21 flights later...

I am Home ! Its taken me a while to write this post...partly because I have had no Internet access and partly because I knew it would be the last.


Having learnt to make a home where ever my backpack landed and my head hit the floor has become a skill over the past 6 months but it was really nice to land back at Manchester on a cold, wet grey day, battle through the M61 traffic and get to my mum and dads for a nice sleep...the novelty soon wore off and my feet soon got itchy again !


With several hours to kill I worked out the following statistics 10 countries, 21 flights, 74 flying hours, 48 hours waiting for planes, 71 hours on trains, 282 hours on the road, 56 hours on boats and I think 46,000 miles !?


More importantly I set about making a list of the highs the lows and the inbetweens to remind me why I decided to up sticks and leave and what I must try never to forget from the experience.

The highs in no particular order...

• Having the power to do what I want when I want and the time to be selfish !
  
• New friends around the world some of which i know will be remain friends for life


• The mountains of Munnar, India - the smell of tea and cardamon pods being harvested


• The beautiful woman of Rajasthan immaculately dressed in vibrant pinks and oranges yet building roads whilst the men sleep on the side of the road !


• Trying frogs, snakes, crickets, spiders and silk worms throughout SE Asia


• the 'special bar' whilst trekking in Northern Thailand


• sleeper trains...best nights sleep ever !


• Markets, my favourites rate as Chiang Rai in Thailand, Luang Prabang in Laos and Madurai in India


• Serious wine 'tasting' in Australia and New Zealand


• Western Australia, the bus trip, the people, the red dust, the gorge swimming, the dolphins ...


• The monks of Laos and their robe wrapping induction


• Hoi An, Vietnam where anything is possible ...at least where clothes, bags and shoes are concerned anyway !


• Sapa, Vietnam trekking and talking is so much fun!


• The devils of Tasmania, cute.


• Being with family in New Zealand for Christmas and getting very spoilt !


• Planting veggies at Hannah and Gareth's and tracking progress via blog.


• cooking new foods and eating !


• The beaches of Samoa the most beautiful I have ever seen


• The dancing men of Tonga and Samoa a nice mix of fighting and partying


• The shock of the shops in the USA and the overwhelming feeling of truly being back in the western world at 100 miles an hour.


• Luxury hotels at hostel prices in Bangkok !
  

The lows...

• Being ill with dengue fever - feeling certain you are going to die alone.


• Feeling powerless to change very sad and painful things


• Realising that a Bangkok ping pong ball show is not that impressive after all...and how sad the men caught up in the Sex industry really are.


• Meeting, experiencing and witnessing the worst type of tourists without any regard for where they are or other cultures.


• Experiencing an unfair amount of adverse weather conditions...must plan better next time and change name of blog to 'travelling sunshine'


• Experiencing so many people, places and situations alone, looking with my eyes and not believing them having no one to ask "did that really happen" ?!


• I did not always enjoy my own company, its been a challenge!


• Not being able to access the Internet sometimes for weeks on end made me feel very isolated and lonely but also makes you appreciate real life. Similarly trying to write a blog and upload photos on dodgy computers was really fustrating.


• Having to wee on a bus in India

My Lessons ...I strive never to forget !

• Slow down, if its important it will happen.


• Look and look again sometimes the smallest indescreet things are the most amazing and beautiful


• Things are never what they first seem, always refresh your eyes and never stop looking.


• Never take people or situations on face value


• The people in my life are everything without them I have nothing


• I dont need 'stuff' to live and can do everything with whats on my back, seeing real poverty and how happy some people are with nothing shakes what you value to the core.


• I have learnt how to lead and motivate myself - big time!


• I now really know what makes me happy and more improtantly what does not
  
  

So, would I do it all again ? Yes, in a heart beat !

THE END...until next time...

NYC Freezing my bottom off !

It was very very very cold...that is my main memory of New York...it was -7 when I left...my skin got wind burnt and chaffed and I had to by a coat that a north pole adventurer would not look out of place wearing ! In hindsight NYC in the depth of winter after a the longest summer ever around the world was not one of my best ideas especially as my backpack was ill equipped for the extreme cold.
I spent just two days in NYC mooching and hanging around the city browsing the massive Macy's department store, many galleries, delis and generally soaking up a very different culture thatn that I have experienced over the past 6 months. My credit card went on strike so I purchased very little except a coat and some giant pieces of pizza and submarine sized sandwiches from the local deli. I took a trip to Staten island where you get a great free ride and view of the statue of liberty, beautiful at sunset!

Meet you under the Brooklyn bridge !

I watched rather than join in ice skating at the Rockefeller centre and then went for a very chilly winter walk through central park. I blame the blurring on the shivers !

I would love to return to New York but not alone, its a place you need to share !