The Big One (or Matt's Six-Month Trip) FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How long were you gone for?

Exactly 180 days, from time off work (12/06/2024) to the last Sunday before my return to work (08/12/2024).

How on Earth did you get the time off work?

Had about three months of leave saved up from work from COVID, and cashed in two months of my long service leave (accessible on a pro-rata basis at seven years at the RBA). Ended up having to do a month at half pay (woe is me, right?)

Hold on you bastard. You got paid the whole time?

You better believe it. I did have to opt for a month at half pay to make it all work. Woe is me.

Where did you go?

• Europe
• Italy (Sardinia, Ferrara, Bolonga, Dolomites and Amalfi)
• Austria (Innsbruck)
• Liechenstein
• Switzerland (Zurich and Lucern)
• Germany (Munich and Berlin)
• Luxembourg
• France (Paris, Marseille and Nice)
• Portugal (Lisbon, Porto and Lagos)
• Spain (Barcelona)
• Greece (Santorini, Milos, Naxos and Mykonos)
• The Netherlands (Amsterdam)
• UK (London)
• Turkey (Istanbul and Gallipoli on the European side)
• Asia
• Turkey (Cappadocia and Ankara on the Asian side)
• Georgia (Tblisi)
• India (Mumbai, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi)
• Nepal (Kathmandu, Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal Base Camp)
• Bangldesh (Dhaka)
• Laos (Vientiane and Luang Prabang)
• Vietnam (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh)
• Cambodia (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap)
• Thailand (Bangkok)
• Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)
• Singapore
• Africa
• South Africa (Durban and the Kruger National Park for a wedding)
• Oceania
• Australia (Melbourne for the AFL Grand Final)

What were your favourite places?

Can't pick just the one - but the Dolomites in Italy, Santorini in Greece, Georgia (not the state), Anzac Cove in Turkey, Nepal, Laos and Vietnam all rate very highly. Melbourne's always a cracker, too.

What were your least favourite places?

• Liechenstein: Super clean but super expensive and boring as batshit. If you're going to do the Liechtenstein Trail, choose the three-day option not the five-day.
• Mumbai/Delhi/Dhaka: Overwhelmingly chaotic. In hindsight, staying out of the Indian/Bangladeshi mega-cities is the lesson for next time. Thoroughly enjoyed Jaipur and Agra.

What were the most surprising places?

• Georgia: Just seeing how far they've come since overthrowing the yoke of Communism not too long ago.
• Lagos, Portugal: Fantastic coastline, severely underrated.
• Agra, India: The Taj Mahal was jaw-dropping. Genuinely shocked me how beautiful it was.
• Positano, Italy: Thought it would overhyped but not at all. Luckily for us, the first night it was Ferragosto, which is an Italian holiday. Midnight fireworks over the Amalfi coast, can't beat that.
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Beautiful city, but certainly touring the Killing Fields and S21 rattled me.

What was the most expensive place?

Zurich in Switzerland. The dollarydoo ain't holidng up well to the Swiss franc.

What were the cheapest places?

India/Bangladesh/Laos/Vietnam/Cambodia.

How much walking did you do?

Did Taryn go with you?

She did! She joined in August for a month. Her company loyalty is unfortunately not as good as mine, so she only had four weeks of leave from starting a new job twelve months prior.

Did you propose to Taryn while you were over there?

I did not.

You missed a good opportunity.

I know, but it's coming.

Did Hughesy go with you?

He did! He joined in September for a month. I'm grateful for his FOMO.

Did you ever get bored travelling by yourself?

Absolutely - mainly on the long transport legs.

Did Taryn manage to cope without you?

I think so. We're still together, which is a good sign.

Did you get homesick?

Absolutely. Reckon the worst was in Lagos after a succession of big nights and realising that I wasn't even at halfway on this trip. Lucky I had Hughesy to perk me up with a Chinese feed.

What would you do different next time?

• Make sure the Swans will win the Grand Final next time, rather than getting thumped by 60 points.
• Not lock myself into so many places so far out. Leave a few blocks to make it up as I go along.
• Make sure I visit the Sundarbans next time I'm in Bangladesh.
• Visit southern/northern India and stay away from the megacities.
• Avoid the touristy season for a few places in Europe, though most places weren't too bad.

What would you do again?

• Cappadocia and the balloons at sunrise. Astounding.
• Nepal treks - ABC and Mardi Himal were both excellent, and would love to explore more.
• Anzac Cove, but this time on Anzac Day.
• The Greek Islands, minus Mykonos.
• Most of the places in Asia I went, as I sort of rushed through most of these and stuck to predominately to the capital cities.

Best moments?

• The first sunset swim in Caleforte (an island off the coast of Sardinia), with my parents + Dad's Italian cousin, followed up by the beach-bar drinks and the countdown song with the locals until the sun slipped over the horizon.
• The beer at the rifugio after my first day trekking the Dolomites.
• The last-minute punk-rock concert in Munich.
• Seeing the Paris Olympics 100m men's final in-person.
• Fireworks over Positano on Ferragosto.
• Last Ever Larry in Porto.
• Cappadocia balloon flight after the previous day's scramble to get on one, along with tasting a walnut plucked from a walnut tree by Connor and Hughesy on the way down.
• Winning tickets to the Grand Final the day before, after almost giving up hope.
• Taj Mahal, plus sunset at Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur.
• Mardi Himal Base Camp with my fantastic Sherpa.
• Witnessing the Water Festival and the dragon boat races in Cambodia.
• Angkor Wat at sunrise.
• South Africa for Jenna and Connor's wedding.

Got any cool stories?

Sure do.

Graphs

Some visualisations for the arty-types.

Context: I sponged off the parents in June and Taryn joined for the month of August.

Context: I visited Thailand in November.

Awards

Notable 'The Big One' trip winners.