Around the World in 10 Months - and a Thousand Adventures
In and around World
Denise and I have always been travel-crazy. Our own story as a couple began only as the result of this travel mania. How else does a South African hooked on politics meet, woo and marry a German studying business and sociology - in the USA?! After a whirlwind romance Denise agreed to move to South Africa, which she did. We married (a WHOLE different story!) - but not before a pre-wedding honeymoon in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. During that trip we met and befriended an Irish couple - Hilary and Ronan - who were at the end of their own 12-month global adventure... 3 days later we decided that we HAD to follow suit. This was 20 months ago, and now we are ready to start the count-down.
Despite a few concerns from friends and family about the wisdom of chucking it all for so long we know that we will NEVER regret doing this trip... but will always regret not having done it. It is crazy - but it is also absolutely us. We hope you will be there with us - some of you in person (for some of the legs of the trip) and all of you online. Any advice from seasoned (around-the-world) travellers such as Claudia & Kevin is welcome of course!
We won't be taking our laptops (GASP) - but will have a compact digi-cam and flash-stick so the updates will depend on us finding affordable internet cafe's. We would love to hear your thoughts on our experiences and your comments on our madness!
Route taken and entries by Real Traveler Wandering Spaulls
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1
The Big Plan - 8 Months and Counting!!
Well we won't spend much time extolling the amazing Cape Town experiences - not because there aren't tons of them, but because this entry is more a... Continue reading »
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The Great Backpack Mistake
Getting ready for a 9 month trip means lots of forward planning. One of the most important tips that the guide books give is that you HAVE to... Continue reading »
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Point of No Return...
Well we did it...took the plunge...seized the day...grasped the nettle...and a million other idioms I can't quite think of right now. That's... Continue reading »
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Winter is Dead! Long Live The Endless Summer!
You know those moments when a thought suddenly smacks into you without warning? The kind of realisation that changes your whole outlook on th... Continue reading »
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Stocking Up
Last weekend was fantastic with Denise's friend from University in Germany, Christoph Binder, joining us for some vintage Cape exploration (and we... Continue reading »
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If You Prick Me Do I Not Bleed?
We always knew that planning the trip was going to be difficult - but the really tough decisions are less about budgets and travel logistics and mo... Continue reading »
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Freeze!!! At the Ice Bar
[Although not *strictly* anything to do with our Round the World trip preparations we thought this was a fun entry to include in the blog.... Continue reading »
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8,553,600 seconds...
Well the New Year is upon us. 2007. The Year of our big trip. It seems hard to believe that in just a few short months we will ac... Continue reading »
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Watch Out Below! (85 Days & counting)
When Denise and I finally decided to commit to our Round the World adventure I knew that I had to convince her to join me in getting... Continue reading »
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Close Encounters of the Fishy Kind (66 Days & counting)
As you will recall from our previous journal entry Denise and I recently qualified as openwater Scuba Divers - partly for fun but primarily in... Continue reading »
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Adieu! Adios! Arrivederci! Auf wiedersehen! Au revoir! Bye Bye!
