So, as of tomorrow we will travel back to Bangkok and our little loop of SE Asia will be finished. Various emails have been sent out but here's a little summary of what we've been up to for those that weren't paying attention, mostly in chronological order and with place names conveniently highlighted for ease of viewing. Don't say we aren't constantly thinking of your needs. Thailand * In Chiang Mai Rachael F and Jen went to Elephant School for 3 days where they learned to control (barely) and care for elephants - they even have the Mahout suit to validate [View Full Entry]

---

---

Just an update to let you know what we got up to in Oz. I'm fully aware that it was about 2 and a half months ago, thank you - those of you already poised at the keyboard to point this out may save your wit and stating the obvious for those people who really need it - but we've had a few, shall we say 'difficulties' - to save many hideous recounts - getting photos onto the site. Anyway, Rach and Rach flew out of ChCh on the 15th Sept on the next leg of our journey - having been [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hi there, Having a "wanna be in air conditioning" day, so will spend most of the day emailing. Arrived in the nothern capital of Chiang Mai after 7 hours on a public bus, sans le air conditioning. However, it did only cost 2 pounds a piece so you can't really complain. Managed to make our way into town and find a room, and then headed for the Irish pub for a POTATO!! Have been hankering after this carb lovers favourite for some time now and couldn't pass up the opportunity. First stop after Bangkok, was a place called Ayuthaya, one of [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hey there, First impressions are sometimes wrong, but in this case, it was spot on. The hit of humidity on walking from air conditioned airport to airport bus outside, has remained. However, getting used to it, slowly, well we kind of have don't we?! We are drawn to air conditioned buildings like moths to light. Hence much time spent in internet cafes. So, so far we have been in Bangkok for 2 nights, have been to the night market twice, have eaten a lot of pad thai, discovered the joy of very cheap street food (no dodgy tummies so far) and [View Full Entry]

---

---

I know, I know: We've left. And we go on about how great it is all the time. But we thought we'd share with you a little of why we're so in love... [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hello!! Conscious that things have been a little quiet from our corner lately, here's an update on the latest of our travels. We have both now finished working (hurrah!): Rach F at the dairy farm and Rach B at the hostel, the Old Countryhouse, and the cinema. Jen has arrived from the UK, George has been and gone in her visit to NZ and we are leaving NZ tomorrow!! To fill in the gaps would take rather a long time, but I will detail a few now. Rach F has become an expert in delivering calves, she has many stories to [View Full Entry]

---

---

OK, lots to update here so will try and be brief - highlights only! Left Wellington with a hangover so the 3 hour ferry ride across to the south island wasn't great for me actually. Didn't see much of Nelson as I was sleeping but according to other people on my bus it was very nice. We passed through a town called Greymouth which has been hit a couple of days before by a hurricane - it was all over the news but actaully there was very little damage to be seen. The roof of a local blacksmiths had been completely [View Full Entry]

---

---

Hellooo!! Tis Rach B here, have been a bit slack about writing these long and winding passgaes, that tell you just how much time we have on our hands now that we're not working!!! Anyhoo, we're back together now, which is cool, because now when we both eat cake and ice cream, we don't feel so guilty. A couple of days after Rach F's red jump suit moment, I too donned the super figure enhancing garb and I think I might have fallen out of the plane actually, not jumped. But that's merely a detail. Unlike Rach, who got to see [View Full Entry]

---

---

Apologies for the delay in updating - have been on the move for a while now and am getting behind. May have to do this in stages but here's the latest: Taupo - River Valley Because the weather was not so good on my third day in Taupo the walk I was supposed to go on was canceled and I had to hang around until the following day. Not such a bad thing - I caught up on some laundry and sleeping which were both sorely needed. The Tongariro Crossing is one of the country's 5 Great Walks, and the only [View Full Entry]

---

---

Am now solo and halfway down the North Island in a little place caled Taupo. It's only Thursday but it feels like I've been on the Kiwi bus for about 3 weeks! Will hopefully catch up with Rach somewhere around Wellington, or the top of the South Island, but at the moment am having a great time meandering around on my own. Spent our last night in Auckland in style - there was a chinese festival celebration going on in the Domain so we went to check that out. Auckland has a very high Asian population so it was heaving - [View Full Entry]

---

---