GROWTH: Reflecting on an odyssey and time to begin again

As my odyssey draws to a close I have been reflecting on what a truly amazing journey it has been. This post started as a short para to put on Facebook summarising my odyssey, but it turned into something a bit more, well epic.

It’s been epic. Nearly 8 months and approx $30k. A new tattoo. One backpack filled with around 16 kgs of ‘stuff’ and my trusty travel coffee plunger. 4 Continents and 17 Countries: USA (Hawaii), USA (California), Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, USA (Denver), Canada, USA (New York and Washington DC), England, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, Japan. 11 plane rides and the desire never to fly with United Airlines again, ever. 3 weeks in a Juicy Camper-van road-tripping through California. A dozen 24 hr + bus rides, and navigating the crazy chicken buses and tooting taxis of Central and South America. 5 days on a hot, stinky boat sailing through the Kuna Yala islands from Panama to Colombia. 7 amazing couch-surfing experiences. 20 different hostels (all mostly good), including one made from blocks of salt. Navigating metro stations in New York, Washington DC, London, Barcelona and Tokyo.

Explore, Experience, Discover. I’ve explored far and wide, experienced more than I ever though I would, and in the process discovered a great deal about my emotional and physical limits, and about human nature and kindness. I’ve also learnt a new language (Spanish), and have a new level of tolerance and patience gained through traveling Central and South America. That’s largely what it was meant to be about. It’s also been a journey of contrasts: highs and lows; hot tropical climates vs cold snowy mountains; the emotional yet friendly latin americans vs brash loud americans vs pragmatic English and Scottish vs cosmopolitan Spanish vs very polite Japanese; backpacking vs nice apartments and saying with friends / family; big cities vs nature; traveling alone and with others.

Uyuni Salt Flats

Highlights. There have been so many highlights, including a number of world heritage sights and some surreal moments when you feel like you are in the middle of a movie. Some of the top experiences have been the beaches and volcanoes of Hawaii, road-tripping from LA up to San Francisco, including the Big Sur, Big Bear Lake and Yosemite National Park, salsa dancing (badly) in Guatemala, meeting a cool group of ‘chicas and chicos’ on an action packed ‘Intrepid journey’ through Honduras, Nicuragua and Costa Rica (including horse trekking and diving on Roatan Island in Honduras, climbing volcanoes in Nicuragua, zip-lining and a giant swing experience in Monteverde, Costa Rica), living with a Panamanian family whilst learning Spanish, sailing through the stunning San Blas Islands, the old city of Cartagena, diving and seeing my first turtle and sea horse in Taganga, sleeping on a hammock on the beach in Tyrona national park, trekking to the Lost City of Ciudad Perdida, visiting the Colombian “Coffee Triangle’ in Salerno, spending a day wandering around and appreciating the street art in Bogota, surfing in Ayampe Ecuador, the beaches of Mancora and Huanchaco in Peru, hiking and downhill mountain-biking in the Andes on the way to the Inca treasure of Macchu Piccu, cross-country running at 3000m+ on Isla del Sol on the world’s highest inland waterway at Lake Titicaca, horse-trekking and exploring the crazy city of La Paz, not quite making it to the top of the 6km plus peak of Hyuana Potosi, Bolivia, a 4WD tour of the amazing salt flats at Uyuni then getting stranded there for nearly three days during Bolivian National Census day (everything shuts down), experiencing the amazing majesty and power of the thundering ‘devils throat’ at the Iguazu Falls, snowboarding for free and seeing my first moose at Copper Mountain and Winter Park in Colorado, the crazy REI flagship store in Denver, watching the Denver ‘Cut Throats’ play and fight on the ice, spending my first white Christmas with friends at -15 degrees Celsius in Ottawa, Canada, seeing in the New Year at the Coldplay / JayZ concert in Brooklyn, reflecting on my 15 years in the military at the 9/11 memorial, surreal moments wondering around the NYC and DC, the Rockerfeller Christmas tree, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Time Square, watching the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, then all of the National Monuments and the Capitol in Washington DC, attending my first ‘hootenanny’ (really just a big party for my sisters friend who was turning 50), being treated to dinner at Hester Blumenthal’s michelin starred restaurant, spending time with family in London, Edinburgh and Kilmacolm and exploring my Scottish heritage, spending a day in awe at the Arabian palace of the Nazarid in the Alhambra (Granada), more walking tours, tapas, Rioja and seeing Lionel Messi and FCB in my first football match ever in Barcelona, and finally a crazy 2 weeks perfecting my snow-boarding skills (which by now are pretty fricken good if I don’t say so myself) every day in at least 20cm of fresh powder, then soaking in onsens at Niseko resort on Hokkaido, Japan.