Our car has been sold, our final day of work is behind us, our bags have been packed (and repacked!) but the one thing that most firmly&n... Continue reading »
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London - Crossroads of the World & First Stop
With the myriad options available to the international traveler there are very few things that are constant when comparing the trips of any two Rou... Continue reading »
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London Day 2 - Walkabout & Pub with Old Friends
Slept in late (and reread last blog entry realising that (a) it is too long to be really readable and (b) that we will never be able to keep up tha... Continue reading »
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Sorrento, Pompei, Capri & The Amalfi Coast
Our BA flight to Naples from Gatwick Airport was uneventful. The new phrasebook was already much in use (although with only limited success)... Continue reading »
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The Three Faces of Rome
On Wednesday we caught the bus to Sorrento (early - so packed to capacity with school kids) and then the train to Naples. We both fell asleep... Continue reading »
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Vatican City and Surrounds
We decided that we needed to scale back on some of our expenses since we have pretty much blown our daily budget every single day in Italy so far.&... Continue reading »
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Florence & Siena - Cultural Heart of Italy
Following a day of rest and laundry/planning on Saturday in Rome, we almost slept through our alarm and barely made it to our 07:11 train! Af... Continue reading »
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The Merchants of Venice Get their Pound of Flesh
Mmm - well we paid the price for our social activities of the previous night when we had to wake on Tuesday for a quick breakfast and yet another m... Continue reading »
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Quaint and Cheaper - A Good Resting Spot
After our last breakfast in Venice we walked back to the station and hopped onto the train bound for Bergamo via Brescia. We had hoped to fin... Continue reading »
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A Whirlwind Visit to the City of Fashion
We had never really planned to spend a lot of time in Milan - much of what we had heard and read of the city indicated that it was nice but really... Continue reading »
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Feeling Not so Nice in Nice
The train ride between Milan and Nice took us via Genoa, and the portion of the trip between Genoa and Nice [about 3 hours] was amazing as the trac... Continue reading »
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Our F1 Visit to Monte Carlo
Thursday dawned with me feeling slightly better (the flu has migrated to my chest) but Denise was feeling like she was getting a slice of what I ha... Continue reading »
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At Last...Sun in the South of France!
The train ride from Nice to Marseilles was actually quite expensive - about 27 Euro each for the roughly two and a half hour ride. Our arriva... Continue reading »
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Sun, Sangria...Spain in the Springtime!!
Our trip out of Marseille got off to a very positive start. We had planned to leave ourselves enough time to catch a bus to the Metro and then the Me... Continue reading » -
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The Incomparable Alhambra
One piece of advice to anyone who, like us, travels from Marid to Grenada by bus - try not to sleep through too much of the trip - the scenery is real... Continue reading » -
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Orange Blossoms and Jackaranda Trees
In spite of having heard so many good things about Seville we only gave ourselves one night in the city - really because we wanted enough time in Moro... Continue reading » -
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A Stone's Throw from Africa
Tarifa is about little more than wind. It is a mecca for windsufers and kitesurfers from across the globe who arrive to ride the waves and enjoy almo... Continue reading » -
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Welcomed Like a King in Fes
The bus ride was long - more than 7.5 hours. It was incredibly scenic as we crossed the Riff Valley and mountains that divide northern Morocco from t... Continue reading » -
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And Now for Something Completely Different...
Perhaps the first thing that you need to know about Morocco is that it is on a different time zone to Spain - in Summer it is 2 hours earlier which... Continue reading »
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Reminders of Why Travelling is So Great
The train ride from Fes to Marrakesh was long - about 8 hours - and the four of us spent much of that time trying to get comfortable on seats that... Continue reading »
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Rest, the UN, Red Cross and Nuclear Physics!
Our arrival in Geneva was one to remember - for both the right and the wrong reasons! It is a very special airport loca... Continue reading »
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Struggling to Find the Matterhorn
From the outset of planning our Swiss visit Theresia had strongly advocated a trip to the mountains – specifically the Valais (Wallis) area around... Continue reading »
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Burgundy Doesn't Get Any Better than This!
After spending a day more than we had planned to in Geneva (it was really hard to leave the warmth and hospitality of P... Continue reading »
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The Castles of the Loire Valley
The next stop on our French itinerary was the famed and fabulous Loire Valley – about 6 hours drive from our Burgundian guesthouse. The countryside... Continue reading »
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A Truckstop...with a Jacuzzi!!
Leaving the Loire Valley we had decided to make the most of the remaining daylight and drive through the Orleans area in the hopes of finding decent a... Continue reading » -
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The City of Light & Love
After only one small navigational glitch we made it to Orley airport by 10:30, and dropped off the car. Here’s a tip to fellow travellers: don’t tr... Continue reading »
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Great Break with the Couple Who Started this All!
