THE LOLA BOYS ABROAD !

And finally ……..
The East, the final frontier.

These were the voyages of the The Lola Boys’ Enterprise.

Our three month mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new guest houses, to boldly go where no poof has gone before.

Captain’s blog – Stardate 11/3/15 – The final one tear…..

At times we could have done with ‘Lieutenant Uhura’.

After all, she was always William Shatner’s right hand in times of need!

But we have coped,  without her and any of the other crew on ‘Kirk’s’ ship – we have done it alone.

Or should I say – together.

We have reached the end of our adventure and are on the home straight, or rather, strait, as we are making our way via Singapore and the ‘Straits Of Malacca’.

I cannot help but shed a tear.

Although we are both looking forward to returning to normal ( if that’s the right word!) life – I know we shall both mourn our wonderful walkabout.  It has become almost like a friend. The only certainty we have had for the past three months has been the necessity to move on – to journey forward.

And so we have.

‘Homo’s Odyssey!’  Although I doubt whether Odysseus laughed quite as much on his famous exploration.

We’ve encountered beauty, drama, kindness, cruelty and everything in between.

Not to mention a few bouts of diarrhoea, vomiting and man flu along the way.

But hey, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, apparently.

Although, shockingly, I still look as though I should be tested for Ebola!

As Andrew has said to me, on too many occasions –

‘You love travelling – It’s a shame travelling doesn’t love you!’

I know he doesn’t mean it – or he wouldn’t be my ‘Passepartout’ – but one’s rucksack does seem to get a little heavier as you trek on in life!

We really must pack lighter next time!

So here, on our last leg, literally, we have just left the glorious city state of Singapore. An urban wonder. Which, at times, was a little too controlled for me, but certainly had the good looks to make any visitor ignore that fact.

We leave her as ardent admirers – of her futuristic beauty, at least.

And now Bangkok. How comforting to be in a town we are familiar with after so many alien experiences. Her food, her shabbiness, her downright cheek, have left us feeling ensconced in a warm, friendly quilt – woven in varying shades of naughtiness. Even a foot massage transforms itself into a scene from ‘Carmen’.

At times it seems that everyone is playing the same game here – or on it!

Why do we enjoy these travels? What do we garner from leaving our comfortable existence?

We have a good friend, who once asked me –

‘Why do you stay in those hideous places?’ ( If she’s reading this she’ll know who she is!).

There  have been a couple of moments on this trip I have given her question a modicum of thought – now, I think, I know.

Why do we do it?

Because we can!

By that, I do not mean to be trite or flippant. I mean only, because we are able.

When the day eventually arrives when neither of us is lucky enough to be adequately fit and strong to struggle on with our considerable ruck-sacks; to take the local transport, meeting fantastic characters along the way; to exist, merrily, in places we would never have discovered, or even thought we’d like; to make new friends, with people we would never have otherwise met; to learn; to grow; to change, hopefully, for the better: then we shall be sad!

But, we shall always have our memories.

Funny, ridiculous, stupid and lovely.

And just like Captain James T. Kirk – we shall be richer for it.

Hopefully, with more hair!

And there it is –

The Final Blog –

The Lola Boys Out East –

Over – and definitely out!