Thirteen years ago I embarked on a yearlong study abroad program in Rome Italy, after which I traveled western and central Europe for three months. Times have changed since then in terms of travel. I remember the day I left for Italy. My mother, father, and brother were all allowed to accompany me to my gate. After many goodbyes and a promise to call when I got to Rome, I was the last to board the plane. I remember I could actually see my house as we flew above and how ironic it was that I got to see it one last time before my yearlong expedition. Living in Italy and traveling Europe for three months completely changed my views on life, politics, friendships, love, studies, and instilled a deep desire to travel as much as ... read more

I'm planning a world trip. Here are some tips I'm listing for anyone interested in making a similar trip. 1. Immunizations - There are places that specialize in international immunizations. I went to Passport Health in Los Angeles. 2. Gear - I've had two major long-term traveling experiences. The first was lugging around a huge backpack in Europe for 3 months. The other was a roller bag I used as a business traveler for 8 years. This time I decided to combine the two and go with a wheeled backpack from REI. The nice thing about this is that is has a daypack that attaches. I opted for the 22" because it is lighter, carry-on, and will force me to consolidate. Also, you should pick up a url=http://www.rei.com/pro... read more