What is RTW?
 

What constitutes a round-the-world trip?

So you're down the pub talking to an intrepid RTW traveller, and it turns out that he's riden from the UK down to India, shipped the bike to the States, crossed there and come home. A helluva trip, no doubt, but to me that's not the full-on RTW experience. So what's missing?

Well, for me, I'd be wanting to visit each of the continents, bar Antarctica. And also in one fairly continuous chunk of time. I'm keen on the extremities, so places like Tierra del Fuego, the Nordkapp and Kakadu all feature on my wish list.

What makes a RTW for you?

Iain

All the continents, except Antartica, would be on the list. As far as the extremes go, they serve as markers. If you make the extremes, you MUST have seen it all. Therefore, I don't think the extremes make that much difference. I think going and seeing all you can and having a good time is all important. Keeping score is interesting, but not so important. If you ride in Africa, tell me about your experiences, but I won't think badly of you if you missed something I would have wanted to see.
Remember, it's the going.
John

technically according to Guinness it's "cross the equator twice and ride a greater distance than the circumference of the earth." - or something to that effect.

mostly, it's whatever you want to make it.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

O.K. Guys, let an Oldtimer add his two cents worth:
I did "the world" in four instalments:
(1) 1997-98, From Ottawa, Canada up to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, then down to Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, and back home to Ottawa. Crossed the equator twice.
(2) 1999, From Ottawa by air to London, England, then across Europe and Russia to the Pacific at Valdivostok, over to China, and back to London via the Silk Road, Kashgar, Khunjerab, Pakistan, Iran, and by air back home.
(3) 2000, by air from Ottawa to London, then south to Gibraltar, over to Africa, down the west coast to Cape Town, up the east coast to Cairo, then Jordan, Israel, Greece, London, and back home. Crossed the equator twice.
(4) 2002, by air from Ottawa to London, then up to Nordkapp, over to Russia, Finland, Sweden, etc to Greece, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, by air to Bangkok, then Malaysia, Singapore, by air to Perth, Australia, up to Cape York, down to Sydney, by air to Los Angeles, by road home.
Crossed the equator twice.
You can buy all the four book written about these trips on this website. Goto "Books."

Guinness remarkably isn't an acceptable source for "official" records, according to purists. Many Guinness entries are not records at all, simply curiosities.

While technical RTW definition varies, generally you must select one start/finish meridian line and two polar caps. Then from the start line, you must cross all meridians before crossing the finish line. You must travel a distance at least half the equator's length. The great circle path of your check points must not cross the polar caps, although your actual track may cross inside it. You do not need to cross the equator.

But I completely agree, for motorcycling, it's whatever you make it to be. http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif

-peekay