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MARK "Hey everyone, hope all is well and everybody is fit and healthy. We are almost at the half way point, the dreaded point where we go over the hill and are closer to coming home than leaving, but still plenty to do and see. We leave for Oz very soon and things will change once we get there i think, for a start off, finances mean this rock and roll lifestyle will need help (donations welcome) so it'll be time for a job which i think we were all hoping to avoid but thats life.
The last few weeks have been quite crazy, we raced through Cambodia, Vietnam and Loas in about 3 weeks, all were very different and each had there attractions, i think we would like to have spent more time in a couple of places but time and other commitments made it hard, we did however see all the major sights like the Ankwor Wat Temples in Cambodia, the killing fields in Vietnam and went tubing in Loas so was a good but tiring few weeks before going back to Thailand. I think phil has written more about these other countries so i'll fast forward to our return to Thailand.
We entered this time from the north, into Chiang Mai where we stayedfor just three nights but we did a lot in that time, after having a walk around and a chill on the first day we started early on day two. We went on a thai cooking course, first we went to the markets and the chef showed us what too and not too buy and look for in many different foods, before we headed off to the kitchen, we then got to prepare and cook different dishes, thai soup, sweet and sour veg, pad thai, spring rolls, penang curry and sticky rice with mango. They all tasted great as you get to eat the whole lot once your finished, it was money well spent and we got the cook book so will be able to impress the ladies with that when i get back home!! It was cool just seeing how the things we've been eating for the last three months actually get made.
That night we headed to the famous night market, which is massive, the girls and nathan spent hours looking at alomost every stall and shop while me and paul followed, i was more than relieved when Hollie suggested we both go for a foot massage. It was heaven, i don't think my feet have ever felt so good, needless to say i slept pretty good that night!
The following day was just as action packed, another early start and after a quaick trip to the orchard farm, we were taken high into the hills to go white water rafting, it was quailty, not sure the girls liked it so much, in fact phil isn't having much luck with water based activities on this trip (ask her about the water park or the banana boat) I loved it though and could have gone again, after that it was bamboo rafting and a trip to a waterfall. A quaick break for a buffet lunch and then we went elephant trekking, that was cool, the control these guys have over the elephants is incredible and being able to ride them through jungle and down river was just amazing. It really was a great couple of days and that night we were on the move again, getting an overnight bus back down to bangkok.
Now we have spent the last couple of weeks chilling and visiting places we've been already and enjoyed - Bangkok, Phuket and of course Koh Phangan for the full moon party. We are now back in Kuala Lumpur, but again just for a couple of nights before the final leg or our asia adventure and a night train back down to Singapore.
Asia has been fantastic, a proper experience and to me exactly what travelling is all about, we've seen the good and the bad sides - being robbed, the long hot journeys and the crazy traffic, bit its great and we've learnt a lot, and we would all do a lot of things differently next time round. Its been so different to Africa and very hard to compare, which we do try and do endlessly on a night over a cold beer, much to Hollie's annoyance. But all in all, its been an awsome first half and as i said in Africa, i just hope the second half is equally as enjoyable.
I'll sign off and let you get back to whatever you are all doing, with the knowledge that after seven countries we are all safe, still together and having the times of our lives, apart from the odd argument, we are all still living the dream! Take care."
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