Introducing the Sony Xperia Z2－ iPhone User without a Clue

I began writing this entry on Monday, in an effort to organize my thoughts on what has turned out to be a great, but totally disconcerting new device.  I guess I should lay out the disclaimer that I am, in fact, an Apple user, and have been for most of my life (and all of my adult life).  However, as Apple has started slipping both as a company in terms of its hard line and poor business practices, and in terms of quality, I decided to give an Android device a try.

So on Monday, after much kvetching, I finally made it to one of the only service centers in Kaohsiung where foreigners can apply for a contract and signed myself up.  My phone of choice?  The Sony Xperia Z2.  Why?  Well, as many people across the internet will tell you, the Samsung Galaxy s5 and the Sony Xperia Z2 are really neck in neck in terms of just about everything spec-related.  The question remains then, why did I choose the Xperia?  After speaking to a few friends, and after my partner spoke to her colleagues, the consensus seemed to be that Sony was the better choice because it tended to glitch less and generally be more reliable.

So far, I have had a really hard time adjusting to the new layout of the Android OS, which I'm told is totally normal.  Even so, it's still great not to be under the thumb of Apple anymore and get a lot more choice in terms of apps and services, so I guess I can't complain too much there.  I'll just have to get used to it.  One last gripe, is that the phone might actually be a little too big for my hands- keep in mind, I have child-sized hands, so standard size anything is always huge in my hands.  That makes it rather difficult for me do one handed texting or really one handed anything.

However, the real reason I decided to go with the Xperia actually came down to a single feature: its camera.  Although both the s5 and the Z2 have really great digital cameras, the Z2 has the ability to take great photos in low light and in darkness, something I actually do on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, I can't upload any of my photos yet because my computer seems to have a virus and I'm worried about transferring it over to my phone, so, photos will be arriving hopefully this weekend and I'm really excited about posting them up here.

The truth is that I sadly don't have a camera of my own, and I hope to begin to document the daily comings and goings of life in Taiwan in preparation for our dream trip.  Ultimately, it would be nice to not have to take a large, clunky camera at all- I had an SLR pre-digital age and the entire thing weighed over 5lbs, so the thought of lugging it across the globe isn't exactly enticing.  The other issue when traveling, of course, is theft.  I suspect that carrying a large heavy camera would make me a larger target, so I really hope I can master the manual settings of the Xperia Z2 and get some really amazing shots without the need for a DSLR.  Only time will tell!

Again, I'll just have to keep playing with it and hopefully find my groove.  If anyone has any stories about switching over or suggestion for a new Android user, I would love to hear them!

Keeping it Real: The Taiwan List

Because there's been a lot of focus on my newly created international 1000 things list, which will hopefully be done within the next two weeks, I wanted to take some time to begin a list of things I want to see and do here in Taiwan before I leave.

Despite a general lack of international fanfare, Taiwan is actually home to the world's most beautiful mountain (Yushan- Jade Mountain: link to come when I find it again!), and many other equally amazingly beautiful places, such as the Caoling Trail, Taroko Gorge, Sun Moon Lake, and Sail's Rock. 

Aside from these, which I can say are must-see from personal experience, I wanted to start my own list just for Taiwan, not only because I currently live here and want to exhaust my options before I leave, but also because Taiwan has some truly beautiful and noteworthy sites to explore.  I hope that this list will help anyone thinking about coming to Taiwan narrow down their own lists!

1. Orchid Island (appreciate aboriginal culture and scuba dive)
2. Wulai forest; trekking in beautiful rainforest and easily accessible to Taipei
3. Guanziling mud hot springs
4. Baishawan (White Sand Beach); return visit- once wasn't enough!
5. Attend the Matsu pilgrimage on Matsu (Mazu) Island
6. Scuba Dive in Kenting
7. Make my own leicha (pounded green tea with sesame, grains, and puffed rice)
8. Take the Taipei Maokong cable car at sunset
9. Hike the historic Walami trail
10. Cycle to and around Meinong (village and surrounding aboriginal farms)
11. Morning cycle to Yanchao to wander through "Moon World," aka mud volcanoes
12. Full circumnavigational ride around the island *
13. Visit one of the few sodium bicarbonate hot springs in the world: Jiaoshi
14. Attend at least 3 aboriginal festivals
15. Wander through an exhibition (Taipei and Kaohsiung)
16. Visit the Museum of Jade Art (Taipei)
17. Go on at least 15 day-trips with Taiwan's non-profit mountaineering group 523
18. Hike Shamaoshan, Yangmingshan National Park (Taipei)
19. Visit Shisansheng Museum of Archaeology
20. Guandu Temple
21.  Guandu Nature Park
22. Hike Jia Jiu Liao Stream (Red River Gorge to Sanxia)- Wulai
23. Fu-Ba National Trail- Wulai
24. Take the Pingxi trains
25. Hike to Sandiaoling Waterfall Trail
26. Shifen & Pingxi
27. Jinguashi
28. Bitou cape
29. Caoling trail (again)
30. Turtle Island (Dolphin and whale watching)
31. Take the Nanao Historic Trail
32. Hot springs in Suao (bicarbonate)
33. Visit Danshui Foreign Cemetary on Tomb Sweeping Day
34. Emei lake and tea fields
35. Soak in Zhiben hot springs
36. Bike Forestry Road 200
37. Take the Alishan train up the mountainside
38. Cycling tour of Tainan's historic buildings
39. Enjoy the view at Hsizihwan (Xiziwan) beach
40. Bike around Dapeng bay
41. Take the pups to Xiaoliuqiu Island for a day trip
42. Explore the Sandimen aboriginal community
43. Walk the Jingshuiying trail
44. Scuba dive in Kenting
45. Stay at Jinmen and see the old wartime forts (and wave to the PRC)
46. Walk around the Iron For on Mazu Island

*Just a quick note about cycling in Taiwan, it is possible to rent a bicycle from one city and drop it off at another, so anyone interested in doing a cross-island cycling trip should look into this option for maximum convenience.  Giant is a Taiwan-based company that rents full kits for both amateur and more serious cyclists and has shops island wide (it is also one of the largest bike companies in Taiwan).

