France is the final country of our Epic Expedition, and this
is our final blog post based on country by country experiences. As the keyboard
on Bob’s Surface no longer works, any computer work has become extreme tedious,
hence there are no photos with this posting. Hopefully we will also have time
and energy to reflect on the meaning of the full nine months we’ve been on the
road, and will also commit those summary thoughts to this site.
We spent three and half weeks in France, a few days longer
than first planned, because we preferred to leave northern Italy ahead of
forecast torrential rain (that subsequently drenched the region and caused
major flooding). We also chose not to hug the north Italian coast and the
southern French beaches, opting instead for the route through the many tunnels
of the Italian and French Alps, including one tunnel of twelve km.
These weeks have been less ‘adventurous’ – not lost as
often, food has exceeded expectations, more English language is spoken
(compensating for our abysmal abilities – limited to hello, please, thank you
and goodbye). Also, the landscape has been more ‘civilised’ – less mountainous,
better roads, dependable road signage … Autumn leaves have continued to amaze
us throughout the country.
At a semi-alpine city called Chambery, we met up with a pair
of young backpackers whom we’d befriended last year when they were on their own
epic Australian adventure. We enjoyed these face to face chats with them. They
were only people we’d met in nine months of travel whom we had previously
known.
Continuing westwards, and traveling through attractive rural
countryside, we stayed first in a small village for two nights and caught up on
some pleasant hilly walking.
From there, we went to yet another small rural medieval village,
staying in a rented apartment for a full week. The apartment was quite a luxury
for us – it was spacious, had cooking facilities, and was quiet. At this
village (Lauzerte), we went on two country walks, ten km and twenty km and also
visited the nearby city of Toulouse (where Airbuses are made).
We were also keen to seen something of war history, so drove
north to Normandy, on whose beaches Allied troops miraculously landed and
liberated France and in turn the rest of Europe seventy years ago this last June.
Frightfully cold, damp weather slowed us down, and besides, most of the
businesses that cater for tourists have already closed down for winter. Nonetheless,
we spent our available time quite productively, and WW2 history will be all the
more meaningful to us as a result of seeing these places first hand.
Returning the car (after 15,782 km) provided us with our
final driving challenge. Now a GPS does not handle road-works and detours well,
so in the busy centre of downtown Rennes, where road-works abound in the
vicinity of Europcar/train station, we could still be circling our destination
if Anne had not gone ahead on foot to investigate. Even then, it took several
more three km loops before we met up again at a pre-arranged street corner and another
three loops before we correctly identified the obscure alleyway into the car
park. That’s the way we spent two hours of a Wednesday morning. Luckily we had
no time constraints such as an imminent train departure. We felt blessed to
have had five months of safe travel literally all over Europe.
Two visits to a computer store followed: one to purchase a
new keypad for Bob’s Surface tablet, and the other to return it upon realizing
that it was not a qwerty keyboard.
A three hundred km train ride then took us to Paris, and
after a half hour ride in the underground, arrived at the suburb of Montmartre
where our Airbnb host met us. Since then, life has been straightforward as we
rediscover the city’s attractions – albeit in temperatures of ten, six and two
degrees! In a week’s time, Brisbane temperatures will shock our systems in the
opposite direction!
We are spending our final days in Paris, staying in the second
Airbnb apartment we rented. Two days before arriving we received an email from
the original host saying it no longer suited for us to stay in his
apartment. A hasty search lead us to
this place, interestingly situated in an area where 90% of the population is
African, which opens up quite a different face to the city.
As we visited Paris three years ago it is not new to us, so
this time we have been able to see new sights, some where the walking discovery
tours take us and others of our own accord. An afternoon at the famous Paris
flea markets was fascinating, where one can buy everything from the smallest to
the largest, the exotic to the ordinary. Amongst all of this Anne was delighted
to find a red leather cap to replace the one that was lost at the end of our
last trip to Europe.
