"There is nothing safer than flying - it's crashing that is dangerous" - Theo Cowan
It took us a while, but we have now finally completed "The List of 28". We managed to tick off the 28 destinations on our list and clocked up a total of 274,927 kilometres in doing so.
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| The sign says it all (November 2010, Byron Bay, Australia) |
We visited 28 countries on 6 different continents, took 94 flights in the process, dragged ourselves on 17 trains, got stuck on 19 buses, boarded 8 boats and hired 23 different cars. So on average we traveled 554 kilometres a day, getting on a plane every 5 days. These sabbaticals are hard work, I think we may need a holiday to recover from all this...
Below our slightly more trivial travel statistics together with a comprehensive list of each and every flight/ride/boat/bus/car we have taken over the last year or so. As you can see, we just have too much time on our hands at the moment…
Our Slightly Trivial Travel Statistics
Number of Countries Visited: 28 (in alphabetical order: Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Dubai, France, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA, Wales)
Number of Continents Visited: 6 out of 7 (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America. We only missed out on Antarctica)
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| The coolest bar in town (April 2011, Jukkasjarvi, Lapland, Sweden) |
Most Northern Point Traveled: Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi (Lapland, Sweden) (Latitude 67 degrees North; Longitude 20 degrees East)
Most Southern Point Traveled: Cape Town (South Africa) (Latitude 33 degrees South; Longitude 19 degrees East)
Most Eastern Point Traveled: Christchurch (New Zealand) (Latitude 43 degrees South; Longitude 172 degrees East)
Most Western Point Traveled: Anchorage (Alaska, USA) (Latitude 61 degrees North; Longitude 149 degrees West)
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| Em at the entrance of Denali National Park (May 2011, Alaska, USA) |
Total Number of Flights Taken: 94 flights
Number of Days Spent on Planes: If you add it all up, we spent, without taking a break, 15 days, 12 hours and 47 minutes in a plane during our sabbatical. That is roughly about the time it takes you to fly around the world non-stop 9 times…
Distance Traveled by Plane: 253,779 kilometres
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| Kjaer and the tiny seaplane he flew us over the fjords with (July 2010, Bergen, Norway) |
Number of Different Airlines We Helped Avoid Bankruptcy During the Year: 25 (in alphabetical order: Aer Lingus, Air Transat, Alaskan Airlines, American Airlines, BA, BMI, Easyjet, El Al, Etihad, Fonna Fly, Glenorchy Air, Hinterland Aviation, Iberia, Jetstar, KLM, LAN, Norwegian.com, Nzone, Qantas, Royal Jordanian, Ryanair, SAS, TAP, Thomas Cook and Virgin Atlantic)
Distance Traveled by Car, Bus, Boat and Train: 21,148 kilometres
Number of Hotels Stayed In: 68 hotels, resorts and B&Bs
Number of Parking Fines Incurred: 2 parking fines, one for C$ 30.00 for "parking against the curb" in Niagara-on the-Lake (Canada) and one for NZ$ 18.00 for "parking in excess of the statutory two hours limit" in Wellington (New Zealand)
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| The infamous sperm whale (December 2010, Kaikoura, NZ) |
Biggest Animal Encountered: The Sperm Whale, which can reach lengths of 15-18 meters and can weigh anything up to 31,750-40,800 kgs (Kaikoura, New Zealand)
Most Dangerous Animal Encountered: Either the grumpy Brown Bear (Denali National Park, Alaska, USA) or one of those saltwater crocodiles with a brain the size of a golf ball (Daintree Rainforest, Australia)
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| Saltwater croc (November 2010, Daintree Rainforest, Australia) |
Number of Books Read: 79 of which 41 by Em and 38 by RJ
Number of Lonely Planets in Current Possession: 28 (a pure and utter coincidence))
Number of Shoes Bought: 30 pairs of shoes of which 23 were for Em's account and 7 for RJ's account (which included, in my defense, 4 pairs of flip-flops)
Amount of Money Spent: A fortune
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| The Wynn Casino which took all our money (May 2010, Las Vegas, USA) |
