timblesworldtour

When we set off on our trip on 9th December 2006, we had only a vague idea of our plans, and where they might lead. As we sit now, in Tokyo Narita airport awaiting our Virgin Atlantic flight back to London, and then onwards, it really is strange to think back on where we have been.

We travelled westwards around the globe, from Edinburgh in Scotland, and our final stop will be at Teeside airport (Durham valley, or whatever they call it this year). The total distance we calculate via software is 37,228 miles, not including side trips.

The routing was as follows;

EDI-LHR-SFO-JFK-SEA-LAS-SFO-AKL-CHC-DUD-AKL-SYD-SFP-ADL-DPO-HBA-SYD-HKG-KIX-NRT-LHR-MME

Unlike Philleas Fogg, we have taken 82 days to travel around the globe (had we stuck to our original schedule, we now realise we would have done it in exactly 80 days (purely by chance).

It is difficult to point out a specific highlight, we enjoyed all the places we visited. Watching the new year fireworks in Hong Kong, or the Opera house in Sydney, or Albatross in Dunedin, or Hector’s dolphin in Akaroa, or Whale watching in Kaikoura, hand feeding kangaroos in Tasmania, or meeting up close with the famous Tasmanian devil, sailing from Melbourne to Tasmania, travelling on the tranzscenic railway or the overlander or Shinkansen, or looking over the manhatten skyline at night or spending christmas in Seattle, or seeing Elvis at Vegas, or Dame edna at Melbourne, or flying in a seaplane at Geelong, or a Japanese tea ceremony in Japan, or visiting world heritage castles and shrines in Japan

I personally travelled around america some eighteen years ago, and decided upon my return that I would go around the world the next year. It has taken some eighteen years to get to this point.

Round the world air tickets are not so expensive, and if you are savvy and plan ahead (unlike us!!), it may not cost as much as you think

So, if anything, some 37,228 miles, over three thousand photographs, 20 flights, and innumerable hotels, the point I would make is this; if you ever have the faintest chance or glimmer of opportunity to do a trip like this, just do it, you will never, ever regret it.

The famous Torii gate at Miyajiima. Such a gate marks the point of crossing from the secular to the sacred world.