In the latter stages of our trip and since our return, most
of the questions we've been asked are along the lines of 'What was your
favourite...?'
We're really happy when people are interested in our travels,
but it's not so easy to answer the questions. How do you choose when everywhere
is so diverse, and each country had highs and lows? Nevertheless, we've decided
to devote one, final blog entry to 'The Big Trip Awards'. After all, there are
some places so unforgettable they deserve to be shared.
Most awe-inspiring view
 |
| The view of Everest from Gokyo Ri |
On this detour from the Three Passes trek, I was tempted to
turn back a dozen times. The path zigzagged up steep, boring scree. We were above
5000 metres altitude, so climbing seemed impossibly hard work, and we were walking in thick, cold fog. But Karl was keen to press
on, and FOMO (fear of missing out- a major driving force in my life) kept me
following him. Finally, we came out above the cloud. We were surrounded by prayer
flags flapping in the wind and the panorama that opened up included many of the Himalayan giants - Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse and Makalu to name a few. It was just the two of us
perched there above the clouds. A very Himalayan moment; feeling like we were on
top of the world, and actually not being too far from it.
Karl: Under Mount
Cook on the Ball Pass circuit, New Zealand
 |
| The Caroline Face of Mount Cook |
This view was hard earned, and appeared from nowhere. We’d
spent four hours walking along a dusty, scree ridge on the lateral moraine of
the Tasman glacier, stumbling on football sized boulders, no shade from the
dazzling sun and no view at all - just grey scree rising on either side of us.
The path up to the ridge from here was crumbly and steep. But we popped over to find
ourselves right beneath Mount Cook’s Caroline face - as close as you can get to
this hugely impressive side of the mountain. The face was over
1000 vertical metres of glistening snow, ice and rock. It was beautiful and very
humbling. We watched house sized blocks of ice fall off, starting avalanches. Against the majesty of the mountain even these looked small. We
camped up there, and it was even more magical at night with the moon lighting
the face and the constellation of Orion rising above the summit.
Best tropical beach
Harriet: Neil's Cove, Havelock Island, Andamans, India
 |
| A place to hang a snorkel, Neil's Cove |
Pretty early in our travels, but I knew when I walked along
the sand (soft, white...), with a soundtrack of bird song from the pristine
forest behind, that this beach was going to be hard to beat. The water was
clear and turquoise, there were calm shallows to
wallow in, snorkelling with lots of octopus, shady mangrove trees to hang our
hammock up, and no one else to share it with.
Karl: Pulau Kepa, Alor, Indonesia
 |
| Our own beach at La Petit Kepa |
We stayed in a little guesthouse on this tiny island with
only a handful of thatched huts and about 7 other guests. The beach was 2 minutes
away through some trees. It was totally private, with views of the hilly mainland across the water. The sand was bleached white, washed
clean by the tide. Snorkelling off here was fun- a high speed, effortless drift
along the reef, spotting turtles and a resident baby black tipped shark. One
night we swam here under a full moon, the water so clear you could still see the
fish. Amazing.
Closest wildlife encounter
Karl: Seal viewed underwater, Kaikoura, New Zealand
 |
| The best way to see a seal |
In Kaikoura we decided to try snorkelling with the resident seals. It was only early spring so the
water was freezing, despite our wetsuits. Putting our faces in led to ice cream headaches, and our bare hands were completely numb.
On land you can't approach within 50 metres of seals without
them panicking, so cumbersome they stumble over and knock themselves on the
rocks. In the water it was a different matter. This particular seal was
relaxing on the surface, unperturbed by us. She was
lying on her back, washing her whiskers. It seemed
too close, too intimate, and we were about to back away. Then she swam straight
towards us, nostrils flaring as she breathed. At the last moment she dived. We watched her glide beneath us, turning upside down to get a
better look. Bubbles of air were trapped in her whiskers and fur. It was
one of those moments
when you only realise afterwards that you were holding your breath.
Harriet: Black bear crossing a river, Yosemite, USA
 |
| Moments before our first bear sighting |
We were swimming in a river on our first day in Yosemite
when I saw a brown flash approaching the water about 20 metres downstream. I
looked up half expecting a dog, but there it was - a bear. Right there! It
hadn’t seen us as it walked down to the water and then gambolled across, splashing
through the river, droplets landing all over its golden brown fur. Reaching the
opposite bank, it climbed a small tree and started to pull down branches to eat
the fruit, the trunk bending under its weight. It seemed to happen in slow motion as we watched, mesmerised- our
first view of a bear in the wild.
Favourite journey
Harriet: Rail journey from Trivandrum to Chennai, India
 |
| Travelling through rural India by train |
India is best seen by rail, and this was the most enjoyable trip of the lot, with our own little curtained off bunk that handily converted into seats. 18 hours on the train gave us long enough to really relax and get into the journey, watching the world through the window. Then there’s the interest inside the train, with a constant procession of salesman offering ‘chai chai chai’ or steaming tubs of curry and biryani.
