Around in 95

Like Chevy Chase and crew in National Lampoon’s European vacation, the Sampiero family (and Joe) had its share of now-hilarious debacles as we traversed Western Europe by car, boat, train and plane. After a romantic 24 hour escapade in Venice and an amazing U2 show in Milan, we met Danielle’s fam in London and were ready for a chilled-out time…not exactly the case, but fun nonetheless. Running through train stations with too many bags in hand was a highlight as was almost missing the cruise ship in Oslo and the fire drill at Gatwick while waiting for our 5 hour delayed Easy Jet flight. Danielle’s father affectionately coined the low-cost airline “F-up Jet”, which was pretty accurate. Arriving in Lake Como at 3am was a small miracle… good thing we had Romanian drivers sent by THE man of Milano, Vito Lupo, who like the man in the Dos Equis commercials, lives vicariously…through himself! Subsequently “living la Vito Lupo” entailed cruising in a big body Bentley, drinking 20yr aged wine, and feasting on prime charcuterie and other Italian delicacies. To maintain his mysterious allure, we can not divulge any further information on his lavish lifestyle…otherwise, we’ll have to kill you. And the Italian FBI will cover it up. You get the point. :-)

The rest of our trip was not quite as luxurious, but more meaningful. Visiting with extended family in Sarzana and Lerici was memorable, especially when cousin Franco took us to his antique wine cellar, which housed vino from the 50’s! Having Michelle and Amy drop in for some fun in the sun at Cinque Terre was good times…especially our midnight photo-op at the fountain! Spending the last few days exploring Chianti and the Tuscan countryside with the family was great too. Retiring at a medieval Duke’s summer residence wasn’t too shabby either. All-in-all, our European vacation was filled with both fun and frantic times, which with the Sampiero’s is par for the course. Gotta love us!

p.s. excuse the overwhelming amount of photos, Mom and Travis went camera happy with digital.

Northern Europe Photo Highlights

Brugge:

Copenhagen:

Helsingborg(Sweden):

Oslo:

London:

Amsterdam:

Click here for out Northern Europe (Belgium, England, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands & Norway) photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/NorthernEurope?authkey=Gv1sRgCIjl_-rBsPfgSw&feat=directlink

Italy Photo Highlights

Venice:

Bellagio (the real one):

Portofino:

Sarzana:

Click here for our Italy photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Italy?authkey=Gv1sRgCKn24MyE0szJRg&feat=directlink

Ciao!

Yes, she is wild and unpredictable… and captivatingly full of life. No doubt she is rich in wildlife, but her people were too the stars of our Southern Africa escape. From the moment we arrived in Zambia to when we left Cape Town, we were welcomed with unmatched hospitality and sense of adventure. Our backdrop could not have been more incredible…breathtaking sunsets, endless starry skies, raging waterfalls, serene campfires, and of course, the African animals. While the cats were too elusive, we had close encounters with countless others - from elephants to eagles, great white sharks to hippos. We saw three of the Big Five and met lions’ only known predator – the mighty lead tree thorn: growing to over 3 inches in length and bearing an unbreakable “bite”. After it stabbed Joe’s foot and had him hobbling around for the better part of three days, the thorn rightfully won its way into our Big Six. With Joe partially crippled and Danielle fighting off the flu, pitching tents in Botswana’s bush could have been disastrous, but it was one of the best times of our trip. Include crazy white water rafting in Zambia, great white shark diving in South Africa, and all the great people we met along the way, Southern Africa was our favorite destination thus far and is line to win it all!

