Jeff's Post-Trip Rankings

Before we left, I put together a list of the places and things to which I was looking most forward.  Here's how reality stacked up against expectations.

Countries - Surprisingly, all five countries from the pre-trip ranking remain in the post-trip one; only the order is different.

1. New Zealand - Previous: 1.  Should be at the top of the list for anyone who loves the outdoors.

2. Chile - Previous: 3.  If you had asked me a few years ago about Chile, I couldn't have told you much about it besides that it is very long.  After doing more research prior to the trip, my expectations were pretty high, and Chile managed to exceed them.  Another must-visit for outdoor enthusiasts.

3. South Africa - Previous: 4.  Essentially tied with Chile.

4. France - Previous: 2.  Our initial plan was to tour the country, but a few months into the trip we decided to rent an apartment in Paris for a month instead.  Because we spent nearly the entire time in one city, I nearly left France off this list, but I figured the few days in Normandy justifies its inclusion.

5. Vietnam - Previous: 5.  We didn't do as much as we wanted to in Vietnam because we were both tired from our bouts with dengue fever, skipping over the central part of the country and the northern highlands.  We'll have to go back.

Cities

1. Paris - Previous: 1.  Renting an apartment here for a month was absolutely the right decision.  The traditional sights are great, but getting to know the neighborhoods and exploring were even better.  I could live here.
2. Cape Town - Previous: Unranked.  In the pre-trip rankings, I only had Cape Town under "natural attractions" but it deserves to be here instead.  It fights with Vancouver for the title of most beautiful city I've seen.
3. Hanoi - Previous: 3.  Liked it so much that I wrote two separate entries (here and here).  I'm craving some bún bò right now.

4. Rome - Previous: Unranked.  I could have definitely have used more time in Rome.  It seems like most tourists rank Rome below other Italian cities, but I loved its character.
5. Seville - Previous: Unranked.  Relaxed city with a great vibe.  The tapas scene was a little overrated, though.

Dropped out:
Cusco - Previous: 2.  The city I wanted to love but didn't.
Split/Dubrovnik - Previous: 4.  Incredibly beautiful cities, but their souls have been 'touristed' away.  I have moved them to the man-made attractions list.
Barcelona - Previous: 5.   I think this was a case of having too high expectations.  Many people we've talked to have raved about Barcelona, but I just wasn't blown away.  Perhaps it's one of those cities where you need to stay a while to appreciate.

Attractions: Man-made Division

1. Petra, Jordan - Previous: 1.  The history, architecture and surroundings are combine for an overwhelming experience.

2. Angkor, Cambodia - Previous: Unranked.  We had not initially planned on visiting Cambodia, but I am really glad we did.  The size of this site is astounding, and there's a great mix of temples that have been restored and those that have been left to nature and are great to explore.
3. Easter Island, Chile - Previous: 3.  You might think that once you've seen one "Easter Island Head" you've seen them all, but there's something just eerily captivating about this place.  Sure, this small island is naturally beautiful, but it's the scattered statues and the history that really make this place interesting.  Ranu Raraku, the quarry where dozens of statues have been left in various stages of completion or have been abandoned in transit, is the highlight.

4. Split/Dubrovnik - Previous: Unranked.  Beautiful walled cities.
5. Mont Saint-Michel - Previous: 4.  Although the town is the typical Euro-kitsch tourist trap, Mont Saint-Michel is still an incredible site.  The mountain-island-abbey, rising up from the tidal flats, doesn't even look real as you approach it in your car.  The audio tour is very well done.

Dropped out:
Machu Picchu - Previous: 2.  Perhaps the biggest disappointment of the trip.  I still don't even feel like rehashing our day there.  Bad weather, bad crowds, let's just forget about it.
Củ Chi tunnels, Vietnam - Previous: 5.  The tunnels were definitely interesting and I liked our time there, but it had a bit too much of a circus feel to crack the top 5.

Attractions: Nature Division - This ranking got shaken up, mostly because we visited places that we hadn't planned to prior to leaving for the trip.

1. Torres del Paine National Park, Chile - Previous: Unranked.  If I had to pick my favorite single spot from the entire trip, it would be the lookout point in the French Valley in this park.

2. Milford Sound, New Zealand - Previous: Unranked.  The drive to Milford Sound is amazing enough, but it just gets better once you arrive.
3. Halong Bay, Vietnam - Previous: 3.  I wish there were a better way to explore this amazing area other than taking the same type of boat tour that everyone else takes, but it is worth seeing no matter what.
4. Sipadan, Malaysia - Previous: Unranked.  Easily the best diving we've done in our short diving careers.

5. Moorea, French Polynesia - Previous: 4.  Tropical paradise exemplified.

Dropped out:
Great Barrier Reef - Previous: 1.  We didn't make it all the way up to the Great Barrier Reef.  We dove around the Whitsunday Islands, but those are technically fringe reefs and not really part of the Great Barrier Reef.
Grand Traverse - Previous: 3.  We did a day hike on part of the Grand Traverse, but just didn't have the time to tackle the four-to-five day trail.
Cape Town - Previous: 5.  Moved Cape Town to #2 city.

Experiences - I didn't have a pre-trip ranking for this category, but I'm leaving out too much if I don't create it.  I initially did a top 5, but that was just too difficult.  So here's my top 10, which could easily have turned into a top 50.  This ranking does not include our time spent volunteering at Baphumelele Children's Home outside of Cape Town or with the Bruce Peru Organization in Trujillo, which stand out on their own.

1. The Lost World cave exploration in New Zealand.

2. Driving up and down the coast of Queensland in a minivan converted into a camper with our friend Lorena.  We hit the highlights - Whitsunday Islands and Frazer Island - but the small things like swimming in waterfalls at Little Crystal Creek, stumbling across wallabies on a mountaintop, and trying nearly every single flavor of Tim Tams stand out just as much.

3. Climbing Villarica volcano in Pucon, Chile.

4. Lunch with my family at Fattoria Poggio Allora during the Best of Tuscany tour.
5. Biking through Valle de la Luna in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

6. D-Day Beaches.  These are worth seeing on their own, but excellent guide put the day over the top.
7. Staying at Llanganuco Lodge in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru.  I told Charlie, the owner, that I was going to go back and I meant it.
8. Great white shark cage diving in South Africa.
9. Swimming with sharks and rays in Moorea.

10. Hiking up to top of Tugela Falls in the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa.