The second question I usually get asked is: what's it like to be home?
And I say: it's really great thanks.
And it is...
The one great thing about "being back" has been the chance to catch up with the friends I have here in the UK. I think that the time of year has worked for and against me. There's been a chance to catch up with some people I might not have seen because of Christmas parties and the like - but it's such a busy time that I know it's been hard at times to meet up with everyone...
...but - the realities of "normal" life are calling - and at some point (in the not too distant future) I'm going to have to get back to work. Not that that's a major issue - as I've discovered that I kind of miss it, so it won't be a problem going back to it.
For anyone who doesn't know - I'm planning a trip to Australia next year just to see how things look from a work perspective there...
While I can't wait to get on the plane and head to the sun and catch up with everyone I know in Oz, I also don't want to leave behind the life I have here. But living abroad has always been something I've dreamed about and never done - and having no house or "stuff" at the moment would make things significantly easier. While I don't want to leave friends or family behind, I know that I'd forever regret not having tried at this point in my life - so I've decided to just go for it - it might work - it might not - but we'll see what happens.
While I've not got long until I go, it does feel sometimes like I'm just passing time, and and while I have lots of things to do, I'm finding it really hard to motivate myself to do them. I do go through patches of real despondency and it's at those points that I really miss being on the road. The restlessness that I guess all travelers share returns - seeing a map is deadly because I start planning another trip in my head.
And there are moments where my trip feels like a weird dream. Everything is so familiar here that I could easily settle back into it. Nothing seems to have changed while I've been gone - although it feels like lots of things have changed. It's usually the small things that are the most noticeable.
One thing that's really helped has been having the photos I've taken as my screen saver. The random pictures pop up and I can remember exactly where I was when I took the photo - how I was feeling - who I was with - and what happened after the moment was captured. It's a real reminder that it really did happen :-)
I think, based on the e-mails and conversations I've had with people in my position, it's fairly normal to feel this way after a long trip. It is a huge readjustment to make and travelling does give you a different perspective on life.
So yes - I'm enjoying it - for now. Next year is going to be a whole new adventure in itself, and I'm really looking forward to it...
Monday 28 December 2009
Wednesday 23 December 2009
What It Was Like...
Since I've been back I've found that there are two main questions most people want to know about my trip. The first is: what was it like?
So I thought I'd try and summarize "what it was like".
I think that, in hindsight, it feels like my trip was made up of four sections: South America, Australia, Asia (including China), and the Indian Subcontinent.
When I first started it was all very new and exciting. I'd been working some really long hours, and then suddenly it all stopped and I'd got two weeks to sort myself out before going away. It took a while for me to really start to relax - and to honest - I think I went into holiday mode (which for me is trying to see as much as possible). I covered a lot of ground in South America - but I don't really feel like I saw it - it felt more like passing through some how. I think a lot of that was to do with me being so motivated (those of you who know me will know exactly what I mean :-).
I was also having to adjust to being on a tight budget, and accommodation was the main place where I had to make some changes. As I really needed a break - I did start out staying in cheap hotels - but soon realized that it's so much harder to meet people - and way cheaper to stay in hostels. And there's an awesome hostel scene in South America...
But - I was happy to travel alone for periods - and it really helped as it allowed me some much needed thinking time. All those long bus journey's were the perfect time to listen to music and get a lot of things in perspective.
On reflection - while the round the world ticket was amazing value and was definitely worth buying - having a fixed flight date out of South America gave me a target to work towards - and I had a pre-worked out route (although it did change quite a bit from what I'd originally planned). Although South America was the big surprise of my trip - I'd never really thought of going there - and it turned out to be awesome - definitely on the list to go again...
But still - I had a fixed destination and I think that's why I really felt as if I passed through.
The second section of my trip - Australia - was totally different. A bit of a culture shock after South America. For me - it was more about seeing people and checking out cities to see which ones I thought I could live in. And it felt a bit more like normal life in a strange kind of way.
Sydney was awesome because I met some amazing people at the hostel, and then on to Brisbane where I caught up with people I'd been looking forward to seeing from the start of my trip.
Then things hit a bit of a low in Melbourne. I ended up staying in a hostel which was full of people who didn't want to do anything, and because the bush fires were on and there wasn't much happening (understandably) I did get a bit fed up. Which made me decide to blow the budget and do the road trip to Adelaide along the great ocean road - which was a real highlight of the trip.
Perth was another highlight - as I got to catch up with friends again...
At the time - I really felt like I didn't want to leave Australia. With the exception of Melbourne - it had been such a positive experience - and it was really the start of a pattern that was going to develop - more on that later.
And then it was on to the third section: Asia. Singapore was really amazing, as was Bangkok - both are such unique cities and with so much to offer. They're really amazing as stop overs - and to be fair they feel very comfortable. So I was really looking forward to leaving them behind and getting "out there".
Cambodia was truly amazing - although there were very few people (tourists or travelers) while I was there. Something to do with the financial crisis I think - but I had some crazy adventures, and as the locals in the tourist places spoke great English - I left feeling like I'd really got inside Cambodia. The trip to Prasat Prehear Vihear was a true highlight - and to stay and eat in a village where only one person speaks any English was a real experience.
Vietnam on the other hand felt like a bit of a disaster - as I really didn't like it. It's so touristy - and it really feels like the locals are only interested in getting money out of you. There's also a really sordid side to Vietnam which I didn't like. And there's not really much to see...everything it seems was blown up during the war...
While it is amazing to be travelling - there are some downsides - and I really started to see some of them while I was in Vietnam. At the end of the day - there's only so many times you can go to a market (read temple, palace, mausoleum) before you've seen it all. And while the guide book might big it up - it's only a market. And they mostly sell the same things. Just like any other market at home. And you start to realize - life is mostly the same where ever you go. It's just a slightly different flavor.
People have homes, religious buildings, shops, markets. We are - all the same - some have more money - some have less - but at the end - we're all human and have the same basic needs.
When the aim of your trip is to "see the world" and you start thinking you've seen it all before - then it does start to make you question what your doing. Although on an interesting side note - I didn't really enjoy any of the communist countries (except Cambodia) which also explains some of what was going on.
