Celebrating 1 Year of Travels
My 366th day draws to a close, yes, 2020 was a leap year, I look back on where this trip has taken me.
I left home on January 6, 2020. I took a train to London, took the Eurostar to Paris, took a bus to Marseille and the ferry to Tunis. I think it was around this time that a friend in Hong Kong warned me of the CoronaVirus.
Tunisia was my 93rd country. I loved it there, exploring all the ruins and historical cities:
Tunisia was my 93rd country. I loved it there, exploring all the ruins and historical cities:
After 26 days, I flew to Dakar, Senegal. After finally visiting Ile de Gorée, having missed out in 2012, I headed East to Mali. Due to an increase in insurgency attacks, I didn't get to see much.
In fact, all I did was secure a visa for Cote d'Ivoire, which turned out to be my favourite West African country: Kong with it's Mud Mosque (below), the Basilica in Yamoussoukro, the fishing village of Sassandra, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Grand Bassam and the crazy city of Abidjan.
In fact, all I did was secure a visa for Cote d'Ivoire, which turned out to be my favourite West African country: Kong with it's Mud Mosque (below), the Basilica in Yamoussoukro, the fishing village of Sassandra, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Grand Bassam and the crazy city of Abidjan.
Frustrated once again with West Africa, I flew to Kenya. After a few days in Nairobi, I bussed it out to Naivasha, where I spent 105 days on lockdown. At least I got to go on my first ever safari at the Crescent Island Game Sanctuary:
After an anxious 3 months, I took an evac flight to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and a connecting flight to Serbia, one of the few countries at that time which was open to anybody.
I stayed in The Balkans for 4 months. Serbia, Kosovo, Albania :
I stayed in The Balkans for 4 months. Serbia, Kosovo, Albania :
And North Macedonia where I spent 14 days in isolation having shared a dorm room with a guy who later tested +ve for Covid-19:
When I was free again, having served my sentence, I took a night bus through Bulgaria to Istanbul purely to be somewhere safer. This is becoming another part of the #NewNormal. For someone who has no fixed abode, out running pending lockdowns.
And of course, Turkey started reintroducing curfews and closing restaurants. I needed a new place. Overcoming my nervousness about Latin America, I plunged in headfirst and flew to Mexico.
I visited the ancient pyramids at Teotihuacán:
I visited the ancient pyramids at Teotihuacán:
I met up with my good friend for an impossibly rare out-out night out in CDMX:
Before heading to Oaxaca and onto Zipolite, which is where I am just now. Socially distanced lazy hammock beach-life days, avoiding people as much as I can, wearing my mask when it's not totally possible. When the single street is packed in the early evening, I have already had my dinner. I don't care what the others are doing. I am keeping myself safe so I will be able to keep on going for the next 365 days.
Statistics:
366 days: 47 overnight stops, I night ferry, 2 night buses, 3 night flights. 12 countries, 6 for the first time on 4 continents.
As my 30-day room rental draws to a close, I ponder my next move.
Tagged in: Mexico
366 days: 47 overnight stops, I night ferry, 2 night buses, 3 night flights. 12 countries, 6 for the first time on 4 continents.
As my 30-day room rental draws to a close, I ponder my next move.
Tagged in: Mexico
