Thank You!

...so much for all of your kind comments, emails, and support.

Life has been keeping us very busy with this move, but I am doing my best to keep up with everything - in addition to reflecting on the past half year and how much our lives have changed.

I can't wait to share everything we saw, learned, and experienced.

Munich to India

I'm not entirely certain how to go about writing the past 4 months... but I will start at the beginning.

We opted away from traveling anywhere that is theoretically accessible for a long weekend, or as a short trip, in favor of further destinations. We could have easily spent 4 months in one country, but our curiosity got the best of us and we wanted to see as much as possible.

There were plenty of things that we had to consider, as well as what to pack, and if we had the proper vaccinations and visas.

We then booked most everything in advance. Since we traveled with the Star Alliance around the world ticket, we were able to easily change dates for free and destinations for a small fee.

This does take some flexibility out of things, but it also provided us with a schedule. After researching the places we would visit we also booked most of our hotels ahead, which ensured us of having nice places to stay and an address to arrive at in each city.

In the end the planning ahead saved us an incredible amount of time and money while providing some extra luxury. After staying in over 35 hotels in the past year we definitely know what we like and what we don't... more about that later.

Since we are largely familiar with the US and Europe we opted to head East, beginning with our first stop in India. The weather during this time of year in Asia is also a key factor. We didn't want to spend our trip in monsoon season or in sweltering temperatures. We figured we would chase the nice weather around the globe and once it cooled off in Japan we'd be heading South of the equator to New Zealand. Mother Nature always has a few tricks up her sleeve, but considering we were spared natural disasters we fared pretty well.

In the days before we left I wrote my preconceived notions of what things would be like in each place, just for comparison when we returned. I was curious how my expectations and ideas would change after visiting. We printed out our confirmations and tickets, laid out everything we'd be taking on our living room floor, checked and double checked, and before we knew it, it was time to leave. Stefan and I constantly looked at each other and stated time and time again, 'This is really happening.'

After our annual visit to Oktoberfest and saying goodbye to friends, family, and co-workers. It was wonderful to have a farewell celebration at the Käfer tent. The very next morning we were on our way.

The meals on the flight were cutely themed - for Oktoberfest and India. Stefan cherished his last Bavarian feast, while I enjoyed the vegetarian Indian option.

We arrived very early the next day (September 23rd) in New Delhi, India and just like that our adventure began.

Color of 2010: Turquoise

Did you see Pantone's new color of the year? Turquoise!


I love this color. It has such a warm feeling and makes me think of a breezy day at the beach. If only I could feel the sun on my face.

While I was home I bought the red spice grinder that perfectly matches our little red refrigerator. They have such a creative product line.

The Pantone people haven't missed a beat either, because they have an ipod touch app for their tremendous color wheel called myPANTONE. I will be snatching Stefan's and using this when it comes time for decorating our new apartment.

We're Moving!

It's been so hard not to share this, but we're moving! Things progressed much quicker than we expected, but we are thrilled.

I'd love to tell you that we are setting up home in Paris or Tokyo... but we're staying put here, in the little village that could - Munich (at least for now - who knows what the future holds).

Our beautiful new apartment is an alt-bau (old building) with tons of character, creaky wooden floors, spacious rooms with high ceilings, and a beautiful little balcony off the kitchen. It gets tons of sun light, which gives me hope that I can rival my Mom's herb garden. Not only that, it's in our same neighborhood, so parting ways with our home won't be so difficult.

While we were back in the US, I constantly saw beautiful pieces of art that I wished so desperately to have wall space for. On every shopping expedition I would say, 'we need more walls!'

I have a great collection and love for art - from my beloved Joe Sorren 'Portrait of Emily', to the piece from our wedding, prints from etsy, antique maps, and zillions of photos from our travels.

And to add to my collection, my parents gifted me the beautiful 'States United' print from etsy's Beauchamping. It's a thoughtful reminder of my home - and it's even heart shaped, just like Ohio, 'the heart of it all'.