Zambia Highlights

- Catching a local bus from Lusaka to Livingstone - typically a 4-5 hour journey but with a flat tire, banana stops and an unexpected dirt/pot-holed road detour, we arrived in 8
- Conquering and being conquered by Class 3-5 white water rapids of the Zambezi River – complete with an adrenaline inducing raft flip and multiple men and woman (Danielle) overboard rescues
- Saving a drowning chameleon on our way to cliff jump over 20 ft down into the river from the Zimbabwean side, where we were technically not allowed
- Partying with our rafting crew and new friends on a Zambezi booze cruise, then partying some more at a local dancing establishment, where we cheered on the US soccer team vs. Spain with Savannah Dry in hand
- Getting drenched by the almighty Victoria Falls, a natural world wonder and force to be reckoned with

Click here for our Zambia photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Zambia?authkey=Gv1sRgCOLqvPy6ype7CQ&feat=directlink

Botswana Highlights

- Cruising down the waterways and game driving through the dirt paths of Chobe National Park – spotting hippos, elephants, crocs, water buffalo, springbok, warthogs, rare birds and baboons
- Chilling out at the campfire and star gazing with our great Acacia safari guide, Albert, and the other happy campers – Zoe, Ian and Madeline
- Riding in a mokoro through the Okavango Delta en route to our beyond remote campsite, which needed to be hacked clear, then walking the bush with locals to view giraffes, zebras, ostriches and a fiery elephant at close range
- Making smores with the local guides and mistakenly using the branches of the fever bush as our stick…the locals blamed it for Danielle’s flu bout
- A low-level flight above the Delta, which was abnormally flooded with an unknown water source that has altered the animals travel patterns…still we saw lots from above including a quick glimpse of a lion.
- Game driving through the Kharma Rhino Sanctuary, where we saw wildebeest, warthogs, and almost 10 white rhinos that passed right in front of our truck. It’s crazy that some people poach these prehistoric-like animals for their horns, a supposed aphrodisiac.
- Unfortunately, we saw a probable case of poaching in the flesh…an adult elephant was brutally killed and left tusk-less on the side of the road. So sad.

Click here for our Botswana photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Botswana?authkey=Gv1sRgCNHo_IHlmJOInAE&feat=directlink

South Africa Highlights

- Cage diving with 13 different great white sharks…one of which curiously stuck its nose inside our cage, leaving us thrilled and petrified simultaneously
- Strolling along Cape Town’s famous Long Street, noshing on delicious game meat and oysters, grooving to African beats at Mama Africa, and dancing at Chrome Club and Mavericks
- Sunset manager’s receptions at the luxurious Westin Grand with unbeatable views of the city and Table Mountain
- Driving around the scenic Cape and surrounding wine country, visiting little penguins at Boulder Beach, dodging wild baboons at Cape Point and watching the sunset over the Cape of Good Hope, where it is said the Indian and Atlantic oceans collide

Cape Town was a gem of a place…the diamond of Southern Africa. We’re hoping to make it back for the 2010 FIFA World Cup…there is still soooo much to do and see, 5 days wasn’t nearly enough! We can’t recommend a vacation there enough…on second thought, it was lackluster…don’t go. ;-)

Click here for our South Africa photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/SouthAfrica?authkey=Gv1sRgCLqu843umoOUTA&feat=directlink

After yet another 24 hours of traveling, we reached Sharm El Sheikh exhausted and in need of a recharge. Thanks to an Egyptian friend (Shukran Nancy!), we chose to stay in Na’ama Bay, which was the perfect place for our kind of “r & r”…relaxation and revelry! In the midst of mostly Italian tourists, we soaked up the sun and sea by day, and joined in on soccer and shisa by night. The town went wild when Egypt beat Italy in the Confederation Cup. Deals on souvenirs quickly ensued, although the mass euphoria was fleeting as Egypt was eliminated by the US a few days later. We happen to be in Cairo at the time, so their loss wasn’t necessarily our gain. Good thing we still had Obama on our side! The locals we spoke with were invigorated by his recent visit and message of mutual respect, and warmly welcomed us into their country. We went on to walk, talk and party like Egyptians.

Sharm El Sheikh Highlights

- Scuba-diving the Tiran Islands with their most pristine coral reefs – 75 ft visibility and that was “bad” according to the locals…lots of plankton, but that means whale sharks too! Didn’t see those, but had a close encounter with a pod of 5 friendly dolphins.
- Jumping off the top of the dive boat into the Red Sea about 20 ft below.
- The soccer-crazed parade following Egypt’s win against Italy
- Sipping mint shisa and dancing to African beats at Zaza’s, which overlooked the main drag of town
- Chilling out at the beach and planning our next visit to Sharm, hopefully very soon!

