Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Home. Time to reflect

I've been home for a week - sufficient time I feel for the whole experience to sink in. I set out on the 3rd of March for a 7 week backpacking trip around the world with the goal of seeing everything I wanted to see when I was 8 years old, and I did it. I saw everything I wanted to, and then some. I even saw a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and I was convinced that I wouldn't. Granted, it was a model, and it was on Josh's mantelpiece in LA, but it still counts!

I started in Los Angeles, caught up with my mate Josh, met his fantastic girlfriend and his wonderful parents, and saw Disneyland, California Adventure and Six Flags Magic Mountain. I was rollercoastered to within an inch of my life.

From LA I hit Cancun where I partied with the American Amateur Mixed Martial Arts team for two days. I also got kicked out of their hotel by diminutive Mexican security guards. I saw the pyramid at Chichen Itza and got to tick another thing off of my Bucket List. I met two German tourists, Dan and Dan, two American spring breakers, Nikki and Jessica, the MMA team (of course), and a Kiwi whose name I can't remember.

Peru was my next stop and my luggage was lost en route. If given a chance, don't fly American Airlines. The aircrew appeared disinterested in their work, they misinformed me about my luggage, and they wanted to charge me for booze on the plane. Bad Mojo. I spent 12 days in Peru and saw Cusco, Macchu Picchu and the Inca trail. I met a brilliant group of travelers (most of them Aussies) and spent 45km and 5 days with them. I hope to see many of them again. It's at this point I must refer to Girl-Sam from Perth as 'a Superstar', because I promised I would. No, Sam, I don't know when the next 'fuckin banos stop' is :). Walking to Macchu Picchu was the most Cosmic thing I've ever done. Just magic.

After Peru I spent 30 hours in London where I managed to find time for the British Museum. I walked there from my hostel and experienced London as it should be experienced - rugged up against the cold sunshine in an empty street with nothing but clear air to breathe. I'm told that this is a false impression of London, but it's one that I shall treasure.

Jordan was the next stop where I was introduced to the Arabic language, the concept of tipping for no reason, and the delight of being Baksheeshed every five seconds. Saw Petra with Dan and Lindsay (sup?), two Americans that I met at the entrance to the Petra complex. Spent all day with them. Both top people, although Lindsay was much nicer to look at.

Egypt was the anchor of the trip. I met some people whom I'm sure I will see (and very much hope to see) again at some point. I saw the Pyramids at Giza, I walked INSIDE the Great Pyramid itself, I sailed on the Nile at night, I argued with stallholders at a market, I threatened to break a man's hand, I learned how to call people 'Gay' in Arabic and shouted it out of a moving cab, much to the displeasure of pedestrians. I saw the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Abu Simbel, the Cairo Museum, Tutankhamen's mask and all the associated treasure. I spent a week with an American bloke called Christian who insisted that he call me 'Mike'. I spent a day of perfect moments with the beautiful Rose and managed to teach HER some Arabic. It was not useful Arabic, but it was Arabic nonetheless. I sat on a boat as it floated down the Nile. I sat by a fire doing my best Jesus impression. I grew my beard long and took to wearing a Yasser Arafat hat. I saw the very best of Egypt and the very worst. I got drunk on a train in the middle of the night and threw up in one of the corridors. I sat cross-legged on the floor of the smoking car and regaled a group of English teenagers with stories of my trip.

I smoked sheesha with a German, a Canadian-Mongolian and a Kiwi-Indian. I watched Mehroo, the Kiwindian girl, make a scene on every street by swearing, dancing, laughing and punching (usually punching ME when I made fun of her height). I was asked to leave a papyrus store after Christian made a scene, and I got *this* close to punching an 8-year-old right in the middle of his stupid little 8-year-old face.

I saw many fascinating things, met many wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, funny people, fulfilled a heap of my life's goals and learned MUCH more than I ever dreamed possible. I learned alot about home by not being there, and I learned alot about myself by being completely absorbed in every moment of every day. I learned that becoming a floaty bearded backpacker is one of the joys that many people miss in life.

I'm home now, and I'm glad to be here, but I do already miss waking up and thinking 'Where am I again? How long do I have here? I wonder who I'll spend the day with today? Where is my next port of call?'. The solution to this is more travelling of course, and I will do another trip for sure, I just need the cash to do it.

I hope you've enjoyed vicariously joining me on my trip through this site, because I did enjoy writing it and sharing some of it with the people who stayed at home or went to different countries after we parted ways. I collated all the entries too and did a word count - this journal is longer than my honour's thesis, took alot less time to write, and was a damn sight more fun to work on too. I think there's something to be learned from that.

Stay safe, happy travels, and cheers for reading.

- Sam

1 comment:

MJ Leaver said...

I have totally loved living vicariously through your trip.

And it would have been a hell of a lot more fun than doing the Honours thesis.

Mel