Being back...

... so, its been just over a week since we got back to the UK where we have been trying to make our 'travel bubble' last as long as possible...

We've been recovering from a stinking great amount of jet-lag, heading out to Manchester to buy some new, warm clothes... as its bloody freezing here, catching up with family and just generally trying to get our heads around being back. And, we're kind of getting there...

Its been a tricky transition from getting up everyday with no real pressure or expectations to having the question 'what are we going to do now?' and having to think about how we are going to get some cash coming in.... instead of the opposite direction...

Its also been funny coming back and having nothing but the bags we went away with... we have no car, no house, no phones... its all very nerve racking this starting again lark... but its quite exciting too.

But it isn't the end of the travels... we have fallen in love with seeing the world and we will deffo be heading out again at the earliest (and most convenient) opportunity... but initially we have other fish to fry (not a great analogy coming from 2 vegetarians)...

Anyhoo, thanks to those who kept in touch during our travels and hopefully the blog was an easy way for folk to see where we were up to.

For now, this is Matt and Trace signing off... but watch this space

Byeee mwah x

p.s - I (TB) would just like to say a huge 'Thank You' to Matt. I've absolutely had the time of my life over the past 13 months and i couldn't have done it without you. You've been the most fun, caring, energetic, patient and just all round amazing person and I've felt very lucky to have you all to myself! I'm already looking forward to spending the next 13 months with you, whatever we may be doing... xxx

the end... for now

Yes that's right, our travels are over and we are now back in Blighty!

Although this may seem a little sudden, our flights were actually booked a while ago but we couldn't mention it on the blog because a certain Miss Parker was having a very important Birthday and we wanted to surprise her!

But from the last blog, the final journey went something like this...

We flew from Hanoi to Bangkok where we shopped ourselves silly and enjoyed the Khao San Road hospitality before we headed off to what we thought was going to be a nice relaxing beach break in Pattaya. Ohhh how wrong we were....

We'd heard it was a little bit seedy but we thought it'd just have it's 'little area' like most places we'd been to and the rest would be for families and couples, but no, it was the capital of seedy places and if you weren't an ugly single man with at least a few young Thai girls... or boys for that matter on your arm then you stood out like a sore thumb. We don't think we're the prudest people in the world but that place is just wrong! So, we cut our stay short and headed back to the bright lights of Bangkok... and how nice it felt to be back. We indulged in lots of cheap food and even more cheap beer before setting out on a 24 hour train journey to Malaysia.

It was our first over night train journey and we were actually quite excited, especially when the guy came round at 8pm to transform our seats into cute little bunk beds (little being the operative word!). The views from the train throughout the day were just so captivating - from shanty towns set up along the railway tracks to the rolling green fields and crossing the border to Malaysia it all completely transformed again into jagged cut off mountains and hills....it made the stinky toilet very worth while!

24 hours on the train and another 5 hours on a bus later we arrived in Kuala Lumpur (again!) and headed to our hotel in China Town.

I'm just going to point out at this point that the reason we had to back track to places we'd already been was due to the fact that the only flight we could get on our tickets was from Singapore. Whilst it seemed a pain going all that way back it was actually very nice to revisit the places and this time be familiar with where to go and to just enjoy being there rather than worrying about making sure we saw it all.

After a lovely few days in KL we caught a bus back to Singapore where we spent a fab weekend shopping, eating, drinking and just generally enjoying our last few days together on our little adventure...

Then, home...