Jean and Paul

Halong Bay - forget the cruise schmooze and junk it asian stylewhich is exactly what the pirates did during the turn of the 18th century. Our magnificent 'red dragon' junk was modelled on the historic boats plus a few minor inclusions to make the trip a little more luxurious....such as sun lounges....and a bar...and 12 well dressed staff. we're sure the pirates travelled in similar style! our overnight cruise was mindblowing - from sailing between some of the 3000 misty islands that make up halong bay, through to visiting ancient caves, witnessing the simple life of vietnamese fishermen and watching the sun set. we quickly forgot about the stressful and bumpy journey it took to get there; halong bay was an unforgettable experience and one that will remain with us for a life time.cruise highlights: our ... read more

Hong Kong - How much bbq duck can you eat in the land of suzie wong??Well, a lot if you're a 6'5" brit who loves his msg. It was our second visit to the steamy city of Hong Kong in 7 months and it was no coincidence that we picked this cramped island for a whirlwind visit. From the weird, wonderful and sometimes downright putrid smells, to the maze of undercover walkways linking all the designer department stores, unbearably humid weather, delicious restaurants with pickled poultry hanging from their windows, dozens of tailors offering you discounts on 'quality made' clothing, the contrast of ludicrous wealth and prosperity with the humble offerings of street hawkers, the magnificence of the city skyline from kowloon....you either love it or hate it....and you can confidently lump us into the former ... read more

Miami - big beach, big people, big food, big storms, big bigsWe left La Paz as it started to snow and blew into Miami at the roasting temperature of 38 degrees....with our fingers and toes thawing in the balmy weather, we spent our time acclimatising to the heat, to the healthy food portions, and to the fact that everything suddenly cost 100 times what we were used to paying in bolivia! it was only a short stay, but sweet enough for us to taste a deliciously sickly slice of cheesecake from the reknowned cheesecake factory, pretzels with gooey dipping cheese, and the best seafood that miami has to offer.city highlights: the beach itself - especially south beach with it´s whiter than white sand, bluer than blue waves, and gayer than gay locals sitting in their own ... read more

Copacabana - the wheezy jewel of boliviaSleeping at almost 4km above sea level is not without its challenges....from the dehydration and breathlessness, to the fact that our digestive tracts have ground to a halt causing heartburn and indigestion, its a testament to the locals that they can reproduce in such an area. But the beauty and ruggedness of copacabana, a lazy village sitting on the shores of titicaca, is enough cause for distraction. The town moves in slow motion and is what we would imagine the greek islands to have been....say 100 years ago. with its main trade being the gringo trail, you find everything from authentic bolivian alpaca clothing, through to almond snickers bars and tacky swan shaped paddling boats in the harbour. its a town full of contradictions but we've loved it all the ... read more

Machu Picchu - the lost city of goldHaving finished our incredible but arduous trek, we spent a night in a comfortable B&B in the tourist ridden town of Aguas Calientes, flush with the anticipation of visiting Machu Picchu the next day. Not even a 4:30am wake up call could deter us, and the city proved to be much much more than what we had expected.City highlights: the extremely informative tour around the Inca ruins where Alex, our guide redeemed himself and earned (well nearly earned) his group tip; the exhausting climb up Wanyu Picchu that took 1.5 hours to lead you to the most breathtaking views of the lost city and its surrounds - also the petrifying climb back down the mountain on our hands and knees; the crazy wild llamas that inhabit the city - ... read more