Hi all - and welcome to Sig and Vic's adventure 2005. ____________________________________________________________ Departure date is April the 20th on which we fly to Bangkok; we will then head north to Chang mai where we will meet Nelly the Elephant. We are then hoping to spend a week or two on a small Thai island during which time we will hopefully complete our Scuba Diving qualification (PADI). Then its down through Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia - this is where we may have to divert due to the recent Tsunami disaster. Approximately late June beginning of July we will fly from Bali to Darwin and onto Cairns from where we will begin our decent along the gold coast of Australia. Taking in the barrier reef, surfers paradise, Sydney, toad racing and hopefully staying with some relatives along the way. Mid August says 'Bye' Australia and 'Hello' New Zealand - with a flight from Melbourne to Christchurch. Driving our campervan home we will head to Auckland on somewhat of a whirlwind tour. On the 2nd of September we will travel from Auckland to Santiago, Chilli. The next two months will be spent exploring South America including Macchu Picchu and the Incas. We will travel through Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina - then hope on a short flight from Buenos Aries to Sao Paulo, Brazil. During November we will be Volunteering at 'Iracambi' an Atlantic Rainforest Research Center in the heart of the Brazilian Rainforest. (http://www.iracambi.com) Mission Statement: "The Atlantic Rainforest has been identified as one of the world's most globally important biodiversity hotspots, but this has not prevented it from being reduced to only eight fragmented per cent of its former size. The attack on the forest started when the Portuguese first arrived in Brazil 500 years ago, and continues today. Iracambi is working to reverse this trend. We believe that it is only by helping to find a future for the people who live and work in the forest, that we can provide a future for the forest itself" After we've saved the rainforest - the plan is to spend the remaining few weeks in Rio de Janeiro - before returning home on the 14th of December 2005. ________________________________________________________ All we have got to do now before we go is get fit and save a load of pennies up! - NO PROBLEM :) Thanks Vic and Sig xxx