Nearing the End

As I prepare to come home at the end of this week, on the day the world is supposed to end, I figured I would address a few questions which are bound to be frequently asked if I do indeed survive. In my hope to not have to repeat my answers repeatedly until blue in the face, here is my attempt at a preemptive strike. After all, the best defense is a good offense.

Did you have a good time?  Nope. I would much rather have been working.

Are you glad to be home? Yup and Nope

What was your favorite country? Every country not named South Africa. Sorry, Kelly Hook.

No, seriously, what was your favorite country? A few come to mind. Namibia was amazing. Great game drives and such varied scenery. Canyons, colorful dunes, ocean, and nearly every animal under the sun. Turkey also makes the list. Food, cleanliness, and again the varied landscape. Argentina is a late comer to this conversation as it is the last country on my trip. Good food, craft beer, wine, and great hiking. When you talk about the Andes mountains, very few places on Earth are more beautiful.

Why was South Africa your least favorite country? Because I saw my life flash before my eyes when a very pleasant man threatened to gut me if I didn't give him all of my South African Rand. That's not totally fair to South Africa though. Those were obviously my least favorite few minutes of the trip, but aside from that, I did enjoy my time in South Africa. Other countries which underwhelmed: Thailand, Vietnam, and Uruguay. In fairness to these countries as well, just because the places I visited within those countries were slightly underwhelming, doesn't mean that if I were to go back again I wouldn't find places which would totally amaze me.

Are there places you would go back to? Yup. I would definitely go to Antarctica again. I know I had spectacular weather, which undoubtedly wouldn't be repeated, but there is lots more to see down there. I would also go back to Australia, Argentina, Chile, and China mainly because all of those countries have so much more which I didn't see. A mix of great food and wine, tons of hiking, and other beautiful scenery could keep me going back to those places for years.

What countries would you recommend to other people? Again, kind of tough to answer. I would always take with a grain of salt advice given to me by other backpackers on this trip the 'places I had to see.' You never know if the place was actually spectacular or if they were with a great group of people which made their time there more special than it would have been if traveling alone. And just because I did amazing things in almost every country which I visited, doesn't mean it is a country I would recommend visiting. Jordan is a good example of this. The sightseeing at Petra was arguably the single best day of ancient ruin sightseeing I have had during any of my travels, and I loved taking a dip in the Dead Sea, but Amman wasn't much too write home about. I would definitely recommend including Jordan as part of a longer trip, but I don't know that I would necessarily make Jordan the only destination of a vacation. Same goes for Angkor Wat and Cambodia. It is a close 1a with Petra in terms of ancient ruins sightseeing, but I can't say I would recommend the rest of Cambodia as a must see country as a stop on a family vacation. I would definitely recommend parts of alot of countries, and how you ultimately decide to see them would be up to you and your specific sightseeing interests.

What was your favorite continent? Man, you guys ask tough questions. Undoubtedly, the top 3 of the trip were Antarctica, Africa, and South America. The order is up for debate. If you know anything about geography and paid attention to the answer to the last question, you might be thinking to yourself, "Arguably the 2 things he enjoyed the most on his trip were in Asia, and that isn't one of his favorite continents?" Strange, but true. Some of the best moments were in Asia, but there was also Bangkok, the underwhelming Halong Bay in Vietnam, and a hectic nature about many of the countries which was a bit overwhelming. Picking a favorite continent though is kind of like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. I liked them all in most instances and had unforgettable moments on each and every continent.