Beginning my language journey

As promised, I have begun my attempts at basic proficiency in the first of many languages.  This week I began to learn Korean in earnest, though I haven't actually figured out how to type in Korean yet.

I'm using the complete set from Living Language, and so far it is a little bit slow, but also rather useful if you have never studied before.  I have only gotten as far as the first chapter, in which I have learned how to say 'hello' and about 6 varieties of how to say 'how are you?'  The second half of the first chapter is slightly more interesting; it includes how to ask someone's name and whether they can speak English/Korean.  So while this set of vocabulary is incredibly useful and is usually the basis of most language books, I can't help but wishing there was something a little more interesting.  Hopefully, as the book progresses, there will be a little more meat to the bones, so to speak.

That said, the book set comes with a writing guide which is quite useful, although the order that the alphabet isn't listed in the same order in the writing guide as in the text book, which makes it a little hard to remember.  Even so, the index at the back of the text is a really great reference and I have already memorized half of the alphabet!

The audio is also very good; clear and repetitive at a native speed.  My only complaint is that for the first few chapters the audio should go just a little slower; if you have never studied a language before, it is difficult to pronounce all of the syllables/sounds properly when the speaker races through it (and as native speakers often do, leave out syllables altogether).

Even better, I was able to get a Korean exchange partner that I'm meeting once a week so I can practice in real time and ask questions (and try to improve my terrible pronunciation!).

I am still trying to organize a meeting with my new Hindi language exchange (LE) partner.  I told him I would get a head start on the first chapter of that book over the weekend, but it's from a different publisher, so I'll have to see how it goes.  I'll post an update here when I have a better feel of the book.

Wish me luck!

1000 Things To Do Before I Die (Pan Asian Edition)

 As every traveler knows, every trip starts with some imagination, a lot of day dreaming, and at least one list of must do activities.  In recent history, the '1,000 things to do...' lists have become incredibly popular, covering a wide variety of subjects and locations (1000 books, 1000 to do with bamboo... etc).  This is the beginning of my limited rendition of it.  This list is specific to things that can be done within our planned list of countries (which means limiting the selection to Asia, and in a more limited capacity Oceania and Africa), so it is by no means exhaustive and will probably evolve as we get closer to our travel date.

Most of the things on my list revolve around several basic themes:  

1.  culture (museums, archaeological sites, cultural centers like markets, plazas, and religious centers)
2.  nature (national parks, mountain hikes, wilderness expeditions, marine areas for snorkeling and scuba diving)
3.  animals (experiences with animals, preferably in natural habitat)
4.  food (local delicacies, enough said)
5.  transportation (best transport with a view, trains, buses, boats, balloons)

Without further ado, here is my slowly growing list:


1. Walking Safari, Serengeti National Park.  Tanzania/Kenya
2. Walking tour, Kruger National Park, South Africa
3. Boat ride at sunset, Jambiani (beach), Tanzania
4. Hike the pilgrim trail from Thiruvanathapuram to Varkala Papanasam Beach, Kerala Coast, India (42km, 26 mi)
5. Have a spa day and watch the sunset, Varkala Papanasam Beach, Kerala Coast, India
6. Snorkling/Diving, Pulau Perhentian, Malaysia
7. Bird watching + Snorkling, Kai Islands, Indonesia
8. WW Rafting, Zambezi River, Zambia/Zimbabwe
9. Cage Dive with Sharks, South Africa
10. Swimming with Dolphins, TBA (Many locations, but want to support eco-tourism)
11. Climb Sydney Harbour Bridge, Aussie
12. Get a henna tattoo, Djemma El-Fna, Marrakesh, Morocco
13. Photograph Imam Square at sunset, Esfahan, Iran
14. Hiking the Larapinta Trail, Aussie
15. Snorkling, Vanuatu
16. Hike Annapurna, Nepal
17. Meditate in silence, Tiger’s Nest Monastery, Bhutan
18. Volunteer in Malawi
19. Attend Warai (Laughing) Festival, Hidakagawa, Wakayama, Japan
20. Raft down Nine Twists River and see Yongle Temple, Wuyishan, China
21. Cycle tour through Andorra
22. Listen to Jazz at a local cabaret, Antananarivo, Madagascar
23. Canoe safari, Botswana
24. Scuba dive on the Great Barrier Reef, Aussie
25. Where can you see lions...?  Only in Kenya!
26. Volunteer with lemur conservation, Madagascar
27. Chameleon watch, Madagascar
28. Hike Bako National Park, Borneo, Malaysia
29. People watch at a cafe while drinking a local brew, Plaza Mayor, Salamanca, Spain
30. Stroll around Parc Grüell and take in the strange architecture, Barcelona
31. Follow in the footsteps of Gandhi, including  Birla House, New Delhi, India
32. Ponder on the ancient Greek philosophers and visit the Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece
33. Road Trip!  Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, SA (www.oasisoverland.co.uk, serengeti.org )
34. Absorb the ancient culture of Agra, India
35. Buy native textiles at local market, Chiang Mai, Thailand
36. Buy aboriginal textiles and local art, Kashgar Market, PRC
37. Watch a local artisan create jewelry, and survey ornate tents at the last medieval covered market (Khan Al-Khalili), Egypt
38. Browse through traditional Turkish rugs, Grand Bazaar, Turkey
39. Sample local flower tea and tapestries, Aleppo, Syria
40. The Outback (minus the venomous snakes), Aussie
41. Night dive at Pulau Sipadan, Malaysia
42. Scuba best dive sites at Ras Mohammed National Park, Egypt
43. Hike the volcanic landscabe of Tongariro Massif, New Zealand
44. Take a dip in a natural hot spring, Pamukkale Terraces, Turkey
45. Sleep in a treehouse!  Kadir’s Tree House Hotel or Bayram’s, Turkey
46. 3-day trek across the alps on Routeburn Track, New Zealand
47. 6-day trek across Tasmania’s varied and beautiful landscapes, Aussie
48. Follow the ancient trade routes of Himachal, Pradesh; the Indian side of the Himalayas
49. Everest base camp, Nepal
50. Take the tram from end to end in Istanbul, Turkey
51. Watch the sunrise over the Taj Mahal, India
52. Experience the hour before sunrise at the Pyramids and Luxor Tombs of Giza, Egypt
53. Camel trek through oases, Oman
54. RV to hard to reach places (Ayer's Rock [Uluru], Kadadu National Park, Purnululu National Park, Mungo National Park) Australia
55. Ride the Ghan train line through the center of Australia
56. Scenery appreciation along the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, South Africa
57. Trans-Siberian Rail from China-Moscow
58. Participate in tea ceremony in proper kimono, Japan
59. Walk the tea fields and drink tea, Darjeeling, India
60. Cycle through the tea fields of Bogawantalawa, Hill Country, Sri Lanka
61. Hanami (bloom viewing), Japan
62. Climb Mt Sinai, Egypt
63. Scale Mount Olympus and pay homage to the ancient gods, Greece
64. Buy one ‘investment’ item and cherish it forever, Dubai
65. Meditate and do serious yoga in Rishikesh, India
66. Exploring the ruins and craggy passes, Petra, Jordan
67. Conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
68. Experience the beauty of the Hanging Gardens, Babylon, Iraq
69. Pause for stupendous photos of Wadi Rum, Jordan
70. Boat cruise along Halong Bay, Vietnam
71. Take a balloon tour, Cappadocia, Turkey
72. Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
73. Stroll among the historic houses and alleys,Stone Town, Tanzania
74. Snorkel with stingrays and turtles, Aldabra Seychelles
75. Drink mint tea in Mauritania
76. Take a bush-survival skills course, South Africa (www.conservationacademy.co.za)
77. Indulge in Tapas in Spain
78. Soak in the history of ancient pharos, Abu Simbel, Egypt
79. Dip my toes into the limestone waterfalls, Tat Sae, Laos
80. Buy a carpet at a local market in Morocco
81. Eat at a cosplay restaurant, Tokyo, Japan
82. Take a camel ride, Morocco
83. Enjoy a boat ride along the Mekong River, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam
84. Watch pink dolphins in their shrinking habitat, Hong Kong
85. Trek the Milford Track (53km), New Zealand
86. Go spice shopping in Turkey
87. Wander through the covered alleys and shops of the Medina, Tunis, Tunisia
88. Buy a Sari and Salwar Kameez at a local market, India
89. Read a good book in a beach hut, Goa, India
90. Enjoy the company of endangered rhinos in Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India
91. Take a green tour through Jerusalem, Israel
92. Appreciate Australian aboriginal art, Mt Borradaile, Australia
93. Take an epic hike through forests and cultural heartlands, Bhutan
94. Go whale watching and support Maori, New Zealand (www.whalewatch.co.nz)
95. Sea kayak our way through crystal waters, Fiji
96. Sample the very best Sabich, Israel
97. Prepare for an Egyptian train ride with ample kushari, Cairo, Egypt
98. Troll the night market in search for vegetarian fare, Stone Town, Tanzania
99. Tour the ancient temples of Lhasa, Tibet
100. Take an overnight train from Beijing to Lhasa while snacking on baozi, PRC
101. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of one of Tibet’s sacred lakes, PRC

