The end has arrived...sadly a true story.

What I really wanted to title this last entry was:

My Favorite Game, The Best, The Worst, The Numbers, Things I’ve Learned, Thanks, and Goodbyes.

But it wouldn't all fit in the title section....it does, however, accurately sum up the contents of this very last blog entry. Here we go. My trip has now officially come to an end. It's been a wonderful road, even if it wasn't always smooth. The bumps along the way were some of the experiences I will never forget. I wanted to make this last entry sort of a summation of all the little bit and pieces, odds and ends that I thought people might enjoy.

One of my favorite games that I have played throughout this trip is a game that I call - "How Much Can You Fit on the Back of a Motorbike". There were some truly remarkable contestants, but the winners are:

Third Place: Six people (four adults, one kid, one baby) - Vietnam
Second Place: Three big cages of live chickens and a goat (said goat rode in the driver’s lap) - Laos
First Place: Two loveseats and a mattress (swear to god, you can’t make this up) - Cambodia
Honorable Mention: Four dead pigs - Laos

The Best Moments of the Trip:
1. Riding an elephant in Laos.
2. Quad biking in Cambodia.
3. Reading in my hammock on Koh Pha Ngan.

Favorite Country:  Thailand…and this surprised me a lot.

Best Meal of the Trip:  Everything I ate in Laos.

The Worst Moments of the Trip:
1. Getting from Cambodia to Thailand.
2. Spider bite in Cambodia.
3. Realizing in Cambodia that I had ringworm on my arm (and trying to explain it to the Cambodian pharmacist).

Least Favorite Country:  Sadly, Vietnam

Worst Meal:  Surprisingly didn't have one. I have eaten very well for the past six weeks.

The Numbers:
Number of hotels, hostels, guesthouses stayed in: 10
Number of pizzas eaten: 5 (and I think that this is pretty darn good, especially for me)
Number of times I’ve cried: 2
Number of mosquito bites: somewhere around 40
Number of phone calls made/received with google voice: 22
Number of Aussies I’ve met: too many to count

The Things I’ve Learned (along the way):
1. Always bring your own toilet paper. Always, always, always.
2. DEET is your friend. Use it.
3. A traditional Thai massage is not relaxing. It is painful. Learned that one the hard way.
4. This may sound utterly insane, but the best way to dry wet clothes (in lieu of a dryer), is to wear them.
5. Plans will inevitably fall though...it's okay, be prepared to just roll with it.
6. After getting myself from Cambodia to Thailand, I truly believe that I can handle anything.
7. There are people in this world who have next to nothing. They are some of the happiest, kindest, most generous people I have ever met.
8. We are all much more lucky and blessed than we realize.
9. I believe that I could travel like this for a very, very long time. There are so many extraordinary places in this world that I long to see. However....
10. There is no place like home.

Thanks and Goodbyes:
I must say thank you to a few different people in particular. Thank you to Ryan whose many, many phone calls kept me sane. Thank you to Mshell whose Facebook posts have made me smile and told me that I was not forgotten about. Thank you to Luke, whose advice about Bangkok proved absolutely invaluable. Finally, thank you to Hayden for providing the Google Voice hook up which has kept my mother a (albeit slightly) happier camper.

And a great big thank you to everyone who has read along. For forgiving my ramblings and, I’m certain, numerous spelling mistakes and typos. For your love and support. For just caring enough to read. It has made the journey that much more special knowing that I got to share it with people. A special note to Steph and Kelsey who are headed on their own adventure to Brazil in a few short days. Ladies, have a wonderful, fun, and, most importantly, safe time. Well folks, I think that that’s about it. For those who reside in Cleveland, Baltimore, DC, and one lucky fellow from San Fran, I will see you very soon. A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all. The End. :)