It’s been nine months since we last stepped foot in the USA, and six months since we last did one of these “update” blogs. So, it’s about time we do another one! Since our last update we’ve traveled through New Zealand, Australia, all over Asia, and we’re now nearing the end of our African adventure (which has truly been an ADVENTURE). It’s hard to believe we’ve been so many places and that there’s still Europe to come!
First, the Stats:
Miles Flown: 59,819 miles since leaving New York City – and 52 takeoffs!
Countries Visited: Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, India, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Madagascar… 19! Woah!
Miles Hiked: Well over 100, but sadly we’ve lost count!
What’s been your favorite place so far?
Scott: Patagonia is still #1 BUT Australia is a very very close second… the beaches, the wildlife, and Sydney! I absolutely fell in love with Sydney, it’s such a vibrant, cultural, and beautiful city. There’s something special about a place where you can surf in the morning, go to work (John: you went to work?!), and then see some world-class opera in the evening. Plus being there for Gay Mardi Gras was such a blast. I still get a little wistful thinking about it and think we could totally live there. Also, shout out to Tasmania for being our Aussie version of Patagonia with all of the beautiful nature, so many wallabies!
John: Patagonia is still #1 for me too, closely followed by South Africa (safari! Cape Town!), and then Tasmania, which truly is a hidden gem. When we started this trip I thought I’d most enjoy the city life (Sydney, Paris, Buenos Aires), but while I do love cities I’ve learned that I enjoy being in the mountains / in nature – and away from crowds – more than anything else.
What’s been the most challenging place so far?
John: Two places have pushed my limits and made me want to go home: India and Madagascar – though I’m glad for both experiences. India takes the cake, however. I so wanted to be that guy that could travel through India on the trains, make friends with the cows, and tell everyone it was my favorite country. In my mind that’s how a “real adventurer” feels about it. Instead, I had a love / hate relationship with the country, and experienced my first “get me the &^%$ out of here!” moment in Varanasi, where for a few moments I would have paid someone almost anything to put me on a plane back home.
While India is truly incredible: some of the best food, friendliest people, and most amazing sights – the cities we visited were also crowded, HOT, and completely chaotic (the one exception is Mumbai, which I found lovely) (Scott: Mumbai is still pretty crazy! Lovely but crazy!). I’ve never been anyplace where I’ve been more aware of my skin color. We were hustled incessantly and at times I felt like I had “Free Rupees” written on my forehead. That said, people were fascinated by us, with LOTS of people asking us to take a picture with them. I wish I could see those Facebook posts: “Look! I met some random white guys!” :).
Scott: Oh god, India… by a lot. When I look back on the difficulties of South America I now think… “ha, child’s play!” To start, I was sick when we first arrived, we were scammed within the first 10 minutes of being there – and continuously for the duration of our stay (John: I’d say almost scammed – we didn’t fall for it, though we did come close!), everyone overcharges you, it’s HOT, traveling is frustratingly difficult, and I was bit by a stray dog (more info below). The country is beautiful and incredibly unique but you can’t help but want to get out at times; all this being said I’m glad we went and “you’ll never feel further from home than you will in India” – and isn’t that what travel is all about?
Madagascar was hard as well. I got the 24 hour flu there and had a terrible fever (John: And this is in a country that still has outbreaks of the plague, so we both got a little freaked out!). On top of that, we spent two days in a car being driven down terrible dirt roads, like the one pictured below. It was definitely an experience!
What’s the craziest thing that’s happened?
Scott: See above, where I was bitten by a stray dog. Can you think of anything grosser than being bitten by a stray dog on the streets of Mumbai? I can’t! Luckily it was through my shorts and didn’t break the skin otherwise I’d have a hospital bill and some marks from a rabies shot.
Additionally, three crazy amazing experiences for me were seeing Easter Island, Angkor Wat, and the Taj Mahal. I felt like I was living the pages of a National Geographic Magazine.
John: Passing out while getting a haircut in Rio de Janeiro is at the top of my list. The short version of the story is that we’d gone on a long hike that day, I’d had very little to eat, and the barber nicked a mole on the side of my face that I had been obsessing about, which caused it to bleed. I saw the blood, assumed my face was ruined, and then passed out (vain much?!). That poor barber! He didn’t speak much english and all of a sudden this crazy American is passed out in his chair. Luckily Scott was there and helped me come to (Scott: it was pretty scary…). I was SO EMBARRASSED. The story ends well, though: that mole is gone without a trace, and I didn’t have to pay a dermatologist to remove it (and actually, I had paid a dermatologist in NYC to remove it – twice – and it kept coming back; not anymore!).
Are you getting tired of traveling yet?
John: That’s a hard question. I’m not “tired” of it, but I do have my days. I’m still really excited to see Europe and especially excited to see friends and family that are visiting us there. That said, we went through Asia and Africa at a pretty rapid pace and there are days that I tire of sightseeing (another freaking temple?!?! I just can’t) and the self-imposed pressure to experience it all. Some days you just want to Netflix and chill, y’know? I’ve also experienced some homesickness – missing family and friends, Brooklyn in spring, etc. I’m learning that while being a nomad is awesome for now, I don’t want to do it forever (which is good, because we can’t afford to do it forever either!).
Scott: Not yet! But I am learning what kinds of travel I like, and what kind I can tire of. I definitely like exploring cities for at least a week. I feel like by that time you can have a good feel for a city. If it’s any less you always learn about the best stuff just as you’re leaving. And while marathon sight-seeing is great (you get to see more), it’s tiring and you need some down time – like right now on Reunion Island!
It also helps that we’ve had so many friends and family visit, plus so many more to come! It’s like having a bit of home with you and I believe there’s nothing better than sharing travel.
What place has most surprised you?
John: For me there are two: the first is Tasmania, which is like a hidden gem in Australia. The beaches are beautiful, there’s lots of wildlife, and there aren’t a ton of people. More people should be going there! Second is Taipei. I didn’t have high expectations going in, but really loved the city’s vibe, access to nature, and of course the food which was hands down the best we’ve had (the night markets there are fantastic – and cheap). It reminded me a lot of Japan, which is one of my favorite countries.
Scott: Again, there’s some overlap here… My first is also Tasmania. From the second we stepped onto the ferry from Melbourne (highly recommend the ferry by the way!) I knew we were in store for something incredibly special. My favorite moment was when we found this beach, miles long and not a single person on it! We couldn’t help but just dive in the crystal clear blue waters! My second surprise place was Hakone, Japan. I absolutely loved getting out into the Japanese countryside, hiking in the mountains, relaxing in an onsen, being awestruck by Mt. Fuji, and finding great little restaurants. Plus the Japanese people are so freaking nice. Like seriously, the nicest in the entire world!
Thanks – as always – for following along on our adventure. Let us know if you have questions about our travels and we’ll include your question in our next update!
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