And That's All I Have To Say About That...

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We're beginning our final approach to Chicago. Please return your seat-backs and tray-tables to their full, upright position and turn off all electronic devices. We'll be landing as soon as you finish reading this entry...which might take you a while as this is now my longest entry. (Really, it's the summary of A YEAR, I've got some rambling to do). It's been written over a long period of time and I think somewhere in that time the entry lost its way a bit and is a bit random. But here you go...

Well, my friends...that's it. I traveled for 11 months and ended up right back where I started - geographically, at least. And now we've come to this inevitable point in our relationship. It's time to look back, reflect, summarize, and remember where we've been on this journey.

I've been back in the States for 4 months at this point - so I'm not exactly on the ball with getting this entry posted. But rather than walk off the plane and right to the computer to write, I wanted to take a bit of time before writing this one to let things soak in a bit. You'll find photos from those 4 months peppered throughout the entry.

Excuse Me Sir, Could You Tell Me How To Get From Zanzibar To Chicago?
Before I jump straight into the reflection, I'll get my last fix of storytelling by sharing a few bits from the last few days in Zanzibar and the journey home.

I realize I haven't written anything about Zanzibar yet, but I'm still only going to touch on the last few days. I've posted several photos from Zanz in this entry as well.

After spending the bulk of my time at the north end of the island in Nungwi, before heading home I wanted to try one last beach in a town called Jambiani. Apparently I was the only one on the island who wanted to try this beach. At first I was the only person at my “hotel”...giving me my own personal beach on which to read, tan, relax, and reflect. Perfect.

In regards to beaches...I've never thought of myself as a total "beach guy". Meaning that usually when I'm on vacation, simply being at the beach gets old for me quite fast. Some people are content just sitting in the sand for a week. I typically need other things to do...beachy activities are fine...but I need something. That being said, this was no typical trip and after 2 weeks in Zanzibar I had settled into the "doing nothing at the beach" lifestyle quite well & got really used to it. Since I did nothing at the beach, I haven't any exciting stories to tell, but it was certainly a time of reflection. I'll share my journal entry from the morning of my final day:

"I'm on the beach. The sun is rising and warming my Africa-over-tanned skin. Two schoolgirls walk past in their blue skirts and white head-dress tops. Small waves gently crash on the sand as the tide creeps in. The steady roar of the outside reef break is a constant background to the other sounds...birds caw-ing...faint sounds of kids playing in a schoolyard...the breeze past my ears. Two guys jog past dribbling a soccer ball as they train for their local games. Dozens of crabs scamper to and fro...pulling seaweed...tossing clumps of sand...doing their thing.

It's beautiful. It's relaxing. It's a dream. And I'm happily leaving it for cold, snow, uncertainty, and (eventually) work. Why? Family. Friends. Home. And perhaps just a bit of "normality"...at least what I would have previously called "normal."

What have I learned? I really don't know for sure. How does one answer that question? It was a whole freaking year...a year full of inputs, experiences, and reflections.

How do I not let it all go to the wayside? How do I continue to make it all relevant?"

Not my most eloquent writing and kind of an abrupt end to the entry. I know...you were looking for conclusions, answers, and resolution. But I don't think the whole point was to resolve anything...it was to expand, experience, and explore. I think I'll continue to ponder those questions for a while. (I will say, however, that after having been home only 4 months it's already getting more difficult to make it all relevant.)

Anyway...I gave away things I didn't need, put on my cleanest dirty clothes, packed up the rest, headed out to the squat by the side of the road for the final time while waiting for my dala-dala (mini-bus thingy), and began the journey home.

Despite starting off with a massive delay at the Zanzibar airport...and involving a bus, a taxi, a bus, a plane (to Nairobi), another plane (to London), several trains (in London), and another plane (to Chicago)...the trip home seemed to go rather quickly. I guess after being on the move for 11 months, a 40 hour journey can seem "quick."

I had a 10 hr layover in London, which was enough time to take the Tube into the city to meet my friend Liv for lunch, have a heart attack over the prices in London ($14! for a day-pass on the Tube), and to confuse a lady taking surveys at the airport. I'm pretty certain she didn't know what to do with my answers to her questions of - "How long is your current trip?", "How many flight segments?", "Where have you lived for the past year?", etc. When the survey was over, she said,

"So, that's quite a trip. I suppose now you're going to go home and unwind a bit?"

My response:
"Umm...I haven't worked in a year and I just spent two weeks on the beach in Zanzibar. I'm as unwound as I get." Indeed.

I checked in for my flight and walked my unwound self onto my final plane for the trip.

