Our last days in Asia were amazing!!

We boarded the ferry and headed back to Bangkok! The bus we got on once we got to shore was awful we sat at a table and couldn't stretch out we were most uncomfortable so the journey seemed to take twice as long!!

We arrived in Bangkok and tried to find a cheap hostel to rent out for the day as we were getting another night bus to Chiang Mai at 6pm! We found somewhere left our bags and headed for breaky and then grabbed a taxi to MBK which is Bangkok's 4 storey shopping mall. It was filled with shops and delicious food joints. We wandered around and decided it was time for Ed to have his hair cut. It looked far too long and needed a good tidy (note it hasn't all been cut off!!) it looks so much better for it though :) It was strange that the shops still bartered even though they had 'fixed' prices it was like a street market set inside.

After a day of wandering around shopping and taking in Bangkok's busy streets we got back showered and waited for our bus to pick us up to head to Chiang Mai. The bus was great the best we've had by far!! It had a tv and we sat at the front with the most leg room and a warm blanket!! We were very happy watching films before getting to sleep for the majority of the journey.

We arrived at 8am and when I awoke our bags had moved from under our seats and layng down the isle we grabbed them jumped off and got in a taxi when I checked my bag I was upset to find out I had lost or had stolen 2000 baht which is around £40, which goes a long way in Asia. I was most upset and immediately felt homesick and wanted to go home. After Ed suggested I calmed down and we went somewhere for breakfast I had got my spirits back to normal once again. My breakfast was amazing...a giant granola pancake yum yum with a passion fruit shake. Fruit shakes are Ed and mines obsession in Thailand they are on every street corner and are extremely refreshing and tasty! After a walk about visiting different travel agents we ventured to our hotel in a taxi as it is a 10 minute drive away from the city centre.

The hotel was gorgeous it's tranquil and friendly. In the lobby was a giant pond with water fountains and giant fish in, we look out on to it from our balcony. At the the back lies the infinity pool looking onto Chiang Mai's famous ping river. The room was gorgeous so spacious with a flat screen television and a shower cubicle not the usual wet room/toilet we were used too. We felt spoilt, we had really struck gold with the online deal and were chuffed to be staying there for the next 3 nights. We got settled in and grabbed a cycle from the front of house and went on a little bike ride. We rode over the river and visited various different shops and markets in the village nearby. We visited a street stall for lunch which was so filling!! After lunch we done some laundry which cost next to nothing and headed back to the hotel for a dip in the pool. It was freezing but we enjoyed a few lengths before heading back to shower and get ready to visit Chiang Mai's famous night bazaar! The hotel runs a free shuttle bus into the town so we hopped on and ventured around the night markets stalls and and food stations. We wasn't that hungry so grabbed something small. I treated myself to a new wacky pair of Aladdin pants as my others had a hole in them and a few gifts for back home. We grabbed a tuc tuc and headed home to skype, which really heightened my spirits and I ended up sleeping very well. It had been 2 weeks since we had spoken home and I really needed to catch up!!

Well we showered got ready as today we had booked a tour to be a mahout for the day training elephants. Breakfast was amazinggggg, we had a buffet which was actually good not just thai food we had toast, scrambled egg, bacon, fruit, cereal, yogurts and pancakes. It was truly something else we were chuffed and filled our boots.

Woody elephant training centre picked us up and we headed to training. There was a group of 9 so us and we were taught how to command the elephant to do things like lift their leg to help us jump on or open their mouth so we can feed them. It was one of the best experiences so far. Such huge animals yet so gentle, it was amazing!! Once we fed them they liked to kiss you to thank you :) we were taught how to get on the massive animal without assistance to ensure the elephant wasn't in any discomfort. We then rode the elephant through the jungle 2 per elephant where we took them to the river for a bath and then a swim!! We were splashed repeatedly by their trunks which was fun. The team took picture after picture which was good as we don't have a water proof camera. The day finished around 5pm after spending hours with the amazing creatures we were so tired!!

We showered and got ready for Chiang Mai's famous walking street market where we were amazed as over 8000 stalls fill the city every Sunday of every week it's for nominal. We traipsed our way around the majority and of course tucked into our fair share of street food the waffles were amazing!! The streets were filled with various acts like poor disabled children hula hooping for money which was sad and thai boys painted completely white to be graffitied on which was cool. We finally took an exciting journey on a tuc tuc home after wandering around Chiang Mai all evening.

The next day we planned to rent a moped after another delicious intake of our free buffet breaky!! Haha! We made our way up towards Doi Suthep national park which was a long journey up steep hills as it lies at the top of a mountain where Doi Suthep temple sits also. We finally got there and it was so cold as we were so high, the views of the city were lovely although they would have been better if the weather wasn't as cloudy!! We climbed the 306 steps that others take a lazy sky line to reach the top and explored the gorgeous golden painted temple watching Buddhists praying and lighting candles, it was so calm and peaceful.

