Jo Herrings Adventures

I joked with my friends as I left for my Big Adventure that the countdown to London2012 Olympics was simply their countdown to my return. And what a return party I had! I was greeted at Heathrow by an army officer at immigration bought on to manage the influx of visitors who moaned about not being able to get gravy on his chips in London and asked me where I might be able to find some given I'd clearly lived here for years! Then to the open arms of my sister, Liz. My Olympics kicked off in style with a party with my family with Alwine & Ray coming all the way from Invercargill, New Zealand for the occasion. Delightfully I had my London-nephew Desmond on my knee to watch the Opening Ceremony which was the warmest welcome I could have hoped for. The following day was spent at Victoria Park enjoying the footage of the games on the Big Screen from outside amongst the people. Disappointed by all the advertisements and large gaps in screening the footage I decided not to head ba...

On my Big Adventure I had one date etched in the diary when I returned to London and honestly things didn't quite work out the way I intended. My year of travel has taught me a thing or two and its not the end of the world to miss a once in a lifetime experience. me & Hols at the Equestrian showing our colours! Monday 6th of August was to be New Zealand's greatest Golden Hour. The nations sweetheart (or girl next door might be more apt) Valerie Adams was to challenge for the women's Shot Put in the London 2012 Olympics. I had great hopes to see her. Either in the stadium just a few k's from home or with friends in a park somewhere. But like Val and her Silver Medal winning effort I was disappointed...not with Val she is a magnificent athlete and real role model to all people regardless if your built like a brick shit house or a heptathelete...I was disappointed because I missed the entire thing. See The Big Adventure has been a year of memorable experiences...

national pride in full swing And my first day home. I woke early with the sun at 4.45am with the curse of long distance travel - jetlag. So I put on my last clean dry clothes and my trainers and went for a walk around the neighbourhood.  My neighbourhood isn't like any other in the world this week. Nor is it the same as it was a year ago. I live in East London, the hosts of the 2012 Olympics. Olympic Stadium from the Canal And what a difference a year makes and an injection of overwhelming funds! My local park will play host to a huge video screen showing the games (I'm excited to be having my welcome home party there) and has a beautiful portrait exhibition along the arenas temporary walls of Londoners hailing from all around the world.  Olympic Athletes greet me of a morning On my walk around the borough I found new adventure parks, a lake side organic cafe (with its token Kiwi staff), a group of runners from around the world all gleefully saying "good...

Where the water comes from the tap, unfiltered and the vegetables aren’t stewed or fried. Where, the wifi works well and I have a front door key and a comfortable mattress to languish. Where, I won’t leave home without my Oyster card and I know the direction to where I am going. Where the buses don’t take 8-12 hours and the trains don’t last longer than 6 hours – for a long long weekend! Where, I won’t be stared at (I doubt!). Where dining out will be a luxury not a necessity. Where I have a fridge – and can cook in a kitchen. Where, car horns will be drowned out with Ambulance and Police sirens. Where, the parks are places to enjoy in daylight and only a few live during the night. Where, Pimms is on tap and fish’n’chips is a staple. Where, no one asks me where I am from, we are all foreign here. Where everyone uses the toilet and those truly uncouth few get arrested for pissing in public. Where I have my own washing machine and can ensure my delicates don’t get mangled. Where, I ha...

Well I’m on the plane home to London and what awaits me I really don’t know. The reality of life will no doubt be masked by the mayhem of the Olympics which I am so delighted to be attending (with Tor to the Trampolining…yes it is an Olympic sport!). But the truth of the matter is - What next? Tribulations like sorting out a phone number, all my travel insurance claims, a tax rebate and well when that runs out a job. But right now my greatest joy is heading home to the flat in East London mere minutes from the Olympic action and catching up with family and friends. I have loved the contact from friends and family over the past year, and Tom & Vicky’s blog comments, without which I wouldn’t have survived the lonely days of solo travel. So readers take a bow, You have encouraged me on and this is your raucous cheer “HOORAH” from high in the air over….Kuwait I believe. I have been enjoying writing this blog and for the coming weeks I have a number of posts which need to ...

I was delightfully welcomed to the city by my good friend and former colleague Partho Bhattacharya. Partho is a Bengali who has lived in Tech cities across the world for the past 30 years and was visiting the city on business for the week. It was too good an opportunity to have a hug so I high tailed it to the bright lights of Bollywood. Its been 4 months since I saw someone I know so the familiarity was so wonderfully welcome for this solo spirit. As I got ripped off on my taxi ride from the train station I was keenly told that Mumbai is still Bombay to the locals so I learnt just like Myanmar/Burma it takes a generation or two of change a name. So for me it was Hello Mumbai, bring on Bollywood! My intention to get to the Ellora caves and Ajunta inland from the city was curtailed with ill health. There is nothing like relaxing the body, for it to inturn go into ‘reject and sleep mode’. I was brought back to health with some antibiotics and good company. Only sad that I could n...

No one ever wants the shits and to have it for my last 2 months makes my time on the Big Adventure less than enjoyable. It started in Nepal on the Everest Base Camp trek and ceased in the plains of India until I reached the Himalayas again in the foothills in McLoed Ganj and then amongst the mountains again in Manali. Then I’ve been welcomed back to the plains in Chandigarh with the need for the loo. It’s a real pace killer. So now I am packing that bad feeling into metaphysical suitcase and throwing it into a holy waterway (there seems plenty here in India) and making my way to the bright lights of Bollywood. And god damnit I am not going to be sick doing it. UPDATE:I’ve met an old friend from London in Mumbai and his first comment was “ Oh Jo you have been in th 3 rd world too long. You need to get home and eat ”. In an attempt to street feast on something new (Meat!) I discovered that its not just Delhi Belly but Bombay Belly that claims you here. Oh the joy. One week be...