The Best & Worst of 2017: Our Second Year on the Road

January 1, 2018

Is it just me or are you glad 2017 is over?

Obviously, these turbulent times are a big contributor, but for me, mostly it's because I'm SO DARN TIRED.

Most long-term nomads settle into a slower pace by year two, but I just did a tally of our travel numbers and think I've identified the source of said exhaustion.

26 countries across Asia, Europe & North America
38,988 miles traveled (the circumference of the earth is 24,901 miles)
1460 miles walked
43 Airbnb apartments/12 hotels
37 trains
27 airplanes
14 buses
1 ferry

Throw in 118 cat cafes (Paula) and 656 new chocolate milks (Perry) and I'm confident we can trademark the title 'Fastest Traveling Couple With the Strangest Interests'. We've even started dragging family and friends into our obsessions, thanks for obliging us!

We're taking a travel break for the holidays in the US with family (thanks Mason, Karrie, Finn & Sadie!!) to rest, recover and plan our next move. We expect to be traveling (slowly) until summer, but will likely be settled somewhere by this fall. Stay tuned!

With this pause, I've been able to look back on the year that was. Our second year on the road had fewer rainbows and butterflies, a predictable result of seeking more challenging destinations (China, Mongolia) and stricter frugality, but feel fortunate that we 1) are both healthy, 2) were able to visit a ton of new places, 3) made lots of new friends and 4) experienced loads of adventure.

So, in the spirit of all those end-of-year recaps, I've compiled the best (and worst) of our 2017 moments because I can't resist a list. Or rhyming.

The Best & Worst of 2017: Cities

Paula's Favorite: Kyoto, Japan

I loved the tranquility and living history of this beautiful city.

Maybe it was the contrast to the chaos of Tokyo, but Kyoto felt like one big sigh of relief. I could actually think while I walked and absorb the environment around me.

It turned out to be a walking meditation bonanza. From the historic castles and temples to the natural scenery, there were plenty of opportunities to take in the serene atmosphere, even in 'crowded' places.

For example, we hiked Fushimi Inari shrine one day and while it was busy at the bottom, there were very few people at the top, where it was quiet and a bit spooky. I made it to the popular Bamboo Forest another day for a relatively undisturbed trot through the walking paths and nearby Arashiyama neighborhood, but my favorite peaceful outing was walking the Zen gardens of Nanzen-ji temple and nearby Path of Philosophy at sunset (photo above).

Throw in great ramen and the best cat cafe ever, and Kyoto was an easy pick for my favorite city in 2017.

Perry's Favorite: Sapporo, Japan

Japan is definitely our favorite country having exceeded all of our expectations and Sapporo, in northern Hokkaido, takes Perry's top spot for being friendly, clean and beautiful. According to Perry it's manageable size and coolish weather make it an extremely livable city.

Runners Up: Paula

Sapporo, Japan: Same reasons that Perry listed PLUS the best ramen, see favorite meal below.
Tallinn, Estonia: One of our favorites last year, we made a return visit and loved it even more. Progressive culture, friendly people, lots to do and low prices keep this city forever in my esteem.
Berlin, Germany: Always full of activities and excitement, I adore this diverse, hip metropolis.
Chengdu, China: Sichuan cuisine, lower pollution and a manageable size, if I lived in China, this is the city I would pick.

Runners Up: Perry

Oslo, Norway
Tallin, Estonia
Lijiang, China
Hamburg, Germany

Perry & Paula's Least Favorite: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

While our trek in the Mongolian countryside was adventure travel beyond my wildest dreams and despite how much we loved the people of Mongolia, we just didn't feel much for the capital city. The pollution, the traffic, the run-down conditions, it's, um, a bit grim.

The Best & Worst of 2017: Experiences

Paula's Favorite: Trekking Mongolia

If you missed the short video I produced showing the beyond-words wild beauty of Mongolia, I implore you to check it out here. It was far and away the most exciting experience of the year.. and my entire life! If you liked the short version, watch the longer one, especially at the 15:08 mark where the beautiful faces of the people and cute baby animals are guaranteed to make you smile!

Perry's Favorite: Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge

Mongolia and Tiger Leaping Gorge are one and two on both of our favorites lists for a reason. The sense of rugged accomplishment, plus the exhilarating feeling of being in the middle of nowhere were memories-of-a-lifetime type stuff.

