That's the usual question you will get when you're leaving for a RWT as well as your destinations of course ;-) It's not to "find myself", neither "to look for a new goal in life"... None of these theoretical ideas. It's just because I think that it's the right time before being involved too much in my work and also because since my expedition in Argentina, to the Mercedario, I started to dream again about long ... long ... long vacations. And also because I wanted to do something big for special birthday this year...
I want to take time to explore new countries and new cultures/people, also to do more photography, as well as sports of course. Last year, when I decided to go for it (definitively) I thought about all the countries I wish to visit and the time I would like to spend there. I ended up with a ~30 months trip and I realized it was really too much (even though some people would say it isn't). I kept the countries I wanted to visit absolutely and tried to fit them in a 12 months slot. The first one, and obvious, was Nepal. Just a few weeks after Argentina, we started to speak with Gilles about our next adventure in the high mountains. I also thought to go for a 8000 summit, but I found it too expensive for the result. It will enjoy much more a full year of different adventures, than just a couple of weeks in the mountains.
Then Thailand, to do all my PADI diving certificates. I've done many dives, but I never took more than one day during my holidays for that, so I never did any certification. Since I'm going to spend most of my time surrounded by the sea, and it won't be always windy as I want ;-), diving will be a really good alternative, specially in the Pacific Ocean. With 1 month in Thailand and 2 weeks for diving, I should have my PADIs and might be bored by living like a fish every day... After that it will be time to spend some time in the North, to see the other part of Thailand.
And New-Zealand! Oh yes, I'm so excited to go there to spend (at least) 4.5 months on these islands that everyone told me to be wonderful. I already have my extended visa to stay longer than 3 months. I need to send my kitesurf gears to some friends. The plan is to buy a camper-van, which will be my little home during those months. The latest news is that I will have the visit of my 9 months old godson with my sister & her husband for the first 3 weeks, to spend Christmas & New-Year with them on the beach!!! :-)
From New-Zealand, I didn't plan when I will be leaving. I just know that I have my RWT flight ticket to go to the next destinations, but I can change the dates as I want, so ... no stress ! Take time & enjoy!
So stay tuned with my website (and the RSS feed for the geeks who knows what it is) and don't blame me if you can't work after viewing the pictures I will put on the website ... it's one of my goal ... to make you jealous and dream about other places in the world :-)
Année sabbatique de Marc-Aurèle – réflexions de tes Parents
Il y a un peu plus d'un an, tu nous as annoncé ton projet, lors du mariage de Sandrine et Thomas, Au cours de ces derniers mois on a observé la concrétisation de ton rêve.
Te voilà maintenant sur le point de partir, nous laissant seuls à nos pensées.
Pour toi, ce voyage sera une découverte géographique mais aussi une découverte des cultures et des modes de vie différents des pays que tu vas traverser.
On a le sentiment à priori que tu es un garçon équilibré qui a bien sur des passions fortes, qui sait faire la part des choses dans ses rencontres et qui choisit avec discernement en prenant le recul nécessaire.
Ce voyage est une expérience unique de la vie pour toi – tu vas encore pouvoir développer ton jugement sur la vie, les personnes.
C'est une grande immersion avec la Terre qui est devant toi. Nous croyons que tu feras le tri avec attention toute particulière aux influences, aux enthousiasmes du moment qui vont te tenter, voire te faire basculer.
Et si tu veux bien, fais nous partager tes découvertes et tes émotions à travers ton blog.
On aura sans doute de longues périodes sans nouvelles, notamment lors de ton ascension en Himalaya. Mais comme lors du voyage d'Elodie, essaie de te fixer comme objectif au moins un signe de vie par semaine vers nous. Si tes Parents ont eu la joie de te mettre au monde, on a le désir d'avoir régulièrement de tes nouvelles.
Tu as choisi d'écrire en anglais sur ton blog, ce qui permet au plus grand nombre de te comprendre. Comme d'autres personnes certainement, nous te donnerons nos commentaires dans notre langue maternelle.
Profite bien de ta 30e année, savoure la avec appétit mais reste prudent dans tes actions.
Tes Parents qui t'aiment