Myself, Brutos and Eusebius had some difficult decisions to make a few days ago. We had intended in taking a flight connecting Hong Kong to Bangkok and Bangkok to Bombay, from there, catch a train to the city of Cochin in the south of India to visit our friend JK and his family. I had first met JK four years earlier in Ireland when I hired him in the company I had been working for. When he learned that I had decided to go hunting around the world he had graciously offered me to visit his family in India. An offer I fully intended taking up. And one made even sweeter when I found he and his new wife would be there until the 11th of Feb until they flew home.
When we found out at the airport that there was a problem with the visa which would mean having to wait 5 days in Hong Kong, thereby, missing our friend in India -we had some very tough decisions to make about the rest of our trip.
We decided to take in the wonderful Chinese New Year’s celebrations to give us time to make a decision what our next step would be. The festivities were amazing. It was if Halloween, Christmas, everybody’s birthday and New Year’s were all rolled into one. Colliding with a musical, colourful, week long arts and crafts extravaganza.
When we sat down to talk about our options Brutos went for staying on course, applying for the visa , checking out some more things in Hong Kong and then going on and exploring India. I wanted to go north and check out the loud whispers of the sleeping giant and his wall and Eusebius said that after much moiling and toiling and diving right to the bottom of his introspection ocean he had decided that enough rich hunting for one expedition had been had and that a return to Ireland to chronicle his events, write down his thoughts, and meet friends and family was in order. As ever, we are a democracy and with a divided house like this I always had the casting vote to make final decision. When I finally made the decision I brought Brutos for a walk to the zoo and botanical gardens in the centre of skyscraper mania in downtown. We both stood in front of the jaguar’s cage and watched his nimble powerful tale stab playfully at a fly that seemed to be hell bent on attacking one of his whiskers. As we watched I told Brutos that after 28 flights, 10 countries, 30 passport stamps, 24 hostels, 14 hotels, 7 apartments, 3 bungy jumps, 1 sky dive, zero doses of serious illness, 1 dose of sun burn, 1 dose of diarrhoea, 2 lost cameras, 4 pairs of flip-flops, 6 parcels sent home, 5000 emails, 4 tsunamis missed, 1 laptop’s miraculous survival (albeit seriously injured), 1200 photos and the longing for Tayto crisps and a proper pint of Guinness, that it was time to go home! To his credit and my surprise ( I was expecting a cogent argument about how while on this side of the planet we should go forward, multiple questions like: when would be here again? Will anything have changed at home? Why not just keep on course? Let’s lie on the beaches of Goa and explore the back streets of Mangalore and Bangalore. Let’s meditate with the Dali Lama and learn how to make a proper Indian curry paste? None of these came forward. ) He simply stabbed his tail in unison with the joyful Jaguar and said, “I agree master. Let’s go home. Hunting has been good. There will be plenty more.”
So here I am writing this final blog of this expedition from my bedroom, in my parent’s house, in windy Waterford, in the beautiful south of Ireland. Having given my mother an almighty shock in the hallway, raided the fridge and had a nap in my bed I am glad to report that it feels good to be home. The next month will be all about recharging, relaxation and rejuvenation. I'm going into hibernation and will see you all in March or sometime soon in the not too distant future.
The last 11 months have been unforgettable. My eyes feel opened and they seem to be able to see a little wider and in a little more detail; the dogs are talking again and I got that education i set off for from the very begining. I am looking forward already to my next adventures and the next chronicles of The Irish Rambling Vagabond - so stay tuned into this channel - I still don't know where or when they will be, but, i do know that they're only a whisker around the corner.
Thanks to everyone who stayed in contact with me and particularly those who sent me mails or tried to call me during the tsunami devastation. It meant a lot. I look forward to getting in contact with you all to hear how life has been treating you. Talk to you post-hibernation. Tchau. Ate Logo, Au Revoir agus Slan go Foill. The I.R.V., Eusebius and Brutos