The List of 28: Planes, Trains, Buses, Boats and Automobiles: The Final Count
PLANES:
Total distance traveled by plane: 253,779 km
Number of flights: 94
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| Seaplane in the sky (May 2011, Misty Fiords, Alaska, USA) |
1. London (UK) - Cape Town (South Africa) with Virgin Atlantic in February (9,634 km)
2. Cape Town (South Africa) - London (UK) with Virgin Atlantic in February (9,634 km)
3. London (UK) - Mauritius with BA in March (9,726 km)
4. Mauritius - London (UK) with BA in March (9,726 km)
5. London (UK) - Abu Dhabi (UAE) with Etihad in April (5,478 km)
6. Abu Dhabi (UAE) - London (UK) with Etihad in April (5,478 km)
7. London (UK) - Dublin (Ireland) with Aer Lingus in April (464 km)
8. Dublin (Ireland) - London (UK) with Aer Lingus in April (464 km)
9. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with KLM in April (359 km)
10. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with KLM in April (359 km)
11. London (UK) - Las Vegas (US) with BA in May (8,423 km)
12. San Francisco (US) - London with BA in May (8,640 km)
13. London (UK) - Barcelona (Spain) with Ryanair in June (1,138 km) *
14. Barcelona (Spain) - London (UK) with Ryanair in June (1,138 km) *
15. London (UK) - Rhodes (Greece) with Easyjet in June (2,792 km)
16. Rhodes (Greece) - London (UK) with Easyjet in June (2,792 km)
17. London (UK) - Bergen (Norway) with Norwegian in July (1,046 km)
18. Bergen (Norway) - Utne (Norway) with a Fonna Fly seaplane in July (123 km)
19. Utne (Norway) - Bergen (Norway) with a Fonna Fly seaplane in July (123 km)
20. Bergen (Norway) - London (UK) with Norwegian in July (1,046 km)
21. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in July (359 km) **
22. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in July (359 km) **
23. London (UK) - Toronto (Canada) with Canadian Affairs in July (5,731 km)
24. Toronto (Canada) - London (UK) with Thomas Cook Travel in July (5,731 km)
25. London (UK) - Dallas (US) with American Airlines in July (7,659 km)
26. Dallas (US) - Buenos Aires with American Airlines in July (8,455 km)
27. Buenos Aires (Argentina) - Salta (Argentina) with LAN in August (1,267 km)
28. Cusco (Peru) - Lima (Peru) with LAN in August (574 km)
29. Lima (Peru) - Miami (US) with American Airlines in August (4,198 km)
30. Miami (US) - London (UK) with American Airlines in August (7,139 km)
31. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in August (359 km) **
32. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in August (359 km) **
33. London (UK) - Tel Aviv (Israel) with El Al in September (3,560 km)
34. Tel Aviv (Israel) - London (UK) with El Al in September (3,560 km)
35. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with Easyjet in September (359 km)
36. London (UK) - Edinburgh (UK) with BMI in October (534 km)
37. Aberdeen (UK) - London (UK) with BA in October (649 km)
38. London (UK) - Bangkok (Thailand) with BA in November (9,556 km)
39. Bangkok (Thailand) - Sydney (Australia) with BA in November (7,524 km)
40. Cairns (Australia) - Bloomfield Lodge (Australia) with Hinterland Aviation in November (124 km)
41. Bloomfield Lodge (Australia) - Cairns (Australia) with Hinterland Aviation in November (124 km)
42. Cairns (Australia) - Sydney (Australia) with Qantas in November (1,957km)
43. Sydney (Australia) - Christchurch (NZ) with Jetstar in November (2,140km)
44. Queenstown (NZ) - 5km in the sky with Nzone (we jumped out of this one) in November (10km)
45. Queenstown (NZ) - Milford Sound (NZ) with Glenorchy Air in November (307 km)
46. Milford Sound (NZ) - Queenstown (NZ) with Glenorchy Air in November (307 km)
47. Wellington (NZ) - Sydney (Australia) with Qantas in December (2,229 km)
48. Sydney (Australia) - Tokyo (Japan) with Qantas in December (7,793 km)
49. Tokyo (Japan) - London (UK) with BA in December (9,585 km)
50. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in January (359 km)
51. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with Easyjet in January (359 km)
52. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with Easyjet in January (359 km)
53. London (UK) - Copenhagen (Denmark) with SAS in January (958 km) *
54. Copenhagen (Denmark) - London (UK) with SAS in January (958 km) *
55. London (UK) - Abu Dhabi (UAE) with BA in January (5,478 km)