Runners Up: Paula

Hiking Tiger Leaping Gorge: This article was the most widely read on my blog in 2017, so much so, that I've earned a coveted first page on Google search results!
Diverbo Language Camp (aka Englischausen): We switched up our second round of Diverbo from Spain to Germany and loved it just as much, maybe even more! We even got to meet up with folks from the program later in our travels!

Walking the Great Wall of China: This is one of those places you need to see with your own eyes as it's hard to convey the scale of it in words. I was truly gobsmacked.

Outings with Bob & Johanna: We met this dynamic duo from Sweden at our guest house in Dali where we had a memorable day hike on my birthday. We were fortunate to meet up several times after that- in Chengdu to sample Sichuan street food, in Beijing for Peking Duck, and a decidedly off-the-beaten-path dinner in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. However, we particularly enjoyed our stay in Sweden for fika (coffee breaks), killer falafel and a day trip to Ales Stenar (Sweden's Stone Henge).

Cooking Classes: I took cooking classes in Bangkok, Tokyo and Mexico City and they were among the most fun experiences I had all year.

Runners Up: Perry

Chocolate Milk Hunting in NYC: Some of the best he's ever tasted, discovering it while taking in the sights of Manhattan makes this a highlight for Perry
Walking City Walls of Xian: This nine mile long square is forty feet up in the air and rings the ancient inner city of Xian for a uniquely memorable experience.
Night Sky in Mongolia: One benefit of no electricity is the lack of light pollution which means you see more stars than you ever have before in your life. Truly awe-inspiring and a consolation when having to walk to the outhouse in the middle of the night.

Paula's Least Favorite: Eurostar Gare du Nord

Once again, we were lucky to avoid major travel trouble, but the one crappy episode that stands out in my mind is the day we spent in Paris before our train to London. It rained (not in the weather forecast) and made my feet wet and cold, causing massive blisters. Then, we stood in a chaotic and anxious crowd of people for two hours before being informed that our train was delayed an hour (causing us to miss our onward train to Peterborough and repurchase tickets at triple the cost). When the line finally started to move, we were held up by immigration once again, because our former UK residency visas still haven't been updated to 'leave' status in the system.

Eventually, we boarded the train only to discover my beautiful boots were completely ruined.

I'll try to remember Paris this way.

Runners Up: Perry & Paula

Getting ringworm on my face in Japan (Paula)
Having our Paris house sit fall through two days before we arrived
Freezing cold apartment in Mexico
Riga bus debacle
Outhouses in Mongolia
Train ride in sandstorm between China/Mongolia (Siberian express was cool, not the sandstorm)

The Best & Worst of 2017: Food

Best Meal: Sapporo Engine Miso Ramen

On the recommendation from the pianist we met at Cats & Dogs Jazz Bar in Sapporo, we knew it would be a meal to remember as we looked at each other after every bite to say 'OMG, what is this and why does it taste so good???'

Runners Up

Mango Sticky Rice, Bangkok, Thailand: I couldn't get enough of this stuff and know that I will return to Thailand one day just to eat it. One of the best I had was also part of my Thai cooking class which was all supremely delicious.

Sichuan Hot Pot, Chengdu, China: The first bite set my mouth on fire, but I kept going and I'm glad I did. The exotic variety of vegetables, noodles and meats that we dipped into the spicy hot pot, plus sharing it with someone who knew how to order was memorable meal perfection.

Heuriger Nigl, Vienna, Austria: I can't thank Bill and Judy enough for sharing this experience with us. We tried loads of Austrian specialties washed down with a sublime Gruner Veltliner and finished the meal with desserts covered in custard. YUM!!!!!

Khao Soi, Chiang Mai, Thailand: This northern Thai coconut curry noodle soup was so delicious, we ate it four times in ten days... and it only cost 40 baht or $1.22 USD per bowl.

Katz Delicatessan Pastrami on Rye, NYC: I've wanted to visit Katz since I-don't-know-when (probably the first time I saw When Harry Met Sally), but it was worth the wait, crowds and $22. I didn't know pastrami could taste that good so excuse me while I reminisce about it and weep.

Worst Meal: Century Egg in Chengdu, China

We did a street food tour with Bob & Johanna, led by their hostel where we tried many wonderful delicacies... and one nasty one, a Century Egg, essentially an egg that's been buried until it becomes rotten, then dug up and eaten. See for yourself in this video... and this one!