As I've said a number of times during my blog - I've met some amazing people along the way. And the same was true in Vietnam - it was the thing that kept me going. But I did start to notice another frustration - and that was meeting new people who I really liked and got on with - and would then have to say goodbye to and move on. The transience of it all did start to get to me.
Brock and I took the Myers Briggs personality test while we were in Colombo and spent some time reading up about the various personality types. And it turns out that someone with my personality profile likes to develop and maintain relationships with people. Which really explains why the transience issue was a problem.
And it was only going to get worse in China...
I'll be honest - I don't like communism. I went to China with an open mind - and I came away grateful that I don't live under a regime that doesn't allow it's people a voice. But China is a real contrast. The western bit is less "Han Chinese" than the eastern bit - although this is sadly something the Chinese Government are adamant about changing.
One thing I've discovered is that there's something incredible about Tibetan Buddhism and I loved every place where it's the prevailing culture - and as most of western China is predominantly Buddhist (for the time being) - it explains why that was a real highlight.
I also traveled for longer periods of time with groups of people - which was really amazing - although when everyone moved on I'd spend the next few days feeling quite deflated. I'd end up sitting on buses feeling pretty fed up at times...and really looking forward to getting to the next place so I could meet up with other travelers.
I got to Beijing at the half way point of my trip and went through a low patch of wanting to go home. The repression evident in Tibet (which is truly an incredible place) and then so heavily enforced in Beijing really started to grate, and I ended up phoning people back home quite a bit. Luckily, I did the trip to Mongolia which reminded me of why I was travelling, and then I met up with Adrian on the return to Beijing and we had some amazing trips out trying to find the most obscure places to eat where only locals went.
And it proved a bit of a watershed. I think at this point I'd fully gotten into the travelling life and the focus of my trip became more about the people I was meeting and a lot less about the places I was going to see. Sure - I was still doing the cultural stuff - but really it started to become more about hanging out with the people I was meeting along the way.
The trip to the Magao caves and the Xiencheng riots really added an element of adventure back into the trip that I think was missing - and pushed me on to want to get into Pakistan.
And Pakistan totally changed things. It is one of the most incredible places I've been. And I traveled most of the way with a great group of people. I loved the continuity of it all, and the fact that we'd all arrange to meet up as we traveled along the Karakorum Highway. It really worked out. And it was such a contrast to repressed China.
And while Islamabad did feel a bit scary at times - it really felt like I was on an adventure, and heading into India just added to it - because I was going to see things that I'd dreamed of going to see since I was young.
And then I got on the bus to Leh - and the balance shifted entirely. It became totally about people and a lot less about the things there were to see. Travelling with the same people for an extended period of time was exactly what I needed - and it absolutely made the end of my trip.
Brock and I were joking on my last day that despite having spent almost three weeks in Colombo we'd still not done any of the "you must do this in Colombo" stuff in the guide book. Which kind of says a lot. Sure I was happy to see some stuff - but the focus wasn't on trying to get here there and everywhere - it was about really enjoying it. No goals, no plan. Just get up and decide what to do.
Perhaps some of the best times were just sitting chatting at Coral Light watching the waves on the reef and the lightning over the sea at night. And we covered everything - from Philosophy to some truly retarded conversations.
I'm not really one for "life changing experiences" - they do happen - but so infrequently it's not worth hanging around waiting for them. But on reflection - I've learned a lot about myself this year - and it's really changed the way I look at things.
I know it's a cliche - but I've learned that it's not about where your going - but how you get there that counts. What's the point of achieving something but never having enjoyed achieving it. And it's really made me appreciate some of the things about my life - I've got a much clearer picture of how I want to live it from now on.
Would I do it again - absolutely.
Would I change anything - absolutely not - sometimes you learn more about yourself during the lows than during the highs.
But I think next time I'd find someone to travel with...and I'd ditch most of the planning and let it just happen. Overland to Afghanistan anyone? :-)
So I thought I'd try and summarize "what it was like".
I think that, in hindsight, it feels like my trip was made up of four sections: South America, Australia, Asia (including China), and the Indian Subcontinent.
When I first started it was all very new and exciting. I'd been working some really long hours, and then suddenly it all stopped and I'd got two weeks to sort myself out before going away. It took a while for me to really start to relax - and to honest - I think I went into holiday mode (which for me is trying to see as much as possible). I covered a lot of ground in South America - but I don't really feel like I saw it - it felt more like passing through some how. I think a lot of that was to do with me being so motivated (those of you who know me will know exactly what I mean :-).
I was also having to adjust to being on a tight budget, and accommodation was the main place where I had to make some changes. As I really needed a break - I did start out staying in cheap hotels - but soon realized that it's so much harder to meet people - and way cheaper to stay in hostels. And there's an awesome hostel scene in South America...
But - I was happy to travel alone for periods - and it really helped as it allowed me some much needed thinking time. All those long bus journey's were the perfect time to listen to music and get a lot of things in perspective.
On reflection - while the round the world ticket was amazing value and was definitely worth buying - having a fixed flight date out of South America gave me a target to work towards - and I had a pre-worked out route (although it did change quite a bit from what I'd originally planned). Although South America was the big surprise of my trip - I'd never really thought of going there - and it turned out to be awesome - definitely on the list to go again...
But still - I had a fixed destination and I think that's why I really felt as if I passed through.
The second section of my trip - Australia - was totally different. A bit of a culture shock after South America. For me - it was more about seeing people and checking out cities to see which ones I thought I could live in. And it felt a bit more like normal life in a strange kind of way.
Sydney was awesome because I met some amazing people at the hostel, and then on to Brisbane where I caught up with people I'd been looking forward to seeing from the start of my trip.
Then things hit a bit of a low in Melbourne. I ended up staying in a hostel which was full of people who didn't want to do anything, and because the bush fires were on and there wasn't much happening (understandably) I did get a bit fed up. Which made me decide to blow the budget and do the road trip to Adelaide along the great ocean road - which was a real highlight of the trip.
Perth was another highlight - as I got to catch up with friends again...
