lot what has been my favorite part of the journey so far. It’s a very elusive answer, and depends on where I’ve just been and what’s been going on. So, I have many favorites! I’ve always said my favorite place is the one I’m going to next! But, that’s kind of a cop out. So, I’ll break my favorites into categories. My favorite physical challenge has been the Portuguese Camino. I love traveling at 3MPH, and walking into a new town at the end of day brings such satisfaction! The Camino gave me such a sense of accomplishment. During the Camino, I slept great, ate whatever I wanted, and my body felt so good. Plus: walking and talking all day! What’s not to love? My favorite luxury visit was with my cousin Tim and wife Lynda in Northern Ireland. They spoiled and pampered me so much! Having a cup of tea in the evening, chatting, resting in a warm bed– it was all just so special. My favorite majestic mystical place was Syke. The natural beauty, rugged terrain, and warm friendly people were unique to the area. I felt like I’d been there in a past life. My warmest welcome at the dampest coldest place was Edinburgh by far. The city and people felt like a big hug from my ancestors. My nostalgic place was Leiden, NL. It was so nice to feel back home at J&J and everyone was so appreciative of my visit. My favorite big city was Amsterdam, mostly because Mike visited me there and we both felt like it was the original Manhattan (New Amsterdam). I’ve probably forgotten a few places I loved, like Wareham, Liverpool and Bilbao… but that feels like ages ago! 

2: The place I would love to revisit or explore more is Skye. I barely touched the surface of her  majesty, and I want to return in summer one day. My daughter, Corrine, really wants to plant her feet there, too– so I’m hoping that we can experience more of Skye together! I also plan to do another Camino– it’s so accessible to anyone. You can make it your own journey. Right now I’m really sick of damp, cold, rainy climates, so I’m craving warmth and sun — which is perfect, because South Africa will be hot and sunny when I get there in February, just a few short weeks away. My best advice to anyone is pick a place that excites you and buy the ticket. Just go! 

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Karen Dillman wrote: I want to know how you manage 2  back packs walking, climbing on buses etc., wonder woman!

It’s not easy to carry 2 full backpacks on my travel days. I’ve learned to take a slower pace and rest when I can. I carry the big pack back on my back, and when I stop somewhere, I look for a place that I can give the big pack a seat of her own so I’m not lifting it from the floor when it’s time to put her back on. I carry the smaller pack as if it was a handbag. I put the straps under my one arm and have my phone handy for looking at directions. I’ve found that it’s really uncomfortable to put the smaller pack on my front– you see some people have one backpack on their back and one backpack on their front stomach– but when I try that, the shoulder strap of the smaller one rests right at my throat and, as you can imagine, that is really uncomfortable. So, my big pack is on my back, and the smaller one I consider my purse. I try to keep “my purse” as light as I can so I can carry it with one arm. I use the other arm for stairs, holding my phone , etc. The most I’ve walked with everything is about 1 mile, though it felt more like 5, and I rested a few times. I tell myself the goal for travel days is to get there, nothing more . I don’t schedule activities or make commitments on those days, and it helps to not feel rushed with an agenda. Usually I’m also figuring out how to find new places, so I’ve learned to be kind to myself and lower my expectations. I like to pretend that it’s the Amazing Race to keep it interesting, but at the end of the day, the goal is to get from point A to B with all my stuff, and that’s enough! When I see people with wheelie luggage on stairs and in small spaces I’m really glad I have my backpack. I can stay with the crowd exiting trains, buses, etc. and that helps to make sure I stay on track. I look for where most of the people are going and follow them, within reason– all the while looking at signs and taking in the vibe to see how much I need to be on guard in a new environment. Travel days are an adventure!

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Jo Cameron Deguid wrote: 1: Were there any foods from home that you thought you couldn’t do without for a year, despite limited packing space? Some travellers know they’ll help if they get homesick at any point. Aussies take Vegemite, Brits might take their favourite tea. 
2: Did you pack Hershey bars or Graham crackers?

1: Whenever I travel I always bring a few granola bars or protein bars; more for the travel day than to eat during the holiday. So on this RTW journey, I make sure I have some of those when I’m going to be traveling the whole day and might not be able to get a proper meal. I’ve become a seafood snob, meaning that I’m very partial to the seafood in Cape Cod — scallops, lobster, crab — and I knew I would miss that when I traveled, but you can’t take that stuff with you. I’ve tried fish and seafood in the countries I’ve traveled to, but I always compare it to what I eat back home. So far, I still think Cape Cod has the freshest, best seafood. But, I’ll continue to try new seafood and keep an open mind. I did have the best olives of my life on the Portuguese Camino at an alburge called the Amor. I don’t like olives generally, but this place had them growing nearby and the owner had been pressing olives to make oil. They were the best black olives, and all olives will now be compared to those.

