As hard as it is to believe, we have actually been at this for one whole year. Time has flown, which I suppose infers that we have been having fun. So much fun, have we had, that time is flying faster than our ability to get our one year anniversary post up on time! All fun and delays aside, here it is...a world traveler's year in review.
Facts...
We have published 85 blog posts, including this one
We have visited 16 countries to date
We have learned words and phrases in 23 different languages
We have been transported by feet, push bike, bicycle rickshaw, auto rickshaw, motorbike, tuk tuk, taxi, jeep, sangteow, minibus, barely running bus, express bus, luxury bus, narrow guage train, sleeper train, metro, light rail, monorail, subway, ferry, catamaran, hydrofoil, canoe, kayak, long tail boat, coracle, junk, gullet, house boat, cable car, fernicular railway, elephant, camel, horse cart and airplane
We have hiked through 160 million year old rain forest, desert plateaus, highlands, hill stations, snowy Himalayan peaks, forest canopies and seaside cliffs
We have eaten heart, lung, liver, snout, stomach lining, intestine, tongue, duck, cricket, worm, congealed blood, seaweed, jellyfish, fish eyes, lips and cheeks, rambutan, lychee, mangosteen, jackfruit and worst of all, durian!
We have stayed in guest houses, hostels, hotels, tea houses, losmens, tree houses, caves, bungalows, tents, pensions, home stays, grass huts, mud huts, house boats, junks and catamarans.
We have seen Sagrada Familia, the Eiffel Tower, the Parthenon, the Collisseum, the Blue Mosque, the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat and Mt. Everest (from the window of the plane)
We have been 3550 meters above sea level and 5 meters below it
We have been in two different hemispheres, four different continents and fifteen different time zones
We have been in 18 airports
We have been 49 degrees north and 12 degrees south of the equator
We have swam in two oceans, four seas, one strait, two lakes and six rivers
We have gone through 8 pairs of flip flops and four haircuts
We have taken 14,681 pictures
We've had diarrhea, vomiting, indigestion, constipation, headaches, backaches, stings, bites, scrapes, cuts, scratches, bruises, sore muscles, prickly heat, ear infections, coughs, sore throats and toe jam
We have two new tattoos
We are currently 11,016 miles away from Miami
We have been to a million places, seen a million things and met a million people and through it all we still love home the best!
The Vagalongers
12 comments:
And home loves you.
The last thing you said brought tears to my eyes...Mom's, too. I am thrilled to know you still love home the best because that still leaves us with the promise that you will make it back to us one day!
In the last year, I have:
Let Jeremy's hair grow longer (it's about mid-back when wet)
Worked to help Jeremy learn new words.
Watched him become more independent.
Seen him love on pictures of his Ummy Tevin and Tealease.
Watched him love on Aphrodite.
Seen him bleed profusely from a boo boo on his chin.
Had him randomly kiss me and tell me he loves me.
Left my son in the care of the most capable and loving care giver I know, Mom.
Dropped Mom and Dad off at an airport to go visit you and Italy and then picked them back up.
Celebrated Idalis' birthday, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Dad's birthday, Thanksgiving Day, Mom/Dad's Anniversary, Mom's birthday, Mike's birthday, Christmas Eve/Day, New Years Eve/Day, my birthday, Valentine's Day, Groundhog's Day, President's Day, Jeremy's birthday, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Kevin's birthday, Amail's birthday, Memorial Day, and Independence day without two vital members of my family.
I have gotten a job as a high school teacher.
I have fallen in love with 25 misfits and angels.
I have had a boss who has treated me well and another who has treated me poorly.
I have made new and wonderful friends.
I have gotten to know another friend even better. (Katie)
I have gotten an iphone and loaded it up with over 500 songs.
I have lost my job.
I have searched for a new job.
I have seen one Grandmother pass away and another go in and out of hospitals and rehab facilities.
I have healed, grown wiser.