So what are some of those unforgettable moments? Where to begin....How about with people?
--I laughed myself to tears with Tash when she introduced me to the slang term for red-heads which Aussies use. 'Ranga' which is short for orangutan.
--Stacey and I nearly died when driving the curvy roads of New Zealand, when our car stalled out on a steep downhill section. But she put her arm across my chest to ensure my safety. Witnessing an avalanche of sheep with her as we sat in our car was also pretty special.
--The 3 days hiking the Milford track with Phil and Kristie are memorable. Their kindness in sharing both conversation and food when all I had brought were Clif Bars made that trip much more enjoyable.
--The 6 days spent with Lori going through Angkor Wat and the rest of Cambodia came at a most crucial time during my trip. Southeast Asian weather and the grind of sightseeing in those conditions had been slowing wearing on me to the point I really wasn't enjoying myself that much. After bumping into her in the Bangkok train station, we then spent 6 days going through Cambodia which gave me a renewed energy that lasted the rest of time in Asia. Her personality, and positive energy, along with that smile she displayed while being assaulted by a monkey are things I won't soon forget.
--In the midst of having ATM issues while in China, Jayci, whom I'd only met about a day prior, lent me a sizable chunk of money which would allow me to finish my travels in China and comfortably make my way to South Africa. I was essentially still a stranger to her, and here she is lending me money. And even though it is something I never would have done, I could have just taken the money and not re-paid her. But she took me on my word that I would wire money back to her bank account so that she could continue her travels, and she continues to follow my travels.
--Too many moments to mention in Africa. 4 of the best months of my life. Amazing people, sights, animals, and many new friends for life.
--Meeting Victoria in Santorini, then being on the same flight to Dubrovnik. And she's from Baltimore (my hometown) with a birthday 1 day apart on the calendar. Strange coincidences always seem to find you when traveling.
--Getting to spend time with Scott, whom I'd met 6 yrs ago when in the Czech Republic, was great. It had been a year-long goal of ours to meet while we both traveling the world, and to actually make it happen, meant alot. We met in Serbia and he introduced me to his travel/girlfriend Julia. It was a fun few days of sharing travel stories over some local food and beer.
--Hanging out with George in Budapest was a nice trip down memory lane. He spent a year living with me and my family when I was a junior in high school. To get to see his country through his eyes was quite unique.
--The group of people I met while volunteering at Jatun Sacha in the Galapagos Islands made sweating during all of those hours of manual labor, much more enjoyable.
--The crew on the Inca Trail hike. I thanked you a few posts ago, and I still mention you guys to people I meet along the way.
--And most recently, the amazing group of people I met during the cruise to Antarctica. The sights were amazing but the drinking, dancing, and robe wearing made the trip more complete.

The sights:
--Great Ocean Road, Australia
--Milford Track, New Zealand
--Snorkeling the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
--Angkor Wat, Cambodia
--Great Wall of China
--Everything about Namibia: dunes, adventure activities, sunsets, game drives, and varied scenery
--Mountain Gorilla trekking, Rwanda
--The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
--Petra, Jordan
--Cappadocia, Turkey
--Plitvice National Park, Croatia
--Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
--Inca Trail and Machu Picchu, Peru
--Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia
--Easter Island, Chile
--Antarctica
--Iguazu Falls, Argentina
.....just to name a few

You eat any weird food? Not as much as I thought I would. I did eat guinea pig while in Peru. Ate alot of different game meats in Africa including kudu, springbok, and warthog steaks, smoked bream, crocodile, BBQ guinea fowl, warthog spare rib, antelope stew, and mopani worms. I ate chicken feet, BBQ stingray, claypot frog, and fish head soup in Singapore. Didn't eat anything crazy in China. Saw a bunch of that stuff in local markets, but didn't want to take a chance on getting sick and missing out on other adventures. Best meals of the trip were the chili crab in Singapore, springbok steak in Namibia, moussaka in Mykonos, pumpkin dumplings and braised beef stew in Ljubljana, and the BBQ ribs on the outside deck of the cruise ship to Antarctica. The bleu cheese with rose petal dipping sauce we had at a wine tasting in South Africa was also out of this world.