At the time - I really felt like I didn't want to leave Australia. With the exception of Melbourne - it had been such a positive experience - and it was really the start of a pattern that was going to develop - more on that later.
And then it was on to the third section: Asia. Singapore was really amazing, as was Bangkok - both are such unique cities and with so much to offer. They're really amazing as stop overs - and to be fair they feel very comfortable. So I was really looking forward to leaving them behind and getting "out there".
Cambodia was truly amazing - although there were very few people (tourists or travelers) while I was there. Something to do with the financial crisis I think - but I had some crazy adventures, and as the locals in the tourist places spoke great English - I left feeling like I'd really got inside Cambodia. The trip to Prasat Prehear Vihear was a true highlight - and to stay and eat in a village where only one person speaks any English was a real experience.
Vietnam on the other hand felt like a bit of a disaster - as I really didn't like it. It's so touristy - and it really feels like the locals are only interested in getting money out of you. There's also a really sordid side to Vietnam which I didn't like. And there's not really much to see...everything it seems was blown up during the war...
While it is amazing to be travelling - there are some downsides - and I really started to see some of them while I was in Vietnam. At the end of the day - there's only so many times you can go to a market (read temple, palace, mausoleum) before you've seen it all. And while the guide book might big it up - it's only a market. And they mostly sell the same things. Just like any other market at home. And you start to realize - life is mostly the same where ever you go. It's just a slightly different flavor.
People have homes, religious buildings, shops, markets. We are - all the same - some have more money - some have less - but at the end - we're all human and have the same basic needs.
When the aim of your trip is to "see the world" and you start thinking you've seen it all before - then it does start to make you question what your doing. Although on an interesting side note - I didn't really enjoy any of the communist countries (except Cambodia) which also explains some of what was going on.
As I've said a number of times during my blog - I've met some amazing people along the way. And the same was true in Vietnam - it was the thing that kept me going. But I did start to notice another frustration - and that was meeting new people who I really liked and got on with - and would then have to say goodbye to and move on. The transience of it all did start to get to me.
Brock and I took the Myers Briggs personality test while we were in Colombo and spent some time reading up about the various personality types. And it turns out that someone with my personality profile likes to develop and maintain relationships with people. Which really explains why the transience issue was a problem.
And it was only going to get worse in China...
I'll be honest - I don't like communism. I went to China with an open mind - and I came away grateful that I don't live under a regime that doesn't allow it's people a voice. But China is a real contrast. The western bit is less "Han Chinese" than the eastern bit - although this is sadly something the Chinese Government are adamant about changing.
One thing I've discovered is that there's something incredible about Tibetan Buddhism and I loved every place where it's the prevailing culture - and as most of western China is predominantly Buddhist (for the time being) - it explains why that was a real highlight.
I also traveled for longer periods of time with groups of people - which was really amazing - although when everyone moved on I'd spend the next few days feeling quite deflated. I'd end up sitting on buses feeling pretty fed up at times...and really looking forward to getting to the next place so I could meet up with other travelers.
I got to Beijing at the half way point of my trip and went through a low patch of wanting to go home. The repression evident in Tibet (which is truly an incredible place) and then so heavily enforced in Beijing really started to grate, and I ended up phoning people back home quite a bit. Luckily, I did the trip to Mongolia which reminded me of why I was travelling, and then I met up with Adrian on the return to Beijing and we had some amazing trips out trying to find the most obscure places to eat where only locals went.
And it proved a bit of a watershed. I think at this point I'd fully gotten into the travelling life and the focus of my trip became more about the people I was meeting and a lot less about the places I was going to see. Sure - I was still doing the cultural stuff - but really it started to become more about hanging out with the people I was meeting along the way.
The trip to the Magao caves and the Xiencheng riots really added an element of adventure back into the trip that I think was missing - and pushed me on to want to get into Pakistan.
And Pakistan totally changed things. It is one of the most incredible places I've been. And I traveled most of the way with a great group of people. I loved the continuity of it all, and the fact that we'd all arrange to meet up as we traveled along the Karakorum Highway. It really worked out. And it was such a contrast to repressed China.
And while Islamabad did feel a bit scary at times - it really felt like I was on an adventure, and heading into India just added to it - because I was going to see things that I'd dreamed of going to see since I was young.
And then I got on the bus to Leh - and the balance shifted entirely. It became totally about people and a lot less about the things there were to see. Travelling with the same people for an extended period of time was exactly what I needed - and it absolutely made the end of my trip.
Brock and I were joking on my last day that despite having spent almost three weeks in Colombo we'd still not done any of the "you must do this in Colombo" stuff in the guide book. Which kind of says a lot. Sure I was happy to see some stuff - but the focus wasn't on trying to get here there and everywhere - it was about really enjoying it. No goals, no plan. Just get up and decide what to do.
Perhaps some of the best times were just sitting chatting at Coral Light watching the waves on the reef and the lightning over the sea at night. And we covered everything - from Philosophy to some truly retarded conversations.
I'm not really one for "life changing experiences" - they do happen - but so infrequently it's not worth hanging around waiting for them. But on reflection - I've learned a lot about myself this year - and it's really changed the way I look at things.
I know it's a cliche - but I've learned that it's not about where your going - but how you get there that counts. What's the point of achieving something but never having enjoyed achieving it. And it's really made me appreciate some of the things about my life - I've got a much clearer picture of how I want to live it from now on.
Would I do it again - absolutely.
Would I change anything - absolutely not - sometimes you learn more about yourself during the lows than during the highs.
But I think next time I'd find someone to travel with...and I'd ditch most of the planning and let it just happen. Overland to Afghanistan anyone? :-)
Thanks...Part 2
...I was just thinking that I missed a whole group of people off my thanks list - and that was all the people who followed the blog and sent me e-mails along the way. You know - they were really appreciated...so thanks.
Tuesday 22 December 2009
Thanks...
I've been home now for a few weeks, and have had some time to think back on the amazing time I had this year.
Really - I've been incredibly lucky to be able to do something like this - and it was an amazing experience - perhaps one of the best things I've ever done.
