Advertisement
Published: December 21st 2009
Almost 12 months to the day since I first left Australia it is now time to write my last travel blog for this year. Within 48hrs I’ll be back in Melbourne (just in time for Christmas) and my amazing round the world adventure will be complete.
I’ve actually been thinking about how on earth to write this final blog for a few weeks now and it’s ironic that I’m actually doing it here in Penang were my trip first started. Exactly how does one write 1000 words to sum up a year of travelling all around the world and do it all justice…
I guess you don’t, in fact it’s kind of like trying to tell someone what you’ve been up to for a whole year. No matter how many stories you tell them or pictures you show them you’ll never be able to give someone else a true sense of what’s happened and all the experiences you’ve had along the way. I guess the trick to travelling by yourself for so long is just to be content with your own experiences and simply acknowledge that no one will really ever understand… which for the record, I am, in
fact I’m almost to content!
For me this year has been a truly amazing experience. I’ve seen and done things I never thought I would. I’ve met some great people along the way and made some very close new friends who I will never forget. And most importantly I’ve learnt a lot of new things about myself, become more accepting and learned to relax a lot more… plus I think I’ve managed to slow the old blood pressure down a bit too which can only be a good thing!
In fact the scariest part about this year is now finally going home. I’ve been on the move now for so long that travelling now feels normal to me and going home is something else?? This new vagabond lifestyle that I have created is very stimulating (socially and mentally) and the good old days of the boring ‘rat race’ are now distant memories in the past which I am going to avoid at all costs. 2010 is going to be an interesting year and I’ve got some big decisions to make going forward. So in an attempt to try and summarise this crazy year here goes…
In total
I travelled over 50,000 miles this year around the world, visited 21 different countries and taken over 6,500 photos. I’ve been mistaken for an undercover cop, been cashless for 72 hours in Europe of all places and lost all my ID, cash and credit cards in Cambodia.. which admittedly was my fault and alcohol.. but it still happened.
In Asia I learned to be an Mahoot (elephant trainer), saw sunrise at Anchor Wat, became an open water PADI diver, walked along the Great Wall of China and toured the Forbidden City. I also experienced a traditional Chinese banquet, sang karaoke for the first time, sat on a bus in northern Laos for 23 hours, walked with monks in Vientiane and even stoped a bar fight one night.
In the United States I visited Alcatraz, had oysters at the Hog Island Oyster Bar in San Francisco, ate ‘beer butt’ chicken and was reunited with my old student exchange family after 13 years. I partied in New York till the early hours of the morning, managed to completely humiliate myself with a beautiful young lady and explored both Central Park and Time Square.
In Europe I’ve been caught in
the middle of a riot in Barcelona, had beers in Tarifa (the most southern mainland town in Europe), given a motivational speech to 60 budding entrepreneurs and attended my first Oktoberfest in Munich. I’ve seen the most beautiful view in the world (San Sebastian), lived in Vernazza (Cinque Terra) for a month, visited the old site of the Berlin Wall and even managed a hostel in Belgium for 6 weeks.
Plus on top of all that I’ve been working on a new start-up business for the whole time and trying to find the perfect work/life balance along the way. I’ve come very close to it but if I have to be honest it still needs a little more work yet before I can confidentially say I’ve nailed it. In fact that’s what 2010 is all about.. sorting that out.
In terms of regrets I don’t think I have any from this year. I made a conscious decision at the start of the year to just go for it and give everything a go at least once. Rest assured I’ve made plenty of stupid mistakes this year (and yes, a number of drunken ones too!) but none that I
really regret. I think if you can learn from your mistakes it makes you a better person as long as you don’t keep making them again and again.
Whew… it makes me tired just thinking about it all and like I said earlier that’s only the tip of the ice berg. It really has been a crazy year full of adventures and one I will never forget. So with my bags packed for the last time this year it’s now time to start the final journey home. I’m really looking forward to seeing all my friends and family again back home but at the same time very nervous about the year ahead…
Also I hope you’ve all enjoyed reading this travel blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. In terms of this blog and what’s next… all I can say is “Watch This Space”….
Travel Dog
Ps. Merry Christmas to all!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.438s; Tpl: 0.025s; cc: 8; qc: 60; dbt: 0.1143s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
b
non-member comment
when you get back
i'll want to know about the bar fight and about the motivational speech. everything else : RESPECT. proud of you. jealous even. beer soon. state your place, time and weapons. bruno