Well, that was quite the trip. After an overnight at Delhi, it was on to Heathrow and the end of epic-ness.
I popped into my old work on the way back. The lady who replaced me when I heartlessly left is going on maternity leave and they have very kindly offered me some remote contracting to cover her absence. This is quite a weight off my mind as I now don't have to immediately worry about job hunting and being interviewed!
I visited/imposed on some friends on the way back north. Many thanks to them all for putting me up/putting up with me. Cathy made me this lovely cake to welcome me back - a tasty surprise!
So, I'm back and everyone is asking similar questions. I may as well answer them here!
What was your favorite place?
I'm going to cheat and have 3.
The Galapagos was amazing. The un-spoiled-ness of it, the way the animals are not terrified of humans - just incredible (I'm running out of superlatives).
Costa Rica was also great for the variety of environments and wildlife. Mountains, forests, beaches.
As a more cultural experience, Japan was awesome. The people were so friendly, everything was clean and well kept, and the culture interestingly different.
Hints, Tips and Suggestions...
Get the experts involved! So much of the trip was organised for me by the fantastic Trailfinders, and both GAdventures and Intrepid.
Trailfinders took all of the heavy lifting of organising flights and accommodation. GAdventures and Intrepid ran all but one of the organised tours I was on, which meant I didn't need to research every country in detail to decide what to see, just go along for the ride and enjoy.
Make sure you have internet! For me the GLocalMe global hotspot was a must. Having internet wherever I went made life sooooo much easier, whether it was calling an Uber, looking at a map, saving the location of the hotel, TripAdvisoring local restaurants or attractions, or translating something. I REALLY noticed it in China when it all stopped working, and it made me much less comfortable about going out.
Take less! I ended up taking more clothes than I needed, and wasn't good at throwing away what I wasn't using. This meant I was carrying stuff around that I just didn't need to. Admittedly, the size and weight of my bag was rarely a problem as with all the organised tours I didn't need to carry it very far.
It's all part of the experience. Don't get upset if stuff doesn't work out as expected. Who knows, maybe the new thing will be better than what you planned! (Wild baby orangutans for example!)
So, that's about it for my blogging, or it would be if I hadn't missed out blogging south East Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia). I will get on that over then next few weeks and then you won't have to put up with any more of this rubbish!
I popped into my old work on the way back. The lady who replaced me when I heartlessly left is going on maternity leave and they have very kindly offered me some remote contracting to cover her absence. This is quite a weight off my mind as I now don't have to immediately worry about job hunting and being interviewed!
I visited/imposed on some friends on the way back north. Many thanks to them all for putting me up/putting up with me. Cathy made me this lovely cake to welcome me back - a tasty surprise!
What was your favorite place?
I'm going to cheat and have 3.
The Galapagos was amazing. The un-spoiled-ness of it, the way the animals are not terrified of humans - just incredible (I'm running out of superlatives).
Costa Rica was also great for the variety of environments and wildlife. Mountains, forests, beaches.
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| Danger Fruit! |
As a more cultural experience, Japan was awesome. The people were so friendly, everything was clean and well kept, and the culture interestingly different.
Hints, Tips and Suggestions...
Get the experts involved! So much of the trip was organised for me by the fantastic Trailfinders, and both GAdventures and Intrepid.
Trailfinders took all of the heavy lifting of organising flights and accommodation. GAdventures and Intrepid ran all but one of the organised tours I was on, which meant I didn't need to research every country in detail to decide what to see, just go along for the ride and enjoy.
Make sure you have internet! For me the GLocalMe global hotspot was a must. Having internet wherever I went made life sooooo much easier, whether it was calling an Uber, looking at a map, saving the location of the hotel, TripAdvisoring local restaurants or attractions, or translating something. I REALLY noticed it in China when it all stopped working, and it made me much less comfortable about going out.
Take less! I ended up taking more clothes than I needed, and wasn't good at throwing away what I wasn't using. This meant I was carrying stuff around that I just didn't need to. Admittedly, the size and weight of my bag was rarely a problem as with all the organised tours I didn't need to carry it very far.
It's all part of the experience. Don't get upset if stuff doesn't work out as expected. Who knows, maybe the new thing will be better than what you planned! (Wild baby orangutans for example!)
So, that's about it for my blogging, or it would be if I hadn't missed out blogging south East Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia). I will get on that over then next few weeks and then you won't have to put up with any more of this rubbish!
