"And if travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it's a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end." Pico Iyer in Salon.com

"How long are you back for Robyn?"

"I don't know. How long does it take to plan another trip?" That's the purpose of my website: www.robynswanderings.com.

Wanderlust. Escapism. Whatever you want to call travel, I call it life. I couldn't live without it and I wouldn't want to. But like life it's not always easy and, at times, can be down-right stressful. Ok insert rolling of your eyes and scoff.

But think about how much work is required for a weekend away. If you have an animal you have to find a housesitter. Then find a hotel, a good fare on flights, what about transportation into the city/town/village you are going to? And that's just the weekend.

Now envision a round-the-world trip where you will encounter different cultures, different standards of health care, various currencies and more kinds of food to upset your stomach than you can imagine. You've got a mammoth task ahead.

But the planning shouldn't be so scary. The hardest part? Start saving. So remember: Put down the designer dress and step away from the pedicures. Now you might be able to leave the Island. Here are a few more tips on organising your trip.

1. Where do you want to go? Sit down with a map of the world because no amount of geography lessons or former travel will help here. Pick countries/cities you (and your travel buddy if you have one) want to visit. This may change, but at least it will give you a vague idea of what you do and don't want to accomplish on this trip (remember there will be more trips). I skipped Australia, for example, because it is too big for the trip I did and it would be a perfect country for one massive exploration.

2. Seasons: Nope. Not Four. I mean think about which way you are going to travel the world and the time of year. Hint: Europe is not as much fun in the winter as it is in the spring. I wish I had put my foot down, but my travel buddy wanted to go to Europe first. The result? Very cold fingers and toes for a number of months. It also meant we hit South East Asia during the monsoon season. Bring on the rain. So plan ahead. Think not just about the first continent/country you are going to, but also how the rest of the trip will develop. And remember the Southern hemisphere has opposite seasons!

3. Plane Tickets: A work associate was amazed when I told him how much my round-the-world ticket cost me (about $5,000). That was, he said, about what he had spent on a cruise. How do these tickets work? Well I booked mine through One World Alliance (www.oneworld.com) but they are not the only ones. STA travel (www.statravel.com) can help students and One Star Alliance (www.staralliance.com).

Rules for all round-the-world tickets: 1. you can only go one way - no backtracking. 2. There are limited flight (or segments) you can book. Overland travels count towards your overall plan.

What does that mean? I flew to Prague (two flights - one to London and one to Prague) then I made my way overland to Istanbul, Turkey (another segment). I was up to three 'segments' as the airlines called it. I was only allowed 16.

Benefits of the ticket: You can change the date of the ticket as often as you like (and I did. I was on a first-name basis with the One World Desk by the end. Hey Shirley how's it going?). If you run out of money.....well, you always have a way home.

Analysis: Useful, but my ticket could have been cheaper and better utilised with less segments. Travelling overland is so easy and flights intra-continental are far cheaper than any One World flight will be. A ticket that would take me from Europe to Asia to South America and then home would have been all I needed.

4. Budget: Yep always a fun one. It will influence how long you will travel and how you will travel. I started with a $100 a day budget approximation. That was never enough in Europe, but it helped try and reign-in spending. In Turkey, Jordan and Egypt this was revamped to about $80 a day and in Asia it dropped to $30 a day. Why? It was much cheaper to travel so I dropped my budget of $100 and traveled for longer. Decide what is important to you when you travel. I would rather save on accommodation and be able to get scuba certified, but that's me. Maybe yours is food and you can skip the museums. Make some choices.

5. Health: This vague title really incorporates three aspects 1. vaccinations, 2. insurance, 3. on the road.

1. Vaccinations: There is a travel clinic every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hamilton Health Centre. By appointment only, but your doctor does not have to refer you. The nurses and doctors will talk you through where you are going and what you will be doing. Then comes the fun part. Keep the yellow health card while traveling.

