Will, one of our project engineers, has just returned from the second phase of his sabbatical! He took an 8-month hiatus, backpacking across Asia on a budget of £75 a day, shared between himself and his partner Dannie. Prior to his Asian adventure, Will spent 4 months exploring Europe, living out of his van, before returning to the office for 6 weeks.
Europe
Their European journey began in Northern Spain, where they caught a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, spending several weeks soaking in the rich culture, scenic landscapes and best of all tapas. They visited San-Sebastian, Bilbao, Santander, Los Picos, Gijon and then to Galicia which was their favourite spot in Northern Spain. Their travels took them through Portugal, where they learnt how to surf, visited the Douro Valley, Porto, Lisbon and hiked part of the Camino de Santiago. From there, they journeyed back into Spain along the Mediterranean coast and drove quickly to France [French Riviera] avoiding the 40+ degree weather, heading to the cooler temperatures in the alps. Along the Riviera they sampled some of Frances best food, beaches and boutique towns, such as Perpignan, Montpellier, Nice and Saint-Tropez.
Continuing the Mediterranean adventure, they ventured into Italy, making their way through the majestic Alps and northern lakes, stopping to appreciate the breathtaking natural beauty and serene environments of the Dolomites. The route took them briefly through Switzerland, and then led them to the lesser known but equally captivating regions of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro. In Slovenia, they marvelled at the picturesque lakes, mountains and forests, whereas Croatia offered Adriatic coastlines. Bosnia was one of their favourite countries, offering pristine wildlife, diverse culture and historical importance.
They traversed through Montenegro, spending several weeks travelling to many of the national parks, blown away by the stunning vistas in Kotor Bay and Shkodra Lake. After Montenegro they met up with Will’s family who were on holiday in Croatia (Split) enjoying their company as well as their pool, toilet and importantly shower. They then got a ferry from Split to Bari in Italy. They drove the length of Italy stopping along the way at Naples, Rome, Florence, Pisa and Portofino to name only a few destinations. They then drove to the French border and then went through the tunnel under Mont Blanc to Chamonix. They travelled to Switzerland to stay with a family they met in Slovenia for almost a week before driving to Germany (Mainz) to again stay with a friend from Dorset in their hometown, after which they stayed with another fellow traveller, they had met in Bosnia in her hometown of Cologne. They then travelled through the Netherlands and Belgium stopping in Maastricht, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges, enjoying the local cuisine, architecture and beer. Finally ending the journey in France where they took the Eurotunnel back to England.
After four months of travelling Europe, Will returned to the office for a six-week period, sharing stories and experiences from his travels before embarking on the second phase of his sabbatical in Asia. Living out of his van provided him the flexibility to explore hidden gems and immerse himself in local cultures at his own pace.
‘The biggest challenge? Has to be finding places to shower! I particularly enjoyed living outdoors 24/7, and properly learning to surf…’
After six weeks in the office, Will left for Asia, to backpack for eight months. He budgeted around £50-100 a day between himself and partner, staying in youth hostels and participating in activities such as surfing, along the way.
Asia
Will’s journey began with a flight from London to Bangkok. They spent several days in Bangkok adjusting to the culture, as well as the 40-degree weather. Heading north they visited Chiang Mai and Pai, both offering stunning wilderness and stunning landscapes. They spent some time exploring the temples, forests and vibrant markets before moving on to Laos. In Laos, they visited the Gibbon experience (one of their highlights) where they spent 3 days trekking through the rain forest and ziplining to remote corners of the forest where they stayed in a tree house 100m up in the canopy. After this they travelled with locals up the Mekong River to Luang Prabang. From here they took a sleeper bus to Hanoi in Vietnam which took 36 hours in total.
