Arrangements Complete, We're Ready To Go!

Wow, what an expensive week it has been. After years of spending very little, I have spent more money in the last seven days, than I usually would in six months. It makes me nervous when I shell out so much cash, especially when travelling, but I am well aware that this is an important journey for Darrell and I and today, at 51 years old, I need to start living life again. If the pandemic has taught me anything, it's just how short life really is.

The first leg of our trip has finally been booked; We will be staying with family in Croatia, along the Dalmatian Coast, three hotels in Thailand and an apartment in Australia. I am looking forward to seeing our Croatian Cousins more than I can say, and it was always important that we spent time with them, before flying off to Australia to see Mum. Marin and Vlatka have always been welcoming, inviting us into their home, and we have made some wonderful memories over the years. It will be a fantastic place for me to begin my lifestyle break, in the company of family, surrounded by people we both love at a very auspicious time.

From Croatia, after a few days in London, we will fly directly to Bangkok, staying at the Siam Heritage Hotel, in the centre of the city, next we will move Closer to Chao Phraya River and the older part of the city, where we will stay at the Nouvo City Hotel, which according to 'Trust Piolet' and 'Trip Advisor,' is rated excellent. The days of me backpacking around the World are well and truly over, today I want a little more luxury; playing slightly more for a four-star hotel will be worth it in the end, especially when one considers the long flight to Australia when we leave Thailand. It is also important for us to stay in an LGBTQI+ friendly hotel, which the Nouvo Hotel has an amazing reputation for.

Situated in the historic quarter of the city, both of us want to explore the monuments, temples and buildings that make up the fabric of the city. Because both of us have travelled so much in our life, we have very little baggage, nothing of any real significance to take with us on our journeys. What we do have is photographs, hundreds and hundreds of photographs, luckily today in digital format, that document our travels around the World. These are the only things we really value; well, that and a few memories of our cats. Recording the sites and sounds we experience in Thailand, will be another reminder of this once in a lifetime vacation. Pictures are a reminder of the good things in our life; tangible objects only create clutter and confusion; photographs are markers to memories otherwise forgotten.

On our arrival in Australia, I have booked an Airbnb apartment near Victoria Park. Initially we were going to stay with Darrell's Mother at her home in Midvale, but due to the extensive nature of our travels, both of us thought it was best to quarantine ourselves for a while. Darrell's Mother has cancer, and it is important to keep her out of harms way. This was the most difficult place to find appropriate accommodation. Not only is it expensive, but there is also a serious lack of quality hotels and flats on our budget.

After looking extensively on Expedia, where I booked the rest of our holiday, I decided to turn to Airbnb. This wasn't something I wanted to do initially, because I have heard bad things about using this site, but I was running out of options, so had a look. I found a lovely little unit, with stunning views of the city, which would be perfect for the two of us. The set-up process on Airbnb was a bit laborious if I am honest, but once through the red tape it was a joy to navigate. Communication between us and our host Stacey was superb, and I was suitably impressed with the service offered. The flat is a little basic, but for a brief period of self-isolation it should be perfect; it looks like a great place to start our Australian adventure.

We plan to spend several months in Australia and hope to travel from one side to the other, experiencing the best the country has to offer. We will of course make more definite plans when we are there, but it will involve spending quality time with Mum and the rest of Darrell's family. There is so much of Western Australia I want to see, that I haven't already; I haven't been there for many years, so making time to navigate this vast state will be both our priorities for the first few weeks.

Despite not having made any firm arrangements for our time down under, I have organised my flight out of the country in November, just after Darrell's Birthday. I have booked a flight with Jetstar Airways to fly to Bali in Indonesia, a place I have visited briefly before, twenty-four years ago. This may be a part of the journey I do on my own, while Darrell stays with Mum. Beginning in Bali, I want to explore more of Asia, especially places off the beaten track, and hope to go to Laos and explore more of Vietnam and Cambodia. Darrell will fly out a little later and meet me, so we can continue our journey together.

Whatever happens during this break, we hope to visit many countries on our bucket list. Of course, COVID will always be in the back of our minds, but now feels right to start flying around the globe once more. There is so much I want to do before I am too old, and time waits for no man. Feeling hopeful, COVID will not interfere with our plans, we just want to get back to doing what we do best in this post COVID era. A year does seem a long time to be travelling, but we have saved hard for this, and I am used to living out of a suitcase. This is yet another new chapter in our life together, as new horizons direct our way, to a year vastly different from any we have seen before!

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