Closure

Well, this is it, the last blog. Sorry it has taken so long, but life has been crazy, as you can imagine. It’s good to be home, but coming back to life has proved to be more physically and emotionally exhausting than I imagined.
I had a bunch of different titles picked out for my final entry that would best encompass our assimilation: Home Sweet Home, Reality Bites, Last One, etc….but honestly, closure is what we are still processing as we move into a new place and re-join the work force, so there you have it.
Firstly, I would like to thank all of our family and friends for their thoughts, prayers, and support when we made the decision to do this trip. I know it probably wasn’t the easiest news to take when we told you our plans and I know it may have propelled some people into constant states of worry, but we just want you to know we are so grateful for your support.
To my loyal followers (all three of you): thank you for tolerating my sporadic & disorganized entries, poor grammar, and tangential writing. Seriously, my spelling of “grammar” was just autocorrected. ;)
Jason and I had such an amazing and unforgettable time; and were very fortunate to go on such a comprehensive trip without incident or injury. We didn’t get sick and the only items that didn’t make it home were things that were accidentally left behind. (My favorite striped pajama pants for instance.)
A close girlfriend asked me when we returned home if our “travel bug” had been satisfied, and at the time I felt perhaps it was full and now just taking much needed rest. However, later that evening I went for a sunset run around Mission Bay, with all of it’s possibilities, and a lump settled in my throat as I thought more carefully about her question. Coming home has been more emotionally confusing than adolescence. As I ran I reconsidered the current state of my “travel bug” and knew immediately that this urge, this travel bug, is never satisfied; that once bitten it just keeps gnawing at you until you buy your next plane ticket and dust off your passport. It doesn’t eat, doesn’t drink, doesn’t rest until you are back on the road. If someone were to ask me if I could get on a plane tomorrow - where would I go? Without hesitation I know this answer to this question: Sao Pao, then Buenos Aires, hop over to Chile for some wine tasting, Peru to climb Machu Picchu, then some R&R on the beautiful beaches of Belize. Perhaps on the way back we can stop in Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama for some surf. A few weeks after that we would head back to Asia to spend some time in Vietnam, Loas, Cambodia, and Indonesia. I would also like to spend time in the countryside of Japan since we were only in Tokyo for a few days. I wonder if there is a direct flight from Japan to the Antarctic Islands? Travel Bug you say? More like Parasite.
I learned from my first European experience just after college that once you see a part of the world you have never seen before, the world only gets bigger; and with each subsequent trip, she gets bigger, bigger, and bigger and the excited desire to keep on seeing takes on weed-like traits and starts to rapidly and wildly grow. Then all of sudden the cravings come; the want and desire to be home; and you find yourself torn and confused. I have been here before, this constant state of confusion, when Jason and I got back from our Greek Isle-hopping honeymoon. I feel like I am not sure where I want to be more, home or away, and sometimes each desire is just as strong as the other, battling each other for attention. The feelings and confusion I know will come off the front burners in time, when the busyness of life takes more of the driver’s seat. I am sure that once I am sitting home in the comfort of my family and friends, laughing, and telling stories, that there is no other place in the world I’d rather be.

After a long trip like this, you may be asking about things we’ve learned. After so many experiences in so many different cultures, it is quite difficult to quantify the things we learned from our trip, but here are a few things I know for sure:

There is absolutely no place like home.
I love my country and I am privileged to have the right to vote, a voice.
I am lucky to have such a wonderful and amazing friend in my husband.
Husband friend aside, all women need girl time, especially sister time.
Governments should never censor their people.
It's amazing what amenities you can live without.
It's amazing what amenities you can't live without.
Having a worldview is important, even if it is from your living room.
I know more about Cricket than I ever wished to know.
There are some really wonderful people and really shitty people everywhere.
I will never again take for granted a toilet and toilet paper.

