The question is seldom asked, out of politeness, but on the minds of many: “How much is this trip around the world costing you?”

An honest question with sincere intent but I am not a fortune teller. I can’t tell you how much I will spend in 13 months of travelling the globe. I can tell you that I am not one to pass up an opportunity based on how much something costs as, to me, moments and memories are more precious than any weight in gold. It will depend on what you want to do, where you want to go and how much you are willing to sacrifice. I can’t justify going to the Running of the Bulls and not paying extra for the balcony views or having a spare week between adventures and not take a flight to a nearby country to make the most out of that time. In this, my trip will be on the higher end of breaking the bank.

Take into account currency exchange and cost of living in the variety of countries you plan on visiting. While I am in Spain, Dubai, and Russia, the cost of travelling about will be much higher than in Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. You could plan on staying longer in countries with lower costs and spending less time in those with higher living costs. It all depends on what you want. How do you want to see the world?

My suggestion, as this is what I have done, is to plan and pay for the bigger things before you leave on your journey. I currently have four tours, a half a dozen flights, a couple of side excursions, and enough converted spending money for the first two months of travel. This way, I can enjoy the moments without worrying about the financials. Six months into my trip I will sit down to plan the next few months and pay for what I can at that time. When you create a plan and pay in advance you can eliminate unnecessary spending on unforeseen costs…and time.