My Favorite Photos from the Trip

(Click on the photos to enlarge them)

Crazy bug in the Monteverde Cloud Forrest - Costa Rica

The Sand Church near Skagen, Denmark

Bled, Slovenia

Budapest, Hungary

Sunset over Lisbon, Portugal

Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark

"The Green Square" where the Northern Ireland fans prepared
for their match against Denmark

Trip Statistics

Hostels: 55

Planes: 27

Trains: 15

Busses: 31

Taxis: 56

Currencies Used: 19

Snickers eaten: way too many to count

Back in the US of A

After a relatively long and uneventful flight over the Pacific and across the date-line, I found myself feeling like a zombie as I collected my bags and cleared customs before meeting my Dad at the San Francisco airport. Still can't believe the trip is over. It's strange because nothing, and I mean NOTHING has changed at home and it feels strangely as if I never left. I haven't done too much in the past day and a half, so I'm anticipating a pontential reverse culture shock will set in later, or perhaps because I was constantly jumping into and out of different cultures I am no longer shocked by dramatic changes. Who knows?

And now, after months of observations, I am now ready to unveil some of my favorites from around the globe. And the winners are:

Best Food:

1. Thailand (anyone who has been following my blog could have probably guessed this one)
2. Bulgaria
3. Costa Rica (such amazing exotic fruits)
   

Most Beautiful Women:

1. Sao Paula, Brazil (I couldn't have escaped all the beauties if I'd tried - of course why would I hide?)
2. Romania
3. Australia
   

Most Beautiful City:

1. Rio de Janeiro (breathtaking)
2. Dubrovnik
3. tie Venice and Amsterdam
   

Best Beaches:

1. Montezuma, Costa Rica
2. Natal, Brazil
3. Dubrovnik, Croatia
   

Best Hiking:

1. The Andes in Peru
2. Transylvania in Romania
3. Lublijana, Slovenia
   

Most Expensive:

1. Denmark
2. Amsterdam
3. Venice
   

Least Expensive:

1. Thailand
2. Peru
3. Bolivia
   

Coolest looking Currency:

1. Qatar
2. Romania
3. Australia
   

Most Pollution:

1. Peru
2. Thailand
3. Malaysia
   

Friendliest People:

1. Brazil
2. Thailand
3. Holland

Best Drink:

1. Caiparinha (Brazil)
2. Thai Iced Tea (Thailand)
3. Fruit smoothies (Costa Rica)
   

Best Football (soccer) Match:

1. Denmark v. Northern Ireland
   
2. FC Porto v. some other Portuguese team
3. Copenhagen v. Bronby (the game where my buddy Henrik broke his nose)
   

Best Airport:

1. Copenhagen
2. Athens
3. Sydney
   

Favorite Country:

1. Portugal
2. Peru
3. tie Romania & Slovenia
   

Favorite City:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
   
2. Lisbon, Portugal
3. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
4. Sarajevo, Bosnia
5. Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria

Place most likely to return to:

1. Tasmania
2. Transylvania
3. Portugal
   

Place least likely to return to:

1. Salvador, Brazil
2. Bangkok, Thailand
3. Singapore
   

Best book I read:

1. Honeymoon with my Brother (can't remember the author right now)
   
2. State of Fear by Michael Chriton
3. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connolly

Most Memorable Moments (here are just a couple in no particular order):

• Hiking to Macchu Picchu with my Dad
• Hang-gliding over Rio de Janeiro
• Halloween in Transylvania
• Soccer match between Denmark and Northern Ireland
• Knights Templar fortress in Portugal
• Surfing lesson in Costa Rica
• Riots in Budapest
• 30 minute foot massage in Thailand for less than $2
• Port wine tasting in Porto, Portugal
• Zip-line through the cloud forest in Costa Rica

Best Picture I took:

1. I will post these in the next couple days after I've had a chance to review them all
   

The final day

It feels strange to write this but today is my final full day in my pursuit to circle the globe. I remember thinking that my travels would go on forever at the beginning of the trip as I held a thick stack of airline tickets in my hand and was looking at months of unplanned activity. Sadly, all good things must come to an end. I am actually very much looking forward to my return home. I don't know if it's just because I've gotten burnt out or if it's because Australia is so similar to the US. Australia is great, but lacks the exotic challenge that most other stops on the trip required.

I saw a play called "Babes in the Wood" at the Sydney Opera House a few nights ago. It was a fun show (nothing too special) but the facility was impressive all lit-up at night. Even though the structure is more than 30 years old, it has a timeless charm about it that will most likely prevent it from ever looking dated.

Two days ago, I reunited with an Aussie I had traveled with in Bosnia and then again in Romania. Didn't do anything in particular but walked all over the city and ate more Thai. Yesterday I took a train 2 hours inland to the Blue Mountains to go hiking. My plans of hiking their "Grand Canyon" were foiled by a series ofrecent brush fires that have left most of the park closed off topublic access. I could have taken a cab to a different trail butthought that would be more effort than necessary especiallyconsidering I would somehow have to get one on the way back too. Instead, I had a relaxing day in the mountains reading my book.