Into (Out Of) The Wild
There's a book called "Into The Wild" by Jon Krakauer, the same guy who wrote "Into Thin Air" (about the Everest disaster in the 90's). It's about a guy named Christopher McCandless who had a rather adventurous spirit. He spent a couple years bouncing around the US doing all sorts of crazy things and compiling amazing experiences along the way. The craziest and perhaps most amazing (or could have been) experience was his Great Alaskan Adventure in which he headed "into the wild" to "live off the land for a while". Unfortunately, the book isn't written by him...due to the fact that he never made it out of the wild alive due to having eaten a poisonous type of seed. It's a book that I read while in Nepal and then again it crossed my path in the movie version on my flight from London to Chicago.

I mention it for the following reason - I think the dude was nuts. I find it ironic that here I was on the way home from 11 months of backpacking around the world and living a very alternative lifestyle to the norm and when confronted with the story of someone else doing something adventurous and alternative, my reaction was "he's nuts." I guess what it comes down to can be summarized in the words of my friend Andy (he has also traveled a lot) who said that McCandless "crossed the line" when it comes to his motivations and how far he took things to the extreme. Perhaps many out there think that I'm nuts for what I've done...and I guess my reaction to this story helped me understand that we all have our different limits of what we think is "nuts". So...feel free to think I'm nuts. Maybe I am?

If you are interested in the story...read the book. The movie doesn't do a good job of conveying as much of the nuts-ness (in my opinion).

Home-ness
Tim picked me up at O'hare, said "Where to?"...I said "You know where" and off we went to our favorite restaurant in Chicago. Ahh...it's good to be with someone I know well and who also knows me well. With a belly full of Mediterranean bread, Italian Combo Grinder and Pizza Pot Pie we then headed off to meet some other friends. I soon found myself at a bar surrounded by a bunch of flat screen TVs showing NCAA basketball (not cricket, rugby, or football/soccer) in HD, people I know, and a whole bunch of people I don't know...but they were all speaking English (in an American accent, no less). The following day I loaded up on some Chipotle and Giordanos as well. Home...just what my weary soul needed.

A comment about the English thing - while traveling it wasn't all that often that I'd hear a group of people speaking English w/o an accents (to my ears). Whenever I did hear it I always thought "I wonder what their gig is and what they're doing here." After coming home it actually took me a couple of weeks to stop being surprised when I'd walk past a group of people speaking "American".

Welcome To The Mall of America - Would You Like Your Funnel Cake Before Or After The Roller Coaster?
Many have asked me how the culture shock has been since getting back home. In a previous entry, I had commented that I didn't expect it to be too bad considering I was coming home to a culture I'd been in for 30 years. Additionally, I've had multiple experiences transitioning from 3rd World cultures to my own...though never having been away for this duration. That's pretty much proved to be the case...coming home felt pretty natural and not too shocking to the system. I expect the real shock to come when I go to work for the first time and realize I’m there for the whole day and will be again for 4 more days before I get a whole day to myself. Yikes.

There is one moment in which I felt a tad overwhelmed by America-ness...this was at The Mall of America (or as my niece calls it - The Mall Of ME-merica) in Minneapolis. I was up there for a week helping my sister and her family move into a new house and we took my nieces to the mall one day. If you're not familiar with the MoA...it's the largest mall in America. 2.5million sq ft of retail space, 4 floors, and 520+ stores of American shopping fun. Yikes.

Walking into a mall...no big deal. Walking past multiple life-sized Lego creations in the Lego store...cool but still no big deal. Walking into the central atrium of the mall with roller coasters whizzing overhead, kiddie-techno music echoing around, funnel cake stands, a dozen chain-restaurant lunch options, large fuzzy mascot-like characters walking around, an army of kids and moms running/milling about, and more baby strollers than I've ever seen at once...the hyper-ventilating was beginning. I was in the midst of an all-out sensory assault of 1st-world big America-ness.

I quickly assumed the lotus position, closed my eyes, and visualized being on a mountain-top in Nepal...well...not really. What I actually did was take my niece on 2 hours worth of rides followed by a hot dog and ice-cream for dessert...not quite meditative bliss...but it was a fun day. Welcome back to America, Marc.

Other than that, I've gotten to the point where I no longer have to think about which side of the road to drive on and I've only turned on my wipers instead of a turn indicator a couple of times (they're opposite in cars with the steering wheel on the other side). I say "college" instead of "university". I still sometimes say "toilet" instead of "bathroom/washroom/men's room/etc". But in general I'd say I'm pretty much re-acclimated, eh?