2: I love Hershey chocolate– well any chocolate, really– but Hershey chocolates hold a special place in my heart. It’s so funny you mentioned Hershey because I spent my childhood summers in Hershey, PA. At that time, the factory was nearby and you could smell chocolate throughout the town. It was truly magical!  Chocolate melts, so sometimes I’ll bring M&M’s because they survive anything. I have carried peanut butter jars with me on this trip and brought a jar on the cargo ship. So, I think that’s my Vegemite! It’s one of those foods that reminds me of home, and I can survive on PB&J sandwiches for days! I also always have a few tea bags – ginger and chamomile tea.

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Karen Dillman wrote: Are you taking your wonderful pictures on your phone or a camera?

I stopped using a digital camera about 5 years ago. I was always going back and forth between my phone and camera and missed a lot of opportunities. I always have my phone, so it’s easier to catch the most shots and moments with my phone. I did upgrade to an Iphone 12 Pro in 2020 because it has 3 lenses and takes really good pictures. I feel like it’s better to get an OK picture and not miss the shot than to take perfect pictures less often. I also took a few workshops at the Apple store for photography, which were very helpful. Youtube has tips/tricks for Iphone photography, too– taking a picture with the phone upside down is my newest learned skill. I also watch other people take pictures, especially Millennials. I tend to look at where someone with a “real” camera is standing to take a shot, wait for them to leave, and then copy them. No shame in my Iphone camera game!

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Christine Dimino asked: I see you wearing the same outfits in your pictures. How do you manage laundry? 

There are a few factors that determine how often I need to do laundry. For the last 2 months, I’ve been in cooler climates, so my clothes don’t get as sweaty as when I was in Spain/Portugal this fall. Most of my clothes are quick drying, merino wool. Generally, I do laundry once a week, based on needing clean underwear– I have 7 pairs with me. I wash my underwear by hand if I have a place to hang it and the air temp is not damp/humid. Otherwise, I tie dirty undies in a knot so I know that they need washing. I have one spot in my big bag where I keep those as they accumulate. I’ve learned that no one really cares if you wear the same thing day after day, and I only have but so much space in my pack, so I might as well follow suit. I wore my North Face fleece EVERY day in northern Europe. It has 4 pockets and is very comfy. I treated myself to a cashmere sweater in Edinburgh, but it had no pockets. I did use it as part of my dress up outfit in Leiden and Amsterdam, though. I bought a pair of jeans in Bilbao and they are my dressy bottoms, when I want to take the chance that it won’t rain. I’m still traumatized by getting my new jeans completely soaked in Portsmouth, UK. They took days to dry out! 

For the process of doing laundry, it varies from place to place. Mostly, it’s similar to using a laundromat in the US. The washing and drying machines take coins or tokens. Spain and Portugal had the best system– the laundry detergent was automatically put in during the cycle. So, no need to buy or carry laundry soap. If I wash undies or socks by hand, I use my Lush bar (if it’s good for my skin , it’s good for my clothes). Usually the instructions on the wall of laundromats overseas include English. Sometimes it’s completely automated- meaning you download an app to get access and pay. A lot of hostels have washing and drying available self serve, but it can be a pain to get access if a lot of people want to do laundry. Most places only have 1 or 2 sets of machines, max. The UK was different because there weren’t dryers, only washing machines, which struck me as odd since it’s such a damp climate. But, you go with the flow and get used to damp air, clothes, jackets… damp everything, really. I was treated to having my laundry done for me at Tim/Lynda’s – I felt like a queen, and I was so appreciative!   

The cost for 1 load ranges from 5-10 Euros/lbs. Spain/Portugal was the cheapest. Belgium was 8, Netherlands was 10. Typically my load includes: a fleece sweater, 3 pants, 7 undies, one towel, 2 bras, 3 socks, 4-5 shirts, a hat/headband, a bandana, and a shopping bag, which doubles as a laundry bag. I did laundry last night, and it feels so good to have all of my clothes smell clean and fresh. During the Camino, Pam and I developed a good nose for when something had to be washed and had perfume envy when we walked past a non hiker as we entered a new town! 

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 Many people have asked: What are your tech tips, apps, etc that you would recommend?