56. Abu Dhabi (UAE) - Amman (Jordan) with Royal Jordanian in January (1,947 km)
57. Amman (Jordan) - Abu Dhabi with Royal Jordanian in February (1,947 km)
58. Abu Dhabi (UAE) - London (UK) with BA in February (5,478 km)
59. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in February (359 km) **
60. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in February (359 km) **
61. London (UK) - Madrid (Spain) with Iberia in February (1,246 km)
62. Madrid (Spain) - Havana (Cuba) with Iberia in February (7,362 km)
63. Havana (Cuba) - Madrid (Spain) with Iberia in February (7,362 km)
64. Madrid (Spain) - London (UK) with Iberia in February (1,246 km)
65. London (UK) - Geneva (Switzerland) with Easyjet in March (748 km)
66. Geneva (Switzerland) - London (UK) with Easyjet in March (748 km)
67. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in March (359 km)
68. Amsterdam (Neth) - London with BA in March (359 km)
69. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in April (359 km)
70. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in April (359 km)
71. London (UK) - Stockholm (Sweden) with SAS in April (1,426 km)
72. Stockholm (Sweden) - Lulea (Sweden) with SAS in April (728 km)
73. Lulea (Sweden) - Kiruna (Sweden) with SAS in April (267 km)
74. Kiruna (Sweden) - Stockholm (Sweden) with SAS in April (955 km)
75. Stockholm (Sweden) - London (UK) with SAS in April (1,426 km)
76. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with BA in April (359 km) **
77. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in April (359 km) **
78. London (UK) - Porto (Portugal) with Easyjet in April (1,322 km)
79. Porto (Portugal) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with TAP in April (1,613 km)
80. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with KLM in May (359 km)
81. London (UK) - Seattle (USA) with BA in May (7,724 km)
82. Seattle (USA) - Ketchikan (USA) with Alaskan Airlines in May (1,075 km)
83. Juneau (USA) - Anchorage (USA) with Alaskan Airlines in May (926 km)
84. Anchorage (USA) to Seattle (USA) with Alaskan Airlines in May (2,314 km)
85. Seattle (USA) to London (UK) with BA in May (7,724 km)
86. London (UK) - Pisa (Italy) with Ryanair in May (1,169 km)
87. Pisa (Italy) - Maastricht (Neth.) with Ryanair in June (876 km)
88. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with BA in June (359 km)
89. London (UK) - Glasgow (Scotland) with BA in June (554 km)
90. Glasgow (Scotland) - London (UK) with BA in June (554 km)
91. London (UK) - Amsterdam (Neth.) with Easyjet in June (359 km) **
92. Amsterdam (Neth.) - London (UK) with Easyjet in June (359 km) **
93. London (UK) - New York (USA) with BA in July (5,586 km)
94. New York (USA) - London (UK) with BA in July (5,586 km)
TRAINS
Total distance by train: 5,973 km
Number of train rides: 17
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| Us posing with Alasdair in front of The Sunlander (November 2010, Townsville, Australia) |
1. London (UK) to Maastricht (Neth.) with Eurostar in July (373 km) *
2. Maastricht (Neth.) - London (UK) with Eurostar in July (373 km) *
3. Den Haag (Neth.) - Brussels (Belgium) with NS in September (137 km)
4. Brussels (Belgium) - Valence (France) with TGV in September (834 km)
5. Valence (France) - London (UK) with TGV/Eurostar in September (1,030 km)
6. Ollantaytambo (Peru) - Aguas Calientes (Peru) with PeruRail in September (47 km)
7. Aguas Calientes (Peru) - Ollantaytambo (Peru) with PeruRail in September (47 km)
8. Brisbane (Australia) - Cairns (Australia) on The Sunlander in November (1,681 km)
9. London (UK) to Maastricht (Neth.) with Eurostar in July (373 km)
10. Geneva (Switzerland) - Neuchatel (Switzerland) with SBB in March (128 km)
11. London (UK) to Cardiff (Wales) with First Great Western in April (212 km)
12. Cardiff (Wales) - London (UK) with First Great Western in April (212 km)
13. London (UK) - Colchester (UK) with First Great Western in April (108 km)
14. Colchester (UK) - London (UK) with First Great Western in April (108 km)
15. Regua (Portugal) - Porto (Portugal) on Comboios de Portugal in April (94 km)
16. London (UK) - Colchester (UK) on First Great Western in July (108 km)
17. Colchester (UK) - London (UK) on First Great Western in July (108 km)
BUSES
Total distance traveled by bus: 3,467 km
Number of bus rides: 19
