(c) 2009 Todd Sykes.

I’m halfway to home. ‘Seems like a good a time as any for a little introspection.

Week: 6
Countries: 5
Cities: 17
Charitable causes supported: 8
Injuries: 6
New friends: 40+
Pictures: 300+

I start Week 6 with excitement and trepidation — excited to have over another month of traveling and, despite my efforts to stay present, a little nervous already about it being over. In case you haven’t noticed, I LOVE this game. For better or worse, I’m afraid, traveling is in my blood and, I might add, actually in my stars (oh yes I did — I mean, who *doesn’t* have their vedic astrology done in India??).

Also under my skin are these countries, their cultures. I’m addicted to spicy Thai papaya salad, I now adore elephants as much as monkeys, I’ve somehow started doing the Indian yes/no head bobble and I find myself saying things like “same same?” in regular conversation. I tried to bargain in a legitimate, established drugstore the other day. I have 4 different kinds of currency in my wallet, the aggregate of which would buy me an apartment in India and a sandwich in Manhattan. I’m planning my next trip to Cambodia in my head, and I already miss India the most.

Nonetheless, after a dinner in Delhi tonight with friends, I leave in the a.m. again, off to the Land Down Under — a little Hunter Valley, a bit of sun, maybe even some sailing. Thereafter, Indonesia is on the agenda. While I plan on doing some NGO visits, the majority of othis part of the trip is for sitting on beaches.

The problem, though, is that I’m not there yet. I’m not tired of helping others or getting dirty or wearing the same clothes or drinking bottled water — not at *all* like I thought I’d be. In fact, I anticipate a little culture shock going into the next few weeks, and I wonder if I’ll start plotting how to get back to a developing country.

Then again, that first sip of Shiraz could change everything.