After leaving Hong Kong on January 18, I soon realised that I would be visiting many islands during this journey. ‘Island-hopping round-the-world‘ becomes the central theme. It is the second longest one taken since retirement and a relatively leisure one: almost half of the time (68 days to be exact) was spent at sea, well-fed on board m/v Ortelius.
I need time to think and reflect on this trip. I am glad I have finally finished writing this epilogue while on board s/v Rembrandt van Rijn sailing along the northwestern coast of Greenland.
What have I done in these 158 days?
- I visited seven countries namely Tonga, New Zealand, Argentina, Cabo Verde, Spain, Italy and Switzerland and the Antarctica and set foot on 32 islands (three in Tonga and in New Zealand, five during Antarctic Odyssey, two in Argentina, six during Atlantic Odyssey and in Cabo Verde, five in Canary Islands and two in Italy). I sailed some 14,000nm from Bluff New Zealand in southern Pacific to Cabo Verde in the Atlantic.
- I reached the southernmost point in my life at the Bay of Whales (78ºS) in Antarctica when I experienced the chillest moment in my life.
- I found myself at far-flung places including the South Sandwich Island archipelago, Bouvet and Tristan da Cunha (the world’s most remote uninhabited and inhabited island respectively). I had never dreamed of setting foot on these islands before embarking accidentally on the Atlantic Odyssey.
- St Helena, a tidy island in the Atlantic Ocean, is the place where Napoleon was kept in exile and died. It’s strange to wander around in the small house he spent his last years and see the empty tomb in which his dead body once laid.
- I arrived in Cabo Verde and the Canary Islands (all new to me) which are interesting and worth visiting.
- I spent 25 happy days in Italy rediscovering Milan, Pisa, Florence and Siena and exploring Genoa, Cinque Terre, Assisi and Sardinia for the first time.
- Thanks to Prudence’s invitation to her birthday-cum-wedding anniversary, I had a wonderful 5-day escape to Switzerland which was not on my original schedule. It is a blessing to remain a happy couple in love after 25 years of marriage. Congratulations to Prudence and Jurgen! I have promised to return for their 50th anniversary. Hope I am still alive, not senile and can travel!
- I have visited a world expo for the first time in my life. I do not know how good or bad it is as compared with other expos. This year’s theme is “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life” which is noble and critically important. A few countries including France, Germany, Israel, Kuwait and Switzerland, try to share their approach and ideas on what can be done. But having spent two days looking at the major pavilions, I have no better understanding on sustainability and how the future generations will feed the world and generate energy for life.
- I spent about 20 days hiking in New Zealand, Argentina, Cabo Verde and the Canary Islands. Unfortunately, I still have with a high level of bad cholesterol owing to minimal exercise and excessive eating at sea!
What do I like most?
- I like the Antarctic Odyssey most. It is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime dream journey to the White Continent!
- I crossed the Equator by boat for the first time in my life and had a fun encounter with King Neptune and his gang!
- I visited 19 World Heritage Sites including one through the binoculars from the ship (no visitor is allowed to set foot on the Gough Island).
- Of the 32 islands, I like Peter I Island, Ross Island, Sardinia, Lanzarote and La Gomera most.
- I enjoy nature and trekking despite my knee and back problems. The Glaciers National Park in Argentina, Sao Antão in Cabo Verde and La Gomera in Canary Islands are paradise for hikers.
- Laughing is good for health. Friends on Antarctic Odyssey made me laugh at least once a day. I have never laughed so much in my life!
- It is not easy to find good travel companions. It’s fantastic to have Denise and Ellen for two weeks in Italy.
- Home stay is most enjoyable. I appreciate the hospitality of Louise and Jean-Claude in Geneva and Prudence and Jurgen in Zurich.
The Most Unforgettable
I have visited many beautiful and unique places during these 158 days and come with many sweet memories. Antarctic Odyssey is the best voyage and the most memorable trip in my life.
The White Continent is awesomely splendid, unspoilt and unearthly beautiful. I was thrilled to set foot on the Ross Island, the Dry Valley and Peter I Island. I felt blessed when seeing the Ross Ice Shelf, ice tongues, Mt Erebus and Mt Melbourne. I admire Shackleton and it is wonderful to stand inside and imagine the life in the hut which has been wonderfully restored. There are many more memorable moments and highlights. I enjoyed the scenic flights to the Dry Valley and Peter I Island, scenic ship cruise around Peter I Island and through the Lemarie Channel, scenic zodiac cruise at Cape Adare and other places in search of wildlife and icebergs. I had the best viewing of wildlife ever: dozens of whales including a humpback a few metres away from the zodiac, hundreds of albatrosses (my flavourite), skuas and petrels, thousands of Adèle and Gentoo penguins and seals. I saw my first Emperor penguin during the zodiac cruise at Cape Adare and two dozens more in pack ice later.
I had a most enjoyable time because of the people on the boat.
- I had two wonderful cabin mates.
- Most of the passengers are passionate and interested in the Polar regions and the Antarctica in particular. The keen wildlife watchers always hanged out at the bridge or on deck despite the freezing temperature.
- It is interesting to meet two passengers on a mission. I watched Steve Pugh, a world record swimmer in extreme cold water swimming at five locations during this trip. Michael Martin, a famous desert photographer joined the expedition in order to take pictures of the Dry Valley, Ross Island and other remote parts of the White Continent for his new book to be published in September.
- I was greeted with “Good morning” in cheerful voices more than a dozen times every morning.
