Well, this is probably the most difficult blog i've had to write over the past 16 months, hence it taking 4 months to write.

The end of the trip was so different to the rest of the trip. We ended our final four weeks on the island of Koh Samui with Marlee and Meghan, some amazing girls we picked up on Koh Phangan. We stayed in Beers bungalows for a few nights with them playing drinking games and soaking up the rays. After they left we moved round to Hat Lamai beach and checked into some super cool, super cheap bungalows named....Big Bell Bungalows!!! Indeed!!! We spent our time relaxing on the beach, wandering the streets and babysitting for local Thai children (beautiful little things), at one point we ended up looking after 8 of them for about 3 hours which was EXHAUSTING. We met lots of cool people and spent plenty of time partying, not wanting to wrap that up juuuuust yet. Iain came to stay with us for a week or so which involved mainly getting our asses kicked by the locals at pool, watching Thai boxing and eating at the local outdoor market everyday. Jo also came over from the UK which was brilliant, got to see her for about 3 days and introduced her to the famous Thai blend whiskey.....and Iain :)

When it came to home time, honestly?, we were both ready. Having ran out of money and kilo's.....skinny and tanned (read emaciated and black) we spent a few days getting back up to Bangkok for the final stretch home.

It was pretty emotional, I mean, really, how on earth do you end a trip like this?

So.....on the 9th June 2011 we landed on British soil after a whole year, walked through the gates into the arms of our families and loaded our backpacks into the cars.

I can't explain how much this year has affected me, I have changed dramatically as a person (maybe only those close to me will notice, I don't know). Some things for the better, I am more patient, less materialistic and understand what is important to me. On the negative side, I now feel more unsettled than ever before......what on earth do I want out of life?

I've already made some huge, and terribly difficult decisions as you know which have possibly changed the path of my life, possibly not, I'll never know. After my return I decided that I'd left my heart and soul in Peru.....so, I booked a single, one-way ticket to Lima, organised a job and packed my bags. However, 24 hours before the flight, the job fell through and back I was at square one.

Now, here I am, sat behind my desk at work. Relocated to London, getting on with my surveying career, with a new 'home', living by myself with a whole new life and whole new bunch of opportunities. How do I feel? I don't really know, some days I feel elated and totally in love with my new life, sometimes I feel lonely and want to board the next plane to nowhere.....maybe one day I will! One thing I have learnt is that emotions change daily and for me it's important to live life for now, enjoy what I have, not worrying about the future! After all, happiness is wanting what you have, not having what you want!!! We have to make decisions, you NEVER know if you've made the right one, you just have to trust your instincts and accept that fate determines the future regardless of your decisions!

So, on with the next chapter.....this is it, that little thing called life, let's see what we can make of it :)

Thank you for reading, one last time, over and out

Love you all, Liz

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