It's January!!! And as many of you already know, in my book January means it's time to grab my Back Pack, get my legs waxed and head on up to the airport!
This years adventure is going to be slightly different to the previous five. You see, my little Intrepid Travel buddy 'TC', (who still wishes to remain anonymous), that you've all come to know and love, will not be my partner in crime this time around. Don't worry, we haven't fallen out, we are still the best of friends. It is just that due to her new work schedule she is unable to make the trip this time around, but fear not, as I am sure there will be future travels in which I can regale you with our fun packed excursions filled with neurosis, from various ports around the world.
"And so who is it you are travelling with this year?" I hear you ask. "And do they have the same issues with hygiene as TC does." In answer to both your questions: My fellow Intrepid Traveller for 2018 is my lovely 'South London Geezer', affectionately know as 'Tooting Tony' - or 'The Tootster' for short. OK, you can stop the sniggering; it's cause his name is Tony and he's from Tooting and not for any other reason ... though there will be copious curry consumption on this trip, so that nick name may start to seem even more appropriate! And no, he doesn't have the same 'idiosyncrasies' as TC, in fact, I am a bit concerned that without her around, distracting me with her obsessing over germs and ailments, that my own style of OCD may start to rear it's ugly head - I've already literally timetabled our laundry and packing schedules and even our meals for the last three weeks, then I re-packed The Tootster's bag as I didn't like the order he had put his clothes in, which I also insisted he did last night even though he was knackered after a full days work and cooking us dinner, despite the fact that we both have the day off today and are not leaving until late this evening.
It's just that I like to be organised and if truth be known, I may be a little nervous, due to the fact that this will be our first 'Big Trip' together.
Where are we off to? I am very excited, as I will be able to tick yet another country of my Bucket List, for in a few hours, we will be flying to ... Sri Lanka!!
Unlike in previous years, I've not booked with a large tour company, instead we had decided that we could arrange the two week trip ourselves. But after about an hour of working out which sites we wanted to see and being unable to figure out the logistics of how to get from one place to the next, I called upon the wonderful Face Book and asked for advice. Immediately, we were recommended by a friend to contact Sam, from Samarakoon Travel, based out in Sri Lanka.
The South London Geezer sent out an email and within 48 hours we had our whole itinerary, plus driver/tour guide, sorted and booked.
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), is an Island found on the Indian Ocean, just south of India not too far North of the Equator. Apparently Marco Polo described it as 'The finest Island of it's size' and even the early Arab Traders gave it the name 'Serendib' from which the word 'Serendipity' originates. With a population of 21 million people, consisting of various ethnic and religious groups, the two largest being Buddhist and Hindu Tamil, I will no doubt as ever, feel 'Templed out' by the end of the trip. But I am so excited about all the wondrous sites we are going to see, beginning with the Elephant Orphanage on Sunday, followed by The Ancient city of Anuradhapura.
I should at this point apologise for not finishing my blog last year when TC and I travelled to Myanmar. It's not a great excuse, but I just got so far behind with it, particularly as I was only able to write it during certain times of the evening when TC wouldn't be woken by the light from my ipad, the sound of my fingers tapping on the screen or possibly my breathing. In fact, she asked me last week if I was still going to write my travel blog even though she wasn't going to be with me this time around. I told her that I did intend to. To which she replied: 'Good, but you know it won't be as funny'.
And so, until this years adventure begins, I will bid you "Ayubowan".
This years adventure is going to be slightly different to the previous five. You see, my little Intrepid Travel buddy 'TC', (who still wishes to remain anonymous), that you've all come to know and love, will not be my partner in crime this time around. Don't worry, we haven't fallen out, we are still the best of friends. It is just that due to her new work schedule she is unable to make the trip this time around, but fear not, as I am sure there will be future travels in which I can regale you with our fun packed excursions filled with neurosis, from various ports around the world.
"And so who is it you are travelling with this year?" I hear you ask. "And do they have the same issues with hygiene as TC does." In answer to both your questions: My fellow Intrepid Traveller for 2018 is my lovely 'South London Geezer', affectionately know as 'Tooting Tony' - or 'The Tootster' for short. OK, you can stop the sniggering; it's cause his name is Tony and he's from Tooting and not for any other reason ... though there will be copious curry consumption on this trip, so that nick name may start to seem even more appropriate! And no, he doesn't have the same 'idiosyncrasies' as TC, in fact, I am a bit concerned that without her around, distracting me with her obsessing over germs and ailments, that my own style of OCD may start to rear it's ugly head - I've already literally timetabled our laundry and packing schedules and even our meals for the last three weeks, then I re-packed The Tootster's bag as I didn't like the order he had put his clothes in, which I also insisted he did last night even though he was knackered after a full days work and cooking us dinner, despite the fact that we both have the day off today and are not leaving until late this evening.
It's just that I like to be organised and if truth be known, I may be a little nervous, due to the fact that this will be our first 'Big Trip' together.
Where are we off to? I am very excited, as I will be able to tick yet another country of my Bucket List, for in a few hours, we will be flying to ... Sri Lanka!!
Unlike in previous years, I've not booked with a large tour company, instead we had decided that we could arrange the two week trip ourselves. But after about an hour of working out which sites we wanted to see and being unable to figure out the logistics of how to get from one place to the next, I called upon the wonderful Face Book and asked for advice. Immediately, we were recommended by a friend to contact Sam, from Samarakoon Travel, based out in Sri Lanka.
The South London Geezer sent out an email and within 48 hours we had our whole itinerary, plus driver/tour guide, sorted and booked.
Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon), is an Island found on the Indian Ocean, just south of India not too far North of the Equator. Apparently Marco Polo described it as 'The finest Island of it's size' and even the early Arab Traders gave it the name 'Serendib' from which the word 'Serendipity' originates. With a population of 21 million people, consisting of various ethnic and religious groups, the two largest being Buddhist and Hindu Tamil, I will no doubt as ever, feel 'Templed out' by the end of the trip. But I am so excited about all the wondrous sites we are going to see, beginning with the Elephant Orphanage on Sunday, followed by The Ancient city of Anuradhapura.
I should at this point apologise for not finishing my blog last year when TC and I travelled to Myanmar. It's not a great excuse, but I just got so far behind with it, particularly as I was only able to write it during certain times of the evening when TC wouldn't be woken by the light from my ipad, the sound of my fingers tapping on the screen or possibly my breathing. In fact, she asked me last week if I was still going to write my travel blog even though she wasn't going to be with me this time around. I told her that I did intend to. To which she replied: 'Good, but you know it won't be as funny'.
And so, until this years adventure begins, I will bid you "Ayubowan".
It's already funny !!
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