Now all we need are more guests!

Wir sind hier!

... (we are here) - Back in Munich that is.

I have to say it's really a bizarre feeling to be 'home' after 4 months on the go, but for some reason home has become relative and this also feels temporary. We've grown accustomed to being transient. I'm sure after the jet lag wears off and we are back to our old stomping grounds it will be a good dose of reality.

We have stacks of mail to go through, daily life to get back to, and favorite foods to devour.

I'm looking forward to:

- cooking
- eating mass quantities of delicious cheeses
- admiring how wonderful our subway system is

- seeing what's changed in Munich (we even have a new subway stop!)

I'm not looking forward to:

- freezing temperatures

- missing friends + family

- not having authentic {insert ethnic food dish here}

- not spending 23.75 hours a day with Stefan

Even though we've traveled to far away lands many times, this time is slightly different, because we were gone for so long. It's actually hard to remember what life was like before we left. We grew accustomed to changing scenery, languages, cultures, hotels, and living even smaller than normal. While I am really excited about getting back to the normalcy of daily life - (you really wouldn't imagine how difficult it can be wondering how you'll get your laundry done or missing the ability to cook meals for yourself) we also face the trip return let down.

The challenges through out the trip were more personal and often came from unlikely places. Being confronted with how others live can be sobering, humbling, and difficult.

We often vacillated between feeling as though we could help save the world and as though the world's problems are immensely larger than us. We would jot down notes, quotes, and striking sites as they happened, hoping to capture the feelings and emotions we went through. Traveling constantly and for such an extended time made us work at not becoming desensitized to what we were seeing and experiencing. It opened our eyes to the intricacies that are unique to each culture and having a best friend to share the experiences continues to give us many interesting conversations.

After being gone for so long the culture shock becomes somewhat normal and slowly it becomes even more difficult to figure out our place in the world. It's not so simple to return home and feel purposeful or as though what we are doing with our lives is meaningful. The lessons on the road are immeasurable.

As we reflect on things it's easy to forget the sweltering heat of Southeast Asia or the occasional difficulty of frustrating your spouse. We have a good laugh when thinking of one of the most stressful periods of the trip - driving on the opposite side of the road, and hearing each other say one too many times, 'Hon, - uh Hon... I think you're a bit close over here' or dealing with a renegade taxi driver. Thankfully for the most part those were our biggest hang ups.

While living abroad is a fantastic experience it's not always as romantic and exciting as you would expect. The most challenging part isn't necessarily the language or cultural differences, but never feeling completely at home. One of the biggest struggles is the more you open yourself to other cultures, foods, and people, the more you have to leave behind and miss. This trip has only reiterated that point.

Traveling seems to give more answers, but also plenty more questions.

That being said we usually just quelch missing everything with discovering something new and planning our next adventure to have something to look forward to. We already have a getaway booked for Easter weekend!

Plenty of recaps and photos to follow. We have over 30,000 photos to go through!!

elBulli

Here's to hoping you are one of the lucky few to get reservations this year - or next...

elBulli is going to close for 2012 + 2013!

We've submitted for any opening they have this year, so we are crossing our fingers / holding our thumbs (the German equivalent). I could certainly handle another trip to Spain and some amazing food at the #1 restaurant in the world! (Only 8,000 of the 1 million requests are granted reservations).

We also visited Gordon Ramsey's Maze in London whose head chef previously worked at elBulli... another outstanding meal.

I'll try to write soon about yet another molecular restaurant we visited during our travels. I have plenty to write about that!

To read more about molecular cooking check out the course we took here in Munich.

Max Wanger - Los Angeles

It's such a wonderful honor to be featured on 100 Layer Cake and Max Wanger's blog. Thank you Jillian + Max!

It was the perfect way to round out our trip and have some beautiful photos from such a special time in our lives.