But what really made it were all the people I've met along the way. There's really too many to mention by name - but if we met up this year - I want to say a big thanks...you really made it a trip of a lifetime. The recommendations everyone gave me on places to stay and visit were also really welcomed.
Thanks also go to Jenny and Dave, and Megan and Craig for giving me a bed and showing me around.
Specific thanks to Brock and Jo - who I travelled with for the last bit of my trip. I'd have come home earlier if I'd not got the jeep to Leh. We had some fun times...
Thanks also to Lindon and Sam for helping me with the preparations - taking me to and from the airport, and being there along the way.
Finally - thanks to Paul and Ruth for giving me a home - I'd have been homeless without you guys...and to Joshua and Harvey for making the world a fun place to live...even the most routine things can be fun if you look at them the right way...
Really - I've been incredibly lucky to be able to do something like this - and it was an amazing experience - perhaps one of the best things I've ever done.
But what really made it were all the people I've met along the way. There's really too many to mention by name - but if we met up this year - I want to say a big thanks...you really made it a trip of a lifetime. The recommendations everyone gave me on places to stay and visit were also really welcomed.
Thanks also go to Jenny and Dave, and Megan and Craig for giving me a bed and showing me around.
Specific thanks to Brock and Jo - who I travelled with for the last bit of my trip. I'd have come home earlier if I'd not got the jeep to Leh. We had some fun times...
Thanks also to Lindon and Sam for helping me with the preparations - taking me to and from the airport, and being there along the way.
Finally - thanks to Paul and Ruth for giving me a home - I'd have been homeless without you guys...and to Joshua and Harvey for making the world a fun place to live...even the most routine things can be fun if you look at them the right way...
Monday 21 December 2009
The Long, Long, Long Journey Home - Part 2
There's something really good about seeing people you know...
...and it was really great to see Lindon and Sam again. They've been something of a constant in my trip, having been in Australia in February, and then India in October. They also dropped me at the airport at the start of my trip, and so it seemed to round things off nicely when they offered to get me from the airport.
And so we set off for the final bit of my round the world trip...which fulfills another of my ambitions which has been to make a complete circle of the world. I've been to the "other side" twice before - but never managed to make it all the way round. This time - I've done it (although now I have to do it in the other direction :-).
It was great to catch up on news as we drove back through the dark and cold. Here we are in the car on the trip home:
We arrived back home - more than 37 hours after I'd set off from Colombo the previous day. Kind of crazy when you can fly from London to Sydney in significantly less time...but at least I was home safely.
Here's the moment I finally made it home:
Ruth had made a special dinner (Eggplant Parmigiana - one of my favs :-), and Auntie Margaret and Lindon and Sam stayed for the evening. It was great to catch up with Paul and the stuff he's doing at the moment. It was really relaxing - just what I needed given that I was feeling pretty wiped out.
One of the big highlights was being able to spend some time with my nephews Joshua and Harvey. Joshua was really excited about the whole thing - and was non-stop talking the whole time...but the biggest surprise was how big Harvey was one year on. When I'd left he'd been a baby - it was a bit of a shock when a little boy ran up to me...and he was talking as well - which was even more amazing.
The presents from Sri Lanka were a real winner...although perhaps trying to fly a helicopter inside wasn't the best idea :-).
It was a really amazing welcome home - just what I needed - thanks guys :-)
...and it was really great to see Lindon and Sam again. They've been something of a constant in my trip, having been in Australia in February, and then India in October. They also dropped me at the airport at the start of my trip, and so it seemed to round things off nicely when they offered to get me from the airport.
And so we set off for the final bit of my round the world trip...which fulfills another of my ambitions which has been to make a complete circle of the world. I've been to the "other side" twice before - but never managed to make it all the way round. This time - I've done it (although now I have to do it in the other direction :-).
It was great to catch up on news as we drove back through the dark and cold. Here we are in the car on the trip home:
We arrived back home - more than 37 hours after I'd set off from Colombo the previous day. Kind of crazy when you can fly from London to Sydney in significantly less time...but at least I was home safely.
Here's the moment I finally made it home:
Ruth had made a special dinner (Eggplant Parmigiana - one of my favs :-), and Auntie Margaret and Lindon and Sam stayed for the evening. It was great to catch up with Paul and the stuff he's doing at the moment. It was really relaxing - just what I needed given that I was feeling pretty wiped out.
One of the big highlights was being able to spend some time with my nephews Joshua and Harvey. Joshua was really excited about the whole thing - and was non-stop talking the whole time...but the biggest surprise was how big Harvey was one year on. When I'd left he'd been a baby - it was a bit of a shock when a little boy ran up to me...and he was talking as well - which was even more amazing.
The presents from Sri Lanka were a real winner...although perhaps trying to fly a helicopter inside wasn't the best idea :-).
It was a really amazing welcome home - just what I needed - thanks guys :-)
Wednesday 16 December 2009
The Long, Long, Long Journey Home...Part 1
I'd already booked my flight from Delhi as part of the round the world ticket - and after phoning BA and STA Travel found out it would be more expensive to change it than buy a cheap flight from Colombo to Delhi and catch my original flight.
After breakfast with Nicole and Brock - sadly it was time to say goodbye. I'd been travelling with Brock for almost three months, and running into him on the bus to Leh was one of the best things that happened on my trip. We certainly had a lot of fun...
But it was time to head home. And despite part of me not wanting to go, another part of me was really looking forward to seeing everyone. After a year on the road - I've really come to appreciate having a "home". It's so amazing to know that there's one place in the world where I can always go...
So I headed to the bus and made my way to the airport. It took ages for the bus to finally get there, and I was starting to worry that I was going to miss the flight. But after another long delay at the connecting bus station, I finally made it to the airport with not much time to go, and actually ended up walking through the initial security checks without anyone x-raying my bag...good job really as I had more than the allowed amount of liquids in my bag (contact lens solution in case anyone was wondering).
And then it was on to the flight to Chennai where I enjoyed another free upgrade to business class :-)
Arriving in India was a real experience. And I soon remembered how hard it is to do anything here.