Did you learn anything about yourself? Lots.
--I learned more patience. Planes, trains, and automobiles aren't always going to be on time. People aren't always going to be the people you want them to be. Life isn't always going to deal you a winning hand. But if you let all the bad stuff that happens to you linger around in your psyche you can become ignorant to everything else which is happening around you. And when you consider the amount of thought, planning, and money I put into this trip, letting the bad stuff just roll off my shoulders after short periods of anger and frustration was the best way to make sure I got the most out of my trip.
--I learned the type of woman with whom I would be most compatible. My friend Steph said to me while hiking in Rwanda that when looking for a partner they should have 5 things that are an absolute must, 5 things they absolutely cannot have, and the rest of the shit you just have to deal with. It's funny. Having seen as much of the world as I have and meeting the types of people I've now met, I can honestly say that qualities which at one time seemed important in a woman, don't seem quite as important anymore. So, you may ask, what are the qualities?
1. She has to get my sense of humor. And not just laugh at my jokes. I have a dry, sarcastic sense of humor. Doesn't mean she also has to have that same humor, but I think you can learn alot about a person through their humor. It speaks to their level of intelligence if they are able to connect the dots in their head as to why I  say what I say and why I think it is funny. It is also a way of having playful interactions, calling me out on BS, making me wish I thought I had thought of that witty comment first, and just generally finding those little moments in every day that can bring a smile to your face. (My friend Aaron contributed some of these insights at a dinner conversation the other night, which really put humor into this type of perspective).
2. Sports. I can't go too far down the list without mentioning sports. I don't think it is as big an issue as it once was, but she needs to have an appreciation for the fact that there are going be days where all I want to do is watch an athletic event. I don't want to have to explain myself, just let me have that time. It would be awesome if she had a rooting interest and understanding of sports as well, but a the very least, respect my interest and try to have some level curiosity about something which is so passionate to me.
3. She has to be outgoing. I'm typically not the most social person in strange, new, and uncomfortable social situations. She needs to be outgoing in a way that she can make me feel comfortable in such situations and not take 'No' for an answer if I am being hesitant to participate in the social events of the evening.
4. She must like to travel. And not in the way most Americans like to travel. She can't be a 4 star hotel, cruise ship, wait on me hand and foot type of person. She needs to have that sense of adventure where a long overnight road trip is exciting, staying in a hostel or camping is preferable to a week spent at an all-inclusive resort, and going to a foreign country and taking local transportation is more desirable than an organized tour.
5. I don't exactly know how to categorize this last one, but I'll go with, seeing life the way in which I see it. That may sound a bit close minded, but hear me out. Having a similar view on what is common sense. Problem solving in a rational manner. Appreciating the small things in life. Similar views on religion and how to raise kids. Being open minded. It's kind of a hodge-podge of thoughts thrown into one category, but you get the idea.
5a. She should be easy on the eyes. I gave you 5 things about the inside of the book, but you still have to like the cover.

--Bad stuff kind of speaks for itself. Smoking/Drugs, thoughtless, uneducated, lacking self awareness, and the opposite of everything I mentioned above.
--I would like to think I now have more of an appreciation for what I have at home, but I guess I will have to get back to you on that one.
--I learned that my first impressions are usually the right impressions.
--I learned that things usually have a way of figuring themselves out in the end.
--I learned that quality doesn't necessarily mean expensive.
--I learned that flying 1st class is totally worth it for long flights.
--I learned not be hungry before taking a LAN airlines flight because you will only be hungrier when the plane lands.
--I learned never to eat Chinese BBQ before a long flight.
--I learned that any group of people traveling together from the same country are equally annoying in hostels.
--I learned that online check-in is essentially a waste of time.
--I learned not to talk trash to an elephant.
--I learned never to ride horses named Tom.
.....and finally
--I learned to not wish for things to be something they aren't pretending to be. In doing a trip of this length, it is very easy to compare one place to another, one meal to the next, and want for every social interaction to meet unfathomable expectations. I visited the Great Ocean Road in February and I visited Lagos, Portugal in October. I found that I was a bit underwhelmed by Lagos because it was a smaller, less impressive version of The Great Ocean Road (GOR). But Lagos has never pretended to be the GOR. It can only ever be Lagos. And it's beautiful, stunning in fact. I find myself just trying to live in the moment and take each experience for what it's worth. I don't want to become jaded from jaw-dropping, mind blowing experiences because every person, place, or thing has it's own unique charm. If a place such as Lagos would have been the only place which I vacationed this year, it would have been one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen. I still need to see it that way. The world has so much beauty and some places are naturally going to be more beautiful than others. Just trying to appreciate every person for who they are and each moment for what it is is a mindset I hope to use for the rest of my life.