102. Cruise the Nile Rive in a traditional sail boat (felucca) to view ancient sites, Egypt
103. Sample some of Iran's amazing culinary delights: doogh (yogurt mint drink), ash, reshte (fried noodles), kashke bademjan (eggplant dip), adas polo (lentil rice), albaloo polo (sour cherry rice), mast o khiar (yogurt spinach dip),  zoolbia/bamieh (sweet desserts), nazook (pastry), shole zard (rice pudding), saffron ice cream, Persian chai (yummmm)
104. Snorkel around clustered islands, Greece
105. Soak in the beauty of the beaches on Tahiti/French Polynesia
106. Appreciate the ancient architectural marvels of Ankor Wat, Cambodia
107.  Inhale deeply over Victoria falls, Zimbabwe
108. Take an eco-tour around Atiu, Cook Islands
109. Nature walk to mangroves of Cape Tribulation, Australia
110. Hike up to Lake Issyk-Kul mountain top lake, Kyrgyzstan
111. Take amazing underwater photos from diving, Niue
112. Soak in a traditional Osen hot spring, Japan
113. Picnic on the beach, Andaman Islands
114. Walk a part of the Heysen Trail, South Australia
115. Take an extended train ride across India
116. Take a walking meditation in Aya Sofya, Istanbul, Turkey
117. Eat spotted dog, Australia
118. Day hike up Jebel Toubkal and splash out for dinner afterwards, Marrakesh, Morocco
119. Ensure fitness and make a marathon day trek up Mt Fuji, Japan
120. Tour Hagia Sophia, Turkey
121. Swim with dugongs, Port Villa, Vanuatu
122. Witness the green flash of the sun at sunset, anywhere there's a clear horizon
123. Wander among the dragon's blood trees, Socotra, Yemen
124. Tsingy de Bemahara Nature Reserve, Madagascar
125. Blood Pond Hot Spring, Japan
126. Black and White deserts, Egypt
127. Walk among the Baobab trees, Madagascar
128. Be blue in Chefchaouen, Morocco
129. Go back in time amongst the 11th century architecture, Meknes, Morocco
130. Explore the islands of Palau
131. Walk along a bioluminescent beach, Maldives
132. Take in the beautiful ruins of the Tombs of the Kings, Cyprus
133. Take a canoe out on Milford Sound, New Zealand
134. Enjoy a day tour along the Li River, Xingping, PRC
135. Cruise the Straits of Hormuz, Oman
136. Canoe the lower Zambezi River, Zimbabwe
137. Slowly float down the Mangoky River and spot some lemurs, Madagascar
138. Take the Silk Road trains from Moscow back to Beijing, stopping in Central Asia
139. Cave exploration in the ice tunnels of Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
140. Walk in the path of 17th century Japanese travelers along the Nakasendo Highway, Japan
141. Traverse the King's Highway from Syria to Egypt
142. Visit forts set among the arid mountainscape (Nakhl, Bahlah, and Jabrin), Oman
143. Wander among the green tea fields of Boseong County, South Korea
144. Scope out the red lake bed, Lake Natron, Tanzania
145. Walk into a Chinese painting at Tianzishan Nature Reserve, Hunan, PRC
146. Inhale the intoxicating smell of Wysteriaat Kawachi Fuji Garden, Kitakyushu, Japan
147. Scuba diva the underwater pyramids at Yonaguni-Jima (April), Japan
148. Flower-viewing at Hitachi Seaside Park (May), Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, Japan
149. Climb the rainbow mountains, Zhangye Danxia, PRC
150. Explore the underwater city of Lord Krishna, Dwarka, India
151. Soak up the sun and island views, Santorini, Greece
152. Go temple hopping, Kyoto, Japan
153. Wander among the blood red seaweed garden, Panjin red beach, Liaohe River Delta, PRC
154. Dive Lion City, PRC
155. View Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia
156. Dive the ruins off Alexandria, including the tomb of Cleopatra, Egypt
157. Spulunk into the depths of Waitomo Caves, New Zealand
158. Night dive at Maaya Thila, Maldives
159. Hang out with wild monkeys and enjoy Hampi's world heritage site, India
160. See pandas in their natural habitat, Chengdu, PRC
161. Trek and rough it from Namsham to Hsipaw, Burma
162. Cycle around Chiang Mai and surrounding area, meet the locals, Thailand
163. Learn how to give a Thai massage via a massage course, Thailand
164. Make my own batik masterpiece, Thailand
165. Take the reunification express from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min, Vietnam
166. Wander among the ancient temples of Bagan, Burma
167. Cycle around Luang Prabang, Laos
168. White water raft the Nile, Egypt
169. Catch a glimpse of the infamous kiwi, Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
170. View aboriginal cave art in Kakadu National Park, Australia
171. See a snow leopard or red panda in Sagamartha National Park, Nepal
172. Bear witness to animals on parade in Kaziranga National Park, India
173. Take a big dog and cat safari, Botswana
174. Swim with whale sharks, Ningaloo, Australia
175. Visit Skardu, Pakistan
176.  Swim in the dead sea, Jordan/Israel
177. See the hanging gardens, Iraq
178. Dive the Alexandria Lighthouse (Pharos) site, Egypt
179. Photograph the Travertine pools, Pamukkale, Turkey
180. Stroll along Tolaga Bay, New Zealand
181. Appreciate the silence in Seville Cathedral, Spain
182. Visit the Terracotta Army, PRC
183. Watch the sunrise at Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar, Punjab , India
184. Enjoy a variety of paintings at El Prado National Museum, Spain
185. Appreciate ancient artifacts at Tokyo National Museum, Japan
186. Be terribly touristy at the Egyptian Museum, Cairo, Egypt
187. Listen to a Didgeridoo performance, Australia
188. Watch a traditional Malaysian dance, Malaysia
189.  See first hand the inspiration for Shangri-la, Hunza Valley, Pakistan
190. Take the impossibly steep train up the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, India
191. Take Peanut's namesake, the Shinkansen bullet train, Japan
192. Visit Hue and Da Nang, Vietnam
193. Enjoy the Rings epic landscape across the TranzAlpine line, New Zealand
194. Take a tram in HK and take in the sights and sounds as they whiz past, Hong Kong
195. Appreciate the changing scenery and historic sites from inside the Taurus Express, Turkey
196. Trek the Concordia through massive glaciers to the K2 base camp, Pakistan
197. Meander through the spring wildflowers along the Pindos Traverse, Greece
198. Cycle the Pyrenean Haute Route from France-Andorra-Spain
199. Walk the Headhunter's Trail through the jungle, Malaysia
200. Stay with the locals in one of the nearby villages, Chiang Mai, Thailand
201. Hike the 5 day Grand Traverse trail, New Zealand
202. Enjoy the frenzy of shopping at an open market, Chandni Chowk, Delhi, India
203. Walk part of the Atlas Mountains, Morocco
204. Trek the Drakensberg, South Africa
205. See the Red Ford, Delhi, India
206. Walk through the Old Town, Istanbul, Turkey
207. Admire the stained glass at Quadrat d'Or (Gold Quarter), Barcelona, Spain
208. Marvel at the Palm Jumeirah and other architectural wonders, Dubai, UAE
209. Attend an evening of Kabuki theater, Japan
210. Tour the Golden Triangle, (Jaipur, Delhi, Agra) India
211. Stay in a traditional ger (hut) and spend a few days walking in the wilderness, Gorkhi-Terelji National Park, Mongolia