Click here to see our Sharm photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Sharm?authkey=Gv1sRgCOXupp-a8rHQKg&feat=directlink

Cairo Highlights

- Climbing up the Great Pyramid of Giza…50 feet…400 more to go. Too bad the inside stairs were closed.
- Getting lower back pain while crawling through the Titi Pyramid
- Cruising the Nile River at sunset, while noshing on some delicious Egyptian cuisine…the aysh bread and sesame bean dip were our favorites...well, also Mccy’s McArabic chicken sandwich – arguably the best the golden arches has to offer worldwide – trust us!
- Wandering through the colorful alleys of the Khan al Khalili market - negotiating with the friendly glass man and stopping for some Turkish coffee and apple shisa at El Fishawy

Click here to see our Cairo photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Cairo?authkey=Gv1sRgCJWguML7uOOYdw&feat=directlink

DISCLAIMER: The blog entry below is solely the experience of Danielle and Joe, and is not representative of all western travelers. Individual results may vary. Please do not rely on our outcome to form an opinion of this country or its people. We assume no responsibility for your enjoyment or disappointment.

In memory of the victorious seasons of the 2009 Pitt and Florida State basketball teams, and Pitt’s subsequent run to the Elite 8, we have reached the “Survive and Advance” portion of our World Tour. With inescapable heat, contaminated water, lunatic cab drivers, unrelenting hawkers, piercing stares, scam artists and beyond pesky flies, the odds were against us. Our mental toughness was tested, but you know how the saying goes…what doesn’t break you makes you stronger. Despite these frustrating “turnovers”, we had our fair share of slam dunks, making for a memorable ride – without the shelter of a tour group no doubt.

Our schedule was no cake walk…5 cities in less than two weeks with 9 different modes of transportation ranging from local rail to human-powered rickshaws. And like our transport, each destination had a unique style. From spiritual to glitzy, rough to refined, we saw India in all its guts and glory.

Kolkata highlights & lowlights:

- Cab ride from hell. When the banged-up car arrived, Danielle was like “wow, this guy must be a pretty aggressive driver”, well…she was dead-on and we subsequently went head-on with oncoming traffic, blowing through red lights and playing chicken with a semi while approaching a bridge…crazzzy!
- Taking the wrong local tram from New Market, getting on the right one and getting help from a local woman who yelled in Hindi at the ticket taker to tell us where to get off
- A cold Kingfisher beer after a hectic and HOT day
- Running through the India Rail station at midnight to catch a sleeper train, where we were the only westerns onboard. NYC subway stations seem uneventful in comparison.

Click here for our Kolkata photo album...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Kolkata?authkey=Gv1sRgCOielIOE_dC3eg&feat=directlink

Varanasi highlights & lowlights:

- Getting respite from the crazy cabs that were replaced by holy cows
- Meeting Sunil and his buddies, local students, who became our private tour guides, teaching us about Hinduism and showing us the real side of Varanasi
- Receiving a pretty accurate palm reading from a trusted local fortune-teller, who saw that Danielle was a great sleeper but worried too much
- Sunrise boat ride along the Ganges river to watch the Hindu people bathe in its holy waters
- Seeing a dead body floating in the river, where people are cremated or sunk depending on their caste and/or death circumstances

Click here for our Varanasi photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Varanasi?authkey=Gv1sRgCKSogpvEh86A4QE&feat=directlink

Delhi/Agra Highlights & Lowlights:

- The Taj Mahal. Just fantastic, words (or even pictures) can’t do it justice.
- Sunset at the peaceful Lodi Gardens after happy hour(s) in the upper-crust Khan Market
- Wandering through the maze of old Delhi to find Asia’s largest spice market, and subsequently sneezing up a storm
- Refusing to be scammed by the “gate keeper” at a Muslim mosque, then trying to find our way back to the Metro through Muslim country, where we were alarmingly unwelcome…and alone in our westerness
- McDonald’s soft serve to cool us down…mentally and physically!