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| The bus from Sean Penn's movie "Into the Wild" (May 2011, Healy, Alaska, USA) |
1. Salta - San Antonio de los Cobres - Salta (Argentina) in August (328 km)
2. Salta (Argentina) - San Pedro de Atacama (Chili) in August (905 km)
3. Oruro - La Paz (Bolivia) in August (225 km)
4. La Paz - Tiahuanaco (Bolivia) - La Paz (Bolivia) in August (126 km)
5. La Paz (Bolivia) - Puno (Peru) in August (214 km)
6. Puno - Cusco (Peru) in August (388 km)
7. Cusco - Ollantaytambo (Peru) in August (38 km)
8. Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu (Peru) in August (6 km)
9. Macchu Pichu - Aguas Calientes (Peru) in August (6 km)
10. Ollantaytambo - Cusco (Peru) in August (65 km)
11. Valence - Aubenas (France) with TER in September (70 km)
12. Aubenas - Valence (France) with TER in September (70 km)
13. Havana - Varadero (Cuba) with Viazul in February (134 km)
14. Varadero - Santa Clara (Cuba) with Viazul in February (200 km)
15. Santa Clara - Cienfuegos (Cuba) with Viazul in February (67 km)
16. Cienfuegos - Trinidad (Cuba) with Viazul in February (90 km)
17. Trinidad - Havana (Cuba) with Viazul in February (365 km)
18. Wilderness Access Center at Denali NP - Toklat River Rangers Post (USA) in May (85 km)
19. Toklat River Rangers Post - Wilderness Access Center at Denali NP (USA) in May (85 km)
BOATS
Total distance traveled by boat: 793 km
Number of boat trips: 8
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| Maid of the Mist (July 2010, Niagara Falls, Canada) |
1. Mauritius - Ille aux Cerfs in March (15 km)
2. Puno - Lake Tititcaca - Puno (Peru) in August (100 km)
3. Picton - Wellington (NZ) on the Interislander (Kaitaki) in November (70 km)
4. Porto - Regua (Portugal) through the Douro valley in April (94 km)
5. King Salmon Fishing expedition on the All Star in Ketchikan (Alaska, USA) (20 km)
6. Bering Sea Crab Fisherman's Tour on Aleutian Ballad in Ketchikan (Alaska, USA) (25 km)
7. Ketchikan - Petersburg (Alaska, USA) on the AMHS (Matanuska vessel) in May (241 km)
8. Petersburg - Juneau (USA) on the AMHS (Fairweather vessel) in May (228 km)
CARS
Total distance traveled by car: 10,915 km
Number of car rides: 23
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| Our little red Mustang Convertible (June 2010, California, USA) |
1. Cape Town - Stellenbosch - Franschhoek - Cape Town (SA) in our Kia Jeep in February (145 km)
2. Day-trip in Mauritius in our Nissan Something in March (120 km)
3. Las Vegas - Flagstaff - Las Vegas (USA) in our Ford Explorer in June (812 km)
4. Las Vegas - LA - Santa Barbara - San Francisco (USA) in our Mustang in June (1,176 km)
5. London - Amsterdam - London (UK) roundtrip in Ruth's Porsche Cayenne in June (494 km) **
6. Toronto to Parry Sound and back to Toronto (Canada) in our VW Jetta in July (450 km)
7. Toronto to Niagara Falls and back to Toronto (Canada) in our VW Jetta in July (142 km)
8. Crossing Bolivia from the Bolivian border to Uyuni in our Toyota Landcruisers in August (450 km)
9. Escape Uyuni to Oruro in our convoy of Toyota Landcruisers in August (314 km)
10. Tel Aviv - Jerusalem - Tel Aviv (Israel) in our Mazda 3 in September (120 km)
11. Edinburgh - Isle of Skye - Inverness - Aberdeen (Scotland) in our Ford Focus in October (751 km)
12. Inverness / Loch Ness tour (Scotland) with Frank and his beautiful Mercedes in October (55 km)
13. Sydney to Brisbane in our tiny red Suzuki Swift in November (938 km)
14. Christchurch - Q'town - Franz Josef - Kaikoura - Picton (NZ) in our Toyota in Dec. (1,649 km)
15. Wellington - Ohakune - Taupo - Napier - Wellington (NZ) in our Toyota in Dec. (887 km)
16. Tokyo - Hakone - Tokyo (Japan) roundtrip in Soichi's BMW in December (172 km)
17. Abu Dhabi - Dubai - Abu Dhabi (UAE) in Guy's big Jeep in January (124 km)
18. Amman - Petra - Amman (Jordan) in our massive GMC in February (600 km)
19. Neuchatel to Saas Fee (Switzerland) in Albert's fine BMW in March (235 km)
20. Saas Fee to Geneva (Switzerland) in Albert's fine BMW in March (137 km)
21. Anchorage - Seward - Healy - Anchorage (USA) in our Toyota Landcruiser in May (812 km)
22. Pisa - Lucca - Florence - Lucca - Pisa (Italy) in our little red Fiat 500 in June (210 km)
23. NYC - Woodbury Commons - NYC (USA) in our Chevrolet Aveo (122 km)
* RJ only one traveling
** Emma only one traveling