- I like the expedition team members (though not the leader). They have done a good job.
- Robert, the Hotel Manager and his team have made life on the boat liveable!
Atlantic Odyssey is the longest single and an eye-opening voyage for me. I have spent 36 days amongst the most and best travelled people (most of them come from three travel clubs). The majority have been to over 150 countries and a dozen to all 193 UN member countries. They are totally different from the group of passengers on Antarctic Odyssey.
I find the atmosphere and mood on the ship depressing sometimes. We had bad weather for a couple of days bringing seasickness and causing moments of disappointment and unhappiness. Then we could not land in Bouvet owing to wind and swells and Tristan da Cunha a respiratory epidemic. Hence I spent less than 20 hours on land in 36 days!
Anyway, I find many bored passengers who show little enthusiasm for the journey or interest in places on the itinerary other than Bouvet and Tristan da Cunha. I believe they have chosen this long voyage because they want to tick these far-flung islands off their list or they have nothing better to do. Luckily a few interesting and passionate travellers were present to cheer me up!
Art of Travel
As a professional and intrepid tourist, I have always been curious about travel motivation, expectations and behaviours. I would say that people I met on Ortelius have defined my second longest trip taken since retirement. Close encounters with two different groups of travellers are invaluable giving me an opportunity to get to know them, reflect on my life, purpose and style of travel.
Travel and tourism, the world’s largest industry, is most fascinating. I have no idea how many books have been written in connection with this subject. I have not purposefully studied about the art of travel. But after these two voyages, I have formed certain views on how to travel safely and be a happy tourist / traveller (For me, I use ‘tourist’ as a generic term for people going on holiday, sight-seeing, shopping, taking ‘big-headed’ photos with the ‘sight’ and buying souvenirs while ‘traveller’ for those often on the road independently for longer journeys as a lifestyle).
First and foremost, personality and self-understanding are the most important determinants. Some people are happy, easy-going, adaptable, adventurous and optimistic and they take problems in stride. Others are just the opposite: they are often sulky, unforgiving, mean, fault-finding and get scared of everything and anything. If one does not know what he/she wants and his/her expectations, he/she never makes the right choice. Hence he/she is unlikely to be a happy person, consumer, tourist / traveller.
Second, health, energy, mobility and fitness determine the places one can visit without worry. One must know his/her limit, ability or disability, level of tolerance and fitness. If one has serious health issues, it is not advisable to take the Antarctica and Atlantic Odyssey at all. If anything happens, it would take a week to ten days minimum to reach land and hospital! In such a case, he/she not only puts himself/herself in danger but ruins the journey for other passengers! I have seen several unfit passengers on Atlantic Odyssey. One over-weight man can hardly walk up the staircase without panting and has difficulties in putting on the gum boots, getting into and off the zodiac. Another lady had pinch nerve just a week before the voyage. As a result, she had to spend the whole time in her cabin and could only walk to the restaurant and the lecture room one level below. Both of them had a miserable time.
Third, curiosity and interest (whether in birds and wildlife, cooking and food, culture, hiking, history, nature, new experience, people, photography, sports, star-gazing, wildlife or whatever), and passion are powerful forces in getting people out to do something and explore. I think the problem of some of these country/list tickers is the tick has become the reason for making the trip. The journey, the people they meet on the road or the place and things to see are secondary or unimportant. For me, openness and right attitude would ensure a tourist/traveller making best use of his/her time enjoying whatever comes along during the journey. A sense of humour helps too!
Fourth, flexibility can bring pleasant surprises. Now that time is not a problem, I am relaxed and easy: I seldom plan everything too far in advance. As a result, I was able to take up Prudence’s invitation and found myself on a blissful 5-day escape to Switzerland; went with Denise and Ellen on a 2-week trip from Milan to Sardinia; and visited a world expo for the first time of my life.
Finally money and affordability are essential consideration. While it is true that one needs money to go places, the modern world has provided unlimited options through budget airlines, package tours, last minute deals etc. Also, more and more people can go on work holidays and exchange programmes, or take up jobs or volunteer work in remote places. There are too many ways to find a way to travel in an affordable way if one wishes. Cost of travel also depends on one’s lifestyle and choice of mode of travel and accommodation. A passenger on Atlantic Odyssey told me proudly he paid US$10,000 for a 45-minute flight by helicopter/small plane to Lomantang, Mustang in Nepal which is indeed not an easy place to reach. In reply, I told him I spent much less for a hiking trip- five days to reach Lomantang, three days in the place and a thrilling a truck drive along the dry canyon back to where he took his flight. I believe I had a much more enjoyable time in Mustang meeting the people, visiting the temples and appreciating the magnificent landscape. But given his poor health, I do not think he would survive and reach the highest pass at 5,500m on foot.
In conclusion, I am a happy tourist because I am a simple-minded person with curiosity and interest in life. My motto is ‘Home is where your heart is’. I take nothing and no one for granted: I treasure and appreciate whatever comes along. I am flexible and have an open mind: I do whatever I wish within my means and ability. I am not a member of any travel club or have no ‘must-see’ list. But I know what I love to see and do. I am a happy backpacker and only go to places of interest and where my heart takes me.
Travel is a wonderful way to find out about and enrich oneself, to enjoy, explore and experience the world. But you must be realistic, understand what you want and can do, go without a list or fixed ideas, be flexible and take things easy. TRAVEL IS AN ART and DO IT YOUR WAY!
(uploaded in Aasiaat, Greenland on August 24, 2015)