I suppose I will mention a couple other transitions. I'm still kinda in the habit of wearing the same clothes for days on end. It's partially because my living situation is still in flux...but also I guess my concepts of clean/dirty have changed a bit. Simply having worn something doesn’t mean that it’s dirty, right? Don't worry, when I get a job I promise to wear something different (and "clean") every day. The other comment that people really cringe at is this...at some point in March I put on deodorant for the first time since September. Yeah, I'll just leave it at that.

Elation And Devastation Can Indeed Coexist
The emotions of coming home hit the extremes of the spectrum. I was both elated to be back...and devastated that it was all over. It was great to see friends and family...eat my favorite foods...be in familiar places...have access to more/clean clothes and regular hot showers...and just nice to be home. But the 11 month journey was truly amazing and it was hard to comprehend that it had come to an end. No more daily exploration...no more continual wanderings between amazingly beautiful places...no more extreme cultural exposures...no more $1 beers! I don't know if I'll ever have a chance for another experience like it...bummer. But…home, family, and friends...nice.

One of my big worries coming home has been how to adjust to not being alone as much. I socialized a lot while traveling, but certainly had plenty of time by myself. I was fine with that and valued that time…and wonder if I’ve gotten too used to it. I guess I’ll find out.

What A Long Strange Trip It's Been
It's interesting to think back over the year and remember the different periods and phases I went through. I started out not really knowing what to expect...just simply trusting that I could figure out whatever come across my path. I quickly fell into step in the traveling world and it didn't seem odd at all. In fact, I recall thinking it was odd how natural it felt to be traveling from place to place, meeting new people, and figuring out new places. However, it did take me a couple of months to stop checking my pockets for my phone every time I felt a phantom ringer vibration.

Soon I got to the point where I almost was over-confident in the sense that I planned less and less ahead (such as showing up in Bangkok without a guide book, knowledge of the language, etc). I think I settled into a good balance between planning & spontaneity that allowed me to be confident in what I was getting into...but not so planned that I didn't allow for fun changes. Through the entire journey I don't think I had lodging arrangements prior to my arrival in a new town more than 2 or 3 times...and the last time was way back in New Zealand. No big deal, that's just how it works. Though it is odd to think that I would show up in places like Delhi at 10pm with no real plan and it always worked out.

There were the periods during which I felt I could go on forever. There were the times when I wondered if I could last another day. There were the times I wished I could transport all my friends and family to wherever I was to experience things with me. There were times I wished I could transport myself back to be with friends and family in familiar surroundings and eating familiar things. There were times when I'd catch myself thinking "Nope, I can't eat there because $1 is too much for dinner tonight." There were times that I spent over a month's worth of budget on something (SCUBA trip) because there are just some things I just had to do. Lot's of ups and down in all facets of the trip.

I will say that I'm glad I went in the direction I did...which was from expensive places (Fiji, NZ, OZ) to cheaper places (everywhere else). I can't imagine having paid the prices I did in Asia and then going to Australia to pay 5 times as much...I would have flipped out.

As is well documented, eventually the desire to come home trumped everything else and my wandering ways came to an end. As Sinatra would say...

"And now, the end is near; (here)
And so I face the final curtain. (flight)
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.

I've lived a life thats full.
I've traveled each and every highway; (and ferry, plane, rice paddy...)
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, I've had a few; (stolen camera & passing on a scenic flight in NZ)
But then again, too few to mention. (ok, so I mentioned them)
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course; ("planned" might be overstating it)
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way."

That was completely unnecessary and I cut out some verses. But I needed one last musical reference.

The Blind Men And The World
There's a parable that I read in one of my books somewhere along the way & have encountered many times since. It discusses how several blind men were brought to an elephant and told to describe it. After each touching different parts, they all described the elephant in completely different terms. One who touches the tusk says it's like a pipe; one who touches the tail says it's like a rope; one who touches the trunk says it's like a tree branch; one who touches the leg says it's like a pillar; etc. Naturally, the point is that the elephant has all these characteristics and none of them had the full picture from their own perspective.

In general we each are only exposed to a small part of what this world offers in terms of people, countries, and cultures. Therefore we have incomplete views of the whole picture. Perhaps we can also get a bit too confident in how much of the picture we know and understand. As a result of this trip, I've been exposed to more of the elephant than I had before, but I'm not certain it's enough to have a much better idea of the whole animal. Rather than thinking I know the world better now, perhaps I'm better attuned to recognizing how limited my knowledge and understanding is.

With each passing year of this life, I realize more strongly that the more I know...the more I realize how much I don't know. And the more I've seen...the more I realize how little I've seen.

