Advice to Future World Travelers

I guess we never officially told you guys that we're home safe. We are! I moved back to Charleston this past Thursday and Krista heads up to Vermont next week. We're missing each other like crazy, slowly adjusting to our independent American lifestyles, struggling to answer questions like "Was it amazing?", "What was your favorite part?" and, in my case, "What are you doing now?" so excuse the nervous giggles and/or blank stares while we figure out the answers to those questions....

Anway, thank you everyone for the thoughts, prayers, and emails throughout - it was a wonderful trip, logistically everything went so smoothly, we learned so much about other cultures and more about ourselves, and for those of you worried about our health from the first few blogs (sorry for being so graphic!!), we came back in ship shape, even a little more round and rosy than when we left!!

To give ourselves a laugh during the trip, we kept a continuous list of things we wish we'd thought of, might have done differently, and/or did (without too much thought but much benefit) for future world travelers! I hope we've inspired some of you.... it's not all puking and haggling :-)

Here they are:

1. Print business cards with your name and email address on it for people you meet in passing, so much easier than finding scrap paper, pen, and rushing to write your email while a train is pulling out of the station...

2. Check the seasonal weather in all destinations i.e. don't go to India in June if you can help it. ha
It's impossible to be in every country during their most beautiful season, but it is possible to be a bit more prepared

3. 1 good wrap (sari in India, kikoi in Kenyan) is a very handy item to pack. Can be used as a wrap, scarf, sheet, napkin, pillow, tablecloth, picnic blanket, towel, cold compress, bad smell blocker...

4. Make sure your watch is waterproof and sunglasses are cheap.

5. Start the trip with a real holiday like relaxing on a beach in Costa Rica rather than in the middle of the city of Lima so you have some time to adjust to being away, but not shocked into it.

6. Change continents to keep things fresh - we talked to a lot of travelers just visiting Southeast Asia and they said that although it was cheap, all the countries and experiences started running together.

7. Go to the dentist at least a month before you leave so you have time to get any work done!

8. Really don't drink the water! A good investment is a super duper water filter that plugs into the top of a reusable water bottle (I can't remember the brand, Krista help!). It saves a lot of toothbrushing agony and saves the expense and extra garbage of buying bottled water all over the world...

9. Carry around a palm-sized spiral notebook that's not your journal to scratch notes and directions, etc.

10. Bring face wash pads and or wipes instead of bottled facewash - you don't need running water to wash your face!

11. Eagle Creek packing cubes are AMAZING!

12. Always clean your underwear in the shower, especially if you're in a warm climate where they can dry - it's always the first clothing staple you run out of!

13. Budget for domestic travel which can be expensive.

14. Do volunteer while you're abroad- it's a quick way to see a culture from the inside.

15. Do not eat all street food! You have to try some, but try to go to stalls that look clean and well-attended by locals with their children and other tourists.

Bye for now....back to real life.

With love and dreamig of future adventures,

Cate and Krista