The Route

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See you in February...

It's been a long time coming but finally I've made a commitment to take in more of the world. From August 2014 until February 2015 I am visiting some of our planet's well known and lesser known places - and all just before I reach the big three zero.

Having been something I always did hope to do 'in my twenties' - and with time running out - I've been lucky enough to agree a sabbatical as Senior Transport Planner at Paul Basham Associates.

So, I'm putting my life in Fareham on hold for 5 months. I'm leaving behind an excellent new team at work and putting the brilliant new Panjazz International Samba group in the capable hands of my project friends. I will be saying bye for now to my parents, family and friends - all for the unknown and in the name of life experience.

For the first 3 months I am joining up with my brother Chris who lives in Lesotho, southern Africa, to volunteer with youth development project Kick4Life. I know I'm not going to save the world and I won't find this an easy experience. But hopefully I can only mainly help around the place, applying skills picked up over the past few years as I assist in the office and also help co-ordinate two tour groups from the UK.

From December 1st I'll be spending 2 weeks hopefully helping Panjazz International with its efforts in South Africa. From here I'll be heading for India (via Dubai) which will include the lagoons of Kerala, Christmas day at the Taj Mahal and a view out to The Himilayas in Nepal.

After I look at Everest I'll become a Malaysian Airlines passenger and hopefully reach Hong Kong before hitting the rails to Shanghai and Beijing. After a couple of weeks it's off to the US, taking in the east coast from Washington to Boston.

Finally, all fingers and toes crossed, I will be reaching Iceland, spending a few days taking in life as a twenty-something while looking up at the northern lights...

Well, that's the plan. Flights are booked. Blogging about this experience has been a dilemma. I doubt it will be too frequent and is unlikely to reveal my inner most thoughts. At the least (mum) there is a helpful map so you can see where I am! Of course I'll be in touch anyway...

I hope to come back a more decisive, assertive and patient person. Hopefully I'll see more good, more often, in more people. I hope I'll be more relaxed but slightly less a soft touch, maybe. I hope to feel good about 'Development' and have only mainly helped and not hindered those involved. I hope to survive India in one piece, successfully get through China and still have some money left by the time I get to the US. I hope during the last 3 days in Iceland I can look back on what was a good decision. Having completed 30 stops altogether, I hope to hit Heathrow ready to rejoin a great workforce with thriving graduates, a music project with a large Samba band and committed leaders, a busy steel band, and my family and friends.

Hopefully I'll come back ready to knuckle down with life in the UK. Who knows, by the time I'm 30 I may even think about settling down...

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this dream a reality for me and putting up with any of the frustrations that it's caused. I will miss you.

Andy




Friday, 9 January 2015

Travels Take Two - The Colder Half.


A strange, unexpected combination of Christmas tunes, Lily Allen and - the strangely frequently present in my travels - Corinne Bailey-Rae fill the airwaves as I pass the time in one of Moscow's three airports. I decided to play it safe and not fill my 14 hours waiting time by venturing into the capital this time. Organised, aware and ready in good time; I intend to start Take Two of my Travel adventures as I mean to go on.   


Looking out to this snowy Sheremetyevo runway, the days of reflecting over ordeals at O.R. Tambo's viewing platform are now a distant memory, separated by the happy last couple of weeks in Lesotho and some R&R in the UK. OK so it wasn't quite the Taj Mahal Christmas or Nepalese New Year I had planned for (though one upside being I managed to avoid being stranded in Kuala Lumper where my original Malaysian Airlines connection to Hong Kong turned out to be cancelled at the last minute just days ago...). But to be home with family and friends allowed me to re-organise my travels, become a proud owner of a shiny new passport, relax in home comforts and check-in on how things are compared to where I left them back in August.




Grandad's annual wait for everyone at Christmas breakfast

Nan enjoying the hippo Christmas present all the way from Pioneer Mall, Maseru.

In front of the familiar iconic and my former employer Spinnaker Tower 





Mum loved the candlestick holder specially chosen by Busi





As requested by/promised to friends in Lesotho.

Another Basotho request


Hats off to the Passport Office this time - took three days to arrive
What happens when the sons come home for Christmas
PBA Bear and new friend The Sacred Mosotho Cow chill out before Travels Take Two

Commercial Road fountain in front of another former employer



Somehow still manages a smile despite the trials and turmoil of living with the Bullock Boys.

One major upside of coming home for Christmas...
The final breakfast before taking off again
Heathrow Arrivals

A quiet lounge waiting for Heathrow's last flight of the evening; the Aeroflot 22:30 to Moscow 


Burger King - obviously





The plan now? Only still vaguely in touch with the original '30 Stops', I fly to Hong Kong tonight and stay until Tuesday to collect my Chinese Visa and board the 23 hour 58 minute sleeper-train journey to Beijing. Deciding to bypass Shanghai altogether, in favour of spending more time in one place, I've booked in for 5 nights (4 in a mixed dorm and the final night in a private double; special treat) and a free complimentary Peking Opera with the award-winning snappy-named 'Sitting on the City Walls Courtyard House'. 

I then plan to pick up my original itinerary once again, flying via Abu Dhabi to Washington. Three days of monuments, museums and basketball matches will be followed by a coach trip to New York where I hope to enjoy the recommended Walkway, people-watching, a run or two in Central Park and the visits to other token tourist attractions. 

A couple of days in Boston will follow before heading off for the final leg; Iceland and its Northern Lights and Golden Triangle.

Touching down on February 2nd once again at Heathrow Airport I will pick up on life once again in the UK. Admittedly the dull and dreary weather, messy politics and pricey public transport has not quite endeared me back to the homeland yet. Indeed my short time back in Britain has suggested they'll be challenges awaiting me. I think I'm going to linger for Lesotho's levels of love, adventure and colour. 

But for now I'll put that all on ice and focus on the colder half of my travel adventure. 

As I, probably slightly unwisely, said to my parents with when boarding the National Express to Heathrow yesterday - let's see what happens!   

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