Remember the subway dress that I fell in love with? Well, you can see it in some of the sneak peek photos.

Most of the photos were taken in Venice, California, while the roof top images were taken at the beautiful SLS hotel where we stayed during our fabulous time in Los Angeles.

Max and his lovely fiancée Margaux enjoy traveling too, so if you can't make it to LA they can always come your way. We're looking forward to crossing paths with them again - somewhere in the world!



(photos courtesy of the ultra talented Max Wanger)

Message Cookies

Remember my adorable cookies for my brother in law Uli's birthday?

It looks like Williams Sonoma now has a similar cookie cutter set that allows you to personalize your cookies, so they are now available stateside! I saw them in the stores, although it says they are unavailable online right now.

Evidently they also had a Christmas set. The only advantage to the German press is that it comes with a small stamp, so you can imprint any cut out as opposed to needing to be used with special cookie cutters to hold the ultra tiny letters.

If you stop by the store, you might want to check if they have my other favorites for animal crackers, which again I saw in stores but not online.

I just love them both!

As for a cooking tip - chill the dough before cutting it, so the letters / animals retain their shape.

(images Williams Sonoma)

Happy New Year!

Each year on the first we write a list of predictions. It's a fun tradition to see what comes true and what doesn't - as well as the surprises along the way.

If you asked me at the beginning of 2009 if I would have the chance to make a trip around the world I would have laughed. I thought there was a good chance we would move, and yet we are in the same apartment.

I love seeing how life plays out.

Some of the places I am really hoping to visit in 2010 are:
Istanbul, Turkey
Norway
Provence, France (especially during the lavender season!)
Dubrovnik, Croatia
(being ambitious I'll also add Greece)

I hope to do more creatively and really work on cooking, finding more delicious recipes, reading good books, and appreciating the simple things. 2009 will be tough to beat.

We wish you all a wonderful New Year!

Our new addition!

I'd like to introduce you to Mieka's brother Josh!

He was an enormous surprise for us - literally. He's just over a year and weighs just over 90 Lbs and he is insanely sweet.

My parents have had him for a month and were able to keep him a secret from us until we got home for Christmas. You can imagine how excited and surprised we were to see him wearing his bright red bow when we arrived from the airport.

He's extremely handsome, somewhat clumsy, and very curious / skittish, but he's a great addition. I need a dog in Munich!

Merry Christmas!

We are on our way to Ohio... I am actually writing this on the plane! Why don't more planes have free wifi? That definitely would have allowed me to write here more often.

Our trip has taken us to so many unforgettable places. I have to admit it's going to be harder and harder to make travel plans, because there are so many places I'd love to revisit - and my list of places to see continues to grow. Life is certainly too short!

I've neglected this blog, but for good reason. Our travels have just kept us too busy to write. The end of my day usually finds me uploading photos and then falling asleep very quickly. Between visits with friends, family, and tons of holiday parties I think we will go into hibernation mode in Ohio.

We're desperately missing lebkuchen, gluehwein, and of course our neighborhood Christmasmarkets, so if you are in Munich / Germany please enjoy some for us. We were happy to find some at the World Market, so that was a great surprise... but it's definitely not a replacement for the German christmas spirit.

I will write a more cohesive summary of the things we did and saw thus far when I get some more time. I promise that will come soon, because sadly our trip will end at the end of January. We visited cities, canyons, beaches, sand dunes, meadows, national parks, historical sites, and even an active volcano! Stefan and I keep reminding ourselves that it's not the end... it's merely a pause.

Since I last wrote we have seen so many phenomenal things and been to what feels like the ends of the earth and back. Some days it seems like forever ago and it's difficult to remember a life that's not constantly being on the road and flying from one city to the next.

