To Asia, with love x

Dear Asia,

It was fantastic to be able to visit you once again, but we miss you already.

Over the past 118 days you've given us some great memories, thank you, and its safe to say we are saying goodbye just for now and not forever.

When we booked to visit you in monsoon season we weren't sure what we'd be in for. But despite a few heavy rain storms and a few more grey days, the temperature has always been hot and low season means everything has been cheaper!

Talking of water, everywhere you took us was connected by it. Especially the mighty Mekong which we will think about every time we have a chocolaty drink. Each of those countries we got to visit will always hold a special place in our heart.

You took our breath away with China, with it's dramatic scenery and polarised culture it was a lot to take in at first. Needless to say we look back now and feel our time there was a world away, as it quite simply felt like it was.

Arriving in Southern Thailand and its countless islands allowed us to take a step back and slowly recline. Thailand is easyish for travellers and it was a pleasure to begin and end our time in SE Asia there. It also wins the award for the best food a country has had...Dan will surely miss it's red curry soups.

Cambodia, our initial favourite, brings tears to our eyes just thinking about all the joy and devastation we found there. It taught us more than we were prepared to know and opened our eyes to the great Temples of Angkor.

We found the people in Vietnam a little hard to appreciate at first. But as we travelled further from South to North we loved this country and it's folk even more. Vietnam had so much to offer us, so we are grateful for all we got to do there. Especially so because it gave each of our top adventure so far, Dan's the time we spent in Phong Nha National Park and Fiz's in Sapa.

Finally, our favourite place of all, the lovely Laos has well and truly wedged itself firmly in our chests. Maybe because it's people, landscape or just how at ease we felt travelling there, Laos has something special, we hope to be back someday!

But as with any relationship there are things we love to hate about you, and we won't be missing:
- your squat loos
- getting scammed or overcharged
- the insane driving and for that matter the lengthy, bumpy, windy journeys you've forced us to endure
- the Asian nod and the Chinese flghem up
- being hollered at from all angles, 'tuk-tuk', 'where you going?' or 'masssssaaaaagggggggeeeee'
- Being treated like a 2nd class citizen and getting charged more for the privilege
- And Dan isn't sad to see the back of your transport which is designed especially for slimline, short locals.

I'm sure we'll look back with big smiles at your idiosyncrasies but for now we are looking forward to our next affair with Oceania.

So Asia, it's good bye for now, but we'll see you again one day soon.

With love,

Fiz and Dan

Ps. How will we live without your fruit shakes!!!?!