2013-11-03

World Travel Highlights - Ridgway, CO

Ridgway, CO

Please see our photo album: Coming Home
http://smu.gs/1crFAZV

On July 4th we landed in the United States. It was a special day for us, not only because we returned home, but also because it was our great nation's birthday. While the boys were extremely excited to be home, the return was bittersweet for Geula and Michael. Travelling for the last year has inspired us and taught us so much about the world and about ourselves. Most notably, it enabled us to experience other cultures, to meet amazing people, and to learn. Despite being on the road since June 2012, it did not feel like more than a year had passed. Interestingly, not much had changed at home, but we felt quite changed and full of experiences and new memories.

We were warmly greeted by many family members and friends. We spent the next month visiting with family and friends and spending quality time. Our inner pace during these "reunions" felt slower and more genuine than it had in the past; we were not distracted and we felt more in the moment. As we reintegrated, we have become keener about appreciating many of the US comforts that we were without for the last year. However, we have also been quite sensitive not to fall back into our life of significant consumption (at least for now), and we will make conscious efforts to incorporate some of our road learnings into our US life as we work to make them more permanent. Many friends and family members asked us about our favorite countries, or best experiences, and about life lessons.

We had a chance to reflect on our experiences over the last year and compiled these lists:

Life Learnings

1. The most difficult step is jumping; after that it's mostly all downhill

2. "Stuff" burdens the mind and pocketbook; it's easy to get bogged down by feeding our possessions