Here's the laundry list of places we have visited that I will write about...
(feel free to leave a comment if there's something you're particularly interested in!)
Northern India
Nepal
Thailand
Malaysia
Singapore
Cambodia
Vietnam
Hong Kong
China
Japan
New Zealand
The Cook Islands
Hawaii
The Southwest US

...and we are still going to visit New York City and the Southeast US coast in early January.

Gift guide: Him + Her

1. Viva Terra Bamboo Radio - Handmade and a nice accent piece, that is both purposeful and beautiful. (image viva terra)

2. Acculevel removable propane tank gauge - Although he might have to wait a while to test it out it will give him something to look forward to in the warmer months. (image amazon)

3. Dress for dinner napkins - A great way to look dapper, even while dining. (image wishingfish)

4. credit card bottle opener - Sleek, easy to store and use. Plus don't you always love being able to save the day? (image fitzsu)

5. Bose quietcomfort 3 acoustic noise cancelling headphones - Great for travel or everyday life for the guy that loves music. (image Bose)

6. Parking Meter Alarm with Quarter Holder - Holds 10 quarters and keeps track of remaining time on the meter, so you can avoid tickets. (image spoon sisters)

7. etsy morelle truffle bag - A gorgeous and feminine catch all style purse. It's even large enough to hold a lap top! (image morelle / Elle Moss)

8. hand embroidered culture + comfort pillow - With a variety of cities and areas these beautiful pillows could provide a colorful reminder or a special time and place. (image uncommon goods)

9. nero shelf - A striking shelf designed by Nanni Holen that is sure to evoke compliments. (image huset shop)

10. object frames - I am still loving these simple, yet bold stated frames to show off your favorite things. (image the.)

11. napa style plant watering - A wonderful way to keep plants alive during a short get away. (image napa style)

12. Bloom flower light - Brighten things up during the dreary winter months. It also makes a great reading light, since it can be clipped virtually anywhere. (image World Wide Fred)

Gift guide: For a cause

1. Oregon Scientific +ECO clima control - a solar powered weather station for those who want to play meteorologist - and probably with better results. (image oregon scientific)

2. Battery Wizard - recharge your batteries - even those that aren't meant to be recharged. (image gizoo)

3. Darfur relief beads - Handmade beads that help sustain life for refugees. (image relief beads)

4. cuddly rabbit - a nice cuddly toy that doubles as a warming device. (image Volker Senger / branch home)

5. recycled wreath - A simplistic way to display holiday spirit with a touch of 'being green'. (image uncommon goods)

6. recycled sundial - You can feel a little better about your coffee habits after you purchase this sundial made from coffee cups. (image ecocentric)

7. Reader's Digest homemade - an interesting book that helps you to create homemade solutions for cleaning naturally or creating fresh products you would typically buy. (image Reader's Digest / amazon)

8. easy bloom - For those that have always wanted a green thumb, but need a bit of help. It will tell you what thrives best where you want to plant and includes a plant doctor assistant when you upload data. (image easy bloom)

9. hanging chair - a beautiful flat folding swing for two to get back to nature. (image ecocentric)

10. yoyo ceramics - a reusable solution for list makers and those that are always jotting notes. (image yoyo ceramics)

11. eco artwear wreath - A recycled wreath that can be used season after season. (image Boris Bally / eco artwear)

12. pet alert animal rescue - Window decals to let emergency help know that animals live in your home. (image animal rescue site)

Gift guide: Travel

Since we are currently half way into our trip around the world - somewhere in Asia (most likely Tokyo), travel related items have been very necessary for us for the past few months.

These are a few products that I found while searching, planning, and packing.