212. Spend a night in a (not so touristy) Bedouin tent and learn about their culture, Sinai Desert, Egypt
213. Explore Sevilla's holiest buildings, Spain
214. Visit the world heritage sites within the old medina of Sanaa, Yemen
215. Participate in a Zulu culture tour to learn about and appreciate Zulu culture (past and present); September, Durban, South Africa
216. Eat vegetarian pho in Vietnam
217. Find and devour copious amounts of vegetarian sushi (and grilled eggplant), Japan
218. Stay at a Buddhist temple overnight, Vietnam
219. Take a cooking class, Vietnam
220. Delight in an afternoon cup of Orange Pekoe tea, Sri Lanka
221. Try at least 10 vegetarian dishes I have never had before and get the recipe, India
222. Take the train from Singapore to Bangkok
223. Raft the Class IV and V rapids on North Johnstone River, Australia
224. Raft the numerous class 5 rapids along th Sun Kosi River as the Himalayas roll past, Nepal
225. Observe wildlife in their natural habitat and get a new perspective (from the river!), Çoruh River, Turkey
226.  Volunteer at an Elephant sanctuary (or 5) and pamper one of the most intelligent and beautiful creatures on the planet, TBA
227. See a Bengal tiger (volunteer or safari if necessary), India
228. Cycle from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min (or a section of it), Vietnam
229. Take a bike and hit the road along Munda Biddi, Australia
230. Go bird watching in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
231. Take a cable car and train into OZ's rainforest, have a learn about Australian Aboriginals, Cairns, Australia (http://www.skyrail.com.au/tours/skyrail-kuranda-rail-tjapukai)
232. Fly the Coral Route: Auckland to Fiji to Cook Islands to Tahiti
233. Ride a balloon over the Nile and valley of the queens, Egypt
234. Take a small aircraft over Kruger National Park (June-October), South Africa
235. Visit Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul, South Korea
236. Get up close and personal with some pearl carrying clams, Tahiti
237. Follow Alexander the Great's journey across Turkey
238. Visit Middle-earth.  I mean Queenstown, New Zealand
239. Take a Don-Quixote themed trip around Spain
240. Become a pilgrim and follow the Santiago de Compostela route from France-Spain
241. Experience Jerusalem and Bethlehem, Israel
242. Trek out to Shifen Waterfall, Taiwan
243. Wander among the rock pinnacles at Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia
244. Stroll through Al Fayah (shade) park under a massive artificial canopy, Abu Dhabi
245. Explore the Coromandel and stop by Cathedral Cove, New Zealand
246. Dig a personal hot spring pool at Hot Water Beach, New Zealand
247. Explore the Sahara Desert by balloon
248. Stay at an eco-lodge and dive around the Raja Ampat Islands, Palau
249. Visit the Bimmah sinhole, Muscat, Oman
250. Take a relaxing walk through François Leguat Reserve, Mauritius
251. Capture the iconic Sydney Opera House fins on film, Australia
252. Try koshary (pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, onion, tomato salsa) in Egypt
253. Visit the Crystal Mosque at sunset, Terengganu, Malaysia
254. Take a walk back in time at Palácio Nacional da Pena, Sintra, Portugal
255. Go to the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
256. Find a great vantage point to photograph the Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
257. Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE
258. Visit Cao Dai Temple, Tay Ninh, Vietnam
259. Photograph the Jabal Qara Caves at sunset, Saudi Arabia
260. Cruise down the Musandam Fjords, Oman
261. Soak my toes in Tortum Waterfall, Turkey
262. See the pillars of light that dazzle in the skies above Moscow, Russia
263. Visit the underwater forest at Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan
264. Visit an active volcano, if possible, witness an eruption, anywhere!
265. Walk through the Longji Rice Fields, PRC
266. Enjoy an afternoon meander through the scenic old-style village of Shirakawa-go Village, Japan
267. Stand over the craggy cliffs of Victoria and marvel at the limestone rock formations, Australia
268. Get a good vantage point to watch the river meet the sea, Whitehaven Beach, Australia
269. Climb up to one of the many monasteries atop the Meteora rocks, Greece
270. Stay at a small B&B in Kalampaka or Kastraki and feel humbled living under the rock towers, Greece
271. Stay in Machulo village and take in the amazing views of the ragged mountains, Hushe Valley, Pakistan
272. Walk among the limestone terraces (UNESCO), Huanglong, PRC
273. Take a hike through some of the many beautiful rainforest trails, Seychelles
274. Scuba dive in one of the world's best dive spots, Seychelles
275. Dog sled across the forests surrounding Lake Baikal, Russia (Mongolia)
276. Tour Chittorgarh Fort and learn its history, India
277. Get a good view of Mount Arat, Turkey
278. Cycle through the Andalusian countryside, Spain
279. Rent bikes and cycle around Ubud and its surrounding villages, Bali, Indonesia
280. Visit all 10 UNESCO sites, Cyprus
281. See the neolithic settlement between Nicosia and Limassol (Choirokoitia), Cyprus
281. Mountain bike through the Paphos forest, Cyprus
282. Walk a train on the Akamas Peninsula, Troodos mountains, Cyprus
283. Kayak around the Akamas peninsula in the early morning, Cyprus
284. Watch a hand woven rug being made, Latchi, Cyprus
285. Sample the local honey and olive oil with some fresh made bread, Cyprus
286. Try Halloumi in its native environment, Cyprus
287. Taste Avgolemeno (egg and lemon soup), Cyprus
288. Take a Russian train from Moscow to Saint Petersburg
289. Do a self guided walk to see as many UNESCO sites as possible, Saint Petersburg,  Russia
290. Visit Jeju Island lava tube, South Korea
291. Walk among the stone pinnacles of Shilin Stone Forest, PRC
292. Find a perch to admire Jaisalmer (Golden City) and Mehrangarh Fort, India
293. See the statues at Easter Island, Chile
294. Walk around The Sacred Mosque, Masjid al- Haram (Mecca), Audi Arabia
295. Appreciate the architectural beauty and sobering use (executions) of Registan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
296. Meditate at Borobudur temple, Java, Indonesia
297. Visit Hassan Il Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco
298. Get my feet wet in Pongua Falls, Vietnam
299. Marvel at the multi-tiered falls of Baatara Waterfall, Tannourine, Lebanon
300. Enjoy the quiet solitude of the moss gardens (Saiho Ji), Kyoto, Japan
301. Take a deep breath and enter Kyaut Sae Cave, Burma
302. Take a balloon trip over the Serengeti National Park
303. Try an areal view of Bagan via balloon, Burma
304. Stay at the Cappadocia Academy for art and culture and take a class, Turkey
305. Visit the ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur, Bangladesh
306. Swim in a remote crater-lake, Virachay National Park, Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia
307. Take a guide and explore the ruins in heavily forested Preah Vihear province, Cambodia
