Around the World in 418 Days

We've been home for just over a month now. Although it took awhile, we're slowly adjusting to life back in the good old USA. After being about as close to perfectly healthy as you can get for the past year, we both promptly got sick with colds/flus as soon as we got home. Minor health issues aside, it’s been nice to spend some time in Minnesota.

In between searching for jobs and visiting family/friends we've been trying to reflect on the past 14 months of traveling as much as we can....

Some of our favorites:

• Best Scenery: Nepal & Switzerland
• Best Surfing: Morocco
• Best Fishing: New Zealand
• Best Food: Thailand
• Best Beer: Belgium
• Best Wine: Chile
  

Other Random Thoughts:

• Most like the US: Australia
• Least like the US: Nepal & Tanzania
• Most Overrated Places: Dubrovnik, Croatia & Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
• Most Underrated Places: Slovenia & Laos
• Best Places You’ve Never Heard of: Luang Prabang, Laos; Piran, Slovenia; Namche Bazar, Nepal; Amed, Bali; Mostar, Bosnia-Herzogovina; Nera River Valley, Italy

The Rest of the Numbers:

• Total Days Gone: 418
• Countries visited: 39
• Most Time in one Country: 71 days (New Zealand)
• Times across the equator: 8
• Number of Pictures Taken: 5,029
• Number of Flights: 30
• Miles Flown: 52,269
• Miles Driven: 26,786
• Miles of Gravel Roads Driven in Patagonia: 1,452
• Surf Sessions: 54
• Number of Countries Surfed: 11
• Broken Surfboards: 2
• Fishing Sessions: 100
• Fish caught: 443
• Fish caught & ate: 39
• Most days without a shower: 12
• Lions seen on safari: 57
• Feet above sea level for Kili: 19,344
• Miles walked in one day: 25
• Regrets: 0

Six Months in a Van…..

Total Days Gone: 418

Total Days Living in a Van: 188
Free, “Renegade” Van Camping: 173
Paid, Van Camping: 15

Days in Hotels: 102
“Cheap” Hotels: 91
“Nice” Hotels: 8
Hostels: 3

Free Accommodations: 83
Staying at Friends & Strangers Houses: 67
Hotels w/ Family & Friends: 16

Days Tent/Hut Camping: 33
Paid, Hut Camping: 17
Paid, Tent Camping: 13
Free, “Renegade” Tent Camping: 3

Overnight Traveling: 10
Overnight Flights: 7
Overnight Bus Trips: 2
Overnight Boat Rides: 1