What is the line from an idea to a full flying plan?
Not so simple. Firstly, the idea shall be viable. Moneywise and practically. It takes a long time, and many a sleepless night. When I lost my life’s companion, Hanne, followed a very long period of despair. Life had been too good. After 15 years abroad (even outside Europe), my World slowly came in form again.
It required with an old schoolmate, Uffe, a trip back to Asia (one week in Thailand and another in Hanoi and HaLong Bay). After 6 years at Soi Sailom, Bangkok,, I didn’t dare to walk the streets alone. Having departed from Uffe in Hanoi, I met again in Bangkok with old colleagues from the LVT years 2007-11, and with khun Fuu, with whom bonds are very special, from the years 1996-98 in PCD (Pollution Control Department), where she told me Thai customs and taught me all about Thai.
Uffe, also widower, and I hadn’t seen each other much for 57 years. Uffe had also as an engineer lived in Cairo and in Seoul, so he was “seasoned”. We went along very civilized, and in the autumn of 2018, we took a small week together to Gdansk in Poland. Again peacefully.
Lately, khun Pattarin, who brought me back in a wheelchair from Pakistan (Karachi) with blood poison, to 6 weeks in Bangkok International Hospital, turned up here as now an F.L.Smidth, Thai employee, and also lately khun David also from Bangkok had a Bed & Breakfast here. So, all in all, I got “hungry” again for “going exploring”, and they have both leveled the ground for some weeks out of Bangkok.
Judy and Erroll (NZ) were our neighbors 50 years back in Samoa, and Scott (AUS) and I had good times together in HaLong, prior to him settling down with Jennifer , and now the father of four siblings, out of which I have twice got to know “Nikita” (the eldest and just as every first girl his darling). Moreover, Jennifer’s parents gave Hanne and me the most marvelous welcome into there very special live inside “New South Wales”.
A new friend here in my block comes from Antofugasta (Chile), and as his uncle owns the hostel, I had selected there, he has secured some connection to Chile/ Peru. We had with Suzanne/ Christian and their Sarah, Daniel & Emilie three wonderful family weeks in Brazil in early 2017, prior to our sudden loss of Hanne. My trip will terminate with them (Thomas, who has lived one year here with Marie and Christian plus all their friends 20 years back). Thomas, his wife Andrea and sister Anette are now our Brazil family in Sao Paulo.
All of a sudden, the puzzle was laid for a circling the Globe. Do I have to say, that I feel good? The Project is so well laid out, despite the fact, that some by me desired destinations are missing or off the route for now?
Around the World alone! (Alene rundt om vores Verden!)
The below diary will be in English, as this is the way my thinking goes. My mind has now been set to make a 8 – 10 steps trip going East. With the winds. Start shall be 24th (Now 29 of September. Some days after one of son Christians birthdays. My (Slægt), family is what as been left after a more than interesting “simple” life.
When setting out for the encounter, I will be 80 years old. The doctor says, “just do it”.
I and my wife Hanne with me have left “terrible” CO2 footprints, but so let it be.!
We grabbed the life, as it was laid open for us. No regret!
At each destination, I will write something positive, for next generations to think about. Life has been so generous to us. (Jannie Iwankow of Kristeligt Dagblad has on 25. April 2019 made an Interview with me regarding my motifs for encircle the Globe!).
Decisions so far:
The route will be Eastwards. With the winds. A lot of fuel will be saved that way! More, as a new aeronautical system as from this year will allow all flights to follow direct circles and/or avoiding heavy head wind.
Stop-overs will be great places, some of which have left memorable times. Where I have met persons of integrity: A few destinations represent places, which I have dreamt of. I shall cross things; I have not encountered in the 50 years of Adventures. This goes for the ANDES, so my Diary might be named: In the REIGN of the CONDOR. (I Kondorens Rige).
Chile and Peru will be new countries to me. Up in the Andes (Atacama Desert) are 4-5 of the World best VLT (very large telescopes) observatories. Similarly, to the ones we saw for 50 years ago at Magna Loa & Magna Kea (Hawaii). 3-4 more are under construction. 5-6 VLT’s all over the Globe works together on Space subjects. Lately they have this way found a star like ours, but in another Galaxy. The Air up there is so dry. Scientist from all over wait for years to book a single night’s observation.
Underneath all of this shall be a search for Existentialism!
From where we come, to where do we go?
Guidance can be the great (religious) gurus, Gandhi, Nelson Mandera, Victor Frankl etc.
Others could be figures as Jenghiz Khan, Great Moguls, Jean-Paul-Satre.
Some strong people set their goals for conquering the greatest Mountains of our World, extreme places as the North Pole etc. (Knud Rasmussen). My age and physical state leaves this out of range range, so let it be! Dostojewski has expressed: If GOD didn’t exist, everything would be allowed? Quite ensuring!
