Johns Tentative Top 20
Hey folks,
So its 6am in the morning here. Im currently in a little town called Kawaguchiko - which is a town at the base of Mt Fuji. Im waiting for my friends to wake up b/c were going to go for a hike. It kinda sux b/c were so close to Mt Fuji but we still cant see it. Too cloudy. I might just have to buy a postcard... Anyway, couldnt sleep so I got up to indulge my new found Facebook addicition for a bit and to blog a bit about my tentative top 20 experiences in the last 10 months. I know it seems a bit premature b/c Im still not home yet - but barring any major exciting new experiences in the next 6 days, I think the following top 20 are a go!
So here they are in no particular order -
1) Hong Kong - this city is so cool. One of the coolest views had to be seeing the city skyline from the peak. I love the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong - taking public transportation especially. I love seeing friends and family there. Great food.
2) Wildlife - Ive seen a lot of cool animals on this trip. Riding elephants in Thailand. Taking pics with pandas in China. Snorkelling off the coast of Oz and seeing AMAZING fish and marine life. Swimming with turtles in Malaysia. But my favourite had to be seeing Kangaroos.
3) Great Wall of China - experience of a lifetime
4) Trekking in Sapa in Northern Vietnam. It was a lousy day weather wise but it was still gorgeous. Loved every minute of it - well, except sliding down in the mud...
5) Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Cambodia overall was a really cool country though. Its where I visited my first AIDS development project and went off the beaten path a bit. But yeah, Angkor Wat was amazing. Sunrise, sunset, and climbing everything in sight.
6) Climbing Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia. Great experience to watch the sunrise (while eating a Mars bar) on top of the mountain.
7) Hiking on Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand. Another amazing experience of hiking on ice.
8) Sydney - I LOVE this city. And Id consider immigrating there. Sydney was my refuge when I desperately needed Chinese food while in Oz. Cant remember how many times I went to that Chinese bakery. Loved the Chinese New Year Parade. Going clubbing and to the beach. The Harbour was beautiful. Seeing the Opera House and going to a play there. Taronga Zoo... Manly Beach... Loved it, loved it, loved it.
9) Speaking of Sydney - New Years Eve rocked! watching the fireworks off the Harbour Bridge, going clubbing, and then to the all day rave the next day (Field Day, baby!). I will never forget that New Years.
10) Hiking around Mt Cook, New Zealand - totally lucked out on the weather and it was amazing. Felt like I was in the middle of a landscape for Lord of the Rings.
Hmmm... Im noticing a pattern here... lots of hiking.... anyway....
11) Eating in Malaysia and Singapore. Hands down - best food ever. I just ate and ate and ate - even when I wasnt hungry. Loads of cheap good food.
12) Beach bumming - favourite beaches: Gold Coast (Oz), Perhentian Islands and Borneo (Malaysia), Sihanoukville (Cambodia) I cant wait to show you all my tan. ;)
13) Japan overall. This has been a pretty wicked country to travel through. Easy as. Loved the shinkansen train that took my everywhere I wanted to go. Loved the history, culture, and the people who were so friendly. I love how they keep talking to you in Japanese even though you havent clue what theyre saying.
14) Hiking on Yellow Mountain in China.
15) Shopping in Hoi An, Vietnam. It was so much fun getting custom made clothes. Cant wait to show off the new wardrobe. Kicking myself now for not getting a suit made.
16) Camping in the outback (Central Australia). Those were a few awesome days in the desert.
17) Working for the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance while in Canberra. That was an amazing experience that challenged my political views and made me reflect on what I believed. I learned a lot about Aussie politics. I got to enhance my skillset e.g. writing grant proposals. I got to organize a one day conference and meet heaps of people from the HIV/AIDS sector in Oz. Great coworkers that were fun to drink with.
18) T - you know who you are. ;) Still miss you heaps.
19) Living with the Allans in Canberra. That was a great experience. I was blown away by their hospitality in letting me be a part of their family for a few months.
20) The people that I have met traveling- either briefly or have had the pleasure of knowing for a few months. You are the people who have prevented me from feeling homesick and have changed who I am profoundly. I sincerely hope that we can keep in touch to a certain extent. Maybe facebook is the answer? ;)
So its 6am in the morning here. Im currently in a little town called Kawaguchiko - which is a town at the base of Mt Fuji. Im waiting for my friends to wake up b/c were going to go for a hike. It kinda sux b/c were so close to Mt Fuji but we still cant see it. Too cloudy. I might just have to buy a postcard... Anyway, couldnt sleep so I got up to indulge my new found Facebook addicition for a bit and to blog a bit about my tentative top 20 experiences in the last 10 months. I know it seems a bit premature b/c Im still not home yet - but barring any major exciting new experiences in the next 6 days, I think the following top 20 are a go!
