evdog

Wheels down in Seattle

Ninety minutes left in sabbatical travel ‘09. Five months ago I was writing a similar post on the flight to New Zealand, pondering the trip ahead, excited but also more than a little nervous. Today, with reentry into the USA minutes away, I think back to the question asked of me time and time again, a question that has given me pause. “You must be having the time of your life?” There is a certainty to the question that has always rubbed me wrong, as though there isn’t more to come, or that past life experiences were somehow diminished in comparison. As a result, I’ve provided less than a full throated answer. Truth be told, after having the opportunity to visit seven countries, to make new friends from around the world, to be a welcomed house guest in Dunedin, Tokyo, and Tainan, to climb mountains and glaciers, to catch albacore and trout, to ride a train to the northernmost tip of Japan and take a ferry to the southernmost tip of New Zealand, to stay in temples, old farm houses, and festive hostels, to eat incredible food and share random laughs with strangers over beers, and much more, I can confidently answer the question. I did have the time of my life.

On an early morning subway in Singapore I has a brief between stations conversation with an eighty five year old man that had traveled the far reaches of the world. As I was readying my backpack to disembark, he leaned over and offered me a warning, “be careful, traveling is a disease and you’re libel to catch it”. I guess you can consider me infected. So it ends…

Thanks for bearing with my bad grammer and following along. Blogging was a last minute addition to my trip, but one that I’ve quite enjoyed. I’m a couple months behind on posting photos. Check back, once the dust settles a little, I’ll post the remaining keepers and a write up on my adventures in Tainan.