You Don’t Have to be Home to be Thankful

Thanksgiving

I may not be feasting on turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, gravy or my favorite, gravy, today, but I am celebrating our great American pastime in my own way with a huge helping of travel thanks. I have had such an unbelievable year, thanks in part to all those I mention below. There is absolutely no end to my gratitude for every kindness extended to me. Every ride, every room and every coffee has been accepted with such gratefulness that I can’t begin to express it.

My family — Mom & Dad, Alex & Rachel, Monga & Papa and all those who’ve supported my wild adventure, no matter how nuts it seemed at times. Thank you!

My friends back home – Some met me on the road, some checked in periodically to make sure I was ok out there on my own and others just “liked” every Facebook photo. I appreciate you!

My blogging & writing cohorts – Some I’ve met on the road, others helped me in the planning stages and still others are helping me to improve my site today. They’re all awesome. Thank you!

• Indie Travel Podcast
• Go, See, Write
• Camels & Chocolate
• The Lost Girls
• Bacon is Magic

My precious new travel friends from the road – The Flying Kiwis in New Zealand, The Dutchies & The Aussies from Bali, the Cold War Kids from the Stray Bus in Thailand & Laos, the Katerina’s wild bunch in Mykonos, Anthony & Nic from Ios, Barcelona, London & NYC, my intrepid felucca sailors & Mt. Sinai hiking pals in Egypt…. There are just too many new friends to name them all. But if I met you this year, THANK YOU!

FIJI

• Jenny & family at Nukubati
• Mitimiti & Uncle Gordon at the Fiji Orchid
• Mike at Fiji EcoTours
• Tourism Fiji

NEW ZEALAND

• Cliff & Deb McChesney, Waihi
• Al & Ruth McChesney, Christchurch
• Carmi Louw, Auckland
• The Auckland City Hotel
• SkyCity Hotel
• Neil, Shane, Holly & Caroline at Flying Kiwi
• Rangitata Rafting
• Kaikoura Dolphin Encounter
• Cathedral Cove Kayaks
• Zorb Rotorua

AUSTRALIA

• GoWest Tours, Melbourne
• John & Chris Gabbie, Brisbane
• Sarah Moran, Brisbane
• Water’s Edge & Marina Shores Resort, Airlie Beach
• Cruise Whitsundays & the crew of the Camira
• Tourism Whitsundays

INDONESIA

• Claude & Iyan at OneWorld Retreats, Ubud
• Chelsea, Jade, Melinda & Joyce at Surf Goddess Retreats, Seminyak
• The Oberoi Bali, Seminyak

THAILAND

• Lebua Sky Tower, Bangkok
• Stray Bus Asia (LAOS)
• Paradise Koh Yao Resort
• Yao Yai Resort
• Koh Yao Yai Village
• Niramaya Villas
• Indigo Pearl, Phuket
• The Pavilions, Phuket
• Bundarika, Phuket

GREECE

• San Marco Hotel, Mykonos
• Vencia Boutique Hotel, Mykonos
• Myconian Ambassador, Mykonos
• Petassos, Mykonos
• Iliomaris, Mykonos
• Bill & Coo, Mykonos
• Scandinavia Bar, Mykonos
• Stelios Famelis & everyone at Katerina’s restaurant in Little Venice, Mykonos
• Amelie Hotel, Santorini
• Astarte Suites, Santorini
• Aigialos hotel, Santorini
• Spitia Suites, Santorini
• Pelagos, Santorini
• Ether Suites, Santorini
• Santorini Dive Center
• Armadoros Hotel, Ios
• Liostasi Hotel, Ios

TURKEY

• Ada Hotel, Istanbul
• Hotel Basileus, Istanbul
• Voyager Balloons Cappadocia, Goreme

ENGLAND

• Mr. & Mrs. Lang at Little Mead B&B, Sparsholt
• The Draycott Hotel
• Katie Lee, Camden
• Indigo at One Aldwych

EGYPT

• Haytham Youssry & On the Go Tours
• Sara Kate Smith – thanks for the shoes!

KENYA

• Compassion International
• Sammy & Betty Kaunga and family, Ngong Hills
• &Beyond Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp, Masai Mara
• Sham & the Tribe Hotel & Spa, Nairobi

SOUTH AFRICA

• Blackheath Lodge, Cape Town
• An African Villa, Cape Town
• Susanne & Thomas at Greenways, Cape Town
• Alta Bay, Cape Town
• Great White Shark Diving Co.
• Chris Thiel
• Schoelphoek Guest House, Hermanus
• The Marine Hotel, Hermanus
• On The Vermont B&B, Hermanus
• Hermanus Backpackers

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!