Ireland was country number nine for the trip and it was one of the stops that we had both been looking forward to for some time - not just for the... Continue reading »
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Kell's Priory - Undiscovered Ruins to Call Your Own
[Note: These next few sections may be a little shorter - they are really just snapshots of our Irish highlights - I guess they could have b... Continue reading »
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Blarney or Baloney? It's All Malarkey to Us!
Setting out early on Friday morning the roads were again quite busy, but the drive along the coast was beautiful. Entering County Cork we mad... Continue reading »
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Round the Ring of Kerry
The Ring of Kerry is the very poetic name for the 170km circular tourist route around the Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry in South-Western Irelan... Continue reading »
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Mind the Midges on the Cliffs of Moher
After a 20 minute ferry ride over the Shannon River and a quick stop for petrol we headed into the small town of Kilkee - a seaside resort popular... Continue reading »
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The Burren, Irish Pre-History, and Glendalough
After a rather restless night Denise went for a morning run - I was impressed, but not even vaguely tempted to follow suit. Following a great... Continue reading »
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Haggis, Whiskey and an Underground City
Our trip from Dublin to Edinburgh turned out to be a little longer than we expected: bus to tram station, tram to Busaras (Dublin's main intercity... Continue reading »
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Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, and the Highlands
After a quick stop to buy a decent road map we drove through to Loch Lomond - where we stopped to snap some spectacular lakeside shots - feeling fo... Continue reading »
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Over the Sea to Skye
After a quick breakfast which we cobbled together from a small local supermarket and ate on the (rather windy and cold) lochside we drove towards t... Continue reading »
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The Loch Ness Monster Eludes Us
With Denise sleeping in the passenger seat we drove from Skye to Loch Ness - which is huge (really wide and long - no wonder the Monster is always... Continue reading »
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A Much-Needed Break with Denise's Family
Our time in Beeskow was always going to be one of the milestones of the trip. Quite apart from the fact that it marked our 3 month point it w... Continue reading »
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Sweltering in the Seat of Western Civilisation
We had both been told (by guidebooks and fellow travellers alike) that Athens was not a city in which you would want to spend a massive amount of t... Continue reading »
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Our Greek Island Paradise
The Blue Star Ferry from the Port of Piraeus (Athens' seaport) to the island of Naxos in the Cyclades is usually packed - so get there at least 1.5... Continue reading »
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Standing On Two Continents
After Naxos we returned reluctantly by ferry to Athens, where we spent another night, and then caught the train to Thesaloniki (about 5 hours North... Continue reading »
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Just An Airport Stop - But Country 13!
Doha was just an airport stop - necessary because of our Air Qatar flight to Hong Kong (the city is the hub for long-haul flights). We never lef... Continue reading » -
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A City Built for Visitors
Having been to Hong Kong before on business we were both keen to experience the city as tourists - we weren't disappointed. Hong Kong is the... Continue reading »
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53
First Stop in Mainland China
Haha - on our way out of Tokyo I managed to grab a copy of the new Harry Potter book in English...guess what my sleep time is going to be filled wi... Continue reading »
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54
Rural China at its Spectacular Best
The week that we spent in Yangshuo was one of the best (if not THE best) part of our month in China, and our B&B/Hostel was the best part... Continue reading »
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55
Hot, Spicy and Cute
Getting to Chengdu was one of the more 'interesting' travel experiences of the trip so far! With the help of Mr. Wei's son [see Yangshuo blog... Continue reading »
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56
Scaling Mystical Peaks in Search of the Sun
Mount Emei [Emei Shan in Chinese] is 3099m high, and of the four holy Buddhist mountains in China.
After arriving in Emei we grabb... Continue reading »
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Cruising the 3 Gorges...Before they Disappear
Ok just when you tempt fate by writing a bad blog review about the last bus trip [see the last-but-one blog entry on Chengdu] things get even worse... Continue reading »
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Stopover for Flight to Xian
After disembarking from the President I in the town of Yichang we were very lucky to be offered a ride by the Faraji's in their mini-van to the bus st... Continue reading » -
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The Scintillating Face of Modern China
Xi'an is one of the most intriguing and vibrant cities in China. Even more so than its flashy counterparts in Beijing and Shanghai it blends... Continue reading »
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60
There are 9 Million Bicycles in Beijing...We dodged them All!
