So this is it. After four months of waiting and a couple of weeks planning I am shortly to embark on what will almost certainly be the longest journey of my lifetime. A trip around the world, more properly called a circumnavigation which is not a word you see everyday. Preparations to date have been slight to say the least. Of course I have had a couple of visits to the doctor to get the few essential shots, that modern medicine has to offer.
I have decided to make what recordings I will using a regular 35mm camera and a notebook, digital technology still being limited by either the need to haul a computer into which the camera must be emptied on a regular basis or the prohibitive cost and the possible non-availability of electronic storage.
Today I went to Barnes & Noble, the local book megastore to try and find a journal to fill with my musings. As yet I have been unsuccessful. Being left handed I need a book that will lie completely flat and not obstruct my hand with some spiral binding. These are in short supply.
I've also realized how totally comfortable and indeed dependent both I and many of my friends have become on the electronic keyboard. When was the last time you wrote longhand? For me it has been, I think several years. Either my friends and relations are electronically enabled or they are not. If they are simple e-mail travels the world in a flash on a pretty regular basis. If they are not an occasional phone call must suffice.
So I am writing this initial prose on a computer looking out of the office window here in New York city. Some of you reading this know that I have the most beautiful office on my present assignment. It's on the 21st floor and has a superb view of the East River and United Nations building. I'm not planning to digress much, but somehow the UN seems as fitting a place as any from which to start a world tour. Of course those following the news will also know that the most likely time for the US to invade Iraq is in the first couple of weeks of March (New moon, not too hot) somewhat inconveniently matching my departure date.
I should also say something about the route I have chosen. Well obviously, to be a circumnavigation I have to pass through, at the very least, the Greenwich meridian and the date line, moving pretty much continually in an easterly direction. To be relatively sporting about it I also wanted to hit points as far north and south as possible. At least further apart than the legendary Phileas Fogg. The most southerly point will be Sydney (33'55" South) this edge's out Cape Town by a nose, the actual Cape which I intend to visit might be south of Sydney, we'll have to see. The most northerly point where I will be stopping is Vancouver (49'15" North), but I have just noticed in writing this that London, England is a bit further north, fortunately Edmonton which I shall be passing through on the train handily beats out London, so I guess that counts.
Speaking of trains, those of you who have known me for many years will know that they are one of my passions. Another aspect of this trip was to try and cover the large land masses as far as possible by train. South America has no long distance trains to speak of, but with the exception of South Africa, the other continents all involve a train trip. The Eastern Orient Express across Asia, The Indian Pacific right across Australia and the Canadian all the way from Vancouver to Toronto, finally Amtrak home to New York down the Hudson Valley.
So here then is the actual route, all 33500 miles of it. Kind of makes me realize just how small America is and how little of the world I have seen to date. You can click the map for a larger version.
I'm going to write more about the route next time, that's it for today.
I actually got around to reading Around the world in 80 days today. It didn't take long and is an excellent story.
Some facts/quotes / humor:
'I see that it is by no means useless to travel, if a man wants to see something new.'
'Passepartout ventured to ask him politely how many wives he had; for, from the manner in which he had decamped, it might be thought that he had twenty at least. 'One, sir,' replied the Mormon, raising his arms heavenward, - 'one, and that was enough!''
Phileas Fogg, then, had won the twenty thousand pounds; but as he had spent nearly nineteen thousand on the way, he travelled about 26000 miles
On this last I am expecting to spend all in all around $16000 or 10000 pounds. I'm also planning to travel nearly 10000 miles further and of course most importantly to actually SEE plenty of the countries I pass through along the way. It might seem like a hell of a lot of money, but look at it this way 33000 miles / $16000 = 50 cents per mile and this includes spending money, lots of siteseeing, fine accomodations, a lot of business class air travel (hell you didn't think I would do this in economy) and some of the best train trips the world has to offer. 50 cents per mile is not far off a New York taxi fare, looked at that way, it's not so terrible.
As those of you familiar with the story know, Fogg found his way around the world in eighty days, because he gained a day as he crossed the date line, I'm still trying to get my mind around that. Does it mean that for the rest of my life I'll be a day younger, or celebrating my birthday a day late? It's really beginning to bother me.
Back in 1988 Michael Palin of Monty Python fame started a new career as a travel writer. His first trip was an attempt to replicate Fogg's fictional journey for real! You can read about his adventures, by clicking here. It is fair to say that this TV series had a substantial impact on me, young and impressionable as I then was *grin* and in fact coincided quite nicely with my other travel adventure, a trip all the way around the USA by Greyhound coach.
This was a three week trip, every second night I slept on the bus, the other nights in cheap motels. It was fun, I visited 22 states (including DC), met a lot of great people, including the daughter of the German ambassador (in Washington) and the Osmonds (in Salt Lake - where else), I also got too close to a gun fight in Dallas (like next door), was ripped off in Vegas and met the grandaughter of Al Capone's piano player at his hangout in Chicago. Finally I cornered a rat in my hotel room in New York, told you this was a cheap trip.
Anyway, to borrow from Victor Kiam, I loved the country so much I bought the passport - well nearly *grin*. So I am fully aware of the changes travel can bring to a life. It makes me wonder how this trip will turn out.
So today I was checking out the Guinness book of records and discovered that for a true circumnavigation to take place one should pass through two Antipodal Points in other words two points that are diametrically opposite each other on the surface of the earth. Needless to say I'm not too concerned about this, I did however figure out that Longditude wise (i.e. West to East) I will be halfway around the world about an hour after flying out of Singapore on the way to Perth. I should be just off the coast of Sumatra by then, which is 106'44" East. Adding that to New York (73'56" West) gives 180 degrees, a hell of a long way! Another way to look at it is by distance travelled, this would make Bangkok the halfway point. Since I am planning to leave Bangkok on Sunday March 30th that's about halfway time wise as well.