Click here for our Delhi photo album...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Delhi?authkey=Gv1sRgCLCZzb-t4qrMPQ&feat=directlink

Click here for our Agra photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/AgraTajMahal?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjogLP284LYzQE&feat=directlink

Mumbai (Bombay) Highlights:

- Visiting Mani Bhavan, the tree-lined home of Mahatma Gandhi, and learning of his peaceful quests
- Partying (and after-partying) like a Bollywood star with some well-to-do American-born Indians in Mumbai, complete with Paparazzi cameras flashing as we entered Olive Bar. Thanks to Beej, Sunder and Purva for showing us a great time.
- Touring the self-sustaining Dharavi slum – yes the one from Slumdog Millionaire, but no, we did not see Latika or Jamal
- Having drinks at the recently-bombed but still gorgeous Taj Hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea

Click here for our Mumbai photo album…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Mumbai?authkey=Gv1sRgCMel9Yf_zZOazQE&feat=directlink

Our Indian adventure was a roller-coaster of a ride, with lows and highs around every corner. If it weren’t for the scammers trying to rip us off in every way imaginable - fraudulent taxi meters, shortchanged, taken to the wrong places, “closed” attractions – we would have come away with a less stressful experience. But I guess it wouldn’t be India then. As a Japanese tourist exclaimed, “India is too criminal and too crazy!” Although we can’t necessarily disagree, by not visiting India we would have missed out on one of the world’s most extraordinary places.

Advancing unscathed and on to our Final Four… Egypt, Southern Africa, Europe and Brazil.

The start of our Thailand tour was the end of our group tour, leaving us to fend for ourselves again. Unknowingly, we were on the verge of retracing the road of Leonardo Dicaprio in the movie, The Beach. Via a 7 hour bumpy bus ride, we arrived in Bangkok ready to let loose. Known as the City of Angels, Bangkok could be viewed as quite the contrary…filled with raucous traffic, seedy sections and hellishly spicy food. But there was no mistaking it, this city has soul. From the smoggy yet charming tuk tuks to the raw yet rhythmic Muay Thai boxing, Bangkok was a treat for the senses. Although, having been on the move for the greater part of 3 weeks, we craved an exotic escape from the hustle and bustle. Enter Krabi and Ko Phi Phi with jagged limestone cliffs jutting out of beautiful sea-green water, deserted beaches with soft white sand, jungle elephants and splendid coral reefs. It was picture-perfect, and like a movie, it had its share of suspense... a motorbike mishap that left Danielle bleeding and ATM card-less. But not to worry, our Thailand adventure finished with a happy ending...and no…not that kind of ending. :-)

Bangkok Highlights

- Blending in with the backpacking hippies at a live music joint on Khoa San Road
- Cruising the Chao Phraya River via public boat, sealing our mouths shut to avoid inadvertent dirty water splashes
- Perusing a flower market filled with exotic orchids - $3 bucks for a big bouquet
- Visiting Wat Po, home to the world’s largest golden reclining Buddha…probably the only one

Click here for our Bangkok Photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Bangkok?authkey=Gv1sRgCKro7bvZprWUSQ&feat=directlink

Southern Thailand Beach Highlights

- Diving Ko Phi Phi in the Andamen Sea, which offered close encounters with sea snakes, moray eels, sea turtles, nudibranchs (colorful sea slugs) and cuttlefish
- Puffing Cohibas and sipping Goose with a Pakistani businessman and his wife, who was later revealed as his first cousin…oh :-/
- Catching crabs at sunset on Krabi Beach

Click here for our Southern Thailand Beach Photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/KrabiBeach?authkey=Gv1sRgCMncoN7h15LUtAE&feat=directlink

We will definitely be back!

Our journey through Cambodia proved to be one of mixed emotions. We joined up with an Intrepid group for a 9 day tour of this storied country. It was a relatively international crew, with us and one more from the States, 2 Canadians, 4 Aussies and 1 Brit. Our Khmer (Cambodian) guide, Keasar, was a university professor in rural Cambodia before he took up touring…apparently teaching doesn’t pay the bills. What he lacked in height, he made up in personality… one of the most infectious laughs we’ve ever heard. We learned a lot from Keasar…the good, the bad and the horrendously ugly. Although the road was long and very potholed, we have gained an understanding of the Khmer people, their glorious ancient past and painful recent history. These people have much to be sad about, but their spirit is not broken. They are filled with happiness, national pride and spirituality….all of which we definitely learned from.

