Bye NK, Hello Andorra

I never booked up the North Korea marathon trip. 

China went into lockdown and the now labelled ‘Coronavirus’ started to spread into neighbouring countries. I had to admit to myself, country number 90 would not be North Korea. 

There would be no epic marathon, where you start and finish in the Olympic Stadium to 40,000 hardcore ‘devoted‘ fans.  Can you imagine?  It would have been next level for any amateur runner to experience, especially one who at times acts like she is training for the real Olympics. 

On the North Korea marathon route, you are as free as is allowed in a country where your every step is monitored.  North Korea - I will wait to explore you with my own eyes, and not through a documentary.

I remember this period of 2020.  It was around the end of January and it felt very frustrating.

I felt a bit lost and a little exhausted. The first half of the year was taken from me.  Hours and days were taken up planning what would have been an epic trip, never to get back.  I had navigated a map of China to work out a route, researched various side trips in Tibet to align with flights from Nepal into Bhutan, with another side trip to South Korea!  I am exhausted just typing this.

I embraced this period for self-reflection.  Was this a sign to slow down and pause travelling in 2020?

I did pause, but not for long. 

As one country or trip is struck off, I always have another travel idea waiting in the sidelines.

I soon decided to focus on the ‘5 stans’.  This was a trip that caught my attention after watching the BBC TV Series ‘Around the World’.  Each of the five Stan countries looked incredible, an eye-opening wonder, where your mind was taken to places on the ancient silk road, with rural backdrops, post-soviet wilderness, and the most stunning architecture. I was hooked and kept googling each of the five countries to learn more.

I had hoped to travel solo, so this bit of research went on for quite a while.  I wasn’t quite ready to say no to a solo trip.  In the end, I did decide no as this region could be a little tricky to manoeuvre. Instead, I signed up for an organised trip.  Originally, I wanted to travel at Easter time.  That trip was sold out, and eventually - due to Covid - never happened.  I then booked and paid the deposit for the next possible timeslot. October.  My birthday month, and a month I always like to travel to somewhere exotic. 

I felt I had my travel mojo and inspiration back.  From here I started to work backwards and focused my attention on filling 2020 with more trips closer to home in Europe.  Anything to avoid ‘the Covid’.

Firstly, I made up a nine-day trip to Spain, over Easter, where I planned to fly into Barcelona and jump on a bus to Andorra to claim a new country, the new country 90.  Goodbye North Korea and hello to Andorra. 

It all seemed relatively easy.  One day to travel there, one day to explore and hike in Andorra, then on day three return to Barcelona.  From there I was heading west to visit the city of Zaragoza and the surrounding region.  I’m very fond of the late, amazing architect, Zaha Hadid. I have travelled to see her incredible creations before, most recently in 2019 to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. Zaragoza is home to a Hadid inspired bridge. I love bridges.

The planned trip to Spain was soon followed by Belarus and Moldova - country 91 and 92. Then I managed to work out a trip to Croatia and Italy, involving air, train and sea connections. This would allow a day trip into San Marino, to claim country 93. Things were coming together. I felt happiness flood back into my life. 

The Ethiopia Family. A trip I treasure!

Last year I visited Ethiopia as part of an organised charity/adventure trip.  It was truly wonderful to meet a local community, provide the funding for a new water supply, as well as our time and smiles to such warm people.  The organising company also had a 2020 trip scheduled to Pakistan and Kashmir region.  It was loosely penciled into my plans.  When you add on the 5 stans, I would have visited country 99 in October, which by now was Tajikistan. 

By October time, if everything went to the well-orchestrated plan, I would be ready to swoop on country 100 by New Year. Country number 100 was looking like Kenya. I have always wanted to climb Mt Kilimanjaro and the standard trip includes a safari in Kenya, before traveling into Tanzania for the Kilimanjaro ascent. 

I had it all planned out. 2020 was the year.  There was no stopping now. 

I felt a little smug about how quickly I reset my plans to make this year stay on course. It had become like a puzzle. I like puzzles, but only when I crack them and it all falls into place!!

Now all I had to do was wait for Easter and country 90 - Andorra - would be ticked off. 

During the end of my Sri Lanka trip, I had booked a long weekend in France to explore the south and visit an ancient roman treasure called the Pont Du Gard.  I knew it would be a nice treat after the harsh Scottish winter I was heading back to; especially after three weeks of blue skies in Sri Lanka. 

You got to embrace life and 100% treat yourself.