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Build a personal travel mission that makes every trip more meaningful.
When I took my year career break and traveled around the world for the first time, I spent my time ticking off all the popular places that I wanted to see in the world. I went to Hong Kong, the Great Wall, did a safari, went to Rome, explored the Great Barrier Reef, saw the Taj Mahal, went to New Zealand, viewed the Great Pyramids, partied on the islands of Greece, and had memorable nights in Bangkok. After a year or two of traveling to these popular destinations, my travel desires started changing. Ticking places off a generic bucket list was losing its appeal to me. I wanted more.
I started dipping my toe into longer travel journeys and travel goals that had a theme. After all – I LOVE a good theme! I started with learning how to drive a motorbike in Vietnam, as I lived in Ho Chi Minh City for a year. I hiked the Camino de Santiago solo. I drove a car from London to Mongolia as part of the Mongol Rally. I drove a Rickshaw across India for 2000 miles. These were all travel projects that drove me and challenged me – but they also introduced me to different parts of the world, different cultures, and ultimately, I learned a lot about myself during these travel projects!
I like big projects. They consume me and keep me focused on living in the present, rather than just repeating the same old routine day after day. Travel projects have a long-term, purposeful feel, like a bigger mission beyond just “go on a trip.” They make me look at my travels differently than simply roaming around to sights; I travel deeper, slower, and more introspectively when on a travel project.
I like Big Travel Projects
My largest project that I had ever completed lasted for 9 years – it was called the Niece Project. When I stopped buying gifts for my nieces, I didn’t know it would turn into one of the most meaningful travel projects of my life. Instead of more toys and gadgets, I wanted to give them something they’d never outgrow — something that would shape how they see the world.
So I made them a promise: when they turned 16, I would take each of them anywhere they wanted to go. What started as a simple idea became years of dreaming, planning, and unforgettable adventures — for them and for me.
This project didn’t just change their lives. It changed mine, too.
With the Niece Project behind me, it didn’t take me too long to come up with yet another travel project – my boldest yet – taking over my dad’s old Capitol to Capitol project – biking to all of the Capitol buildings in the US.
I know I’m not alone when it comes to loving travel projects. After all, there are a number of people who have visited every country in the world.
Why Start a Travel Project?
When you travel with a personal project in mind, every trip becomes part of something bigger — your own story, your own quest. Instead of just ticking places off a list, you build skills, deepen your understanding of the world, and stay motivated even when life gets busy.
The Benefits of Starting a Travel Project
✅ Staying inspired to travel long-term
✅ Building expertise and confidence
✅ Creating deeper cultural connections
✅ Turning travel memories into a lasting legacy
✅ Fostering curiosity, creativity, and resilience
Travel projects with a long-term, purposeful feel, like a bigger mission beyond just “go on a trip.”
The Happiness of Pursuit
When I was starting to plan my Capitol to Capitol project and make it a reality, I read a book called The Happiness of Pursuit by Chris Guillebeau. A while back, Chris visited every country, and that inspired him to dig further into the anatomy of big personal quests. His book covers all facets of goal planning from the initial step of identifying your big goal (or quest) through its execution. This includes finding support, how much a quest might cost, how to handle misadventures (or failure), and finally, what to do when a quest ends.
In The Happiness of Pursuit, Chris Guillebeau explores how setting a personal quest — whether it’s traveling to every country in the world (which he did), cooking a meal from every nation, or walking across a continent — gives life more structure, purpose, and joy.
“If you’re going to build a quest around travel, it helps to make it specific. Going everywhere is less important than going somewhere—especially somewhere that challenges you or changes your perspective.” — Chris Guillebeau
His research and personal experience reveal that long-term goals aren’t just motivating—they’re deeply transformative. People who take on quests feel more engaged with life, experience greater clarity, and report a stronger sense of identity.
“The pursuit of happiness isn’t about passive contentment — it’s about active engagement.”
Chris Guillebeau
Benefits of Long-Term Travel Projects or Quests
Guillebeau found that people who pursue bold, long-term quests — especially ones involving travel — benefit in five key ways:
- Renewed Motivation – When you have a meaningful goal, even the planning becomes joyful.
- Greater Resilience – Facing challenges while chasing your dream builds confidence and adaptability.
- A Sense of Progress – Every trip becomes part of a larger journey, giving you purpose.
