Matt & Emma
Route so far: England to Ecuador, to Peru, to Bolivia and into Brazil quickly - for Rio Carnaval, then Argentina and Chile and over to New Zealand for a month, into Australia for a quick visit to lots of lovely friends and plans now are to visit Asia for a few months.Ihathecat
We're not very good at keeping the blog up to date, due mostly to being places where the internet isn't always around, or working, or the fact that we're a bit slow. In fact our blog is very much like London buses, zero contact for about a month, and then 3 epic installments that will clog up your inbox, sorry about that.
We're also not very good at keeping what we do write in any kind of date order. Sorry about that. But we'll always write the date it happened on the blog to keep things in chronological order. Of sorts. And you can always follow the route up top.
Matt's not very good at spelling either.
But we like taking photos, so you'll find a lot of those.
Travel Blog Posts
A very British Apology.
Published: November 27th 2008Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London » Pimlico
June 15th 2008
Written 27/11/08 but posted elsewhere Matt writes: After what, to most, must seem like an extraordinary amount of time from our previous post, I must offer you, the avid, or in some cases, painstakingly loyal reader, an apology, the size of which can only be proportioned to this un-excusable silence on both our behalves. We have, it seems, slipped somewhat on updating you on our worldwide adventure. But before I make that apology, I do have to at this point clarify that we made it back to England and we’re not (as some were lead to believe) stuck in the middle of a Vietnamese jungle, but thanks for your concern nonetheless. We’re getting away with this lack of ending to the story on a technicality, as technically speaking our journey hasn’t ended as yet - the ... read more
May 28th 2008
Matt Writes: Halong Bay is a World Heritage site that is made up of thousands of limestone karsts. A true natural sight to behold and one of the expected highlights on our Vietnam itinerary. We carefully shop around to establish a fair price against comfort, and hopefully the legitimacy of the company we decide to go with. We leave Hanoi at 8am, crossing the Red River and sampling hundreds of musical sounding horns (I think it is part of the Highway code here that you have to use them for 80 percent of the time that your vehicle is in motion). Our guide Hoi is a chirpy and smiley and all you expect in any tour guide. It isn't long before we are taking a stop to stretch our legs at a factory where victims of ... read more
May 26th 2008
Matt Writes: And so after relaxing in Laos it was time to make our way to the frantic Hanoi. There is a bus from Vientiene to Hanoi, but economics verses sanity would decide for us to take the 1 hour plane ride as opposed to the 24 (or so) bus ride. I think we have done our fair share of busses by now. The small Laos Airlines prop driven plane with dated upholstery wasn't as bad as we had been prepairing for. After travelling in Russian antiques in Cuba a few years back, we were ready for the worst which fortunately didn't happen. Getting out of Vietnam airport was surprisingly relaxed, no questions about my repeated business trips to America but plenty of questions of Taxi, hotel, or information we would like as we left the ... read more
Crash bus to Vang Vieng and the infamous Tubing on the Nam Song
Published: August 4th 2008Asia » Laos
May 18th 2008
Emma writes: After the stinky, crammed buses Matt wrote about further north in this land, we decided it might be a better choice taking what's known as a tourist VIP bus on our journey south to Vang Vieng from Luang Prabang. We thought the whole extra pound spent would mean more comfort, a speedier five hour journey and maybe a bit of aircon or at the very least, enough seats to go round. We paid the extra for a pick up from our guesthouse, but seeing as though I couldn't remember the name of it, we had to cart our bags down the road in order for the bus to meet us anyway. Our pick up then consisted of a man in a mini bus hauling our bags on the roof, driving around until the bus ... read more
May 14th 2008
Matt Writes ; We have spent the last two days driving through Northern Thailand. Two long bus journeys from Chang Mai to Chang Rai, then to Chiang Khong where we stamped ourselves out of Thailand and crossed the Mekong in a longboat (wobbling from the wieght of our backpacks) into Laos. Our next aim is to continue North to get deep into Laos. We are up early to decide whether to catch the renowned-to-be-over crowded Louang Phabang longboat trip, or to try something a little less orthodox. We go for the latter, catching a sawngthaew to the bus station. Here we catch a minibus heading North East to Loang Namtha - This will be our first experience of Laos public transport. At 9am, the white Toyota (blue and red go-faster stripes) chugged earnestly out of the ... read more