First - I was told to queue in front of a certain desk to get stamped into India. But when I finally made it to the front of the queue - the same guy told me I'd joined the wrong queue. Despite explaining to him that he'd told me to queue there - he was adamant that I was wrong - so I had to join the very long queue at the foreign passports desk...and despite there being several officials sitting around doing nothing they wouldn't let us go to the other free desks.
Then we had to go through the Swine Flu check. They have all these cameras with heat sensors - which is a bit of a joke really as it does feel like just about everyone in India has Swine Flu. They'd probably be better off having the checks for when people leave the country :-)
And then - rather unbelievably - you have to go through security checks to get out of the airport - which includes x-ray and bag searches - even though everyone leaving has just got off an international flight...
...and while I'm ranting: Chennai airport has to be one of the worst in the world. The domestic and international terminals are in the same building - but they make you go out of the building and walk about a quarter of a mile to the other end just to get to the domestic departures. All the while - your being hassled for taxi rides and the like.
And then - they wouldn't let me in to the building because my flight didn't leave for another few hours. In the end I managed to sneak in while the guard was busy checking the tickets of a large group, and hung around in the upstairs bit where all the offices are...so much for all the security...
And then it was on to the flight to Delhi...
I had a few hours to kill at Delhi, and as I had to switch from Domestic to International, I had the same problem of them not letting me in the airport. But in the end, I managed to talk my way in, and had the worst Subway I've ever eaten...
I'd been on the go for 13 hours when I finally boarded the BA flight back to London. But the trip was about to get even worse.
After the departure time had come and gone, we were told that the baggage machine had crashed into the airplane and left some dents which had to be checked out. It was going to take 15 minutes.
More than an hour later, we were told that they had to get London involved and it was going to take another 15 minutes. More than an hour later we were told that Boeing were going to have to get involved and it was going to take 20 minutes.
More than two hours later we were told that everything was OK and we were good to go.
And so we set off.
Now I usually avoid BA having had some bad experiences in the past - and this flight really reminded me why. The chair was really uncomfortable, and the food was terrible. The only thing that made it any good were the excellent cabin crew who tried to keep everyone happy during the flight - despite bearing the brunt of a number of passengers frustrations.
One (small) highlight - I watched a really amazing film called Moon - which I really enjoyed...but apart from that - it was the worst flight of my trip.
Given that we were now more than four hours behind, the plane touched down at Heathrow five minutes before my plane to Manchester was due to leave. So I tried my best to get from terminal 5 to terminal 1 - but it just wasn't going to happen.
So I found the BMI desk, and they were really helpful. They did say BA should have sorted things out, and that BA had a flight I could have easily made if they'd have sorted it all out at T5. But they did book me on their next available flight - which was going to leave 5 hours later.
So I hung around the new and improved T1. I was glad to see that it's been done up - Heathrow used to be my least favourite airport in the world - but it's really good these days.
Fish and chips, too much coffee, and some work on the blog, and I finally made it onto the plane.
BMI domestic flights are really good - and it's only an hour so it wasn't too bad. Oh - and it didn't seem too cold in the UK - the one thing I wasn't really looking forward to.
After breakfast with Nicole and Brock - sadly it was time to say goodbye. I'd been travelling with Brock for almost three months, and running into him on the bus to Leh was one of the best things that happened on my trip. We certainly had a lot of fun...
But it was time to head home. And despite part of me not wanting to go, another part of me was really looking forward to seeing everyone. After a year on the road - I've really come to appreciate having a "home". It's so amazing to know that there's one place in the world where I can always go...
So I headed to the bus and made my way to the airport. It took ages for the bus to finally get there, and I was starting to worry that I was going to miss the flight. But after another long delay at the connecting bus station, I finally made it to the airport with not much time to go, and actually ended up walking through the initial security checks without anyone x-raying my bag...good job really as I had more than the allowed amount of liquids in my bag (contact lens solution in case anyone was wondering).
And then it was on to the flight to Chennai where I enjoyed another free upgrade to business class :-)
Arriving in India was a real experience. And I soon remembered how hard it is to do anything here.
First - I was told to queue in front of a certain desk to get stamped into India. But when I finally made it to the front of the queue - the same guy told me I'd joined the wrong queue. Despite explaining to him that he'd told me to queue there - he was adamant that I was wrong - so I had to join the very long queue at the foreign passports desk...and despite there being several officials sitting around doing nothing they wouldn't let us go to the other free desks.
Then we had to go through the Swine Flu check. They have all these cameras with heat sensors - which is a bit of a joke really as it does feel like just about everyone in India has Swine Flu. They'd probably be better off having the checks for when people leave the country :-)
And then - rather unbelievably - you have to go through security checks to get out of the airport - which includes x-ray and bag searches - even though everyone leaving has just got off an international flight...
...and while I'm ranting: Chennai airport has to be one of the worst in the world. The domestic and international terminals are in the same building - but they make you go out of the building and walk about a quarter of a mile to the other end just to get to the domestic departures. All the while - your being hassled for taxi rides and the like.
And then - they wouldn't let me in to the building because my flight didn't leave for another few hours. In the end I managed to sneak in while the guard was busy checking the tickets of a large group, and hung around in the upstairs bit where all the offices are...so much for all the security...
And then it was on to the flight to Delhi...
I had a few hours to kill at Delhi, and as I had to switch from Domestic to International, I had the same problem of them not letting me in the airport. But in the end, I managed to talk my way in, and had the worst Subway I've ever eaten...
I'd been on the go for 13 hours when I finally boarded the BA flight back to London. But the trip was about to get even worse.
After the departure time had come and gone, we were told that the baggage machine had crashed into the airplane and left some dents which had to be checked out. It was going to take 15 minutes.
More than an hour later, we were told that they had to get London involved and it was going to take another 15 minutes. More than an hour later we were told that Boeing were going to have to get involved and it was going to take 20 minutes.
More than two hours later we were told that everything was OK and we were good to go.
And so we set off.
Now I usually avoid BA having had some bad experiences in the past - and this flight really reminded me why. The chair was really uncomfortable, and the food was terrible. The only thing that made it any good were the excellent cabin crew who tried to keep everyone happy during the flight - despite bearing the brunt of a number of passengers frustrations.
