Our 273 day-long RTW trip provided ample opportunities to explore the outdoors and put ourselves in some challenging, and at times dangerous, situations. In 27 countries, we encountered every type of terrain and weather. Part of our motivation for traveling at this point in our lives was to take advantage of our health/age and do the activities you can't do later in life. We fully embraced the adventurous spirit and did some very exciting activities in each country. Here are our favorites.

One week into our trip, we hiked through the Colca Canyon. At its deepest point, it is twice the depth of the Grand Canyon. Located 6 hours by rattling bus ride away from Arequipa (the 2nd largest city in Peru), it is pretty remote. Our hike was supposed to be a two-day affair, but an additional day was needed due to an earthquake. Yes, an earthquake. A 5.0 quake struck just as we reached the bottom of the canyon, sending rocks and rubble racing down the canyon face we had just descended. Had we been 15 minutes behind on the trail, we would have died. Our route back out of the canyon was ruined, so we joined a group of French tourists led by a Peruvian guide. Aftershocks roused us from bed each night and kept everyone on high alert. We hiked further into the canyon the next day, and ascended to the top the following day on a different route. Scary... yes. But exhilarating and unforgettable.

The salt flats of Uyuni are located in remote southwestern Bolivia and actually consist of more than just salt flats. The famous flats are the highlight, with vision-bending illusions of endless white plains. But there are also flamingo-filled colored lakes: red, green, or yellow depending on mineral content. There are wind-carved rock formations, hot springs, snow-covered mountains, and more. The whole region is a geologic wonder worth even more than just the three day tour we took.

King Hezekiah of ancient Israel built this tunnel nearly 3,000 years ago deep under the city of Jerusalem. It leads from the Gihon Spring, the city's original water source, to the Siloam Pool, a place of Jewish ritual bathing. Rediscovered in the 1800s, the tunnel is now open for tourists to walk through. Bring a headlamp, wear shorts and sandals, and be prepared to wade through clean, cold spring water for 30 minutes deep underground. My old friend Jon suggested we do it, and we're so glad we took his advice. It was one of the most unique experiences of our trip.

We saw all of the "Big 5" safari animals within the first hour and a half of our dawn game drive at famed Kruger National Park. That is a HUGE deal. To put that in perspective, I spent two weeks in Kenya many years ago and never saw a leopard. People rarely see the complete Big 5 on a safari, much less all in one day. Located a few hours northeast of Johannesburg, Kruger is one of the most famous animal reservations in the world for good reason. It is packed with animals, although it is unfortunately packed with tourists, too.

In central Zimbabwe, a private game reserve called Gweru Antelope Park is actually know for its lion-raising program. They rescue and breed lions in order to reintroduce them to the wild and grow the dwindling population. It is also one of the only places you can have an unguarded encounter with a lion. We walked through the grasslands with two adolescent male lions, accompanied only by some guides with sticks. No guns for protection, just sticks. It was one of the riskiest experiences, but the lions can sense fear, so remaining stoic and standing tall remind them who is boss.

The Spitzkoppe is an area of central Namibia reminiscent of Utah or Arizona. It is called the Matterhorn of Namibia, full of granite mountains and boulders eroded by time. The park itself contains rocks paintings of various animals from 2,000 - 4,000 years old. We visited the Spitzkoppe for a day and had the opportunity to throw our camp pads down on the rocks and sleep outside. Falling asleep under the stars and waking to a beautiful sunrise on the red rocks was an awesome experience. Luckily the greedy little meerkats and rock hyraxes didn't steal our shoes.

Sandwich Harbor is where the dunes of Namibia meet the Atlantic Ocean. Located in central Namibia near the coastal city of Swakopmund, the massive dunes literally roll right down to the water. Our insane driver John took us on a rollercoaster-like 4x4 ride over the dunes in a custom outfitted Toyota Tacoma, which included a champagne lunch. We spotted animals such as jackals, ostriches, and antelope roaming the vast, empty dunes.

The Big Daddy dune is one of the most interesting and famously photographed scenes in southern Africa. Located in the oldest desert in the world, the Namib Desert, Big Daddy at 325 meters tall is the tallest dune in the area. On the back side of Big Daddy is a dried-up oasis called the Deadvlei. It presents the most spectacularly contrasted landscapes on Earth. The parched white clay ground, the dark brown dead Acacia trees, the ferrous red dunes, and the cloudless blue sky are as surreal as a Salvador Dali painting. It is one of the only places on earth that exceeds the beauty of a National Geographic photo. The hike up Big Daddy itself is strenuous in the desert heat. Your shoes permanently fill with red sand, and standing on the dune ridge hundreds of feet high can be intimidating for those with a fear of heights. But this experience was one of the top highlights of our whole trip.

