So, I am home, and Nomadic Joe is no longer on the road. Sad but true, but hopefully not permanently. All good things must come to an end at some point. This post is a short reflection of the totals, in particular the countries visited and the number of flights.
A total of 35 different countries or destinations. Here is the complete list (red countries mean they were visited for the second time on the trip):
Quito, Ecuador - Santa Cruz, Galapagos
Santa Cruz, Galapagos - Quito, Ecuador
Udaipur, India - New Delhi, India
Bangkok, Thailand - Beijing, China
Grand Canyon (helicopter)
Plus there were innumerable buses, mini-vans, trains, boats, scooters, taxis, cars, donkeys, camels, elephants and miles and miles on my own two feet!
News worthy relevant items that happened before I got there:
February 28th, 2010 - six tourists die in a flight over the Nasca lines
http://enperublog.com/2010/02/28/with-another-fatal-accident-over-the-nazca-lines-will-action-finally-be-taken/#disqus_thread
Thursday 30 September 2010 - Ecuador has a mini coup, when the police kidnap the President after he threatens their pensions (the borders are closed and I have to stay in Bogota jeopardizing my Galapagos tour)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/30/ecuador-chaos-police-rafael-correa
Friday 1 Oct 2010 - the army finds the President and re-instates him (thus allowing the border to reopen and me to enter)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/8036376/Ecuador-unrest-president-Rafael-Correa-escapes-coup.html
January 2011 - the Arab Spring uprising affects many of the Arab countries
http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline
Tuesday January 25th 2011 - beginning of Egyptian revolution (causing GAP to have to cancel my tour and Intrepid re-organize my Middle East trip, eliminating the Egypt portion and extending the Jordan section)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/30/egypt-revolution-2011_n_816026.html
News worthy things that happened after I left:
April 2011 - the civil war in Syria erupts
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/timeline-unrest-in-syria/207/
Egypt undergoes another revolt
http://enperublog.com/2010/02/28/with-another-fatal-accident-over-the-nazca-lines-will-action-finally-be-taken/#disqus_thread
March, 2011 - a Zambian guide at Devil's Pool on the lip of Victoria Falls falls to his death saving female tourist
http://www.victoriafalls-guide.net/tour-guide-dies-as-he-saves-tourist-at-the-devil-swim.html
September 26, 2011 - a scenic tour flight around Mt. Everest crashes in fog in Kathmandu killing all the tourists aboard
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/south-asia/mount-everest-sightseeing-flight-crashes-killing-19
June 25, 2012 - Lonesome George, the Galapagos tortoise who was the last of his sub species dies
http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/25/giant-tortoise-lonesome-georges-death-leaves-the-world-one-subspecies-poorer/
26 February 2013 - a balloon crashes while flying over the Valley of the Kings killing 19 tourists
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-21584413
20 May 2013 - two balloons collide while flying over Cappadocia killing 3 tourists
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-22597878