What we missed the most whilst overlanding and what we didn't miss

This is a list of things I compiled that our group missed the most whilst being on the road:

• Loved ones inc. family and friends
• Closely followed by food e.g. cheese, yoghurt, fresh fruit, icecream, calamari, Tim Tams, salt and vinegar crisps, baked dinners..
• Hanging out on our couches
• Watching trashy soapies
• Using a phone
• Exercise – gym, kickboxing, rock climbing, salsa, etc.
• Sleeping in
• Having a nap without people taking photos of you
• Getting around without having to see people naked all the time even at breakfast!
• Cold drinks especially cold beer
• Hot showers (or even just any shower)
• Toilets
• Forced toilet stops – not being able to when you need to but being forced to go when you don’t
• A bug-free night
• A bed
• Somewhere to spread out
• Privacy, privacy, privacy – you can’t even pee on your own
• Noisy sex (for the couples evidently!)
• Any sex (for the singles!!!)
• Not having to face a truck to go to the toilet
• News of the outside world
• Being able to go into a shop and getting what you want/need
• Fast internet (or even just internet as often we don’t have any access to it)
• Not being constantly on the move or having to see something
• Not sleeping on bedding that deflates in the night
• Not having cracked hands
• Not having a washing machine

Not really that much I guess. Living the dream – love our lives!

And here’s what we didn’t miss:

• Work (every day of the week is a Saturday – woo hoo!)
• Deadlines
• Bills
• Routine
• Monotony of everyday life
• Politics
• Where boredom is doing your laundry in Pointe Noire, Congo, not working 12 hour days at home
• Geelong (Dom)
• Lack of colour
• Chavs / bogans (Lee!)
• Predictability (love the randomness Africa has to offer)
• Lack of street meat
• Flatness of Australia (Dom)
• Wet summer that Sydney just had [2011-2012] (we had 2 ½ months of not a single rainy day)

On the serious side though, a trip like this makes you more appreciative if nothing else. When I got back, I appreciated running water, I appreciated my bed, I appreciated the food I'm used to eating and most importantly I appreciated all my friends and family who had supported me taking this trip in the first place. Never again will I take anything for granted.