Hopefully this gives you a general idea of answers to questions I've gotten along the way. I'm sure I'll answer many of these again, but perhaps there will be some other thought provoking questions to which I can give some insight. I'll probably have another post before the holidays, but if I don't, Happy Holidays to all. Cheers.

7 Down. None to Go.

For those who have been following my blog posts for most of the year, you are probably aware of how I have been singing the praises of the good weather which has followed me around for the past 11-ish months.

And then I went to Antarctica....

And nothing has changed.

I would like to tell you that I had to brave blizzard conditions, bitter antarctic wind chill, and rough seas which made me fear for my life....but I can't.

I would like to tell you that the skies were overcast, the animals underwhelming, and the glaciers dull and unimpressive....but I can't.

I would like to tell you that I was on a cruise ship with nothing but grey haired geezers, ate food unfit for a dog, and slept on a bed so hard and in a room so small that my back will never be the same again....but I can't.

What I can tell you is that I'm almost embarrassed by the amazing experiences which befell upon me over the last 9 days. I was on a cruise run by Quark Expeditions. They are a well known company who run trips during the summer months in both the Arctic and Antarctic. From the moment I stepped on the ship named Ocean Diamond, I was treated to nothing but luxury, a fun and knowledgeable staff, shockingly amazing weather, and scenery from arguably the most beautiful place in the entire world.

My 3 person bedroom was incredibly spacious. My bed was delightfully comfortable. The food was world class and I ate like a king. Truth be told, I probably ate like 3 kings, with an expanding waistline as proof positive. To my surprise, there was even a group of about a 12-15 people around my age, be it literally or in spirit, which provided a level of extraordinary social satisfaction I wasn't expecting at the start of the trip. After all, it isn't like a cruise to Antarctica is part of the typical backpacker agenda. The staff was extremely friendly, regularly mingling with us at the dinner table. They provided talks about all things Antarctica at least twice a day to give us a better understanding of the history and environment which consumed us for those 9 days.  They made sure our every need was catered to, and that whether on land or on water, we got the most fulfilling Antarctic experience possible. Above and beyond, Mission Accomplished.

So what is Antarctica like? Well, getting there involves navigating the roughest stretch of water in the world, the Drake Passage. On our way down to the continent, we were told the waters were about as calm as any of the staff had ever experienced. The waters were rougher on the way back. There was a little mis-communication between the captain and his first mate in terms of ballast and wind direction that had the boat listing to right on the way back, but even without that, the seas were still much rougher. This created quite a funny visual when watching people walk and spelled the end of more than a few drinking glasses, but still we were told, the seas could have been much rougher. Once officially in the region considered to be Antarctica, we had nothing but blue skies, bright sun, and stunning sunsets for the entirety of our time there. You hear stories of people who spend 3 months down there and may only have a day or two of good weather. We had 4 days down there and 4 days of stunning weather. There are massive mountains and glaciers. Those glaciers, and other huge chunks of ice floating in the water, were both blinding white with the sun's reflection along with numerous shades of blue which matched every shade of blue in the sky. We took zodiac boats from the ship to each landing site and spent about 90 minutes walking around the snow and ice while observing Gentoo, Adelie, and Chinstrap penguin colonies, Crabeater, Weddell, and Leopard seals, and a variety of other aquatic birds. Once done with land, we had a zodiac boat ride in and around the massive glaciers, mountains, and the aforementioned wildlife along with Humpback and Minke whales for about the same amount of time as was spent on land.....and we did this twice a day. Bear in mind, none of these landings or boat rides were ever a sure thing to happen. If weather was too treacherous or if ice was so thick as to prevent the zodiac boats from dropping us off on land, it was entirely feasible that we could have spent our entire time on ship, only ever seeing the continent from our windows or outdoor decks. The only landing we missed was at a research station, but we were still able to ride our zodiac boats in the waters at the foot of the majestic mountains and glaciers which this base calls home. We actually did miss what would have have been our final landing because we needed to get back to Ushuaia due to a passenger needing medical attention not available on the ship. Apparently this woman sneezed so hard so detached her retina. But at that point though, we had already been spoiled by so much good fortune that no one really minded relaxing on the boat, having a few drinks, having a few drinks, having a few drinks, dancing, having a few drinks, and reminiscing on what we had just experienced.

