All good things must come to an end…
I am sitting in a cafe in NYC as I type this. It used to be “my” city but is no longer. It feels wonderful to be here yet strange at the same time. I am on the last city visit of my sabbatical before I head back to Colorado to move into my house and rejoin society. The real adjustment will be starting back to work on October 4th.
The past week in London and New York had me telling stories and answering questions, many of them the same. As I reflect on the amazing trip I’ve just taken, I want to share a few stats:
- The hardest question to answer: what was the best place I visited? Bali, Kho Tao (Thailand), Hoi An (Vietnam), Sapa (Vietnam)
- The best thing I did: rent a bicycle and ride around the villages of Hoi An with an Englishman living locally
- # of flights taken: 21
- # of books read: 15
- Words of the trip: Omarama, shpanx, katie dawg, turkey leg, malaria, “I’m not gonna lie”, “Ciao castaway!”
- Best food eaten: pho, thai green curry, vienamese fresh spring rolls, dim sum
- Things stolen: 0
- Packages shipped: 3
- # of countries visited: 10
- # of visits to the hospital: 0
- # of gangrenous infections: 0
- # of new scars: 3
- # of shark attacks: 0
- # of visa fails: 1
- # of hats purchased: 2
- # of turkey legs: 1
- # of malaria pills taken: 0
- # of cougar attacks: 1
- Backpack weight: 20 kilos
- $ amount of mistakes made: $165
- # of times we outsmarted ourselves: 2
- Best travel purchases: shpanx, tiger balm, girl with the dragon tattoo books
- # of things chucked/left: 0(sarah), 7(katie)
- # of things forgotten: 1(s), 0(k)
- worst moment: Cockroaches (Kho Tao - katie, Ha Long Bay - sarah)
- # of swimsuits packed: 4(s), 3.5 (k)
- # dives completed: 22(s), 12(k)
- # squat toilets used for pooping: 0(s), 1.5(k)
- # of sarongs purchased: 6(s), 5(k)
- Worst country for mosquitoes: Malaysia (s), Thailand (k)
- # of injuries: 1(s), 3(k)
- # of drunken nights out: 6(s), 3(k)