It's been quite a ride, but despite a few (truly) minor inconveniences, I haven't lost sight of the bigger picture. We are doing exactly what we want, when we want, and the freedom to move as we are is something for which I am truly grateful. I would like to extend this gratitude to our friends and family for all of the support and encouragement (and beds and meals!) you've provided us.

I wish you all much peace, love and adventure in 2018!

Paula xx

1/1/2018

A Week in Mexico City

December 21, 2017

Mexico City almost didn't happen.

Even though I've been anxious to practice my Spanish, fifteen weeks racing across nineteen European countries had pushed me to the brink. We had talked about sneaking in a quick trip to Mexico City before the end of the year, but I was waiting to see how tired I felt after arriving in NYC from Paris.

Shockingly, New York completely energized me, which is strange considering that my five days there were spent walking all over the city, but when I saw those last-minute $250 round trip tickets, I immediately said to Perry 'Vamos al México!'

Planning

Don't let the headlines deter you. Sure, there are sections of Mexico City (known as CDMX, shorthand for Ciudad de Mexico) one should avoid, but I was surprised at how many lovely areas there were in this high altitude metropolis.

We settled on a room in an Airbnb apartment in Polanco due to its safe reputation and proximity to sightseeing attractions. Other popular neighborhoods include La Condesa, Coyoacan and Zona Rosa near Paseo Reforma.

Speaking of attractions, we focused our touring in the center of CDMX and did not take any day trips to Teotihuacan to see the pyramids or Xochimilco for a boat ride on the canals. I really did want to see Xochimilco, but learned that it's best when you have more than two people, which you want to arrange before you go down as the vendors frown on groups combining at the embarcadero. You can read more about it in this travel blog

Lucha Libre

This was the first thing we did in Mexico City! Perry is a huge wrestling fan and Mexico is famed for Consejo Mundial Lucha Libre, or simply Lucha Libre, a high-flying form of professional wrestling featuring masked performers called 'luchadores'.

We decided to take the Turiluchas Bus, a tour bus that departs from the Reforma 222 shopping center. For 600 pesos ($31 USD, you can buy tickets on the bus), you get a ride to and from Arena Mexico with a luchadore that tells stories (in Spanish) and takes photos with you, as well as a ticket to the show.

Arena Mexico is an old style auditorium built in the 60's, but there is something about its rough-around-the-edges appearance that adds to the mystique of the evening. The performances were exciting and the crowd was completely engaged with lots of cheering, jeering and laughter. Even the constant stream of vendors added an exotic element, selling spicy pork rinds, lucha masks and muchas cervezas.

We even witnessed a fellow American playing a delightful 'heel', the vilian in wrestling terms, who stole the show with his over-the-top entrance.

It was the highlight of our trip.

Bus Tour

Turibus runs four routes on its city bus tours and one ticket provides access to all of them, so if you start early enough, you might be able to complete them all in one day!

We focused on the Centro Historico route which covers Chapultepec Park, known for its world-famous museums, La Condesa, a historic area currently famous for its European architecture, cutting edge fashion and night clubs and Paseo Reforma, Mexico City's most famous street is lined with monuments.

My favorite area was Zocalo, the main historic square of CDMX, one of the largest in the world, formerly the center of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, now home to the Mexico City's cathedral. We got off here, walked around for a bit and had lunch before hopping back on to complete the circuit.

We also visited the Coyoacan area, home to the Frida Kahlo museum and relaxed, old fashioned vibe with plenty of artisaneas (arts & crafts vendors) and churros/hot chocolate.

Museum of Anthropology (Chapultepec Park)

Chapultepec Park is the epicenter of Mexico City's most famous museums and leisure activities and the Museo de Antropologia is the crown jewel, a stunning world class museum for the bargain entrance fee of 70 pesos ($3.61 USD).

The exhibits are presented by historical era so you can start at the beginning with cave men and ancient tribes, then follow the rise of the Aztecs, Spanish colonization and all the way through to modern times. The displays are fascinating and prominently feature the native people of Mexico so that their contributions are never forgotten.

In addition to the stunning collections, the facility itself is a wonder to behold.

Food

Last, but certainly not least, eating was one of the best highlights of the week. From street tacos to my cooking class, it was a non-stop food fest!

Despite not appearing on the scene until the 60's with the influx of Lebanese immigrants that brought shawarma, Tacos al Pastor has become the defacto cuisine of Mexico City. We had these tasty pork tacos topped with pineapple for lunch several times, because when they are this fresh and cost 20 pesos each ($1 USD), why the hell not?