They started in the north of Vietnam visiting Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Ha Giang and Da Nang, before heading to the south stopping at Hoi An, Nha Trang, Da Lat and finally Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam was a highlight for Will, especially because he spent Christmas and New Year with friends from Dorset who were also travelling. From Vietnam, they travelled to Cambodia, visiting Phonm Pehn to see the killing fields and then finally making their way to the coast enjoying island life on Koh Rong Sanloem. From here they headed back into Thailand, this time they travelled to the southern region to several islands best known for diving, snorkelling and white sand beaches. In Ko Tao Will completed his Padi Open Water diving certificate which he then used throughout the remaining trip. They ended their time in Thailand in Ko Lipe which was their favourite island in Thailand.
From Ko Lipe they caught a ferry to Langkawi an island of the coast of Malaysia, they spent almost a month travelling Malaysia visiting George Town, Cameron Highlands, Taman Negara, Pulau Perhentian Islands and finally Kuala Lumpur. In Kuala Lumpur they visited the iconic Petronas Towers and explored the Bat caves on the outskirts of the city. From Kuala Lumpur they caught a flight to Borneo Sapah, the home of Will’s favourite animal the Orangutan. They stayed in Borneo for 2 weeks, exploring the rain forest and visiting several diving spots, Mabul Island was a standout destination with some of the best snorkelling and diving Asia has to offer, with pristine coral reefs and giant sea turtles everywhere.
They flew back to Kuala Lumpur and caught a flight directly to Columbo in Sri Lanka. From the capital they headed south to Udawalawe National Park where they experience a safari for Will’s 30th birthday. After this they stayed on the south coast in Midigama/Weligama for two weeks surfing and meeting up with friends they met in Spain several months before. They then headed to Ella and caught the famous public train to Candy, after which the next part of their trip involved hiring a Tuk-Tuk and driving themselves to Sigiriya, Pasikuda, Arugam Bay, Hiriketiya, Ahangama, back to Weligama and round the coast back to Columbo over 750 km in total. Sri Lanka was one of their favourite countries thanks to the delicious food, friendly people and amazing surf. They then flew back to Kuala Lumpur and caught a bus to Singapore. They stayed in Singapore enjoying the creature comforts they had left behind; they explored the city for several days and even had cocktails at the top of Marina Bay Sands at sunset.
After Singapore they caught a flight to Cebu in the Philippines. They explored the island of Cebu heading to Moalboal and the Malapascua Island off the northern coast, here they complete 6 dives, several dives they were within touching distance of Tiger Sharks and Thresher Sharks. They then travelled to another island called Bohol for more diving and snorkelling. From Bohol they caught an overnight ferry to Siargao, which was one of their favourite destinations in Asia. They spent essentially two weeks sunbathing on the beaches and surfing all over the island. The north of the island was beautiful and was sparsely populated. After being trapped on the island for a few extra days thanks to a tropical typhoon, they flew to Palawan, visiting Puerto Princesa, Port Barton and El Nido. They then caught a flight to Manila and flew directly to Bali in Indonesia.
Indonesia was the final stop on their Asia trip. They spent a few days in Bali, sampling the food and rich cultural traditions. Will had hoped to surf however the swell was well over 12 foot and he didn’t fancy his chances. From Bali they took a ferry to Nusa Penida famous for Manta Rays. They booked a tour and managed to free dive with over 5 Manta Rays, something they both wanted to tick off their bucket list. After Penida they caught another ferry to the Gili Islands, they spent around 10 days on Gili Air and Gili Meno, snorkelling every day. They then took the public ferry across to Lombok and travelled to the south to Kuta, another surf spot. Their next stop was Komodo famous for the dragons, which would be their last travel destination. They stayed at a dive resort for 4 days completing 9 dives. Komodo was exceptional and was by far the best diving they have ever done, they also managed to see the infamous Komodo Dragons. After their diving trip, it was time for the long journey home via Jakarta and Doha. Their travels had given them new perspectives and unforgettable experiences. Will’s now ready to take on life in the UK with a fresh outlook on life!
‘The biggest challenge was the cultural shock at the start of the trip. once you got used to that, it was great. I loved to live out of a backpack, but it was difficult navigating and planning each day around it. Now that I’m back, I feel so fortunate – it really puts things into perspective! ‘