- Personal Growth – A quest stretches your comfort zone, forcing learning and reinvention.
- Deeper Stories – Instead of fragmented memories, you build a cohesive narrative that lasts.
Ottsworld Favorite
The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life
A book that challenges each of us to take control—to make our lives be about something while at the same time remaining clear-eyed about the commitment—The Happiness of Pursuit will inspire readers of every age and aspiration. It’s a playbook for making your life count.
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08/29/2025 08:02 pm GMT
Big Travel Project Ideas For You to Take on As Your Own
“A quest doesn’t have to be grandiose; it just has to be yours.”
Whether you’re visiting every desert in the world or chasing down the world’s best libraries, your travel project becomes more than a checklist — it becomes a source of joy, identity, and meaning.
Because I’m crazy about having to be different, I wanted to create a list of travel project ideas that are more creative and less obvious than “visit every country.” Here’s what I came up with. Feel free to use any of these ideas for your own travel project!
1. Chasing the Equator
Visit all the countries the Equator runs through (there are 13!). Imagine traveling through Ecuador, Gabon, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, and others — and documenting how life along the Equator differs around the world.
✅ Long-term goal: Explore “life at zero degrees” — climate, culture, and biodiversity.
2. Pilgrimage Routes of the World
Instead of just hiking the Camino de Santiago, build a lifetime project to complete famous pilgrimage routes across different faiths and cultures — like Japan’s Kumano Kodo, India’s Char Dham, or Mexico’s pilgrimage to the Basilica of Guadalupe.
✅ Long-term goal: Walk sacred paths around the globe.
Read my article about thru-hikes around the world: Alternatives to the Camino de Santiago
3. Island Nations Only
Focus on visiting only island countries — from the Maldives to Iceland to Madagascar to Wrangle Island. Document how island life varies across different oceans and cultures.
✅ Long-term goal: Understand isolated ecosystems and unique cultures shaped by the sea.
I love visiting remote islands – read my article about South Pacific Travel: How to Visit 14 of the Most Remote and Culturally Fascinating Islands
4. World’s Best Train Journeys
Create a project to experience the world’s most iconic train rides — the Trans-Siberian Railway, India’s Palace on Wheels, the Rocky Mountaineer, Switzerland’s Glacier Express, Australia’s Ghan, etc.
✅ Long-term goal: See the world from a slow, immersive perspective.
5. Festivals of the World Tour
Plan your travels around attending unique festivals globally — Holi in India, Día de los Muertos in Mexico, the Running of the Bulls in Spain, and the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival in Ireland.
✅ Long-term goal: Celebrate humanity’s diverse ways of honoring life, death, seasons, and joy.
6. Ancient Civilizations Trail
Travel to see the ruins and legacies of ancient civilizations — think the Mayans, Greeks, Egyptians, Khmer, Incas, etc. Not just the popular ones, but lesser-known ones too (like the Nabataeans or the Etruscans).
✅ Long-term goal: Piece together humanity’s ancient stories across continents.
7. One River, Many Lives
Follow the course of one major river (the Amazon, Nile, Danube, Mekong, Mississippi) through different countries, studying how the river shapes cultures, economies, and daily life along the way.
✅ Long-term goal: Tell the story of a river through the eyes of those who live by it.
8. World Capitals at Night
Visit major world capitals, but focus on exploring and photographing them only at night — seeing how cities transform after dark.
✅ Long-term goal: Create a portfolio or photo series of “the world after sunset.”
9. Border Crossings Project
Travel overland across international borders and document the experiences, especially in unique places where cultures visibly change across an invisible line — like crossing from France to Spain in the Basque Country or from Thailand to Myanmar.
✅ Long-term goal: Explore what borders mean — and how artificial (or real) they feel on the ground.
10. World Libraries or Bookstores Tour
If you’re literary, design a travel project around visiting the most beautiful, historic, or quirky libraries and bookstores around the world — from Livraria Lello in Portugal to the George Peabody Library in Baltimore.
✅ Long-term goal: Celebrate global stories and architecture tied to reading and knowledge.
11. Summit the World’s Iconic Mountains
Climb legendary peaks — Kilimanjaro, Fuji, Mont Blanc, and Table Mountain — whether by technical climb or hiking trail.
