The Last Post

As our odyssey comes to an end, and we return to our Ithaca, it’s time for a wrap-up post.

It was with genuine sadness that we left Fiji. Driving towards the airport, the roads glistened from recent rainfall and the sea was calmed with the wind dropping to a whisper. Winding our way along the coast, we silently watched as the sun started it’s descent into the South Pacific ocean. We were both moved. Fiji is a beautiful place, and we will miss it.

I’ve not given this post much thought. I recall, the last time we travelled, my mind turned to our final blog post weeks before the end. I planned, I drafted and crafted. I wrote and rewrote it many times. I don’t know why I haven’t found myself similarly willed this time. Perhaps it’s apathy. Maybe it’s complacency given our oh-so-relaxing final stop. But I think somehow this trip has lacked finality. I think I’ve avoided these scribbles because, unlike our last trip, my door lies open at the end of this trip. I am not returning to a busy job. I don’t have a pressing need to stop, to cease travelling, to end this adventure.

Of course, this rubbish. I do have an end stop. Shona has to go back to work on Monday. I’ve got to find a busy job. We need to start executing our plans and schemes that we’ve been planning and scheming. There is always lots to do. But, the finality of The Last Post has pushed away my pen, and I don’t write this easily.

Shona and I were discussing how it feels, to be going home. We are both very sad it’s over, but the timing feels right. Ending with Fiji, where we stayed for 8 whole days felt like the right way to end, to relax and allow our travel metabolism to slow, easing us off the nomadic drug and back to stability.

Right now, whilst rested and refreshed, we don’t feel as profoundly affected by this trip as the last one. When we returned last time, we were changed. Our outlooks were different, our experiences shifted our perception of the world and undermined the significance of everyday trivia. It’s difficult to explain why we haven’t had this epiphany this time round. Perhaps the timescale being shorter, or perhaps less challenging climates, cultures, landscapes, visual spectacles and wonders. Or perhaps, it’s just because we’re on our way home and it’s very hard to reflect just yet.

I organised a fair bit of this trip (only realising latterly how much work it must been for Shona the last time!). To keep me from messing it up, I used a big spreadsheet for tracking flights, hotels, activities and costs. It contains visa checklists, timezones guidance, currencies, kit lists, tasks and sub-trip itineraries. And of course, it is a wealth of statistics. It is a thing of beauty; behold my spreadsheet and bow down before its efficient magnificence! I had a lot of time on my hands.

The Stats

“Give me the data then!” I hear you cry. Okay, you asked for it…

We travelled to 8 countries (not counting airport stops), 6 of them new to us (running total of 66 countries). We took 23 flights, travelling over 56,900km by air, as the crow flies. We spent more days at sea than a sailor, in over 15 different boats. We stayed in 29 hotels, 11 campsites, and two generous friend’s houses, spending no more than 3 days in one place until Fiji. We drove over 4000km across Australia. We dived 35 times in 4 countries, spending 28 hours (almost 1.5% of the trip!) underwater.

The Best Bits

There’s a reason why wonders of the world are so revered, and a few appear in my best bits: Walking The Great Wall of China, Seeing Everest, Climbing up to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery, and visiting Komodo National Park, seeing Dragons. But also, diving the Okikawa Maru in the Philippines, Travelling the Great Ocean Road and having Christmas by the pool, Diving SS Yongala and Wolf Rock, off the coast of Australia, and a highlight of our lives, diving the Beqa Shark Dive in Fiji.

Travel is more than just sights and experiences. Cultures, People, Food, Environment are all part of the rich patchwork that travel affords. That in mind, a couple of reflections on each main destination:

China was a positive and pleasant surprise. It was far less challenging and aggressive than we expected. The politics and economics of the place are fascinating. The people were friendly and helpful, if ambivalent to visitors. It’s a country I need to go back to – this time to journey away from the cities, seeing some of the true natural wonders of this vast country.

Nepal was a huge disappointment. The country has suffered rampant over-tourism, and the 2015 earthquake has left the place devasted. Without adequate funding or effective government to assist, and combined with extreme pollution and overpopulation of the cities, it is a very challenging place to visit. I would go back for the mountains, but would avoid Kathmandu.

Bhutan was serene and sublime. The country has a spiritual quality we’ve never experienced before. It’s a genuinely beautiful, calm and contented place. We loved it.

Indonesia. We’ve visited before, but this country never ceases to delight. Komodo was outstanding, but like so many other places, increasing tourism is changing the shape of this part of the world, and I suspect places like Labuan Bajo will be exploited and be the worse for it.

The Philippines were high on the list for us both, but the reality did not quite live up to the expectation. While this is a really beautiful country with stunning islands and waters, the Philippines is wrestling with over-development and commercialisation. It is seeing a rapid change in the lives of its people, a draw to crowded, dirty cities, a move away from subsistence living, and a marked poverty gap.

Australia was a revelation for us both. We loved the country and the people. The climate has extremes, but we loved the heat. Culturally very similar to the UK, but with less cynicism and more pride and pleasure in the simpler things.

Samoa is a small place with big people. People with big smiles and hearts, and a love of colour, customs and their culture. Although we were only there for a short time, I would thoroughly recommend this lovely little country.

Fiji, as above, was just idyllic. A genuine paradise of an island nation. Welcoming, relaxed and friendly. Stunning climate and beautiful coastline and forests. Just a shame it’s so far away (36 hours of travel to be exact).

And with that, I shall sign off. I’ll probably keep writing the blog on future trips away, so feel free to sign up to alerts if you’ve any interest in my witterings. Otherwise, it’s been great fun writing this, and again I found huge pleasure in the creative outlet of writing. Bye bye for now…