It’s been a little while since we stopped to look back. I think the last time was after the Stans. Since then, we’ve been to the Caribbean, Colombia and Brazil, and we’ve completed the 7 modern wonders (one to go on the natural ones!).
We’re still in Brazil (just). I’m sitting typing this from the balcony of Pousanda Naturale, a rustic little hotel in Ilha Grande, an idyllic tropical island off the coast of Brazil, to the west of Rio de Janeiro. We’ve got the most beautiful view out over a sheltered bay; the water is dappled wih the confetti of little boats, and beyond it, the forest-covered mountains of Serra de Bocaina provide a spectacular backdrop. It’s food for the soul, and a lovely spot to take a moment reflect.
Over the past 6 or 7 weeks, we’ve challenged ourselves on the style and intensity of the travel so far. It’s thrown up some interesting observations. This time around, we’ve intentionally built in more rest stops – our time in Bonaire in particular was a welcome reprieve from a more intense period of travel. At times, we’ve also elected to get door to door transfers, rather than try to hire a car or navigate public transport – again, this has been a good decision. We’ve found that there isn’t any need to make life difficult, with the marginal cost of the shortcut massively outweighing the emotional and mental drain of the alternative.
Something our friend Ann from the ‘stans’ said to us has stuck in our heads. She told us about cutting short a 12 month trip through South America. While sitting on a beach in Brazil, she realised that she and her partner were exhausted and that it was time to go home. We are not there yet! But it’s sage wisdom. As phenomenal as travelling is, there is no doubt that travel is tiring, and can be stressful. You’re in each others pockets, and always moving. Sometimes you crave stability, normality, cooler temperatures, different clothes, a home-cooked meal and the same bed for more than a few nights in a row. Obviously at other times its utterly awesome and shut up Ben.
One thing I tried to recapture from our first round-the-world trip from 11 years ago was the sense of abandon, a freedom from responsibility, and the state of flow we achieved as we changed direction when we felt like it, piecing together much of our trip as we went. I haven’t managed it. I think there are two main reasons for this:
1. Much of the second half of this trip is on rails. Due to locking the travel around specific dates (sailings, accomodation, etc), and the challenge of availability in the regions we’re visiting, we’ve needed to secure transport and accomodation months in advance. As a result, we don’t quite have the flexibility that we had during parts of Trip #1.
2. We’re not escaping from busy lives this time. This was a bit of an epiphany. On previous trips, one of us has had a job to go back to, and the other had a job to find. We’ve had a flat or house to worry about; we had responsibilities, bills, careers and all the paraphernalia of life to manage. Not so this time. We have no house, no jobs, no careers, and nothing to escape – and so perhaps that sense of freedom we found 11 years ago simply isn’t there to be found. Perhaps this is the definition of catharsis – where you need hardship to experience release?
We have also learned that we don’t need to cram it in. We can take our time and move at a more leisurely pace. Our working lives operated at pace. Our families would often bemoan our schedules and lifestyles. It’s something you don’t easily leave behind – we get frustrated by slowness, and like things to be efficient and fast. But we now have time to take our time, and this is important when it comes to travelling. A six-month trip takes a lot out of you. When organised in advance, it requires a colossal amount of planning. You compromise on locations or timing – you often can’t have both. You also need to carry Way Too Much Stuff. So, the revelation is that we can chunk up future travels in bite-sized chunks. We’re considering trips to Southern Africa & Madagascar; to East Asia, and to Western Australia/the South Pacific. These can all be chewed in 1-3 month bites over the coming years.
Linked to the above, we’ve found that anticipation, planning and time to reflect are of near equivalent value to the travel itself. As we’ve moved to each place, we’ve met others who have generally been on shorter vacations. Their depth of research, knowledge of the destination and levels of excitement have often outstripped our own. This plays out when you stand in the mirror of someone else who knows every restaurant they’re planning to visit, or the fascinating history of Mongolian invasions in the region that you’ve just bumbled into. Pre-booking tours, and using companies like Intrepid are a great hedge for a lack of time to plan, as they provide excellent coverage and in-the-moment education on your destination. But nothing beats proper planning and the growing excitement of a trip long researched and anticipated.
We have some very exciting destinations between now and going home. They’re some of the most anticipated elements of the trip. It’s going to be a whirlwind and we’re properly looking forward to it!
That being said, our thoughts have also turned to 2027. This, unlike previous travel, has been a real joy. In last two big trips, the return to reality approached like the clouds of a heavy storm, returning to normal life and jobs and responsibilities. This time, we’re excited about heading back to the UK, spending Christmas with my family and visiting more loved ones back in Edinburgh in January. We have a few things planned already, including a cheeky 6 week stay in Cyprus over February and March – avoiding the UK winter. I’ve got a couple of marathons planned in with friends, and we have accommodation booked up until at least April. We do of course, need to plan our next big trip, but that’s next week’s task…