Phnom Penh Highlights

- Paying $8 to be stretched, punched and cracked by a Khmer masseuse
- Riding in our first Tuk Tuk, a three-wheeled motorized vehicle.
- Checking out a Cambodian hip hop concert, getting laughed at by the locals for dancing and ending up on national TV.

Phnom Penh Lowlights

- Learning of the mass genocide of almost 2 millions Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge Regime in the late 70’s – the goal…”destroy” all educated people (and their families) and return society to the land
- Touring Tuol Sleng, the Genocide Museum where thousands were imprisoned and grotesquely tortured by mostly child soldiers
- Deeply saddened by the Killing Fields, where innocent men, women and children were taken to be killed and buried in mass graves

Click here for our Phnom Penh photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/PhnomPenh?authkey=Gv1sRgCPHRlIiSuv2KqwE&feat=directlink

Siem Reap Highlights

- Buying a handmade silk scarf from a non-profit silk farm aiming to reduce women’s’ sexual exploitation
- Watching a traditional Khmer dance and music show while noshing on local cuisine, e.g. fried anything with curry and/or coconut, oh and lots of bones
- Wandering through the night market to find a fun substitute engagement ring
- Riding a motorized canoe to a huge floating village with floating pig and crocodile pens on Tonle Sap Lake

Click here for our Siem Reap Photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/SiemReap?authkey=Gv1sRgCOKK2KnajrPvTg&feat=directlink

Angkor Wat Highlights

- Learning about the ancient Angkor civilization and their mixed Buddhist and Hindu cultures
- Negotiating with the little ones for handmade bracelets – “4 for one dolla”
- Seeing the sun rise over the magnificent Angkor Wat Temple
- Walking through the jungle to find the famous Tomb Raider Temple

Click here for our Angkor Wat photos...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/AngkorWat?authkey=Gv1sRgCMabxr-Y3LrKzgE&feat=directlink

We also visited the Northern Cambodian city of Battambang. We don’t have any pictures to show for it though. It served more as a rest stop between Siem Reap and Bangkok and not so much a tourist attraction, so we spent most of the day at the only restaurant in town with wifi sipping local beer and booking our Thailand beach break. Although we did find a cool expat hang-out for dinner…It was lit by lanterns and blared 60’s rock tunes…felt like we were back in time.

We arrived in Hanoi at midnight on a Sunday; it was raining but that didn’t deter the thousands of Vietnamese from buzzing around town a top their motorbikes. Where in the world were they all going? To see two people on one bike was normal, but the record was five… 3 adults and two babies in the middle. Crazy!

Despite the chaos on the streets, we found it pretty easy to navigate so long as we hugged the curb and minimized our street crossings – which required near blind faith as motorbikes swerve around you. Crosswalks and traffic lights are nonexistent. Word to the wise…don’t stop walking!

Although we were only there for 1 week, our short time in Vietnam was most enjoyable. The food is delicious, the coastline is breathtaking and the people are friendly…even despite the past political conflicts. Visiting the American War Museum (as they call it) was disturbing to say the least. This country has immense potential and we are definitely rooting for its success.

Hanoi Highlights…

- Chowing down on hot Pho (local noodle soup) even with 90 degree weather
- Strolling through markets filled with exotic smells
- Shopping for cheap clothes (knock-offs galore…especially Dolce & Gabbana)

Click here for our Hanoi photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Hanoi?authkey=Gv1sRgCLLmjti70-TjpAE&feat=directlink

Ha Long Bay Highlights…

- Sailing on our luxurious junk boat (traditional wooden vessel)
- Night fishing for squid with bamboo rods (and releasing them)
- Touring an ancient cave

Click here for our Ha Long Bay photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/HaLongBay?authkey=Gv1sRgCKmI4dee492TJQ&feat=directlink

Hoi An Highlights…

- Renting scooters and cruising through the historic village
- Relaxing on beautiful China Beach
- Getting custom-made clothes from a local tailor