Karl: Bus ride to Annapurna,
Nepal
 |
| View from the bus roof |
Bus journeys in Nepal were all interesting, but this was the one where we got to ride on the roof! We shared it with a large group of school kids off for a picnic by the river, treating us to a soundtrack of their loud, happy singing. They all wanted to shake hands, but it was really hard to let go of the rail for long enough to do this as we’d fly up in the air and land with a painful bump. The road was rough and narrow, and we travelled through rural Nepal, watching people working in the fields and bringing in the harvest.
Most memorable wild camp
Karl: Crazy Jug Point, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, USA
 |
| Waking up on the rim of the Grand Canyon |
Reaching this spot involved driving on a dirt track through forest for 35 miles, until the land ran out. The point had just enough room for
our tent before it dropped into the canyon, wilderness stretching away
into the distance. We had a fire, watched storms pass through the scenery, saw
the canyon change colour at dusk and dawn, and slept outside with our feet
practically dangling over the edge. It didn’t seem like it should be allowed-
camping there, for free, on a point of rock jutting out into the Grand Canyon-
it doesn’t get any better than that!
Harriet: Gertrude Saddle, Fjordland, New Zealand
 |
| Our tent at Gertrude Saddle |
A relatively short climb
up from the Milford Sound road brings you to this rocky saddle, with two
deep, glacial scoured valleys either side. Waterfalls stream down the cliffs to
the green of the valley floor, framed by
impossibly steep mountains. There wasn’t a breath of wind so we could camp in
the most exposed place possible, with the view dropping off
beyond. I spent the whole
time there just trying to absorb the ridiculously scenic view in every direction.
Favourite meal
Karl: Sushi restaurant in Kyoto, Japan
 |
| Sushi in Japan |
Harriet: Night market, Kupang, West Timor, Indonesia
 |
| Fresh fish in Kupang's night market |
Kupang was a run down, dirty Indonesian town where we kept getting stuck between transport connections to other islands. But every night the main street would be closed to traffic (no motorbikes to dodge!) and dozens of food stalls would set up. Most served the daily catch of fish and prawns, which you chose and watched as they seasoned and flame grilled it, or stir fried it in big woks. Meanwhile you can order a fresh smoothie from another stall (avocado and chocolate was a bizarre but delicious favourite!) and afterwards a dessert of Bulan - thick pancakes filled with custard. The place was always full of local families and everybody shared big tables under glaring lamps in the warm night.
Most amazing underwater experience
Karl and Harriet: Diving at Manta Point, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
 |
| Harriet meets a Manta |
This was the best dive either of us have ever experienced. We were lucky enough to have 14 manta rays glide past us during this memorable hour of our lives, some so close you instinctively ducked, even though they are very gentle and never touch people. They are massive, graceful, intelligent, and alien. Combined with the lunar landscape of the seabed here and the fast currents that whizz you along, it was an out of this world experience.
Karl and Harriet: Snorkelling at Pulau Bunaken, Indonesia
 |
| Pulau Bunaken, just like an aquarium. |
The reef here is packed with an amazing diversity of life; dozens of species of coral, brightly coloured fish, turtles and the odd sea snake. Snorkelling involved a relaxed drift along the wall at the point where it dropped hundreds of metres into the deep blue ocean. Big fish would swim by in the blue, but the real interest was the coral garden and its inhabitants in the warm, perfectly clear waters.
Most unusual accommodation
Karl: Houseboat in Kerala, India
 |
| Through the backwaters of Kerala on our own houseboat |
Harriet: Hotel Langtang View, Langtang Valley, Nepal
 |
| A tea house in the Himalayas |
This particular spot was very small, just a little hut with two rooms. It was early in the trekking day to stop, but the rare promise the owner made of a hot shower was too much. We relaxed in the afternoon sunshine until my ‘shower’ was ready. The owner then directed me to the cabbage patch behind the house, where a hot bucket of water awaited in the middle of the field. It turned out there was no bathroom at all here, but pouring hot water over myself in the open air, in the relative privacy of a field with mountain views all around, is the most memorable wash I've ever had! The evening was spent with the owner in his kitchen, just the four of us and him eating by the stove as he told us about life in the mountains and his family. It was more like a home stay than a guest house.
Best drive
Harriet: Desert road in Utah, USA
 |
| The road from Nevada to Utah |
We left Las Vegas on a ruler-straight, empty road,
the city disappearing in a desert haze in the rear view mirror. As we entered
Utah the skies darkened and the desert lit up in sunlight. There was a rainbow
overhead and the road twisted between red cliffs layered into stripes and cut
through with gorges, all glowing in the dramatic light.
