Goodbye Hellotrain

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Unfortunately this is where our African journey ends. For our final blog we decided to throw together a bit of Hellotrain miscellany. From the buoyant waters of the Dead Sea to the baboon-blanketed slopes of the Simien Mountains; from Jenny getting attacked by a monkey on a leash to Randy getting attacked by a sewer grate; from awful falafel in Egypt to mouth-watering matoke in Uganda…We saw a lot of places and did a lot of stuff.

Countries Visited: Turkey - Egypt - Jordan - Ethiopia - Kenya - Tanzania - Uganda - Rwanda - DR Congo

Days Traveled: 170 (just shy of 6 months)

Dollars Spent: about $5000 each, including plane tickets

# of Times Jenny Locked Herself in the Bathroom: 4

# of Times Randy Bumped His Head: too many to remember

Confrontations with Authorities: 2 (a guy in DR Congo who said we weren't allowed to take photos without permission—we dodged him but later found out he was right; and a marine policeman in Rwanda who told us we weren't allowed to camp on one of the islands "for our security")

Mosquitoes Killed: an average of 5 daily x 170 days = roughly 850 bloodsuckers conquered

Favorite Travel Foods: baklava (Turkey) - kushari (Egypt) - hummus (Jordan) - shiro/injera (Ethiopia) - samosas and chapatti (East Africa)

Best Coffee: Maraba from Rwanda

Forms of Transportation: foot - plane - bus - lorry - train - ferry - cattle car - camel - minibus/matatu/dalla-dalla - boda-boda - taxi - bicycle taxi - rowboat

Pleasant Surprises: generous hospitality - abundant internet - the prevalence of English - no Anti-Americanism - incredibly varied and stunning scenery - Kenyan coffee liquor

Best Action Sequence: chasing down a bus we'd just missed on boda-bodas while carrying our backpacks and speeding through the outskirts of Kampala (and no, we didn't catch up to the bus…)

Worst Injury: when Randy's leg slipped between two bars of a sewer grate and his entire bottom half was swallowed up by the ground…no bones broken, but some nasty bruises ensued

Best Alarm Clock: early morning mosque chanting

Best Historical Sights: Jordan's Petra, Ethiopia's Lalibela, Turkey's Blue Mosque, Rwanda's Genocide Memorial at Gisozi

Most Awful, Yet Awesome Experience: 17-hour cattle car ride through Northern Kenya

Things We Most Want to Take Back Home: motorcycle taxis - eating with your hands - shisha - sugar cane - the price of avocadoes - pee dishes - locally-grown, unprocessed food

Things We'd Rather Leave Behind: cold showers - squat toilets/no toilet paper - torturous bus rides - nightly mosquito-killing rituals - double-standard prices - packing and unpacking every day

Thank you all for following along. If we kick off a new blog down the road, the subscribers here will get a notification.

Happy trails,
Randy & Jenny

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Comments

[Sheelagh]

hasta la proxima...
Looking forward to notification of the next blog! From time to time I go back and read all the journals. What an awesome adventure, beautifully described and photographed, by two of my favorite human beings. It would be a shame if there weren't future travels for you to share with each other and the rest of your fans!

[Joan and Art Guillet]

We enjoyed it!!!
Dear Randy and Jenny, Thank you for sharing. We always looked forward to hearing from you and are sorry it is ending. You've had a trip of a lifetime, one you will always remember. We wish you both good luck in the future. Have a nice life! Joan and Art

[Chista]

Sad to see this come to an end!
Jenny and Randy, We enjoyed reading about your adventures immensely! You made us feel as if we were with you throughout this whole time! I was always looking forward to your next blog and it's in a way sad to see your journey come to an end! On the other hand, it's exciting to see you guys again in person! Have a safe trip back home! And THANK YOU for your wonderful blog!

[Marcus]

Hello hello train!
Wow, that's it?! Well, it has been quite an experience for us subscribers to your blog too! Whether or not at work or at home - between those busy, work filled days - once in a while, but seemingly quite often, we get this message while checking our e-mail: TravelBlog Update: Jenny and Randy, Goodbye Hellotrain (how's this for a run-on sentence) and I click on it and get taken away, for a bit. Sometimes I read all about what an interesting week it has been, and think "Wow that's so cool." Sometimes, and maybe a little more often, I just look at the pictures and think "Wow, that's so cool...I gotta read this later." Your stories have been so well written...thanks for letting us share it with you a teenie-tiny bit. You guys spent $5000 in six months traveling in (nine?) countries - I spent more than that and pretty much stayed in my room; which in itself is a pretty small. Well thanks again for all your adventures, but Kenya can't have you; we want you guys back! And we're glad to finally get to see you so you can tell us your stories in person - although Randy might be extending his trip for a little while longer, so I might have to wait :( Anyway, I guess it's a "goodbye Hellotrain" and a "hello Randy and Jenny" - Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

[Fiona]

back to the real world now?
I've enjoyed following your travels and have been inspired to see more on my next trip to east Africa and the Middle East. Are you really ready to get back into the non travelling world? And a great final summary; look forward to a blog from home. 'Hitting real life' As I have only one month left I might be referring to you for some tips!

[Sheelagh]

confucius (or maybe confused) say...
May your sleeping bag zippers be joined again soon! :^)

[Jenny D.]

I miss you guys
I'll miss the Train! It makes me so happy! I even send links to my mom! I've so enjoyed all the stories and pictures. Jenny and Randy, you are wonderful. xoxo

[Scott]

An amazing adventure
Wow, I can't belive it is over already. 6 months just flies by. It seems like only yesterday that I was laughing with Randy, saying "Yeah, go ahead dude, quit your job and go to Africa for 6 months!", thinking he was only joking! So have you started planning your next worldly adventure, or is attempting to integrate back into the American business culture your next challenge?

[Pat and Gary Coad]

Hi Jenny and Randy, We just checked in tonight, the first time since the Christmas holidays. We had no idea you were endng your trip. What a wnderful blog you have provides all of us to read about your trip. Thank you for sharing. Much love to you both. Pat and Gary Coad.

[Kate Hildebrand]

I just started reading your blog and now its ending, but its a great one!

[John Ullis]

Thanks for the adventure
I liked the last post highlighting the best, worst and etc. It was enjoyable traveling along with you two and will miss your posts. If you get a chance please visit us in Kauai on your way home. Aloha, Uncle John!

[Taylor]

Great Blog
Absolutely wonderful blog. I am just finishing university and planning a trip to East Africa for next year and stumbled upon your adventure. Very inspiring! Thank you for your journal. I hope that my adventure will be even half as marvelous as yours.

[anonymous]

Thanks
I enjoyed the whole trip and lived vicairiously(sp) also sent it on to friend leaving for Africa this month... thank you thank you... Peggy Stevens