Phong Nha is a small town between Hanoi and Hue. The nearby Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park contains an enormous karst system, including Son Doong - the world's largest known cave. Unfortunately that cave is not readily accessible, requiring several days hike into the jungle. Due to time and budget constraints, we opted for a 2 day, 1 night cave expedition with Oxalis cave tours. Let me tell you that hiking through the Vietnamese jungle in August is miserably hot and humid. We're glad we didn't do the longer excursion for that reason. However, we got to explore caves that had only been discovered in the past 5 years - climbing, scrambling, and swimming through caves filled with blind fish and spiders the size of your outstretched hand. We camped in the middle of the jungle, eating a home-cooked meal and sleeping in hammocks with mosquito netting. It was so humid that night, our wet clothes which we hung out to dry actually became wetter. On the second day, we put back on our wet clothes and floated through an underground river to emerge at the mouth of a cave near the park entrance. This adventure was unforgettable, but not for the faint of heart.

Battambang is a charming small city in western Cambodia a few hours' bus ride from Siem Reap. The Bamboo Train is exactly what it sounds like. A rickety bamboo platform sits on two axles, which are driven by a small jonboat motor fitted with a rubber belt drive. The jostling 7 km ride along misaligned old French colonial tracks takes you to an tiny town with an old brick factory and not much else. The real attraction is the unique ride itself.

Abseiling is what everyone in the U.S. knows as rappelling. The Blue Mountains are 100 km west of Sydney and are a popular weekend destination. The area is full of hiking and outdoor opportunities. I'd been dying to go canyoning for years, so we found a recommended outfitter in the town of Katoomba.The Australian School of Mountaineering offered many options, but the Empress Falls Abseiling excursion seemed a great option for beginners. It ended up being one of the most challenging activities we've ever done. The day started with abseil training for us amateurs. After a box lunch, we donned wetsuits, helmets, and harnesses to traipse through the temperate rainforest canyon and cold streams. The big finale was the abseil down Empress Falls, a descent of nearly 100 feet (equal to a 10 story building). Water on the fall was rushing due to the influx of rainwater and the rock face was incredibly slick. These conditions made lowering yourself down slowly and safely was nearly impossible. There was a moment of fear when Lindsay's rope got caught and she was stuck under the pounding falls, but we both made it down safely. It was an adrenaline rush, however, we probably won't be rushing back to do waterfall abseiling anytime soon.

The Kawarau Gorge Bridge outside of Queenstown, New Zealand is the site of the world's first commercial bungy jumping. It is the original legend with a 43 meter (141 foot) drop over the gorge river. We debated for days whether to take the plunge because of horror stories circulating the internet. Seizing upon the "YOLO" mentality, we decided to do it on our last full day in New Zealand. It was so much smoother and safer than we ever expected. The feeling of free-fall was surprisingly weightless, when I had expected extreme G forces. If you are going to bungy, do it in New Zealand!

Growing up in Florida doesn't offer to many opportunities to explore icy regions. New Zealand's Southern Alps are home to several large glaciers, the most famous being Franz Josef. Franz Josef, like nearby Fox and Tasman glaciers, are each accessed through a monopolistic tour company. Due to the inherent danger and environmental concerns, the government permits just one outfitter to offer excursions. This makes for a very pricey day, although it was fully worth it. A quick helicopter ride with sweeping views over the mountains lands you right on the glacier. We took this excursion with my parents, and although there is a lot of hiking, it is easily doable for anyone in decent shape. We spent three hours exploring the ice fields and shimmying through crevasses. This is a massive and stunning glacier.

The Key Summit Day hike is a quick 3 hour return hike on the well-known Routeburn Track. The Routeburn is one of New Zealand's "Great Walks" and take three days to complete in its entirety. Located just 30 minutes outside Milford Sound, this day hike is a great add-on to your trip there. It was one of our favorite hikes of the whole trip. A fairly rapid ascent of Key Mountain brought us to the wide and flat summit. You can view three valleys, several lakes, and countless craggy peaks from the summit. It is 360 degrees of New Zealand beauty. The Milford Sound cruise itself is not adventurous, as you are on a large boat with dozens of tourists. However, witnessing the jagged peaks, waterfalls, penguins, and seals from the top deck takes as much of your breath away as if you were hiking it. Milford Sound is a temperate rainforest and receives precipitation nearly 300 days a year. We were incredibly lucky to have pure blue skies that day.

