Home and NEVER leaving!

At least, that's what we keep telling people.

Our trip was wonderful.  We have been to so many incredible places (S. France, Perth, Manly, S. Africa, Thailand, and NYC just to name a few of our favorites), met and reunited with some really great people, and learned a lot about ourselves and each other.

Now, we're home and are working on laying some roots.  We just put down a deposit and first month's rent on a great studio on the north shore (thanks to the coconut wireless - especially Jamie and Mara) and we are in the process of finding cars.

Still no wedding plans... we have different fish to fry ;)  Our answer is still, "Not today".  And, eloping is still not off the table.

And, finally, THANK YOU so much to everyone - friends and family who we met along the way.  You all made each place and adventure so special (and sometimes possible) and we hope to see you again soon!

Aloha!
As Sue Collini on Californication would say:
ktwalkab-OUT

p.s. Congratulations Amanda and Greg!
p.s.s. Thanks Richard for letting us "house sit".

We're BACK

ktwalkabout is alive again!!!  We just booked tickets to NYC for April 18... so stay tuned, cuz we're BACK!!!

Until we meet again...

In twenty-one months, over six continents and thirteen countries we have experienced different cultures, sampled foods (delicious and not so appetizing), met new friends, reunited with old friends, seen some of the world’s wonders and ultimately circumnavigated the globe. We have gone places that we will definitely be revisiting in the future, and been happy to check others off the list as “done”. And, after traveling together all day every day for so long, we have learned A LOT about ourselves, each other, other cultures, and traveling in general.

Here is an incomplete list that we have compiled (in absolutely no order) of things we have learned/discovered during our walkabout:
- If left to our own devices, without prior appointments, we won’t get out of the house until noon.
- We love wine.
- We prefer to cook rather than go out.
- We are complete beach snobs.
- We REALLY love Hawaii.
- We are patriotic.
- Regardless of individual political preference, Americans abroad are accepted more enthusiastically when Obama is in office than most other recent presidents.
- Almost all people abroad get excited to learn that there is a visitor in their town from Hawaii.
- We are not as food adventurous as we once thought we were. While up for trying new things, we always go back to our old eating habits.
- Keeping a stash of toilet paper is always a good idea.
- As far as deadlines go, modeling agencies are like surfboard shapers in that you need to lie to each of them in order to get anything done in a timely manner.
- It’s easy to not dwell on money when you have it.
- The abolishment of apartheid in South Africa is more recent and less popular (within the country) than we ever imagined.
- In most cities, great neighborhoods can be found by locating areas with many dogs being walked.
- French people frequently say they can’t speak English even though they can- often that is out of embarrassment more than rudeness.
- Many people who smoke are rude.
- Todd hates people who act entitled.
- We are not happy living somewhere and not working there. (Who is?)
- Living in a place takes away much of the exoticness and excitement that exists when visiting the place.
- When vacationing, things not working and other idiosyncrasies are not only tolerable, but amusing or part of the adventure. When living in a place, those things are not so amusing and are in fact are VERY frustrating.
- Tourists frequently mistake us for locals but locals usually know we’re tourists.

Now we are back in the USA (just arrived a few days ago) with all of the familiar good and bad that being in Hawaii entails - family, friends, poke, musubi, Costco, SCREENS, the year-long presidential election process that dominates American media, North Shore surf and sand, our own familiar language, Pandora, driving on the right side of the road, massive potholes on the roads, Netflix, the ability to use credit cards in most places (with no international service fee), utilities that work (wifi, hot showers, potable water, toilets, toilets that accept toilet paper), turtle traffic, 7/11 coffees, Ross stores, long-term cell phone contracts, and Aloha.

While we are pretty sure we are finished with our international travels for a while, we are still planning on a domestic walkabout in the near future. So, ktwalkabout is not over… For now, we will use the French “au revoir”!

Aloha for a few weeks

After being out of the united States for almost a year, setting foot on American soil was a great feeling.  So great, in fact, that Kristina nearly hugged the US customs official because he was speaking English.  We will only be home for a few weeks, however, every moment in paradise is worth the jet lag that we are finally getting over.

While the public transport may not be very effective here and Hawaiian time is still just as frustrating as ever, the food is fantastic, the weather is perfect, the air is clean, the ocean is warm... and it's home.

Humpty-dumpty

Though we hoped to leave in March or April, humpty-dumpty heel took a while to heal and we are now scheduled to depart May 31st to NYC!

b4dabigtrip

We're 6 months out and getting excited already!