Since I’m bored and, at least according to my last post, I have finished all my preparations for the next journey, I thought I’d make a list of trips that Pearse and I have taken since we’ve been together. A message on the BootsnAll message boards started me thinking about how meaningful many of our trips have been to us and the memories we hold onto from them. I started this list mainly as an exercise in reliving those memories. Anyway, these are the trips (outside the US/Canada only) that we’ve taken together:

February 1997: Ireland, 2 weeks
We went to Cork for Pearse’s sister's wedding. It was my first time outside the US in about 4 years and my first time meeting some of Pearse's family.
Highlights: Seeing Ireland for the first time – it really is green; attending my first Irish wedding – boy do they know how to throw a party!
Low points: It’s rainy and cold in Ireland in February.

December 1997: Senegal, Mali, The Gambia, 6 weeks
My mother joined the Peace Corps in 1995 and since she was finishing up her third year by Christmas of 1997, we figured we should get our rear ends over to visit her while we could. She was living in Dakar at the time but traveled with us to Mali and The Gambia. We also did some traveling on our own.
Highlights: Too many to list, but: the incredible hospitality of Mom's family in Velingara; Toubab Jallo and the amazing pizza there; Goree island; large bottles of Gazelle beer; waxing philosophical with the Senegalese and Malians in broken French, Russian and Pulaar; trekking in the Dogon country.
Low points: The 50 hour 3rd class train journey from Bamako to Dakar; almost being mugged in Bamako; not making it to Timbuktu.

October 1998: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, 1 week
Highlights: It was our honeymoon – ‘nuff said :)
Low points: Lack of indigenous culture; too many western restaurants; overdoing the tequila on the "Romantic Cruise" - to this day, I still can't drink tequila.

March 1999: Ireland, 2 weeks
We took my mother to Ireland to visit Pearse's family.
Highlights: Spending St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland; the musicians of Doolin; watching my mother get excited at just about everything.
Low points: It’s rainy and cold in Ireland in March.

November 1999: Portugal, 2 weeks
We decided that we needed to start seeing parts of the world other than Ireland and Mexico. We picked Portugal as our next destination because it was the most exotic place we could get to by using our frequent flyer points.
Highlights: The beautiful architecture of Sintra; historical and peaceful Sagres; the Christmas lights and cobblestone streets of Lisbon.
Low points: Regretting not staying in an old castle or pousada.

October 2000: Ireland, 1.5 weeks, London, 2 days
We went back to Ireland for Pearse’s brother Martin's wedding. We hardly spent any time sightseeing on the Irish portion of this trip.
Highlights: Seeing family; the British Museum.
Low points: Getting stuck in Cork during an airport workers’ strike; Pearse getting food poisoning in London; and it’s rainy and cold in Ireland and England in October.

November 2001: Thailand, 2 weeks
We were booked to go to Cancun that year but our plans were unexpectedly diverted by outside forces. As a substitute, we picked Thailand off the map mainly because it sounded exotic and had some really good deals on airfare. We did the least amount of research ever for that vacation and it turned out to be one of our favorite trips ever.
Highlights: Ko Lanta; Phi Phi (off season); cruising on the rivers; the Indian restaurant at the Bangkok Crowne Plaza.
Low points: Getting leeches on the night safari at Kao Sok National Park (although this was one of Pearse's highlights).

December 2001: Ireland, 1 week
Highlights: Spending Christmas with Pearse’s family and the first member of the next generation.
Low points: Not spending Christmas with my mother (only our second one apart); and it’s rainy and cold in Ireland in December.

November 2002: Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, 2 weeks
As a youngster, I was fascinated by the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica and have always wanted to visit Chichen Itza. As soon as we heard Alaska Air was going to start flying to Cancun, we jumped on the chance to go (free tickets).
Highlights: Tulum; Uxmal; Isla Mujeres; discovering snorkeling (and that Pearse can swim!)
Low points: Cancun hawkers; getting food poisoning at Chichen Itza.

February 2003: Puerto Vallarta, 1 week
We decided that we needed a short break to get us through the Portland winter and we’d been to Cabo already. The next closest Mexican getaway is PV.
Highlights: Sun; nice beaches; quaint old town.
Low points: Polluted waters; Canadian spring breakers are just as obnoxious as American ones.

October 2003, Tonga, 3 weeks
Pearse saw a Tongan plantation and guesthouse on sale on Ebay for a fairly good price (later we found out that was because the place was flattened by a cyclone in 2002) and he became enamoured with the country while researching the property. While not sharing his enthusiasm for buying property in a cyclone zone, I was intrigued by the island nation and jumped on a really good fare when I found it. We didn’t buy the property but that trip is up there in my top 3 favorites.
Highlights: Swimming with humpback whales; breath-takingly beautiful beaches; warm water; flying over postcard worthy coral islands; meeting great fellow travelers; Taiana’s resort; cheap and ample lobster.
Low points: Tongan food (other than lobster); Ikale beer.

April 2004, Ireland, 1 week
We hadn’t seen the family (especially the cutest niece in the world) in 2.5 years so we decided to take a quick trip to Ireland. We also got to visit with one of my college friends who lives in Galway, but mostly the trip was family oriented, no sightseeing. You can probably guess how the weather was.