LindyBear

Well I’m just over three months into my journey now (can you believe it!!!!!) and have just left Asia to head for the land where the water in the toilet spins the other way – any Simpsons fan will get that one 🙂 Asia has really surprised me, to be honest I thought I was just going to pass through on a token visit but I love it! I kinda wish I had six months but it’s time to move on.

If I had my time over I think I’d spend 3 more months in Indonesia – and that still wouldn’t do it. In particular I’m gutted that I missed out on Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi (awwwww so gutted!!) so I’ll have to come back to see those 🙂 I’d also like to have gone to the Phillipines but I don’t mind that too much because of the Typhoons and stuff 🙂 This is the year of summer so boo to typhoons 🙂

As much as I enjoyed being on the tour of South East Asia, having the month on my own has been great and has surprised me in lots of ways. I didn’t really have a plan and thought I would just laze on a beach somewhere and basically see nothing. But honestly I was on the move as much as I was through Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. Maybe I’m not that lazy afterall 🙂

Indonesia is great because it’s soooooo different everywhere you go, desert in Komodo/Rinca, lush vegetation in Flores, white flat sandy beaches on the Gilli Islands – where no cars or bikes are allowed – bliss!!! Another surprise was I also spend very little time on my own – maybe about 4 days total. It’s great because you keep meeting people and (the sheep that I am) get swept up in their plans because you don’t have one of your own – all good 🙂

I’ve also met many different types of backpackers, those who are just drinking through it and I have to wonder if they will remember seeing any of it (when they got out of bed to see it – that is!!) I also met a couple of hardcore travellers who don’t use a guidebook or have any sort of plan, they just mosey along, which is kinda nice too. I have to mention the travel snobs, who frown upon the use of guidebooks, mobile phones, ipods (come on, you need them on long journeys!!) and even cameras (now that’s just silly!). I mean do they want to ban the use of soap too? (actually maybe in some of the cases, they already had!)

So the next question is what kind of backpacker am I? (there’s a small voice in my head now saying…. but, but, but I’m not a backpacker….) I suppose I am really though and I’d say I fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. Of course I’m a tourist and I’m going to do touristy things but some I can’t bring myself to do. For example I’ve no wish to go to a full moon party on ko pha ngan (bunch of people getting wasted to the point that they don’t even know their own name!!) I can get drunk with the people who invented getting drunk at home 🙂 Of course I enjoy a few drinkies, don’t get me wrong!!, I guess I just want to remember this experience and not miss out on anything because I had a hangover or I spent all my money on drink!! Hmmmmm maybe I’m just over-thinking it…………

……(who me? never!!) or else I’m getting old – but that’s a different story 🙁  Maybe I just think I’m different to other people but I’m not – there’s hundreds of me strolling around with backpacks. That’s kinda depressing actually 🙁 But ya by the time this journey is done, for the most part, I’ll have done the typical tourist trail and not discovered anything that hasn’t been seen or done before. However, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done (and it’s going way too fast!!) so how can that be bad 🙂

In Asia they have this expression – Same, Same but Different and Asia really is the same as home more or less. You have to carry a hat or an umbrella (not for rain but for sun – sorry), you’ll meet the good, the bad & the annoying. You have to have a sense of humour, you gotta roll with the punches a bit, accept other people’s views and have some great laughs along the way. See? Same, same but different 🙂

We arrived in Singapore for the end of our tour and it is exactly how I imagined, very clean and orderly but I’m not so sure it has a real personality, particularly coming from some of the interesting places that we have seen. Myself and Amy did stroll around Little India and Chinatown, where the latter was holding a chicken rice eating competition!!!! Other than those interesting spots, or if you want to shop, it’s a pretty sterile place in terms of atmosphere and I think if I was going back to a big city, I’d pick Kuala Lumpur instead.

We just had one night here, although some of us stayed on for another night before going our separate ways. We had a few drinks, took some photos and said our farewells which was sad but we were all pretty excited about going on to our next adventures too.

It feels like I met this bunch of people last week and yet our 7 week tour has come to an end. It’s been a blast and I’ve met some genuine friends on this trip, friends who I really hope to keep in touch with. To begin with I was a little nervous going on such a long tour, I was thinking if they all turn out to be “crazies” then I’m locked in for almost 2 months!!!! I have heard some nightmare stories of people who have been on tour with pyscho cases and no matter how well you get on with someone coupled with strange food playing havoc with tummies and enduring some pretty tiring journeys all take their toll. I think in this particular case, we were all really lucky to have found a good group up for a bit of craic (for all you Brits – that’s how you spell the non-cocaine version!!) And I know I’ll miss them all when I’m wandering around Indonesia.

More Photos on http://www.flickr.com/photos/lindybear/sets/72157606221364205/