My travels are as inspirational as they were in my youth
Much of my early travelling was very independent. In the 1970s, I rode a motorbike through Europe to Tarifa, the southernmost point of Spain, and toured Mexico on the proverbial shoestring, once paying for my lodging by painting a mural for a new bar in Puerto Escondido. The trips were long and planned on the hoof, as I heard about a new place or someone I should meet.
Inevitably, as work and family took priority, my trips became shorter and I found I was no longer willing to risk precious holiday time making bad choices. But I still love to be very involved in the planning, so I like Selective Asia’s approach, which allows my wife and me (and sometimes our daughter and her boyfriend) to travel privately along with a knowledgeable guide. We find we can pack what would have been months of travel into a few weeks.
Catherine and I have a growing interest in Buddhism, meditation and yoga, so our focus has turned eastwards. We’ve trekked in northern Laos with local Akha guides and explored the southern coast and islands of Cambodia, sampling some of the most memorable seafood we have ever eaten.
Our hotels have undoubtedly become more comfortable – luxurious at times – and we like the freedom that private vehicles offer, especially for spur-ofthe-moment detours often instigated by our guides as they get to know us better.
Exploring these new relationships has provided some of our fondest memories. On several occasions we have had the opportunity to meet our guide’s family, which has always been a highlight of the trip. It may be a very different kind of travelling to my youth, but it’s just as inspirational.