Occasions
Watched the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics with a lot of excited Hong Kong Nationals at the harbour front, spent Christmas Day driving along the Ocean Road in Australia, New Year in Sydney, Carnaval in Brazil, my birthday in Nicaragua and Independence Day in Washington.
The Weather
Followed the sun around the world (being in Australia, New Zealand, South America and North America for the summer in each) and absolutely loved feeling its rays on my skin most days of the year. It was also a great joy to have been outside so much and seen the sun rise and set the majority of days on the trip – a simple but satisfying occurrence and one that I realised the majority of people in New York probably miss most days of their hectic lives. That's not to say it was all bright days and blue skies. A typhoon in Hong Kong and downpours throughout Asia and parts of South and Central America meant that I went through three ponchos. I also don't think there was a day that I didn't have my jeans on in New Zealand and Toronto apparently had the worst summer when I was there since the 1970s.
The cheapest bed I slept in (not including the free “couch surfing”): the dollar bed in Phonsavan in Laos.
Things I lost/had stolen but got back: my credit card and camera. Also lost the cap of the petrol tank on the first day of hiring our campervan in New Zealand but managed to pick up another that fitted at a petrol station.
Things I lost/got stolen and didn't get back: my ipod.
Things which broke: My camera (a piece of wiring inside apparently burnt out!), my clothes (once I put a dress on and it just fell to the ground – the straps had finally given way to constant wear), my notebook- on the same day I bought it (had to be returned).
Number of times I was badly sick: twice, Vietnam and Venezuela. Also strangely got food poisoning in Brazil although my sister shared the same dish and was completely fine.
Injuries: Something strange happened to my leg muscles in Port Douglas, Australia (my own fault for running on a beach without shoes on apparently). Three three-hour hikes in the centre of Australia (“The Rock Tour”) turned out to be quite painful.
The best food and drink: Japan for sushi, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for tasty, although sometimes unrecognizable, street food, Malaysia for wonderful food halls, Argentina for steaks and wine, Brazil for its breakfasts, Colombia for fish, juices, fruit and coffee, New Orleans for cocktails, Guatemala for tortillas with guacamole, Toronto for Jamaican patties.
What I am now ready for: a night in, trashy English TV, my own bed and dressing gown, some home cooking and being stationary for a little while.
