Remember right back at the start of the year we published that list of activities our family and friends sponsored for our time away? Well it occurred to us recently that there have been a few experiences (for whatever reason) we haven't done. Whoops! Nevertheless, many of the experiences have been similar to something we did do, and therefore we'd like to thank the people who have contributed and we've yet to acknowledge.

- Aside from the bagels in NYC and tacos in Mexico, Kari & Jarrod also sponsored pints of Guinness in Ireland & dahl in India. Apparently Sjane downed a Guinness while in York, and I found some of the locally brewed brown stuff in a far-flung corner of Kenya (it was surprisingly good!). As I've mentioned before, we gorged on all things Indian (including dahl) whilst in Malaysia. Thank you.

- Nanny Gavan sponsored tickets to the observation deck at Niagara Falls, Canada. Now the Falls were frozen over when we were over that way, so we didn't go there (in hindsight it probably would've been pretty cool to see regardless!), but instead extended our trip in Africa to include the Victoria Falls on the Zambian / Zimbabwean border. How many people can say they've walked the Zambezi riverbed right before the water plunges over the 108 metre drop? Thank you Nan.

- Prue and Becks contributed to the wedding in a different way. Becks took photos for the day and her style of photography is something I try (unsuccessfully no doubt) to emulate. They can be thanked as inspiration for the cool photos we've shared with you this year.

- Marlene & Theo were originally alloted cycling in the Netherlands, but since we never paid to cycle around, we thought it best to thank them for something we put significant finances towards: food. The Dutch have perfected their cuisine, and just thanking you both for the various local treats (beers, dropje, croquettes, frikadel etc.) is making my tummy rumble!

- Bart, Lida, Tim & Ilse - Dank je wel for the ice cream in Spain. Somehow we forgot to thank you at the time. The long hours hiking in the Ronda countryside made the ice creams much appreciated.

- Christina & Yianni - in all their Greek wisdom - selected island hopping around Santorini, Greece. Even though Greece probably could've used the financial support in July this year, we ran out of time on our European leg and had to save Greece for another time. Instead, we did a bit of island hopping in the Bacuit Archipelago around northern Palawan, Philippines (and it was mind-blowing!), so we can thank you for that.

- Tompa, we had intended to do a tandem gorge swing in Zambia, but when we got there the activity wasn't available. We did however, spend a night driving around blindly in the Zimbabwean wilderness, watching the milky way overhead and hearing elephants snap trees down and trumpet to one another in the dark. The latter really got the adrenaline pumping, and I'm sure you'd agree it was an apt replacement for the gorge swing. I didn't write a blog about it at the time, but still remember it as being one of the most poignant experiences of our lives.

- Sjane's colleagues at TPCH generously provided us with the means to prepare for our trip, and their gift went towards some thermals and winter woolies that have stood us in good stead this year. We are very grateful (Sjane especially, as we all know is a sook when it comes to the cold).

- A huge thank you to Hans & Glenis, whose gift has been put towards the various flights to bring The TwentyFifteen Plan all together. I couldn't even hazard a guess at this stage how many we've boarded or how far we've travelled on them, but we greatly appreciate your generosity and we hope you approve of where those funds have taken us.

- Debbie, Don, Jess & Sam - A night in luxury accommodation when we need it most. This one really was a favourite idea of mine, and two nights really fit the bill. The first was after a train breakdown between Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang. We expected a 6 hour train ride and got 24 hours instead. Minimal food available and deteriorating parience led to exultation as we finally arrived at our hotel (all swanky glitz and glam), were whisked to the penultimate (18th) floor to our upgraded suite with uninterrupted panoramic views overlooking the South China Sea. Oh yeah!

The second instance of much-needed luxury (and what prompted me to consult the original to-do list) was today. After arriving in the much-hyped town of El Nido, both Sjane and I were nearly spent. Our prebooked room smelt, the town was touristy and dirty, and the beach sucked. We were expecting paradise! So we got searching and eventually made our way here, to Duli Beach Resort on Palawan Island's northern reaches. Its hard to overstate just how idyllic it is here. Our brand-new bungalow opens directly onto the beach; all coconut palms and fine white sand. The water is crystal clear, that blue green I thought was reserved only for Thai shores. There is a little wreck around the point for some snorkelling, cold drinks and fresh meals at the bar. You can drag your deckchair down to the water's edge at night and look up at the Milky Way in all its glory. I'll stop ranting: just know that it ticks all the boxes for 'luxury when it's needed most", and we are very grateful.

We have also had some additions to the list this year:

- Howard and Theresa asked us to put their gift towards something special to have on the mantle or the wall, "something you want but don't need". Shortly after leaving their home in South Africa, we found the perfect painting in Vietnam that fit the bill. We've posted it home for now, but will send you a photo when it's framed. Thank you for this unique addition to our new home.

- The Davis clan. We met this Canadian family of four in northern Vietnam, and they offered to host us for a few nights when we were next in Kuala Lumpur. Now aside from putting us up in their home in Ampang and showing us around their neighbourhood, they also shouted us to dinner at Michelin-starred Din Tai Fung. We thank you for your hospitality and generosity, and hope to return the favour one day.

- I think that just leaves Jo Kelly, and the orangutans in Malaysian Borneo. We were lucky enough to see their Great Ape relations (the chimpanzees) during our time in Africa, and we have plans to see Sjane's redheaded cousins in the near future. Thank you in advance Jojo.