Well we've just arrive back in Bangkok and it feels a little like coming home in that it's good to be somewhere that is familiar to us.
Laos was great. The north spectacularly beautiful with much culture, landscapes worthy of thousands of photographs and hedonistic fun galore on the rivers! In the south we spent time in three different Mekong-side towns and generally chilled out drinking local beer and eating strange things while watching sunset after sunset from an increasingly more southerly aspect. Simply stunning it was. We ended our time in Laos with a couple of days on an island called Don Det, which is one of four thousand islands in the middle of the Mekong where Laos meets Cambodia - the river is 14km wide at this point. It was mighty strange being surrounded by water as far as they eye can see from an island in a landlocked country. We have never seen so many palm trees. We cycled around the island (whilst somehow ending up on two other islands with no map but a trusty compass) and swung in our hammocks and not a lot else. Bootiful. Accommodation was basic to say the least however and two days and nights with no electricity (other than between 6 and 10pm when we had the luxury of a green 2 watt bulb) and a squat toilet in a roofless shack across the track was enough rough living for me! Needless to say, Sid could have quite happily stayed longer in these conditions, but alas our 2000km journey down the Mekong was over and it was time to return to good old Thailand.
Our plans go something like this for the next couple of weeks... three days in Bangkok enjoying the chaos, five days out west towards the Burmese border to do some trekking and hopefully see some lions, tigers and bears, (oh my!) followed by 8 days back in Phi Phi doing some sunning and taking a four day deep sea diving course. Just what we need before we fly to Delhi and face what India has to throw at us.
Lots of love,
Sasha and Sid xxx
PS Interesting fact about Thailand and Laos - It is the year 2049 here... Truly, it is, but we don't know why (different lunar calendar?)
Martin (Sid's Brother, Third Hair Folical!!)
Not mising you!!!
Uncle Harry And Aunt Ruth
Dear Sasha and Sid, Just been taking in your latest ramblings and it appears that you really are enjoying your visit to these foreign climes. In fact we wonder if the rather more mundane lifestyle in New Zealand will have anywhere near the impact of swinging over rivers etc etc. I would imagine that the thrills and excitement of watching the sheep eat grass, and listening to the rumble of cows stomachs would pall after the first 10 minutes. However, that sort of thing is off set by the beauty and the country bumpkin lifestyle if one is looking for relaxation after the hectic pace of the previous months. For the occasional adrelanin rush we can recommend the bungy jumping, jet boating through the mountain gorges, rafting, kyaking, and at the moment the sight of icebergs over 100 metres high several hundred metres long giving the coastal shipping the willies!!! and the tourists flying over, the thrill of a lifetime. Unfortunately such views will only be available at The Antarctic Centre when you arrive, as the real live "bergs" will all have melted. Our understanding is that you wil most likely be looking for work to replenish your money bags whilst in New Zealand, and we think there is ample opportunity for that. Looking forward to seeing you both, take care,
Love and Best Wishes, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ruth and Jessie the dog.
Auntie Mary
Sorry for the delay in replying, yes, its o.k. to stay longer in Adelaide if you wish. Look forward to seeing you both. Your trip sounds great, how are you ever going to settle down in good old Brum afterwards?. You won,t be doing any swinging on ropes over rivers there eh?. It rained here last night, lots of thunder and lightening, first rain for months!!!!! Bye bye for now.
Fionnuala
i wasnt sure about the hat when i bought it - first thing after seeing the photos - its now happy in its new place in the bin!!!! loved the photos guys - my camera got stolen in vietnam but lynne and fiona will send u some as soon as they download it !!! sound as you are still having a ball!!! keep it up!! lots of love and big hugs to ya!
Sidandsasha
It was John Constable who captured the beauty and tranquility of the river and its banks in his paintings of the Dedham Vale. He would have hated one stretch of the Nam Xong in Central Laos if he were alive today. 4 km to be precise. Tractor inner tubes transporting "Farangs" down the river at a leisurely pace, but in a drunken fashion. The surrounding countryside spectacular. Open fields on one side, which could have been a sunny day in Shropshire. On the other vertical limestone cliffs rising up and bouncing the screams of us back across the river. The screams, a mixture of pleasure and pain came from letting go of 10 metre high rope swings and zipwires into the river. Other drifters looked on, supping Beer Lao, laughing at the slapping of skin on the river surface. Red backs emerged from the river and headed to the bamboo bars for some more medicine and a little reflection of how the last dive went wrong. All very entertaining but you cannot help but wonder who had the idea in the first place and why stick it here.
Thanks for all the messages. Keep em coming.
Sid and Sasha
Dad And Kathy
New photos are great. It takes such a long time to go through them all but its worth it.
Keep up the good work.
Love to you both.
Dad and Kathy
Joey
Are you serious with that Koh Tao place?!? Bee-yoo-ti--ful! Almost as breathtaking as Moseley Bog... Very strange looking at pics of you two, bronzed, set against the perfect blue sky... with the date Nov 3rd underneath.
Well, its blinking freezing over here - autumn lasted 3 days and we're now officially into winter. The clocks have gone back (bet that seems even more loopy when you're abroad) and this morning we set off to work through thick ashy fog (Bonfire Night last night and sounds like its still going on). Settling in to the new flat well - a proper bachelorette pad - apart from the landlord forgot to install any working heating, so most nights involve huddling up in our totes toasty socks with a nice, hot cup of tea. Still, there's the Wassail to look forward to - have reserved you some prime front row tickets if you can make it?
Sasha, I finally got around to having my birthday facial today, so thank you lots for the pressie!
It looks like you're having a fab time - post some messages if you can, its lovely to get the back story to the photos.
Love to you both,
Jo x
Grandma
hi there lovely to see all the lovely photographs, seems like you've been away forever!! We all miss you very much. Keep the pictures & messages coming - gives us something to look forward to. Joel is trying to teach me how to use this thing but I don't think I'll ever get the hang of it. Take care of yourselves.
All my love
Grandma
XX
Lisa
Can I just say wow!!!...I love the new updates.
Very impressed with the photography skills...some of the pictures are excellant.
Big Love to you both. xxxx
Dad And Kathy
Keep the messages coming.
Sounds like you will be able to have another round the world trip when you finish staying with all the people you have met and made friends with on your travels. On the other hand you won't have time to go away as you will be entertaining them all in Blighty.
Keep safe
Dad and Kathy
Mary Lawley
Are you still intending to go around India? and are you still sticking to your itinerary;? Sounds as though you are seeing some wonderful places.