The World Tour
Did you ever wake up one morning and realise you’re half way through a life you don’t actually enjoy; that you’re doing a job that wasn’t fulfilling, that you’re stuck in a country that you dislike more and more with each passing day and that something simply has to change? For me that day was Monday 21st January 2008. It was 5am and it was cold, dark and miserable outside and I had long tiring day at work ahead of me. I’d just found out the previous day that my two best friends were finalising plans to move to Canada and I had a heachache. It had all the ingredients of being a bad day.
As I headed north that morning I couldn’t fight it any longer - I had to get away from the UK. Fast. Five or six good friends had left the country in the previous few years and I was starting to feel like the last man standing. Having friends all around the world, people tell you, is good for holiday opportunites but sharing someone elses life for a few days every now and then is never gonna be a substitute for doing something with your own life.
For several years I’d been taking short breaks over in the States and I’d been thinking of doing something a little more adventurous ever since I got back from my previous trip to Florida. Now was the time to go for it. I emailed half a dozen travel agents that evening and, within a couple of weeks, I’d put together a rough itinerary and booked the flights.
The following is where I’m at right now. It’s deliberately a little vague as I want to make a lot of it up as I go along. I’ve booked all of the flights and the race weekends but much of the rest is fluid.
Thursday 1st May – Flight: London - Montreal & pick up rental car
Friday 2nd May – Montreal
Saturday 3rd May – Drive to Grand Falls Gorge
Sunday 4th May – Check out Grand Falls Gorge then drive to Fredericton via Hartland Covered Bridge
Monday 5th May – Fundy National Park & Hopewell Rocks Exploration Site
Tuesday 6th May – Drive to Kejimkujik National Park
Wednesday 7th May – Lunenburg, Peggys Cove, Halifax
Thursday 8th May – Cabot Trail & Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Friday 9th May – Cabot Trail & Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Saturday 10th May – Prince Edward Island National Park
Sunday 11th May – Kouchibouguac National Park
Monday 12th May – Gaspe Peninsula and Forillon National Park
Tuesday 13th May – Gaspe Peninsula and Forillon National Park
Wednesday 14th May – Drive to Quebec City
Thursday 15th May – Quebec City
Friday 16th May – Montreal & drop off rental car
Saturday 17th May – Train: Montreal to Ottawa
Sunday 18th May – Ottawa
Monday 19th May – Train: Ottawa to Toronto
Tuesday 20th May – Train: Toronto to Vancouver
Wednesday 21st May – Train: Toronto to Vancouver
Thursday 22nd May – Train: Toronto to Vancouver
Friday 23rd May – Arrive Vancouver & collect car
Saturday 24th May – Vancouver
Sunday 25th May – Head east to Kamloops stopping at Hope Slide & Hells Gate Airtram
Monday 26th May – Continue on to Mount Revelstoke NP
Tuesday 27th May – Mount Revelstoke NP - Glacier NP
Wednesday 28th May – Glacier NP - Yoho NP
Thursday 29th May – Yoho NP
Friday 30th May – Yoho NP - Kooteny NP
Saturday 31st May – Kootenay NP - Banff NP
Sunday 1st June – Banff NP & Lake Louise
Monday 2nd June – Banff NP - Jasper NP
Tuesday 3rd June – Jasper NP
Wednesday 4th June – Jasper NP - Whistler
Thursday 5th June – Jasper NP - Whistler
Friday 6th June – Whistler - Vancouver
Saturday 7th June – Flight: Vancouver - Seattle & collect car
Sunday 8th June – Seattle
Monday 9th June – Boeing Tour (9.30am) & drive to Olympic NP
Tuesday 10th June – Olympic NP
Wednesday 11th June – Olympic NP & drive to Cannon Beach
Thursday 12th June – Drive to Mount St Helens NVM
Friday 13th June – Visit Multnomah Falls and Portland
Saturday 14th June – Portland and drive to Crater Lake NP
Sunday 15th June – Crater Lake NP & drive to Redwood NP
Monday 16th June – Redwood NP
Tuesday 17th June – Drive to Redding to and visit McArthur-Burney Falls SP
Wednesday 18th June – Lassen Volcanic NP
Thursday 19th June – San Francisco
Friday 20th June – Oakland - USS Hornet & baseball ground
Saturday 21st June – San Francisco
Sunday 22nd June – Race: Nascar - Infineon Raceway
Monday 23rd June – US-50 to Great Basin NP
Tuesday 24th June – US-50 to Great Basin NP
Wednesday 25th June – Great Basin NP then drive to Bonneville Salt Flats SP
Thursday 26th June – Drive to Craters of the Moon NM
Friday 27th June – Grand Teton NP
Saturday 28th June – Grand Teton NP
Sunday 29th June – Yellowstone NP
Monday 30th June – Yellowstone NP
Tuesday 1st July – Drive to Glacier NP
Wednesday 2nd July – Drive to Glacier NP
Thursday 3rd July – Glacier NP
Friday 4th July – Coeur d’ Alene for fireworks at dusk
Saturday 5th July – Drive to Mt Rainier NP
Sunday 6th July – Mt Rainier NP & North Cascades NP
Monday 7th July – North Cascades NP & then Flight: Seattle - Anchorage
Tuesday 8th July – Anchorage
