Time flies. I’ve been traveling for a month as of today. Most days it seems like I just packed up my bags and left home. Other days it seems like I haven’t eaten Mexican food in ages. I could ramble on in this post, but instead I’ll leave you with some lists to share my one month overview!
Interesting and Unexpected Favorites:
1. Seeing it snow in Venice. Can’t really say it was necessarily a favorite, as I hate cold weather but it was definitely unexpected (Italy)
2.Getting lost hiking in Cinque Terre (Italy)
3. Seeing the Pope at the Vatican (Italy)
4. Finishing the Rome Marathon (Italy)
5. Hiking in Dana Nature Reserve (Jordan)
6. Wet trekking in Wadi Mujib (Jordan)
7. Floating in the Dead Sea (Jordan)
8. Randomly meeting a friend of a friend in Aqaba, Jordan and meeting a former volunteer of an orphanage in El Salvador that I did school project about while in Venice, Italy. It’s such a small world!
9. Making new friends who graciously let me sleep on their guest beds and show me around town and others who give me a lift.
My not-so-favorites:
1. Snowing in Venice– I know this also made my favorites list, but I froze my tail off due to lack of any sort of warm clothing. (Italy)
2. A disgusting hostel in Amman that I thankfully never paid for because the receptionist didn’t understand English when I tried to pay. (Jordan)
3. Travel food poisoning from who-knows-what in Jordan. I like to eat mostly local foods so I’m not sure what caused it but all I can say is Thank You travel meds! (Jordan)
4. Mosquito bites in Aqaba. They’re not like back home. The ones on my feet swelled like blisters and itched so badly I couldn’t sleep and the ones on my back were extremely red (not so good for being in a swimsuit, I swear it looked like the start of chicken pox). (Jordan)
5. Having my snorkel mask ripped off my face by a dive instructor who was ‘trying to help’. (Jordan)
Things I Miss Most from Back Home:
1. The obvious choice: Mexican food. I love it! Shwarmas in Jordan are like an Arabic fajita I guess, but nothing rivals dirty Mexican food back home.
2. My mama. She’s like the coolest mom ever.
3. Cereal. Yes, 2 out 3 so far are about food- I consider it a big part of my life. And I could eat cereal for any meal of the day.
4. The convenience of a cell phone. I really haven’t missed my cell phone that much but a couple of times I’ve wanted instant contact with someone and it wasn’t possible.
5. Comforts. This includes a cozy couch, a washing machine, clean sheets, a cold beverage, and grass (I’m currently in the desert).
6. A little bit of vanity. With no makeup, no curlers, and certainly no attractive clothing, I feel like a bum. I’m glad I have soap, but every now and then I’d like to feel like a girl!
7. My library card. I have no book to read at the moment and you can only re-read the Culture section of your guide book so many times.
A Bit of Housekeeping:
1. Sole Purpose has raised $255 to date.
2. Tomorrow is the Dead Sea Marathon! I’m running 26 miles in the desert. Surely that’s worth a $5 donation, right?
3. A Wandering Sole was interviewed recently on Play City.
I think that pretty well summarizes my first month in a nutshell. I can’t wait to see what surprises are in store for month two!
Sounds like your having a good time, I can imagine it comes as a huge shock how quickly time passes when your away. Time is flying by for us and we haven’t even left yet.
Good luck in the marathon, I wouldn’t fancy 26 miles in the desert or anywhere in fact. Well done.
Thanks! Yes, it’s crazy how fast time goes by, especially in the beginning. I’m nearly done with 2 countries already!
Congrats on making it a month – and coming so far – one marathon down and another today! Wow :-)
I agree on the snow and totally get how it can be a plus and a minus – I would have cried if I had to walk around a place in the snow unprepared or w/just my backpacker clothes!
As for the makeup – pick up some lip gloss and mascara – that’s all I carry w/me but helps when I just feel like a dirty backpacker and want to feel like a girl! :-) Good luck on the marathon and look forward to reading more!
.-= Shannon OD´s last blog ..A Little Life & Death…The Carpets of Semana Santa (Holy Week) =-.
Thanks Shannon! Luckily Venice was so beautiful, otherwise I may have just sat and cried ;) I’m off to bed and up at 4:30 in the morning for the race. It’ll be over before I know it (that’s what I’m telling myself now but really somewhere around mile 18, I’ll be saying ‘What was I thinking?!)
From the spectator standpoint – it seems to have gone super fast! I can hardly believe everything you’ve done in such a short time…aren’t you exhausted! I think after traveling for 3 yrs I’ve really gotten used to slow travel…so your schedule seems exhausting…even without the marathons! :)
Hope your Dead Sea marathon went well – I’m cheering for you!
.-= Sherry Ott´s last blog ..signs =-.
Italy was exhausting as I really packed a lot in and went pretty much all day every day. Luckily in Jordan I’ve been able to take a lot more R&R days which has really helped me enjoy sightseeing days even more. I’m actually lazing on the couch today as my sore quads are not allowing me to even walk down stairs :)
Wow! A month already. I added you to my google reader shortly after you’re ‘getting on the plane’ post. When I read the title of your post I was surpised it’s been a month already too!
Happy Travels! I love reading your blog.
Molly
Thanks for following along Molly! I am baffled at just how fast it has gone. I think technology has made it go by even faster, as I’m in touch with friends and family frequently so it feels like they’re right around the corner!