Vagabonding begins!

http://www.new7wonders.com

If you can believe, mankind is banding together (excluding Egypt which is not so happy) to vote on a NEW 7 wonders of the world. Part of the reasoning for starting the new vote is that only 1 of the original ancient wonders, the pyramids in Giza, is still around. The old list was:

The Temple of Artemis
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon
The Colossus of Rhodes
The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
The Lighthouse at Alexandria
The Pyramids at Giza
The Statue of Zeus

Call me uneducated, but even as a traveler I couldn’t tell you much about these even if I had a gun to my head.

The original list was comprised by Greek and other authors centuries ago after they visited the sites. Now you have to have either an internet connection or a mobile phone to make the vote. Wow - things have changed.

Some of the sites on the list I really believe should be on there, but some included for voting are the “Statue of Liberty” and the “Eiffel tower”. Come on, they make great post cards and the French sure can build big things, but I hardly consider them a “wonder”. Call me unpatriotic, but New York didn’t get one of my votes.

I’m not entirely sure if I agree with the voting, but I forged ahead anyway. If I get my picks, then I have already been to 2 of them….now just 5 more to go! Here were my choices:

- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Great Wall of China
- Machu Picchu
- Pyramids of Giza
- Stonehenge
- Easter Island
- Petra

The results will be announced on 7/7/07.

There are roughly 52 Saturdays in a year. Subtract a big portion of them due to bad weather, work, family commitments, maintenance chores on the house or car, and whatever else seems to sneak in and steal our free time. Anyone will agree that the weekends that are left to do things we enjoy, like get outdoors, are precious and few. That seems to be when we do the most “living”. Now with the math done, imagine having 4 years worth of Saturdays compressed into a single year. That is what I was blessed with in 2006. I believe that it is our experiences that make us who we are, and I can feel the difference after having experienced so much in such a relatively short time period, compared to previous years in my life. It is chaotic, yet welcome…….and I want more!

One year ago today, on January 23rd, I hopped on a plane and left for Southeast Asia. The only plan that I really had was to wander around aimlessly until I ran out of money. I ended up getting more than that, and had the trip of a lifetime. The people I met and the experiences I enjoyed have changed my life forever.

I sat inside today and re-read my travel journal from Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. As the freezing wind blew outside and the 0C degree Kentucky weather knocked on my windows, I relived parts of my trip. Many times I felt my heart pounding away inside of my chest just remembering some of the things I did (some very stupid even!). If anyone can make a guardian angel curse, I probably did, as I had him working overtime. Instead, I am sitting here with all my arms, legs, fingers, and toes still intact and writing about my memories. Life is so good!

The only shadow of regret that I have is that I wish I would have been even more budget conscious, especially in Europe, than what I was so that I would still be on the road right now. I am twitching to get back to Thailand while it is prime season, and to meet up with good friend and fellow B&A member Simon. I could pull off the trip, but I would be in a not-so-enjoyable financial situation when I returned, so I have decided to exercise my common sense (damn) and try to earn some money before I set off again. Where are those blog sponsorships when you need them?

Speaking of blogs, I am sure that this one has turned quite boring compared to the past, and I feel guilty with every post because it pushes the real adventure posts lower and lower. Bare with me, vagabonding is not dead, just suspended until I get squared away, then it begins. (again). Until then, please share your adventures with me, both home and abroad, and let me know if I can help in any way.

cheers!
Greg

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