Luckily, I discovered a Tacos al Pastor cooking class via Airbnb and I cannot say enough about Chef Raja. He presented a wonderful combination of educational instruction with a fun hands-on learning.

Overall, we had a fantastic week- with great culture, food, friendly people and low prices, Mexico City offers tremendous value for money! My only complaints were the lack of heating in our Airbnb apartment and despite extra care with water, etc, I caught a case of tummy trouble on my last day.

I'm tired again, but I'll always remember the tacos.

A moment of cheer in between the rain and cold

Thanks or No Thanks? Our Worst Travel Mishaps in Europe

November 23, 2017

Three and a half months on the Old Continent are coming to a close and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I know I should be thinking about all the things for which I am grateful.

But that would be boring, right?

All this travel is supposed to help me find my zen (or at least something resembling it, dammit!), but after fifteen weeks, sixteen countries and twenty seven different places called 'home', I'm exhausted and in the mood to whine a bit.

So, if you will indulge me while I get this negativity out of my system, I promise to end on a positive note.

THE RAIN

First, I will begin with the nonstop rain, which has been my nemesis since the end of September. What began as a mere annoyance has become downright miserable with a couple of stories I will share for your Thanksgiving entertainment.

Bus Stop: Riga, Latvia

Trusty instructions from our Airbnb host clutched in my hand, we stepped off the bus from Lithuania near Riga's Central Market and made our way to the city bus station.

Our apartment was only two miles away and normally we would just walk, but as it was raining, decided to find trolleybus 23 to, you know, make it easy on ourselves. We stood in the busy transport area for quite awhile before we spied a bus with number 23 and quickly hopped on. Paying the fee, we positioned ourselves out of the way and everything seemed fine until it turned a corner that didn't match up with my map.

After several minutes, realizing we were moving farther and farther away from our destination, the bus stopped and the driver turned around, yelling at us in Latvian while pointing at the street. It was the end of the line, and he was telling us to 'hit the road, Jack'.

So there we were, in the middle of nowhere Riga. I was too furious to take another bus back to the center and figure out where things went wrong, so decided to cool my heels and without consulting Perry (sorry, babe), began to walk in the direction of our apartment.

Texting with the owner, I was informed that there is a difference between a bus and a trolleybus. Trolleybuses look like regular buses, but are also attached to overhead cables. Apparently we had taken an ordinary bus. Why the authorities in Riga felt the need to use the same number for two different services that stop in the same place (where most tourists arrive in the country) remains a cruel mystery to me. There is no logic in this place. (Said in Sad Cat Diary voice)

Eventually, cold, wet and exhausted, we made it our apartment, but the buses of Riga weren't done with me yet. The next day, we stood outside our apartment (in the pouring rain, of course), debating if we should walk one mile to the mall or catch the bus. I turned to point to the bus stop about 100 feet away when the 23 trolleybus sped past me and splashed a large puddle directly into my face.

Drenched, I turned to Perry whose shocked face searched mine for a reaction.

I burst into laughter, because considering the day before, it was pretty funny.

GETTING THE BOOT: Paris, France

I'm proud of my nearly complete transformation from fashion-saddled overpacker to dressed-down spare traveler. But while I gave zero shits about how I looked in Asia, there is something about traipsing about the cities of Europe that the remaining hint of my former self demands I TRY to look as pulled together as possible.

Thus, the boots.

Bulky, sweaty and impractical for a full-time traveler that needs to prepared to walk miles at a moments notice, I realize the decision to bring my black Frye boots was irrational and borderline ridiculous. But I did.

While I didn't wear them during the waning days of August and first week of September, temperatures cooled quickly and I pretty much wore them every day until the end of October. Then, the Boot Curse of Paris struck again.

First, the back story.

Paris, New Year's Eve 2013.

Perry and I visited the City of Light to ring in the New Year under the Eiffel Tower. I was convinced it would be memorable and soo romantic. Well, it was memorable.

I had a special outfit and thought I was oh-so-Paris chic. I can't even remember what clothes I wore anymore, but I do know what I had on my feet.

Frye boots. Gray leather. Brand new. Gorgeous.

It could have been the best night ever, for me and my boots, but instead it rained.