Elephant Nature Park and the best birthday
Published: June 3rd 2008Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Chiang Mai
May 7th 2008
Emma Writes The mighty Asian Elephant now numbers less than 30,000. No longer used by the legal and illegal logging trade to haul huge trees, decimating their own natural environment, the remaining workers have mostly been turned into tourist attractions. These symbols of strength now carry, mostly western, tourists around on spine breaking seats, perform demeaning tricks begging on the frightening and confusing city streets at night, or are forced by a sharp hook to paint self portraits. There are many, many tour groups in Chiang Mai offering all of these things, but the cruelty the baby animals have to go through in order to 'learn' how to do them and respond to their trainers is barbaric, but sadly widely practised throughout Asia. Elephant Nature Park, however, is a different and simple concept - Let elephants ... read more
April 23rd 2008
Matt Writes - Due to inconvenient timings and Brisbane airport being out of town, our journey to Thailand from our friends Damian and Denise's house would have been a logistical nightmare lasting at least 36 hours. But Beryl & Norm, Denise's folks, were superstars and we were picked up from the train that had brought us south from Hervey Bay, fed and watered and given a bed for the night to break up the journey. We got to sample their home brew wines & beers and were even honoured as guests at the their weekly quiz night. Deception Bay Lawn Bowls Club was a typical Aussy affair, straight talking Betty, 70 years of age, was quiz master taking no prisoners with her dry manner, ready to verbally slaughter anyone confident enough to quibble the wording of ... read more
April 12th 2008
Emma Writes - After a good few nights out in Melbourne it was time to visit Harold. Bishop that it. Yep, we were fulfilling a dream we'd only just thought up when we requested a visit to the infamous street from Aussie stalwart soap opera, Neighbours. Sam, and her stunt driving skills, obliged. Into the Silver Swift we went, driving brake neck speed for half an hour we arrived at Ramsey Street, which is, disappointingly really called Pinoak Court. Nevermind what it's called, look - there's Ramsey Street! And you can drive on it. So we did. *BEEP BEEP* went the Silver Swift as we screeched round the corner of the tiny cul-de-sac. I must explain at this point that Pinoak Court is a real street with real people living in the famous houses and the ... read more
Melbourne and The Tallest Buildings in the World. Ever. Maybe...
Published: May 24th 2008Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Melbourne
April 10th 2008
Matt Writes; Melbourne was always going to be very different from the other places we had so far visited. For one we were meeting friends there and would only have three days to cram in sight seeing along with three years of catching up. Secondly, the friends who were to play hosts to us have been known to be...how can I say... rather decadent? So the prospect of seeing this vibrant city whilst holding a glass of ice cold beer wasn't exactly an alien concept. It was wonderful knowing that on arrival we wouldn't have to negotiate a foreign transport system nor would we have to dodge the hoards of touting taxi drivers hungry for our 'tourist cash'. So many airports have we now walked out of past screaming families, mothers crushing their long absent sons ... read more
Auckland and the last chance to do something stupid
Published: May 24th 2008Oceania » New Zealand » North Island » Auckland
April 9th 2008
Emma Writes - After a fond farewell to our camper van, we'd become very attached to it over the past month, the next leg of our journey involves a quick trip to Oz to visit friends. First of all in Melbourne at the Four Floors of Whores to meet Sam and Doona and then up to Hervey Bay to see Damo & Denise and finally meet baby Deia. But first of all we wanted to see Auckland and meet our Aussie friend, Kylie, who was in New Zealand for work. This worked out great timing as we'd be missing her in Melbourne. Auckland. It's big and not New Zealand's capital, a bit like Sydney is huge and isn't the Capital of Australia. Confusing. We wandered around for a few days, doing big city things like looking ... read more
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