Travel, reentry and reflections

 

Getting home went smoothly, but it sure took a while!  I definitely enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger, salad and double IPA at my brother's (thanks Derek and Matthew!) in Oakland for my first meal back in the US.  We had a basement flood right before I left the Philippines, so it's been less relaxing to be home than usual.  Things are under control and we're on track to get repairs started soon.  Extra thanks to Noel for dealing with everything plus an emergency while I was away.  

Highlights:  Friendly and helpful Filipinos!  I really enjoyed seeing all that goes into growing rice, which is the primary food for so many people worldwide.  Tropical birds, beaches, snorkeling, fruit, weather, etc. in January and February. 

Touring Takeaways:  I prefer camping some/most of the time as it gives some independence (not tied to finding lodging) and much more time in nature.  Time to buy easier gears for climbing!  Not sure I'll tour in the tropics again as the humidity and warmth (fortunately not heat) were more tiring than usual.  

Facts:  This wasn't a long trip by miles as the total was a bit under a 1000.  The trip cost about $3000, about half for getting there and back.  Daily expenses were about $30/day pretty evenly split between food and lodging.

As a wealthy person from a rich country it was sometimes challenging to be a tourist/traveller in a poorer country.  We have so much more than others by accident of birth.  Even though the Philippines is not a wealthy country, we didn't see much abject poverty and there seemed to be good investment in education, roads and medical care.  While I never thought of visiting the Philippines I'm glad I went and will remember the trip fondly.  Thanks to Bryan and Ferda for inviting me to join them!  

It's great to be back with family and friends in Boulder after a good trip.  Until the next one...Jeff