We fly out from Paris on 5th of December and will
spend three nights in Singapore before arriving back in Brisbane on the 9th. That will bring to a close what we now term
our Epic Expedition. We are very aware
of the many blessings that have accompanied us every day of our travels,
particularly safety and health. If you are one of the people who have supported
our travels with prayer, thank you. Thank you to all for taking the time to
follow our journey. It’s been good to have written for an audience, as well as
having the discipline of a blog giving us cause to reflect on the different
stages of our journey.
The significance of what we have achieved will enact itself
in our lives in different ways over time. For now, here are some of our
individual reflections.
Parting thoughts from Anne
Respected travel
writers often develop the theme that travel is not just for a holiday, but a
time to extend one's boundaries and be challenged in what you see and do. That
had certainly been the case for me for over the last nine months as I have achieved
things we never thought possible
and seen things I could
not have imagined. Our
photos will show our walking paths in Spain, deserts in Morocco, peasant farming
in Romania, snow in Austria. There are photos of grand buildings and simple
huts; of individual faces along with crowds of thousands. We have seen so much yet know that if we did
it again there would be more to see ... and even more after that. What an amazing world we live in.
The learning has
been constant, daily encountering sights that stimulated my understanding in
history, geography, religion, war and peace, art, architecture,
socio-economics, food, technology .... the list goes on. So often these things
give cause for comparison with our life in Australia, thus giving a double
outcome in the learning. I have been
reminded that Australia is a very young country. We are not the centre of the
world as our politicians may like to think and while we are a 'lucky' country
in many ways we still have a lot of growing to happen.
We have not
travelled in the 'traditional' way of sixty-plus year olds. If you look back on photos you'll see us
wearing the same limited clothes that we had at the start of the trip. No make-up for nine months, no perfumes or
dressing up to go out, no English television or magazines. For most of the time
our space has been limited to a bed in a hostel, a small room in a guest house
or hotel and driving in our car. It's been a simple existence and that has also been an
important part the learning for me. A particular blessing is that after nine months
of constant togetherness our relationship has not faltered and the sharing of
such rich experiences has given us a unique bond.
Our trip has been
made all the richer because of the hospitality hosts we have stayed with. After making contact with these people over
twelve months ago it was good to meet them in person. Without exception we have
been warmly welcomed into every home and have learnt so much through our
conversations and many questions.
Sincere thanks to you all and we look forward to continuing to host
fellow travellers upon our return.
Soon we will be
home in familiar places with familiar faces and that too has its special attraction. I return richer in memories and experience to
be shared and used in a way that benefits others.
And from Bob
Nine months. The time it takes to
make a baby. That’s how long we’ve roamed greater Europe during 2014, evolving
and growing as citizens of the world. I’ve walked the road (the Camino de
Santiago), recognising my own abilities and limitations, but also recognising and
growing my strengths. We’ve learned to navigate and travel by car, bus, train
and ferry in the various countries, driven safely on the wrong side of the road
for five months.
I treasure the days, weeks and months
that I’ve had here, experiencing first-hand the marvels of nature, human
endeavour, and cultures. These have been days of adventure, exhaustion,
solitude and sharing with my life’s companion. Anne is both the motivation for and
joy of sharing these nine months!
As a result of our experiences, I’d
like to think I’ve become less insular and more tolerant. And that people will
become more tolerant of me and my culture.
Were we successful in achieving our objectives?
We’ve certainly had little opportunity to hanker after ‘the good old days’ of Anne’s
24/7 intense working life! In terms of specific plans for 2015 and beyond? Only
to make a gentle resumption of Australian life, to spend supportive time with
each of our children and their families, and to construct a positive period of
early retirement years.
Some thoughts to my family and
friends: I’d like you too to be bold and adventurous in all ways. I’d like this
Epic Expedition of ours to give you ‘permission’ and encouragement to also
seize opportunities. God bless you all through your own life’s travels.
