home:-  Pilgrim's Progress

Hi,

Welcome to my travel blog. In the coming months I'll be visiting South Africa, India, Thailand, Borneo, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, returning to the UK in May 09.
I'll try to provide regular updates, but access to the internet may be limited in some locations.
You can leave messages for me at this site. Alternatively you can e-mail me at pilgrim68@aol.com.

Who is Pilgrim68?
My name is David Lewis. After 20 years of being as civil a servant as I could be I decided to pack it in and do some travelling, taking on some voluntary work placements along the way. I'll be working on conservation/wildlife projects in SA and Ecuador, and working with schools in SA and India.
Why Pilgrim? Well, it seems appropriate for a traveller, especially one who hails from Plymouth originally. And the 68 relates to the year of my birth, which makes me 40. So yes you can put this down to a mid-life crisis if you want. But this trip will be much more fun and certainly less ridiculous than me buying a sports car.

Take care.

The Eagle Has Landed

Journal Date: 04 May 2009

Location: Harrow

A dull grey sky over London, but it's a clear early morning. At 6am we are in a stacking system, giving passengers panoramic views across the city. By 7am I am on UK soil. I need a coffee before heading back to Harrow. Not sure if it is lack of sleep or the extra oxygen available at sea level that is making me light headed. It ends as it started, on the 140 bus. It's a bank holiday in the UK, so the bus isn't crowded. We drive through the delights of Hayes, Yeading; past dodgy pubs, kebab shops, bookies. Everybody who gets on the bus is a stranger, yet their faces seem familiar. Home. Finally, Harrow. A nap. A trip to the local. Pint(s) of Guiness. Chinese take-away. Blessed sleep. It's the end of the trip, but not the end of the journey. Who knows what tomorrow and beyond will bring? I'll keep you posted.