Trip Summary

Well, I've made it. I'm home. I woke up at 3:00 am yesterday morning in Athens, caught the bus to the airport and began a 25 hour day of multiple flights to get home.
I can't believe it's actually over. As I sit here and download all my pictures, it's almost surreal to think that I was actually in all these places. And so I thought we'd do a little trip summary to review it all and answer some of those questions I know you're dying to ask:

Time traveling: 9 weeks

Countries visited: 10

Continents visited: 3

Currencies used: 9

Languages spoken (or at least attempted): 7

Pictures taken: 3000+

Methods of transport used: planes, trains, automobiles, buses, minibuses, ferries, camels, donkeys (short of dog sledding, I think I just about covered it)

Hostels, hotels, pensions, overnight ferries/trains, dessert camps, beach huts stayed in: 34 - and I didn't forget anything at a single one!

Number of times backpack was unloaded and repacked: I don't want to think about it

Worst bathroom: night train from Luxor to Cairo, Egypt

Weirdest food: cow tongue stuffed with cashews (though there were several interesting dishes I have no idea what they were)

Best food: Too many to choose from

Most beautiful coastline: Croatia, Kotor Bay of Montenegro, or Crete

Dirtiest country: Egypt, with Albania coming in at a very close second and getting the award for most unorganized

Markets, souks, bazaars visited: oh, I don't even know how many, but the craziest was in Damascus, Syria. It was during Eid (the festival at the end of Ramadan) so it was a national holiday like Christmas and New Years in one. Utter chaos.

Favorite part: Not a fair question. You can ask me a thousand times and I will probably give you a thousand different answers. But a few things that come to mind right now:
~feeling like Indiana Jones in Petra
~coming into Istanbul on the ferry early in the morning
~the night sky full of stars in the Wadi Rum desert
~snorkeling in the Red Sea (surprising, I know)
~the outdoor fruit/veggie market in Zagreb
~walking the city wall around Dubrovnik, Croatia
~feeling weightless floating in the Dead Sea
~fall leaves and turquoise blue waters in Plitvice National Park
~laying in the sun on the beach
~the pyramids on camel back (minus the camel)
~walking through the olive groves on Corfu
~seeing my family's faces waiting for me in the DFW airport

Things I will miss:
~new cities to explore
~meeting wonderful people every day along the way
~the adventure of ordering new foods every night and never knowing exactly what it'll be
~seeing how different people's lives and cultures are from mine

Things I will not miss:
~showers that are hand-held and lukewarm - 97% of the showers I used were those hand-held hose things with nowhere to hook it on the wall
~having 4 bags constantly strapped to me
~consulting a map every 10 minutes
~asking "Do you speak English? EN-GLISH?" 1000 times a day
~doing my passport/wallet check every time I leave a restaurant, hotel, or any form of transportation
~hand washing
~beds that may as well have been made of concrete

What did I learn?
~I learned that there is SOOOO much I don't know about in the world.
~I learned that people are more important than things - it is the people who make a country what it is, not the sights you see or the government you have heard about. Also it is the people you meet along the way, travel with or come home to who make a trip what it is, not just the places you stop at along the way. Thank you for sharing this trip with me.
~I learned that the Lord is faithful every step of the way. In small details and major issues, He will never leave or forsake you and He is big enough to handle it.
~I learned that coffee and beer are the most international drinks. I unfortunately cannot stand either. I have tried them everywhere I've been because when you are with locals, you drink what they drink. While I can now finish either one without making a face, I still do not and never will enjoy them. And I'm ok with that.
~I learned that you can always do more than you think you can. Whether it is navigating through a foreign country, striking out on your own, or climbing a mountain, it's often only our own inhibitions that hold us back. Also the things you are most nervous about frequently turn out to be the most amazing experiences like.
~There is so much more I learned but I guess that will do for now.

Where will I go next? I think at the top of the list will be Nepal, South America, or Kilimanjaro -- but for now it's time for a good dose of home.

Any other questions?

Once again, thanks for joining with me on this adventure and reading my ramblings. Not exactly sure what the blog will become from here (if you have any ideas please let me know) but hopefully we'll chat soon.