http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Rich--and--Zoe/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Rich and Zoe en-us Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:08:01 +0000 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 02:08:01 +0000 Hey allSo here we are. 12 months later and we have reached the end of our tripOver the year we have visited 12 countries. We have spent a total of 31 hours underwater gone 30 feet underground in a working mine cruised at 2000 feet high on a hangglider bounced off a bungee at 50 metres and jumped a combined total of 24 thousand feet out of a plane.We have kayakked on the Tasman Sea floated d http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-123566.html so laosbrilliant placefriendly people and very eventful.The fun started when i got off the bus after 23 hours from hanoi in vietnam with my big bag and proceded to fall badly on my ankle and twist it and then rip my pants.slightly exposing myself.not the best start to a new country.The supposed nightmare bus journey was fine as not many people so had room to stretch outsome lads had hammocks ty http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Laos/blog-120303.html Hello everyone. Hope you all had a really lovely Christmas and New Years Here's to a fantastic 2007So we are now in Laos. We made our way from the south of Vietnam up to Hanoi in the north and from there headed over the border into Laos.We bought a bus ticket in Saigon which allowed us to stop off in a few places on the way up each different in many ways. Vietnam is so varied and diverse. Saig http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/blog-115169.html Or for those of you who don't speak Vietnamese MERRY CHRISTMASWe are both thinking of all of you and wishing you all the loveliest of Christmas's and the best for the New Year to comeHere are some Christmas snaps from Vietnam. We are off to Midnight Mass tonight and spending Christmas Day cruising Halong Bay. We then head into Laos for New Years EveLoads and loads of love to you all we http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Vietnam/Red-River-Delta/Hanoi/blog-113292.html Cambodia is a haunting countryWhether it be when you are wandering round Angkor Wat or reading about the horrors committed by the Khmer Rouge you cannot avoid Cambodiarsquos lingering past. Even the locals nowadays are ashamed of their country's troubled history.What you can take heart in is the future for the country. And what a beautiful country it is. The people are so friendly and genuine http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Cambodia/blog-109307.html alright people well since we last spoke we havent really done a lotthats southern thailand for you.arrived in bangkok at 12 at night and got to a hostel even though the taxi driver nearly crashed into a post and didnt know where he was going.just went to the grand palace and had a look around and there was some military parade going on. then we made our way down to koh phangan to meet up with to http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/blog-106007.html So fresh faced and naive we arrived in Singapore. You donrsquot appreciate just how lazy you get travelling round Oz but it took us a while to get back into the whole backpacker thingAfter a couple of days exploring Singapore which really was more than enough as itrsquos so small and way too expensive we got a bus into Malaysia. As soon as you went over the border you noticed a real chang http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Malaysia/blog-99480.html hey guys just about to leave Oz tomorrowDoing this and trying to pack away all the rubbish we have accumaleted since we have been herejust cant find a spot for my digeredooHad loads of fun in Oz but looking forward to moving on.The East coast was cool but was just full of annoying 18 year old kids who were just up for getting hammered.We had crap weather all the way up to noosa but the sun cam http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/blog-93521.html Hey all We are back i know you are all so pleasedheheheSo we have now finished working in Melbourne. We had a real ball there...we both met some really lovely people and more importantly we have saved up some more hardearned cash ready for the next adventureWe lived in a suburb called Brighton which made Zoe feel very at home and both worked in the city. Family friends of Zoe's Libby http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/Australia/Victoria/Melbourne/blog-84641.html Hey people. Just in Melbourne at the moment been looking for jobs Zoe is working at Kraft as a PA to the executives. Im still looking and the world cup has just started Coincidence I think notReally enjoyed the South of New Zealand everyone said it is better then the north and there right Its just like you would think New Zealand looks like beautiful mountains and glaciers by the end you just http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/South-Island/Christchurch/blog-58215.html So a new continent a new country and a new culture God it was so weird coming to NZ after South America. Firstly people didnrsquot stare at us as if we were sent from space. Secondly everything was in English Such a blessing as I was getting very tired of having to translate everything for Rich hehe. Thirdly and definitely the weirdest after being in such a poor continent was being in http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-56076.html ...yes you heard right. We went hiking for 4 days in Torres del Paine. We thought we would go a little crazy for the end of South American adventure We ended up flying down to Punto Arenasas we had had enough of long bus journeys so fancied living in luxury for a while Seeing as how we were living it up we decided to go crazy on the plane and asked for a beer. The air hostess however thought ot http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Magallanes/Torres-del-Paine/blog-52940.html Hey guys just a quick one before we head off on a five day hike around the Torres del Paine. It will just be like camping in england as its cold in the south and rains alot so we have had a lifes worth of trainingHad loads of fun in Valparaiso. At first it was a bit dodgy as we stayed near the bus station and were the only tourists for milespeople just stared at us all the time as if we were fr http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Valparaiso-Region/Valparaiso/blog-50625.html Hello everyone So here we are in a new country again From La Paz we headed down to Cochabamba where we got tickets for the Manu Chau gig. The gig was brilliant but we didn't really like Cochabamba. Firstly cos there was nothing to do there. Secondly cos all the restaurants were rubbish and called Dumbo. And thirdly because we had our first encounter with the local police as one of our bags wa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Chile/Santiago-Region/Santiago/blog-49418.html ....and weve had fun and gamesWe have just returned from a week in the jungle in Northern Bolivia Rurrenabaque. We spent 3 days in the Pampas lowlands plains which last year got totally flooded and is now waist high in water and then 2 days in the Selva tropical jungle with lots of insects and very hot.Instead of describing everything we did we are going to let our photos do the talki http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Beni-Department/Rurrenabaque/blog-46485.html Alright people Rich here. Thought I would have a go at writing a blog Zoe is doing the grammar and spelling thoughLeft Cusco and said goodbye to Meg and Den Aussie mates so its us two alone for a while Got the bus to Puno which was alright but nothing much to do really. Got a nice room with cable TV which made up for it so we just ate and watched loads of good filmsand a bit of football w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/La-Paz-Department/La-Paz/blog-44378.html Well we have come a long way since our last journal entry thatrsquos for sure. 10000 feet upward to be exactWe are now in the wonderful Cusco dodging forked lightening. Generally the days are scorching but around teatime every day the rain comes down like there is no tomorrow Last night there was a huge storm....so dramatic over the mountains but there is rumbling now as I write Than http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Cusco/Cusco/blog-42075.html Hello everyoneSo here were are drawing close to a week and a half away from home and having a brilliant time We will start from the beginninghellip.Left Hastings last Monday and made our way up to Heathrow airport. Had a fun night there trying to sleep but being distracted by a woman trying to steal the trolley buggy She told us ldquoitrsquos just like driving a car innitrdquo Fin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Peru/Ica/Huacachina/blog-40077.html Hello everyoneWelcome to the excitement that will be Rich Zoe's travel blogWe are only hours away from our fun night in Heathrow airport before our flight at 8am tomorrow morning Feeling a little nervous but mostly excited. Rich is tired No surprise there then heheheWe land in Lima Peru at 6.45 tomorrow night after a 14 hour flight oh dear so will be in touch as soon as we canIf http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/East-Sussex/Hastings/blog-38414.html