308. Eat some amazing vegetarian curry, anywhere Cambodia
309. Savor Khmer desserts (like sweet dumplings and sticky rice), Cambodia
310. Take a cooking course in Siem Reap, Cambodia
311. Attend a traditional Cambodian dance and dinner, Siem Reap, Cambodia
312. Find an NGO and help if possible, anywhere Cambodia
313. Climb Habutilico and Mt Ramelau, East Timor
314. Walk among the historic Portuguese houses, Baucau, East Timor
315.  Dive in Dili, East Timor
316. Spend a day with a good book on a remote beach, Atauro Island, East Timor
317. Go wildlife spotting (both marine and land) and get great photos, East Timor
318. Watch a traditional East Timoran dance （tebe dai) and sample local cuisine
319. Observe a traditional tais (textile) being made, buy a few to take home, East Timor
320. Take a batik course, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
321. Take ceramic workshop at an open air studio (Sari Api Studio, Jalan Suweta street), Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
322. Learn how to make a Canang sari (traditional Hindu offering), Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
323. Learn wood carving, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
324. Enjoy a traditional dance performance (and maybe even learn some moves), Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
325. Komodo National Park to watch Komodo Dragons in their natural envionment (UNESCO), Indonesian Archipelago
326. Wander among the temples, Prambanan Temple Compounds (UNESCO), Java, Indonesia
327. Visit the Sangiran Early Man Site and appreciate human history (UNESCO), Java, Indonesia
328. Walk through the traditional Confucian Jongmyo Shrine (UNESCO), Seoul, South Korea
329. Appreciate Buddhist art at Seokguram Grotto and Bulgaksa Temple (UNESCO), South Korea
330. Learn about Korea's complex history at Changdeokgung Palace Complex (UNESCO), Seoul, South Korea
331. Explore Hwaseong Fortress (UNESCO), Gyeonggi-do Province
332. Visit the Korean stone henge (Dolmen Sites) and compare (UNESCO), Ganghwa-gun County, Incheon
333. Buddhist art and sculpture appreciation (UNESCO), Gyeongju City, South Korea
334. Royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (UNESCO), South Korea
335. Meander through the historicd preserve villages of Hahoe and Yangdong (UNESCO), South Korea
336. Visit Himeji-jo, 17th century castle (UNESCO), Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
337. Walk through the virgin forests of Shirakami- Sanchi (UNESCO), Aomori/Akita Prefecture, Japan
338.  Hike through Yakushima and catch a glimpse of some of the rare species that habitat here (UNESCO), Kumage-gun Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan
339. Historic monuments of Uji and Otsu cities (UNESCO), Kyoto, Shiga prefecture, Japan
340. Historic villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (UNESCO), Gifu/Toyama prefectures, Japan
341. Hiroshima peace memorial(Genbaku Dome) (UNESCO), Hiroshima prefecture, Japan
342. Istukushima Shinto Shrine in the Seto sea (UNESCO), Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan
343. Historic monuments of Nara (UNESCO), Japan
344. Nikko Temples and shrines (UNESCO), Tochigi Prefecture, Japan
345. Ryukyu Kingdom historical sites (Gusuku sites) (UNESCO), Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
346. Hike the pilgrimage route in the Kii Mountain Range (UNESCO), Nara Prefecture, Japan
347. Trek into Shiretoko national park and enjoy the natural beauty and serenity, Hokkaido, Japan
348. Visit the Hiraizumi (temples, gardens, archaeological) sites, Japan
349. Appreciate 8th century art in Quseir Amra, Az Zarqa', Jordan
350. Spend a relaxing day in the natural beauty of Wadi Rum Protected Area, Jordan
351. View the petroglyphs at Tamgaly Gorge (about 4,000 years old), Kazakhstan
352. Bird watching in Saryarka (steppe and lakes) of north Kazakhstan
353. Visit an ancient Roman outpost: Um er-Rasas, Madaba, Jordan
354. Hike along Sulaiman-Too Sacred Mountain for amazing views, Kyrgyzstan
355. Temple hop, Luang Prabang, Laos
356. Visit ancient settlements (Vat Phou) of Champasak cultural landscape, Laos
357. Contemplate the ruins of the ancient city of Anjar, Lebanon
358. Appreciate the cultural sharing of the ancient period, Baalbek, Lebanon
359. Multiple civilizations built atop one another, Byblos, Lebanon
360. Visit this ancient Roman city, Tyre, Lebanon
361. Roam through the cedar forest of Oadi Qadisha (Holy Valley), Lebanon
362. Catch the early rays of morning at Maloti-Drakensberg Park, Lesotho/South Africa
363. Trek into the rainforest at Atsinanana and spot a lemur or two, Madagascar
364. Stroll through royal history at the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, Madagascar
365. Visit Gunung Mulu National Park, Borneo, Malaysia
366. Trek through Nam Ha National Protected Area and Akha villages, Laos
367. Cruise the waters of Si Phan Don in search of the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, Laos
368. Learn about the history and architecture at Wat Phu Champasak, Laos
389. Go cave exploring, Vang Vieng, Laos
390. Shop at an early morning market and cook up the spoils Laos style, Laos
391. Stop in Nong Khiaw and explore the surrounding Hmong and Khamu villages (Sunrise Hotel), Laos
392. Walk through the Plain of Jars and marvel at 2,000 year old human ingenuity, Phonsavan, Laos
393. Volunteer a few hours at Big Brother Mouse and read to local children, Laos
394. Wallow with the water buffalo, Si Phan Don, Laos
395. Take a boat up to Pak Ou to explore the Buddha statue filled caves, Laos
395. See the golden Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos
396. Take a river tour of the Mekong river, Laos
397. Check out Bokeo province, its beautiful landscapes and peoples, Laos
398. Trek the 100 waterfalls, Laos
399. Learn how to care for and possibly ride an elephant properly, Laos
400. Try some vegetarian French food, Laos
401. Try at least 5 local vegetarian dishes, including Khao Piak Sen (Laos version of Pho), Laos
402. Hike the coastal trails of Pulau Perhentia, Malaysia
403. Get some amazing photos of famously colorful fish while snorkeling, Pulai Perhentia, Malaysia
404. Trek through the Kelabit highlands, Malaysia
405. Climb Mt Kinabalu and appreciate the fresh air and amazing views Borneo (approx 9 hrs to summit and back, Malaysia
406. Reward myself for rigorous day hike up to Mt Kinabalu's summit with a soak in Poring Hot Springs, Kinabalu National Park, Borneo, Malaysia
407. If in bloom, check out the Rafflesia flowers, Poring hot springs, Borneo, Malaysia
408. Visit and donate to Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, Malaysia
409. Take a boat tour and visit a traditional (and modern!) Longhouse, Belaga, gBorneo, Malaysia
410. Take a walking tour through Melaka and Georgetown, Malaysia
411. Ride a helicopter around Kinabalu, Malaysia
412. Straddle the equator at the equator monument, Malaysia
413. Float along a market on water, Malaysia