Penguins. Ah, the penguins. What a fun group of animals to watch with all of their mannerisms and interactions with each other. We were never allowed withing 5 meters unless they approached us to get a closer look at us. They are some of the most awkward walkers on land, but are graceful and dolphin like in their movement in water. There are penguin highways all through the snow and ice which they frequently use to get from waters' edge to their nest and colonies. I watched penguins mate, which was highly entertaining. And in the species we observed, a penguin with footprints on her back was the only way to determine male from female. We observed penguins picking up rocks in their beaks and bringing them to their nests, and then watched neighboring lazy and cunning penguins steal rocks from other nests to bring to their own. I saw a penguin and the egg it was warming, and many other interesting behaviors which made our time on land observing these creatures extraordinarily entertaining.

I camped in Antarctica. A sleeping bag and a bivy bag were the only things between me and the elements. No tent, by choice. I stomped down an area on the snow, placed the sleeping bag in the bivy bag, and slept with relatively few articles of clothing. Cold, but not unbearable. I actually didn't sleep that much because of some snoring around me, but during some rare moments of silence, you could hear the thunderous crashing of calving glaciers and mini avalanches. There were even some curious penguins wandering around tents and sleeping bags. Sun never did set. Just twilight. A truly unique and memorable experience.

I did a polar plunge in Antarctica. I've done a bunch of plunges at home to support Special Olympics. Never have I done a polar plunge in the middle of summer, but of course summer in Antarctica means temps around freezing. Did I mention I did a polar plunge inside an active volcano while in Antarctica? That's right. An ACTIVE VOLCANO. We plunged in the waters of a caldera inside an active volcano. You would think that might warm the waters, but it didn't. Truth be told, I have actually done plunges at home in waters equally cold, if not colder that what I did a few days ago, but to do a plunge in Antarctica was also a truly unique and memorable experience.

If you've ever thought about going to Antarctica, make it a reality. If you've never thought about it...start. Don't let fear of the elements deter you. Don't let money deter you. If you have alot of time, you can come down to Ushuaia at the beginning of November and wait over the course of a few months if need be to book a spot on a cruise to Antarctica at the very last minute. Ships, at that point, just want to sail at full capacity and you can get some amazing deals. There were rumors of the last spot on this trip going for about $1100 USD, much much less than what I paid. Antarctica is a beautifully stunning and spectacularly special place, one which very few people can say they have visited. And while I did my absolute best to try, pictures are no substitute for seeing Antarctica with your own two eyes. I hope all of you will someday get to experience what it feels like to visit this amazing continent.

So it's done. I have visited all 7 continents within 1 calendar year (and I just had a huge smile accompanied by chills all over my body when typing this sentence and then again when reading that sentence). I don't know what it means and I'm not entirely sure of all of the ways in which this adventure has changed me. What I do know is that I still have 2 weeks of travel remaining before finally going home just in time for Christmas. And while that also means resuming my career in the workforce is also just around the corner, I can't ever imagine having a day go by and not thinking about the amazing people and adventures which have made this year so memorable. Cheers.

(As an aside, I sat for about 5 hours in my hostel today in an attempt to upload pics to add to this blog. I mistakenly left the website and lost all of my uploads. So, I will try again at a later date. Might be when I return home in a few weeks that you finally get pics of Antarctica. Apologies).