Time goes by so quickly and now already 6 years past since I arrived here in Japan!
This was somehow my personal maximum target; even I started initially with 2 years only ;-)
I loved every second of it and I already know I gonna miss the country and all friends I need to leave back! But the world is small so I am sure it is not a "Good bye" - just a "See you later"!
Over the past years I always thought about, to make once a long journey to see more of the world and in a more intense way. So I was working on this idea, to make it come true for sure and the time has come now...
I use the end of my Japanese assignment and the new start of my next career at my company to realize this dream of mine. So I plan a trip of 9 months starting in Japan going mainly to South East Asia & Australia. You might think this is not much, but I already feel the time is too short, as those countries are so large and versatile, which would be a pity to rush trough.
Here you can find my detail stops: (Click to enlarge)
End of MarchI start moving to Bangkok which I will use as Hub for my trips, where I stay 2 weeks to get organized obtaining necessary visa. Then the Australia trip starts which will follow from west (Perth) to north (Darwin) and north through the center (Alice Springs) to south (Adelaide)
After a brief stop at home to celebrate my grandma`s 90th birthday it goes on from south Australia (Melbourne) to East (Sydney) and up the coast to north (Cairns) to the barrier reef. Everything by camper van which means more than 12.000km, which would be same far as going by car from Tokyo to Graz;-)
The 2nd half of the trip is as backpacker through South East Asia starting again in Bangkok. Heading north to Chiang Mai to the boarder of Laos, then on the Mekong to the 2 Main cities Luang Prabang & Vientiane.
Flying next to north Vietnam (Hanoi) and following the highlights along the east coast down to Ho Chi Min city (Saigon).
Further by bus/air to Cambodia to finally visit- long time dream – the large temple area Angkor Wat and the hidden beaches of Cambodia south of Phnom Phen.
Finally crossing the border back to Thailand, fading out the trip on one of the tropical island, before flying back to Japan.
After a 3 week final autumn celebration trough out the country on Japans fastest trains, the journey will end at beginning of December for my final attempt going back home…
Sounds much? Tough? Impossible? … sounds to me like a real adventure!
I learned a lot here in Japan and one for sure:
CONGRATULATIONS - You have made it reading to this point, so you already proofed yourself to be ready to follow me on this longer travel ;-)
So be my guest and follow this adventure on my footprints…
Yours truly Marco Polo
