Highlights from 8 months of travel

Across 8 months, 18 countries, 4 continents, 28 states; staying in 53 hostels, 12 hotels, 8 friends’ homes, 6 homestays, 4 airbnbs; traveled by 22 flights, 21 bus trips, 9 scooter rentals, 8 boat rides, 4 car rentals, 3 train rides, and way too many rick-shaw/tuk-tuk/matatu/boda-boda/tika-tika/uber-moto rides to count. Reading 22 books, listening to 19 audiobooks, writing 18 blog posts. Adventuring to 32 beaches, 18 waterfalls, 15 temples, 13 national parks. Mostly smiling through 4 hospital visits, 3 different backpacks used, 1 missed flight, 1 time stranded in Africa with a flat tire. Traveling with 2 of my best friends, staying with 3 more who hosted us in their countries, seeing 12 friends and family who visited, and meeting ~200 new friends on the road.

Numbers can’t quantify this year, nor can bullet points bring them to life. But here are some of the best, lowest, and craziest parts of the trip that I’ll remember forever.

We kept finding ourselves at the center of historic political situations. While not usually convenient, it was always fascinating.

Thailand just after their beloved King had died, with an unclear succession plan and military-enforced country-wide grieving.

India at the height of their self-inflicted cash crisis, after they made 85% of circulated currency invalid and ATMs were dry.

South Africa during country-wide strikes calling for the President to step down, amid ‘allegations’ of widespread corruption.

Kenya in the lead-up to national elections, with high anxiety about a possible repeat of 2007’s post-election violence.

Egypt in a state of emergency and military control, following April’s bombings.

When making my list of categories, I realized nearly every country I visited was my ‘favorite’ in some way.

Best scenery: Rwanda — the land of 1000 hills is stunning everywhere

Best tourist-ing: temples of Bagan in Myanmar

Favorite hike: Mai Chau in northern Vietnam

Best meal: Bun Cha in Hanoi; I went 3 times at least

Best dumplings (they deserve a separate category): soup dumplings and pork buns in Hong Kong

Best drive: everywhere in South Africa

Best tour: sunset boat ride at a deserted Tam Coc

Best beach: Indonesia — Balian’s black sand was my favorite

Favorite city: Hanoi, closely followed by Yangon, Cape Town, Cairo

Most interesting cultural experiences: visiting schools in South Africa

Best wildlife: Kenya — hard to beat a safari in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Favorite fiction book: Beer in the Snooker Club (Egypt)

Favorite non-fiction: It’s our turn to eat (Kenya)

Favorite travel crew: the motorcycle gang in Malaysia

Favorite locals: Chill and Jule, the amazing bartenders at Broken Compass on Gili T

Best hostel: Dalat Family Hostel

Best non-hostel: Sheraton HK

Best transit: Thai Airways accidental business class flight to Melbourne

Best activity: class 5 river rafting on the Nile in Uganda

Best trip-within-a-trip: Castaways in Ha Long Bay

Best performance: our bollywood dance at an Indian wedding

Best travel luck: meeting Pratham, our incredible host in Northern India

Best nightlife: Thailand — Chiang Mai and Koh Phi Phi

Best party: Sundays at Single Fin in Uluwatu

Best national beer: Vietnam — Bia Hanoi

Best craft beer: Boston Beer, in South Africa oddly

Best national drink: wine in South Africa — and avoiding rice wine everywhere in Asia

Best coffee: Australia (Byron Bay and Melbourne), narrowly edging out Hanoi’s egg coffee

Most “did it for the story” moment: taking (wheeling) Hoffman from her overnight hospital visit in Hong Kong straight to the casino in Macau

Best holiday/festival: village Buddha unveiling ceremony in Chiang Rai with our airbnb host

Best sporting event: Rugby game in Durban, South Africa

Place I most want to return to: Egypt — far too much to see and such an amazing crew.

Place I’d most likely live: Hong Kong

Place I enjoyed the most overall: South Africa

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Originally published on Medium/Zig Zag Zuck.