Hurry Up!
The culture in the States (my experience with it, at least) is that we are in a huge rush to get to work. I now wonder...why? I don't mean in the sense that we wake up early to beat traffic. Rather I mean that we rush through education so we can get into the work force as quickly as possible. There are certainly benefits to this sort of system and it has paid off for our country, but I'd say there are benefits to taking our time as well. The world is vast and interesting and I believe that taking time to experience it can only enrich our lives. So go out...trek in the Himalayas...do the Peace Corps...get lost in a 1985 Mazda in New Zealand...live with monks...do something to get a taste of what else is out there. Do your best to get a mix of experiences, don't just go to another place like home...try to get freaked out a bit by another culture. Maybe it will open up your eyes to something new...or maybe it will completely solidify your existing views and beliefs...or perhaps a mix of both. Either way, I think it's a good idea.

Among others, there is an opinion in the world that Americans don't travel. I can't tell you how many times I was asked "Is it true that only xx (I heard as low as 4 and as high as 40) percent of Americans have passports?" In my opinion, this comment is often a thinly veiled (or not veiled at all) slight against Americans. The implication being that Americans are America-centric and not as broad-minded (and thus, we're bad) as the rest of the world.

I have several comments on this:

1 - There's truth to the comment that Americans don't travel internationally as much - at least in the places I went. I met more people from countries that are much smaller than the US (Canada, Ireland, Holland, etc). If I met equivalent (or greater) numbers of people from countries with populations that are 5-10%!t(MISSING)hat of America's...we're less likely to travel by a factor of 10-20. That's certainly significant. I wonder if the backpacker demographic in Central and South America is the same as the places I went?

2 - Just about every single person I know does have a passport...but perhaps I just know people who like to (or can) travel. According to the State Department, 27%!<(MISSING)/b> of Americans have passports as of 2006 and the requests for passports was up 52%!i(MISSING)n 2006 compared to 2005. So I guess the interest in the world is growing. The only other country for which I could find passport stats was Canada with 31% as of 2003...not all that different from the US...perhaps they just use theirs more for the places I went?

3 - Without trying to sound arrogant, I think there are some good (and some not-so-good) reasons why we don't travel as much. I don't think all of these qualities are unique to the US, but I think they're worth a mention:

a) America is big. Lots of people don't live anywhere near an international border. In many other countries if you drive for half of a day you'll need a passport because you've run out of country. We can drive for days in the same direction and still be here.

b) America has a lot to offer. Without leaving the country we can get any climate (hot, cold, dry, humid, rainy, snow, sunny, etc), nearly any type of terrain (beach, desert, mountains, plains, lakes, cities, etc), and all the activities that go along with those different situations.

c) America is diverse and has many cultures among our 300,000,000 people. It's not quite the same as living in a monastery in Nepal, but one can indeed experience vastly different cultures, backgrounds, races, etc without using a passport. The guy taking you on a gator tour in Florida is vastly different from a New Yorker...the list of examples like this goes on and on. In my first week back to the US I was in line at the post office and noticed that there were 5 different races (and multiple languages) represented among the 6 people ahead of me in line. I found it interesting to realize how homogeneous most of my destinations were in comparison to home. Apparently all I needed to do was go to the post office to meet people from around the world.

d) There is a certain portion of the population for which international travel isn't economically viable. This is true of other countries as well, but if you want to know why only xx% of Americans have passports, economics cuts out a certain percentage of the people. Other than getting to Canada or Mexico, it's really expensive (and takes a long time) for us to get to another country.

e) There is some truth to the fact that many Americans are indeed America-centric and either don't have much interest in non-American things or have misconceptions about them. There are several articles I came across on line that discuss the potential reasons for this, but it's not something I'll get into here. One sad story of mine in the first week being home was someone asking me if it's true that everyone in Africa has machine guns because he "saw that movie about the president of Africa (Last King of Scotland) and that's how it really is over there, right?" Really? Yikes. To be fair, I ran into plenty of people who also have misconceptions (in my opinion) about America and likely don't have any interest in coming here as a result.

f) Some countries out there have work visa arrangements that have really created a big culture of working abroad at some point. For example, it's easy for Aussies to get visas to work in the UK...and vice versa. There are also various colonial ties between certain countries that make people more likely to travel there. The UK, NZ, and Aus all have both of these factors...and they all travel a lot. I ran into more French people in Cambodia and Vietnam than anywhere else - two countries that are former French colonies (or protectorates...whatever the term is)...so that's where they're more likely to go. We might have a few current/former protectorates/territories around, but Guam isn't exactly the same kind of travel destination that Vietnam is.

