Our journey has officially come to an end. After nearly seven and a half months of exploring, we’ve traversed 14 countries* and over 40 cities**. Along the way, we’ve clocked 24 flights (26 if we count each layover as two flights), hopped on about 10 buses, and endured 17 days of car travel. It’s a bittersweet feeling – we’re thrilled to be back home, yet there’s a tinge of sadness knowing that the greatest adventure of our lives has reached its final chapter.
And now, drum roll, nominations for multiple best/worst categories:
-> Best food – Greece, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam
-> Best coffee – Australia, New Zealand
-> Best Botanical Garden – Melbourne, Wellington
-> Best turquoise waters to swim in – Philippines, Greece, Honolulu
-> Best living price-to-quality ratio – Bulgaria, Thailand, Greece
-> Worst living price-to-quality ratio – Philippines
-> Cleanest country – Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea
-> Dirtiest country – Philippines, Vietnam
-> Most polluted country – Vietnam
-> The most undervalued country – Vietnam
-> The most under-developed country – Philippines
-> Friendliest people – South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, New Zealand
-> Most aggressive sales tactics – Indonesia, Vietnam
-> Cheapest public transportation – Bulgaria
-> Most expensive public transportation – Japan
-> Most efficient public transportation – Japan
-> Least efficient public transportation – Philippines
-> Country that surprised us the most on a positive side – South Korea
-> Country that surprised us the most on a negative side – Philippines
-> Cheapest cigarettes – Vietnam at $0.70 per pack
-> Most expensive cigarettes – Australia at $56 per pack
-> Cheapest beer – Bulgaria at $2 per 2-liter bottle
-> Most expensive beer – Australia at $5 per 330 ml bottle
-> Cheapest decent wine – Australia, New Zealand at $6-9 per bottle.
-> Best free resource for homeschooling – Khan Academy! LOVE it!
-> Countries we would like to go back to: Greece, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Queenstown of New Zealand.
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*Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, South Korea, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand
**Athens, Delphi, Meteora, Sounion, Sofia, Plovdiv, Antalya, Kemer, Purge, Istanbul, Seoul, Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone, Tokyo, Manila, Porto Princessa, El Nido, Panglao, Cebu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Chian Mai, Chian Rai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Kuala Lumpur, Melacca, Johor Bahru, Singapore, Jakarta, Bali, Melbourne, Sydney, Arrowtown, Queenstown, Lake Tekapo, Fairlie, Christchurch, Wellington, Rotorua, Auckland.