After the temple we explored the national park visiting different waterfalls and streams where we paddled as it was still too chilly. It was beautiful so calm and quite we enjoyed just sitting amongst the trees listening to the various different jungle bugs. We later on hopped on our bikes and before heading home we went through the city and visited the Phae gate of Chiang Mai which was once the only way into the city. We had a wander about after sitting by the canal watching the fish and went back. It started to rain on the way back and it ended up being an awful evening which meant we both had to eat at the hotel in the end as it was too wet to leave.

When we awoke we unpacked and repacked our bags ready for our flight to Australia. We chucked away a lot of crap clothes and rubbish we had collected over the 2 months. Being our last day in Chiang Mai we kept the bike to explore further and ventured to a reservoir that isn't big with westerners and was filled with only thai. It was gorgeous, the national parks lake had a path around it and bamboo huts on the lakes edge reached by small bamboo bridges where you sat and got served. After a ride about we sat in a hut and ordered stir fried rice which was yum! We took in the views one last time and we made our way to Chiang Mai zoo. The zoo was incredible we were cm away from a hippos mouth which was scary and visited pandas and koalas which were so sweet. We had a work out walking around the zoo as it was on another steep hill.

After realising the time we had to rush back to shower quick ready for our bus back to Bangkok. We of course got lost on the way home and only had 15 minutes to get our things together. This meant it was crisps again for dinner!!! We showered by the pool and hopped on the bus. The journey went quick as we slept. When we arrived Ed's bag had been looked through and his shaver was missing. I pushed my way back onto the bus and found Ed's shaver abandoned. Some people really stoop so low to steal anything it's disgusting, half a girls bag had been emptied but was no where to be seen!!

We spent from 6am till 1pm when we had an arranged bus booked to the airport waiting around. It was very long and we was so hot, sweaty and tired. We didn't have much money between us so could only afford one meal that day so we filled up on a massive Sandwhich haha. At the airport we had enough left for a doughnut between us which we shared it was a sad day haha. We boarded our flight and watched films and ate on the aeroplane food being so desperate haha.

We arrived in Melbourne on Halloween and it's just like home, 10 degrees, were so cold!! We got a free pick up to the hostel and napped being so tired. We then showered and went to explore and eat as we hadn't all day and it was now 6pm!! Tucked into a yummy home made Italian pasta!! We explored and I purchased a pair of jeans to wear as my clothing doesn't fit in right here haha. We spent the evening planning what we want to see and do in Melbourne. We were going to the cinema but figured we'd only fall asleep so headed to bed early.

We woke up and headed for Breaky stealing some bread to make a sarnie! We headed for the city centre via the tram and boarded the $5 shuttle bus that took us to all the sights of Melbourne. We spent the day hopping on and off so we could get to know the city and see everything it has to offer. We visited the MCG which was enormous. We walked around parks and saw the beautiful fairy tree which a famous Australian author carved for the children to admire. We then visited the art precinct which is big in Melbourne slightly like the west end, this is right near federation square which ozzies call 'the meeting point' with tourist help, restaurants, bars and a range of events daily. The city is so clean and organised it clusters things together like the amazing Italian street which if you guessed right is a street with only Italian eateries....heaven. We stepped into China town and had a wander round different malls and boutique streets before going to the great Victoria market which covers 2 blocks with everything from clothes to pets to fresh fruit and veg. After we hit the docklands where we again shopped and sat by the water not before having pictures with the famous statues of Kylie minougue and dame Edna. The water is filled with jelly fish you couldn't move without getting stung in these waters.

Once we got back and tucked into our jacket potatoes we sat in the hostels cinema and tuned into a classic- American pie the reunion. We had brought some fresh strawberries and enjoyed the film, I have missed my fruit!!

The next day we decided to hit the beach, we got ready and had a wander about before catching the tram to st. Kilda beach, which is around 15 minutes away from the city. It was hot today and we sat in our swimmers basking in the sun. We took a look at Melbourne's luna theme park but decided to save our money! Today went quick we are doing really well at saving money by taking advantage of the free breakfast and making packed lunch and using water bottles that we can refill. We jumped out in the centre of the city and walked along the river past all the dressed up people from the races as it started today. I have decided I am in need of a new dress these women look dressed to the nines I cannot turn up in a shabby number. We made our way to eureka sky deck 88 which is one of the tallest buildings in the Southern Hemisphere we paid to get to the top where we saw the most amazing views of the city and the shore line, we stayed and watched the sunset before making our way back to the hostel. We tucked into our soup and fresh baked bread for tea cheap and cheery haha and spent the night skyping people and headed to bed early.