For better or for worse, I think that all those factors have resulted in Americans not having the same travel culture that some others do. It's a bummer that we don't get out more, as I think that only good things can come out of more of us Americans heading off to see more bits of the world. I think more and more are doing just that. I know many who are in college (or "university" for the non-Americans out there) or have just finished college and are in various places in the world for work, study, or pleasure.

In fact, the USA Today newspaper just had an article about how more young Americans are deciding to take a “Gap Year.” This is a practice rather common in the UK and Aus (and prob other places…Germany, etc) where youths will take a year before college to go do some sort of international experience. Could be traveling, volunteering, working…whatever. Youths out there…think about it. Parents out there…I know it’s tough to encourage your 18-19 year old (or 30 year old) to go to some far away seemingly scary place…but think about investigating it as well. I think the benefits vastly outweigh whatever concerns you may have.

I'm not trying to sound preachy and say that everyone should drop what they're doing and go travel. But if you have the interest - go for it. I've yet to meet someone who has regretted this sort of decision - whatever the duration may be.

If A Tree Falls In The Forest & Marc Didn't Blog About It, Did It Make A Sound?
As you may have noticed, I really can get caught up in writing all these stories. There were times that I considered declaring a no-blog period to see if my experiences (or how I viewed them) would be different. But there was so much that I thought was worth sharing (and recording for my own purposes)...I think I sometimes got carried away a bit. Oh well...I think most of it was worth slogging through my rambles.

I’m absolutely gutted to have seen all the typos I had in my blogs all year. When I got home I went through (most of) them all and found embarrassing levels of spelling/grammar gaffes. Apologies.

Y’all got lazy as the year went on. My first several blogs had many comments from folks…and then it dwindled down to nothing. The page views went up, so I know the interest was still there, but the feedback went down. There’s certainly no requirement to, but I’m still open to hearing any comments that folks may have.

Alterations
Every society has found things to smoke, chew, drink, etc. that will alter our bodies & minds in some way...sometimes in an unhealthy manner...and often in an attempt to make us happier. It's interesting that basically all societies have managed to conceive of various forms/levels of drugs. How did all these things get discovered? Really, who first thought “Maybe I should dry that leaf, roll it up, and light it on fire.” or "Perhaps if I treat this wheat in a particular manner I'll get a drink that makes me dizzy"? Perhaps we should discuss this more over a few beers?

Che & Bob
Who is the most influential person in history? Jesus? Mohammed? John Lenon (remember...he's more popular that Jesus Christ)? Mickey Mouse? Christiano Ronaldo? After having traveled to 10 countries of varying cultures, religions, economics, governments, history, etc...I've come to this conclusion. There are two people who tie for being the most influential in history. Che Guevara and Bob Marley. I say that jokingly, but it's truly astounding how common it is to see hats, shirts, posters, stickers, etc of Che Guevara...and every town seems to have a Reggae bar and a few dudes walking around with dreads thinking they're local versions of Bob Marley. Perhaps their influence is far reaching...or perhaps people just want revolution, music, and weed.

Confessions
I have two things that I have to confess having done since coming home.

First confession - I’m embarrassed to share this information publicly, but I’ve tried to be honest with you so far, so I figured I’d continue. Now that I’m home and have some time on my hands, sometimes when I’m alone…I go online and look at websites that probably aren’t good for me. Yes, that’s right, I look at other people’s travel blogs.

I still have friends out there living the dream. And there are countless others whom I don’t even know - but I still try to extend my adventure vicariously through them. I can close my eyes and imagine myself on the beach with Misael and Anne in the Gulf of Thailand after a day of SCUBA…being in Costa Rica with James and Claire...or being back in Kathmandu…or hiking with James and Natalie on the Routeburn Track in New Zealand again. It’s hard to let go. I had a strong urge last week to fly to New Zealand and buy a 1985 Mazda to sleep in for 3 weeks. It's also quite brutal now that I've started to sort through all my thousands of photos. I'm immediately transported back to amazing far-away lands, people, and a lifestyle that is unparalleled.

Second confession - perhaps it was all my time with monks and their all-loving attitudes…but this White Sox fan has decided to make an honest effort to also cheer for the Cubs this year. There’s no reason to be a hater, right? We Sox fans had our big World Series celebration in 2005 & perhaps it's ok for Cubs fans to have their fun too. The effort started out well, but it’s getting harder as the season goes on. The Cubs frenzy in Chicago this year is getting a bit over the top. I’m not sure how well my effort will hold up when we get to playoff time.

