Hi Everyone,

Once again we are in the wilds of Norfolk, working like busy little bees getting the truck and all equipment ready for the big expedition.

The finishing touches that will make our lives on the road easier and more comfortable always seem to take the longest, especially when like you guys we are getting itchy feet and looking forward to ‘getting on the road again’…

Only 4 days to go, see you all very soon… YAY!!!

The big day finally arrived, let the adventure begin.

After meeting up in London we headed straight for Europe and spent our first night in Belgium. Travelling through Western Europe was awesome with amazing views of the countryside. Eastern Europe has been spectacular with warm sunny days – perfect weather for walking around the cities soaking up the culture. We spent a day in Prague, Czech Republic; Vienna, Austria; and are now in Budapest, Hungary. Everyone is out enjoying the infamous thermal baths in preparation for bush camping in Romania.

We have only been on the road for a week and already we have seen and done so much.

Till next time…

As soon as we crossed the border into Romania, everything was completely different – the scenery, the people and modes of transport and farming (with a donkey and cart being the means of getting from A to B for many a Romanian). Having just recently joined the European Union, both Romania and Bulgaria were proud to fly both their national flag and the EU flag side by side in even the smallest village.

We had some absolutely stunning bush camps – in fields with sheep, by meandering rivers and craggy mountain peaks (which some people seem to have the desire to run up – craziness, but good training for Tibet).

We visited Castle Bran, otherwise known as Dracula’s Castle in Romania which turned out to be a tourist trap par excellence, a bit disappointing but entertaining nevertheless (especially the fake Dracula teeth one could buy for a euro).

The highlight for many people so far was staying in the Dryanovo Monastery in Bulgaria. Originally built in the 12th – 15th century, the monastery is located in a beautiful spot – at the foot of sheer cliffs and next to a babbling brook. The Head Monk was very hospitable inviting us to eat in their dining room and treating us to a church service.

We are now in Istanbul, Turkey, land of fresh bread, tasty tomatoes and olives and of course, the kebab. Highlights have included visiting the Blue Mosque, partaking in a traditional hamam (Turkish bath) and popping over the Bosphorus Strait (the natural divide between Europe and Asia) on a ferry for a beer in Asia.

Tomorrow we head off to Gallipoli to commemorate Anzac (Australia New Zealand Army Corp) Day with thousands of Australian and New Zealand backpackers.

Till next time…

It has been less than two weeks since the last diary update, but in that time we have done and seen so much.
Commemorations of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli in World War I on April 25, 2007 were a moving experience, not only for our Aussies and Kiwis, but for the Brits as well.  With the new alcohol free environment, commemorations have taken on a more respectful atmosphere in which attendees can focus on the reason they are there – to remember and pay respects to the soldiers who have given their lives for the way of life we now enjoy.  Lest we forget!  However, the services have been set up to reflect the changing times and people attending.  Two big screens were erected to not only televise the services to the masses (around 9000 people) but to provide entertainment in the form of educational clips throughout the night preceding the Dawn Service.  It was great to see so many young people there, the ANZAC spirit will live on…
From Gallipoli we headed south along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts and have enjoyed the delights of warmer weather and turquoise waters.  Impromptu swimming stops at secluded coves have been the order of the day.    Ahhh, whoever said ‘Life is a beach’, knew exactly what they were talking about.  We have camped in some stunning locations taking full advantage of being able to erect our tents with waterfront views.
But Turkey has more than beautiful beaches, it has some of the most amazing ruins due to it being one of the great crossroads of ancient civilizations, such as the Romans, Greeks, Byzantines, Persians, Ottomans, just to name a few…  We visited Troy, the city where the infamous Trojan War occurred . But by far the most impressive ruin has been Ephesus with its superbly preserved city (streets, buildings and even toilets) giving a unique insight into the way life must have been in ancient times.
Furthering our historical travels, we experienced the source of the Olympic Flame at the Chimera Eternal Flames in Olympus.  Quite enlightening (pun intended)!
Adrenalin has also been running high with activities such as paragliding over the Blue Lagoon in Oludeniz, trekking through Ihlara Valley with its many caves to be explored and discovering the underground cities in the Cappadocia region. 
We are now bunked down in Goreme, catching our breath after hot air ballooning over the mysterious Fairy Chimneys early this morning and before going out tonight for a traditional Turkish dinner with Whirling Dervishes and Belly Dancers.
With the Iranian visas safely stuck in our passports, Ankara, the Turkish capital, is our next destination with our mission being to obtain our Pakistan visas.
All are well and having a fabulous time…

Where were we??? Ahh, the traditional Turkish night out in Goreme – belly dancers and whirling dervishes extravaganza. What a night. We discovered we have a John Travolta crossed with Mr Bean – class Chris, all class. The food was fantastic – it just kept coming, including copious amounts of wine and beer. Great night out had by all!

