HE SAID... We descended out of the Chiang Dao Mountains to Mae Sai on the Burmese border. We checked out the markets and picked up a bottle opener for the remaining cider. We then jumped back in the songthaew (small pickup truck/ute with seats in the tray) and continued our journey, stopping on the way for lunch at a roadside restaurant at midday. I had a yum pla duk sam rot (spicy catfish salad) and Ren had pad thai goong sod (rice noodles stir fried with prawns, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, tofu, chillies, fish sauce and peanuts). The food was good, but in comparison to street stalls and local cafes, roadhouse food isn’t the best. After lunch we headed to a lookout over the Golden Triangle (where the Mekong River divides Thailand from Burma and Laos) ... read more

HE SAID... We boarded the train and settled into our seats which converted into bunk beds. We took stock of our travels to-date and caught up on our notes as the train slowly pulled out of Ayuthaya bound for Chiang Mai. This train was very comfortable! After having our beds made for us, I climbed in and went out like a light. I didn’t even have time to pull the blanket up before I was asleep. It had been a long, fantastic day. I slept well, although the air conditioning was a little cold (which I’d definitely prefer to having no air conditioning). I had dreams all night of being in earthquakes and trying to get out of houses as they shook from side to side - I absolutely love sleeping on trains! We woke at ... read more

HE SAID... The two hour bus trip from Bangkok to Kanchanaburiwas fascinating! While I am always compelled to sit and absorb the countryside on bus and train travel, I could not pull myself away from the on-board entertainment. A large LCD screen at the front of the bus was playing Thai pop film clips, which were really mini musical soap operas. Each song ran for at least 15 minutes. The acting and background music were terrible and the plot in each song was repetitive - two lovers, man has affair with another woman, betrayed woman discovers affair by secretly flicking through man’s mobile phone, great fighting and wailing prevails. If I was visiting from another planet, I would conclude that the mobile phone was the maker and breaker of relationships (well, I suppose it is). Anyway, ... read more

HE SAID... The alarm went off as usual at 6am, but this was no ordinary day. We breakfasted on the deck with Oscar and Jasper (our corgi/beagle and kelpie respectively) as the sun rose, and the red dawn sky was as beautiful as it was calming. We had packed and prepared the day before, so the morning went like clockwork, although the time we spent playing with Oscar and Jasper set us back a little. Still, it wasn’t too much of a rush and friends picked us up at 8am and drove us to the airport. We arrived with time to spare - this was a perfect (and very relaxed) start to the long day ahead. The flight to Melbourne was uneventful until landing, when I accidently knocked an old man’s walking stick out of the ... read more

HE SAID... This has been a memorable trip. Italy has seeped into our psyche, and we loved sharing the lifestyle of this fabulous country with the people around us. We loved standing at bars in the early morning, drinking coffee and eating pastries as large cities and small country towns slowly stirred around us. We loved sharing exceptionally good food and wine with travel friends. We loved rambling through the backstreets of Italy, finding people who welcomed us wholeheartedly, regardless of our inability to converse in their beautiful language. We loved the picturesque countryside, the dramatic coastline, the monumental structures to Christendom and the incomparable passion with which food is served. Italy is a truly magnificent and magical place, and I know there will be a time, after travelling to other destinations around the world, when ... read more