Hey Jenna! I’m glad you got something from this 🙂 It was very therapeutic to write and helped me let go of some nagging regrets and I’m really glad to hear it helped another traveler as well.

I’m so glad you got something from it, Stacey! I got a lot of closure from writing this and overall have always looked back on the trip with fond memories.

I’m sorry about the tough thing your family is going through :(. I’m glad you get to be home right now to spend time with them!

Thank you Fidel, that compliment means a lot coming from you! Your comments basically hit the nail on the head. We have such a beautiful luxury of exploring when we get to live somewhere and we want people to see that same side when they come to visit… but in reality, they are on a short-term vacation!

And yes, my Dad is pretty cool. We rented that GoPro and now I NEED one!

I like what you said about trying to cram in a week the fun you’ve experienced in nine months. Man, I have been there myself. When I lived in Los Angeles, any time a friend or family member visited, I tried to give them the ultimate So Cal tour without realizing that I’ve been living there for years and all the places I love seeing, I’ve seen them over the years not within a week.

Cloudy days suck! Seems like I never get those picture perfect postcard days all the time when I travel either. While I was in Koh Ngai, most of the mornings were gray and the tide was too high. In Florence, it rained every morning, only to clear up and turn sunny in the afternoon. I guess its different when you are playing hosts and want people to see the same beauty you’ve been telling them about.

I think this has been one of your best written post.

Thank you Diane! I definitely think it’s important to “keep it real.” My only worry is looking too negative as I start to get honest about some rough things!