2. Insurance: for health and your belongings is a must. Check the various providers on the island. Online quotes are available. But be wary of the foreign providers. Many have small print (can only use this if you lived in England for the past 20 years, etc..) For six months? I paid about $350 in travel insurance. I had to visit a hospital at least two times while away and I could collect on both of these when I returned home.

3. On the road: You're not in Bermuda anymore. Tap water is not always safe. In Egypt they tell you to not even brush your teeth with it. Safe to say that's why I ended up looking at the wrong end of a toilet in Cairo. Only bottled water and if you can bring tablets to ionise the water. Or ensure water is completely boiled before touching it. Any uncooked fruit and veg washed in water should be circumspect i.e. a salad. In Asia? Hit or miss so you will have to check with other travellers.

If you are allergic to drugs make sure you know the translation. Example? On a Peruvian bus to Lake Titicaca a French doctor got a fever. Her husband asked us if we had anything to help, but she was allergic to Aspirin. Neither knew the translation for a safe drug. What kind of doctor was she? She suffered and we gave up.

6. Visas/Passports: one of the most stressful situations I had planning my trip was trying to get my Indian visa. This requires filling an online form and sending your passport to their office in Washington, DC. It can take a week and then they only give you six months from the application process. I had to reapply in Cairo after the dates expired. Point? Don't get visas before you leave. I never ran into a situation where I couldn't get a visa while already abroad. The Indian visa in Cairo was cheaper and easier. For Vietnam's visa I stayed an extra day in Cambodia. Far easier than planning ahead and no wasted money because I knew my dates.

7. Documents: leave photocopies of your passport, credit cards and vaccinations with someone at home. For me that was my parents, but it could be anyone you know will be there when it's an emergency. Carry photocopies with you as well. How many times I could keep my passport and hand a scary person my photocopied lifeline was an incredible stress-relief.

Back-up, back-up, back-up and store these in a different place from the original. For photos and if you have a computer ALWAYS carry a memory stick or two. Keep these separate from the originals. Stupid advice? Yes well I met a journalist who had her entire life (computer + memory sticks) in Argentina. So.....very smart people can do dumb things.

8. Travel books: I started with guides in Europe, Egypt and Turkey. In Asia I started breaking away and in South America I had tossed them completely. I found speaking to others far more helpful than a book. And any planning needed for housing could be done online. But if you do want a book these range from Lonely Planet (if you need the best backpacker boozers) to the more sophisticated Frommer's. And some are better for certain areas than others. For South America the Footprint books are supposed to be the best. For long-term travel these books can get heavy so always plan for your first destination. Sell that book at your hostel/book exchange and buy the next destination.

9. Clothing: Pack light. I took one pair of shorts, two skirts, three pants, three t-shirts, two long-sleeved shirts, a dress and a ski jacket that was also water-proof. I took too much. A small backpack will go a long way especially on Bolivian buses which do not provide underneath storage. Plus, you will meet new people all the time. As long as you wash your clothes...they will never know you wore that black T-shirt two days ago. Colour coordinate. I'm not vain, but it's easier to keep a colour theme to ensure you can mix and match to keep things new for you.

10. Staying connected: Everywhere - Europe, Asia, South America - is fully wifi'd. Computers fill internet cafes and travelers bring their own too. Little notebooks like my Compaq was barely noticeable weight-wise, but it did add to my need for security in lockers and problems (like when I wanted to hike-up Machu Picchu and had to bring it with me). But it was useful for Skyping home. If you don't know about Skype.....www.skype.com. Use it, love it, live it and save on those phone bills travelling or not. I did not take a cell phone. Too much hassle with charges and another piece of equipment to have to monitor.

You will notice I never said anything about booking hotels. That's because it's not necessary. On long-term travel you will quickly learn not to stress about where you are staying. There will always be a hotel or hostel at your destination you can walk into and book a room. It's far more relaxed than anyone realises.

Remember to check-out my site www.robynswanderings.com and next week: Who are you going to meet? What kind of travellers are there out there?