Ramen Noodles, Dumplings and Beer…..not exactly paleo

Paleo. I tried to stay with a Paleo diet but realised about half way through that I was missing out on the best part of travelling – experiencing the local cuisine! Everything is just ‘big’ in the US, but I really enjoyed the wine tour I did to the Sonoma Valley. They do a great Pinot Noir there! Central and South America was all about casado and soup with every meal, gallo pinto, refried beans, empanadas, arepas, yukka, and fried plantain. Oh and cheap Caribbean rum and US$1 beers. I thought the coffee in this part of the world would be great, but it turns out they export all the good stuff overseas. Argentina was all about the great asado (BBQ), parillas (steakhouses) and red wine. Denver was great Mexican food, boutique porter beers, chilli with everything and bright yellow cheese. Ottawa was a seafood feast of lobster, followed by a traditional kiwi Christmas diner. New York was hot-dogs and pizza. London was being able to cook good food at home with my sister and her hubby. Scotland was haggis, neeps and taties, stovies, lawn sausage, cullen skink, clutey dumplings, slangevar, tablet, and learning to appreciate single malt scotch. Then there was an amazing variety of tapas in Spain, although by then I was drinking mainly Rioja in vast quantities. And here in Japan there has been sake, Suntory Malt and Sapporo beer, ramen, sashimi, yakitori, yakisoba, tempura, sukiyaki hotpot, ahipoki, katsudon, gyoza dumplings, ghengis khan pork buns.

My nanos

CrossFit. I started the odyssey thinking it would mainly be about CrossFit. At the very start I checked out the amazing athletes and hype of the CrossFit Games in LA, I hit WOD’s in 36 different CrossFit boxes on 3 continents and also attended a CrossFit Olympic Lifting Course in Denver. Without a doubt I learnt a heap, but it turns out that my journey was about more than just CrossFit. And while I have no doubt that it will continue to play a part in my future on some level and in some way, I still need to figure that out. I have some injuries to sort out too and so for the past two months I took a complete break and to rest and heal. That’s been good and bad. I realise now I was becoming a slave to it, and as with all things in life I needed to find the right balance. I also realised that I miss it, and the community of like-minded people behind it.

Thankful. I am truly thankful for having the opportunity to undertake this odyssey while I am still fit and heathy enough to make the most of such an experience. Because, as they say there is no time like the present, and ‘If not now, then when??’ I’m not going to lie – traveling alone is hard, but also very rewarding. There is a lot to plan and organise. But I have met the most extraordinary people and gained insights I never would have otherwise. Often the battle for me has been in my mind, and learning to be comfortable on my own. I have also been lucky to have amazing friends and family that have sustained me from afar through this journey.

Lost and Found. I’ve lost some things along the way. The cheap pink wrist-watch that I brought in Hawaii crapped out so I ditched it and didn’t wear one again for 7 months. I lost my Gerber at a hostel in Colombia. My iPhone stopped working and I went without having it for nearly 2 months (and survived). I had US$80 taken from my bag in a CrossFit gym. I wore out a couple of t-shirts and my pair of Haviana jandals. My Merrell shoes are not far behind. I lost the trust and friendship of someone who I cared for. I lost what seemed like days at a time at airports and bus terminals waiting for the next connection. I got lost figuratively many times, and temporarily lost my mojo. A few times I lost my temper and sense of humor. But not for long. I lost a good amount of fitness and I hate to think what my 1RM’s are. I lost weight, and gained it all back again. But I have gained much more overall I think. Many priceless memories and experiences, new friends, insights into different cultures and a much better knowledge of history and geography of the countries I have visited. There have been new assorted items of clothing, a new snow board and boots. A new-found faith in the kindness of strangers and the couch-surfing community, a respect for nature, and many memories of some stunningly beautiful places. There have been unexpected pleasures. Conversations. Drinking sessions. Sunrises and sunsets. Some amazing food. The solitude and pleasure of writing. The simplicity and freedom of being on the road with no responsibility other than looking after myself. And most importantly, I gained the strength to start a fresh when I get home. Because, for me home is where the heart is, and if this journey has taught me one thing, it is a deep appreciation of what we take for granted and just how lucky we Kiwi’s are to live in a country with such an abundance of natural beauty, freedom, equality, space, and nearly 5 million friendly people who enjoy a lifestyle that is second to none!!! They say you only regret the things you didn’t do, and I think you’d agree, I managed to squeeze quite a bit into my journey!!

Odyssey