MY FINAL THOUGHTS - DEAN
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many
of our people need it sorely...Broad, wholesome, charitable views
cannot be acquired by vegetating in one's little corner of the earth."
Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad
This is my final sentiment as I arrive back in England. Dur…
Greetings to friends, family members, colleagues and other random people who happen to come across our wonderful website! After finishing university last May, we decided to take a year out to do some travelling before we start our teaching courses later this year. So far we have spent four months working for Mark Warner,in San Agostino, Greece, two weeks washing dishes in Corfu, six months living and working in London. This however, was merely the entree to what will be our scrumpti…
Greetings to friends, family members, colleagues and other random people who happen to come across our wonderful website! After finishing university last May, we decided to take a year out to do some travelling before we start our teaching courses later this year. So far we have spent four months working for Mark Warner,in San Agostino, Greece, two weeks washing dishes in Corfu, six months living and working in London. This however, was merely the entree to what will be our scrumptious main course in the mainland of South East Asia and China!
You can keep up to date by checking out our photos and journal entries. You can even visit our messageboard to tell us how fantastic you think our site is and how jealous you are of our trip.
We hope you enjoy reading about our travels, as much as we enjoy making the memories.
Dean and Claire
MY FINAL THOUGHTS - DEAN
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many
of our people need it sorely...Broad, wholesome, charitable views
cannot be acquired by v…
Hi,
In case you didn't know, we are now at home, soaking up the rays in lovely Darwen. We move to birmingham in under three weeks so i will try to catch up with you all and bore you silly w…
Well, we have reached the last day of our trip, which has come around so fast, but we can't believe all of the amazing things that we have seen and done.
We've visited 37 different towns i…
Hi people,
Today we ventured to the Great Wall. What a day!
It started raining almost as soon as we set off on our five mile hike from one part of the wall to another. Luckily we had um…
Hello from Beijing; our last stop!
We arrived here two days ago by plane (still gutted about having to fork out the extra money for the flight, though we did get a free wallet!)
We are s…
Mike
I'll be going to Paksi with a couple of friends in late August of 2012. Just three guys. Mainly to viisit temples.
This is our second trip to Paksi.
Mum
What a shame last day tomorrow, but what a trip!!! It has been marvellous to be able to share your experiences thanks to this web site!!Can't wait to hear about it all when you come home.
Safe journey.
Love Mum and Dave
tilster
dear dean & claire -
i am a fellow traveller and off exploring member. at the moment am travelling in australia, but we have been seriously thinking of stopping over in south east asia on our way back to blighty. saw that you have been to laos (which is one of our intended destinations) and wondered if you guys have any tips, suggestions or comments that you would be happy to share with us as we have never been to south east asia before. all comments and thoughts would be greatly appreciated. good luck with you next stopping point =o)
Mum
It sounds as if you are ready to come home, but I am sure you will soon get tired of boring England and be planning your next trip not long after arriving back. I have got the electric blanket ready for you because i think the temperature here may be a bit of a shock! When you reel off where you have had a bath it's like reading a novel, i will never be able to imagine what it's been like for you, i suppose it's something you have to experience for yourself. I hope the last weeks are good for you and blow the budget and have a lovely meal somewhere!
I will have the Vodka ready for your return-!!
Love Mum and Dave
Ruth
hey you two, i love reading your site and have finally remembered to leave a message! china sounds nuts, the bit about Dean and the shoe-fixing men made me laugh so much, if the moto drivers in cambodia irritated him i can just imagine what it's like... i'm still in vietnam, another english girl and i hired a motorbike and took a road trip to sapa - two days, one flat tyre and lots of red bull later here we are! had a blast and stayed in some crazy places. just heard that my airmail parcel from hoi an has got home so the post cant be that bad! back to thailand at the end of the week, can't believe how fast time is going. thanks to you both again for your company across three countries!! it was so much fun. enjoy the rest of your time in china and take lots of photos! love ruth xxxx
Claire
Hi y'all,
We are fine... China is fine...the toilets are not fine but I guess we'll get used to that. Thankyou for all your messages, and even a positive one in there from my Mum! My My (Still, I guess she figured that China can't be bad, cause she's heard of the place... can't remember any wars happening here in the last 20 years...plus there's the woman in the Chinese take-away across the road; she's nice)
Emma, I don't know what remote area your friend visited, but they definitely have chicken and pork here (Either that or there are some strange shaped cats and dogs on the menu) though i'm yet to find any special fried rice or prawn crackers (I thought that was all they ate, along with sweet and sour and bamboo shoots...)
