Will travel, won’t track
Last words on travel
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Although some of the travelogues are by far the most popular pages on this website, I have decided not to record any more of our travels, either in words (too time consuming) or in pictures (too bandwidth guzzling). Our most recent jaunts were a cruise calling in at 8 Asian ports; Western Australia (campervanning) via the Indian Pacific; Simla (India) via the famous narrow-gauge railway, and the Mediterranean region (including a cruise - this was my sixth visit to the region, from age 14 onwards).
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Australia (all States & Territories), New Zealand (North and South Islands), Fiji (various islands), New Caledonia (spouse only), Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Brunei, India (all corners), Turkey, Egypt, Greece (including Rhodes), Cyprus, Libya, Malta, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, UK (excluding Ireland), The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Monaco, Switzerland, Austria, Leichtenstein, Germany, Italy, USA, Canada, Alaska (spouse only), Jamaica (self only).
Our main aims in travel have been to soak up the natural beauties of the planet and the marvels of human ingenuity. On the way we have learnt a lot about the people of the world, not least ourselves.
Happy wanderers we have been, and will continue to be as long as age shall not weary us!
Some final tips:
Western Australia Wild Flowers - We recommend going mid-season (about mid-September), but there's no point in going at all if the preceding winter was dry. Wait for a good wet winter, then book. Late bookings should be OK, unless you're intending to go over on the Indian Pacific, Gold Kangaroo Class, which needs to be reserved well ahead. A dilemma!
Cruises - Try to avoid cruises where the principal on-board language is not English. (But don't be unduly deterred by this advice if you see a cruise that especially suits your needs.)
International flight routes - If you have problems arranging return flights from A to C with a stopover at B, consider the possibility of purchasing a return flight from A to B with one airline and a return flight from B to C with another (i.e. from a different airline alliance). It could save time, money and needless backtracking to the airline's home base.
Multi-stop flights - jetabroad.com is the only travel site I know of that works really well for multiple stop journeys (but only up to 2 intermediate stops). It should find you a real bargain, after a bit of work. You can then take your itinerary and quote to a fair dinkum local agency staffed by real people, such as STA-Travel, who will doubtless get you an even lower fare, as well as giving you more time to pay. Never go to Flight Centre first up. Although their staff are competent within the company machine, they are mostly inexperienced and totally unimaginative, and their policy is invariably to tempt you with the most expensive possible way of doing what you want. Go there with your internet quote and see if they'll beat it. Reject their travel insurance offer and find insurance on the internet, if you don't already have it included in your credit card contract. All up you should be able to save at least 15-30%.
Let me leave you with a single image to ponder. Do you remember that drawn-out desert scene in the movie Lawrence of Arabia after Lawrence turns back to rescue one of his band who has fallen off his camel? Never was there a more soul-engulfing portrayal of the unity of space and time. What Einstein achieved with intellect and equations, David Lean pulled off with the brush of artistic inspiration.
Travel can be like this. As well as dazzling you with unforgettable images, it can change the way you think.
That same movie scene has so much to say, not about the lonely planet, but about the lonely man on an increasingly hostile planet. About survival. Will we stay on our camels, or will we fall off? And if we fall, who will be there to rescue us? There is only the desert and the burning sun.....
......Dave Robinson.....31/12/07....................................HOME