450 Consecutive Saturdays...Or Something Like That
During the year I only had 3 days of the week - yesterday, today, and tomorrow - and they were all Saturday. Soon I'll be adding the other days of the week back into the schedule. I recently came across a cool video called A Map For Saturday that documents the lives of backpackers. Check out the trailer...just that short bit gets me all fired up again. Perhaps it will get you jazzed too.

The Results Are In
At my going away party in 2007, the hosts had distributed a quiz for people to take.

1. How long will Marc be out of the country?
A. One year
B. Two years
C. Indefinitely
D. Two weeks

2. Where is Marc? (I.e., Where will Marc be when he finds himself?)
A. On a mountain top
B. On a beach sipping a drink with an umbrella
C. Running from a tiger
D. Listening to a woman whisper in his ear in a language he doesn’t understand

3. What country is Marc most likely to stop his travels to live in?
A. New Zealand
B. India
C. Nepal
D. Kenya
E. Iceland

4. What will Marc’s tattoo be?
A. An animal that bit him
B. The foreign whisperer’s name
C. An American flag
D. Something else (please specify)

5. When Marc comes home he will be…
A. Fat
B. Socialist
C. Rush Limbaugh
D. Fully retired

The predictions were:
#1 - A (12/24)
#2 - D (16/24)
#3 - C (8/24)
#4 - B (10) and D (10)
#5 - B (12/24)

I believe that the second question was phrased that way to irk me because I hate it when people suggest that I wanted to travel to "find myself"...whatever that's supposed to mean. As JRR Tolkien said "Not all who wander are lost."

In any case:
1) I was indeed gone for a year-ish (A)
2) If there was any finding of anything...it would have been on top of a mountain. (A)
3) I was in Nepal the longest, and lived with monks. Does that count? If so, then "C" was correct.
4) Sorry, no tattoos. I did get a temporary henna tattoo in Goa...it was an artsy depiction of a dorje (a Buddhist symbol) that was designed by my buddy Laurie. (D)
5) I wish I were fully retired…it turns out that not working is fantastic. Actually, I am still currently ‘retired’, but that will change soon. I'm a little socialist. And I'm a little Rush Limbaugh. But I'm not fat. (B-D)

God Bless the United States of America
That’s probably not a popular thing to say in the world these days, but I will say this - I love the US and am extremely thankful for being lucky enough to live here. It’s not a perfect nation, nor are the government and people without faults. But here are some comments on some places I’ve been:

Fiji - Government coup in late 2006.

Thailand - Government coup in late 2006. Though the monarchy is still in place and loved by the people.

Cambodia - Yikes. The government is better now, but still not trusted by the people. And the previous recent governments were downright evil.

Nepal - Monarchy removed from power in 2007 and completely dismantled in 2006. Now the Maoists hold a majority in the new government. Could be good or bad. But in any case, the monarchy didn’t do anything for its people.

I’m not an expert on them all, but many of the changes in power around the world these days are for the better. All of these countries are great places and it’s cool to see the ones that are making progress. But I guess my points are:

- The US government has been around and stable for a long time. The Brits may consider us a young country, but when I look around the rest of the world, it seems that we’ve been able to avoid a lot of the volatility that many others have suffered. None of the places I went had governments as old as the US. Apparently we’re old now. This is good.

- In 2000 the US had a heavily contested and controversial Presidential election. The country was divided and emotional. People could complain, protest, and voice their opinions - and they did…peacefully. In 2007 there was a heavily contested and controversial election in Kenya. The country was divided and emotional. Many were killed…thousands were displaced. It’s tragic how it played out and there are many reasons for it - but I’m thankful for how different the situation was/is in the US.

- It’s never occurred to me when I’m at home to wonder if a government official is outside a window listening to me talk about the government. When I was in Fiji, there was a time when the local I was talking to (about the government) quickly changed subjects because there was a soldier lurking outside the window. Yay for my Constitutional Rights of free speech!

So in short- we’ve got our issues, but there are many things about America and our government that I’m thankful for.

”How Do We Live In the First World With Third World Values?”
A friend of mine recently spent some time in Africa and while we were talking about our experiences, she posed the question above. I think it’s a good one. She's smarter than me, so her commentary on it is better than this, but here are a few thoughts. Being in the developed “first world” has countless benefits. But there are some amazing things about the “third world.” These aren’t universal and absolute - nor am I saying that these aren't true to some extent in the 1st world, but a few examples would be:

- Strong family ties. When you all live together in a confined space, work together, and don’t leave your village I suppose family ties would indeed be strong.

- Strong sense of community responsibility. People take care of each other.

- Simplicity of life without some of our less productive distractions. Some of our luxuries - though great - do have negative effects on other areas of our lives.