✅ Long-term goal: Document your ascents in a personal journal or “Seven Summits” challenge.
12. Experience the World’s Deserts
From the red sands of Namibia’s Sossusvlei to the white dunes of New Mexico, to the rocky Gobi Desert, and the salt flats of Bolivia, immerse yourself in the world’s arid beauty.
✅ Long-term goal: Create a photographic series titled “The Silent Landscapes.”
13. Visit All Continents Before You Turn [Insert Age Here]
Set a personal milestone to touch all seven continents — yes, even Antarctica — before a specific birthday (30, 40, 50?).
✅ Long-term goal: Complete a personal documentary called “Seven Continents, One Life.”
14. Cross a Country Entirely on Foot
Trek across an entire country, whether it’s the UK’s Coast-to-Coast Trail, New Zealand’s Te Araroa, or Japan’s Nakasendo Way.
✅ Long-term goal: Write a memoir titled “Step by Step: Crossing Borders on Foot.”
15. Visit the World’s Extremes
Travel to the world’s most northerly, southerly, highest, lowest, wettest, driest, and hottest points.
✅ Long-term goal: Compile a record called “The Edge of the Earth: My Extreme Adventures.”
Read about my 7 Best Destinations for Extreme Travel
16. Follow the World’s Volcanic Ring of Fire
Visit volcanic hotspots like Hawaii, Iceland, Japan, and Chile, witnessing Earth’s rawest power firsthand.
✅ Long-term goal: Create a travel documentary titled “Living With Fire.”
17. Travel by Historic Trade Routes
Follow ancient trade paths like the Silk Road across Central Asia, the Spice Route through the Indian Ocean, or the Amber Road through Europe.
✅ Long-term goal: Build an educational blog called “Routes That Shaped Civilization.”
18. Dive the World’s Best Coral Reefs
Scuba dive or snorkel through the Great Barrier Reef, Raja Ampat, the Maldives, and the Red Sea to witness marine biodiversity before it disappears.
✅ Long-term goal: Curate a conservation-focused photo series “Beneath the Surface.”
19. Visit the World’s Great Wine Regions
Tour iconic vineyards from Napa Valley to Bordeaux to Mendoza and South Africa’s Stellenbosch.
✅ Long-term goal: Create a tasting journal called “The Grand Wine Tour: Sipping Across the World.”
20. Track Endangered Animals in the Wild
Seek out the world’s rarest creatures — mountain gorillas in Rwanda, snow leopards in Mongolia, orangutans in Borneo, and polar bears in Churchill, Canada.
✅ Long-term goal: Develop a conservation storytelling project titled “Wild Encounters: Saving the Last Ones.”
Super Niche Cat Travel Projects
As you all know, I’m a cat lover. So, of course, I have come up with a few cat travel projects for the cat lover out there. Or you can join me on my Cat Tour of Japan to get started! Plus – if you want more cat travel ideas – check out my CatLadyTours.com (coming soon) site for all cat travel!
Here’s a deep dive into cat-themed travel projects that would be both long-term and travel-intensive, not just “visit one place,” but a real personal mission:
1. The Global Cat Cultures Project
Travel to countries where cats are deeply woven into the culture — Japan (cat cafés, shrines), Turkey (street cats of Istanbul), Egypt (ancient worship), Greece (island cats), Morocco (medina cats), Russia (Hermitage cats).
✅ Long-term goal: Document the different ways cats are revered, protected, or integrated into everyday life around the world.
2. Street Cats Documentary Journey
Travel to cities with large, visible street cat populations (like Istanbul, Marrakech, Rome, Athens) and photograph or film their daily lives — their interactions with people, how they’re cared for, or not.
✅ Long-term goal: Make a heartfelt mini-documentary “Street Souls: Cats Without Borders.”
3. Cat Islands and Sanctuaries Tour
Visit famous cat islands and major cat sanctuaries:
- Tashirojima, Japan
- Aoshima, Japan
- Lanai Cat Sanctuary, Hawaii
- Rome’s Largo di Torre Argentina, Italy
- Greece’s Syros Island
- Kalkan’s KAPSA organization, Turkey
✅ Long-term goal: Create a photo series, blog, or even a documentary called “Where Cats Rule the World.”