Love to you all! Thank you so much for following along in our adventures! Jason and I have been back for two weeks and already moved into a rental, have started back at work, and started house hunting (another adventure!!) We will be sure to keep you posted. We hope to see all of you soon!
Yours Truly,
Becca

Trip Fun Facts:

Total Days Traveled: 110
Total Distance Traveled: 91,467km/57,166mi
Total Distance Driven: 7,076km/4,422.5mi
Continents Visited: 4
Countries Visited: 23
Cities Visited: 63
Number of Passport Stamps/Visas: 40
Total Boat/Ferry Rides: 7
Total Train rides: 31
Total Flights: 18
Total Flight Hours: 98.16
Number of wrecked cars: 1
Number of speeding tickets: 1
Stays longer than three days: None
Where we wouldn’t mind living: Jeffery’s Bay, South Africa and Tokyo, Japan
The worst thing about traveling: missing out on other people’s lives.

All pictures are posted at http://picasaweb.google.com/beccajulia

Mileage Update

Hi!!
Last blog entry we hadn't figured out our current mileage. Here it is for your reading pleasure!

Days Traveled: 94
Distance Traveled: 67,816km/43,010mi
Best Sunset in the World so far: South West Rocks, New South Wales, Australia
(although these pictures don't do it justice.)

Notes From the Author

Hi there. I know it has been a while since I last posted a blog entry and to you faithful followers (both of you) I am sorry.
Since my birthday in Ko Samui, Thailand we have been on yet another whirlwind. From Ko Samui we flew back into Bangkok. From Bangkok we flew into Guangzhou, China and took a train into Hong Kong. We spent a few days in Hong Kong (GREAT CITY) and the last day we decided to check out Macau island.
From Macau back to Hong Kong, back to Guangzhou we flew into Beijing and picked up a taxi to take us to Jinshanling (about 160km outside the city). We had an amazing two days hiking the Great Wall of China from Jinshanling to Simitai, about 20 kilometers. We had read that that area of wall isn't visited too often by tourists so you can have a relatively peaceful, albeit difficult, hike. Our advisers were so correct. We had the wall to ourselves most of the time - an amazing experience.
After we returned from Simitai we spent one night in Beijing before heading to Tokyo for the weekend. With some extra airline miles we paid about 70$ USD for both of us to get there and back. And we are soooo glad we did!! Tokyo was an awesome city and the sushi was amazing! Even Jason found himself saying "I could eat a few more of those!" referencing the Ahi tuna sashimi. I couldn't believe it!! We Karaoked one night with some new found friends and found some of the great hang outs in our neighborhood, Shibuya. We had a blast.
After our few days in Japan were over we headed back to Beijing for our last Asian days. We strolled the exotic food markets and tried some scorpions!! They weren't so bad after you fry them up and put salt on them. ;)
Spending 4 weeks in Asia was a cool experience and I think we probably preferred Thailand and Japan over China, with the exception of our wall hike.
On the 29th we flew out of Beijing into South Korea to pick up our connecting flight to Sydney. We had a two hour layover so we decided to enter Seoul, have some lunch, and head back into the international terminal. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was two more stamps on our passports!!
So I am currently in a small town called Port Macquerie just a few hours north of Sydney, Australia. After a few days in Sydney (and an amazing climb to the summit of the Harbour Bridge) we started our drive toward Brisbane (locally called Brizzy) were we have plans to meet up with our friends. Sydney and all the beach parts we have seen so far certainly remind us of home. However, when you are reminded of home without any friends or family, it makes you miss it even more.
We have been talking alot about Charlie and we can't wait to see her! We hear she got a haircut and is enjoying herself.
So today is July 5th for us and Jason and I spent last night at the bar celebrating to ourselves the 4th of July. We had a good time but we have to hit the road. We are currently in a motel but will be camping the rest of the days until Brisbane. At the recommendation of a local we met in Thailand we rented a Wicked Van. Look it up, it is pretty hilarious! Our van is probably the most obnoxious van we could have gotten and was nicknamed "DHL" because of it's colors. DHL or McDonald's...either way, it is very loudly yellow with red writing. The writing being something about a nasal spray for men - a Viagra of sorts. Anyhow, I am sorry to rush you through the last few weeks in a few short paragraphs, but I didn't want to abandon my faithful followers.
All pictures so far, with the exception of Australia, have been posted at http://picasaweb.google.com/beccajulia

Today is day: 91
Days left: 19
Distance Traveled: I am not sure, but will update soon
Hours ahead: 17

