Incoming!
Our couple of days in Lusaka last weekend brought me face-to-face with many readers of this blog, all of whom nagged at me because I hadn’t posted anything for months.
Almost. Eleven. Months. The last post was from Tokyo, early in our extended stay en route home from the US in November 2016. I’d been unwell with something minor that I just couldn’t shake off. Di seemed fine, but it was really only long after we got home that both of us really understood what had happened.
By then it was January. We’d been home since late in November, when we put our cases down and sagged into our respective chairs and stared at the Southern Atlantic breaking on the rocks outside.
December and Christmas passed, as did New Year. With the exception of a Christmas Day lunch invitation from some friendly neighbours, we didn’t move and the days passed in a gentle blur. Eventually, time being what it is, we both became aware that we were mending and beginning to think of resuming our more usual and active lives.
So, what ailed us?
That’s a longer story.
Earlier in 2016, we’d made our annual trip east and spent a week in our favourite Singapore and then travelled on to Penang. It was poor planning on my part – the hottest time of year with the daily temperatures hovering around 39C. And, at first, we were both puzzled about how hot and bothered we were – more than the extra impact of a heatwave and our previous experience would have made us believe.
Home again, the realisation dawned that the heat was one critical factor, but more crucially, age was catching up with us. The walk across the city to sip icy beer in the Raffles open air bar, or eat in Little India were no longer quite as realistic as they had once been and now, taxis needed to be factored into our plans as well.
And so it was in Japan. After a surprisingly stressful month in the US, at turns enjoying and then avoiding the traffic, we’d arrived in Tokyo, blissfully unaware of just how tired we were. Connecting the dots; Singapore and Penang, the US and Japan, age and travel. Without wanting to sound overly melodramatic, we’d just been on the edge of our stamina reserves without really realising it.
By late January, we were up and about again, but hard learned knowledge is useful knowledge and our travel plans have taken on a slightly less busy feel, with a more relaxed approach to both our days and our itineraries.
This morning (Friday), we’re zipping suitcases and checking documentation, prepping for the airport late this afternoon, Dubai at dawn tomorrow and London by lunch time. We’re off to celebrate Mrs P’s most recent 21st, with Laura and hubby Zach, Julian and girlfriend, Amy.
A relaxed week in London, then with our without Ryanair’s assistance – more of this later – we’re off to Oslo and Stockholm, me filling a promise to my wife (and world’s best travelling companion) to see some of Scandinavia.
Why not join us?
One last thing; make comments as you wish – please use the section below, rather than e-mail. Thanks.
Well after all that exciting bold to up to what I had suspected might be Lyme disease or perhaps something more exotically tropical you discovered you were just exhausted? I mean not even the faintest hint of listeriosis or Mas Cow disease…..neither the fleeting thought thought of tape worm or shigella…..just plain tired.
Well could have been worse. Have t seen you guys in years and from your missive perhaps you are still staying in Rooi Els.
Pity I was t included in the dinner you had with Gaspard and Violet couple of weeks back. Yes I do live 250km away but had I known you were paying…..!
I’m with Tracy in Botswana and leaving from here to BKK on Thursday.
BTW I’m also noticing modest alterations to my physical abilities but we forge on
Keep well guys
(Almost for the arithmetic ? wrong)
Rgds
Mike
It’s good to have you writing again. May the weather be kind to you on your travels in Scandinavia. May you discover some remarkable eateries. Have fun.
Absolutely Paul – have just returned from a week in Korea. Thought I’d be in and out before anything could catch me. Nope. Takes time to recover. Depressing!