The Waitomo Caves on the North Island of New Zealand are popular for the millions of bioluminescent glow worms hanging from the ceilings. Visitors are able to walk through a portion on a metal boardwalk, but the most exciting was to view the glow worms is by "blackwater rafting". We would call it tubing, since each person floats through icy cold waters in heavy-duty black inner tubes. With a wetsuit, helmet, and headlamp, you slosh through water and squeeze through the caves to reach the crowning experience, 10 minutes of floating through the underground river under a ceiling of blue glow worms.

Lindsay and I both feel like we've packed pretty well for the whole trip. We sent a few items home that we didn't need and bought a few supplementary things over the course of this trip. Overall, everything we brought from the beginning has withstood the test of round-the-world travel.

Many of my clothes have been well-suited to various climates or basic practicality. My Columbia shirts, North Face hiking shoes, and Marmot rainshell have all been dependable. However, a few clothing articles I packed have been notably useful and durable.

1. Patagonia Tech Web Belt
I've owned this belt for maybe 7 years, and it's the most versatile belt I've ever had. The thick nylon webbing and aircraft aluminum buckle are super durable. I've worn it hiking, caving, and swimming, and it doesn't show any sign of wear or hold a single stain. It also is comfortable and sharp enough to wear with jeans or khaki pants. After looking at the website, it looks like they've made some bad design changes for 2016. People claim the belt is thinner, resulting in slippage, and the buckle is installed backwards (??). Too bad that the quality has dropped, but I imagine with that many bad reviews, Patagonia will make some changes soon. Stay tuned and buy the belt once it is improved.

2.  Chaco Sandals
I originally received the regular Unaweep style sandals for Christmas before we left. At a hefty 2 lbs, they can weigh down your bag and Lindsay challenged me to find lighter ones. The Updraft style have a thinner sole and nearly half the weight. The tread isn't as deep as the thicker soles, but it is just as durable. I wore these sandals nearly every day for 7 of the 10 months, and the Vibram sole barely shows signs of wear and zero separation from the upper sole. The are snug and supportive. Great for walking around a city, hiking, and water activities. I used to make fun of the river rats or hiking hippies for wearing odd-looking Chacos, but I am a convert now and can attest to how good these sandals are. The model I have are discontinued, but Chaco makes several models including a newer lightweight one.

3.  Bertucci A-2T Watch
I bought this watch after seeing it at my friend Andrew's store, Salt Pines. It looked like such a durable watch with classic military field styling. I had looked at similar models in this price range from Seiko and Citizen, but decided to buy the Bertucci after reading customer reviews. This watch is the real deal for travelers and explorers. It is really lightweight from the solid titanium body, which barely shows a scuff after enduring countless intense activities. The thick nylon band has stood up well without fraying, but it has a slight odor after absorbing a ton of sweat in Southeast Asia. Luckily, the band slides out and can be easily and cheaply replaced through Bertucci. My only gripe is that the battery died in Thailand after only a year of ownership. Watch batteries should last longer, although I guess it depends on the manufacture date. I really like this watch and am glad I sprung to buy it. For the durability and style, this $100 watch is well worth the price.

4. Mountain Khakis Broadway Pants
These are some of the most comfortable khaki pants I've ever owned. They are perfect for travel because they have the durability and movement for hiking with the fit and style for dressing up. The Broadway cut is slimmer than traditional hiking pants and simply looks better. I've worn them with Sperry boat shoes to the opera, fancy restaurants, etc. and fit right in. Sadly, I ripped a hole in the butt-area while playing bocce ball at a New Zealand winery. After all the abuse I put them through, they ripped with only 4 weeks left in the trip... Not from hiking, but from bending over to pick up a bocce ball after several glasses of wine. (Maybe a sign to lose some weight!) For Christmas, I received TWO identical replacement pairs. These are my go-to work pants and will stay in my wardrobe for a long time.

5. Ex Officio Give n Go Boxers
I gotta point out that comfort begins and ends with a good pair of underwear. Ex Officio's dry fit, anti-microbial boxers are a travel gear best seller, and for good reason. They are lightweight, quick drying, easy to wash, and really comfortable. I had two pairs at the beginning of the trip, and bought two more a few months later. I threw out my Under Armor boxer briefs because these are just so much better. It may be the only type of boxers I wear from now on.