Hey guys! Hey u 2..all I can say is wow..what a trip u's are having!!Ive checked in with u's a few times and I end up logging off a dark shade of green!Ur entry about thailand took me right bak..fun times for sure!!Really sounds like u's have it sorted..seeing and doing it all and yet taking no crap from the lovable but tricky locals!!cant wait to hear the rest..when I need a break from lesson plans and assignments u 2 have replaced bebo for me!!
hello Stephen says to tell you "it's bloody freezing here"... It is; so your description of China sounds appealing. Enjoyed the photos. Would love to hear more about kite fliers. I'm being driven demented here by "help" from a certain young man I think you know well... (only 3 dots for an "ellipse" apparently).
touché ....thanks for the sub-edit.... ahem. for the record, i do like cats. just don't like animals that rhyme with mat and have a r as their first letter...xx
A discrepence.... "Now, anyone who knows me, probably knows my love of animals that are small and rhyme with 'mat' doesn't exist, pho-bi-a might be a understatement."
Hmmmmm you don't like the 'cats' anymore???
Ahhh! Alan, was your Panda Teddy with the blue jump suit the start of all this? I think Cian must have been a Panda in a past life!
Seriously though, what an experience you're having! Really enjoying seeing an hearing about it!
ps where's the picture of Bruce Lee??
What can I say Sitting here in Tallaght on a cold damp Tuesday night, it all sounds a bit unbelievable and dreamlike. Another world. Another planet almost. It's not really a "small world after all" as in the bible according to Disney. There really is more to life than America!!! If you get my meaning! Hallelujiah!
Domo Arigato, Mrs Ryan Thank you for another glimpse, you are gettin fierce poetic these days. Adam and I had sushi for dinner today in your honour! Happy trails.
Hi there both of you, really enjoying your blog and the photos are great too. Went to see The National, great gig, although acoustics weren't the best in the Olympia. Take care. Frank and Nuala.
bags So accustomed was my brain to looking at things Japanese that for a minute, till I looked again, I thought your bags were two funny little japanese robots!!! :oD
Greetings! Hi u 2! Aoife, belated birthday greetings! What a super way to spend your 30th birthday.....love following your adventures and the photos are super...when the tedium of the office gets too much I switch into your world ..... Take care, xx
what a birthday! I was feeling a bit sad that you didn't have everyone around for your 30th and we couldn't have a big mad party for ya, but I see that you've totally triumphed any possible party we would have had. Your birthday sounded fab. Your writting, as ever, is beautiful and evocative - the down side is for a few minutres I feel like I'm there with you - then I remember I'm only here xxxx
Tea Tea was amazing - dig the Oolong - apparently it means 'black dragon' and is warming - that's all I remember from our lesson! We didn't come across anything about the stolen children - the only children we saw were totally spoiled rotten by everyone in sight, like little emperors/emperesses, and very cute too, well able to work the crowd! That said we haven't gone too far off the beaten track yet. Hope yer all keeping well? Take care xx
Tea My only connection is I drink Oolong (wu-long) tea all the time. And Ti Kuan Yin also from Chinese supermarket. Not quite the same a s having it there I think!!!
On darker note, I watched a sad programme on China's stolen children. Thousands missing and stolen, bought and sold. Did you see any sign of that darker side of Chinese society?
Ni Hao Hello Aoife, Alan and the collective audience. Have just read all your blogs in one go, it is my first blog ever, I feel much chagrin Aoif for the sniffing. It is delightful to follow you, your journey and your lovely words. And de QUALITY pictures an dat. Hurray. I'm like totally subscribing.....
Wow!! Wow Aoife your pictures are amzing and your story so far sounds like a novel. Isn't back packing the best!!! Enjoy avery second and I look forward to reading the next chapter!!!
I'm sitting in the back bedroom (supoosed to be studying of course) it's bleedin freezin out and miserably grey and you guys seems a world away. Well I guess you're half a world away really (oh that song just popped into my my head - how appropiate - 'I wanna be half a world away, half a world away, half a world away, with you. .....) Anyway jealous as I am your blog is great - its really nove to know where you are and what you're up to - keep it up. Miss you lots, but thats ok cos i know you're having a ball xxx
hello Aoife and Alan Just found your blog and have very much enjoyed reading about your adventures to date. Love the writing, very evocative, even down to the chips (I like them too I have to admit...)
Best wishes to both of you.
Yay, we're finally on the road!
After years of excited and nervous planning we took the plunge and left our jobs, rented out the house, said goodbye to the folks and friends, got married (well, you've got to be sure your travel buddy's there for you!) and headed off for places unknown.
And we're loving it, enjoying every second! Can't wait to see what's next.
Carpe Diem.
xx... full info
Stephen
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Thanks for the t-shirt! It says I'm an able seaman in the 5th Japanese Imperial navy. Very comfortable too.