Around the World in 80 Days!

Actually, 79 days. But then, maybe the day gained by going east across the international date line counts as the extra one. In any event, on July 18, 2012, I will be completing the final leg of my around the world journey.

Total mileage/kilometers: 38,462 miles or 61,905 km. Equivalent to 1 1/2 times around the world.

Total flights taken: 27

Total airlines flown: 17, most of which were better than we expected and none of which were disastrous.

Number of luggage pieces lost: 0

Total countries visited: 16

Longest flight: Fiji to Los Angeles: 10 hours 20 min.

Number of flights canceled during trip: 1 (our original direct flight from Chiang Mai to Singapore. Replaced by two flights through Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur)

Least expensive hotel accommodation: Near Abote, Ethiopia ($12 a night)

Most expensive hotel accommodation: Singapore (if it were not for Carson's points at the Holiday Inn it would've cost us $250 per night)

Most surprising occurrence: The late night, unscheduled stop on our flight from Addis Ababa to Kuwait City to permit approximately 100 "domestic help" to disembark in Ad Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Highest location: top of Machu Picchu Mountain (3600 m/12,000 feet above sea level). Not that high when you consider Mount Everest is 29,000 feet/8348 m.

Lowest location: 20 m/60 feet, scuba diving below the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Fiji

Technological glitches: Computer power cord failure in Kuwait (replaced there but with an English plug-in! An iPhone charger cord explosion from a power surge in Fiji but I had a backup with me!)

Illnesses: None, except a bad cold in Auckland New Zealand for three days.

Number of Positively Parkinson's blog/posts during the trip: 40 so far

Favorite place: Impossible to choose (it would be like picking your favorite child - assuming you had more than one)

Most welcome surprise: The fact that we had Internet connections almost everywhere, allowing us to stay in contact with home.

Was it worth it? Without a doubt at twice the price! Jules Verne had the right idea, he just didn't have the right conveyances to cover as much ground as we did.