I Made IT!!!!!

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Before I start talking about all the things that happened to me whilst I was in Perth I just feel the need to say, I made it! I’m here in Australia. It’s only taken me 8 months 17 countries, 17 flights, countless boats, trains, coaches, buses and even a Marshrukta ride! I’ve had 40 degree heat and minus I don’t know what with snow, rain, hail and lots of wind (sometimes a little bit too much)

If I’m honest now that I am here I have absolutely no idea what I’m supposed to do with myself. I put so much effort into planning my trip here that what happened when I actually arrived is a little bit of a blank for me. Still I’m here now so instead of planning what I’m going to do next instead I’ve found this map thing which builds my itinerary so I’m going to look at where I’ve been. Least that way I actually know what’s going on.

So to pad out this post a little bit I’m going to make myself smile and have a little think about my trip and then try to summarise it  with some of my either favourite bits or just the stuff I remember the most. Even if this is for all the wrong reasons. If I can

Numerous visits to Italian Hospitals to try and sort out my dislocated jaw. Apparently in Italy dentists and healthcare professionals don’t work during the summer. Mainly because people don’t get ill in the summer. So when it was August and I dislocated my jaw it took a great deal of research and patience to try and get it sorted. Quite a surprise too when I was refused an x-ray until I had paid for it. I clearly wasn’t at deaths door : ) Oh yeah and great friends but I take that as a granted now J

Germany –BBQ’s and car crashes in Saarbrucken.  Walls and street jaegermister in Berlin. Jasmin, why must we always meet in Germany?

Sticking to the same theme, a day in a Belgian hospital in Brussels, although I did learn to pay for this treatment, makes you really appreciate the NHS.

Staying in a school in Brussels.

First Thai in I don’t know how long in Antwerp. And a million beers I could never dream of trying them all.

We went to Amsterdam? I don’t remember that. Ik hou van dike svarte pemils

Northern France, Underground cities,’ without sky scrapers?’ how strange. Peddalows on the lake and I’m sure I was the only one using my legs; )

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Lost phones and union jacks in Tel Aviv (I still can’t believe you made me walk all the way back to Natanya from Tel Aviv) and an Israeli night out in Jerusalem. Oh Oh Oh and a few tinnies whilst floating on the Dead Sea in the midday sun.

Almost being refused entrance to Jordan (ok maybe an exaggeration but as far as I’m concerned that’s my luckiest passport stamp ever).

Sharm el Sheik shits, too many chips and pyramids.

Istanbul with a great guide, a clean hostel and a little feeling that I was actually going away. Strange how it took 7 months for me to realise I actually was going to Australia.

How do I say that name???????? I eventually learned how to say Tbilisi, and a little stalker called Lisa Stansfield.

Armenia and Yerevan was probably the biggest shock for me on my journey. Great wifi connection! Saturday night out Yerevan style and Gangham style follows me; it was like a choreographed night club.

Dubai airport clearly loved my suitcase so much it had to keep it!

I wanted to visit this ashram in India on my way and because of flight prices and visa issues etc I ended up not going via India and instead had a day in Sri Lanka and it really got me thinking about how we treat people. My thought process had been questioned in Armenia but when I arrived in Sri Lanka my thought process was challenged even further. I think the west has so much they could learn from Eastern customs, and the west is supposedly more developed. (If I’m honest this question came up in Istanbul but I don’t think I wrote about it at the time.)

By the time I got to Singapore I’d lost interest in this travelling malarkey. I wanted a bed, in my own room, some crunchy roast pork and had to settle for some fast food equivalent. I’m just glad that Singapore airport has free wifi otherwise I could have fallen asleep and missed my flight to Australia completely.

Ok so now I’ve recapped and made myself want to start making my way back home already I’ve got a rough plan of what I’m going to do next.

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Get this there train from Perth to Adelaide, have a few days, then Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and finally Brisbane in time for Christmas with family. Then to finish the year where else should i be other than Sydney!  I’ve not booked any of these yet, but sure it shouldn’t be an issue haha