I mean POURED. We looked like drowned rats standing under the Eiffel Tower and after the underwhelming light show at midnight, began trudging back to the hotel, about three miles away, because all of the metro stations were closed. I remember it well because my feet were soaking wet and the leather soles of my boots kept slipping on the slick pavement in a bizarre and irritating dance sequence: clip, clop, slide, repeat. ACK!

Back in our room, my feet were a hot mess of blisters and the boots, ruined. Lesson learned, right?

Paris, October 29, 2017

After dropping our bags at left luggage in Gare du Nord, we took the metro to Cité with the plan to walk along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower. Despite no mention of it in the forecast, it began to rain. Initially, I was cool about it and we popped into a cafe for some coffee. After an hour, it had let up slightly so decided to give it a go and down the Quai Voltaire we went!

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at Invalides station, which was appropriate considering my feet were soaking wet and had so many blisters, I could hardly walk.

Back at Gare du Nord, we spent hours in the cold standing around waiting for our Eurostar to London. Eight hours after our walk in the rain, I finally removed my footwear and took stock of the damage. Four blisters, two frozen feet and one pair of ruined boots.

I stashed them in the closet of Sue and Roger's house in Yaxley and when we returned to Paris on November 17, they were laid to rest in a dumpster in Versailles, which is a pretty classy funeral, for shoes.

I'd like to think this won't happen again, but....

THE COLD

So, if it hasn't been pouring, it's been freezing. Like a miserable bickering couple, rainy and cold just go together!

We've lacked sufficient heat in many of our European apartments with Vienna, Vilnius, Riga, Belfast and Paris having none at all! They eventually fixed the heat in Paris, but for a while, it all felt very starving artist as I bundled up and wrote by candlelight in our crappy, cold apartment. At least Riga had a space heater which I positioned next to me, huddled over my laptop, blanket pulled tight around my shoulders. I couldn't help but feel I was in a Dickens novel of my own creation.

I'd like to think this won't happen again but...

TRAVEL MISHAPS

All travelers have mishaps at some point. Be it injury, theft or transport snafu, these moments can range from minor inconvenience to major disaster. I'm grateful to have never had a true catastrophe, just a debacle or two.

Eurostar: What Happened?

The first time I took the Eurostar, it was 2011 and it was my 40th Birthday. We had started the day with breakfast in Geneva, lunched outside on a glorious sunny day in Paris and ended the evening with fish and chips in London.

Between Paris and London, I was able to enjoy a glass of champagne and scenery in the comfortable, classy environs of Eurostar. Between 2012-2014, I rode on Eurostar several more times and had no reason to think anything had changed.

That was then, this is now.

Eurostar 2017 is something else. After waiting in an angry mob-style queue for hours, our train departed over one hour late causing us to miss our onward journey to Peterborough, forcing us to buy new tickets at triple the cost. The coach itself was woefully rundown and dirty, but one thing has remained the same, the outrageous fortune they charge to take this service.

I'd like to think this won't happen again but....

Belfast: Know Your Airport

We flew from London Luton to Belfast International in Northern Ireland a few weeks ago and our time there was a fine experience, highlighted by a day trip to Dublin. On the day of our flight to Paris, we were up early and walked a mile (in the rain OF COURSE) to the bus station at 6 am to catch the airport shuttle which takes about 40 minutes. Inside the airport, we decided to exchange our Pounds into Euros, when the cashier noticed my boarding pass and with a full on Irish accent, said the following:

'Darlin, ye be at the wrong airport, it's City Airport ye be wantin'. Ah, and at this hour gettin' there ain't goin' to be pretty.'

If I hadn't been so freaked out, I would have queried her further to be sure the accent wasn't fake.

Fast forward, and a long, expensive cab ride back into town and George Best City Airport, we did make our flight, but not without a ton of angst. Even though I'm aware lots of cities have two airports, I really didn't think Belfast was one of them.

I'd like to think this won't happen again but.....

THANKFUL FOR FRIENDS

So, there is our European autumn in a nutshell- cold, wet, tiring. But I promised to end on a positive note, so here it is.

I'm grateful for my friends & family all over the world, especially the ones who helped make these last few less-than-ideal travel months worth it. In Sweden, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, France, UK and the US (including the wedding of two very lovely people), we had wonderful moments with friends old and new, including several of the feline variety.

Last but not least, we've hit up forty two cat cafes in the last fifteen weeks. Check out theneighborscat.com if you want to hear more about our crazy cat adventures.