That's All Folks!

I can't believe that this adventure has come to an end. It seems like just yesterday that we boarded our flight for Japan. This trip has changed me more than words can express. I have learned so much about me and what more I want to with my life. You cannot go to a country and not learn something about yourself. And, with an open mind, you realize good things and bad things about your own way of life. From this trip, I have learned that I don't need half the things I own. I want to live simpler. I don't know why we break ourselves to get so many "things". This trip has taught me that I have been spinning my wheels, accumulating crap that means nothing.  I am so blessed that Bruce feels the same way. We know now that we can not go back to the "same ol same ol".
This trip has also given us memories that we will never forget. I know that 20 years from now, we will sit and laugh about "that one time in (blank) country".

Private joke

Each place has given us some memorable things...some good and some bad. Overall, we were horribly blessed with how smoothly this trip went. We didn't have lost/delayed/stolen luggage, we never got sick from drinking water or eating local foods and we were never victims of any petty crimes (other that crooked taxi drivers). We are truly blessed. Its hard to summarize the best things about this journey but I will sure try. Here goes:

Efficiency: We can really learn a thing or two about the efficency of other countries. I've heard friends fret over going to a "foreign" airport but NOTHING can be worse than our own, poorly run, attitude-filled airports here in the good ol USA. We counted, and we've taken over 30 flights in the past six months. We were treated the worst at the airport in MIAMI! Seriously? We were in Sri Lanka during a political coup and we still got treated better than we did by security in Miami. I hope that we can learn lessons from them. Maybe we should send our TSA people to sensitivity training in a thrid world country?

You don't need it!: I have learned how much of my life at home is really superfluous. I haven't carried a purse, cell phone or put on make up in over six months. It is so liberating not to have to worry about if you hair is just so or if your lipstick has run. It feels good, being natural and not worring about things like purses matching outfits.

You were right!: This is a special shout out to our trip guru's, Rich and Ana who just completed a one year, round the world journey. They gave us insight on how to pack and how NOT to over-pack. I tried to listen but I did go over just a bit. We did not pay for a stitch in overweight baggage thanks to our strict "Don't buy not a damn thing" rule but we still had extra crap we coulda jettisoned. Ana told me to be wise with my choices. You were right! I estimated that we wore probably 70-80% of our clothing, the rest was just dead weight. I lived in my "convertable" pants and a comfy shirt and long johns in Europe and shorts/flip flops in our beach destinations. Even though we kept our bags less than 23kg it woulda been nice to have them under 20kg...hindsight is 20/20....ah well...

Simple Life: If someone would have told me that my most important things in life woulda been my flip flops, a bathing suit and a T-shirt I'm sure I woulda done a double take. But after spending time in the Philippines, Thailand and Belize, I know now that I have been living a lie. There is nothing more refreshing than waking up, brushing your teeth and face, throwing on a bikini, shorts and t-shirt (all thouroughly worn) and going for a swim...So simple, so beautiful and I wouldn't change a thing about it. Consider this my notice Ladies, all the purses, the MAC makeup, the perfume...FOR SALE!!!

Toilet Ettiquette: I am the master of the squat now. I haven't really had the opportunity to use a normal "Western-Style" toilet in months. Asia is my all time favorite. Looking for a sign for "non-squat toilet" is my new favorite talent. Even still, I can do some amazing, Olympic style squatting, with my pack on...I'm sure that talent wil come in handy in the future :)

How to use the bathroom...in case you forgot...

A total circumnavigation of the globe. Started in Los Angeles, to Asia, Europe, South American then Central America....

For those of you who would like a quick and dirty summary of our past several months...(Thanks, Rich for letting me "borrow" this idea:))

Technically, we have been gone for five months total:
We left Phoenix for Sydney, Australia on November 25, 2009
Met our Travel Muses, Rich and Ana on December 5th who gave us the crazy idea to travel round the world, courtesy of the One World Round the World Program
Came back to Phoenix on December 13, 2009...started the Plan
Quit our jobs, packed for 5 weeks
Left Phoenix on January 28, 2010
Visited 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Belize, Cayman Islands, Denmark, England, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Maldives, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines. Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand...whew!

Longest Travel Day: 26 hour day which included a car, a boat, 3 plane rides, a long layover, three countries and a subway ride. Truly, Planes, Trains and Automobiles...

Too Old for this Crap....

Worst Moment in Travel: Anytime we had long ass flights. Specifically Hong Kong to London...painful and the airport in Copenhagen...ugh!

Catching ZZZ's

Best Airlines: JAL...the flight attendents are beyond polite and bow!!! Can you imagine the Southwest Airlines flight crew doing that?!
Most Expensive Country: Anywhere in Europe, hands down. Sent us a tad over budget...
Biggest Splurge: Diving in Thailand in the Similan Islands. Took 3 hours to get to the dive site by boat, but worth every penny!!! and the over water bungaloo for one night in the Maldives

One night in heaven

Over water bungaloo in Maldives

Only Purchases: four T-shirts (two for Bruce, two for me)...
Best Souveneirs: I got postcards from every city and every country we visited!
Best Moments: Watching sunset on a deserted beach in the Maldives...

Our "Island" in the Maldives

Biggest Achievement: Diving with sharks, finally getting our Advanced Open Water Certification (after 10 years of scuba diving) and Nitrox training

Best Thing About the Trip: Diving! We have had the opportunity to visit some of the worlds best dive sites and do things I thought I would never do!

Diving in New Zealand

Our favorite hobby!!! DIVING!

Coldest Moment: Zaanse Schans, Netherlands

Just a little chilly....

Best Food: I can't decide!!!

                                        Indian Food!

Spanish Paella!

Worst Moment: Going Home to Reality...At least we only have six weeks before our next big adventure!!!!

For those of you who don't know, we decided to continue the adventure and move to one of the destinations that we visited...stay posted!!!

I would like to thank everyone who supported us, read our rantings and kept up with us during our adventures. I hope that you have enjoyed it!!! We sure did!!!