Travel Location: Europe,United-Kingdom,Scotland,Hamilton

Well, we’ve been home for about a week now and I’m delighted to report that Jim is not only back to full health but is now well and truly re-immersed in Bookends Theatre Group and all matters of a ‘lovey’ nature. (Speaking of which, tickets are selling fast for his new play ‘Hogmanay’ at East Kilbride Arts Centre on December 28, 29 and 30).

We both want to thank everyone for all the kind messages and wishes you sent him – we’re sure it helped speed his recovery.

I’ve just about got the washing cleared and the house back into shape and I’ve even started my preparations for Christmas… so I suppose I’ll need to start looking for a job soon.

I promised in the last blog that I’d grab some time to post this final entry with some images we missed along the way and a few thoughts on the overall trip. When I spoke to Jan Ryan the other night she said she was looking forward to the ‘out-takes’ of the holiday – so here it is. I’ve posted the photos in chronological order of when they were taken.

It probably goes without saying, but we are both delighted that we took the trip. Every day truly was an adventure. At times we were a wee bit out of our comfort zone – for example, now that we’re home safe and sound we can tell you about our none-too-clever decision one night to take a shortcut back to the hotel in Vancouver and ended up smack-bang in the middle of Junkie-ville’. It was like the Night of the Living Dead. But that’s all part of the rich tapestry, I suppose

Jim picked up a great quote from Alexander Solzhenitsyn while we were away: “Let your memory be your travel bag”. And if that’s the case then we should have been paying an excess baggage fee on the return flight to Glasgow!

The memories of this trip will live with us forever – most of them very enjoyable, funny and rewarding. We met some wonderful new friends; renewed some valuable and treasured ‘old’ friendships and enjoyed some fabulous hospitality.
We saw some stunning sights – including five of the seven wonders of the world (depending on whose list you consult) – Milford Sound, the Taj Mahal, the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Fort in Agra and Sydney Opera House. We tried some strange new food and learned some new words and phrases (some of them clean). We lost a day that we’ll never get back and still don’t understand where it went? Jim says at his age he simply can’t afford to lose even one day and will be taking the matter up with the relevant authorities!

We saw an amazing assortment of wildlife while we were away – everything from grizzly bears and elk, via koalas and banded sea snakes, to humpback whales and kangaroos……. oh and don’t forget the famous cassowary.

We only realised when we got to Singapore that the full trip had actually been a tour of former British Colonies – how very Raj of us. This wasn’t intentional but it was very interesting nevertheless to see how different countries have fared post-Colonisation.

And we only made one really big mistake by not taking a laptop with us which meant it cost us a fortune and a lot of hassle trying to find internet cafes everywhere we went. Better to have sacrificed the travelling ‘light’ for ease of access methinks. Won’t make that mistake again.

Some statistics. During the 13 weeks we:

• Were on 15 different aeroplane flights – plus one helicopter flight
• Flew just under 30,000 miles
• Drove almost 6,500 miles
• Took three train trips
• Set sail on 11 boat trips/ferries
• Stayed in 43 hotels/motels – as well as an overnight with Mel & Colin and a week with Alan and Jan at the Old Kent Road B&B in Bellambigong
• Visited approximately 25 laundromats/guest laundries
• Braved four cable car/gondola rides (I believe my medal of valour is in the post)
• Had our bank cards stopped about eight times
• Bought about 30 phone cards and made dozens of calls to the “kids” (who even answered sometimes!)
• Took over 1800 photos and downloaded photos from the camera 15 times
• Recorded over 16 hours of video on the camcorder
• Visited umpteen internet cafes

It certainly was a busy time – we’ll need a holiday now to recover. But, as Dorothy (or Judy Garland) once said – there’s no place like home. Even in the wind and rain. We are glad to be back.

We did inevitably get a wee bit tired and weary at times but the wonderful, heartfelt messages on this blog – as well as the texts, emails and phone calls – warmed the cockles of our wee hearts when we were thinking of home. Thanks so much for them – and for still speaking to us after we’ve bored the pants off you with all our adventures.

Roger, over and out….(at least until the next time!)

Love
JandL