And so, the first post of my travel blog... Are you excited? I know I am! Now finally a fellow member of the blogging community, it's great to be able to share my experiences with you all while I'm away - reassuring everyone that I am still alive and having fun while on the other side of the world. Or perhaps it's just serving as a medium for me to evoke feelings of jealousy in you all over my care-free, exotic global meandering lifestyle until August next year... who knows?
Though this is a travel blog, and I am not yet traveling, I thought I'd share an itinerary of the trip and some interesting discoveries I've made during my preparation before I go.
Where am I going?
From the 29th of November, Brazil will be occupying a significant amount of my total time away. My first destination will be harboring me until April the 17th, when I will be leaving from Argentina to Sydney. I will spend 4 weeks on the east cost of Australia and a week in Perth, before flying to Hong Kong on the 24th of May. 5 days later, I will arrive in Bangkok, make my way to Singapore via Malaysia over 3 weeks, before flying in to Bangalore on the 23rd of June. I will then leave Mumbai on the 17th of July back to London.
What are my aims?
Brazil: Learn to speak Portuguese (already in progress), dance the Samba, visit the jungle, Amazon river, Pantanal & Iguaca falls, suave it up in Ipanema, and perhaps, see if it's possible (and safe enough) to visit a favela (shanty town), to experience every possible part of Brazilian life.
Australia: Explore Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns, & Perth, work on adventure tour boats sailing out to coastal islands, stay with friends in the East and family in the West, and avoid too much debauchery at the foot of 'goon sacks' and Bundy rum.
Asia: Learn how to cook Thai food, get as many massages as humanly possible, see an elephant or two, go to a full moon party and visit a Buddhist temple to meditate away my previous debaucheries.
India: Visit friends in Bangalore, venture down to Goa for further beach parties, visit my Bollywood actress friend (possibly for long enough to star in a movie) and see as many sights as I can before I leave.
Fully aware that I am as conspicuous as they come, being a very tall, very white man in a variety of developing countries, I do plan to be as safe as possible. I have hidden pockets in belts, a home made discreet money pouch to hide my passport, camera and phone (similar to the picture below) and great advice on avoiding cons and general death.
I'll upload better pictures when I'm there hopefully!
I hope you enjoy the posts everyone. Speak to you soon.
D