- Slower pace of life. Again, this can have its drawbacks, but also has benefits. Sometimes I think we simply over-program our lives and rush through things.

- I'm not sure this is a 3rd vs 1st World comment, but it's something I thought of recently. Being back home I have a multitude of options of what to do with my free time. They're all generally all great, but my initial reaction is one of being less satisfied with what I'm doing due to all the other options out there that I'm not doing. Perhaps this just means that I'm screwed up and have unrealistic desires to have it all (which is a discussion for a different time) - but to some degree I think it was easier to be satisfied on the road when my choices were more limited. As I said above, it's my initial reaction that is out of whack and once I think it through, all is well again. But it does make me wonder...we have all these options and choices - how much do they really make us happier vs just making things more complicated and/or frustrating?

I’m not sure I have much more to say about that. Just something to ponder, I suppose.

trav·el - verb; make a journey, typically of some length or abroad
There are many whom history has deemed quote-worthy who have weighed in on the definition of travel:

"...to go from one place to another, as by car, train, plane, or ship; take a trip; journey" - Webster
I think I did them all. One place to another...until I was back at the original place again.

"Travel for the young is a part of education, for the old, a part of experience." - Francis Bacon
I'd like to think I qualify for both.

"Travel is a fool's paradise." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I think I qualify for this too...

"...a childish delight in being somewhere else." - Sigmund Freud

"I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." - Robert Louis Stevenson
...until you're tired. Then you go to the beach and don't move at all.

"It's an experience we shall always remember, or an experience which, alas, we shall never forget."- Julius Gordon
Indeed.

"Too often, instead of broadening the mind, travel merely lengthens the conversation." - Elizabeth Drew
My blog ramblings confirm this

"Travel is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases," - William Hazlitt
Such a beautiful way to exist (within limits, of course)

"Travel is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends." - Cesare Pavese

Traveling around the world, seeing amazing places, meeting great people, driving/riding along beautiful (if not smooth!) roads, eating foods which wouldn't be served back home, partying it up in exotic locales, living with just a bag of things for a year, seeing sights, smelling smells, tasting tastes and hearing sounds that have never reached your senses before - this is what makes traveling such a mind blowing experience. These are the sensations which expand your mind and show you how amazing this world and this life are. It opens up the mind to what the possibilities - and many of the hard realities - of life are.

I know we're all in different situations, but I can't encourage you enough to let go and give it a shot to one degree or another. See where the journey can take you. It's an experience that I'll never regret and never forget.

I'll close with a quote that I've (partially) had on my profile page since the beginning. It really sums up the whole thing for me.

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

All Good Ramblings Must Come To An End
I have more to say. I could go on and on. But I think I’ll let it stop with what I’ve done so far. If you want to get more inside my head I guess you’ll just have to buy the book...or take me out and buy me a beer (a nice Stout, please).

And That’s All I Have To Say About That
We made it! The captain has turned off the "Fasten Seat Belts" sign. Please check your seat and the overhead bin for your personal belongings before leaving. Thank you for choosing to travel vicariously with Going-Global!

Wow.

That's it.

Much Love.

Gone Global,
Marc

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Acknowledgments
Thanks to all those out there who encouraged me before the trip and during the 11 month journey. It was a hard decision to make to do the trip...but I'm extremely glad to have made it.

Thanks to those from home who met me along the way. You provided some much needed emotional recharging - and in the case of my parents, you provided some much desired luxury therapy at the Phuket Marriott.

Thanks to those who kept in touch and helped me feel somewhat connected to home. Though I didn't want to cling to home too much while away...I also didn't want to completely toss all connection to home away for 11 months.

Many thanks to the new friends I met along the way. The various sights of my travels are cool...but it's the people I met and the experiences we had together that made it all so amazing.

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to read my stories and check out my pictures. It really was cool to know that so many people were interested and following along.

Thanks to Heather, Nick, Irene, and Chloe for your hospitality during the transition back into things now that I’m home.

Tim and Melissa - same goes for you. Many thanks for your hospitality.

Thanks to Mom and Dad for not having me committed when I told you about this adventure.

Thanks to Hope and Noelle simply for being the cutest nieces in the world.

Thanks to you all for putting up with all the pictures of my nieces in this entry.

And a final thanks to the Earth for being such a beautiful place. Good job, plate tectonics.

Thanks to Ali, the TravelBlog admin for setting up and maintaining such a great (and free!) site.
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PS - Some might be wondering what I’m up to now and what the plan is. At first I spent a couple months hanging out with friends & family and doing a bit of traveling in the US (Minnesota, South Carolina, Utah, California, and Oregon). It turns out that America has some amazing places as well. If you’ve never been here…come over and check it out.