One (small) highlight - I watched a really amazing film called Moon - which I really enjoyed...but apart from that - it was the worst flight of my trip.
Given that we were now more than four hours behind, the plane touched down at Heathrow five minutes before my plane to Manchester was due to leave. So I tried my best to get from terminal 5 to terminal 1 - but it just wasn't going to happen.
So I found the BMI desk, and they were really helpful. They did say BA should have sorted things out, and that BA had a flight I could have easily made if they'd have sorted it all out at T5. But they did book me on their next available flight - which was going to leave 5 hours later.
So I hung around the new and improved T1. I was glad to see that it's been done up - Heathrow used to be my least favourite airport in the world - but it's really good these days.
Fish and chips, too much coffee, and some work on the blog, and I finally made it onto the plane.
BMI domestic flights are really good - and it's only an hour so it wasn't too bad. Oh - and it didn't seem too cold in the UK - the one thing I wasn't really looking forward to.
Wednesday 9 December 2009
Colombo
It had to end.
And while part of me really wanted to stay, I had to get back to the UK for Joshua and Harvey's christening - the one unmooveable (only :-) date in my diary.
So, after a final Coral Light breakfast, we headed back on the bus to Colombo.
And did the day I'd done with Jo and then Christine when it was there turn to leave. We got a room at the YMCA, and then headed out to get lunch at the corner restaurant. In the UK it would be closed down as a health risk - but it's one of the best places I've eaten at. The barbecue fish is amazing, as is the egg fried rice with Sambol. From there we headed off to the shops so I could pick up some last minute things, and then we headed to the best place in Colombo: The Galle Face Hotel.
After a few G'n'T's we decided on a real treat: a meal at the Sea Spray restaurant at the hotel. The eat as much as you like seafood buffet costs 9 pounds, so we decided to indulge...and the food was a amazing, with an incredible selection of seafood cooked to order...
Enjoying a G'n'T at the GFH - Nicole, Brock, and me:
And sunet:
And one final moment - getting ready to enjoy seafood buffet:
A perfect evening - and the perfect end to my trip. Great food - great location - great company. You can't ask for more than that...
And while part of me really wanted to stay, I had to get back to the UK for Joshua and Harvey's christening - the one unmooveable (only :-) date in my diary.
So, after a final Coral Light breakfast, we headed back on the bus to Colombo.
And did the day I'd done with Jo and then Christine when it was there turn to leave. We got a room at the YMCA, and then headed out to get lunch at the corner restaurant. In the UK it would be closed down as a health risk - but it's one of the best places I've eaten at. The barbecue fish is amazing, as is the egg fried rice with Sambol. From there we headed off to the shops so I could pick up some last minute things, and then we headed to the best place in Colombo: The Galle Face Hotel.
After a few G'n'T's we decided on a real treat: a meal at the Sea Spray restaurant at the hotel. The eat as much as you like seafood buffet costs 9 pounds, so we decided to indulge...and the food was a amazing, with an incredible selection of seafood cooked to order...
Enjoying a G'n'T at the GFH - Nicole, Brock, and me:
And sunet:
And one final moment - getting ready to enjoy seafood buffet:
A perfect evening - and the perfect end to my trip. Great food - great location - great company. You can't ask for more than that...
Unawatuna
One thing I'd really wanted to do at the end of my trip was to spend the last few days at the beach. Given that Brock was under orders to rest his foot, we decided to head back to Unawatuna and enjoy the chilled out atmosphere there.
It's a really great place to hang out - and is really cheap as well.
So we headed back to the Village Inn and got a room...
The one constant of our time in Una was the Coral Light - the absolute best place for food in the village, run by an incredible family who really made us feel welcome. The food's also amazing, and the prices are the best in town.
Here's a view of the beach from Coral Light:
We started every day with the excellent Coral Light breakfast: fried eggs, toast, coffee, and Vegemite which we got from a store in Galle:
And then we'd swim, or chat, or watch a film, or read, before heading out for a few beers in the evening:
One night we messed around with the long exposure setting on my camera and got these crazy pictures:
It's monsoon here, so it tends to rain in the afternoons, which looks a lot like this (click the pic to watch the video):
But usually results in amazing sunsets, or incredible lightning displays out at sea. Here's one of the sunset at Una:
For a change of scenery we headed into Galle one day, and spotted this:
Not something you see everyday...and apart from that, there's not much to report...except:
The giant spiders we found in our room:
And the rather good bottle of Jacob's Creek we had one arvo:
We were also lucky to run into Nicole who'd spent a fair amount of time in Una and knew a lot about the area. One interesting thing about this part of the world is that there's a magnetic field that's the third strongest in the world after the north and south poles about 26km off shore from Una. Which might explain why it's such a relaxing place.
Learning all about natural child birth...from a real expert...and amazonian tribes...
And then there was the day I got stung by a jellyfish - which has left a scar...
And walking around the headland to the rocks at the end of the beach and seeing loads of crabs and some fish that could climb up onto the rocks and breath fresh air.
And finally, it's not uncommon to see turtles in the sea here, but I was never able to really see any while swimming - until my last day, when one surfaced five feet away...
Too bad it had to end. But then, all good things have to come to an end.
It's a really great place to hang out - and is really cheap as well.
So we headed back to the Village Inn and got a room...
The one constant of our time in Una was the Coral Light - the absolute best place for food in the village, run by an incredible family who really made us feel welcome. The food's also amazing, and the prices are the best in town.
Here's a view of the beach from Coral Light:
We started every day with the excellent Coral Light breakfast: fried eggs, toast, coffee, and Vegemite which we got from a store in Galle:
And then we'd swim, or chat, or watch a film, or read, before heading out for a few beers in the evening:
One night we messed around with the long exposure setting on my camera and got these crazy pictures:
It's monsoon here, so it tends to rain in the afternoons, which looks a lot like this (click the pic to watch the video):
But usually results in amazing sunsets, or incredible lightning displays out at sea. Here's one of the sunset at Una:
For a change of scenery we headed into Galle one day, and spotted this:
Not something you see everyday...and apart from that, there's not much to report...except:
The giant spiders we found in our room:
And the rather good bottle of Jacob's Creek we had one arvo:
We were also lucky to run into Nicole who'd spent a fair amount of time in Una and knew a lot about the area. One interesting thing about this part of the world is that there's a magnetic field that's the third strongest in the world after the north and south poles about 26km off shore from Una. Which might explain why it's such a relaxing place.
