United Kingdom

This is just a little note to thank our family, friends, neighbours, colleagues and employers for all the good wishes and acts of kindness as we prepare to jet away - we couldn't have done this without you, though I will add that this trip (and my life in general) revolves around just one person, and you should all know who that is - thanks Chris! Umm, sorry mum, but you'll understand.

I promise, no more sentimentality, not from me at least.

Hey, and for this entry, you can keep your comments to yourself!

Paul xx

Okay, here's pretty much what we'll be doing for the next year - please note that there's nothing at all humourous to read here

Leave home on Wednesday 19th July 2006 and arrive Kathmandu (via Bahrain) on Thursday 20th July at 06.45.

Leave Kathmandu on 25th July 2006 and overland to Beijing (Tibet, Xian, Beijing trip with Exodus) and arrive on 22nd August 2006 (2 days in Beijing after trip).

Leave Beijing on 25th August at 07.50 and arrive Hong Kong at 11.20 (3 days)

Leave Hong Kong on 29th August at 14.15 and arrive Bangkok, Thailand at 18.15 - travel overland to Cambodia (perhaps Laos) and back to Bangkok - leave Bangkok on 6th October 2006 and arrive in Perth, Australia at 00.30 on 7th October 2006 9 via Singapore where we meet up with my mum).

On 14th October 2006 at 1025 fly from Perth to Ayers Rock - arrive 14.10.

Overland from Ayers Rock via Adelaide, Melbourne and Canberra to Sydney - leave Sydney on 8th November 2006 at 09.25 and arrive Christchurch, New Zealand at 14.20. Say goodbye to my mum on the 9th November 2006 (she is touring New Zealand for 15 days on an organised tour).

Overland to Auckland and leave on 20th December 2006 and arrive Papeete, Tahiti (arrives at 20.35 on the 19th December!!!). Travel to Mo'orea and celebate Christmas there.

Leave Papeete, Tahiti on 28th December 2006 at 01.00 and arrive Easter Island at 11.15 (Celebrate New Year in Easter Island)

Leave Easter Island on 3rd January 2007 at 13.10 and arrive Santiago, Chile at 19.55

Leave Santiago on the 4th January 2007 at 16.10 and arrive Quito, Ecuador at 20.50 where we meet up with my sister - stay in Quito until the 6th January 2007 and then fly to Galapagos and tour the Islands on a boat for 7 days - return to Quito and fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina via Lima (Peru) and arrive on the 17th January 2007.

Overland to Uruguay and return to Buenos Aires, Argentina on the 28th January 2007 and say goodbye to my sister who flies home.

Start our overland organised trip (Exodus again) from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on the 30th January 2007.

Arrive Rio de Janeiro for the Carnival on the 16th February 2007 and party until the 21st February 2007.

Fly or overland to Ushuaia, Argentina and then overland through Chile, Northern Argentina, Bolivia, Peru to Ecuador.

Leave Quito, Ecuador on the 18th July 2007 and arrive home on the 19th in time for tea.

I guess the trip starts with some of the final preparation, which reminds me, I must get my bikini line waxed. I think Chris has already had hers done. Ouch.

I'm starting this on the night before my last day at work with Ladbrokes, well, last day for the time being and before I'm due back on 31st July 2007, 9am. I'll worry about that another time.

Still loads to do before we're off, but no doubt it'll all fall into place. I'll keep fingers crossed in the meantime...and I hope the nice people at the Thai Embassy don't misplace our passports over the weekend...

PS. This 'blog' thing will hopefully become a little more interesting/entertaining going forward - please stick with it, please...