The long way back home (post trip reflections)

Pics show our journey since October as kindly mapped by Alison and Keith (Liz's folks), arrival in Liverpool coach station, Greg crashed out in Lima Airport, the boots having taken their toil and finally our last night of the trip eating out posh stylee in Cusco.

A long long time ago when I was about 20 years old, I remember a friend of a friend saying that you can access every experience there is to be had without the need to travel looking for it. Well, they were wrong!

I wish I could be more clear about what I wanted to get out of this trip. I definitely wanted some time out from the daily routines to clear my head for thinking space. I've been working f/t since 1992 with only the usual annual leave. I now know it takes at least two to three months to be able to disengage from your daily self to be able to stand back and view yourself in another light. I also wanted to challenge myself physically. For quite a while now I have been convinced that sitting all day at a computer, in a meeting or driving was not what I was designed for. Would I have the stamina at 47 and Greg at 40 to keep on pushing it to trek, climb, bike or paddle everyday? Well, the answer was a sort of yes and no in the end. We definitely needed our rest days, not only from the physical exertsion but also mentally as we geared ourselves up ready for the next adventure.

It was also an opportunity for us, as a couple, to be able to share a big adventure together. It really was 24/7, so you really get to know each other very well. I had heard of couples returning from these trips separately, so am relived to write that we are more committed to a future and a life of adventure together more than ever. Phew!

The world is small really. You can now Skype your mum from a little village in Laos, text your pals from Everset summit, and whilst I was there, you most certainly could do this from the main drag in the Khumbu. Starbucks and McDonalds seem to appear as is by stealth in the most unusual of places. Toned down to fit in with surrounding buildings, it took me almost a week to realise there is a McDonalds in a corner of the Plaza de Armes in Cusco. Of course, we avoided these evil empires as much as possible (although they are good for toilets), but do admit to spending an evening in Arequipa in such an establishment because we couldn't find anywhere else at the time selling fresh coffee! (Yes, I know that it grows there - see blog entry for explanation). I blame Lonely Planet (LP) for this shrinkage of the planet. Love it or loathe it, it often is the tome every traveller was using (including us). OK, so there are other travel guides, but it sometimes seemed that there was almost a set itinery that the majority of travellers were abiding to, and that was the one in the LP as layed out in the places not to miss section.! We did sometimes find the tone of their writing a bit patronising of the local culture (laugh at not with)
and there was one bit in the SE Asia Guide that just went on about how good a place was now that you could get a descent cappuchino (Italian). I mean pleeeese - this isn't in the spirit of discovering local delicacies etc is it? I realise I've just contradicted myself here having written about coffee in Starbucks. Oh well.....

And yes, the world is big and far away places are distant and out of mind. Despite economic downturns etc, we are rich on a global scale beyond our wildest belief. Sure the UK is not perfect, but we do better at stuff like democracy, public infrastructure, welfare, health, education (at least we try). All the things that really impact on the quality of life for most people. Seeing situations where this is delivered poorly, makes you realise that we take a lot of this stuff for granted and can be complacent about it. So what I mean about big, is that this stuff really isn't shared out yet for the greater good. Many world citizens have no power or say in what goes on around them, or if they do, it's lip service. Despite having amazing mobile coverage and being able to buy chocolate doughnuts in Namache Bazzar, there are kids with malnutrition still in Nepal and one of the most chaotic governments (or no government) to speak of. Priorities?

So what did we learn? Greg told me that the time away has made his brain become more creative. I would agree with him. Many a conversation was had on all sorts of plans and schemes we/he could embark on when back in Blighty. These plans were thought out in great detail (a Greg thing), at some point it looked like we would be juggling about three business, become property magnets and still keep the day jobs. But, this was an important time of reflection, and we are doing our utmost to keep that momentum of change going. It may not be fast, and at the moment feels like "baby steps", but we'll get there.

I kept thinking about a lyric from the "The Great Dominions" by the Teardrop Explodes. "I'm only concerned with looking concerned.....". That was me before we left and how exhausting it is. I'm sure I'll have to take that mantle on again in order to survive the next few months, but I know I need to start working at not being too "Bent out of Shape" again (Teardrop fans will get this).

So, we've been back about five weeks now, and you know, it's not too bad. Admitidly, we've been racing all over the place biking and climbing in the big yellow van. I've spent time with my nieces and nephews which is always huge fun. For me, the sabattical doesn't finish until October. Greg, on the other hand, is hunting down work in painting and decorating across Merseyside ansd preferably North Wales. I think this gradual assimilation into real life has probably been good for us. The houses are still rented out, we still have no income, and will I ever get round to writing the book ("My middle age gap year")? Who knows.

Liz

Might keep the blog going until October as we've already visited lots of interesting places already.
Also, was planning on writing th ecomplete "anorak list" on bits of kit that were super useful.