Learning all about natural child birth...from a real expert...and amazonian tribes...
And then there was the day I got stung by a jellyfish - which has left a scar...
And walking around the headland to the rocks at the end of the beach and seeing loads of crabs and some fish that could climb up onto the rocks and breath fresh air.
And finally, it's not uncommon to see turtles in the sea here, but I was never able to really see any while swimming - until my last day, when one surfaced five feet away...
Too bad it had to end. But then, all good things have to come to an end.
Saturday 5 December 2009
Colombo
Brock was still experiencing significant pain in his foot, and he suspected that it might be broken. So we jumped on a bus back to Colombo and made our way to the hospital to get an X-Ray.
After a completely useless consultation where the Doctor said it definitely wasn't broken and there was nothing wrong with it, Brock managed to get an X-Ray - and it turns out that a piece of his heel bone had chipped off. Which just goes to show - we really do know how to have a very big night out...
They decided not to put a cast on because of the position of the break, but did bandage it up and said it would take two weeks to heal...
Brock getting his foot bandaged:
So with nothing else to do, we headed to the Galle Face Hotel to enjoy one of the best spots in the world:
As it was Sunday night most stuff is closed in the Fort CBD, so we headed to the station for Egg Kottu (roti that's chopped and fried with egg) and decided to call it a night...Bob est ton oncle, as they say in Canada...
After a completely useless consultation where the Doctor said it definitely wasn't broken and there was nothing wrong with it, Brock managed to get an X-Ray - and it turns out that a piece of his heel bone had chipped off. Which just goes to show - we really do know how to have a very big night out...
They decided not to put a cast on because of the position of the break, but did bandage it up and said it would take two weeks to heal...
Brock getting his foot bandaged:
So with nothing else to do, we headed to the Galle Face Hotel to enjoy one of the best spots in the world:
As it was Sunday night most stuff is closed in the Fort CBD, so we headed to the station for Egg Kottu (roti that's chopped and fried with egg) and decided to call it a night...Bob est ton oncle, as they say in Canada...
Kandy
Kandy is a great place to spend a few days. After arriving and finding a place, we had a wander around and popped into a tiny cafe to get dinner.
I'd seen Devilled dishes on lots of menus here and decided to try the devilled fish - I'd have to say - all of the food in Sri Lanka is amazing - but the Devilled dishes are really outstanding...here's a pic:
They always ask if you want it spicy - and this was one of the spiciest things I've eaten on my trip. All the little green things are chillies - so it had a major kick. Amazing...and not bad for just over a quid...
Brock also decided to try the plain hoppers - what can only be described as a cross between a pancake and a breast implant. Here's some being modeled:
Now the residents of Kandy are well known for there conservative ways - and tend to go to bed early. Which means that there's not much going on at night. But we did decided to do the Kandy Pub crawl challenge - which consists of a beer in each of the pubs in town. The only problem - there are only two pubs in town - so it's not much of a challenge...and they all shut at around 10pm just to add to the excitement...
Enjoying a beer in the Queen's Hotel Bar:
Kandy was favored by the British Colonizers, and there are signs of their occupation here, particularly in the architecture. Sadly - the colonizers brought people from India to work as slaves in the tea plantations, which resulted in the 26 year long war that's thankfully just ended in the country. Kandy was badly shelled at one point - but there's no evidence of that now.
Kandy sits on the banks of a beautiful lake - and as Sri Lanka's only other city has a real buzz about it.
Kandy Lake:
One highlight is the chance to see traditional dancing - which is finished off with a fire walking ceremony. So we made our way in the afternoon to get tickets, and were able to reserve seats by writing our names on a large sheet of paper and placing them on the seats we wanted:
After a rather pleasant cup of Sri Lankan coffee, we headed off to see the evenings entertainment...first - some traditional dance:
Next: a guy spinning his mother's best plates on sticks:
And then the moment we'd all been waiting for...the fire ceremony. It got off to a start with this:
And then went on like this:
It was good fun and definitely recommended - although it's all a bit tongue in cheek.
And then - because it was there - we set off on the Kandy Pub Crawl Challenge...which started off with a good old fashioned, England in a glass, Gin and Tonic at the Queen's Hotel Bar:
And ended in KFC, at the unearthly hour of 10.30pm, where your not allowed to take photos for some reason:
Now how did that happen:
And that was Kandy...
I'd seen Devilled dishes on lots of menus here and decided to try the devilled fish - I'd have to say - all of the food in Sri Lanka is amazing - but the Devilled dishes are really outstanding...here's a pic:
They always ask if you want it spicy - and this was one of the spiciest things I've eaten on my trip. All the little green things are chillies - so it had a major kick. Amazing...and not bad for just over a quid...
Brock also decided to try the plain hoppers - what can only be described as a cross between a pancake and a breast implant. Here's some being modeled:
Now the residents of Kandy are well known for there conservative ways - and tend to go to bed early. Which means that there's not much going on at night. But we did decided to do the Kandy Pub crawl challenge - which consists of a beer in each of the pubs in town. The only problem - there are only two pubs in town - so it's not much of a challenge...and they all shut at around 10pm just to add to the excitement...
Enjoying a beer in the Queen's Hotel Bar:
Kandy was favored by the British Colonizers, and there are signs of their occupation here, particularly in the architecture. Sadly - the colonizers brought people from India to work as slaves in the tea plantations, which resulted in the 26 year long war that's thankfully just ended in the country. Kandy was badly shelled at one point - but there's no evidence of that now.
Kandy sits on the banks of a beautiful lake - and as Sri Lanka's only other city has a real buzz about it.
