Blog Trip Summary

The Romaniacs World Tour Aug 2008 – Apr 2009

Executive Summary

Left US on Aug 17, 08 – returned to Romania Mar 1, 2009 195 days

11 countries 52,000 miles (FYI: Earth circumference is 25k miles)

◦ In the air: 38,200 miles – 16 flights◦ Land: 13,400 miles – 2 vans, 1 car, 1 jeep, 2 scooters◦ Water: 614 miles/550 nautical miles – 6 ferries, 3 kayaks, 1

canoe◦ Hiking: 156 miles

Used up 1560 liters/404 gallons of gasoline 62 hotels, motels, campgrounds, friends’ houses,

resorts, campers, etc. Total expenses average ~$400/day

Some Numbers

Bought 26 music albums of local music Bought 31 pieces of jewelry for L Tried 100+ types of new drinks (not

counting the non-alcoholic ones) – poster to come

Recorded 380 GB of videos (2/3 in hi def) Took 35 GB/17,700 photos

More Numbers

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie (Jodhaa Akbar) at

outdoors cinema on the beach

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema on the

beach Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock Australia: Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock Australia: Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta Australia: Sunset in the desert at Coober Pedy

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock Australia: Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta Australia: (Pedestrian) wine tour at Clare Valley

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock Australia: Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta Australia:(Pedestrian) wine tour at Clare Valley Australia: Cheese platter w/ Shiraz at Chateau

Tanunda

Memorable moments

Singapore: Eid al-Fitr in the Geylang market Australia: Indian movie at outdoors cinema Australia: Katherine Gorge Australia: Devil’s Marbles Australia: Night sky at Uluru/Ayers Rock Australia: Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta Australia:(Pedestrian) wine tour at Clare Valley Australia: Cheese platter w/ Shiraz at Chateau

Tanunda Australia: The desolate Southern Ocean on the

Great Ocean Road

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach Australia: The Great Barrier Reef

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach Australia: The Great Barrier Reef Fiji: Kayaking at sunset on the lagoon

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach Australia: The Great Barrier Reef Fiji: Kayaking at sunset on the lagoon Fiji: Laid back on the beach

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach Australia: The Great Barrier Reef Fiji: Kayaking at sunset on the lagoon Fiji: Laid back on the beach Fiji: Drinking kava with the villagers

Memorable moments

Australia: The solitude of the Melanesian Beach Australia: Petting a Koala at Port Macquarie Australia: Turtles laying eggs at Mon Repo beach Australia: The Great Barrier Reef Fiji: Kayaking at sunset on the lagoon Fiji: Laid back on the beach Fiji: Drinking kava with the villagers Fiji: Hidden waterfall in the jungle

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales New Zealand: Snow peaks over the grapevines at

Kaikoura

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales New Zealand: Snow peaks over the grapevines at

Kaikoura New Zealand: Kayaking in the rain on Doubtful

Sound

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales New Zealand: Snow peaks over the grapevines at

Kaikoura New Zealand: Kayaking in the rain on Doubtful

Sound New Zealand: Hiking the Fox Glacier

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales New Zealand: Snow peaks over the grapevines at

Kaikoura New Zealand: Kayaking in the rain on Doubtful

Sound New Zealand: Hiking the Fox Glacier New Zealand: Sailing quietly through the Glow

Worm Caves of Waitomo

Memorable moments

New Zealand: Maori Show at Rotorua New Zealand: Facing off with seals at Kaikoura New Zealand: Chasing whales New Zealand: Snow peaks over the grapevines at

Kaikoura New Zealand: Kayaking in the rain on Doubtful

Sound New Zealand: Hiking the Fox Glacier New Zealand: Sailing quietly through the Glow

Worm Caves of Waitomo New Zealand: Climbing Mt Roy

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium Easter Island: The giant Moais

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium Easter Island: The giant Moais Easter Island: The Tapati Festival

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium Easter Island: The giant Moais Easter Island: The Tapati Festival Argentina: The little cafes of Buenos Aires

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium Easter Island: The giant Moais Easter Island: The Tapati Festival Argentina: The little cafes of Buenos Aires Brazil: A beleza do carnaval…

Memorable moments

Hawai’i: The telescopes of Mauna Kea Hawai’i: Swimming with the giant turtles Tahiti: Tahiti seen from Moorea Tahiti: Full moon over the palm trees Tahiti: Snorkeling in the Moorea Lagoonarium Easter Island: The giant Moais Easter Island: The Tapati Festival Argentina: The little cafes of Buenos Aires Brazil: A beleza do carnaval… Brazil: The Sambadrome parade

Memorable moments

New Zealand staring cows Leonardo da Vinci had exquisite taste in beer Gas at 20 c/gallon in Qatar Dinner at Juta No laundry for 3 weeks Chased by a crazy bee Bus ride from hell in Rio Being locked out at our friend, Richard Luana’s first “contact” with an electric fence Being stared at by a gang at the Papeete

ferry dock

(Increasingly not so) Funny Moments

Food:◦ Best: Singapore◦ Worst: Australia (esp. in the Outback)

Drinks:◦ Best beer: Max’s Gold (NZ)◦ Best wine: Chateau Tanunda (AUS)

Best looking:◦ Men: NZ Maoris◦ Women: Tahiti Polynesians

Best native art: NZ Most interesting indigenous culture: NZ Most ubiquitous tourists: the Germans Most annoying tourists: the French

Our (very subjective) Guinness Book

◦ Wireless Internet (almost) everywhere – Not in Tahiti

◦ McDonalds: everywhere, incl./esp. Qatar◦ Garrison Keillor on Australian Public Radio◦ American pop culture – everywhere◦ American apples – same as above◦ Romanian music – Easter island ◦ Romanian cars – Tahiti and Argentina◦ European Union school – Fiji◦ Debit card worked EVERYWHERE (OK, the same

exception as above)

We Live in a Global World

G: not getting a Maori tattoo G: not flying a powered hang glider G: Rugby out of season Down Under L: not being more relaxed in the beginning L: not doing whitewater rafting

Biggest regrets of our trip

Stay tuned for new adventures