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Published: October 17th 2008
Guess where I am.
Sydney Opera HouseHello Everyone.. and Happy Thanksgiving by the way!
Sorry for such a long period without e-mail or blog updates. I don't feel all that talkative lately anyway, as this middle section of the adventure has been emotionally challenging, tiring and the effects of being "in transit" for so long are starting to wear me down.
Anyway, let me sum up August. I realized soon after making landfall in Cairns (Queensland, Australia) that I hadn't slept on land for 5 months, and that I rarely get to hang out with my cousin Liz, so I flew down to Sydney to visit her and her husband Jim for a week. What a fantastic time in such great company - it made me realize something which I'll touch on later when I talk about human interactions
After flying back to Cairns, I laid in bed on a random boat for a few days, delerious from some sort of Australian flu. Then hopped on a 48 foot Beneteau and headed north, double-handing through the Great Barrier Reef and notorious Torres Strait, the bottleneck which divides the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Once safely on the other side, we headed downwind through the Arafura
Sea to crocodile-infested Darwin, gateway to the Indian Ocean.
In this very short time, I was able to make a thorough evaluation of Australian culture but after a few Victoria Bitters, things got hazy and I lost the beer coaster I had written it all down on.
Out of all those wonderful things that make Australia just a little different from the rest of us, one thing I would like to bring home is the concept of giving everyone a "Fair Go", which I interpret as giving everyone an equal chance to do things their own way - and perhaps the opportunity to succeed.
Anyhow, that's Australia in a nutshell. I didn't see enough, so one day I will return to the Land Down Under, certainly armed with some sort of van bristling with surfboards.
So it was time to leave Oz. My good friends Zach and Cody joined the boat in Darwin, and on the eve of Labour Day weekend, we set sail west once again, this time into a new ocean, the Indian, heading towards Indonesia.
Over the past few months, I have learnt that the course of your life can change in
Me and My Moke!
The perfect set of wheels for tooling around Sydney, except in winter... the blink of an eye - it could be a random wave or shift in the winds, and it can leave you gasping for air. What happened next was one of those moments. A few days into the Indian Ocean, with civilization about a week away, I received news that my father had passed away.
I've had a lot of time to think things through. This is hardly the kind of place to really share deep-down feelings, so I'll keep this blog relevant to my travel experience.
The very nature of this adventure is rapidly changing. What began as a "search for pleasure" has become a pursuit of life.
It is the opportunity to learn from both the places you visit, and from the people you meet along the way - before the places vanish, and the people are taken from you forever.
Traveling is a nomadic lifestyle, and therefore is an opportunity to surround yourself with the company of people - like my cousin for example - who make you want to become a better person for the simple sake that
they inspire you.
Those people that inspire you to listen rather than talk.
They ask questions back. And when you talk to them, you know they aren't busy wondering how to change the subject back to themselves. These are the people who make you a better person.
Travel also gives you perspective. Take advantage of that. Visit the places that make you ask questions and accept other ways of life, places that make you at least a little skeptical of your own culture and way of life - and appreciative of the parts you take for granted.
The Indian Ocean - or as I call it, the Indico Project - lies ahead. Stay tuned and thanks for staying with the tour.
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Jon
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Well Done
Sailed half way around the world, or as I contest, all the way around the world. As your now on your way home? Keep the updates coming... -Jon