Kandy Lake:
One highlight is the chance to see traditional dancing - which is finished off with a fire walking ceremony. So we made our way in the afternoon to get tickets, and were able to reserve seats by writing our names on a large sheet of paper and placing them on the seats we wanted:
After a rather pleasant cup of Sri Lankan coffee, we headed off to see the evenings entertainment...first - some traditional dance:
Next: a guy spinning his mother's best plates on sticks:
And then the moment we'd all been waiting for...the fire ceremony. It got off to a start with this:
And then went on like this:
It was good fun and definitely recommended - although it's all a bit tongue in cheek.
And then - because it was there - we set off on the Kandy Pub Crawl Challenge...which started off with a good old fashioned, England in a glass, Gin and Tonic at the Queen's Hotel Bar:
And ended in KFC, at the unearthly hour of 10.30pm, where your not allowed to take photos for some reason:
Now how did that happen:
And that was Kandy...
Friday 4 December 2009
Dambulla
We'd been planning to spend two days at Polonnaruwa, but as we'd seen everything in one, we jumped on the bus to Dambulla to see the famous Buddhist caves there. While it was worth the diversion in the end - the caves aren't as impressive as the ancient cities - and the government seems to be running a bit of a scam by not including them in the $50USD round ticket.
Which means it's an extra $10USD to get in. If you've got deep pockets then it's worth it - if your on a budget then I'd probably give it a miss...
Having found a place to stay, we decided to head back in the pouring rain to get some food and have a look around. There's not much to recommend Dambulla itself, and after eating we found the only bar in town. The only problem was - the manager would only sell us beer at twice the local price...so we headed to the local grocery store and bought some beers and sat in a closed shop front like a couple of winos...
The next day we had breakfast and headed off to the caves. Here's a picture of the museum at the bottom of the hill:
From there, it's a long steep climb to the top where the caves are. Here's a rather unusual sign we spotted on the way up:
The view from the top:
And a pic of the outside of the caves at the top of the hill:
And a selection of pictures inside the caves:
And then we headed back into Dambulla to get the bus to Kandy. For anyone wondering what bus travel looks like in Sri Lanka - it's a lot like this (click the pic to view the video):
Which means it's an extra $10USD to get in. If you've got deep pockets then it's worth it - if your on a budget then I'd probably give it a miss...
Having found a place to stay, we decided to head back in the pouring rain to get some food and have a look around. There's not much to recommend Dambulla itself, and after eating we found the only bar in town. The only problem was - the manager would only sell us beer at twice the local price...so we headed to the local grocery store and bought some beers and sat in a closed shop front like a couple of winos...
The next day we had breakfast and headed off to the caves. Here's a picture of the museum at the bottom of the hill:
From there, it's a long steep climb to the top where the caves are. Here's a rather unusual sign we spotted on the way up:
The view from the top:
And a pic of the outside of the caves at the top of the hill:
And a selection of pictures inside the caves:
And then we headed back into Dambulla to get the bus to Kandy. For anyone wondering what bus travel looks like in Sri Lanka - it's a lot like this (click the pic to view the video):
Polonnaruwa
Having seen everything we wanted at Anhradupura we decided to catch the bus to Polonnnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa is the second major empire in Sri Lanka, and was built around 1000AD, and became the new capital of Sri Lanka. Just like Anhradupura there's lots to see - with the most famous site being the carving at Gal Vihariya.
But first...the museum...
Now I'm not one for museums - everything we know about history tends to be conjecture and theory - so there's no real way of trusting what we're told, and theories keep changing as new things get discovered. In fact - it's thought that recent findings have invalidated some of the theories currently being presented as fact at Polonnaruwa...
But having said all of that - it's worth taking a look around, because it's excellent display gives a real appreciation for what there is to see and how best to get around the various sites. Bearing in mind that Brock was still in significant amounts of pain we tried to work out a route that would cut the walking to a minimum.
From the museum it's a short walk to the ruins - with the first thing on the list the Royal Meeting Chamber:
View of the large artificial lake, used to provide water to the capital:
Our shoes - stacked out of the rain at one of the temples:
Temple at the Royal Palace:
Detailed carving:
A giant book style carving:
Taking a well earned coconut break:
And a huge snake we saw at the ruins (click on the pic to view the video):
And finally the most famous and impressive site here - the carvings of Gal Vihariya:
On one of the evenings we decided to head up to the Polunaruwa guest house which sits on the lake and is famous for having been used as an overnight visit by the Queen a long time ago. It's not a bad spot for a cup of tea as the sun sets - but the food portions are very very small...I wonder if the Queen takes snacks on trips - because she'd have needed them if she'd eaten here :-)
Polonnaruwa is the second major empire in Sri Lanka, and was built around 1000AD, and became the new capital of Sri Lanka. Just like Anhradupura there's lots to see - with the most famous site being the carving at Gal Vihariya.
But first...the museum...
Now I'm not one for museums - everything we know about history tends to be conjecture and theory - so there's no real way of trusting what we're told, and theories keep changing as new things get discovered. In fact - it's thought that recent findings have invalidated some of the theories currently being presented as fact at Polonnaruwa...
But having said all of that - it's worth taking a look around, because it's excellent display gives a real appreciation for what there is to see and how best to get around the various sites. Bearing in mind that Brock was still in significant amounts of pain we tried to work out a route that would cut the walking to a minimum.
From the museum it's a short walk to the ruins - with the first thing on the list the Royal Meeting Chamber:
View of the large artificial lake, used to provide water to the capital:
Our shoes - stacked out of the rain at one of the temples:
Temple at the Royal Palace:
Detailed carving:
A giant book style carving:
Taking a well earned coconut break:
And a huge snake we saw at the ruins (click on the pic to view the video):
And finally the most famous and impressive site here - the carvings of Gal Vihariya:
On one of the evenings we decided to head up to the Polunaruwa guest house which sits on the lake and is famous for having been used as an overnight visit by the Queen a long time ago. It's not a bad spot for a cup of tea as the sun sets - but the food portions are very very small...I wonder if the Queen takes snacks on trips - because she'd have needed them if she'd eaten here :-)
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