Wednesday 9th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Thursday 10th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Friday 11th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Saturday 12th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Sunday 13th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Monday 14th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Tuesday 15th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Wednesday 16th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Thursday 17th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Friday 18th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Saturday 19th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Sunday 20th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Monday 21st July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Tuesday 22nd July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Wednesday 23rd July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Thursday 24th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Friday 25th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Saturday 26th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Sunday 27th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Monday 28th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Tuesday 29th July – Footloose Trek: Alaska-Yukon Explorer
Wednesday 30th July – Flight: Anchorage - Juneau - Gustavus
Thursday 31st July – Glacier Bay NP Boat Tour
Friday 1st August – Flight: Gustavus - Juneau
Saturday 2nd August – Juneau
Sunday 3rd August – Juneau
Monday 4th August – Juneau & make way to ferry terminal
Tuesday 5th August – Juneau - Bellingham via Alaska Marine Highway (depart 1.45am)
Wednesday 6th August – Juneau - Bellingham via Alaska Marine Highway
Thursday 7th August – Juneau - Bellingham via Alaska Marine Highway
Friday 8th August – Juneau - Bellingham via Alaska Marine Highway (arrive 8am)
Saturday 9th August – Flight: Bellingham - Las Vegas & Collect car
Sunday 10th August – Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon & Beatty
Monday 11th August – Death Valley NP
Tuesday 12th August – Death Valley NP
Wednesday 13th August – Drive to Sequoia NP
Thursday 14th August – Sequoia NP
Friday 15th August – Kings Canyon NP
Saturday 16th August – Drive to Limekiln SP
Sunday 17th August – Race: Laguna Seca
Monday 18th August – Drive back to Los Angeles
Tuesday 19th August – Flight: Los Angeles - Kona
Wednesday 20th August – Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park
Thursday 21st August – Hawaii
Friday 22nd August – Flight: Kona - Kahului
Saturday 23rd August – Haleakala National Park / Sunrise Bike Tour
Sunday 24th August – Flight: Kahului - Honolulu
Monday 25th August – USS Arizona Memorial
Tuesday 26th August – Honolulu
Wednesday 27th August – Flight: Honolulu - Perth
Thursday 28th August – Flight: Honolulu - Perth
Friday 29th August – Perth
Saturday 30th August – Perth
Sunday 31st August – Perth
Monday 1st September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Tuesday 2nd September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Wednesday 3rd September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Thursday 4th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Friday 5th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Saturday 6th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Sunday 7th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Monday 8th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Tuesday 9th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Wednesday 10th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Thursday 11th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Friday 12th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Saturday 13th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Sunday 14th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Monday 15th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Tuesday 16th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Wednesday 17th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Thursday 18th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Friday 19th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Saturday 20th September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Sunday 21st September – OzXposure Trek: Western Explorer
Monday 22nd September – Darwin & get to airport
Tuesday 23rd September – Flight: Darwin - Singapore - Kuala Lumpur
Wednesday 24th September – Kuala Lumpur
Thursday 25th September – Kuala Lumpur
Friday 26th September – Train: Kuala Lumpur - Singapore
Saturday 27th September – Singapore
Sunday 28th September – Race: Singapore GP
Monday 29th September – Flight: Singapore - Darwin - Melbourne
Tuesday 30th September – Pick up rental car & visit Melbourne
Wednesday 1st October – Melbourne
Thursday 2nd October – Melbourne
Friday 3rd October – Phillip Island
Saturday 4th October – Race: Moto GP - Phillip Island
Sunday 5th October – Race: Moto GP - Phillip Island
Monday 6th October – Phillip Island - Melbourne
Tuesday 7th October – Melbourne - Albury
Wednesday 8th October – Albury - Canberra
Thursday 9th October – Canberra - Bathurst
Friday 10th October – Race: Bathurst 1000
Saturday 11th October – Race: Bathurst 1000
Sunday 12th October – Race: Bathurst 1000
Monday 13th October – Drive back to Sydney stopping at Blue Mountains?
