The Hard Goodbye . . .

Or The End of The Middle And The Beginning of The End . . .

As this goes live, I will be heading for Bali airport, and then on to Darwin and then on to Cairns. When I started this particular adventure, I divided it into three parts. Japan, with Neena and Sinead (see right). Then South East Asia, comprising of Hong Kong, Thailand, Cambodia and Bali. This part I knew I would be doing alone, although that isn't really how it all worked out. It was, in my mind before I left, and in reality, the truly adventurous part of my travels. And then finally, there is Australia, where I will see my dad, my uncle Paddy and my uncle Fran, so at the least it will be filled with familiar faces. It's also a western country and should be filled, at least theoretically, with familiar things. Thus, while it will still be an adventure, it is not quite the same undertaking as Asia. This, I hope should explain my second title up there, and while I still have a ways to travel, the end of this is slowly rolling forth, and if this seemed a long way off when I first left, it now seems increasingly close.

And as I say goodbye to Asia, I want to say some thank-yous as well. Not least, I should be thanking Neena and Sinead, and I do, but more than them I want to thank the unfamiliar faces I've met along the way. Hopefully this is not a goodbye, and I will see many of you again, if I don't see all of you!

To start then, there is the Kyoto Crew, a mad bunch of messers who I hope are still loving their time away. Thank you for taking us into your fold, even if it was only for the briefest of days. You guys were great and I really loved that weekend . . . knacker-drinking by the river.

Next up, there was Mat and Dave in Bangkok, who were great drinking buddies and I'm glad ye followed me to Chiang Mai, hope to see you guys in Sydney. At the time, I really needed some company and I probably owe ye one for that!

Then there's Team Spicy, and probably too many to name you all. Actually, there's a few Team Spicys since I spent so long there. First up there's the crew from the night of the big party!

I can't remember everyone's name, but that's okay, because if I don't remember, then that's saying something in and off itself. Marc Taylor, for being awesome despite being sick. Kenny, for just being hilarious. Mat and Dave for being in Spicy after Bangkok. Kevin, for not being dead despite all my fears.

Special mention has to go to Josefin and Anna, who I just keep on running into, because you guys are really cool and I'm so very glad I met you and that I saw you again in Pai. That started the whole ball rolling I think. Siem Reap and Full Moon followed, but Spicy you shall remain, and if I don't catch ye in Sydney, I really hope to see you in Dublin for Shane's Grand Tour - and we'll head Galway too see gay Ryan. My word of honour.

Then there's Fran and Jo-Anne, who I saw so briefly at Full Moon, and then ran into in Bali - glad to have met you and I will definitely be seeing you guys in Cairns, but please, no more early wake-ups! Another two people I hope to see in Dublin - I really better start brushing up on my tourist crap! I'm afraid I don't have a good picture of you guys so you'll have to do without! Don't think me rude!

In Pai then, there was Steffan and there he met James, who we all met on the Slow Boat to Luang Prabang. Glad I met you guys, and I'm glad your Gibbon all worked out. Maybe I'll see you in Amsterdam Steffan. Thanks for teaching me how to ride a bike and thank fucking God I didn't manage to kill myself!

Back in Chiang Mai there was Matt and Chris and Duncan, my second Team Spicy and my Laos travelling buddies, my Tubers, if you will. It was great to meet you guys and I'm really glad I went back to Chiang Mai when I did and that I waited to get the boat with you guys. 

Then, the fathers and mother of Team Spicy - Noom, Lpong and Sow. Seriously, you guys rock and I think my trip would have been a lesser thing had I not stayed at Spicy. I have sent people your way, and I intend to keep on sending them until I run out of people! I hope I get back to you one day!

In Laos, there were some awesome people, and we made a new little Spicy Family for a day or too, and it was good to meet you all. Especially all of you people in this picture.  



Then there was Cork and Bekaa, who were good enough to put up with me until we hit Vientiane, and then to ask me out again on Koh Phangan, even if I did get robbed that night!

Also, gotta say hello to the Irish girls I met in Vang Vienn. Especially Laura Creegan's sister Amy . . . because it wouldn't do not to meet someone you're vaguely connected too anyway.

To the Maltese boys, funny fuckers that ye are, glad to have met you! Glad to have lost to ye at bowling as well!

Then there was Hannah who I met on the bus. And then Domnic from Donegal, and then the crowd of Limerick girls. Certainly made for an interesting night in Siem Reap.

Finally, there's my Munchies Crew, the Scots boys, and Simon and Woody and Hannah and Kiah and all the rest, and thanks to Andy and Kay for running the show and making it such a great place to stay! Was so very worth it, even if I didn't win anything for drinking two beers out of an old shoe.

And last but not least, to Larros, for the entertainment value, you were priceless, but still I wish I hadn't met you. There's always bloody one. Still, I hope you aren't dead, but by rights you probably should be.

So thanks to everyone who has made my adventure so far such a pleasant and amazing experience. I really hope to catch up with many of you again and I really really hope that if you ever make it to Dublin I'll be able to extend a very warm welcome to you, and repay some of the fun that I've had. This adventure of mine would have been little or nothing without you all.

Go Raibh Maith Agaibh! (That means "thank ye" since I've been learning to say it in other languages, I might as well try and educate the rest of ye!)

Know that I will miss your company as I go along the rest of this way, and it will be lessened for each of you that I do not see again!

And to Asia in general, goodbye - it's a hard goodbye, and I will remember you fondly, despite tuk-tuk drivers and dodgy roads and 40 hour trips from place to place. I came looking for an adventure and I found better than I hoped.

Australia, you have a lot to live up to!

Shane.