My Birthday Wish

For my birthday (today for me, tomorrow for those viewing) I have asked Jason for the following:
1 – the new Jack Johnson album via iTunes
2 – a summer dress, which here in Thailand should cost about $3.
3 – a manicure and pedicure…PLEASE!!!!
4 – a Charlie hug

What I wouldn’t give for a Charlie hug. Please, if someone could take care of this for me, I would be indebted to you forever. Wrap her up and ship her here. I miss her so much and all I would love to do for my birthday is give Charlie a HUGE hug!!!
Since I understand this most likely not possible I wish the following:
If you happen to be out for dinner, or a happy hour (maybe Taco Tuesday) or something, or even at home and feeling a little festive, please have a margarita for me. Or Two. ;) They just aren't the same here. Mom – no cheating, virgin margaritas don’t count!

That’s all!! Love and miss you all!

Days Traveled: 71
Days Left: 39
Distance Traveled: 47,665km/29,784mi
Hours ahead by: 14 for California, 11 for East Coast
Countries Visited: 17
Getting: older

I Hate Mosquitos

Someone please, PLEASE tell me the secret to keeping the mosquitos off!!! They only way I know that worked from when I was little is when my mom and grandma would wrap me in a quilt in the heat of the summer nights. That is the only thing that worked! A quilt!! Does anyone have any ideas???? I am constantly applying bug repellant, with and without 98% DEET and still getting bitten. There has to be a secret somewhere. A thousand Baht to the person that can successfully help me out. ;)
Thanks, Becca

Ahhhhh Beach

One thing to definitely get your mind off missing home are the turquoise-emerald green waters of Thailand. We decided to get off Phuket and head toward Ko Phi Phi Don, abbreviated by all locals as Phi Phi (pronounced Pee Pee). Phi Phi is beautiful and would have some good hikes for us. Phi Phi Island was also one of the islands which saw much of the devastation from the Tsunami, but they have rebuilt so quickly that there isn’t much residue from the tsunami, unless you took a good look. A lot of the beaches in Thailand have a lot of trash, despite their beauty, and in Phi Phi it was hard to tell if all the trash around was debris or really trash. We hiked up to the viewpoint which gives you an amazing panoramic view of the bays of Ao Loh Dalum and Ao Ton Sai. These bays are separated by thin strand of island (called the Deer’s Neck) and most remarkably have two very different colors of water.
After our sweaty, steep hike we rented a longtail boat and headed toward Ko Phi Phi Leh (Ko Phi Phi Don’s little sister island) that has the infamous Maya Bay, where they filmed the Leonardo DiCapio film The Beach. Pee Pee Leh is a little, baby island so the only transport available is by boat. The boat drops you off about 100 feet from the cliff side where there is a manmade bamboo ladder you have to climb over in order to hike to the bay. I wonder if they did this swim/hike everyday for filming or just camped there. Anyway, you can easily see what the appeal is of this clear, turquoise water and white, soft-sanded bay, but unfortunately for us all the daytrippers were there hanging our in their docked their speed boats. You can access the bay directly by speedboat without having to swim it, however, the longtail boats (little rickety things made of wood and a lawnmower like motor) can’t handle the wind from that side. So we swam back and did a little snorkeling. Traveling at this point is starting to feel like vacation…thank goodness. From Ko Phi Phi Don we will travel by ferry to Railay Beach. Railay is a tiny bay area just barely off the coast of Krabi Province, which is back on the mainland of Thailand. See you there. ;)

Days Traveled: not sure
Distance Traveled: not sure
What do I know? I wish you could all see this. I hope my photos will do it justice, as I am sure my writing wont.

Phuket About It

Our way down from Chiang Mai to the coast and islands would be a flight into Phuket.
There are only a couple of ways to describe Phuket, dirty and crowded.
Jason and I decided to take the word from our guidebook and head towards Kata Beach since Kata is supposed to have, I am going to emphasize supposed, a surf vibe. I guess maybe only if you are living in Kansas, because we didn’t get a surf vibe at all. The only thing that resembled any type of surf were the quickie surf board rentals dotted along the beach. Needless to say, we didn’t care for Phuket much so we are going to move on….forget about Phuket. ;)


Sorry, No Pictures.