I have 5 electronic devices with me. iPhone 12 pro, Mac Air laptop, Apple air tag, Anker 633 Mag Battery and Garmin Mini Inreach 2. I thought about bringing a kindle, but I didn’t want another device to charge. My phone and laptop share files/notes/data/everything, so i really like that — I can take notes on my phone and finish something later on my laptop. I love the fingerprint authorization on my laptop. I can do wifi and whats app calls from either phone or laptop. The laptop is nice when I have more than a quick thing to do, and I can watch movies, etc on it. 

My airtag stays in my big backpack and has been a lifesaver when my bag was missing in Portugal. It’s a passive tracker that doesn’t need charging and I like the security of knowing where my big backpack is when I’m separated from it. 

My Garmin Inreach stays in the bottom of my day backpack. I pay $15/month for the service. I keep it on my person when I hike alone, or when I am going somewhere unfamiliar/unsure. It’s insurance if anything went really wrong and I needed assistance — same as calling 911 back home. The charge doesn’t last as long as I’d like — it dies by the end of a long hike — and I can’t use my brick mag power pack to recharge it. I’m glad I have it, but I’m not thrilled with the features. I’ve been using it more on the cargo ship as a means to send some waypoints along the way. 

I love my Anker mag battery pack. I charge it every night with my phone and then take it with me during the day to top off my phone charge as needed– no cord needed to connect to the phone. I did buy a mag phone case recently, which means I don’t have to remove the phone case to charge it, and I absolutely love it! 

My Iphone 12 Pro is my constant companion — my camera, map, email, notes– pretty much everything I need in one device. Everything is backed up on the cloud, and if needed, I can get everything from my laptop. 

Other noteworthy tech stuff:
-Surfshark VPN — a paid service — with an annual fee around 60$. It’s a virtual private network that works on all of my devices. It lets me “pretend” that my location is anywhere, which means I can log in to a US server when I access my bank accounts, Amazon, movies, shows, and the like. I used this feature before traveling to test if websites would work in the country I was about to travel to. 
-eSIM’s – my phone carrier is T-Mobile Go5G Plus plan with International. Before leaving the US, I switched my sim card in my phone to an eSIM. There is no physical little card inside the phone, and no cost to switch. I use the app Airalo to buy eSIM data in each country. I like the flexibility to switch between Tmobile and a local carrier. The Tmobile signal is not always the fastest, and after a certain amount of data, the plan goes to 3G. It is really good to have the Tmobile international because it is tied to my phone number, and eSIMs don’t have a phone number. Sometimes my credit card or bank requires 2 part authorization (which I love) and they send a text to my US phone for verification. I can switch back and forth easily within my phone cellular settings. 
-Google translate camera and conversation features:– an absolute game changer! I use the camera feature in the grocery store all the time to read labels, and in restaurants to read menus. I’ve even used it at various landmarks and galleries to translate different placards!
-Google maps — I download maps before going to a new place and turn on transit to find buses, trams, and trains.

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Erika Bloom wrote: 1. How many passengers are on the ship? 2. Does the captain dine with you like in the “old” days?

1. I’m the only non-crew/officer passenger. There is one more passenger cabin, but it’s empty. My cabin has 2 twin beds, but I’m the only one in the cabin for the duration of my trip.  My cabin is on D Deck (towards the stern end of boat, 4 stairs up from POOP deck).

2. Yes, I have dinner in the officer’s mess room. Seven, the Steward, very specifically told me where my seat is at meals. So, assigned seats. There are 2 tables in the mess room. The captain’s table has 5 seats, 2 on each side, and one head seat for the captain. The second table has 8 seats, 4 per side. My seat is at the end of the 2nd table– lowest rank, lol! Dinner conversation is mostly in Polish. They are polite and nice to me, and they even spoke a little English. But, the first meal wasn’t a “social “ affair. It’s kind of a nice change from the hustle and bustle of the hostels. One morning at breakfast early in the trip, one of the engineers was a little more friendly than before. We made small talk about how cold it was last night, so I’m hoping that as time passes, I’ll build a better relationship with the crew. 

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I had so much fun going through your questions and looking at my journey through a different lens. It’s very special to me that I can continue to remain connected with you while I travel around the globe. I hope that you learned something new, too! I feel so blessed to interact with my readers in this way, and I look forward to more questions coming in through my inbox! Until next time, dear friends: stay safe, stay healthy, and always remember to make space for what brings you joy.

Everyone is part of a connected cosmic system.
Part earth and sea, wind and fire,
with some salt and dust swimming in them.
We have a universe within ourselves
That mimics the universe outside.
-Suzy Kassem