I’m not really sure where to start with my thoughts and reflections on our 10-month journey. It’s kind of ironic that the thing I say the most is that I don’t know how to put it in words. We saw and did so many amazing things. At a certain point on the trip it became the norm to wake up in a new place, see something for the first time, eat something for the first time, do something for the first time etc. I think that’s where it really sank in just how amazing the trip really was. To be able to have something that extraordinary be just the norm is pretty cool.
Central America was where we began and during this part of the trip I feel like we were pretty ready to cut loose. Beer was cheap, sun was hot and a lot of good times were had. The biggest struggle I can remember about Central America was a two-day hike in Guatemala. This was also quite possibly my fondest memory of Central America. I really appreciate the family from America who let us stay at their vacation home. I also really enjoyed the time we spent with a family and teachers in Guatemala. We met some friends in Panama and got talked into taking Scuba lessons. That was a decision that changed the way we vacationed. I kind of fell in love with diving.
South America felt much different. The Patagonia region was incredible. We did our first five-day hike which was very challenging but equally rewarding. The hike was great because it forced us to be tough. It also lowered our standards for our living situation which was really good a little later in the trip. Although the big cities in South America weren’t my favorite, they were very rich in culture. All the different style of buildings in Buenos Aries really stands out for me. All in all, it was a beautiful continent.
Australia was beautiful and easy to get around. The free camping and free city parks really offset how expensive things were there and made it a good place to tell people about. I’m pretty sure we saw the prettiest beach in the world here. We also did some incredible dives! The people all seemed very friendly. I actually felt like sometimes they treated us like we were famous. We spent a lot of time in the car talking and listening to audiobooks. One of my fondest memories (besides diving) was seeing kangaroos for the first time and holding wallabies.
Southeast Asia had some very big highs and lows. One sight that stands out to me was Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Thinking of how it was made so many years ago is somewhat mind blowing. We stayed at some places that were pretty terrible and we also stayed in some places that were absolutely incredible. We met some locals who were rude and opportunistic, and we also met some of the sweetest, most caring locals we met on the whole trip (motorcycle guide, lady that bought us a smoothie). Our four-day ride in the rolling hills of Northern Vietnam, an incredible beach dive resort in Malaysia, the food scene in Northern Thailand, beautiful waterfalls in Laos, and getting to play with elephants were just a few things that stand out. Our money went far in Southeast Asia. That’s definitely a good place to visit if you need to stretch your dollar!
Nepal was very intense. Our hike in the Himalayas really tested our willpower but it was one of the most talked about parts of our trip. I talk often about our 14-day hike and seeing the highest lake in the world. Our hike through the jungle in search of rhino was short but also pretty tough. We fought leaches, bugs, and saw crocodiles, tiger tracks and elephants. It was all worth it though when we finally found a rhino!
India. Well India was home of some cool things like the Taj Mahal. I say that I’m happy we went to India because it reminds me how lucky we are here, but I don’t think I’ll ever choose to go back. India was very dirty and the hustle was constant. I think it would take a while to mold a person with American culture to fit into Indian culture. It would for me at least. With that being said, I do have a picture of the Taj Mahal on my screen saver.
Our final stop was in the middle east. One thing that stands out to me was the prices of things in Egypt, Israel and Jordan. Before our trip, I would have assumed that prices in these places would be very cheap but that didn’t really turn out to be true. All three of these places however were well worth it! Egypt had some if not the best diving we saw on our whole trip. Although not necessarily exciting, it was really cool to see the pyramids and how huge they are. The things people did back then were unbelievable. Our time in Jordan was short, but it was home to the most incredible “wonder of the world” Petra. Petra was hands down the most impressive wonder of the world we’ve ever seen. Being there in person I think is totally different than trying to fathom the magnitude of what you’re looking at in a picture. I can’t talk about Israel without saying that I really think they have their stuff together. I love their approach on required military time and expected travel time before starting college. I think that is a brilliant approach and it seems to show. When you talk to kids in their 20’s from Israel, it’s like talking to a person in their 30’s or 40’s at home. Their worldly knowledge is a cut above.
When we decided to go on this trip it was kind of a scary risk. We had concerns about what we’d come back to. We’ve been so fortunate to come back to good jobs and healthy families which were probably our two biggest concerns. Although we’re temporarily separated by a long stretch of highway, I’d say everything worked out for the best upon our return. We both have great jobs, we’re happy, we’re healthy, and we have one hell of a story to tell.