Our week in Beijing was something quite unlike any other part of the trip so far - primarily because of the extraordinary generosity and warmth of... Continue reading »
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61
Blown Away in the Land of the Rising Sun [Incomplete]
Japan has always been one of those rather vague destinations that you hear so much about but are never sure quite how you are going to enjoy it you... Continue reading »
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Crazy Traffic, French Flair & DVDs
Vietnam - a name to conjure with. Images of war, socialist dogma and true grit. It was a place we had originally placed on our "B"... Continue reading »
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74
Trekking in the Mountains of Northern Vietnam
We arrived in Lao Cai town after an 8 hour sleeper train ride overnight from Hanoi. The train, although quite noisy, was comfortable and quit... Continue reading »
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75
Kayaking and Cycling in a World Heritage Bay
Halong Bay is one of the most spectacular, and therefore heavily 'touristed' attractions in Vietnam. Stretching along the Northeast Vietnames... Continue reading »
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76
A Slice of Vietnamese History
The trip from Hanoi to Hoi An was really enjoyable - despite lasting well over 16 hours. We caught the sleeper train South and, precisely bec... Continue reading »
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77
Rain Rain Go Away
Nha Trang is to Vietnam what Durban is to South Africa - a coastal resort, party town, and water-sports mecca. With its beautiful stretc... Continue reading »
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78
Throwing Ourselves off 25m Waterfalls for Fun
Getting to the Central Highlands town of Dalat was a bit of an adventure all by itself - the winding road leading up 1500m into the clouds made for... Continue reading »
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79
Enjoying the Elemental Pleasures of Vietnam
After the rather wet few days we had in Dalat it was such a pleasure to step off the bus into the balmy 27 degree-plus sunshine of Mui Ne. &nb... Continue reading »
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80
Vietnam's Past & Present
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) - formerly Saigon - is the largest city in Vietnam. Originally a small fishing village it became a significant Vietna... Continue reading »
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81
Exploring the Dark Side of Human Nature
Our trip from HCMC/Saigon to Phnom Penh was noteworthy for a few reasons: it marked our entry into country number 20 on our Round the World Trip, i... Continue reading »
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82
Touching the Faces of Antiquity
Note:We aren't in the habit of doing this but we had such a great experience in Siem Reap with our superb Tuk Tuk drive... Continue reading »
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83
A One Horse Town...And the Horse Just Died!
We arrived in Laos - country number 21 - on a small twin-prop Siem Reap Airways plane (they are a branch of Bangkok Airways). The flight was... Continue reading »
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84
Beautiful But Rustic Island Life
Si Phan Don (meaning 4000 Islands) is a region of the Mekong River near the border between Southern Laos and Northern Cambodia. It is also on... Continue reading »
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85
Luang Prabang - Bye Bye Asia!
After the relative simplicity of Southern Laos, Luang Prabang was a very welcome stop for us both. Yes it is more touristy - but after 4 mont... Continue reading »
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86
Hello Aussie!!!
Australia - country number 22 for the Wandering Spaulls! We had originally planned to fly into Cairns or another northern city and work our w... Continue reading »
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87
Adelaide is NOT Sleepy Hollow!
To all those people who have, over the course of our trip so far, advised against going to Adelaide because it is "boring", "sleepy", "unremarkable... Continue reading »
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Lake Tekapo and Mt. Cook
The drive South from Christchurch towards Lake Tekapo and Mt. Cook is one of the most splendidly scenic routes that we had ever seen. As our l... Continue reading »
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96
Missing Milford Sound in Style
Milford Sound is actually not technically a sound - it is in fact a fjord that stretches 15km inland from the Tasman Sea in the South West of the S... Continue reading »
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97
Skydiving for New Year's!
We had planned to spend New Year's in Queenstown for a few reasons: it is a VERY picturesque part of the country, surrounded by aquamarin... Continue reading »
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