This next part of our adventure I'd like to call 'Around the World in 60 days'. We decided we would take the extended route from New Zealand back to the United States. We are already international, with only carry-ons for our luggage. We have the time, as my job in the States starts in October, and sweet Hazel is still being cared for at home (thanks, Mom!)
We thought there wouldn't be a better time to do a massive international trip, so we went for it.
Our itinerary includes:
Japan (2 weeks)
Followed by a whirlwind tour of Southeast Asia as we travel west:
Seoul (overnight)-> Taipei (overnight)-> Singapore (two nights)
Next, we spend two nights in Dubai (I know, in the middle of summer- what were we thinking?!)
From there, we go to Europe, starting in Italy (five nights). We take the train to Switzerland (four nights), Munich (two nights), Salzburg (overnight), Slovenia (three nights), and then switch to a car to spend five days exploring Croatia. We finish in Dubrovnik, where we fly to Norway for five nights. From there, we go to Scotland for another five nights. We end our trip in Dublin, where we'll spend two nights before flying back to the States.
If it sounds like an absolutely insane plan, it's because it is. It's 58 nights in hotels, multiple flights, countless train rides, and probably hundreds of reservations.
We've spent months planning this trip. I say 'we', but I really mean William. He has a passion for credit card rewards and points. He keeps all of them on a spreadsheet and knows how to transfer points like you wouldn't believe. He has redeemed over 2 million points from multiple airlines, hotel groups, and other deals. Between flights and hotels, we have gotten over $40,000 cash value for free. It is completely mind blowing and I am very grateful to be the recipient of his talents.
We are grateful for our time in New Zealand. We had some incredible trips throughout our six months there. I learned a lot during my fellowship, even though it was a bit different than I expected (which is just normal in life). Even though I didn't do as much 'hot' trauma as I thought (pelvis, acetabulum, complex articular fractures), it was still valuable. I met a lot of wonderful people and even got to work with some of the tumor surgeons there. I wouldn't trade our time in NZ for the world!
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