Last stop – home

I’m sat in Rio de Janeiro Galeao International airport about to board my final round the world flight – home. I can’t believe its five months since I left the UK. That’s 158 days i’ve been on the road. I also can’t believe I’m leaving 28 degree Brazil for 2 degree England. Well at least I’m not off to Estonia. It’s been -31 most nights for the past few weeks – so cold the Gulf of Finland has frozen!

It’s hard to sum up what a trip it’s been – I’ll need a few days (or weeks) to fully get my thoughts together, but one thing is for sure – it’s been the trip of a lifetime!

My round the world adventure has been split into three parts; lone travelling, group tours and travelling with Marju as a couple, so I thought i’d begin reflecting on these.

Firstly, lone travelling: I travelled around India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Chile and Argentina alone. India wasn’t particularly pleasurable, but I think this was perhaps because I threw myself in at the deep end. I really wasn’t prepared for the people, the conditions, the heat, the stresses of finding places to stay and methods of travel, but most of all, I really didn’t know how to make friends and stay sane! By the time i’d reached Chile and Argentina however, I’d realised how much fun lone travelling can be. Ivan and the guys at Ventana Sur hostel in sunny santiago made Santiago so much fun, as did Fabio and the guys at Kaixo in Buenos Aires.

Secondly, I travelled with organised tours around much of Central America and Peru with Intrepid’s Central American Adventure and Trail of the Inca tours. This really is travelling for dummies – but not in a bad or derogatory sense. Friends are handed to you on a plate, as are activities, hotels, transport and ‘culture’. The experience really was very contrived, but in some ways it was nice to have everything done for you. I just got on and enjoyed myself – and felt I could really let go. I met some awesome friends who hopefully i’ll meet again someday. I saw and took part in all the ‘tourist’ stuff i’d wanted to, Tikal, the Inca Trail, Homestays in Guatemala and Titicaca, Rope swings in the Jungle, Kyaking down rivers, Diving, Flying in tiny planes – everything – and all without really breaking a sweat.

The downside of tours – well I could definitely have done it cheaper alone! Tours also breed some nasty arguments and situations which arise as a result of touring for 30 days with the same people – Big brother style.

Last but certainly not least, I backpacked as a couple. I don’t mind admitting being nervous about travelling with a girlfriend. All the poor conditions, stressful bus journeys, decisions about where to eat or where to stay, money worries, smelly clothes, sweaty bodies and the potential for general arguing scared me into thinking alone is probably best. I was wrong.

Travelling with Marju was perfect and my favourite of the three methods. Firstly, and most importantly we got on really well. No arguments. No real disagreements. I think I knew we wouldn’t argue as we hadn’t in the year we’d known each other previously. If you are thinking of travelling with a partner, the ability to ‘get on’ is an absolute pre-requisite. If you know you yourself, or your partner can be volatile, and arguments occur under difficult circumstances, it could be worth thinking twice about travelling with someone else. Secondly, company. You’ve always got someone to talk to and bounce ideas off. No need for a tour as the hassle is shared and loneliness non-existant. Finally, freedom. If you are travelling just two of you – you have the freedom to just say ‘we’ll stay an extra day’ or ‘let’s blow this shit hole!’

Last stop on this around the world adventure this may be, but its the first stop of the next adventure. Now that i’m sure of the best way to travel for me – as a couple – let the real travelling commence.