1 Year Later

On the 1 year anniversary of starting my trip, I wrote a post for my Facebook page with a summary of the itinerary and a few reflections. It seemed like the blurb also belonged on this blog.

1 year ago today, I embarked on a wild 10 month journey around the world. I'm back and I'm feeling grateful for many things. That this style of "gap year" became more normalized during the pandemic. For the support of my family in all my travel endeavors. For the flexibility to be away from work for an extended time. And for the kind locals and fellow travelers who shaped the experience every step of the way.

Geographically, it was all over the place -- Europe, Australia, Polynesia, South America. Why? It was a balance between spending longer times in faraway places, attending two important weddings, and overlapping with other Menon travel itineraries.

The first phase was backpacking through Europe. I caught up with a college friend in the Netherlands, hiked and dined through Greece, island-hopped along the Croatian coast, marveled at caves and gorges in Slovenia, and savored classical music in Austria.

The second phase was an epic road trip in New Zealand, with my brother Vince and his wife Rachel. The North Island delighted with its coastline, Lord of the Rings scenery, and geothermal attractions. Not to be outdone, South Island wowed us with its mountains and fjords. A side trip to Stewart Island was worth it just to see kiwi in the wild. After briefly diverging, the three of us reunited in Tasmania for another road trip.

The third phase was our "siblings" trip, where Rachel's sister joined the fun. The four of us went straight for Australia's Greatest Hits. We celebrated the New Year in Sydney, braved the Great Barrier Reef, marveled at wildlife on Kangaroo Island, and caught a few matches of the Australian Open.

The fourth phase was the longest and most personally meaningful. I became a Melburnian for 6 months, renting a room in the suburb of Carlton. I found Melbourne to be a thriving city with good public transit, green spaces, and a tremendous variety of events -- sports, music, theater, comedy. New friends contributed to my Aussie cultural education. I cherish the times we spent exploring their home city, and the subtle ways I've been changed through these interactions.

In parallel with my time in Melbourne, I took side trips to Australia's big cities and remote corners. Highlights included seeing hot air balloons in Canberra, hiking with the kangaroos and emus in the Grampians, the fiery sunsets at Uluru, forest-bathing in Western Australia, encountering dingoes on Fraser Island, feeding a platypus at a sanctuary in Brisbane, sailing the Whitsundays, and crossing a crocodile-infested river in Kakadu. Through an exchange program, I was able to stay with local Aussie hosts along the way. They were fascinating and inspiring people, who greatly enriched my understanding of the country.

The fifth phase was attending Vince and Rachel's wedding in French Polynesia. What a treat to spend time with both families, making memories in a beautiful destination! After the wedding festivities, I tried my hand at ATV and jet-skiing. Moorea's lagoon was a true paradise. I loved snorkeling with the stingrays and sharks.

The final phase was a side trip to the Galapagos with my brother and parents. It was a tough place to be a DIY traveler, with tricky boat transfers, unreliable tour operators, and unforgiving volcanic terrain. It was still worth it! The endemic (and charismatic) animals were the stars here -- sea lions that blocked piers, dancing blue footed boobies, non-chalant tortoises, and piles of marine iguanas.
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After so much time away, it's good to be surrounded by the comforts of home. Sometimes a phrase or image will trigger a travel memory, sending my thoughts abroad. But I'm planning on staying in the US. This is still home, even if I see it a bit differently now.