Here is a list of random facts we’ve compiled. We’ll continue to update throughout our trip.
These are in no particular order.
Last updated: January 10th


Top 5 best places accommodations:

1. Salzburg
2. Apartment in Paris
3. South Africa
4. Mike and Mara’s
5. Rome

Top 5 best drinks – Coke in a bottle is our all time favorite drink:

1. Mixed fruit in Kathmandu
2. Sugar cane and mango in Egypt
3. Turkish Tea
4. Yogurt Lassi in India
5. Beer in the DR Congo

Top 5 favorite moments:

1. Feeding the baby elephants at Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal
2. Seeing the Colosseum in Rome
3. Surfing with my cousin in South Africa - Brian
4. Hot Air balloon ride in Turkey
5. Floating down the Nile River and watching the ways of ancient Egypt pass by

Top 4 airlines:

1. Qatar Airways – for putting us in a 5 star hotel
2. KLM – for having a 777 with movies
3. Thai Airways – for having delicious food, tons of leg room, and giving out cognac as an after dinner digestive.
4. Ethiopian Airlines – for having cheddar cheese (a rarity) and French wine

Worst airlines:

1. Indian Air – for bouncing on landing
2. Royal Nepal – for canceling the last two weeks of flights and not announcing it on their website or contacting us – we found out from the Kathmandu Post


Top 5 favorite foods:

1. Pizza in Rome
2. Butter chicken in India
3. Fresh baguette in Paris
4. Chicken Schwarma in Egypt
5. Cosa (jumbo shrimp) in DR Congo

Top 5 favorite man-made monuments:

1. Colosseum in Rome
2. Notre Dame in Paris
3. Abu Simbel in Egypt
4. Aya Sofia, Istanbul
5. Taj Mahal, India

Top 5 natural wonders:

1. Himalayas, Nepal
2. Table Mountain, South Africa
3. Cappadocia, Turkey
4. Nile River, Egypt
5. Congo River, DR Congo

Top 5 biggest art purchases:

1. Marionette, Czech Republic
2. Sephia watercolor, Florence, Italy
3. Handmade Around the World Rings, India
4. Singing bowl, Nepal
5. Papyrus painting of the Last Judgement, Egypt

To 5 Favorite Malls:

1. Paragon Mall, Bangkok, Thailand
2. Grand Mall, Cairo, Egypt
3. V&A Waterfront, Capetown, South Africa
4. Discovery Mall, Bangkok, Thailand
5. Canal Walk, Cape Town, South Africa

Acquired habits:

1. Carrying toilet paper wherever we go
2. Not turning around and just stepping aside when you hear a honking noise
3. Using squat toilets
4. Shower every other day
5. Smelling your cloths to see if they are clean

Top 5 Most annoying things:

1. Backpackers with only a Canadian patch on their backpack (This is the WORST)
2. Indians drivers incessantly honking their horns


Best tips we’ve learned so far:

1. Negotiate down. If a tuk tuk driver tries and screws you with a 400 baht fare and you’ve started at 100 baht, tell him 90. If he then says 350, you say 85. He’ll then be more likely to agree to your first price – the fair price.
2. Put your backpack in a duffle bag when placing in the plane – no loss straps and wandering hands can’t unzip or slip things out of the backpack
3. Bring Ziploc baggies – tons of them – they have come in so handy
4. Baby wipes – great for wiping down when no showers are available
5. Cable locks - for double locking doors, locking backpacks together

Movies we’ve seen on the road:

1. Spiderman 3 – Vienna, Austria
2. Transformers – Istanbul, Turkey
3. Oceans 13 – Istanbul, Turkey
4. Ratatouille – Nairobi, Kenya
5. In the Valley of Elah, Knocked Up, Stardust, Superbad, School for Scoundrels – Capetown, South Africa
6. Sawarriya, Om Santi Om (Bollywood Films) – India
7. I Am Legend, National Treasure, Warlords, Mr. Woodcock – Bangkok, Thailand