I’ve often been known to drive the long way home just for the pleasure of the journey, but when my friends Phil and Kerry-anne invited me to spend Christmas with them in New Zealand I didn’t realise it would lead to the the longest long way home of my life.
On Wednesday I set off on the longest trip home I’ve ever embarked on. A journey of some 26,246 miles around the world that I’m calling the ‘Long Way Home.’ I’ve given the trip this name because I’ll be heading west the entire time and I won’t be back home until I’ve gone right the way around the world!
If this were my dream adventure I would be making this journey using an array of local transports indicative to where I was in the world. I’d spend time experiencing the lives of people I meet and I’d try to experience as much of the culture along the way as I possibly could. However, time and money are limited and so this particular adventure will be a little more ‘jet set’ than I would like.
My first main stop will be in Northern California with my friends Jon and Erin who live among the vineyards of Sanoma wine country. I’ve visited with them before, and as they say in their part of the world, we’re sure to have “a hella good time.”
After that I head to Los Angeles for a quick turnaround before flying to the South Pacific Cook Islands. I’ll spend the day checking out Rarotonga before jumping into a little plane and flying to the tropical lagoon of Aitutaki where I’m going to be staying in a treehouse on a beach!
Strangely enough, I won’t be having a Dec 19th this year. I leave the Cook Islands late on Thursday night and arrive 5 hours later on Saturday morning in Christchurch, New Zealand. Perhaps when I die I can do a deal with St Peter to have another day granted to me in lieu of the lost time.
I’ll be spending Christmas and New Year with my friends Phil and Kerry-anne in New Zealand where we plan to do some exploring and even camping! It’s summer on that side of the world right now, so Christmas might feel a little odd when I’m applying the sun-block!
Australia is the next stop. I haven’t yet figured out where I’m going to stay when I visit Sydney for a few days. I’ve joined a website called couchsurfing.com and I’m hoping that maybe I’ll find someone friendly who is willing to let me lay my head down on their couch for a couple of nights or so while I’m there.
couchsurfing.com connects travelers with people who are willing to offer them a place to stay for a night or two. The idea might sound crazy, but I think the kind of people who are willing to open their homes to travelers are probably my kind of people. Through the site I’ve offered my couches for any travelers who need to find somewhere to stay when they’re in my neck of the woods, however when they see my cheap Ikea couches they might not be so grateful.
Hong Kong will be the final stop, and again I’m going to see if I can ‘couch surf’ while I’m in the city. I have no idea what to expect in Hong Kong, my research into the city has been poor as this has simply been a place I’ve wanted to experience.
I’ll arrive back in the UK in mid January having circumnavigated the globe, albeit from the comfort of a window seat of a plane. Maybe I’ll have a tan and a few souvineers, but better than that I just hope I’ll have a few new tales to tell, stories from what I hope will have been an adventurous and unforgettable long way home.
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Wrote the following comment on Dec 15, 2008 at 6:34 am
Have fun Bro – looking forward to lots of updates and pictures.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 15, 2008 at 6:50 am
Drat! Too bad I don’t live anywhere near Sydney! I’d have found you some kind of couch (longer than our current 2 seater) for you to bunk on for a day or two.
So anyway, I live about 12 hours drive south west of Sydney in the flattest and driest parts of Western Victoria there can be. It is too far to just “drop in” sadly :s
Enjoy Sydney though. I haven’t actually been there myself but I believe they have an interesting bridge. :)
Michelle
Wrote the following comment on Dec 15, 2008 at 9:53 am
JEALOUS!!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 15, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Thanks for the map and details, sounds like you are going to have the most amazing time. Aitutaki,oh my word, how beautiful!
Looking forward to lots of pics and updates :)
Wrote the following comment on Dec 16, 2008 at 2:47 pm
have a good trip mate, make sure you get loads of pictures (i’m sure you will anyway!) but this trip won’t come anywhere near the ‘lads trip to Scotland buying a car for less than a train ticket’ challenge next year surely?
Go steady, see you in January!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 20, 2008 at 4:03 am
No updates? I’m guessing you’re having too much fun to post then huh?
Wrote the following comment on Dec 21, 2008 at 5:23 am
sounds like an amazing trip.. hope you’re having a great time!
Wrote the following comment on Dec 21, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Another amazing trip for you. Astonishing. Can’t wait to hear about it.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 21, 2008 at 8:27 pm
Hey brother from another mother. Sounds like you are having an ace time Jon is right the lads adventure will be ace.missing you. Have a great Christmas and take care of yourself. Give our regards to Phil and Kerrie Anne.keep safe and can’t wait for your next update. Watch out when you are trying to kip down in other peoples houses. Enjoy and speak to you soon. Gav and Wife.
Wrote the following comment on Dec 23, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Long way. Just skimming your post yesterday, something touched. No idea what. … I think you’re on the right track as always. Welcome home, Simon! (Dixie Chicks soundtrack kicks in)