People sometimes ask me: JP, why did you go on a year-long, round-the-world trip during your sabbatical?
The short answer: because I could! The longer answer is that the Allen World Tour 2009-10 was a way to fulfill some of my peculiar dreams. Such as:
- Flying around the world, business class. (That’s the airline brat in me. I grew up flying standby, and as a grown-up I’m always forced to squeeze into teeny tiny seats in the back. Time for me to be the jet-setter, sipping sparkling wine before take-off and changing continents on a whim.)
- Exploring continents that were unknown to me: Africa and South America.
- Completing my long-postponed Poland trip.
- Returning to beautiful New Zealand, and showing it to the Mrs. Ever since I visited as a teenager, I promised myself I would return.
- Living in interesting, beautiful cities, like: Krakow, Cape Town, Melbourne, and Buenos Aires.
- Living the nomadic lifestyle: a small suitcase and a laptop; a different apartment in every country.
And now, almost a year later, what did I learn from the whole thing? It’s still early days, but here are a few observations:
- Flying business class around the world is decadent, and not really cost-justified, but I have to admit it’s fun. I dislike craving luxury, but business class is the difference between looking forward to a 13 hour flight, versus dreading it.
- I’d much rather do another round-the-world year for two than buy a new BMW 5-series. (Cost us about the same.)
- I took more interest in every other country’s politics than in my own. Before we left on the tour, American politics just irritated and depressed me, so I avoided it. But after seeing how other countries are moving forward, under much more difficult circumstances, it’s inspired (shamed?) me into trying to help find solutions for our own problems. We need to get our act together, and what’s my excuse for not pitching in?
- A country can come back from annihilation (like Poland) and have a bright future.
- New Zealand is still shockingly beautiful.
- Further confirmation that I’m a city lover. I’m happiest in a walkable neighborhood with pleasant parks, diverse eatin’, and a good library, with nature not too far away.
- There is no shortage of delicious, cheap wine in the world. No espresso shortage either.
- I love not having stuff. I want to be free.
- If you have hot water, climate control, a flushing toilet, comfy bed and chairs, ATM card, credit card, and internet at all times without drama, you’re 80% of the way there. The next level up the needs hierarchy is peace and quiet at bedtime, easy cleaning, easy laundry, and a kitchen with counter space.
- I want a Swedish-style summer house, near an Australian city, set in New Zealand’s and the Western Cape’s natural beauty, with South African and Argentinian wine, and unlimited access to empanadas, kebabs, roast chicken, ceviche, pierogis, rusks, Moroccan mint tea, and Portuguese corn bread. (While we’re dreaming, let’s have it at Polish, Turkish or Argentinian prices.)
- It is possible to get work done on the road. In fact, life with some work (and, occasionally, a lot of work) is much more enjoyable than life with no work.
- When you travel, you need to stay in one place long enough for the weird to become normal. Then you can truly know if you want it to be part of your life or not.
- Plan to bring the best of what you’ve learned back to your ‘normal’ life. Don’t forget how great certain things were when you return to the old routine.
- Having nothing to do forces you to find what you want to do.
What do I take away from all this? The way I like to put it: the Tour gave me new dreams. In the process of living through some of my old dreams, I found some new ones.
Is there anything better than having fresh new dreams?
