Erin Goes Global: 1-Year Update *Video*

Happy New Year!

I can’t believe I’ve already completed one year of my 2-year Erin Goes Global adventure! I was rockin’ and rollin’ the whole time – hitting 92 cities in 36 countries! Whew!

Here’s a quick recap on my worldwide trek:

Can’t see this video? Click on the link: 1-Year Update

1-Year Highlights:

• 36 of countries and 92 cities – check out my travel map! Whew! I was rockin’ and rollin’ the whole time!

• $21,335 donations given – 48 grants were awarded from the GoErinGo! Fund, 63% to international organizations and 37% to U.S.-based charities.

• 4 is the number of times I was sick on the road.

1. ER visit in Tasmania after an allergic reaction to sand fly bite while kayaking New Zealand’s fiords
2. Two Bush Surgeries in Uganda after picking up parasites in my feet in a Mozambique market
3. Food Poisoning in Laos necessitating a flight to Phnom Phen for blood tests (you know you’re sick when you fly into Cambodia for medical attention…)
4. Dive Care Center after my ear drum tore in Honduras due to poorly equalizing during deep water dives.

New Favorites:

• Beach: The island of Palawan, Philippines
• Sporting Adventure: Pony Trekking in Lesotho (second:3-day kayaking trip in New Zealand’s fiords )
• Dive Spot: Wreck diving in Colon, Philippines (second: Read Sea of the Sinai)
• City: Cairo – even with all the unrest, this is a fabulous city! (second: Dbrovnik, Croatia)
• Animal: Tasmanian Devil that I adopted in Australia (second: Indoensia’s famous Komodo dragons)
• Landscape: Australia’s never-ending Outback (second: Drakenberg Mountains in South Africa)
• Cutlure: Laos’ beautiful Buddhist culture (second: Mozambique with its Portuguese influence)
• Food: Tasty Lebanese is now my favorite! (second: fresh Vietnamese)
• Most Idiotic Antic: Hippo-ing across the Zambezi River in Zambia — nothing compares, here’s the video of me sitting on the edge of Victoria Falls

The Best Part:

The best part of my travels was meeting all of you along the way! There truly is a community of individuals – adventure philanthropists – involved in volunteering and running organizations on a global scale.

• Enthusiastic Volunteers: I had no idea there were so many people sharing their talents and ideas. Here’s just a few of my new-found friends: Rizwan in Egypt, Jo & Di in Uganda, Kristin in Honduras, Juan in Ethiopia, Helen and Peter in Mozambique, and Suzanne in Zambia!

• Inspirational Leaders: I met amazing individuals who are running thoughtful, productive nonprofit organizations in every corner of the world! Leaders like Yudit in Israel, Duncan in Uganda, Antony in Zambia, Brenda in Australia, Noel in South Africa, Zenaye in Ethiopia, Luther in Honduras, and Joanne in Lebanon. You all are making the world a better place!

On Tap for 2012

Can’t wait to hit the road for another year! On New Year’s Day, I’m setting off for South Asia – India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka = Here I come!

Thank you for the support over the year and all your comments and emails. Keep ‘em coming! See you on the road!

Tags: global trek, South Asia, Travel, world nomad

This entry was posted on Monday, January 2nd, 2012 and is filed under Erin Now.