Hey y’all! I thought this might be a fun way to post a blog about what I think about the trip so far in the form of lists. We as world racers read tons of lists when packing for the trip and tried to get everything we thought we would need. This is a top ten list of my top ten different topics. I also want to point out that I am just over half way point on this journey so these could change in the next half. I also want to say everyones race is different so do not try to pack based off of this. I also haven’t been able to think of 10 for every set but I did my best. Here goes.
My Top 10 Top 10
Top 10 things I am glad I brought on the race.
1- Tony’s
2- Hanging toiletry bag
3- Chaco’s
4- External hard drive
5- Hammock
6- Pens/ Sharpies
7- Sarong’s
8- Ziplock’s
9- Yoga pants
10- Extra headphone’s
Top 10 items that I could have gone without
1- Tent
2- “In case” meds
3- Collapsable bowl
4- Actual books
5- Pocket knife
6- Waterproof pack cover
7- 6 sticks of deodorant.. they said you wouldn’t find stick deodorant on the field… they lied.
8- “Extra” clothes
9- Tampons/ Pads – SERIOUSLY get a Diva cup
10-
Top 10 items I wish I would have brought
1- Extra Chapstick
2- Pillow
3- I-pod and a phone, bc no music is a no go for travel days
4- Blank paper or index cards for notes
5- Headphone splitter
6- Address’s for people back home (postcards, thank you’s for family/supporters)
7- A smaller day pack
8- A regular deck of cards
9- GoPro
10- More pictures/ mementos from home
Top 10 items I seriously couldn’t have done the race without:
1- 2 towels
2- Nalgene/Camel Pac Bladder
3- Sleeping-bag liner (the lime green one has an insect shield)
4- Baby wipes
5- A journal/ notebook
6- A camera
7- A bible
8- Different shoes… I brought 1 pair flip flop/shower shoes, one pair of Nike’s and Chaco’s
9- An airporter
10- A watch
Top 10 things I have eaten/drank on the race:
1- Rice
2- Eggs (only the whites for me)
3- Bread
4- Peanutbutter
5- Beans
6- Noodles
7- Chicken
8- Banana’s
9- Tea/ Coffee
10- Cabbage/greens
Top 10 food/drinks I miss from home:
1- Mom’s Gumbo
2- Dad’s Crawfish
3- Aunt Ro’s Artichoke Casserole
4- King Cake
5- Boudin
6- Gramma’s Dirty Rice
7- Margaritas. Frozen with salt…
8- Angry Orchard
9- CranApple Juice
10- Arnold Palmer
Top 10 favorite times on the race:
1- Renting Mo-peds in Chang Mai Thailand
2- Zip lining at Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe Africa
3- Riding Elephants in Chang Mai Thailand
4- Jumping off of a 40 ft ledge in Manila Philippines
5- The Temples in Siem Reap Cambodia
6- Snorkeling in Lake Malawi in Africa
7- Declaring love for myself with hopes of being able to one day love myself in Thailand
8- The moment I thanked God for the love I had for myself in Vietnam
9- A night with friends in Ho Chi Men Vietnam
10- Sharing my testimony and 24 children accepting Christ after in Malawi Africa
Top 10 worst things that have happened on the race:
1- Sharting on travel day. (NEVER trust a fart)
2- Having to get the bus to stop so you could throw up.
3- Running out of toilet paper on a day that you cant stop going to the bathroom..
4- Losing your phone/Ipod on the bus ride from hell (1,2 & 4 were all on the same travel day)
5- Your “friends” make you throw away your Tony’s before you even leave the U.S.
6- When your friends leave the Race
7- Being “that treasurer” who lost team money in Thailand
8-
9-
10-
Top 10 lessons so far on the Race:
1- Learning to love myself
2- Letting God be bigger than my past hurts and scars
3- Choosing Joy
4- Being open and vulnerable
5- To have a deeper Trust and Faith in God by overcoming worry
6- Having life breathing and uplifting words when speaking to others
7- Slow to feel and show reaction
8- Learning to listen first and then speak if God gives me something
9- Fruits of the Spirit
10- Being Positive/ not complaining
Top 10 Bible verses that have helped me get through life on the race so far:
1- Joshua 1:9
2- James 1:2-3
3- 2 Timothy 4:17
4- Philippians 4:8
5- Hebrews 12:1
6- Ephesians 4:2-5
7- 1 Corinthians 16:13-14
8- Proverbs 31
9- Romans 8:28
10- Psalms 139:13-16
ALrighty that’s my list’s! Hope you area all doing well back home and I will have a blog coming soon about time serving here in Zambia. Please keep in my mind that I have my last financial deadline coming up. I still have to raise $3,100 in the next week, so prayers, encouragement and or support would be greatly appreciated. Thank you all SO much for all the time y’all have invested in this life changing time and all the support y’all have given me. Each and everyone of you mean SO much to me. Thanks!