As for the plan from here...apparently I'm now addicted to heading west. Soon I'll be packing it all up (more than a backpack this time), leaving Chicago, and moving to San Diego, California - where I have just accepted a job offer. Perhaps after only 4 days of rain during a 5 months span (Oct-Feb) I got used to dry climates...in any case, San Diego will continue to deliver a fantastic climate and all the other positives that go with living there. Come out and visit me. The journey never ends...

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Photos

The Journey Home Begins...
Sweaty and stinky I boarded the plane in Zanzibar during the 40hr journey home.

Beach Crab
It was just me and dozens of crabs on the beach the last few days.
The hour I spent sitting on the beach taking photos of the crabs was my last official photo activity of the journey.

Who Added London To The Route?
On my way to see Liv during my layover.

2 Great Reasons To Come Home
Hope, Noelle, and a happy uncle.

Zzzzz....
Noelle and I were both wiped out from the excitement of meeting each other. Or perhaps she's just a sleeping infant and I was still on Zanzibar time & it felt like it was 3am...

Marc, Kristin, & James On The Slopes
During our family vacation to Park City, UT.

Hope Trying Out A Helmet For Skiing
Taken In Park City

Begin The Mall Overload...
This was our first ride at the Mall of Me-merica

Nepali-Sized Car?
I'm feeling big again...and a tad motion sick.

Photo With Blue
Back in the land of fuzzy full-sized cartoon characters. And...I'm wearing jeans for the first time in a year. Woo-hoo!

Irene!
In addition to my nieces Hope and Noelle, I was thrilled to see little cousins Irene and her sister Chloe.

Sisters
Noelle is showing off her cool All-Blacks onesie that I got in New Zealand.

Beach Burial
Perhaps it was best that Hope wasn't with me at all the beaches in the last year...

Locals Gathering Shellfish
At least that's what I think they're doing.

Massive Green Turtle
There was a protected turtle sanctuary near Nungwi with loads of cool turtles.

My Own Beach
Jambiani was basically deserted. A nice place to chill for my final days of travel.

Geeta And Me In Mumbai
I promised her a long time ago that I'd post it...
Geeta is a friend from home that I've know for a decade. She was in Mumbai at the same time as me in January.

Goan Tat-Man
Compliments to Laurie, the designer. His actual design was cooler than what the lady ended up painting on my arm, but I liked it anyway. This has nothing to do with this entry...but here it is anyway. Oh...and it was just henna...it's gone now.

Comments

[cegrmr]

Thanks for sharing
Marc, Thank you for the wonderful journey that you let all of us in on. Since I sit in a cubical all day, i tend to travel vicariously through stories like yours and others on this site and many others like it. I must say, your comments on 1st vs. 3rd world are wonderful and my family back in China still lives life as such with extremely strong family ties and work ethic. We can't fathom these ideals anymore due to the ever changing culture which is dominated by seclusion (texting, e-mail, etc). But what I was most fascinated with in regards to your story was how you stayed grounded to the idea of "experiencing" something wonderful and new. and that you are grateful for it. Thanks Marc. Ryan M. Rodriguez

[MacKenzie H]

Inspiration
Marc, I'm an 18 year old who has just spent the last year as an exchange student in Finland. During my year I read your travelblog often. It was great to read about your adventures and the possibilities that are out there. It's always been my dream to backpack around the world when I'm older. I just wanted to let you know that it's people like you that inspire me and make me believe that someday I can live my dream. So, I guess I just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration.

[Going Global]

You're welcome...and thanks to you too
I'm glad you enjoyed the stories and were inspired. Feel free to send me a PM if you want any further information about traveling or any particular places.

[Going Global]

Reda
Reda - Glad you enjoyed the stories. I understand the thoughts about the Full Moon Party...but for that time it was a blast. If you ever read this again, I'm curious why you're surprised with the comments I make about America. Is it that you're surprised there are things I like about America, or do you think it comes across as arrogant to name 3 positive (to me) aspects of my country - those being stable government, freedom of speech/demonstration, and limited suspicion of being spied on. It has indeed been 2 years and my passport has been gathering a bit of dust - but I've been managing to keep myself rather entertained since coming home. Thanks again for stopping by.

[Jon]

Thanks
G'day. Thanks for writing your blog. I enjoyed reading it and sharing your journey. I'm a 30yr old Australian who has spent 9 months travelling through Thailand, India and Nepal about 2 years ago and would love to be on the road again one day(soon). Reading these blogs of others is both healthy and not healthy. Hope you're doing well. Jon =)