Freedom and open spaces...

This photo was taken a while back in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Adam and I hiked up to the top of a hill at Broke and enjoyed this lovely open view from the top. It reminds me of a happy weekend and makes me think of all the outdoor adventures which are ahead of us...and the freedom to explore.

5 weeks...

Happily I can now report, it's five weeks from tomorrow. I dont think Adam and I have fully comprehended how quickly it will come around, or how it will feel once we are actually on the road.

...A bit like when you go overseas and dont really feel the full excitement and relief until you are actually on the plane!

Helpful advice

Well it seems my post about how we can live together in a caravan without causing each other serious harm for 12 months has prompted more comments than any other update so far. Thanks for the advice. Keep it coming. It seems I best get practicing my wifely cleaning duties and so forth. oh please...that is so not going to happen. :-)

Husband and Wife living in confined space

Does anyone have any advice on how we can ensure we live happily and peacefully together for 12 months in a 12ft caravan?? .... hehe

Less than six weeks to go!

Hi all- Adam and I have been busy since our return to Australia. I love lists and have made lists not only for me, but also for Adam, and we are steadily ticking things off.

We spent a weekend tidying up our caravan and also put up the new bright curtains and cushion covers. Mum's neighbour, June made them for us and they look just great! She also made us matching placemats and little cushions for the seats. The van looks so much better now!

We then packed most of our bits and pieces in it- things like the outdoor chairs and table, sleeping bags and camping gear, cooking utensils and so on. So many little things to think of! We also have tennis racquets and snorkelling gear, surfing gear and our surfboards and boogie board, our bikes...! Some of those things will obviously be carried on the car.

We are now just sorting out spare linen to take..and clothes and food will obviously be our final things to pack (although I am already thinking about what to take, and how to travel light!- not an easy thing).

Meanwhile, there are other matters to take care of- such as contents insurance, wireless internet..not to mention, TRIP PLANNING! :-)

I love trip planning- reading travel books and studying maps- it is so much fun and exciting as it really gives an idea of what we'll be seeing. We are trying to plot a course around the country, heading anti-clockwise to Perth to start with and so far I have put together great trip guide for us- obviously we'll deviate from it as we go, and get advice from other travellers and things, but it's a good starting place. We have also set some dates in certain places, such as Cairns, where mum is going to meet us for a week, and also Broome, where Dad is going to meet us for a holiday. And I've booked a couple of places for the first lot of school holidays, which people said was a wise move.

So that's where things are at now!

Another update soon...

Our official departure date is now May 1st. We'll celebrate our first wedding anniversary just beforehand on saturday, April 29th! A year already.

Love Emma & Adam
xx

A few Laos piccies

I have uploaded some to this groups site (I am only learning this techno stuff as I go, and put them there after following some computer prompts at home...but anyway..you can see some piccies at least..if the link works!)

http://au.msnusers.com/ThailandandLaosphotos

Thailand and Laos

Hi everyone!
Adam and I are back home and at work (for the next 8 weeks leading up to our BIG trip anyway) after a wonderful 3.5 weeks in Thailand and Laos.

We flew into Bangkok (gotta love frequent flyer points) and travelled up to Northern Thailand, visiting Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. We saw some wonderful things, with a highlight being a stay in an eco-lodge about an hour from Chiang Mai, which is run by the Lisu tribal village. From there we went mountain bike riding, white water rafting and elephant riding, travelled by ox-cart through local orchards and rice paddies and visiting a few local villages.

We also did a full day cooking school in Chiang Mai, so anyone who visits us can now expect to enjoy a true Thai feast (well in theory anyway).

From Chiang Rai we visited the Golden Triangle region and the Karen tribal village, which is wear the women wear layers of neck rings.

Then it was into Laos, which is an amazing country, quite diverse, and refreshingly, not yet too touristy. We spent two days travelling down the Mekong River through unspoilt wilderness before hitting charming Luang Prabang.

Basically from there we travelled down to the bottom of the country, seeing waterfalls, the fascinating ancient Plain of Jars site (they are huge stone relics of a long ago civilaziation and could be burial jars), staying in eco-lodges, saw the capital city and went down to the Four Thousand Islands in the Mekong River, where we stayed a couple of nights on an island in the river (so laid back and beautiful here). We also saw LOTS of temples, and saw the monks receiving alms from the people at 6am in the morning, just as the sun was rising over the river- gorgeous.

It was a great trip- but was also very hot and quite tiring, so when we arrived home, we needed a big rest!

I will try and post some piccies soon! We took a lot and are happy with how they turned out.

cheers
Emma&Adam.