[Ali_Ludley]

Hi TSR,

So my forum topic is about the possibility of a round the world trip (Generalisation: I mean like going to different areas of the planet but still ultimately encompassing the planet by the end) which is financed wholly by donations and sponsorship. The idea has just occurred to me and I know it is a long and difficult road to travel down but i love adventure and I think it could be possible.
To get these sponsorships and donations, I would have to be wholly known by ALOT of people so that leads me to YouTube. When you get people coming into the channel, you get support which leads to sponsorship. The youtube page would then be used to blog the events of the round the world trip day-by-day (Which I know I would be interested in!).
So my question to TSR is: What ideas do you have for attracting an audience? (And any other constructive ideas for accomplishing this goal?)

I know it is a long Journey to begin to undertake but exploring has always been a passion of mine and it would be a dream to achieve this And yes, it is going to be a while till I even start planning any trips as I still have to go through most of 6th form and Uni till I take that year/2 years out to follow this passion, it's just I like to plan ahead (I would prefer to take the year out AFTER Uni by the way to avoid confusion as I've always though of Gap years as just a time to Forget everything you have learnt in previous education before going for a degree...)

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

[Ali_Ludley]

Any ideas anyone?

[Alex17595]

Do bits of charity work to help you get them donations.

[tpxvs]

In theory it sounds great but..... are you expecting for your 2 year travel plans to be paid for by other people? o.O ..I dont think too many people will be up for that. I know I'd rather save up for my own travels :s.

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by tpxvs)
In theory it sounds great but..... are you expecting for your 2 year travel plans to be paid for by other people? o.O ..I dont think too many people will be up for that. I know I'd rather save up for my own travels :s.

Well no thats not it, by the time I end Uni, I will have about £3000 from my work I'm doing every summer, possibly more. So with that I am going to fund a lot of it (Economy flights etc) and also use that to buy camera equipment etc so others won't be paying for it but If I could get enough people to know about what I am doing (Blogging my travels), I could earn revenue from youtube blogs which could help me fund my travels. The donations would also help (The donations only play a small part in my trip income) and people may be compelled to donate based on that I will be travelling within certain areas based on where they want me to travel (so E.G In UT (America) someone might ask me to visit *place* and I will go have a look and blog it). Also, If I have enough people know about me, corporate sponsorship will soon follow on youtube and that would help with the income.

(Original post by Alex17595)
Do bits of charity work to help you get them donations.

Thats what i'm intending on doing in some parts of Africa on the journeys. I could help teach maths to some people in schools in Africa as maths is a universal language? Thought that would be a good idea After that kind of stuff (Videoed by a friend travelling with me) I can post that on youtube which could attract support and donations?

Any other ideas anyone?

[Pitt1988]

You are going to generate very little cash by doing work in Africa, most of the time you have to pay out of your own pocket.

Maybe some sort of pre-travelling donations generating work here first? You'd have to use social media tools, maybe visit other areas of the country etc, but once you have some charities behind you I guess they might be able to provide some support in generating donations? Ask about I guess. You would have to be doing something pretty unique; I remember my mates saying when he was travelling there were a couple of Spanish guys cycling round the world for charities! That's pretty hardcore, I'm sure people would donate for something like that.

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by Pitt1988)
You are going to generate very little cash by doing work in Africa, most of the time you have to pay out of your own pocket.

Maybe some sort of pre-travelling donations generating work here first? You'd have to use social media tools, maybe visit other areas of the country etc, but once you have some charities behind you I guess they might be able to provide some support in generating donations? Ask about I guess. You would have to be doing something pretty unique; I remember my mates saying when he was travelling there were a couple of Spanish guys cycling round the world for charities! That's pretty hardcore, I'm sure people would donate for something like that.

Well yeah I know, thats why I have my backup money but that has been suggested to me and there was one idea that I cycle/motorbike across America from the east coast to the west coast in a year which is possible I suppose, and then I could blog the journey, attract support on youtube and still get to see part of the world at least (But it's a more probable suggestion I think).

[gemini89]

(Original post by Ali_Ludley)
Well yeah I know, thats why I have my backup money but that has been suggested to me and there was one idea that I cycle/motorbike across America from the east coast to the west coast in a year which is possible I suppose, and then I could blog the journey, attract support on youtube and still get to see part of the world at least (But it's a more probable suggestion I think).

Keep in mind visas....you can only stay in the US for 3 months at a time. And even if you left and tried to get back in, they might not accept you. You could cycle across Europe though (and take a long time doing it) or Canada (6 months max). I had friends who were cycling from Alaska all the way to the southern tip of South America....they took almost year to get to Columbia, where they were mugged at gunpoint....decided they'd had enough then and there!

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by gemini89)
Keep in mind visas....you can only stay in the US for 3 months at a time. And even if you left and tried to get back in, they might not accept you. You could cycle across Europe though (and take a long time doing it) or Canada (6 months max). I had friends who were cycling from Alaska all the way to the southern tip of South America....they took almost year to get to Columbia, where they were mugged at gunpoint....decided they'd had enough then and there!

Woah yeah I can imagine I would re-think my ideas after that but to be honest, I intend to go and live in America when I leave university. Not sure why but I have some urge to go and live there (Many reasons that I have told myself) and after Uni I would like to go and work for General Dynamics over in america as an aeronaughtical engineer if all goes according to my life plan!
And also in the engineering course at Cambridge, you get a year swop with MIT so you never know, I might be over there early!
Regarding the cycle though, It probably wouldn't be viable for the reasons you mentioned but I still might pop over for that 3 months and blog a bit and then turn around and hop over to Japan or somewhere, I still have an urge to travel the world and you have to do it young!

EDIT: Oh one other thing, why wouldn't America let you back in? I'm sure you have to have done something wrong or something to be denied a Visa wouldn't you?

