Around the World in 66 Days - Itinerary

From June 2 - August 7, 2001 I traveled around the world.

Itinerary

Part I: Europe

• June 3 - 9: Sweden: Southern Countryside (Skåne)
• June 2: Fly from Seattle to Copenhagen, Denmark (arrive June 3)
• June 3: Train and car from Copenhagen to Bjärskölagård, Sweden (via Lund, Sweden)
• June 3 - 9: Stay with my friend Carola and her fiancé Mattias in Bjärskölagård
• June 9 - 10: Denmark: Copenhagen
• June 9: Bus and train to Copenhagen; stay at Circuit Q (B & B)
• June 10 - 17: Sweden: Stockholm
• June 10: Fly from Copenhagen to Stockholm
• June 10 - 13: Stay with my friend Beverly in Hässelby (suburb east of Stockholm)
• June 13: Mom arrives and we begin traveling together
• June 13 - 17: Stay with Mom at First Express Hotel in Årsta (south Stockholm)
• June 17 - 26: Finland and Estonia
• June 17: Fly from Stockholm to Helsinki
• June 17 - 21: Stay with Mom at Helka Hotel in Helsinki
• June 20: Day trip to Tallinn, Estonia
• June 21: Train from Helsinki to Kokkola, Finland
• June 21 - 26: Stay with Mom at our cousin Britta's in Kokkola
• (See also swimming in Kokkola)
• June 26 - July 1: Germany: Berlin
• June 26: Fly from Vasa, Finland to Berlin (via Stockholm)
• June 26 - July 1: Stay with Mom at Forum Hotel, Berlin
• July 1 - 8: Germany: Munich
• July 1: Leave Mom in Berlin and fly to Munich
• July 1 - 8: Stay with my friend Adrian in Krailling (suburb southwest of Munich)
• July 3: Day trip with Adrian to Dachau Concentration Camp
• July 4: Day trip with Adrian and his parents to Austria
• July 6: Day trip with Adrian to Garmish, Eckbauer, and Partnachklamm
• (See also swimming in Munich)
• July 8 - 12: Germany: Frankfurt/Mainz Area
• July 8: Fly from Munich to Frankfurt
• July 8: Spend night with Vanasati at Ara's in Mainz (both friends I had met before)
• July 9 - 12: Stay with Vanasati in Ober-Ramstadt (south of Frankfurt)
• (See also swimming in Frankfurt)
• July 12 - 16: Italy: Florence
• July 12: Fly from Frankfurt to Florence
• July 12 - 16: Stay at Albergo Le Cascine (hotel), Florence
• July 15: Day trip to Fiesole by bus
• (See also swimming in Florence)

Part II: Southeast Asia

• July 17 - 21: Singapore
• July 16: Fly from Florence to Singapore via Frankfurt (arrive July 17)
• July 17 - 21: Stay in Singapore at a friend of the family's
• (See also swimming in Singapore)

Part III: Australia

• July 21 - 26: Australia: Melbourne
• July 21: Fly from Singapore to Melbourne
• July 21 - 26: Stay with my friend Katisha; also see Occy and Calicia, two other friends in Melbourne
• July 26 - August 1: Australia: Sydney
• July 26: Fly from Melbourne to Sydney
• July 26 - August 1: Stay with my friend Robin in Belrose (northern suburb of Sydney)

Part IV: USA

• August 1 - 7: Re-entry: Los Angeles
• August 1: Fly from Sydney to Los Angeles (arrive before I leave, thanks to the date line)
• August 1 - 3: Stay with my friend Karmen in Los Angeles
• August 3 - 5: Attend a men's retreat at a ranch in the hills above Malibu
• August 5 - 7: Back at Karmen's
• August 7: Home Again: Seattle
August 7: Final flight from Los Angeles to Seattle

Total air mileage: 27,079 miles (43,597 kilometers)
      Circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,902 miles (40,092 kilometers)
Total combined flying time: 57 hours

Background Information

I've lived most of my life in Seattle, USA, but ever since I spent a year studying abroad in Sweden in 1984-5, I've had a desire to do more traveling and see more of the world than just Europe. I'd been saving my money over the last couple of years, and when my one-year contract at a large software company ended in May, I decided that the summer of 2001 would be the perfect time for me to go.

In addition to the friends I still have in Sweden, my family has cousins in Finland, and I have met and become friends with several other people in other countries through an email list that I'm a member of. So I planned my itinerary based on visiting these friends and family, as well as going to a couple other locations that I really wanted to see. I didn't have much interest in traveling to a lot of cities where I had never been before and where I didn't know anybody. My mother joined me for part of my journey - we traveled together through Stockholm, Helsinki, Kokkola (Finland), and Berlin.

I booked almost all of my flights as part of one around-the-world ticket using the Star Alliance of airlines. There are sites on the Internet where you can book these types of tickets, but I would recommend finding a local travel agent to work with, because the booking can get very complicated. My travel agent charged an extra USD 100 for booking the ticket, and I definitely think it was money well spent. The cost of these tickets will depend on the total mileage, departure city, and the time of year, and can vary from approximately USD 3,000 - 4,500 (prices in 2001).

One of the goals that I made for myself was to try and go swimming while I was traveling. I enjoy swimming in a pool much more than open water swimming, so I tried to find swimming pools close to where I was staying. While I didn't get to go swimming at every stop along the way, I did find enough places to make me happy. Read about my swimming escapades.