Its almost too strange to believe. Just like before, I'm a little afraid of acknowledging it too much, as if I feel I might be pushing my luck by doing so. After all, all those other great circumnavigation attempts I've been reading about recently either fell in heap before the end, or returned home in rather less than ideal circumstances.
But if I can put my superstitions to the side for a moment, in all respects I should be quite satisfied with having made it back in one piece. After all, I got to see that last ever space shuttle launch which was the whole reason for the trip in the first place. And although it wasn't accompanied by any wild Koyaanisqatsi/Jonathan-Harris style synchronicities, I did get an incredibly revelatory behind-the-scenes look at one of the great American dreams. I also got to hear this last ever space shuttle break the sound barrier as it came in to land - a double sonic boom the likes of which we may not hear again for a very long time. As sad as the end of the shuttle program may seem, my unforgettable trans-continental Greyhound experience in the US was not without inspiration for the future: I made quite a few new friends even met one of my heros.
Over in Europe I was blessed again: while Ramadan took its course, another one of my heros took me for a ride in his Land Rover, and further inspiration was provided by nature and her awesome majesty. After a briefly basking in a different light, my pace of travel seemed to increase until from up high I landed in a completely different land.
South Africa's revelation was its history. Its impossible to spend time there and not become a minor buff on its past, mainly because its still being created all around you. Staying in Soweto was for me living proof not only that everyday life carries on before, during and after a complete change in a country's philosophy but simply that such drastic nationwide philosophical changes are possible. Whether or not these changes require the presence of a capable and respected leader as catalyst or are simply inevitable given the circumstances remains to be determined.
And finally, just like the shuttle mission that landed safely, I made it back home to complete the circumnavigation. Astronauts often talk about how orbiting the earth changes their view on everyday life and I guess its not hard to see why: NASA's space shuttle went around the earth once every 90 minutes at a velocity of 26,000 km/h. At these speeds you are bound to observe things in a different manner. In comparison, my 70 day voyage translates to an average orbital speed of 23km/h - about the pace of a fast bicycle ride around the globe. Although I travelled over 1,000 times slower than the NASA astronauts, I nevertheless feel a certain fellowship with them - I've proved to myself that the world is indeed round and finite. In contrast I travelled about 20 times faster than those early circumnavigators (whose average speed was about 1km/h). Here too though, I feel a certain empathy. At these slower speeds you can see that although the earth's geographical bounds may be finite, there is enough detail and diversity - culturally, biologically and topographically - to fill any number of lifetimes.
But I guess the physical journey is only part of the story. Elsewhere I have compared parts of this trip with a kind of pilgrimage, and revisiting the goals of this project with such a definition in mind seems to make a lot of sense. Was it really just to see a space shuttle take off that I went to all that trouble, or did I hope that by witnessing such a 'miracle' with my own eyes I might gain some kind of in-situ enlightenment? Although I have a tendency to shy away from such a comparison because of the religious overtones, I have to admit that some stories of pilgrimage are among my absolute favourites. I also like this context because it transforms what could be construed as some weird form of stalking (the desire to track down and meet people like Jonathan Harris, Bill Drummond and Joe Jenkins in person) into that of simply seeking more direct and unfiltered teachings from the wise and enlightened.
So if what I just completed constitutes a pilgrimage, what happens next? What does a muslim do once they return from Mecca? What does an Elvis fan do when they get back from Graceland? What did the Blues Brothers do once they completed their "mission from god"? Well I guess they submitted to the authorities and got on with what they were doing before they left. Likewise, I had better keep filling out the paperwork and carry on with what I feel is most important. At the very least, this might give me some time to consider at more length the events of the last 70 days and hopefully come up with some observations a little more profound than your average "so long and thanks for all the fish."
So without further ado, its time to bid farewell to the adventure, danger and excitement that come with living life on the road, hunker down for some serious reflection and get back to the routine of everyday life... that is of course, unless I get another call from the divine.
