Early next year Claire and I plan to be in Shanghai, teaching English. We’re going to spend roughly a year and most of our money getting to China from London, our current base (after a brief, visa obtaining hiatus at home in Cape Town, South Africa). Our route snakes slowly through Western Europe into the Middle East, somehow negotiates the volatile region (we’re considering our options), and progresses into India and South East Asia, to eventually reach the boom and bustle of the world’s fastest growing city.

The itinerary below is loose. We’re avoiding detail, preferring flexibility, and still have much to plan.

British Isles – 1 Month

England
London
Farnham (Photos)
York (Photos)

Scotland
Glasgow (Photos)
Aberdeen (Photos)
Ballater (Photos)
Isle of Skye (Photos)

Northern Ireland
Belfast (Photos)

Republic of Ireland
Dublin (Photos)
Doolin (Photos)
Kenmare

The Continent – 3 Months

France
Bayeux (Photos)
St Malo (Photos)
Paris (Photos)
Provence (Photos)

Spain
Barcelona (Photos)
Madrid (Photos)
Pontevedra (Photos)
Santiago de Compostela (Photos)

Portugal
Lisbon (Photos)
Lagos (Photos)

Spain
Sevilla (Photos)
Granada (Photos)

Switzerland
Geneva (Photos)

The Netherlands
Amsterdam (Photos)

Germany
Berlin (Photos)
Black Forest
Munich (Photos)

Austria
Vienna (Photos)
Innsbruck

Italy
Venice (Photos)
Bologna
Cinque Terre
Florence (Photos)
Rome (Photos)
Naples

Greece
Athens (Photos)
Andros

Near and Middle East - 3 months

Turkey
Istanbul (Photos)
Ankara (Photos)
Canakkale (Photos)
Behramkale (Photos)
Selcuk (Photos)
Afyon (Photos)
Capadoccia (Photos)

Syria
Aleppo (Photos)
Hama (Crac de Chevaliers)
Palmyra
Damascus I l Damscus II (Photos)

Jordan
Amman (Photos)
Dead Sea (Photos)
Petra (Photos)

Egypt
Cairo (Photos)
Aswan (Photos)
Luxor (Photos)

Israel
Jerusalem (Photos)

Indian Subcontinent

India
Mumbai (Photos)
Matheran (Photos)
Goa (Photos)
Madikeri (Photos)
Galibeedu (Photos)
Mysore (Photos)
Wyanad
Cochin (Photos)
Alleppi
Sivananda Ashram, Neyyar Dam
Trivandrum
Chennai
Mamallapuram
Bangalore
Hampi
Hyderabad (Photos)
Junagadh
Jamnagar
Dwarka
Udaipur
Jaisalmer
Delhi

Nepal
Lumbini
Kathmandu
Pokhara
Trek (An Improvised Ghorepani to Ghandruk Loop)

India
Darjeeling
Sikkim
Calcutta
Bodghaya
Varanasi
Delhi
Sivananda Ashram, Netala
Rishikesh
McLeod Ganj
Delhi

Nepal
Lumbini (Vipassana Silent Meditation)
Kathmandu

Tibet
Zhangmu
Shigatse
Gyantse
Lhasa

China
Chengdu
Xi’an
Shanghai