Around the World Trip: December 2, 2013 - April 30, 2014

In September of 2013, I left a job after almost 16 years and pursued my dream to take an extended trip, circumnavigating the globe.  I only had a couple of months to prepare but managed to take off before snow hit the northeast U.S. and embarked on a memorable journey to explore new destinations and revisit favorites, reconnect with old friends, and even volunteer.  I hope that sharing my information is an incentive for you to take your own journey.

FIJI:  December 2-9.  First stop on my adventure.  Why not enjoy the sun and the sea while my body adjusts to the time change on the other side of the world?

NEW ZEALAND:  December 9-22.  It was time to explore the North Island with visits to Auckland, Rotorua, Tangariro Crossing, the Bay of Islands and Coromandel.

AUSTRALIA:  December 22- January 10.  I visited a friend in Brisbane, spent New Year's Eve in Sydney, explored the natural wonder known as Uluru (Ayers Rock), and then flew on to Kakadu to see the crocodiles.

BALI:  January 10- 20.  Time to relax, update my web-site and enjoy the beauty and serenity of the island before I moved on to volunteer work in Cambodia.

CAMBODIA:  Jan. 20- February 1.  I spent most of my time in Cambodia volunteering with Global Dental Relief in their clinic for children. It was my third clinic with them and it's very rewarding to see the difference their organization makes within a community.

THAILAND:  February 1-20.  So much to explore!  I started in Bangkok and then flew north to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, visiting temples, cooking, eating, trekking, and enjoying the great weather!

MYANMAR/BURMA:  February 20 - March 18.  This country has just become more open to tourism.  I met a couple of friends so we could explore the sights, traveling from Mandalay to Yangon.

ABU DHABI:  March 19-26.  A chance to see the United Arab Emirates and experience a vastly different culture.

ITALY:  March 26- April 20.  As I made my way west and back towards the United States, I had to stop in a favorite country - Italy.  So much to see, do, and eat!!  I was able to see some friends, meet up with some family and explore Venice, Florence, Rome, Montalcino, Chianti, Siena, Pisa, Cinque Terre and Milan.

PARIS:  April 21-24.  A quick stop for a few days to revisit a great city, eat wonderful cuisine, and add a few more sights to the list.

LONDON:  April 24-30.  The final week of my journey.  I stayed with friends, meaning I had some time to relax and experience the city like a local.