”Why travel so compressed and totally Alone”?
I have decided to enter the fifth stage of life, which I name “ALONE DOM”. (The Egyptian “Tree of Life” has ONLY four steps. No 4 is Old Age, with a bird looking West towards Sunset). Working periods have too much been filled up with care for others and for conventual details. My long travel from a simple peasant life to walking on the “polished floors” calls for a review. What can then be more elegant, than to select as many stops as well possible on a straight RWT line? US, Hawaii, China, Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines plus all of Africa cannot be found on the List, as choices had to be made.
It is high time to look inwards! 50 years ago, when commencing work abroad, we (my life’s companion, Hanne and I) said goodbye to “the tail” of colonialism, welcomed Capitalism.
PanAm 1 and PanAm 2 daily encircled the World in opposite directions. Now has come the Electronic World (IT), Globalization, Space Age, disruption etc. I will not be going there, just sniffing a bit! (No more than an extra 10 years).
The RWT ticket system has along the line proved somewhat complicated to utilize fully, and corners have then to be cut (no Pakistan, no Egypt or Iran, no Vietnam, no Philippines, no Tahiti (as least no overnight stay). Eastern Island instead for two nights. Samoa is out also out, as the last visit was somewhat depressing!
Why was the Past worth all the efforts? Why can some achieved skills just be skipped, making more room for others in years to come, now, where physical and my mental capacity for sure will diminish?
Will I face and care for realities? – Yes,
A grown-up person, GH, may, as it is planned now, from Denmark closely follow the trip. She/he will be taken care of problems along the Route, if any!
DIARY, maybe in form of a BLOC, will focus on positive aspects of LIFE, as it folds out.
One aspect observed from each country.
When or if compiled, the title of a later edited Dairy/ Book could be one of below:
In the Reign of the CONDOR!
Over the ANDES on the southern HEMISPHERE.
Eastbound on the Southern Skies.
Under the Southern CROSS again, or
An Eye in the Sky!
It is today 51/49 years since we lived in the Pacific Ocean under the majestic Star Pictures of the Southern Hemisphere (South Seas). The majority of the Stars of our Galaxy are ONLY visible on the the southern horizon!
Route in detail.
CPH (By TG951 as usual)
Bangkok
(Trang, Hua Hin, Kanchanaburi, TPP, koh Li Pi) (New & Sasi)
Denpasar (Bali), Tandjung Sari, Sanur, visited in 1970
Brisbane Toowomba (Settlers Inn), Sydenham, Emerald, Gladstone
Auckland, YMCA, Hamilton, Whangmata, Rotorua? etc.)
Easter Island (2 nights)
Santiago, (Happy House Hostel) (overland to Lima via Antufugasta)
Antufugasta, Quepie Hostel
Panacas (Hotel Grand Palma)
Lima (Hotel Espana)
Sao Paulo, (Cousin Thomas, Andrea & Annette). Visited 1991 & 2017
CPH, TAP via Lisboa
Overland stretches.
Bangkok to Thong Pha Pumh near Burma (bus)
Bangkok to Trang (bus via Hua Hin?)
Santiago to Lima via Antofagasta (bus 40 hrs., 3.297 km)
Brisbane to Surat (bus)
Surat//Roma to Emerald, Rockhampton, Brisbane (hitchhiking? bus/ car?)
Auckland to Hamilton, Rotorua, Whangamata return (bus).
INSPIRATIONS:
1) Captain Joshua Slocum. Alone around the Sea. Ene Mand om Bord. – ”first single hand sailor”. Jorden rundt. Start 24. April 1895 in a renovated cutter” Spray”. Home again 27. June 1898 having done 60.000 nautical miles. All his friend expressed: Slocum has become young again!” (now 54 years old). Spray didn’t find any new countries, for there wasn’t any un-explored. Slocum just completed, what he set out to do! (J.P. Satre: Man is nothing, but what he makes himself!) Sailor Slocum; followed the rule of life: move with caution and be ready to meet any difficulty
2) Arctic Explorer Knud Rasmussen. His motto:” Further, further” (videre, videre) made him the greatest polar explorer. His fifth expedition across Canada became his finest achievement.
3) Antarctic Explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his ship ENDURANCE 1914. He brought after 22 months (4 of which were shipwrecked) all his 27 members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition home from the Weddell Sea south of “Tierra del Fuiga”. The rescue made him the toughest). (read Alfred Manning’s book. in Danish: Mands Mod).
Latest:
Start date will now be 29th of September, as my wish to travel via Lahore/ Egypt and/or Teheran is proving too hard a start! (Too many stopovers/deviations).
20190520 START FINAL A