414. Visit the Keraton Kadriah palace, Malaysia
415. Learn about the Bajau Horsemen of Kota Belud, Malaysia
416. Visit Sarawak Cultural Village to learn about how traditional buildings are built, Malaysia
417.  Stay at a local aboriginal homestay in the Long Pasia Highland and spend a few days hiking through the jungle, Malaysia
418. Spot a dugong while scuba diving around the Mantani Islands, Malaysia
419. Stay at Turtle Island and hopefully catch a glimpse of a turtle laying its eggs, Malaysia
420. Spot a Pangolin on Gaya Island (Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park), Malaysia
421. Visit the archaeological site of Pyu Ancient Cities (UNESCO), Burma
422. Walk through the Shwedagon Pagoda at sunset, Yangon, Burma
423. Watch for birds at dawn, Inle Lake, Burma
424. Take that "money shot" on U Bein Bridge, Burma
425. Walk through the ancient temple complex of Mrauk U Ruins, Burma
426. Take daily meditative walks along Ngwesaung Beach and chant with the monks, Burma
427. Cruise the Irrawady river via boat or balloon, Burma
428. Cycle around Mandalay like a local, Burma
429. Stay with a local home stay in every location, Burma
430. View the elusive "black orchid" in Putao, Burma
431. Hire a local guide and learn about local tribes (bring gifts!), Burma
432. Search for humpback whales in French Polynesia (July-October)
433. Get up close and personal with bottlenose dolphins in Greece (June-September)
434. Hop in a boat and troll the seas for sperm whales, Kaikoura (South Island), New Zealand
435. Indulge an all-inclusive spa, anywhere
436. Trek through part of the transcaucus mountain range, making sure to stop and appreciate the 4th century churches along the way, Armenia (April-June)
437. Take a walk through the Blue Mountains, Australia
438. Have a peak at the red tinged gorges and waterfalls, Karijini National Park, Australia
438. Take a tip from a local naturist and try to spot a platypus, Australia
439. Glimpse an elephant or giraffe in its natural habitat, Botswana
440. Walk across the white salt flats of Makgadikgadi, Botswana (April- May/August- October)
441. Float through the floating village of Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
442. Visit Kashi, the last China-based silk road station, China
443. Make an obligatory stop at the Dunhuang caves, China
444. Appreciate the vastness (and expansion) of the Taklamakan Desert, China
445. Travel along the roads through Tianshan, first traveled by silk road merchants, China
446. Glimpse Mount Kailas, from which the four sacred rivers of the region flow, China
447. Visit the place Aphrodite first came ashore carried by sea foam, Petra tou Romiou, Cyrpus
448. Meditate in the 11th century Kykkos Monastery, Cyprus
449. Tour the castle St Hilarion, Northern Cyprus (Turkey)
450. Photograph the major funerary sites around Cairo: Ramses II, Alabaster Sphinx, Saqqara, Fayyum, Egypt
451. Visit ancient Thebes and tour the temples of Luxor and Karnak, Egypt
452.  Spend a day temple hopping in the Colossi of Memnon before meandering through the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, Egypt
453. Learn about the mummification process at the Mummification Museum, Luxor, Egypt
454. Visit the temples of Isis, Island of Philae, Egypt
455. Marvel at the ancient river-measuring tools, Elephantine Island, Egypt
456. Appreciate an early Coptic Monasteries and Roman ruins,  Kharga Oasis, Egypt
457. Stay at an eco-friendly beach resort on the Mediterranean coast, Egypt (Nov- Feb)
458. Photograph the red sea reefs underwater while scuba/snorkeling, Egypt (Best: Sept-Nov)
459. Pay tribute to the world's most famous library and accompanying museum, Alexandria, Egypt
460. Walk through the first/second century catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria, Egypt
461. Appreciate ancient elegance and decadence at Ras el-Tin Palace, Egypt
462. Visit the Siwa Oasis and take in the beautiful but desolate desert views, Egypt
463. Explore the beautiful multicolored sandstone landscape of Colored Canyon and Mount St Catherine, Egypt
464. Get to the Dakhla Oasis for a more local feel, Egypt
465. Take in the views of the Blue Nile Falls, Ethiopia
466. Appreciate the dramatic views of Lake Tana, Tana Mountains National Park, Ethiopia
467. Walk through the 12th century churches in Laibela, Ethiopia
468. Church tour the beautiful 17th century churches of Gondar, Ethiopia
469. Wander around the white walled city of Harer, Ethiopia
470. Visit the ruins and steles of Aksum, Ethiopia
471. Trek up Mount Simean, Ethiopia
472. Scuba dive in the lagoon of Bay of Citron, New Caledonia (April-May; July-August)
473. Visit the Hienghene region and stay in a traditional village home and learn about local culture, New Caledonia
474. Hike through the inner forests and spot some of the rare species of birds, New Caledonia
475. Photograph the geothermal hotsprings at Waimangu, New Zealand (Sept-March, or snow July-Oct)
476. Take a walk through Tongagariro National Park, New Zealand
477. Hike through Westland National Park and visit the craters, New Zealand
478. Sneak a peek at NZ's national bird, the Kiwi, at Fiordland National Park, New Zealand
479. Orca watch off the coast of Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand
480. Visit the garden city, Christchurch, and take day hikes into the surrounding wilds, New Zealand
481. Fly over Okavango Delta and photograph the dramatic landscape, Botswana
482. Explore the fortified mountain villages along with the canyons in which they sit, Jebel Akhdar, Oman
483. Scuba off the Musandam Peninsula, Oman
484. See a cattle auction at Nizwa, Oman (Nov-March)
485. See the HQ of Knights Templar, Tomar, Portugal
486. Visit Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal
487. Walk through King Ferdinand II's summer palace, Sintra Palace, Portugal
488. Enjoy the traditional Portuguese architecture of Porto, Portugal
489. Wander among the incense trees, Oman
490. Hike the coastal trail of the Azores, Portugal (April-Oct)
491. Trek it to as many of Moscow's historic monuments as possible: Kremlin, Ostankino, Kuskovo, (palaces), Dormition Cathedral, Kadashi (church), Novodevichi Convent, Russia
492. Stroll the Nevsky Prospekt and meander through the major monuments: Peter and Paul Cathedral, St Isac's Cathedral, Church of Resurrection, Smolny Institute,  St Nicholas Sailors Church, Pushkin's House, St Sophia Cathedral, Piskarevo Cemetery
493. Spend a day at the Hermitage Museum and learn about Russia's rich history through art, Russia
494. Visit Tolstoy's house, Russia
495. Relax and snorkel on a beach in the Seychelles
496. Hike into the forests of Praslin Island, Seychelles (April-June/Sept-Nov)
497. Appreciate the KwaZulu-Natal rock art of ancient indigenous peoples, South Africa
498. Trek up to Table Mountain and take in the beautiful views and take the cable car down, South Africa
499. Learn about traditional crafts and dance, South Africa (May- October)
500. Hike the coastal Taebaek Mountain range, South Korea (July- October)

