Time for a barbie!

It was great fun staying with family in Sydney - we were very spoilt! Thanks guys.

Don't look down!

After going under by boat, across by car and underneath through the road tunnel, there was only one option left... climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge!
We donned lovely boiler suits and radio sets and headed up on the most beautiful day, to get an incredible view of the city.

The walk from Bronte to Bondi beach.

G'day mate

Sydney is a beautiful city. Philip has become a true ozzy bloke with his new hat!

...one night in Bangkok

After exerting all that aerobic energy, we headed to the ridiculously extravagant shopping mall to see the Christmas decs and laugh at the silly 'designer' models in the shop windows.

Bye bye Asia!

One night in Bangkok...

Last night in Asia... Just as we were about to give up, the syncronised aerobics started in the park. So, when in Rome...
It's amazing how much you rely on being able to understand what the instructor is trying to say! Anyway, we did our best and had a good workout!

A nice post workout snack on the way back was in the form of a bag of fried crickets. Crunchy and a bit like bacon bits! The beady eyes and stick legs were a bit gross.

Hill Tribes

Today we visited a hill tribe village. It was very touristy but was still interesting to meet some of the hill tribe people and find out more about their way of life.

Spicy Thai

Yesterday we had our first lesson in Thai cookery. The food was delicious. We hope we can recreate it at home. Special friend and family discounts are available!

Making Rotti's in Chiang Mai

Amazing to watch this - think she has done it a few times!

Connections

Sorry for the void in updates - connection is a bit sketchy here and even when it's ok, it doesn't seem to recognise our camera, so please bear with us.

Enjoy!

Chiang Mai

Northern Thailand. Last stop before going to Bangkok to leave Asia for Oz.

Chiang Mai is a more relaxed city, at the foothills of some beautiful mountains and hilltribes.

The city is way more developed than we expected, although pretty cool with an amazing night market.

We went to get our fix at Starbucks today (sorry Mum [philip]) and they happened to be having a 'party' for the new Christmas drinks and cakes - free food and coffee - we were buzzing!

Angkor Wat?

2nd stop in Cambodia - City of Siem Reap; gateway to the ancient and magical temples of Angkor Wat.
Some of the temples were used for the filming of the Tomb Raider films, and walking around them feels like being on the set of an Indiana Jones scene!

The pictures don't do it justice, but to see the unique 'Spung' trees growing out from the ancient (12th century) walls and temples is awesome.






























We did it - we took the plunge and had a 'fish massage'! Sitting there drinking a beer in the middle of Siem Reap night bazaar, with gangster rap playing is a little bit surreal to say the least. The fish feed off dead skin cells, so loved our weathered old feet!

* Any smiles in these pictures are not indicative of joy, merely a masking of squirming and wincing!

Cambodia

The 6 hour bus ride into Phnom Penh was worth it. Cambodia is a country of contrasts; beautiful scenery, friendly people and colourful streets, but high levels of poverty and a heartbreaking history.

The visit to the Killing Fields, site of one of the many horrific slaughterings under the Pol Pot regime in the late '70's was sickening, although it's a credit to Cambodian's how they keep a stark reminder of such a dark era, hopefully never to occur again.

Ho Chi Minh

The madness of Ho Chi Minh city!
Crossing the road is taking your life in ur own hands!
This is the city that never sleeps, and runs at 100mph!

We visited the reunification palace, currently a museum, which used to be the official residence of the Presidents of the former South Vietnam government.
It was here that the American led war ended on April 30 1975, when the North Vietnam Army invaded the Palace forcing the president to resign.





Tempting!

Ho Chi Minh's statue created an etheral glow around Steph!

A urinal with a TV. Seriously!

More ancient-ness

Day trip out to My Son temples, a group of ancienct Hindu temples outside of Hoi An. Amazing but very hot - Philip was very excited about the ride back down to the bus on this old US Army jeep!

Suits you sir

Hoi An, central Vietnam. Famous for its' amazing tailors. You can even choose the colour of your suit lining and they have a stack of Next catalogues there - you basically say 'I want that one' and they make it up for you! Suits for 30 pounds!!!

We got a bit carried away!

Steph getting measured up!

Tiny lovely lady at the best Vietnamese restuarant ever!Food was so good and reasonable.

Temples Schlemples

Hue, Vietnam.

Lots of temples, very hot!

Sleeper

Overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Hue, central Vietnam.

Amazing to sleep on the train, with the Vietnam countryside whizzing by.

We had a little cabin, and not a cockroach in site!

Halong Bay

Halong Bay, northern Vietnam.
Day trip to this beautiful part of the country to see the most amazing caves and rock formations, looming up out of the crystal clear waters.
Perfect.