Now I am off to the beach to enjoy the sun before returning to winter in the northern hemisphere tomorrow.

Next posting will be a wrap up where I will pick the "best ofs." Please post a comment with any categories you would like me to rank i.e. best food, most attractive women etc...

I'm all ears

I'm sure you've all been worried about me. I went to see a doctor yesterday and discovered that I have an ear infection in both ears. That was a relief because I was starting to worry that I may have done serious damage while scuba diving. The doc gave me some meds and I should be back to normal within a week. Until then I will continue to have a few balance issues. It's strange because when walking, sitting, standing I have the same feeling as though I've had a few drinks. It's not bad once you get accustomed to it.

Yesterday, a Japanese friend who I met in Tasmania showed me around the city. We bought tickets to see a play at the Sydney Opera House tonight. Not really sure what I will do until the show, but will probably resort to the usual - walking around until I stumble upon new neighborhoods and then maybe grab a coffee and read my book. Right now I am feeling the effects of 4 months on the road and have begun "cool down" mode. I figure that I eased into the trip while in Costa Rica (my first stop) and now it's time to gradually ease out of it.

Survived the sharks

Arrived back in Cairns yesterday after three amazing days out on the reef discovering a sub-marine world that is truly spectacular! In total I had 5 dives. 4 training dives that required 10 minutes of practicing skills and then an underwater tour admiring the scenery until we hit the critical oxygen level and needed to begin our ascent and return to the boat. My final dive was my first as a certified diver and my diving partner and I had to navigate and take care of ourselves.

It is impossible to describe with words everything that I witnessed, but some highlights included a couple reef sharks, a 6-foot wide turtle, 4-foot oysters, rays, baracudas, nemo fish, every type of coral under the sun and too many fish to every name!

My ears weren't great but cooperated enough to let me get 5 dives in. On the 6th, which was a nightdive with flashlights in hand and glow-sticks on our tanks, I wasn't able to get my ears equalized past 4 meters and had to surface. Ears felt funny all night and the next morning so I decided to sit out a few dives yesterday morning because I was worried about flying today. Ears are still feeling a little plugged up but the flight wasn't painful at all.

I'm still having trouble getting used to being on land. Whenever I get up from a chair I waiver a bit as my legs are used to compensating for the ocean's rocking. This evening I called a Polish freind I met in Tasmania and we had dinner together and she gave me some recommendations for things to do and see here in Sydney. Six more days here and then it's a lovely 13 hour direct flight back home! Where have the past few months gone?

Tasmania Wrap Up

Okay first let me say that my plan to spend the night in the Sydney airport was thwarted when a worker informed me that they were locking up the terminal at 11 and it would not be open again until 4 the next morning. I had to collect my things and get up from my comfy chair and move to a metal bench outside the baggage claim area. There was no point in paying full price for 5 hours in a hotel so I just put on a couple extra layers (remember it's summer here) and read my book. The night passed rather quickly and uneventfully and I have spent today screwing around and resting up for SCUBA lessons starting tomorrow.

As I mentioned in the last post, Tasmania was wonderful! Here is a brief day by day of what I was up to:

Day 1: The highlight was climbing Cradle Mountain. Didn't quite make it to the summit because we started later in the day, but the views were stunning with blue lakes, glacial-cut valleys and patches of rainforest mixed in. An added bonus was all of the wombats and wallabies I saw at dusk. Went on a Tasmanian devil search late at night with a flashlight but was unsuccessful.

Day 2: Hiked three hours into Montezuma falls through dense rainforest along the west coast of the island. Went to a beach later in the day and I just couldn't resisit the temptation to go for a quick swim in the Southern Ocean. I mut admit that prior to that swim I was unaware of there being a Southern Ocean, but regardless, I have another ocean crossed off my list.

Day 3: There was a fair bit of driving this day with several short hikes to break up the trip. Walking through a park with eucalyptus (spelling?) trees that were 100 meters high was impressive. Rumor has it that they might overtake the California redwood as the tallest trees on the planet. Stayed in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania which seemed like a quaint city with a cool wharf area. For those of you who didn't know, the Danish prince met his wife at a bar in Sydney a few years ago and she was originally from Tasmania. The royal couple just so happened to be vacationing in Tasmania during my visit but I did not run into them. Shucks.

Day 4: We moved on to the east coast and hiked into Wine Glass Bay which a travel magazine has ranked as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world. Once again I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go swimming so I ventured into the water for a few minutes while everyone else in the group laughed. Tasmania is relatively close to Antarctica so as one might expect, the water is chilly.

Day 5: The last day, I hiked to several waterfalls and the highlight was visiting the Bay of Fires which was about as picturesque as the Wine Glass Bay.

I have been fighting off the beginning stages of what feels like a sinus infection and I am happy to report that the symptoms seem to be retreating. Anyone who has ever tried swimming laps with a sinus infection would know that SCUBA diving would be pretty much impossible. I am off now to get my medical clearance and all systems should be good to go!