Exceeding Expectations

This was such an amazing trip, filled with amazing experiences and amazing people.  I was not ready to return home to New York City, perhaps the true measurement of the success of a vacation.  Everything exceeded my expectations, and I will have fantastic memories for years to come.  I met so many wonderful people along the way and made some fantastic new friends.  Given my previous travels, I was expecting to be older than many of the people I met along the way, but it turns out I was one of the youngest.  The number of people I met in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s far exceeded the number of 20-somethings I encountered.  The oldest person I met along the way, my Canadian friend John, was 71, and the oldest woman I met, Nellike, was 70.  They were so inspiring and give me hope for the adventures I will be able to take in the decades to come.  

While this chapter in my life has come to an end, the book has not closed.  I am already trying to decide where I want to go next, so stayed tuned because there are a lot of places I want to see.