3. A smile goes 1,000 miles

4. Respecting other cultures and their differences

5. Cultural amalgamation rules

6. Patience is a virtue; sometimes the most remarkable things/experiences occur while waiting

7. Inspiration can come from those whom you may least suspect

8. If you don’t ask, you probably will not get

9. World travel is the ultimate classroom

10. "Home" is where you are with your loved ones

11. One of the best gifts of travel is meeting and making new connections

12. Learning to focus on the present and be in the moment enriches one’s life

13. Happiness is attainable despite few possessions

Modes of Transportation

1. Plane

2. Bus

3. Minivan/Dolmus

4. Van

5. Tuk-tuk

6. Subway

7. Elevated train

8. Long distance train

9. Sleeper train

10. Third class train

11. Pickup truck (cargo area)

12. Taxi

13. Water taxi

14. Single bicycle

15. Tandem bicycle

16. Motorbike

17. Saginaw

18. Walking

19. Elephants

20. Bamboo raft

21. Rubber raft

22. Ferry boat

23. Hydrofoil

24. River boat

25. Inner tube

26. River kayak--

27. Sleeper bus

28. Longtail boat

29. Dugout canoe

30. River junk

31. Chivas bus

32. Cruise boat

33. Camel

34. Snorkel, mask and flippers

35. Climbing rope

36. Zipline

37. Military transport airplane

38. Swimming

39. Funicular

40. Light Rail

41. Gulet

Flights

1. Newark to Boulder, Colorado (not Michael)*

2. Newark to Orlando, Florida (round trip)

4. JFK to Seoul, South Korea*

5. Seoul to Beijing, China

6. Beijing to Xian, China

7. Xian to Shanghai, China

8. Shanghai to Kunming, China

9. Kunming to Vientiene, Laos

10. Bangkok to Bhutan (round trip)

12. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Danang, Vietnam

13. Danang to Hanoi, Vietnam

14. Hanoi to Bangkok, Thailand*

15. Bangkok to Brisbane, Australia*

16. Brisbane to Christchurch, New Zealand*

17. Christchurch to Auckland, New Zealand*

18. Auckland to Sydney, Australia*

19. Sydney to LAX

20. LAX to Panama City, Panama*

21. Panama City to Quito, Ecuador*

22. Quito to Isla de Baltra, Galapagos (round trip)

24. Quito to Cusco, Peru*

25. Cusco, Peru to Araquipa, Peru*

26. Sucre, Bolivia to Cochabamba, Bolivia

27. Cochabamba, Bolivia to La Paz, Bolivia

28. La Paz, Bolivia to Rurrenbaque, Bolivia (round trip)

30. La Paz, Bolivia to Bogota, Columbia*

31. Bogota, Columbia to Frankfurt, Germany*

32. Frankfurt, Germany to Tel Aviv, Israel*

33. Tel Aviv, Israel to Istanbul, Turkey*

34. Istanbul, Turkey to Neveshir, Turkey

35. Izmir, Turkey to Istanbul, Turkey

36. Istanbul, Turkey to Tbilisi, Georgia (round trip)*

38. Istanbul, Turkey to Newark, New Jersey*

* - frequent flier miles used

Favorite Natural Attractions

1. The Narrows at Zion National Park, USA

2. Grand Canyon, USA

3. Yellowstone thermal elements, USA

4. Redwood Forest, USA

5. Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

6. Halong Bay, Vietnam

7. Himalayas, Bhutan

8. Mount Cook, New Zealand

9. Doubtful Sound, NZ

11. Fox Glacier, New Zealand

12. Galapagos wildlife, Ecuador

13. Volcan Tungurahua, Banos, Ecuador

14. Volcan Negra, Isabela Island, Galapagos, Ecuador

15. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

16. Dead Sea, Israel

17. Negev Desert, Israel

16. Saklikent Gorge, Turkey

18. Cappadocia, Turkey

Favorite Man-Made Attractions

1. Great Wall, China

2. Forbidden City, China

3. The Citadel, Vietnam

4. Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan

5. Temples of Angkor, Cambodia

6. Machu Picchu, Peru

7. Old City Jerusalem, Israel

8. Termessos, Turkey

9. Ephesus, Turkey

Favorite Accommodations

1. Nomad Tibetan Guesthouse, Shuhe, China

2. U-Baan Guesthouse, Bangkok, Thailand

3. Sunshine Guesthouse, Hoi An, Vietnam

4. Friendly Guesthouse, Hue, Vietnam

5. Blue Sea Garden, Antalya, Turkey

Favorite Foods

Exotic delicacies

Rocky Mountain oysters (Noah and Zachary only) in Wyoming

Chinese and Southeast Asia street food

Peking duck in Beijing

Ice cream in China

Fresh fish and Kimchi in Seoul

Banquet dinners in Seoul

Crepes and fruit shakes in Laos

Red Panda beer in Bhutan

Fresh fruit and vegetables in Israel

Bananas in Thailand and Laos

Falafel in Israel

Hand-picked fruit in Turkey

Pide and halvah in Turkey

All food in Georgia (especially chachapuri, lobio, khinkali)

Epic Hikes/Treks

1. The Narrows at Zion National Park, USA

2. The Queens Garden/Peekaboo trail, Brice National Park, USA

3. Tiger’s Nest, Bhutan

4. Tiger Leaping Gorge, China

5. Mueller’s Hut, Mount Cook, New Zealand

6. Salkantay Trail, Peru

7. Saklikent Gorge, Turkey

8. Termessos, Turkey

9. Masada Snake Path, Israel

Zachary’s Favorites

1. Eating snake in Pnomn Penh, Cambodia

2. Attending professional baseball game in Seoul, South Korea

3. Visiting Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul, South Korea

4. Going to Kukkiwon

5. Hiking the Narrows, Zion National Park

6. Looking at volcanic rocks on Volcan de Negra, Galapagos Islands

7. Watching fish market and visiting sea lions and pelicans at fish market, Galapagos Islands

8. Hiking Fox Glacier, New Zealand

9. Visiting Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel

10. Touring Kottel Tunnels, Old City Jerusalem, Israel

11. Seeing family in Israel

12. Food in Georgia

13. Celebrating 8th birthday in the Amazon Jungle of Bolivia

Noah’s Favorites

1. Eating Tarantula in Pnomn Penh, Cambodia

2. Playing pool in the Hump Hostel, Kunming, China

3. Hiking to Meuller Hut, Mount Cook, New Zealand

4. Scenic Drives, New Zealand

5. Befriending Google the bulldog in Eruption Guesthouse, Banos, Ecuador

6. Snorkeling in Eilat, Israel

7. Canyoning and zip lining in Banos, Ecuador

8. Hiking the Narrows, Zion National Park, USA

9. Visiting Badlands, USA

10. Trekking the Salkantay, Peru

11. Visiting a camel ranch in the Negev Desert, Israel

12. Celebrating 10th birthday in Turkey

Geula’s and Michael’s Favorites

1. Food – South Korea, China, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Turkey, Israel, Georgia

2. Amazing natural beauty of US National Parks

3. The Great Wall of China

4. Trekking though villages of Northern Thailand

5. The incredible peace of monasteries in Bhutan

6. 2-day Mekong River boat trip from Laos to Thailand

7. Views of Halong Bay in Vietnam

8. Angkor temples in Cambodia

9. Hiking in New Zealand

10. Canyoning in Banos, Ecuador

11. Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, Peru

12. Salt Flats in Bolivia

13. Visiting Northern Israel

14. Cappadocia in Turkey

15. Georgian hospitality

16. Water trekking in Narrows, Zion National Park, USA and Saklikent Gorge, Turkey

UNESCO World Heritage Sites visited

USA

1. Mesa Verde National Park

2. Yellowstone National Park

3. Redwood National and State Parks

South Korea

4. Changdeokgung Palace Complex

5. Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong

China

6. Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang

7. The Great Wall

8. Classical Gardens of Suzhou

9. Old Town of Lijiang

10. Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing

11. Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing

12. Site of Xanadu

Laos

13. Town of Luang Prabang

Bhutan

14. Ancient Ruin of Drukgyel Dzong

15. Monasteries: Punakha Dzong, Wangdue Phodrang Dzong, Paro Dzong, Trongsa Dzong and Dagana Dzong

16. Tamzhing Monastery

17. Bumdeling Wildlife Sanctuary

Cambodia

18. Temple of Angkor

19. Temple of Preah Vihear

Vietnam

20. Complex of Hué Monuments

21. Ha Long Bay

22. Hoi An Ancient Town

23. My Son Sanctuary

24. Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi

25. Citadel of the Ho Dynasty

New Zealand

26. Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand

Ecuador

27. City of Quito

28. Galapagos Islands

Peru

29. City of Cuzco

30. Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu

31. Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa

Bolivia

32. City of Potosí

33. Historic City of Sucre

Israel

34. Masada

35. Old City of Acre

36. White City of Tel-Aviv -- the Modern Movement

37. Incense Route - Desert Cities in the Negev

38. Bahá’i Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee

39. Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls

Turkey

40. Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia

41. Historic Areas of Istanbul

Georgia

42. Historical Monuments of Mtskheta

43. Tbilisi Historic District (submitted)

US National Parks

1. Arches, Utah

2. Badlands, South Dakota

3. Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

4. Bryce Canyon, Utah

5. Canyonlands, Utah

6. Capitol Reef, Utah

7. Grand Canyon, Arizona

8. Grand Teton, Wyoming

9. Mesa Verde, Colorado

10. Redwood, California

11. Sequoia, California

12. Wind Cave, South Dakota

13. Yellowstone, Wyoming-Montana-Idaho

14. Zion, Utah

Top surprises

1. Shoe shine man trying to convince Michael to have his Keen’s (nylon sandals) shined (Hue, Vietnam)

2. Salesman with a board of sunglasses and riding a bicycle abreast of Michael (Noah in back) trying to sell Michael sunglasses for 5 minutes (Hoi An, Vietnam)

3. Crowd waiting for a bus outside Tiananmen Square pushing and shoving Noah and Zachary to jockey for position (Beijing, China)

4. Food for sale (bolded eaten – various countries): live scorpion on a stick, starfish, soft shell crab on a stick, seahorse on a stick, snake on a stick, tarantula on a stick, pig’s head, pig’s ears, dog, giant crab, ginuea pig, shark fin soup, ostrich egg, live frogs, live squid, sheep head, llama, alpaca

5. Animals on public transport (all live): sheep, chickens, puppies and chickens on top of long haul bus (Ecuador), puppies in schoolgirl’s backpack (Ecuador)

6. Open doors in occupied community squat holes (Hutang, Beijing, China)

7. Big breasted woman sitting in a restaurant without any top on (Bangkok, Thailand)

8. Wild coati sitting on lap and acting like a cat (Amazon, Ecuador)

9. Monkey jumping into Geula’s hair (Amazon, Ecuador) and on Michael’s head (Pampas, Bolivia)

10. Ubiquitous spitting and smoking (China)

11. Amazing places we visited with no one, or almost no one, else there (Tiger Leaping Gorge, countless sites in Israel, Antalya Museum and Termessos, Turkey, Open Air Ethnographic Museum in Republic of Georgia)

While we transition back into our life in the United States, we have decided to temporarily live in Ridgway, Colorado, which is a small town (population is fewer than 1,000) surrounded by the San Juan and Cimarron Mountains and natural beauty. Noah and Zachary will be in school and we will be focused on careers (worldwide search) and making Colorado our home for now. We plan to enjoy it and take advantage of the spectacular beauty and amazing skiing while we continue our travels locally. This is our next life chapter, and we are excited to learn more and meet new people. Most of all, we are excited as our life journey continues.

With clear eyes and an open heart, we are happy to be back in the United States.

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