"People"

At the end of every trip I like to come up with one word that sums up the whole trip, a la Elizabeth Gilbert, my favorite author. Last year in Australia it was "the view." The trip was all about the view while scuba diving on the reef, or from on top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and from the skyrail through the rainforest.

The word for this trip is "people." I've seen and interacted with so many monks, nuns, children, and villagers on this trip. And also, "people" in the sense of all my fellow travelers who I've grown to like so much! And I was so glad to have my great roomie, Carmen, so i wouldn't be the only one on this trip under 50 years old! There have been great people all the way around on this trip.