[canyouhelpme]

Why would someone else pay for your holiday? What will you offer them in return?

[gemini89]

(Original post by Ali_Ludley)
Woah yeah I can imagine I would re-think my ideas after that but to be honest, I intend to go and live in America when I leave university. Not sure why but I have some urge to go and live there (Many reasons that I have told myself) and after Uni I would like to go and work for General Dynamics over in america as an aeronaughtical engineer if all goes according to my life plan!
And also in the engineering course at Cambridge, you get a year swop with MIT so you never know, I might be over there early!
Regarding the cycle though, It probably wouldn't be viable for the reasons you mentioned but I still might pop over for that 3 months and blog a bit and then turn around and hop over to Japan or somewhere, I still have an urge to travel the world and you have to do it young!

EDIT: Oh one other thing, why wouldn't America let you back in? I'm sure you have to have done something wrong or something to be denied a Visa wouldn't you?

American immigration treats every person who wants to enter the US as someone who potentially might try and stay there for good (illegally). This is not unique just to America. If you've just spent three months there and want to come back in, you will probably be asked to prove your intentions and future plans i.e. they could ask (and I've heard of them asking) for a plane ticket out of the US to your onward destination, proof of funds (i.e. how you are supporting yourself without working). Immigration departments reserve the right to not let you in for any reason at all.

I read a blog recently by some American guys who travelled to New Zealand as part of a big RTW trip...they assumed they'd be fine to just enter NZ on a visitor's visa without an onward flight, but that is essential for American tourists (but not for British, Australian and lots of other nationalities) . They were taken to a computer and forced to buy onward flights within the next hour or so...if they hadn't, they would have been deported!

Not trying to scare you, but there's a reason they only give three month visas out.

How do you intend to work in the US later? It's a very tricky country to get a work visa for.

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by gemini89)
American immigration treats every person who wants to enter the US as someone who potentially might try and stay there for good (illegally). This is not unique just to America. If you've just spent three months there and want to come back in, you will probably be asked to prove your intentions and future plans i.e. they could ask (and I've heard of them asking) for a plane ticket out of the US to your onward destination, proof of funds (i.e. how you are supporting yourself without working). Immigration departments reserve the right to not let you in for any reason at all.

I read a blog recently by some American guys who travelled to New Zealand as part of a big RTW trip...they assumed they'd be fine to just enter NZ on a visitor's visa without an onward flight, but that is essential for American tourists (but not for British, Australian and lots of other nationalities) . They were taken to a computer and forced to buy onward flights within the next hour or so...if they hadn't, they would have been deported!

Not trying to scare you, but there's a reason they only give three month visas out.

How do you intend to work in the US later? It's a very tricky country to get a work visa for.

Well I have done work experience with General Dynamics and they are an American based company so once I leave university with my degree, I intend to get on with General Dynamic's graduate course and come to one of their American sites as I've always wanted to live there and I can do something I enjoy straight off the bat, aeronaughtical engineering! I'm sure that is a good enough reason to come to america eh?

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by canyouhelpme)
Why would someone else pay for your holiday? What will you offer them in return?

The idea was that I offered them the chance to decide where I go in the world but I've changed the concept now so I don't rely on donations at all, really I focus on the sponsorship of other companies and youtube revenue if i get a successful youtube video going within the next 8 years

[canyouhelpme]

(Original post by Ali_Ludley)
The idea was that I offered them the chance to decide where I go in the world but I've changed the concept now so I don't rely on donations at all, really I focus on the sponsorship of other companies and youtube revenue if i get a successful youtube video going within the next 8 years

So the companies choose where you go on holiday and they pay for it? All this for making a youtube video? I don't mean to be rude but it sounds a bit far-fetched. Why would a company pay for your holiday?

[M4LLY]

Save up for your own travels like me

[Riderz]

No company is going to pay for you to visit places unless you're a travel writer, even then most work freelance and sell their words. Sorry to burst you're bubble, but you would be better earning a lot of money and financing yourself.

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by Riderz)
No company is going to pay for you to visit places unless you're a travel writer, even then most work freelance and sell their words. Sorry to burst you're bubble, but you would be better earning a lot of money and financing yourself.

(Original post by canyouhelpme)
So the companies choose where you go on holiday and they pay for it? All this for making a youtube video? I don't mean to be rude but it sounds a bit far-fetched. Why would a company pay for your holiday?

No... The companies don't decide where I go. Corporate companies sponsor people who are well known on places like youtube to do things like *Wear their stuff* say if they are a clothing company and that earns you money -> to go and travel -> to make more blogs around the world. The company couldn't give a toss about what I was going to do with the money, if I spent it on a 'holiday' they couldn't care less (It really won't be a holiday, more of an experience). It was the PEOPLE/VIEWERS that decided where I go in the region which might attract a little donations, it's not far-fetched its just going to take some planning and time to achieve.

[Omar1994]

great idea. best of luck

[Riderz]

(Original post by Ali_Ludley)
it's not far-fetched its just going to take some planning and time to achieve.

Im sorry, but it IS far fetched. Do you have any idea how many millions of views you would need to have before even the smallest company gave you some money?

[Ali_Ludley]

(Original post by Riderz)
Im sorry, but it IS far fetched. Do you have any idea how many millions of views you would need to have before even the smallest company gave you some money?

millions? not that many... at all... around 400,000 even 300,000 usually gets companies interested. And again, the idea isn't that far fetched as if you had read the rest of the comments in this forum, I have described that I also have backup solutions such as back up money which can fund a lot and also I'm really doing this for the enjoyment of it all, even if I never get known before I start my journeys, I will still blog and have a good time, no lack of amount of success is going to stop me having fun!