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.