Due to unforseen circumstances such as losing my last bank card to a faulty ATM, getting robbed twice, and getting denied an Australian work visa, all in the same week, my plans and itenerary has changed once again. The losing of the bank card happened a mere 3 hours before my flight to Brunei, so with no money, and no way to get any, I was forced to abort any plans of leaving Kuala Lampure until monday. Of course, I had no flight insurance, hense no refund.
Come Monday however, I booked a flight to Bali, where the plan had me going to Oz from there, working, then traveling on to Russia and europe after that. Of course I took it for granted that my working holiday visa for OZ would be approved, I mean common, everyone I met on the road was doing the same thing, and had all been approved over night. The difference? They weren't American. "No working holiday visa agreement with the American government at this time", was not what I wanted to hear. Then a robbery, and a pickpocket within two days, left me few options, since working was out of the question. What a week. I am not quite sure how many miles I've covered in this trip so far, but can assure you they are many. The train ride accross South Africa alone, was a 31 hour ordeal, covering more miles then I pobably did in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos all together, and I covered them pretty thoroly.
My point is, that in all this time and distance, my luck has been superb. Hardly a thing went wrong up to now, making me think that I started to get careless, for a minute atleast. Will it stop me from ever traveling alone in a third world country, with hardly enough funds? Hell no! Family and friends back home might say it was bound to happen, I tempt fate. Well if it's true, then I'll chalk it up to an occupational hazzard, and will continue tempting fate, or whatever, for the rest of my life. I have not got one regret in this trip, and wish i could extend it another year or two, but as far as that goes, I'll unfortunatly be shortening it some. As I have just enough money to get home, that is what I'll be doing, in a round about way. Tomorrow I fly to singapore, and after a layover in Tokyo, will find myself in Costa Rica. After dropping in on some old friends, I'll be working my way home from there, on an even more strict backpacker's budget; jsut the way I like it.
I feel something kind of dreadfull, leaving Asia, and getting closer to home. I have so many fond and long lasting memories here. memories like the excitement of Khaosan road in Bangkok, after a long few months in Africa, finaly seeing tons and tons of fellow backpackers to hangout with, the shock being very exciting. Unexpectedly meeting a child hood friend on the shores of Thailand, that I hadn't seen in 12 years. Seeing the Killing fields and troublesome history of Cambodia, and at the same time meeting the most amazing girl ever to be named Hannah, in Phnom Phem. Meeting a long lasting friend Sebastian on the beaches of Sihanoukville. Traveling around Vietnam with amazing people like Jay and Andy and Joelie, and later Laos. Meeting so many cool swedish, Finish and Irish people in Vang Vieng with Joe, that it makes me want to go to those countries very soon, if there are more people like them there. Riding monorails around Kuala Lampure, reuniting with the crazy cool Sophia from Toronto in Bali. These memories will keep this journey fresh and exciting in my mind.
Although feeling somewhat down, someone also pointed out that I am far from done with my adventure. Yes I am going closer to home, in order to accualy get there, but backpacking through Central America is going to be a whole new set of great memories and adventures. I still have fond memories of my first time in Costa Rica and Panama. This time I can do it right, and see much more, being the older, wiser backpacker that I am now. The journey between Costa Rica and the US has lots to offer an adventure bound nomad, and is not to be scoffed at. What do I have to offer the world? I do not yet know, but I do know what the world has to offer me, and I'm not going to miss out on it.
Come Monday however, I booked a flight to Bali, where the plan had me going to Oz from there, working, then traveling on to Russia and europe after that. Of course I took it for granted that my working holiday visa for OZ would be approved, I mean common, everyone I met on the road was doing the same thing, and had all been approved over night. The difference? They weren't American. "No working holiday visa agreement with the American government at this time", was not what I wanted to hear. Then a robbery, and a pickpocket within two days, left me few options, since working was out of the question. What a week. I am not quite sure how many miles I've covered in this trip so far, but can assure you they are many. The train ride accross South Africa alone, was a 31 hour ordeal, covering more miles then I pobably did in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos all together, and I covered them pretty thoroly.
My point is, that in all this time and distance, my luck has been superb. Hardly a thing went wrong up to now, making me think that I started to get careless, for a minute atleast. Will it stop me from ever traveling alone in a third world country, with hardly enough funds? Hell no! Family and friends back home might say it was bound to happen, I tempt fate. Well if it's true, then I'll chalk it up to an occupational hazzard, and will continue tempting fate, or whatever, for the rest of my life. I have not got one regret in this trip, and wish i could extend it another year or two, but as far as that goes, I'll unfortunatly be shortening it some. As I have just enough money to get home, that is what I'll be doing, in a round about way. Tomorrow I fly to singapore, and after a layover in Tokyo, will find myself in Costa Rica. After dropping in on some old friends, I'll be working my way home from there, on an even more strict backpacker's budget; jsut the way I like it.
I feel something kind of dreadfull, leaving Asia, and getting closer to home. I have so many fond and long lasting memories here. memories like the excitement of Khaosan road in Bangkok, after a long few months in Africa, finaly seeing tons and tons of fellow backpackers to hangout with, the shock being very exciting. Unexpectedly meeting a child hood friend on the shores of Thailand, that I hadn't seen in 12 years. Seeing the Killing fields and troublesome history of Cambodia, and at the same time meeting the most amazing girl ever to be named Hannah, in Phnom Phem. Meeting a long lasting friend Sebastian on the beaches of Sihanoukville. Traveling around Vietnam with amazing people like Jay and Andy and Joelie, and later Laos. Meeting so many cool swedish, Finish and Irish people in Vang Vieng with Joe, that it makes me want to go to those countries very soon, if there are more people like them there. Riding monorails around Kuala Lampure, reuniting with the crazy cool Sophia from Toronto in Bali. These memories will keep this journey fresh and exciting in my mind.
Although feeling somewhat down, someone also pointed out that I am far from done with my adventure. Yes I am going closer to home, in order to accualy get there, but backpacking through Central America is going to be a whole new set of great memories and adventures. I still have fond memories of my first time in Costa Rica and Panama. This time I can do it right, and see much more, being the older, wiser backpacker that I am now. The journey between Costa Rica and the US has lots to offer an adventure bound nomad, and is not to be scoffed at. What do I have to offer the world? I do not yet know, but I do know what the world has to offer me, and I'm not going to miss out on it.
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