Tuesday 14th October – Sydney
Wednesday 15th October – Flight: Sydney - Ayers Rock (drop rental car)
Thursday 16th October – Uluru
Friday 17th October – Uluru
Saturday 18th October – Flight: Alice Springs - Sydney
Sunday 19th October – Sydney
Monday 20th October – Pick up camper van
Tuesday 21st October – Drive north
Wednesday 22nd October – Drive north
Thursday 23rd October – Drive north
Friday 24th October – Race: Gold Coast Indy
Saturday 25th October – Race: Gold Coast Indy
Sunday 26th October – Race: Gold Coast Indy
Monday 27th October – Australia Zoo
Tuesday 28th October – Drive north
Wednesday 29th October – Drive north
Thursday 30th October – Drive north
Friday 31st October – Drive north
Saturday 1st November – Drive back to Sydney
Sunday 2nd November – Drive back to Sydney
Monday 3rd November – Drive back to Sydney
Tuesday 4th November – Drive back to Sydney
Wednesday 5th November – Drive back to Sydney
Thursday 6th November – Drive back to Sydney
Friday 7th November – Return camper
Saturday 8th November – Sydney
Sunday 9th November – Sydney
Monday 10th November – Train: Sydney - Adelaide
Tuesday 11th November – Adelaide
Wednesday 12th November – Adelaide
Thursday 13th November – Adelaide
Friday 14th November – Adelaide
Saturday 15th November – Adelaide
Sunday 16th November – Flight: Adelaide - Hobart
Monday 17th November – Cricket @ Hobart
Tuesday 18th November – Cricket @ Hobart
Wednesday 19th November – Cricket @ Hobart
Thursday 20th November – Cricket @ Hobart
Friday 21st November –
Saturday 22nd November –
Sunday 23rd November – Race: Aussie V8s @ Symmons Plains
Monday 24th November – Flight: Hobart - Sydney
Tuesday 25th November – Flight: Sydney - Christchurch
Wednesday 26th November –
Thursday 27th November –
Friday 28th November –
Saturday 29th November –
Sunday 30th November –
Monday 1st December –
Tuesday 2nd December –
Wednesday 3rd December –
Thursday 4th December –
Friday 5th December –
Saturday 6th December –
Sunday 7th December –
Monday 8th December –
Tuesday 9th December –
Wednesday 10th December –
Thursday 11th December –
Friday 12th December –
Saturday 13th December –
Sunday 14th December – Flight: Auckland - Hong Kong
Monday 15th December –
Tuesday 16th December – Flight: Hong Kong - Dubai
Wednesday 17th December –
Thursday 18th December –
Friday 19th December – Flight: Dubai - Cairo
Saturday 20th December –
Sunday 21st December –
Monday 22nd December – Flight: Cairo - London
I have absolutely no idea what happens from the 23rd December onwards. Quite honestly I’m a little scared…
