Fun Facts Reflecting on the First 90 Days

We recently hit a major milestone in our trip as we crossed the 90 day mark while in Bangkok, Thailand. Seeing as we are almost a third of the way into our journey we thought it would be fun to reflect on all of our travel experiences to date and take a pause to compare some of our best experiences across countries.

Trip Facts

• Since leaving the USA on April 12, 2016 we have traveled more than 43,000 km (26,600 miles).
• 84% was by air transport, 12% by train, and 4% by car or other (e.g. bus, taxi).
• On average, we walk 7.5 miles per day, with many days over 10 miles when we are doing day hikes or treks.
• We have visited six countries and lodged overnight in 32 different cities. That’s an average of only three nights in any one city or specific place per stay. Imagine packing up your entire lives into backpacks every three nights!

Budget-wise, Japan has been the most expensive country that we have visited. This is mostly due to the rail-passes that we acquired – while they saved us a lot of money, they were still one of the largest purchases we have made. Vietnam has been the least expensive country where it is feasible to get by on less than $50 per day. We have saved a lot of money (vs budget) by using member rewards points (e.g. Hilton, Marriott) and through the use of AirBnB. Natalie is working on an article specific to how we have saved money while traveling that we plan to publish soon.

Our Favorite...

Overall Experiences

1. Hiking the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling - near Beijing, China.
2. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef - Cairns, Australia.
3. Overnight Cruise - Halong Bay, Vietnam.
4. Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferry from Wellington to Picton - New Zealand.
5. Tsukiji Fish Market - Tokyo, Japan.
6. Milford Sound - New Zealand.
7. Staying in a Ryokan - Mt Koya, Japan.
8. View from the tallest observation deck in the world, Shanghai Tower - Shanghai, China.

Natalie in Milford Sound, New Zealand.

Cities

1. Wanaka, New Zealand
2. Kyoto, Japan
3. Wellington, New Zealand
4. Tokyo, Japan
5. Hoi An, Vietnam
6. Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Autumn in Lake Wanaka, New Zealand.

Lodging Experiences

1. Grand Hyatt – Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2. Hilton Niseko – Niseko, Japan
3. Ryokan - Mt Koya, Japan
4. Crowne Plaza - Xi’an, China
5. AirBnB - Palm Beach, Australia
6. Nugget Point - Queenstown, New Zealand

View at night from our room at the Grand Hyatt, Hong Kong.

Activities

1. Tramping in New Zealand (Queenstown Track)
2. Wine Tastings & Biking in Marlborough, New Zealand
3. Hiking the Great Wall of China
4. Miyajima Island Hike, Japan
5. Surfing on The Gold Coast, Australia
6. Cooking Classes, Vietnam and Thailand
7. Kayaking in Halong Bay, Vietnam
8. Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef
9. Onsen bath, Niseko, Japan
10. Star Ferry, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Surreal experience hiking the Great Wall of China at Jinshanling.

Foods

1. Noodles, Muslim Quarter, Xi’an, China
2. Grilled fish at Cha Ca Thang Long, Hanoi, Vietnam
3. Seafood and wine pairings at Wairau River Vineyard Lunch, Blenheim, New Zealand
4. Pad Thai and Curry at Kalpapruek, Bang Rak, Bangkok, Thailand
5. Venison in Fox Glacier, New Zealand
6. Tsukiji Market Sushi, Tokyo, Japan
7. Peking Duck, Beijing, China
8. Ramen in Ramen Alley, Sapporo, Japan

Perfect pairings at Wairau River Vineyards - Blenheim, New Zealand.

Dessert Foods

1. Gelato at Gelato Messina - Coolangatta, Australia
2. Cream Puffs - Otaru, Japan
3. Egg Aberdeen - Shanghai, China
4. Mango with Sweet Sticky Rice - Bangkok, Thailand
5. Coffee Jelly - Takayama, Japan

Mango with sweet sticky rice and other tasty Thai treats that we made in our cooking class in Chiang Mai.

Coffee

1. Coconut coffee, Cong Caphe - Hanoi, Vietnam
2. The Tiller Coffee - Brisbane, Australia
3. Z Coffee - New Zealand
4. Egg Coffee - Hanoi, Vietnam
5. Flat White - Sydney, Australia

Beer

1. Yona Yona Ale (Yo-Ho Brewing) - Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2. XPA (Balter Brewing Company) - Brisbane, Australia
3. Weizen (Hida Takayama Brewery) - Takayama, Japan
4. The Second Barrel IPA (The Catchment Brewing Co) - Brisbane, Australia
5. Bia Hoi (fresh beer) - Hanoi, Vietnam

Enjoying a pint at the Catchment Brewing Co. in Brisbane, Australia.

Tastings

1. Wine Tastings, Napier, New Zealand
2. Wine Tastings, Marlborough, New Zealand
3. Garage Project Brewery, Wellington, New Zealand
4. Harushika Brewery (Sake Brewery), Nara, Japan
5. The Catchment Brewery, West End, Australia

Tasty beer at the Garage Project - Wellington, New Zealand.

Lessons Learned

1. One-way tickets can cause airlines & customs officials heartburn.
2. Efficient trains are better than planes.
3. Smiles are universal.
4. Research basic travel norms (e.g. taxis and toilets) before you go.
5. It never hurts to ask.