New Places and Old Faces
Well, it’s less than 24 hours before Matt and I jet off around the world for three months. It goes without saying that we are both enormously excited about going away. For me, this excitement centres around two things: visiting new places, and catching up with some old faces. This trip takes me to not one, not two but THREE continents that I’ve never been to before: Asia, Australia, and North America. I’m therefore really keen to explore these places, meet new people and experience customs and cultures that are totally different to my own. Having studied some of the history of Vietnam, it will be really fascinating to take that history of the pages of text books and experience for myself what the country is like today. In Ho Chi Minh, for example, we visit the Reunification Palace and the infamous Cu Chi tunnels and in Hue to get to see the final resting place of two of the Emperors. I’m also particularly interested in picking up some quirky communist propaganda as souvenirs, sampling some delicious Vietnamese food, and indulging myself with some gorgeous silk clothes.
Australia and New Zealand promise to be similarly fascinating, and it’s here where the itinerary gets really fun. I can’t wait to explore all the gorgeous rainforests, to try my hand at Queensland farming and to go sailing around Whitsunday Islands. Not so sure how I feel about the Crocodile Farm but they do say keep your friends close and your enemies even closer so perhaps it’s best that I learn about them so I know what to do in case one of them gets a little peckish. I’m also relishing the opportunity to try out my new Panasonic Lumix TZ10 camera, purchased with the aid of some tough haggling skills combined with lots of shameless flirting.
Meeting new people is undoubtedly one of the best things about travelling; however it can be a bittersweet thing. I’ve met some of the most amazing people on my travels but the more I travel the more I find that there’s no one place I want to be, as I have friends and family scattered all over the world. At times I feel like I want to pack all these people and take them with me wherever I go, but I’ve also come to realise that all these people belong in their surroundings and there are many benefits to having people in different parts of the world. It means that wherever you go, you always have someone to call upon. With this trip, I’m lucky enough to be going to places where some of my friends are. In Hong Kong, I am hopefully meeting up with a friend I knew from Tanzania, who is out there working as an English teacher. In Argentina I have heard from a friend who I met back in 2005 when I was volunteering in Paraguay, so I’m excited to be able to see him again. As he’s now back in his native Buenos Aires, I’m hoping he’ll be able to show us around and give us some fantastic inside tips. I also know lots of Brazilians that I may possibly get a chance to see during our stay there. Fingers crossed!
home insurance quote zlhgp home insurance >:[[[ insurance auto auctions 45366 utah home insurance quote 188188 insurance auto 9028