1. Light my Fire spork - I love these and have one in virtually every bag that I own. Visiting the grocery in a foreign country is always interesting, especially when you recognize the brands and not the products. This is every utensil in one, so you can buy things along the way and always have the immediate chance to sample them. (image light my fire)

2. Monster pod - a tripod that can even cling to the sides of buildings. I have to admit it makes me a little nervous, but reviewers claim they don't have problems with it. (image monster pod)

3. I heart my city - A playful take on the 'I love NY' shirts. I appreciate that you can love whatever city you are in - and it makes a fun conversation piece. (image forever 21)

4. Travel Scale - If you've ever overpacked and had to unpack at the airport or pay a ton of money this is a very good tool to have. Plus, it's small enough to pack along. (image Kikkerland)

5. States United print - A great homage to my homeland. (image Beauchamping etsy)

6. panorama perfect - This takes the guess work out of making sure your panorama images line up properly. (image photo jojo)

7. World clock - Spend time day dreaming about what you could be doing in a far away land, or make keeping in touch with family and friends a bit easier. They will thank you when you aren't calling them in the middle of the night. (image zero per zero - online shop is link on the bottom left)

8. Lens pen - This is very portable for photographers who want to keep their lenses dust free for spotless images. (image spoon sisters)

9. Trinvo talking translator - I wish that we had bought this before we left, because my Mandarin hasn't really improved too much. We definitely need this on our next trip through Asia. (image trinvo)

10. Mili universal charger - charges 2 devices at once and is compact, sleek, and very practical for international trips. (image Beam Box Mili)

11. Pitotubes - These were created by a flight attendant to make packing liquids and complying with safety rules easier for travelers. They are very sturdy and refillable. (image wishingfish)

12. Spy lens - Since people are often more at ease than when a camera is pointed directly in their face it's easy to catch candid photos along the way. (image photo jojo)

Gift guide: Toddler + Pet

1. Threadless YGB shirt - This shirt is perfect for budding horticulturists. I love the colors, the happiness, and the simplicity. If you like it enough, you can get an adult sized one for yourself. (image Threadless)

2. Haba blocks - I adore virtually all of Haba's wooden toys. They are so smooth and imaginative. Their various sets of blocks also have so much character and demonstrate that not every block needs to be a cube or rectangle - many are designed around some of the world's greatest architecture. (image haba)

3. vtech kidizoom digital camera - Art work by children is always interesting, and since they always have an interest in gadgets and electronics this can also help to make them productive. The bonus is that you can score some free art for your walls - with a slightly skewed vantage point. (image vtech)

4. Haba block + tackle - This pulley system toy will help children that love construction and lifting. And once again it's by Haba - need I say more? (image haba)

5. Tire Swing Horse - Many of my favorite memories as a child were playing outside and exploring our big back yard. While I never had a tire swing, I am sure that I would have enjoyed it... especially if it had as much character as this one. (image Target)

6. Wooden fishing play set - This fishing play set is not only beautifully made, but it also contains tiny magnets inside the wood so the fish can be caught. (image MoMA)

7. Kid-O matching shades puzzle - Wooden puzzles are so timeless and beautiful. This one is great for the subtle tints and tones. Kid O has an entire range of beautiful, simple, and practical puzzles. (image Kid O)

8. Pat Says Now computer mouse - These are the most adorable mice that I've ever seen. (some animals may be discontinued) (image pat says now)

For Children with 4 paws
9. Pet Top drinking device - Allows you to adapt any water bottle into an animal friendly water fountain. (image Pet Top)

10. Curve Wall Mounted Pet Bed from Akemi Tanaka - a beautiful and out of the way solution to a cat bed. (image Akemi Tanaka)

11. Critter cord - Protects your cords with plastic, a light citrus scent, and a bitter taste, so that 4 legged friends aren't tempted to gnaw through the cords. I had a bunny growing up and he certainly loved cord chewing, but he didn't like oranges. Sounds like it would work. (image critter cord)

12. Otomik - inventive dog toys that will give anyone a good laugh. (image otomik)

Gift guide: Babies + New Parents

It seems as though even more of my friends are having babies. I guess that's what getting older will do. There are a lot of really adorable gifts on the market that make shopping a bit more of a challenge. These are some that I love.