Click here for our Hoi An photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/HoiAn?authkey=Gv1sRgCKvay6Gz6sX9Dg&feat=directlink

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Highlights

- Feeling the energy and bustle of the city
- Reflecting at the War Museum
- Searching for the famous street food “lunch lady” dishing up yummy seafood noodle soup

Click here for our Saigon photos...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Saigon?authkey=Gv1sRgCKS_2PDgr9bjxQE&feat=directlink

Boy, do the Aussie’s love their 80’s music. Imagine sitting at an Irish pub drinking a coldie (beer) and watching footy (Australian Football) on one big screen and on the other…Prince…no joke! With that said, it was only fitting that the Men At Work classic hit was a staple on our Oz playlist… “Do you come from land down under ,where women glow and men plunder, can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder…” We didn’t hear any thunder, but we did get a lot of rain, in Northern Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest that is. And Danielle was glowing with sunburn from the Great Barrier Reef. Don’t worry…Joe didn’t do any plundering. Our trip through three of Australia’s territories left us wanting more, but here are some of the highlights from the Land of Plenty…

Sydney

Sunny Sydney was as beautiful as it looks in pictures. We soaked it all in with some ferry rides and some roof deck coldies. The beaches were still buzzing even though it was autumn. This was Joe’s favorite city.

Click here for our full Sydney album...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Sydney?authkey=Gv1sRgCJfFireX9IjkOg&feat=directlink

Melbourne

Where Sydney’s beauty is there for all to behold, Melbourne charm lies in its hidden alleyways filled with boisterous cafes, artistic graffiti-clad lanes, and an offbeat theater scene to name a few. It has a European flair with edge. This was Danielle’s favorite.

Click here for our full Melbourne album...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/Melbourne?authkey=Gv1sRgCPzYh_KYo_PFyQE&feat=directlink

Great Barrier Reef

We spent 3+ days onboard the Spoilsport scuba-diving the most pristine coral reefs we have ever seen. Although the boat was a rockin, we were unshaken and logged over 10 dives each, including a CRAZY night dive. Fluorescent green eyes mean a shark is circling!

Daintree Rainforest

We hired (rented) a car and drove up the coast to Daintree and Cape Tribulation. Mind you that Aussie’s drive on the opposite side of the road…it took Danielle 10 times to go to the right passenger seat side…good thing she wasn’t driving. ;-) We saw a wild wallaby, an endangered cassowary, gnarly crocs, bird-size butterflies, and insects galore.

Click here for full Tropical Queensland album...

http://picasaweb.google.com/daniellesampiero/TropicalQueensland?authkey=Gv1sRgCL7h8efXyfOHwAE&feat=directlink

50,000 miles, 95 days, 30 flights, 20 countries, 6 continents, and 1 incredible journey have officially begun! You may wonder why we chose to take this plunge into the unknown. Well, we‘re both going to graduate school in the fall and felt this summer would be one of our last chances in life to embark on such a voyage. We each scrimped and saved 220,000 frequent flier miles (with the help of our Delta Amex) and cashed them in for 2 round-the-world tickets. The Great Recession has helped our cause as well, with the world now on sale and the dollar riding high.

So how did we settle on our destinations and activities? With compromise…not going to lie, there were definitely a few friendly fights over maintenance matters, i.e. pitching tents or luxury lodges in the African bush…tents it is. Keep in mind Danielle has never been camping. :-)

Seriously though, we had a strategy in mind with each place we picked…

- Off-the beaten path countries that would be hard to visit exclusively
- Historic and natural world wonders and lots of UNESCO sites
- Local currency value to the dollar…grad school is not going to be cheap
- Intense cultural destinations balanced with relaxing beach breaks

With only a carry-on suitcase and a backpack each, we plan to be as mobile as possible...all forms of transportation are fair game… planes, trains, buses, taxis, motorcycles, rickshaws, elephants, camels and canoes.

Check out our world map below - I have to admit, I am wondering if we bit off more than we can chew. But hopefully, barring some inevitable hiccups, all will be well.
We’ll upload pics, add some colorful commentary and maybe post video clips after each country, so probably once every 10 days. Until then!