We’re heading into Iran now where internet access may not be easy and we really wanted to complete our record of the Turkey tour, but don't know when we'll be able to publish this. Up Up and Away Cappadocia was our last port of call on the West Turkey “tourist trail”. What an amazing place topped off with our Hot Air Balloon ride, a 50th Birthday Present for Terry from folks back home. It was a beautiful sunny morning and as if being in a hot air balloon wasn’t exciting enough (especially for Terry with all those cylinders valves and functions) [View Full Entry]

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Weight Loss, Without Dieting Huge thanks to everyone for all the comments and messages on our last blogs... So far we've travelled 75hrs by train and 30 by bus, and confess it all feels more like a holiday than travelling (whatever that is). We promise our next blog will have a map showing our proposed route, but its a little up in the air until we get our heads around what China is doing with the new limits on their tourist visa. Back to comments received; an especial thanks to the girls for the encouragement on the size of my [View Full Entry]

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Only 728 days to go Really enjoyed Budapest and discovered literal meaning of Pest is oven or kiln (courtesy of the Budapest Museum). Lots of open spaces, an incongruous mix of restored grand historical buildings, soviet block like architecture and ugly new International hotels ( the good, the bad and the ugly! . The city is coming to terms with its recent history, when I first saw this holocaust memorial I thought some one had left or was selling old shoes by the riverside. Budapest is full of thermal Spas, but having found a "hot tub" but sadly no time [View Full Entry]

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They're Off Phew, we've condensed our essential belongings into two bags (hooray) but they're still too heavy. Guess stuff will get jettisoned when arms get too tired. After a lovely send off, we left Jude and Stu’s on Monday morning (31st march) to the delight of various vital organs (including a happy heart and a relieved liver!). After an anxious wait at Chorleywood Tube Station (being spied on by Stu - see below) we whizzed out of St Pancras to travel by assorted (very assorted as it turned out) trains across Europe through France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania and [View Full Entry]

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The Jouney Starts Both the Eurostar and Thalys train journeys were horrible; full and hot. Even worse the train to Cologne ran late so instead of having a pressurised 20 mins to get connecting overnight sleeper to Vienna we ended up with only 6mins. Having run from train with the heavy bags and eventually finding the right platform, our deluxe (!) overnight train was running 50 mins late! Excitement in hearts as we awaited our first sleeper - a modern carriage with en-suite shower and toilet. It didn’t disappoint and happy Phillips’ were tucked up early after a tiring day. [View Full Entry]

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We've left all this behind and are heading off [View Full Entry]

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