1. Baby Dam - This an economical and ecological solution to bath time. The only downside is that it fits only in straight sided bathtubs. (image Baby Dam)

2. Mr. Sneeze Forehead Thermometer - My sister and I had this thermometer when we were younger and absolutely loved it. It's less invasive and easy to take along in a bag. (image spoon sisters)

3. Etsy SuperSweetCreations - The t-shirts and onesies with ties are hysterical and a bit sophisticated - not to mention handmade. I love supporting local artisans. (image etsy)

4. The Weanmachine - This is a portable food grinder that helps to feed little ones table food. It quickly enables parents to make a nutritious meal on the go. (image weanmachine)

5. present time monkey door hangers - I first saw these in Paris and fell in love with them. Since then I gift them to anyone I know having a baby or with young children. They come in a variety of colors and are simple, yet modern.

6. Puppy Dog shoes - washable leather shoes that help protect little feet that are learning to walk. (image patina stores)

7. Billy Bob Pacifier - a large array of unique and specialty pacifiers that are sure to get a lot of laughs. (image billy bob products)

8. Knock knock medical organizer - a great place to store all of those new documents from checkups and doctor visits. (image knock knock)

9. Construction Tools - A lot of parents complain about getting their children to eat, so this may be a fun solution. (image flying peas)

10. Hushamok baby hammock - Who doesn't love a hammock? These are made for babies as a stylish option to a bassinet or swing. (image hushamok)

11. etsy Hipoart - This gorgeous rocking horse is made by hand in Kentucky. Undoubtedly it would make a treasured heirloom. (image etsy / HIPo Necessities)

12. etsy allthenumbers - A modern / retro handmade quilt with beautiful colors. (image etsy / all the numbers)

Gift guide: Art

1. Photo Canvas - Have a meaningful photo put onto canvas and decorate a special room. (This is a photo from our honeymoon in the Maldives - how nice to wake up to that every day!) (my own image - simply search online or visit a photo shop in your area)

2. Jelly Lens - This helps to transform a camera phone into something better. I actually cringe when I see people use camera phones at meaningful events, but at least these help improve the quality. (image Spoon sisters / Jelly Lens)

3. Superheadz Blackbird camera - When I took photography courses in college I absolutely loved using medium format cameras. This one is beautiful and playful. (image Urban Outfitters)

4. Retro NaNa Tape from etsy - It's great to see creative types using tape more frequently... and the variety is incredible. (image etsy / RetroNaNa)

5. Yashica Portable Scanner - This is a quick and easy way to turn those old 35mm negatives into scanned copies, which make archiving a breeze. (image Yashica - currently only available in Japan)

6. photojojo shortcut mac keyboard skin - A great tool for learners and designers alike. All of the shortcuts are at your fingertips - and not to mention the bright colors make it even more fun. (image photojojo)

7. seat belt camera strap - fun colors and very sturdy. A great gift for the photographer who has everything. (image photo jojo)

8. Stencil 101 - This book is perfect for budding graffiti artists and Banksy fans. (image Ed Roth / Chronicle books)

9. Famille Summerbelle map - These scherenschnitte paper cuts are so striking. These would be an especially nice gift for someone who is fond of London or Paris. (image famille summer belle)

10. etched letters - These acid etched letters would make a great gift for a typography lover. It looks like many people agree, because there aren't too many available. (image Urban Outfitters)

11. hudson chalkboard paint - For those that want something more exciting than the standard black or green. I love the endless variety and would love to add a color splash to my kitchen. (image hudson)

12. zero per zero railway notes - Everyone loves mail - and these notes are absolutely certain to make someone smile. (image zero per zero)

Gift guide: Cooking

Last year I composed a gift guide with ideas for the holidays. Since I am gone for the holidays this year I decided to prepare this in advance (September 09), so apologizes if items are no longer available.

I had to get an early start on holiday shopping, so I figured I might as well share my finds.