4. Rescue Around the World Project
Volunteer with or visit cat rescue organizations globally — from community cat initiatives in the U.S. and Europe to temple cat caretakers in Asia. Maybe even partner with small rescues to highlight their work.
✅ Long-term goal: Create a global network of cat rescue stories, raise awareness, or even start a small foundation.
Travel Motivation Projects
Maybe these ideas are more travel than what you can do at this time, or maybe you are just looking for a non-traveling project to keep you ‘travel motivated’. Here are a few super creative ways to help you stay excited about travel and discovery, even between trips! I call these ‘travel motivation projects.’
1. “Around the World” Reading Challenge
Read one book from every continent — bonus points if you read novels set in a specific country or written by authors from there.
✅ Goal: See the world through local voices.
2. Bucket List Cuisine Challenge
I love cooking, and I especially love cooking different ethnic cuisines. Pick a country each month and master a dish from there. Post a photo diary, blog, or mini video series.
✅ Goal: Travel through your taste buds!
3. Microadventure Project
Not every trip has to be far away! Set a goal to do one local “microadventure” a month — hiking a trail, visiting a cultural neighborhood, exploring a nearby small town.
✅ Goal: Stay adventurous at home.
4. The Country Alphabet Challenge
Pick a country for every letter of the alphabet (A for Argentina, B for Botswana, etc.) and learn something about each: a recipe, a piece of history, a movie, a festival.
✅ Goal: Expand your global knowledge one letter at a time.
Further Reading: Books That Inspire Meaningful Travel & Personal Quests
If The Happiness of Pursuit sparked something in you, these books will fuel your fire to take on a travel project that goes beyond the ordinary:
1. Vagabonding by Rolf Potts
A timeless manifesto for long-term travel
Explores how travel isn’t an escape from life, but a deeper dive into it. Encourages slow travel and intentional wandering, ideal for anyone starting a travel quest.
Vagabonding By Rolf Potts
Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life–from six weeks to four months to two years–to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel.
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08/29/2025 06:02 am GMT
2. A Sense of Direction by Gideon Lewis-Kraus
A memoir about walking pilgrimage routes in Japan, Spain, and Ukraine
A reflective and sometimes humorous look at how travel quests help us wrestle with identity, purpose, and spirituality.
A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful
A Sense of Direction is Lewis-Kraus’s dazzling riff on the perpetual war between discipline and desire, and its attendant casualties. Across three pilgrimages and many hundreds of miles – the thousand-year-old Camino de Santiago, a solo circuit of 88 Buddhist temples on the Japanese island of Shikoku, and, together with his father and brother, an annual mass migration to the tomb of a famous Hasidic mystic in the Ukraine.
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08/29/2025 06:02 am GMT
3. Tracks by Robyn Davidson
One woman’s journey walking solo across the Australian desert with camels
A raw, empowering story that demonstrates the transformative power of committing to an extreme travel goal.
4. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
The story of Chris McCandless and his quest for meaning in nature
A cautionary but inspiring tale about the extremes of self-reliance and the deep yearning for an authentic life path.
Into the Wild
Into the Wild is the mesmerizing, heartbreaking tale of an enigmatic young man who goes missing in the wild and whose story captured the world’s attention.
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08/29/2025 06:02 am GMT
5. Journeys of a Lifetime by National Geographic
A visual dream board for travel quests
Features 500 of the world’s greatest trips and ideas, perfect for sparking your own long-term project.
6. Alone Time by Stephanie Rosenbloom
A gentle, beautifully written celebration of solo travel
Reflects on how solitude in cities like Paris, Istanbul, and Florence creates space for introspection and transformation.
Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities, and the Pleasures of Solitude
Stephanie Rosenbloom considers how being alone as a traveler – and even in one’s own city – is conducive to becoming acutely aware of the sensual details of the world – patterns, textures, colors, tastes, sounds – in ways that are difficult to do in the company of others.
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08/29/2025 06:02 am GMT
7. The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau
Another powerful book from the author of The Happiness of Pursuit
Encourages readers to design a life around their passions — and not settle for the default path.
Let Your Travels Become Your Legacy
The beauty of a travel project is that it keeps you connected to your passions while opening doors to unexpected adventures. Whether you complete the project or not, the journey itself becomes your personal masterpiece.
Ready to pick your project?
👇 Tell me which one you’re dreaming about — or share your own creative idea!
