The World Race has been an adventure like no other. In taking this huge step of faith, God has been so faithful. He has given me so many experiences and stories that I could have never even imagined happening. I have been blessed beyond words by every moment of the past 11 months and I would like to share some of it with you. So here are some of the wonderful, crazy, and sometimes bizarre things that have happened on the race:
Bolivia:
- My team scaled a mountain (we were vertically climbing, freehanded, with packs) then camped on top.
- We had a mud fights in the Beni River (the start to the Amazon).
- My team rode a bus for 28 hours down death road – the most dangerous road in the world.
- I rode a motorcycle!
Peru:
- I went sand-boarding, and I didn’t fall!
Ecuador:
- I straddled the equator.
- I had tea on the center of the world.
- I met the world’s fastest finger painter.
- I swung off “the edge of the world” – La Casa de Arbol.
- I celebrated my birthday salsa dancing!
Colombia:
- My team accidently rented a washing machine. A kid had to wheel it from the store to the church where we lived…on top of a mountain. And then we flooded the church with the dirty water from the machine.
Japan:
- I celebrated Thanksgiving on top of a mountain in a mansion with half my squad.
- I was a ninja for a day.
- I toured a famous samurai actor’s house.
- I went to Harry Potter World in Osaka.
- Green tea ice cream and kit-kats are amazing.
- I went to an Onsen – a traditional spa in the Japanese culture where everyone is nude.
- I started the tradition of the tooth fairy in a Japanese household.
Malaysia:
- My team sang Christmas carols in malls and hotels (on stages).
- I learned and preformed a sign language dance in front of 600 people.
- I lived in China Town for 4 days.
- My team did Indian ear candles and may have burned the carpet…and my hair.
Thailand:
- My team hard boiled eggs in a natural hot spring
- I went to my first national park
- Our host set up a picnic under the stars in the national park for us. They had to get special permission in order to do it.
- We went to the grand opening of a Buddhist temple and met the head monk.
- I learned to Thai dance from a teacher who has danced professionally in 4 countries and for the King of Thailand.
- I learned to play a Thai instrument – the Kong Wong.
- I got kissed on the cheek by an elephant and rode an elephant.
- I played with baby tigers and cuddled with adult tigers.
- I got a tattoo!
Cambodia:
- I went to Angkor Wat, one of the 7 wonders of the world.
- I met survivors of S-21 Prison, part of the mass genocide that took place in Cambodia.
Swaziland:
- I saw the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.
- A cow ate part of my teammate’s towel and then pooped on what was left.
- We had bonfires on top of the mountain, under the stars.
- My team loved to have dance parties in the kitchen.
Botswana:
- I watched our host family hunt and shoot a 6 ft. spitting cobra in the head (on Easter Sunday).
- I took a mokoro (basically a canoe) down the delta.
- I saw WILD elephants, giraffes, zebras, and other animals.
- I slept in a tent with wild baboons and hippos just outside.
- I drove on the opposite side of the road.
South Africa:
- I went to a Rugby Game.
- We went on the tallest rollercoaster in Africa.
Overall:
- In South America, I drove the length of the Andes Mountains.
- I have slept in 27 cities.
- I have lived in 12 countries and on 4 continents in the past year (including America).
- I have visited 12 countries (I went to Namibia while in Botswana).
- I’ve also tried some strange foods – fried little fish (similar to minnows), cow stomach, cow tongue, crackers made of squid ink, and eel.