Just as last year there are a variety of items at various price points, so there's something for everyone in every budget.



1. Ziploc style candy bowl - This is a cute gift for a candy lover and since it's made of glass it's reusable. (image perpetual kid)

2. Sommelier glasses - These add a bit of tongue in cheek sophistication to enjoying a glass of wine. (image Area wear)

3. Filigree cuckoo clock - A modern take on the famed German style clock. It's also made here in Germany. (image North Coast Imports / Ingolf Haas)

4. M cups - Cute nesting measuring cups that take on the matryoshka form. (image world wide fred)

5. Wine bottle thermometer cuff - an inexpensive and simply solution to figuring out the proper temperature each type of wine should be served at. (image catching fire flies)

6. iittala cookware - These beautifully designed pans are not only stylish, but also function wonderfully. (image iittala)

7. cheese knives - Colorful cheese knives that take the guess work out of figuring out which type should be used for a variety of cheeses. (image patina stores)

8. glass beverage bottles - Add simplicity and sleekness to all the drinks in your refrigerator - or keep one next to your bed. (image Crate and Barrel)

9. vinyl Lace place mats - a delicate and dainty way of sprucing up any table top and they are kid friendly and easy to clean up. (image dream in plastic)

10. IKEA fusion table - This table is great for small spaces and apartment living. (image IKEA)

11. Goldfish trash bags - Anything to make taking out the trash more fun... and you never thought trash could make you smile. (image perpetual kid)

12. Gaggenau Oven - A ceramic based oven that lowers to counter top level while keeping heat in the oven.

Again, I continue to do a lot of my shopping in the US, simply because I can mail things directly to people there and not deal with wondering if Deutsche Post is going to lose something again. (I apologize in advance to international readers, however some of these companies may ship internationally.)

There will be several more self published gift guides in the coming days or weeks.

Happy gift giving!

One month on the road

Big apologies for not keeping up with this more... but I will have plenty to write about - of course when I get some time, which lately isn't on my side. Things have been happening so quickly, but I am taking notes and tons of photos.

I'm slightly saddened that we are 1/4 through our trip, but everything has been even more exciting and wonderful than I ever could have anticipated. I'm also amazed at how much my views have been challenged and how each and every day I learn something new. (We saw this little plaque in Kathmandu and I thought it was so fitting.)

My bags are already bursting with beautiful clothes and souvenirs. That's the biggest downside of being gone for so long. Fortunately the memories will last a lifetime.

This is a photo from one of (if not the) highest bar in the world. It's located in Bangkok and the view is absolutely incredible.

... and that's just the beginning.

hello - namaste!

Just a quick note to let you all know we are safe and staying very busy seeing so many wonderful things. We never quite knew how a trip like this would feel - being constantly on the road and missing those luxuries from home.

After almost 10 days of travel I can say that we've been distracted enough to not miss home too much yet. Missing people is another story, so keep those emails coming to let us know how life is where you are!

We started our trip in India with visits to New Delhi, Jaipur, and of course Agra for the Taj Mahal. Some days we had a 5 hour drive, but it was really nice to see the city outskirts - even though we really weren't prepared for a lot of what we saw. I think our driver said it best, 'Money - big problem'. Social issues always stress me and I think I take them on as my own, so this hasn't exactly been a relaxing get away. Even so, I wouldn't have it any other way. People here are very grateful that we come to their countries and that we have an interest in their cultures.

It's still taking a lot of time to process, but thankfully Stefan and I are going through this together and can talk about it all. I have to say I have one amazing partner in crime.

Right now we are in Kathmandu, Nepal where were are taking in another culture and at times sweltering our lives away with 90F / 32C temps.

There is so much to see and the sites and colors here are absolutely striking. I still can't get over how welcoming everyone has been.

I will try to get some photos up soon. Working on a tiny netbook does make me miss my Mac. I completely have to relearn how to use a PC, which I should have done before we left!