…don’t know when I’ll be back again..
As April 2018 came to a close I spent some time reflecting on my decision to sell my house and car and pack myself into a couple of bags and have a gap year.
Somehow 3 years have flown by and I am still traveling this amazing world we live in.
Most mornings I wake up and have to pinch myself!
This has been my life…
Leaving Australia, I started in Cairo Egypt, attending a conference with Judith and then spent a week exploring Luxor and sailing on the Nile with Johanna and her Egyptian husband.
Then off to Turkey, Greece, Jordan and Israel.
A couple of weeks in Switzerland to stay with Daniella and a magical weekend in Marseille with Misha and his lovely friends…
and spent my birthday in Paris.
I took the train to London and then spent 5 months housesitting around England and doing some study in Cambridge. Castles and Cathedrals and stunning green vistas. For a self confessed Anglophile this was pure heaven!
and a quick visit to see Nessie in Scotland
Back to Australia for Christmas and family
Then off to Nepal as a volunteer trainer supporting Judith who has spent her life as a champion for women in developing countries. What a privilege!
People talk of life changing experiences…this was one of them!
The most wonderful people I have ever met anywhere in the world and a landscape full of exciting adventures…from a bustling city still suffering from the effects of the 2015 devastating earthquake to the Himalayas and a jungle experience made this short visit simple extraordinary!
Next stop.. Nanjing China … not for the faint hearted but what an incredible adventure. New experiences including studying Mandarin at Nanjing University and the best food in the world. Trips to Bamboo Forests, Zijin Shan (Purple Mountain,) Temples and Lakes and short trips to Shanghai and Suzhou.
Thank you to Qi Zhou (Jo) and Barbie for all those great times!
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Off to LA to spend time with Tima and Dee
Back to China…
From Nanjing to Kunming…to Shangri-La (Yunnan Province) then Xi’an to see the Terracotta Warriors, and then Zhangjiajie where the movie Avatar was filmed and finally to Beijing to explore The Forbidden City, Summer Palace and The Great Wall.
Then Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam for 4 months.
I am still grateful that I survived riding a scooter there in the traffic chaos…
Seeing the Cu Chi Tunnels and other museums showing the horror of the Vietnam War has left an indelible impact on me.
A couple of weeks enjoying the beautiful city of Hanoi, and of course iconic Halong Bay, one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
Off to St Petersburg Russia.
In a funny way I felt like I belonged here…my family came from here …but left after WW2 to start a new life in Australia.
St Petersburg is a simply stunning city and in Autumn the colour was spectacular.
Forests to walk in, numerous Churches, Museums and Palaces to explore, the River Neva and canals to marvel at or float on and of course to simply take in the simply marvellous architecture.
But then the weather comes and it changes everything.
Russians simply move indoors and sleep a lot…of course in the evening off to the Opera, Ballet or Symphony!
Some days everyone gets rugged up to walk on the ice on the Neva or to celebrate festivals.
I somehow survived the bitter winter with temperatures dropping to -25C..oh and a minor accident on New Year’s Eve.
A short visit to Moscow with Val and Gail to see the Kremlin and pay my respects to Lenin!
Whilst the rest of Europe has already celebrated Spring and are getting ready for Summer, you can just feel the beginning of Spring ..( yep in May ).
The days are getting longer and longer with Summer Nights approaching but it is time to move on..
London for some family fun with my 2 boys and then off Bumbering Around Europe for the summer.
Oh what I life I lead.
Happy Bumbering!
