World by Carey Wrap Up

When I touch down in San Francisco on Wednesday afternoon, I will have been gone for 232 days. I will have taken 31 flights, crossed in and out of 18 countries and rode an uncountable number of buses, trains, boats and cars to get to and around four different continents. I have seen white sandy beaches and the what lies beneath the deep blue seas. I have climbed small mountains and walked into seemingly endless deserts. While doing all of this, I have made more friends than anyone can ask for in a lifetime; people that have touched my heart in so many ways that I will never, ever be able to forget. This has been the trip of my dreams. Although the journey will continue in a few short months, the original holiday (ever-expanding as it was) is ending when I leave Christchurch tomorrow.

I arrived in New Zealand last week to find better than average weather. I took the bus in from the airport and met Amanda in the square on a beautiful, warm, sunny day. I quickly made my way to her house for some much needed rest and relaxation and I really haven't left it since. The weather turned sour after the first two days and I've been wrapped up in a blanket on the couch to keep warm. The initial reaction to leaving Koh Tao still hadn't left me. It felt like a blur from there to here. I've gotten over the shock of it at this moment, but with the gloomy clouds I'm looking at in the window, it's hard not to keep thinking of where I was just a week ago.

It's been really great catching up with Amanda though. We've had some good girl time that we didn't on my last visit. We've stayed in each night, playing cards and talking about what has happened in the last two months. I've shown her the pictures and told the stories that make me smile. She seems to be doing really good as well. Her and Neil have gotten the cutest new dog, Eddie, and he's been the center of our attention. I've found myself more enthused with Neil's fish tanks than ever before. It's been a great week with no big highlights. My body needed to catch up after eight months of constant movement and Amanda provided me with that luxury.

Yesterday, she decided to play hooky from work and we actually made it out of the house for a quick trip to the aquarium, one of the few things I haven't seen in Christchurch. I was starting to feel a bit under the weather as we went to lunch, and funny enough, I had Thai noodle soup to soothe my sore throat. You'd be surprised actually...Thai food tastes pretty much the same anywhere you get it...there are just more options when you're actually in Thailand. I started to feel my mood deteriorating as we made our way to the aquarium. It was actually quite cool, so we lingered a bit longer than my body could take. I got to see the endangered kiwi birds that they keep there...very weird looking flightless birds. They just happened to be feeding the sharks around that time as well, so we had some light afternoon entertainment. As we were just about to leave, the aches hit my system. I officially have worn myself out. We passed by the clinic on the way to the car, and I just had to go in. The first necessary doctor visit of my trip.

To be fair, Amanda and friends have been bugging me to go to the doctor since I got here. I have a third degree burn on my calf from the motorbike, an unhealing scab on my knee and a small crater on my heel from a blister that just stayed open for more than a month due to using my fins every single day. All looked infected upon my arrival, but I think I've been taking care of them quite well. But the sore, swollen throat was the last straw. I was remembering my bout with strep throat a couple of years ago and how miserable I was for days. I needed antibiotics, so I walked in and asked for some while paying a small fee. I now have meds for the numerous problems my body is facing. After waking up with what I'm sure is an ear infection this morning, I can only hope they work quickly.

So I am sat here on that couch again, on the last day of my eight month adventure. My flight is tomorrow at 4:30pm and I'll arrive in San Francisco three hours before that (I get to time travel tomorrow!). I am wondering about the next couple months and the things that I will do. I am well aware of how the last eight have changed me and my perspective on things, so what will happen in the days to come? I know I should probably find some sort of employment. I know that I have my best friend's weddings to look forward to. And I know that I've got all sorts of budgeting and planning to do before heading back to Thailand. But do I need to plan further than that? There are many discussions that I'm going to have with my family and friends about where this new life is taking me. My eyes have opened now to the world and all of the little things that really matter to me. Now it's time to take all of the pieces of this puzzle and put them together to make up the next year of my life.

I haven't decided yet whether or not I'm going to keep going with the blog. While I'm in the United States, it seems silly, as there are cell phones that will relay the same information. I have to admit that I enjoy doing it though, even in the times that I can't figure out what to write. It's a task that I think about every week or so. I need deadlines and structure and my blog is really the only thing that gives me those at the moment. I do plan on going through and editing the 50 posts that I've put up since September. It was fun to have pictures for everyone to see during New Zealand and Thailand, so I'll go back through South America and Europe and do the same. I'm also very aware of the copious amount of spelling and grammatical errors that I made while rushing to save money in internet cafes. Since I quit my personal journal about three weeks in, this is my diary, and I need to get this cherished possession up to par. Just another project of the many that I have when I get home.

So there it is....that was the world by me and what I chose to do with it! I'll be back in San Francisco in day or two and then in Michigan on the 5th of May. I'm excited to keep up my never-ending summer, as winter is quickly approaching where I sit right now. Do a sun dance for me if I'm coming to see you. My hair is almost blond again and my tan is fading quickly. I'll need to keep up my tropical appearances even during my visit to North America. Kelly and Jen, I can't wait to see you get married! I am so looking forward to celebrating my 30th birthday (yikes!) with my dear friends back home. This is it for now, we'll see where I go from here. Catch you all on the flip side...