Month #2: Reflections of Life on the Road, India & Thailand

Month #2 went even faster than the first! We've gotten better at unpacking less and have slowed down our pace. We take slightly fewer pictures and cherish the small moments more. We no longer feel like we are on vacation; we feel like this is our life for the next few months. We are doing very well with our budget and most importantly, we are getting along very well.

The reason we're getting along??? :)  We were convinced this Thailand outfit had a back door that led to a brothel.

Delhi, India was a culture shock for both of us. The sensory overload we experienced is hard to put into words and is something we won't soon forget. We can still hear the incessant honking and stray dogs barking in our sleep! This might not sound appealing but we felt alive the whole time there.

The wedding we attended in Karnal, India was a once in a lifetime experience. The countless ceremonies, endless partying and incredibly kind and welcoming people will definitely be a highlight of this entire trip. The groom, Anmol, and his family made us feel at home...well, as much as you can feel at home when herds of stray buffalo and handicap donkeys are wandering down the roads! :) We hope his family will visit us in Florida someday so we can try to repay the hospitality they gave us!

Yemi with Anmol and his nephew, whom Jan nicknamed Chit Chat

Thailand, a much needed reprieve after the craziness of India, almost felt like coming home. We know the culture, love the food and feel comfortable getting around. Familiar is what we needed after India! We spent New Year's in Koh Lanta, an island in the South of Thailand. Despite our wishing lantern burning to ashes on the beach after an unsuccessful take off, we are very excited about 2014. Our only wish is that it goes slowly and we can continue living in the moment even after we return home.

There is no shortage of long term travelers in Asia. Aside from two American couples we met in Koh Lanta, we have yet to meet anyone traveling for less than one month. "How long are you traveling for?" is often the second question after, "Where are you from?"

People are perplexed why Americans don't travel long term like the rest of the developed countries in the world. Our work hard culture and terrible PTO benefits don't support it, but foreigners are baffled that we don't seem to mind. Many Europeans and Australians get one year off to travel and can return to their positions. This is in addition to the year off that most college students take before entering the workforce. The average traveling span of the people we encounter on the road is 9-12 months. This includes people young and old!

We are looking forward to the next four months. Yemi misses his niece and Jan is anxious to be reunited with her four legged boys. We have so much still ahead of us! Our schedule is going to get a bit hectic in month #3 as we crammed another country into the mix. However, after relaxing on Thailand's beaches we think we have some extra energy to make everything happen!

Thailand, our home away from home