Highlights From A Trip of A Lifetime – 19 Flights in 5 Weeks
Eating a plate of rice and stewed beef at the food court in JKIA (Jomo Kenyatta International Airport), I looked out as the sun set on Nairobi. I was waiting to board my flight, journeying to my new home in the US. What a ride it’d been, five weeks solo on the road is definitely the longest time I’ve travelled.This has definitely been a trip of a lifetime, I’m thankful for it and I certainly hope for more of these trips. As I sat there, I mentally went through some highlights, fun events, and ‘low lights’ from the trip. I’m sharing some of them here:
Why Did I Travel For So Long:
I had the opportunity to take a short leave of absence from work as I transitioned from the UK to the US. Knowing that opportunities like these are rare, I took it because I needed the rest and reset. I’m ready for a paycheck now though ;).
Where:
New Zealand, Vanuatu, Rwanda, and Kenya in that order
How I Decided On Each Destination:
I hinted at this in my 2018 travel goals, but I took on places that have long been on my dream list. It just felt right.
Vanuatu: Out of curiosity, I only found out about the existence of this country of 250,000 six years ago. I’ve been so curious about the people, the culture, and the country in general. I was not disappointed.
Rwanda: To see first-hand the growth since the events of 1994 and to intentionally support local tourism. Did I see gorillas or not? You’ll have to find out!
Kenya: to fulfill a 15-year old promise/dream to my college roommates and one of my best friends.
New Zealand: See the caption below:
How Worn Are My Heels? A Summary of The Journey:
- 35 Days, 19 flights, 8 airlines, 33475 miles by air
- 1 stunning train ride, 5 Bus rides, 2 road trips
- 8 boat rides, 6 Dhow rides
- Worst jetlag
- A mix of Hostels, Motels, Hotels, Airbnbs,
- More than 100 cups of tea
- Three lost pairs of sunglasses (this is why I buy cheap sunglasses)
- A personal chef, unexpectedly
- What feels like 1,000 mosquito/insect bites
- One ride on a donkey named Handsome
- Sunsets and sunrises that can only be canvases of Grace
- 4 books, ~19 podcasts
- Several conversations with strangers
- Last minute visa troubles and a trip that almost didn’t happen, 2 visas on arrival
- One pair of shoes discarded on the road
- Several milestones, lessons and stories
- An adventure for the books and memories for a lifetime
- Re-energized for a new season, still curious to see the world
- These heels are well worn for sure (all pun intended)!!
The more worn the heels, the more the stories of adventure – Wellwornheels
The Highlights
- Best Chai Lattes: Surprisingly, New Zealand!
- Most Enlightening: This one’s a toss up between Vanuatu and Rwanda
- Most Inspiring: Rwanda
- Best Interaction with Locals: Vanuatu but locals in Rwanda and Lamu, Kenya were very friendly
- Most Shocking Moment: Seeing the King and Queen of the jungle mate right in front of us in Maasai Mara!
- Favorite Sunrise: Impossible to pick, so many. God is THE master!!!
- Thought-provoking theme: China’s investment in developing countries
- Most Adventurous: Definitely New Zealand. There’s so much I didn’t do here, so many options! I did hike a glacier, ride in a helicopter, and jump out of a perfectly good plane
- Longest Travel: 52 hours from Vanuatu to Rwanda (door to door including layover, my gosh!)
- Proud Moment: Hearing Nigerian (Davido) music at a store in Vanuatu. I was so excited, of course they turned up the volume 😉
- Favorite Culinary Experiences: Breakfast in Wanaka, NZ; Seafood in Vanuatu; and trying an array of Rwandan food on my day tour with Go Kigali
- Favorite Aha Moment: So many, I have aha moments all the time when I travel and my sister bears the brunt of hearing them. I shared one of such from Maasai Mara here
- Most Airport Security Checks: Rwanda, geez!
- Least Airport Security Checks: Jeddah
- Favorite Souvenir: Custom-made sign in Lamu with a nod to Swahili architecture
- Heartwarming moment: The moments on the beach with the Janet & Fufi in Vanuatu, my tour guide’s wife in Lamu making me mandazis because there weren’t any in town.
- ‘Pinch me’ Moments: watching sunrise and sunset, hiking a glacier, stepping foot in Vanuatu, finally making it to Kenya
I can’t wait to share images, tips, stories, images from these highlights and so much more in the coming weeks. Which of these highlights do you want to hear about either on the blog or on my Instagram feed?
Till next week,
Ms. Heels
Oh my! What a journey! I’m eager to hear about all of it in detail but ?? first please..for obvious biased reasons! Cheers !!
Hahaha I just came to respond and I realized that my response to your comment from Maasai Mara didn’t post. Ugh, these internets sha! You will have to be patient a bit for Rwanda but I will get to it!!! Hope all’s well with you! Have a great week!!
Love every single thing. Gosh, what an experience – definitely one of a lifetime. Now I see why people take weeks off just to travel!
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