I have gotten 3 hair cuts and have since promised to not cut it for at least 3 more years.
I have taken Jeremy swimming and watched him take to it like a fish.
I have missed you and wished I could either be with you where you are or bring you back home.
In the last year, I have thanked God for you both and for the opportunities I have had to grow more closely to you and appreciate the awesome people you are.
In the past year, I have looked forward to reuniting with you.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Its been amazing reading the accounts of your adventures. I hope to see a fraction of those things at some point in my life. Stay safe, have more fun and when you're back, beers on me if you promise to entertain with travel stories. -Mike
Hello guys. Been great keeping track of you and is happy for you both that you now have experienced more than most peoople do in a lifetime. Without doubt you will always look at things different after this trip.
Keep having fun and all the best.
You ate what?? Congealed blood... what did you eat that with? 8 flip flops, that is pretty impressive. I loved this last post. I am so happy of all of the experiences you two have had. Great way to relate your experiences. Keep it coming and I'll keep reading. Love you both alot. School starts Monday, and it is already a world of difference from my other school, I am actually really happy.
Fun facts for friends, family. Focus forward for future festivity fine friends. Found facts fun, funny. Friends forever...F**K!!! S.K.
Please know that you are so dearly loved by many! "Jeremom"'s entry made me cry....I am wowed at the courage and adventurous spirit that the two of you share.....
...In the past year, the boys have turned 24,20 and 16 and all three are college students!...Queenie's son, (my godson) Lorenzo, has turned 1 year old.....We hope that your travels will bring you to Texas, where you always have a second home....We love you, Ruth (pooofy-head) and Da'Boyz...
Hello Sweethearts...That was such a beautiful post...I laughed, I cried (and cried) and just really enjoyed reading it.
It is hard to believe it has been a year and yet you still have so much more to see and do.
We love and miss you and of course look forward to your return.
But in the mean time, keep going and posting and as Sarah said...we'll keep reading.
I LOVE YOU!!!
hiiii idalis n kevin
how are you both
which part of the earth are you about to explore now..?
i am doing very fine..with growing tummy ..and some moments within..
rajeev keeps asking about you both..
he is doing fine too but keeping very busy
we hardly get to talk but fortunately at least can talk
i know the asnwer yet am asking this..
any plans to come back this side of the world?
hehe..wish we could meet again soon
rest all fine
tkae care and keep in touch
:-)
shruti
Happy Birthday Idalis
happy b-day sis!
Vagamom, Glad you enjoyed and sorry to make you cry!
Jeremom, good comeback!You've been a busy girl!
Mike W, With over a year of stories, that may turn out to be quite a few beers! I hope you and your family are doing well. Looks like you are having many adventures of your own. One of the promises I made to myself is to be sure and visit you when I return. Now that you're buying, I am even more committed!!!
Brian, I may look at you different the next time we meet! (haha) Got any travel plans of your own? It is about time! Wanna come back to MIA? Hope you are well!
Sarah, we have had it both with soup and as a side in a nasi campur. I am sure I do not need to tell you what that is?! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the post and super happy to know your new job is better and that you are loving it!!!
S.K. Good god guy. Got giddy, gushed. Great gab. Gracious givings. Give guys greetings. Going, going, gone!
Ruthy, What a truly amazing surprise. Ever once in a while we are blown away by an entry from someone we would have never suspected as tuning into the blog. Yours is no exception. I hope things back in Texas are well for you and the boys (MEN!). I am looking for great things to come out of them, read future world leaders, and one comedian! Please tell everyone I say hello and thank you so much for being with us!!!
Shruti, How's the belly? Think of you often. Sorry you don't get to speak to Rajeev too often, but when you do, please let him know that we are doing great and miss you guys dearly. If we ever return to your part of the world, it will be solely to pay a visit to our new niece/nephew. Guess we better start working on those names! Wishing you and Rajeev the very best!!!!
Ramster and CoCo, Thank you! It was an amazing day!!!!
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