Karl: West Coast, South Island of New Zealand
 |
| New Zealand's West Coast road |
It was a long wait before we
could make this journey, stuck in the van in a boring west coast town through some terrible weather. After 2
days of solid rain, the sun finally came out and we travelled the winding
coastal road to Punakaikai under blue skies. Surf crashed onto every beach as we wound up and
down headlands, the road lined with exotic green tree ferns. What cars were made for!
Best cultural experience
Karl: Tongkonan building, Tana Toraja, Sulawesi, Indonesia
 |
| Karl helps with the final stage of Tongkonan construction |
We spent two days on a self-guided village to village trek
through the interior of Sulawesi. On the first day we
stumbled upon a large gathering. The village men were on the final stage of construction of a huge, ornate
traditional wooden Tongkonan house. These unusual
buildings are shaped like a pair of buffalo horns and look more like boats than
houses, covered with intricate wooden carvings. There was a party atmosphere,
with all the women and children gathered to watch as the final strut was heaved
into place by teams of men on three sets of ropes. I was invited to join in on one of the ropes, before we were served coffee by the village women. It felt like something that would never have happened on an organised tour.
Harriet: Shiva festival, Kollum, India
 |
| Elephants, parasols and pom poms at the Shiva festival |
Overall highlight
 |
| Evolution Lake on the John Muir Trail |
Harriet: If I could choose just one part of the trip to
have again, it would be the month we spent hiking the John Muir Trail in the
Sierra Nevada, California. It was all that I love about mountains,
wilderness, camping, hiking and wild swimming, and I enjoyed every single day.
 |
| Van life, surfing in the Caitlins |
Karl: Exploring the South Island of New Zealand with our own
van and all the time in the world to do everything we enjoy.
And now for a few of the worst!
Worst room
Harriet: Tea house in Lobuche, Everest Valley, Nepal
We arrived into the Everest valley late after a very high
pass followed by a stressful crossing of the Khumbu glacier. This is where
crowds of Everest Base Camp hiking groups were staying for their final night,
and we struggled to find anywhere with a spare room. Eventually we had to
accept what was offered- basically a freezing cold plywood shack with a broken bed, a draughty door and holes in the floor. It was a
really miserable night.
 |
| Don't touch the light switch, Kupang |
Karl: Guesthouse in Kupang, West Timor, Indonesia
The few budget options in Kupang were equally disgusting,
dark and dank with mould on the walls, filthy light switches, and wires hanging out of the
sockets. They were ‘en suite’ with a combined squat toilet and shower - a cold
water pipe sticking out of the wall. We had no choice but to stay and just try
not to touch anything.
Scariest experience
Karl: Los Angeles, USA
We made the mistake of trying to walk a couple of blocks in
downtown LA- just to get to the bus station. Between boarded up
shops there were coupon food halls and the streets were full of the lowest
rung of American society- drunks having heated arguments, heroin addict prostitutes, hobos pushing their life’s belongings in a shopping trolley. Everybody was
staring at us and we felt very vulnerable. There were no cars driving the
street, and no taxis to hail so we turned on our heels and retreated to the
normality of Broadway and one of its cafes. A real eye
opener on our first day in the USA.
Harriet: Tubing the Waiau river, New Zealand
 |
| Harriet and her spare tyre |
The first time we tried out our tubes was on this wide,
braided river in the South Island. We started slowly, but before long were keen
to try out a bit of white water. It was deceptive though, and on this one
particular rapid we’d definitely bitten off more than we could chew. I went
first, Karl merrily following, videoing me until he realised I’d come off my
tube in a rough section of rapids. He then capsized as well, although I was
unaware of this. I was focused entirely on survival, hanging onto my tube and
desperately swimming for the river bank that was speeding by. It almost
put me off tubing entirely.
Worst food
 |
| Our kind hosts in Sulawesi (shame about the food) |
Harriet: Ordering the only thing I thought might be safe in
a station café in Java, Indonesia- a fried egg. It arrived cold, having been
cooked the day before and left out, and was covered in dead ants.
Karl: This sounds ungrateful as it was a very generous meal.
When we were trekking village to village in Sulawesi we stayed in the home of the
local teacher. His mother served us meat stew, which was probably a rare occurrence due to our being guests, but it was full of lumps of gristle and fat complete with skin
and, most disturbingly, hair. I managed to eat it for politeness sake, but was also forced to subtly have Harriet’s portion too as she just couldn’t stomach it!
A final note
Congratulations for getting this far! This is the last entry of the blog. We hope you've enjoyed reading over the past 18 months, and might have been inspired by some of the places we've written about and the adventures we've had.
For us, it all comes back to one question (and it’s one we’re
not going to address for a while):
Where next?!
Harriet and Karl