Very exciting day today-

The first part of my language/travel package arrived from Amazon.  Because we're planning to travel to so many countries, and because we have 3 years of waiting around and saving before we can feasibly go anywhere, I decided to use up the rewards points from my credit card and buy a whole bunch of language sets and a couple of travel books.  In the end, I paid less than half the marked price for each item, so I'm feeling rather justified in my purchases.

The language sets I purchased included:

Complete Living Language:  Arabic

Complete Living Language:  Korean

Complete Living Language:  Japanese

Complete Hindi (Teach yourself)


In addition to these, I am also going to attempt to review French.  This is obviously going to be a long term project, but I am hoping to gain intermediate proficiency in at least three of these before we start traveling.  Ideally, I'd like to reach intermediate level with Arabic and Hindi since Japanese and French will be review... but it's still a monumental task, regardless, so I'm just going to do my best and see how far I can get.

Because I am one of those people that strongly believe in communication, I can't imagine traveling without knowing at least a basic level of language for the regions we'll be traveling through.  Thanks to the large influx of Mainland Chinese tourists throughout the region, Chinese is now spoken throughout East and Southeast Asia almost as prolifically as English is in Europe *almost.*  For us, that means we have a head start in terms of communicability, but as we travel West, we'll need to start adapting our language skills to local demands.  Hopefully, we'll have at least a basic idea of all of these languages- at least to do basic touring and eating- but my personal goal is to learn up to at least the intermediate level before we go!  Wish me luck!

As I go through the sets, I'll be posting reviews both here and on Amazon, so stay tuned to see what it's like to work with and through a complete language edition; I'm sure there will be plenty of stories of success and duress in the months to come!

Wishlisted Countries

 As we begin making a list of countries of interest, there are tons of places that look beautiful and boast plenty of interesting sites, be they archeological or architectural, cultural or historical, natural or man made, but some of them, like Taiwan, are still disputed... or, in other cases, colonial or protectorate territories (which leads to some interesting questions: do they still count as countries?  and for that matter, what about autonomous zones within countries such as Hong Kong/Macau, or  New Caledonia?).

For a great video on country-status that gives a simple explanation of a complex issue, have a look at CGPGrey's video here:
How Many Countries Are There?

The world has somewhere between 191 and 257 countries, depending on who you ask; 191 countries are undisputed, while the rest are officially contested by other (usually officially recognized) nations.  One fantastic example is Taiwan; fully independent government elected by the populous, functionally completely independent, with a very strong sense of national identity- in a recent study over 90% of the population identified as Taiwanese (no small feat- just 20 years earlier over 70% identified as the "true" Chinese people, code for rightful leaders of the Mainland)- but denied UN membership (although it used to have it) along with any global legitimacy. 

Many countries relegated to the 'other' category are also totally independent, totally safe to visit, and possibly incredibly awesome (like Taiwan!) so we are trying to keep an open mind as this list grows, and then shrinks again to a more manageable number.  There are several territories, protectorates, and disputed nations on the list, but take their status with a grain of salt; official title does not a country make!


That said, here is a look at what we've got so far!

1. Japan
2. Korea
3. Australia
4. New Zealand
5. New Caledonia
6. Fiji
7. Vanuatu
8. East Timor
9. Malaysia
10. Indonesia
11. Papua New Guinea
12. China
13. Tibet
14. Mongolia
15. Vietnam
16. Loas
17. Thailand
18. Cambodia
19. Burma (Myanmar)
20.  Bhutan
21. Nepal
22. Bangladesh
23. India
24. Sri Lanka
25. Maldives
26. Pakistan
27. Turkey
28. Greece
29. Cyprus
30. Iran
31. UAE (specific locations TBA)
32. Saudi Arabia
33. Lebanon
34. Syria
35. Jordan
36. Israel
37. Egypt
38. Tunisia
39. Morocco
40. Tanzania
41. Zimbabwe
42.  Madagascar
43. South Africa
44. Spain/Portugal (Fly home)

Which countries have you been to?  Which do you recommend or not?  Why? Let us know what you think!