I awoke early today so I could speak to a few girlfriends back home, this was lovely and really put a smile on my face for the day. After I woke ed up and we got ready and headed for the aquarium it's meant to be really good so we were very excited!! It was so much fun we stayed near the penguins for ages and being in breeding season we witnessed the females laying on their eggs and some that had hatched which was adorable. We watched 2 divers get in the huge tank and feed the fish, sharks and sting rays which was also impressive. After the aquarium we went to a massive outlet shopping centre which was great, I purchased some new nike trainers at a brilliant reduced price of $50/£31 so I no longer have any excuses I can start running again!! I tried on a few dresses for the races but I am going to wait until we stay with our friend GiGi on Wednesday to help me Ed's no good with dress advice surprisingly. We grabbed another cheap dinner pasta broccoli and some frankfurters and relaxed for the evening! It has been quite chilly today and we annoyingly missed the last tram home and had to walk several blocks :( because we have been doing a lot of wandering around we seem to be very tired in the evening.

Today we had nothing planned so we got up and checked out hair salons to get my hair done for the races, as it currently looks like I've had a dip dye! I found a cheap place I will walk in another morning this week as I am unsure what GiGi plans to do with us!! We then did some window shopping and happened to walk straight to where the Melbourne cup parade commenced. It was lovely to watch!! The cup carnival means so much to the ozzies tomorrow the cup day is even a public holiday. As the passing vehicles went by with jockey names and horses names on I happened to recognise one owner- Michael Owen!! I was gobsmacked!! I told Ed and we ran to stalk and try to meet him!! We were there for a good hour calling his name and watching him get interviewed and pictured, until finally he came over to us. We both had a picture and got a signed Emirates hat we were chuffed!! He happens to own a horse in the biggest race tomorrow. For the rest of the day we enquired about a Ramsay street tour and explored the cities Laneways filled with tiny cafés, restaurants, boutiques and bars. Whilst exploring we ventured to the street art areas where graffiti covered buildings, streets and walls it was incredible, I got a million photos throughout the whole day. We finally got back around dinner time we must have walked miles. Ed gave in again half way through the day and ate a McDonald's I managed to live of just $1 today, I'm getting good at saving money. We made super noodles for tea with frankfurters and broccoli another budget meal but actually quite enjoyable. Ed finished his book last night so we ventured and brought him a new one. We rested in the evening watching telly in the common room and I caught up with writing my diary, blog and replying to emails and messages.

Today was cup day and a really hot day. We got ready had a shop in Aldi for our food and headed for federation square to watch the race that stops the nation. The atmosphere was incredible. We cheered them on and watched Florentene win the race....just it was very close. We enjoyed a cold cider which set us back $11 each but it was delightful! After we had a walk along the river and tucked into our picnic we had made, trying the new honeycomb and almond magnums yummm and had a venture round some of the shops near the yarra river. After we locked a lock on the bridge for Ed and I and chucked the keys in the river :) which was lovely. We then headed back to relax and make dinner before skyping uncle Dec to sort arrangements for when we arrive. We are so excited now!!

We had to get up early have breakfast make lunch and check out. Ed waited in the hostel whilst I went and got my hair done for an amazing $50!! Very pleased with it!! Gigi headed over around lunch time to pick us up and we dropped our stuff off met her family which are all lovely and headed to the Belgium beer garden nearby which was just what we needed in the sun. Wet then jumped on the tram and headed to the night market which was amazing, every food you can imagine. I tucked into a Sri Lankan dish with cut up chicken, roti and veggies was delicious. Ed and Gigi had burgers there's was too much to choose from. We wandered around the market and G got a lovely dress from a vintage stall. Ed after got a crepe for the walk home, I got a lemon and passion fruit cake which was AMAZING and G got a lump of chocolatey fudge. Yummmm. We headed back and I uploaded a few photos I thought it was about time.

Today has been fun we woke up and Gigi took us down to the swimming pool and gym in her building where I did my first run in almost three months it was tough but felt good, Ed enjoyed the sauna haha. We showered and G kindly dropped us to the neighbours tour point where we enjoyed being told all about neighbours, visited the street and set where they were filming and saw Lou and even got to meet Kyle Kennedy. We were so happy haha!! After we met back with Gigi and went shoe shopping ed got some new runners and I got my heels for the races, comfy wedges!! We have spent the afternoon relaxing at G's apartment and watching Ozzie telly before we walk to a famous Vietnamese restaurant nearby for dinner and we get to meet Gigi's boyfriend. We may take our food away and sit in the botanic gardens as it's a lovely day and enjoy some wine!!

Sorry this is so long the wifi we were using only let me log on to one device at a time so I had to wait to update you all. More pictures will also be online soon. Miss you all xx