This post is a bit of an explanation for my foreign readers who may be wondering why I have recently been so slack about updating this blog and posting about events that happened more than two months ago.
Back in Istanbul in July I found myself feeling a bit flat. I was four months into my travels and I had officially hit the backpacking wall. I was tired, sick of having the same traveler conversation ("Hi, Where are you from?" "How long have you been travelling?" "Where have you been?" "Where are you going next?") and missing friends and family back in Australia. On top of that, while I was feeling crap half a world away, I was going to be missing the birth of my best friend's second child as well as the wedding of another good friend back in Sydney.
I had intended to go straight from Orlando, Florida to India in mid July and to stay in India for about 5 months. This was not going to be my first foray into the sub continent, as I had spent nearly 3 months in India back in 2002.
India is a place that tends to polarise opinion. It is not a place that, after visiting, you can be ambivalent about. People tend to love it or hate it. Although I have long resided firmly in the "love it" camp, I also understand why many people find it is not their cup of chai. India can be hot, full of hassle and totally overwhelming. Because I know this, I also know that India is not a good place to go if you are already feeling a bit over the travel experience...
So I decided to head back to Australia for a bit of a break. As soon as the decision was made, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I was able to really enjoy my remaining time in Istanbul, Israel, Palestine and of course Florida.
Those who know me well know that the decision to come home earlier than I had originally intended was not an easy one for me. It meant letting go of the "suck it up" mentality I often ascribe to and having to actually acknowledge, not to mention act upon, the way I was feeling. It also meant having to go significantly over my budget for the year as well as having to (gulp) change the plan. This last prospect was by far the most difficult one for me. I always have a plan.
Whilst I acknowledge that I am a bit anal, my planning seems positively anarchistic compared to that of my Dad. My planning for the Middle East, for example, consisted of purchasing the Middle East Lonely Planet, booking one tour in Turkey and a rough itinerary that outlined which months would be spent in which countries. It did not involve an excel spreadsheet detailing which hotels I would be staying in, a list of possible sight seeing activities for each day or a column to tally the total distance traveled so far in the trip (Hi Dad!). That said, the fact that the mere thought of drastically changing "the plan" made me physically ill does point to that fact that I really am my father's daughter in this regard.
Anyway, the decision to return home early ended up being one of the best ones of my life. There is nothing like being on holiday in your own city. I was able to surprise my good friend by turning up at his wedding as well as spend quality time with my best friend and her two lovely children. I was able to catch up with friends and spend a week recharging the batteries in Brisbane with Mum and Dad. But most importantly, I got to spend quality time with my sister, brother-in law and two lovely nieces. Not only did my sister and her family provide me with a place to stay for two months, but they also provided me with a crash course in sanding, painting and nappy changing!
I originally delayed posting as a diversionary tactic to avoid tipping my friend off to the fact that I was back in Sydney and going to attend his wedding. I have no excuse for the last month though except that I got out of the habit. Sorry about that.
Now that we are all caught up, and my travelling mojo has been restored by some R & R in Australia, it is time to hit the road again... Onward to India.
Back in Istanbul in July I found myself feeling a bit flat. I was four months into my travels and I had officially hit the backpacking wall. I was tired, sick of having the same traveler conversation ("Hi, Where are you from?" "How long have you been travelling?" "Where have you been?" "Where are you going next?") and missing friends and family back in Australia. On top of that, while I was feeling crap half a world away, I was going to be missing the birth of my best friend's second child as well as the wedding of another good friend back in Sydney.
I had intended to go straight from Orlando, Florida to India in mid July and to stay in India for about 5 months. This was not going to be my first foray into the sub continent, as I had spent nearly 3 months in India back in 2002.
India is a place that tends to polarise opinion. It is not a place that, after visiting, you can be ambivalent about. People tend to love it or hate it. Although I have long resided firmly in the "love it" camp, I also understand why many people find it is not their cup of chai. India can be hot, full of hassle and totally overwhelming. Because I know this, I also know that India is not a good place to go if you are already feeling a bit over the travel experience...
So I decided to head back to Australia for a bit of a break. As soon as the decision was made, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I was able to really enjoy my remaining time in Istanbul, Israel, Palestine and of course Florida.
Those who know me well know that the decision to come home earlier than I had originally intended was not an easy one for me. It meant letting go of the "suck it up" mentality I often ascribe to and having to actually acknowledge, not to mention act upon, the way I was feeling. It also meant having to go significantly over my budget for the year as well as having to (gulp) change the plan. This last prospect was by far the most difficult one for me. I always have a plan.
Whilst I acknowledge that I am a bit anal, my planning seems positively anarchistic compared to that of my Dad. My planning for the Middle East, for example, consisted of purchasing the Middle East Lonely Planet, booking one tour in Turkey and a rough itinerary that outlined which months would be spent in which countries. It did not involve an excel spreadsheet detailing which hotels I would be staying in, a list of possible sight seeing activities for each day or a column to tally the total distance traveled so far in the trip (Hi Dad!). That said, the fact that the mere thought of drastically changing "the plan" made me physically ill does point to that fact that I really am my father's daughter in this regard.
Anyway, the decision to return home early ended up being one of the best ones of my life. There is nothing like being on holiday in your own city. I was able to surprise my good friend by turning up at his wedding as well as spend quality time with my best friend and her two lovely children. I was able to catch up with friends and spend a week recharging the batteries in Brisbane with Mum and Dad. But most importantly, I got to spend quality time with my sister, brother-in law and two lovely nieces. Not only did my sister and her family provide me with a place to stay for two months, but they also provided me with a crash course in sanding, painting and nappy changing!
I originally delayed posting as a diversionary tactic to avoid tipping my friend off to the fact that I was back in Sydney and going to attend his wedding. I have no excuse for the last month though except that I got out of the habit. Sorry about that.
Now that we are all caught up, and my travelling mojo has been restored by some R & R in Australia, it is time to hit the road again... Onward to India.
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