So this chapter has come to an end. In short, the trip was my dream of six years fulfilled. Through the ups and downs, victories and injuries, it was incredible. I have changed in ways I don't yet fully know and I have learned and seen things that only a few people can understand. I will miss being understood by people doing something similar to me, meeting people from all over the world and being able to talk about our experiences tubing in Vang Vien, the salt flats in Bolivia, riding camels in Egypt, or hiking that Franz Joseph glacier in New Zealand. Talking about that amazing restaurant or hostel or experience. On average most of the people I encountered were traveling for about six months, around my age, and just living their life to travel and see everything. Hostels are wonderful places. All you do is meet people from all over the world that are just like you, traveling with a backpack just trying to see the world and have a great time all the while doing it on a budget. Traveling alone was a challenge but also a wonderful thing for me. You are forced to reach out and meet people, learning about all them and spending hours with people you only met that day. Most hostels in South America were equipped with bars, internet, kitchens, tv rooms, and a very friendly environment. Although traveling alone is not something I had planned or really wanted to do I was grateful I did it.
I will miss my backpack and not having to think about what to wear that day and simple life free of possessions, cell phones (the iPhone, really?!?!), and anything material. I will miss waking up in a new city full of possibilities, great people to meet, new places to see, and new food to try. It was magical, the life of a backpacker, my life on the road. My list of places to see is longer then the list when I left, there is so much of the world left to see and I want to see it all. Next on the list is South Africa and Central America.
To answer the question on everyone's mind- Favorite country? Obviously I went to too many countries (29 countries in 370 days) to pick an absolute favorite so here are the tops. I loved Argentina: the culture, the people, the food and wine, the beauty, and the nightlife. Argentina has it all and they do it quite well. Other favorites were countries that I was surprised by - the generosity of the people, the untouched beauty of the landscape, the culture still evident in even the bustiest of cities. Cambodia had the majestic Angkor Wat Temples and to the beautiful beaches. Laos had the innocent curiosity of the people, that amazing three day trek to the small villages surrounding Luang Probang, and then the madness of tubing in Vang Vien. The kindness of the people of Jordan dissolved all stereotypes and seeing Petra, the city built into the mountain, and floating in the Dead Sea. Every turn of the road in New Zealand brought another breath taking view and the thrill of a glacier climbing at Franz Joseph. Bolivia provided me with the athletic achievement of hiking to Machu Picchu, climbing a 6,088 meter mountain on Huyana Potosi and wonderment of those incredible salt flats.
At this time I have been home about two months. It hasn't been as hard as I though it would be to assimilate back into this world. While cell phones still sit on tables during dinner and material focuses are everywhere I think I had prepared myself for that. While home I have been able to catch up with friends (many of which were loyal followers of this blog, thank you for that), spend time with family and my dog, Cheyenne, job search, and I created and finished six, count them, six photo albums. A couple weeks ago I got a job up in San Francisco and will be moving up there at the beginning of October to start life over again. I am back in online advertising working for an ad agency up in SF working on the Virgin America account. I am excited about it and do think it will be a good fit for me. It will be different this time and it will be time to come up with another dream. I will always be a traveler and the travel bug will never be gone, but I think I am OK with that. I could not be more grateful for my experiences and the support my parents and friends provided me during my travels. Yes there were hardships, sometimes I was homesick during the holidays or lonely while traveling alone but overall it was wonderful and I couldn't have asked for anything more. I wouldn't have done it any other way. I am so lucky and truly blessed. It was the best of times.
The End.
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