I'm Back!

I’m writing this at 6am (joys of jetlag) having just managed to resurrect the log fire that we lit at mum’s last night! It’s frosty and I’m frozen but I’ve safely returned to old blightly. I took a slight detour home via Dhaka (Bangladesh for those of you not so hot on geography) – home of extremely grumpy tuktuk drivers, slightly more amenable rickshaw riders and people who stare at you without smiling! I had a great time there though, and appreciated being in a familiar Asian environment before the shock of returning back to Britain.

Being back is definitely a culture (and temperature) shock. Also, sadly my grandmother died on Sunday so my first week back has started off with sorting out funeral arrangements, clearing her things and more importantly supporting my mum which my brother has been doing so brilliantly in my absence. For those of you in London I won’t be back until next Tuesday evening and won’t be up to much birthday partying that night, so will have the usual birthday get together on Friday 25th November.

Below are a few trip highlights. Thanks for listening these last 9 months and hope to see some of you very soon.

Highlights after 9 months travelling to 14 countries with 39 flights! My top 3’s…

Top Spots:

1) Machu Picchu

2) Ningaloo Reef

3) Great Wall of China

Worst spots:

1) the toilets on Hua Shan Mountain, China

2) Darwin

3) the outskirts of Lima, Peru

Regrets:

1) not having a digital camera

2) not making it to Syria

3) not backpacking it

Non-regrets:

1) not backpacking it (creature comforts do have their advantages!)

2) travelling independently in China (tough but rewarding)

3) going to Thailand (was convinced I’d hate it but loved it)

Highlights:

1) Sri Lanka

2) Sri Lanka

3) Sri Lanka!

Memorable people I visited:

1) Asanka in Sri Lanka (bright kid and friend for life)

2) My aunt Sue in Adelaide (the best 2 weeks in Oz so far)

3) Piti on Easter Island (for cheering me up when I was at my lowest)

Best sporting moments:

1) watching the Boca Juniors play at home in Buenos Aires with Maradona on the other side of the stadium

2) watching my lads in Sri Lanka play some top-notch volleyball

3) meeting loads of famous cricketers

Things I missed:

1) not being home for the Ashes or Live 8

2) my family and friends (especially my little nephew Oscar who is nearly 2)

3) …..err, still thinking!

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