... and thanks for all the fish!

List Of Destinations

USA
Arrive Saturday 28 January 2006

Here we go! Los Angeles for a 4 day whistle stop tour of Hollywood Boulevard, Santa Monica, movie star homes and of course Universal Studios.

Tahiti
Arrive Thursday 2 February 2006

A two week stop in the 2nd most expensive country in the world. Marlon Brando owned an island here and it just looks idyllic. We will be camping on the island of Huahine - desribed as the 'garden island'. Tahiti’s islands are still very French and so we will have to brush up on our language skills (or lack of them!) before we go.

Raratonga
Arrive Thursday 16 February 2006

We are spending a couple of weeks in a beach hut on Muri lagoon. Apparently the church is really alive out here and we will be looking forward to some lively church services. The island is famous for its dancing and it’s wild parties!

New Zealand
Arrive Thursday 2 March 2006

”A wizard is never early: nor is he late. He arrives exactly when he means to.” Here we are in the land of elves and dwarfs (and something about a ring!?). We land in Aukland to explore the north island and then cross by ferry to the south. We spend a few days looking at some ice - Glaciers or something climatological??? Then we spend 8 days in Milford - walking the Milford track and exploring the sounds.

Australia
Arrive Monday 1 May 2006

After flying into Sydney we have three months to do the east coast of Australia. We start with the blue mountains and head north through Byron Bay, Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to Airlie Beach, Townsville, Cairns and Daintree before heading back to Brisbane for our exit flight. Struth mate!

Vietnam
Arrive Wednesday 2 August 2006

”Yeah well … when I was in ‘Nam…” We fly into Hanoi and see the wonders of Halong Bay and the tribal villages of the north. If possible we hope to cross the border for a swift rendezvous with a friend in China before heading south to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Allegedly the country has an amazing and colourful culture and history. I just hope we can see it through the rain and mosquito’s!

Cambodia
Arrive End September 2006

We leave Vietnam to negotiate a route over Cambodia. Tourism has become a major business as locals have cottoned on the travelling community’s needs and wants. Angkor Wat is the main attraction, but a much more sombre destination is Cambodia’s killing fields. 95% of the country’s Christians were wiped out under Pol Pots dictatorship. The cells still have the blood splattered up the walls and there are 10’s of thousands of skulls littering the countryside. What makes it so poignant is that this only happened 30 years ago.
Must remember not to go nipping off to the paddy fields for a wee as Cambodia is the most land mined country in the world, and I like my legs.

Laos
Arrive October

We cross the Thai border, over the 'frienship bridge' on our way to Luang Prabang and Luang Namtha and get back to basics....

Thailand
Arrive October/November

The land of the Lady-Boys! We fly into Bangkok and travel up to the hill tribes in the north. We may do some work with the local tribes (teaching etc.) before heading down for some pure hedonistic living on a Thai island or three.

India
Arrive December 2006
Almost time to come home. Boo hoo. After landing in Chennai we will have two months to slowly travel our way up the west coast of India via Pondicherry to Kerala through Goa and Mumbai. We will then explore the north before making our way to Kathmandu.

Nepal
Arrive March 2007
We travel from Dehli via the Chitwan National Park to Kathmandu to start what is allegedly called the Annapurna circuit or as i like to call it ... torture. 28 days of high altitude trekking up to the Thorong La Pass at 5400 metres may seem to some (including Garry) as fun, but Sam still feels a little apprehensive. Where's my Yak???