Full Circle (Michael Palin)

After watching In 80 Days around the World I had great expectations when I started to watch Full Circle. In 80 Days around the World Palin embodied the perfect slow traveller. He was open, showed a great amount of intercultural competence and respect for the people he met. He also showed a great sense of humour (I especially loved his self-mockery).

In Full Circle - which takes us to very interesting places and gives us an interesting insight in the places he visits - he seems to lack the intercultural competence which he definitely has in the beginning of his journey. In the first episodes when visiting Asia he suprisingly appeared a few times like an arrogant, insensitive Western tourist full of prejudices, who lack respect for the people he talks with. I disliked some scenes where he seems to make fun of some people who - out of understandable reasons - lack his English knowledge and his educational background.

But as the journey proceeds we get to see our god old, intelligent traveler and commentator Palin who shows the sensibility and intercultural understanding which make him a kind of role model for slow travelling (despite he also travels with some faster means of transportation this time). Palin let us meet interessting people, gives us insight in a lot of fantastic places and last but not least inspire us to travel.