6 month mark-- thoughts and FAQ

On several occasions, whether I've just eaten the most fantastic meal, or laughed so hard my cheeks hurt the next day, or just being totally relaxed and at peace-- I've thought that when I buy the farm I will be the happiest farmer with a full harvest of wonderful memories. Not that I want to bring up the idea of kicking the bucket or anything but hey, we're all mortal and I just wanted to reinforce how much fun I'm having. This trip is the best reward I've done for myself, and highly encourage everybody to do the same if possible.

Top ten things I've learned over the last six months:
1) I talk really fast. Many times I run into people who speak English quite well, but would often ask me to repeat myself. Reminds me of my buddy Mike's fiancé, Taka, who is from Japan. I've known Taka for well over five years and when Mike lets her out of the cave twice a year I'd usually have some pretty one-sided conversations with her. I'd say something, she'd nod and smile, look at Mike and nod and smile back to me. I just figured she was Japanese and was being polite and her English wasn't good at all so I didn't really expect her to say much. Nodding and smiling was good enough for me. Well, of course Mike doesn't tell me until recently at Oktoberfest that Taka doesn't understand a single word I say. In fact, she hasn't understood a single thing I've told her over the past five years!! Why Mike decided to wait so long to tell me this is just yet another clear example that with friends like these, who needs enemies?

2) Visa is NOT everywhere you want to be. Apparently the brilliant ad execs who created that ad have not travelled much.

3) I still can't tell the difference between how New Zealanders and Aussies talk. Kiwis say the Aussies pronounce their "e's" like "i's" and Aussies say their "a's" like "i's." I'd always get a kick out of having one of my Australian friends, Cameron, say, "I like going to the lake later, mate," because it really just sounds like "I like going to the like lighter, might."

4) You can't smoke cigarettes inside restaurants in Holland but you sure as hell can light up a fat blunt. Go figure.

5) It's not that bears can climb trees it's the fact that they can and will shake you out of it.

6) If you ever intrude on moose territory during mating season you better plug your bungholio real tight. Or be able to run faster than a horny moose.

7) There is not one single thing that all countries in the world have in common. I thought maybe all cabs are yellow but London screws that up. Then I thought nodding meant yes. Except Greece and Bulgaria (and apparently East India, thanks Yvonne) don't buy into that system. Oh wait, actually there is one thing.... All postal employees are a disgruntled lot.

8) Trying to do yoga in Polish is pretty confusing, even for me.

9) I have to add Danish women to my bikini calendar of beauties from around the world, and will make ten times as much money than I originally thought.

10) What matters most is not where I've been, or where I'm going, but where I am.

Frequently asked questions:

1) "Where are you from?" Except for large cosmopolitan cities throughout Europe, the one question I get the most is this by a huge margin. I'd always answer, "America." To which they would always ask, "No, but where are you REALLY from?" And then I would repeat, "I'm REALLY from America!" Of course, most of the time I know they want to know what ethnicity I am, but it's always interesting to me to see their disbelief when I tell them I'm American. Hopefully having Obama as president will change the perception that we all look like Clint Eastwood or Paris Hilton.

2) "Where's your favorite place?" Everywhere I go, there's always something interesting and cool so I can't say there is one place that I would say is my favorite. But if there was a place I'd live for awhile, I'd say Copenhagen would be at the top of my list.

3) "What do you miss the most from back home?" In no particular order, my bed, pastrami sandwiches from The Hat, Western Bacon Cheeseburgers from Carl's Jr., Diamond Jim Brady Prime Rib from Lawry's, and my family's home cooking. Of course, the first thing I'm going to do when I get home is to have a Western Bacon Cheeseburger in one hand, a pastrami sandwich in the other, while on my way to my family's place for lunch, then head over to Lawry's for a slab of prime rib, where I will of course pass out on my bed for 15 hours. That would be my ideal and perfect first day back home.

4) "Do you get lonely travelling solo?" Honestly, there aren't many times when I am alone. Staying in hostels is a great place to meet travelers from all over the world. Traveling via public transportation is a great way to meet locals who may have some spare time to sit and have a coffee or beer later on. Even when I am alone, it's good to catch up on my blog (!) email, read a book (yes, can you believe it?) or just zone out in a park somewhere.