So here they are in no particular order -
1) Hong Kong - this city is so cool. One of the coolest views had to be seeing the city skyline from the peak. I love the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong - taking public transportation especially. I love seeing friends and family there. Great food.
2) Wildlife - Ive seen a lot of cool animals on this trip. Riding elephants in Thailand. Taking pics with pandas in China. Snorkelling off the coast of Oz and seeing AMAZING fish and marine life. Swimming with turtles in Malaysia. But my favourite had to be seeing Kangaroos.
3) Great Wall of China - experience of a lifetime
4) Trekking in Sapa in Northern Vietnam. It was a lousy day weather wise but it was still gorgeous. Loved every minute of it - well, except sliding down in the mud...
5) Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Cambodia overall was a really cool country though. Its where I visited my first AIDS development project and went off the beaten path a bit. But yeah, Angkor Wat was amazing. Sunrise, sunset, and climbing everything in sight.
6) Climbing Mt Kinabalu in Malaysia. Great experience to watch the sunrise (while eating a Mars bar) on top of the mountain.
7) Hiking on Franz Josef glacier in New Zealand. Another amazing experience of hiking on ice.
8) Sydney - I LOVE this city. And Id consider immigrating there. Sydney was my refuge when I desperately needed Chinese food while in Oz. Cant remember how many times I went to that Chinese bakery. Loved the Chinese New Year Parade. Going clubbing and to the beach. The Harbour was beautiful. Seeing the Opera House and going to a play there. Taronga Zoo... Manly Beach... Loved it, loved it, loved it.
9) Speaking of Sydney - New Years Eve rocked! watching the fireworks off the Harbour Bridge, going clubbing, and then to the all day rave the next day (Field Day, baby!). I will never forget that New Years.
10) Hiking around Mt Cook, New Zealand - totally lucked out on the weather and it was amazing. Felt like I was in the middle of a landscape for Lord of the Rings.
Hmmm... Im noticing a pattern here... lots of hiking.... anyway....
11) Eating in Malaysia and Singapore. Hands down - best food ever. I just ate and ate and ate - even when I wasnt hungry. Loads of cheap good food.
12) Beach bumming - favourite beaches: Gold Coast (Oz), Perhentian Islands and Borneo (Malaysia), Sihanoukville (Cambodia) I cant wait to show you all my tan. ;)
13) Japan overall. This has been a pretty wicked country to travel through. Easy as. Loved the shinkansen train that took my everywhere I wanted to go. Loved the history, culture, and the people who were so friendly. I love how they keep talking to you in Japanese even though you havent clue what theyre saying.
14) Hiking on Yellow Mountain in China.
15) Shopping in Hoi An, Vietnam. It was so much fun getting custom made clothes. Cant wait to show off the new wardrobe. Kicking myself now for not getting a suit made.
16) Camping in the outback (Central Australia). Those were a few awesome days in the desert.
17) Working for the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance while in Canberra. That was an amazing experience that challenged my political views and made me reflect on what I believed. I learned a lot about Aussie politics. I got to enhance my skillset e.g. writing grant proposals. I got to organize a one day conference and meet heaps of people from the HIV/AIDS sector in Oz. Great coworkers that were fun to drink with.
18) T - you know who you are. ;) Still miss you heaps.
19) Living with the Allans in Canberra. That was a great experience. I was blown away by their hospitality in letting me be a part of their family for a few months.
20) The people that I have met traveling- either briefly or have had the pleasure of knowing for a few months. You are the people who have prevented me from feeling homesick and have changed who I am profoundly. I sincerely hope that we can keep in touch to a certain extent. Maybe facebook is the answer? ;)
posted by John A @ 2:10 PM
2 Comments:
At 6:57 AM,
Anonymous said…
well done!!!
sherlyn..
At 6:24 AM,
Anonymous said…
Love the oblique reference to "Put your hands up for Detroit... I LOVE THIS CITY!" When talking about Sydney . Where most of your aussie dancing occurred. Hope the trips kicking along. Good to see you finally on facebook.
T.
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