We are home in just over three weeks so I hope to see most of you then!
Claire x
Emma
Hi Claire! Glad to hear you are still having a great time. Ive just read the bit about what happened in China and im worried about you now! Be careful! My friends sister used to teach in china and she said the food is not normal over there, apparently they dont even have Sweet & Sour! Ive also heard that they dont eat Pork, Chicken and Beef like we do, although you've probably found that out by now! Stick to the vegetarian dishes to be on the safe side, ha ha. lots of love from Emma xxx
Mum
So the last leg begins! China sounds magical and its been wonderful to follow you with this website and your pictures- its not quite like being with you but not far off!! What you have seen and experienced will stay with you forever, you have done something more than many of us will ever do. How will you ever settle down after this? Will you ever see Blackpool in the same light?? or Spain for that matter!!!!!!! I know your enjoying every minute and that you will make the most of your last trek-ENJOY.. Love Mumand Dave
deans mum
Hi Dean and Claire, sorry I have not been in touch on the message board but the PC has been down. Hope u r both well and still enjoying yourselves. I have been doing quite a lot of far eastern cooking, (very healthy). And thank u for your letter on the elephant dung paper(excellent). Take care both of you, love always mum xxx.
Dean
Hello everyone, we are in Chiang Rai now, most famous for its opium cultivation. Gonna check out some bizzare tribes tommorow and then off to Lao on Saturday. A big hello to the flat 13 massive, we are hoping to drop in you on the way home. We would be hugely grateful if you could safeguard our post for a few weeks because there is some important pieces of bureaucracy in there. I will hopefully get a few emails out soon. Laters, Dean
Tracy Aldred
WOW - I am so impressed by your wicked web site, you absolute stars! Yep, I am jealous about all your travels, but so proud of you both!! Dean, your Dad is so very impressed. Treat everyday as an adventure, even if things don't go your way and enjoy yourselfs. These are memories that will last and are well worth treasuring. Look after each other. Lots of Love from Tracy, Alan & Hannah. xxx
Hayley
Hello Claire! I have FINALLY looked at your site and it's amazing!! I am so jealous of you, looks like you're having a fab time. Well we have just come back from Barcelona, and your poem had all of us more or less in tears, it was really good - how do you remember everything!! Am sure Louise will email you all of the photo's, am most impressed of the ones with me polke dancing on the bar with a beautiful, worlds most perfect man!! We have decided to have a girls weekend away every year, so hopefully next year you could come with us. Anyways take care, make sure you eat! Missing you loads, Hayley x x x x
KATHERINE
Hello you two! Can't belive what you have been getting up to! This web site is a really good idea! Sorry for not visiting you earlier! Looks like you are both having a really time and I hope it carries on! It's Barcelona weekend tomorrow - wish you were coming Claire! Very excited, but a bit nervous after reading Louise's message! I'll try and send you some photos - hope I won't look too stupid in them!! Anyway what do you mean I need to start getting ready an hour before - you cheeky rabble! Hope you are both ok and take care
Katherine
xx
Mum
Hi you two it looks wonderful where you are, but you are looking peaky Claire- what have I told you about eating too many grasshoppers...and Dean don't be so greedy with your maggots!!
I hope you are both well, look afteryourself. Love Mum and Dave
Mike I'll be going to Paksi with a couple of friends in late August of 2012. Just three guys. Mainly to viisit temples. This is our second trip to Paksi.
re: Paxi, Laos