Life Altering Adventure

...and so it begins, a railway journey through Africa

All the planning, all the stressing over which route to choose is over. Your life is about to change forever — You will not return home the same person who left.

Source:bbs.zhnews.net

Once you feel the unmistakeable tug of the train leaving the station your already heightened adrenaline will swell to a restless excitement. The anticipation of things to come will be nearly irrepressible. Soon you'll want to run from window to window, but savor each moment. Tame your euphoria.
The route ahead is not a straight one; not a get there quick route. It's a twisted turning route over and around impenetrable obstacles. Although getting from point A to B may be how it started, the views form the train would not be ignored and word spread of an irresistible journey.
At nearly every turn there are breathtaking views, along seemingly endless coastlines, past sweeping vistas, through mountain ranges, over deep gorges, or past the most magnificent waterfalls. You are on a journey that will imprint your life. At times you may feel like your in the middle of a new migration toward the Ark. The opportunities you'll have here will not present themselves again in any other land or on any other train. In the end you will know you have experienced extraordinary and nothing will ever be the same.

“To see ten thousand animals untamed and not branded with the symbols of human commerce is like scaling an unconquered mountain for the first time, or like finding a forest without roads or footpaths, or the blemish of an axe. You know then what you had always been told -- that the world once lived and grew without adding machines and newsprint and brick-walled streets and the tyranny of clocks.” ~ Beryl Markham 

Ireland's Causeway Coast

Walk in the footsteps of giants…

Our spectacular train ride from Derry along Ireland's northern coast has taken us the short 45 minutes to Coleraine. (see previous post). Coleraine is considered an ideal location for the lover of outdoors and, from here, you can use your integrated Translink bus and rail ticket to visit attractions, small towns and villages of The Causeway Coast and, as they say, walk in the footsteps of giants. The Causeway Coast is one of the most scenic regions and is home to some of Northern Ireland’s best known attractions including: Bushmills Distillery, Dunluce Castle, Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, Giant’s Causeway. The Causeway is a World Heritage Site and an area of outstanding natural beauty. The Giant's Causeway is an area of approximately 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption, but legend has it built by a 54 foot tall giant called Finn McCool. Regardless of whether you prefer science or legend, it's a remarkable area to explore. Besides, Giant's Causeway sounds so much better than Interlocking Basalt Columns site. A kid, or a kid at heart, could spend days exploring imagination…or just hoping around.