http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Around-the-world-in-2-years/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Around the world in 2 years en-us Sun, 19 May 2013 03:45:45 +0000 Sun, 19 May 2013 03:45:45 +0000 After two weeks rumbling over the rough terrain of Mongolia in a soviet era van we were looking forward to some luxury in Thailand. It didn't disappoint.We stayed in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok. The area was a bit seedy but the hotel was great and the street food nearby was good. After a couple of days lazing indulging in massages and eating fine food we made our way to Koh Samui. Que more lazi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-510695.html After a short flight from Beijing we landed in Ulaanbaatar and were greeted by someone from the hostel we had booked. As soon as we arrived there we tried to sort out a trip. We got together a plan for 13 days and we found 3 people to join us which made the trip a lot cheaper for everyone involved. Thomas and Stephanie from France would join us for 8 days and Hanno from Germany for the whole 13 d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Mongolia/blog-510694.html We only had a week in China so we had to cram a lot in. First off Beijing. We stayed in a really old guest house in Qianmen near tiananmen square and the forbidden city. Aparently important guests visiting the emperor might have stayed there in days gone by. Unfortunately its let itself go since then but it had aircon and the staff were nice though lacking in english except for one girl who seem http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/blog-510693.html Finally the time has come and we were heading to Japan for a couple of weeks. My parents were also joining us which was a great help to us for interpretation purposes. At the airport we were greeted by my cousin Maki who helped us find our hostel in Tokyo. We spent a couple of hours at the hostel owned bar for a few sakes and beer afterwards. The next day Maki showed us around Harajuku area.My par http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/blog-510692.html I was looking forward to driving to Uluru for quite a while as I have read that there are a few wacky roadhouses on the way down. Our first stop was Daly Waters just 3 km off the highway. All travellers seem to leave anything behind and the whole place is decorated with ID cards money flipflops knickers and bras You name it it's there. It was also our cheapest campsite for 10 a night.After http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/blog-504999.html OK time for some blog catchup. Ningaloo reef was one of the things we were most looking forward to in Australia. The coral spawns around the full moons in March and April. This attracts plankton which in turn attracts whalesharks which in turn attracts humans namely us.We spent a night in Coral Bay and did some snorkelling there before moving on to Exmouth. The snorkelling there was great ar http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Northern-Territory/blog-503216.html The south of WA doesnt seem to disappoint us at all. After the beautiful beaches in Esperance we ventured into the Valley of Giants. We decided to stay in Walpole as it was closer to most of the attractions and the campsite was in a beautiful tree setting near the beach.We went to see the Tree Top walk which was pretty good but in all fairness more interesting for children. After that we thoug http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Western-Australia/blog-494215.html After handing back the keys to our Richmond abode we hit the road to Adelaide. This was a 750 km drive something we would have to get used to. The Barossos offered to put us up for a couple of nights so it was a nice start to the trip with some great portuguese cuisine mmm bacalho some cod fish dish. Luis's parents were great hosts. Our first proper sightseeing was a trip out to Adelaide Hi http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/blog-494213.html Owing to laziness apathy and the global financial crisis this blog has been delayed 4 months.Anyway we landed in NZ from Chile on June 2nd. Lee Cook That Maraetai Computer Guy put us up in Auckland and was a great host. As you can see from the pics it was the perfect place to relax for a few days. Later we travelled to Kati Kati to stay with my auntie Maura and uncle Geoff. They have a nice p http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/blog-282882.html Uruguay what a beautiful place. Unfortunately we didn't stay long enough to savour all the delights of this country but we managed to stay on a working ranch Estancia as they call it there.We heard about this place from a girl we have met in Bolivia and the prospect of horse riding was just too tempting for me not to go. Ed agreed to join me and the minute we arrived there he probably regretted http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Uruguay/blog-280082.html Well I'm so sorry guys that it took us so long with this blog entry but we have been busy bees and we have been a little lazy too. We have received a few complaints so here you go Back in civilisation...what a relief You really feel like you're in the western world. Everything looks different than the rest of South America well what we've seen so far and the best you can walk around the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Argentina/blog-275114.html Why not take a spin down the worlds most dangerous road dance along to a brass band into the wee hours visit the local prison or crawl through crevases in a working mine. That's what we thought why notOur first port of call was Copacabana on lake titicaca. It was a nice town but bloody cold. There was some religiousbrass band festival the weekend we were there. It was really colorful and wen http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-271978.html My mother has a lovely peruvian poncho that she bought almost 40 years in Peru and she doesn't want to give it to me. When I ask if I can have it the answer is always Buy yourself one in PeruNow that's what I want to do now not Ed he's not the poncholoving type amongst a few other not that important things like the Nazca lines and Macchu Picchu Anyway our stay in Peru started with Pi http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/blog-269016.html We spent a day wandering around the innumerable travel agents in Quito looking for a good deal. This is the way to go if your dates are flexible as you can easily get 500 or so off the price of a 1700 seven night cruise. Which is what we didAfter an initial hiccup with one travel agent who overbooked a boat we eventually got going on the good ship Intrepido a 20 passenger sailmotor boat. I http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/Galapagos/blog-266835.html Finally we arrived in Ecuador and we have spent about a week in Quito. Mainly dossing and we had decided to visit Galapagos and that isn't as easy as it seems. Well when you want to go on a cruise that is. After a failed attempt we sorted out our boat and we were really looking fwd to that trip. More about Galapagos in a seperate blog though.Quito is a nice place to hang out a few days and there http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Ecuador/blog-260371.html Right after a 3 hour drive and a dozen military checks in Venezuela we finally got to border. It was easy enough to get through...pay 16 exit fee walk to different place to receive exit stamp cross border by foot being asked some question by Colombian border officials and then getting passport stamped. Not bad at all. We went straight to Santa Marta to watch the Oscars but the hotel bloody e http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Colombia/blog-249984.html We landed late in Caracas airport so chose to stay somewhere nearby.The following day we braved the metro in Caracas to get to the bus station. It was spotless. One of the cleanest and most modern Ive been on. We took the bus to Maracay and later moved onto Puerto Colombia which according to some has the nicest beach in Venezuela. Yvonne was still suffering from a throat infection so we stayed http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Venezuela/blog-246996.html we're in Panama. The bordercrossing was by far the easiest and cheapest of them all. 5 minutes and we were through and we didn't have to pay a penny We were amazed.Once we were through we flagged down a taxi to get a boat to Bocas del Toro. Obviously we forgot that we never wanted to arrive in a new place on a Saturday and we didn't manage to get a decent priced room at all We forked out 30 fo http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Panama/blog-246993.html Our first night in Costa Rica we stayed in Cacts Hotel. The guidebook which has been on the money so far said it was in the range 1525. Turned out the cheapest room was 40 and it was mightily shabby. On top of that they recommended the most revolting chinese to us. We could eat practically none of the food yet they still charged us. No more chinese for us in latin americaWe spent a couple of http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Costa-Rica/Limon/blog-239131.html Ah we're finally getting lazy and pack all of Nicaragua into one blog We have only spent a couple of days here and there so there you go.Anyway we started off in Leon my favourite city in Central America so far. It is a university town so it's full of students and the atmosphere is great. They undoubtedly have the best steaks in Nicaragua in the whole of Central America. Well so far anywa http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Nicaragua/blog-236605.html