I spoke with my travel agent in South Africa this morning, who incidentally seems to be doing a wonderful job. I'm going to add specific credits when I get back. She said that the travel industry has come to a grinding halt there, due to worries about the war between the USA and Iraq. I hadn't really thought through how widespread the effects of what I saw as a small regional conflict in the middle east would be.
Meanwhile back in New York we have been advised to acquire duct tape and plastic sheeting, so that we can tape ourselves into a room in case of chemical or biological attack (apparently there is enough air in a 3'x3'x6' space for one person for five hours - something I never wanted to know). This is right up there with the idea that the pathetic life vests they provide on aircraft will do you any good if your plane runs out of power over the ocean. Although the thought of travel in such turbulent times causes me a little concern, the idea of being stuck here in New York, doesn't sound that great either *grin*. I didn't really want to talk about the war or any other current events, but I guess if I see the trip as the yarn in a tapestry one cannot relate the story without also describing the canvas into which it is woven.
The chart above shows the Dow Jones Industrial Average performance over the last month as you can see the markets are none too happy about things either. Actually this chart also bears an uncanny similarity to George Bush's approval ratings. If only we could unearth Osama-bin-Laden preferably dead, I'm sure things would pick up.
Today I went shopping in town. I almost got flattened in the anti-war demo near the UN. I had to hide out in my office for an hour, to let the crowds subside. That said I found a journal I liked at Kate's Paperie and also the DEET spray I needed to combat the Mosquitoes at Paragon Sports.
Last summer, I split up with a girlfriend of five years called Michele. Her brother called me today with some very sad news unfortunately she had a heart attack yesterday and is now in intensive care. She sounds very poorly, I just hope she makes it through OK.
This morning's forecast was not so good, I just hope it isn't doing this in two weeks time. My luck has been running against me recently, it often does in February. I just hope it changes soon...
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONTINUES THE BLIZZARD WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT...
SNOW WILL BECOME HEAVIER AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. OCCASIONAL BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AS WINDS WILL GUST BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MPH AT TIMES. THIS WILL PRODUCE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS WHICH WILL MAKE DRIVING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BY THE TIME THIS STORM HEADS OUT TO SEA LATE TONIGHT SHOULD RANGE FOR THE MOST PART BETWEEN 1 1/2 AND 2 FEET.
REMEMBER...A BLIZZARD WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OR FREQUENT GUSTS OF OVER 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH CONSIDERABLE FALLING AND/OR BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VISIBILITIES WILL BECOME POOR WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. THOSE VENTURING OUTDOORS MAY BECOME LOST OR DISORIENTED SO PERSONS IN THE WARNING AREA ARE ADVISED TO STAY INDOORS.
Well we ended up with about two feet of snow yesterday. What's worse, my plough guy didn't turn up and I had to manually dig a trench through the snow all the way down to the bottom of the drive, so I could get the cab to the station. That took an extra hour and then the train was on a special Sunday service, I didn't get to work until around 11am.
Sadly I have to record this morning that poor Michele didn't make it. Although she made it to intensive care, subsequent complications mean't that sadly she died last night. Despite the fact we had split up, I was still quite friendly with her and am obviously in a fair bit of pain over this, after all she was only 48.
While I hope that nobody reading this will ever go through what she had to endure, I want to record a piece of useful advice. When this started last Saturday, she thought she was having an Asthma attack (which considering she is not an asthmatic is pretty strange) rather than calling Emergency straight away she called her relations who don't live more than five minutes away, they came over and it took a while longer, before an Ambulance was called. Even though I wasn't there it seems possible to me that a lot of damage was done to her heart during that time, which made subsequent recovery less likely.
Check out this link and you will see how important it is. Sadly this advice came too late for Michele.
It doesn't help that the US has a f**ked up medical system that means people in life or death situations, spend too much time worrying about how they will pay for treatment, rather than doing the right thing when they need it. That delay can be deadly!
Forty four million Americans have no health insurance that part of this sad story, makes me sick.
IF ANYTHING UNUSUAL IS HAPPENING TO YOU - DON'T WASTE TIME CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY
You may ask, what's with Sunflowers in February? - well I will tell you. They were Michele's favorite flower. Big, bright, sunny, just like her. The viewing is today the service is tomorrow and that's it. A life snuffed out in it's prime.
Of course that isn't it. Many of us including me will take a long term to come to terms with the pain and grief. Today I sent flowers, this is what I said:
For Michele, From Daniel, her family in England and her friends around the world.
Your Love and Joy are everlasting, we will remember you...
What I should have added, but couldn't bring myself to say is that "Sometimes, God takes the best angels early". This is so very hard to write and brings me more pain than I can bear. She wasn't that smart or that agile, but for caring and compassion and love there was no equal and never will be.
However I felt for Michele I couldn't leave this website on such a sad note, so I'm going to tell you that the week is ending well, today I went with Stephanie, to see the Leonardo Da Vinci drawings at the Metropolitan Museum, it was a good exhibit.
Tonight, I am back home, I'm packed, I've handed off my keys I'm ready to get the hell out of here and begin the adventure, tomorrow I fly to Miami and then on to Rio! I'm really looking forward to seeing Monica again. I'm not looking forward to the heat, but after all this snow - it can't be any worse. When I update this again it will be from an Internet cafe along the way. Catch you then....
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