Ankara, Turkey’s capital was our next destination with official business on the agenda – visas for Pakistan. After much bureaucratic hoop jumping we obtained the appropriate sticker in our passports and were on our way. We now have a clear run in terms of visas until Nepal.

Next stop was south and involved a very steep but scenic drive up Nemrut Dagi (Mt. Nemrut). After camping at the top, we donned our hiking boots and climbed the last bit at sunrise to the burial tumulus and Hierotheseion (’Holy Seat) of the 1st century BC Commagene king, Antiochus I Epiphanes, where statue heads of the king and deities now lay. Sadly, it was overcast but it added to the mystic atmosphere.

From Nemrut Dagi we left the well worn backpacker trail and ventured into Eastern Turkey. It is amazing how completely different the east is from the west in Turkey; the landscape, the people and the way of life. Highlights in the east were camping beside Lake Van (surrounded by snow capped mountains), stopping in small villages (surrounded by children asking ‘What is your name?) and Dogubeyazit (surrounded by flood waters).

Dogubeyazit; known by travellers as ‘Doggy biscuit’ will forever live in our minds as ‘Soggy biscuit’. Having been extremely lucky all through Europe and west Turkey we experienced our first rain on the trip here. But of course we don’t do anything by halves; it wasn’t just a shower – it consisted of hail and torrents of rain that washed away roads (even those some of us were travelling on in a taxi – Av, Lorna, Rach, Will, Des and wee Martin). However, the morning was glorious which afforded those of us who were adventurous stunning views of Ishak Pasa Palace (18th century) and Mt Ararat. Upon closer inspection, the palace revealed intricately carved stone and decoratively painted walls.

It was then with some trepidation that the girls dressed in chador style clothing and head scarves necessary under the Iranian Islamic Dress Code for crossing the border into Iran. But it was not long before we were all commenting on and admiring each others head scarves and ways of wearing them like all girls and fashion.

We have now been in Iran for a week and again we have experienced the vast diversity one country can offer. A visit to Babek Fort in the mountains, camping by rice paddy fields on the Caspian Sea (or is it a lake – jury still out on that one), hiking to waterfalls in lush valleys at Masuleh and camping in desert near the Persian Gulf – all in one country and all in a week – incredible!

We have been causing quite a stir wherever we go. In Masuleh, the truck (and clearly Steve in his greasy overalls) was the main tourist attraction with many locals and day trippers asking not if they could take a photo of the truck but could they have their photo taken with Steve and the truck. Hilarious! Speaking of which, the looks and effect on traffic we have is amusing – especially having a female driver let alone a chador wearing one.

It is dumbfounding every time we go to the fuel station in Iran – where else in the world do you buy 100 litres of diesel for less then one pound sterling. Fuel cheaper than water; who would have thought. But then again we are in one of the world’s biggest oil producing countries and in the desert.

Currently we are enjoying the city of Esfahan, with its beautiful river, bridges, squares, parks, mosques and bazaars. It has been quoted as being ‘Iran’s masterpiece, the jewel of ancient Persia and one of the finest cities in the Islamic world’. And it is easy to see why. But all that aside, the beauty of Esfahan comes from its people; Iranian people are by far the most friendly and helpful people we have encountered on this trip.

We have another day of exploring bazaars and mosques and lazing in parks and tea houses in Esfahan before heading south through more desert to the infamous ruined city of Persepolis and crossing over into Pakistan.

Til next time…

Life on the road has been flat out since leaving the stunning city of Esfahan in Iran. 

Heading south, we visited the magnificent ruins of Persepolis or City of Parsa (City of Persia).  Built in 518 BC, this ancient Achaemenid city was the administrative centre of the Persian Empire, which encompassed lands from the Danube River in Europe in the north; Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya in the south; and India in the east (not to mention all those in between).  A truly amazing place!

Yazd was a welcome break, where we soaked up the atmospheric ‘old city’ with its beautifully decorated mosques and winding lanes amongst mud buildings.  Relaxing in cool garden courtyards, many a chai (tea) was drunk and many a backgammon game was played. 

Next on the agenda was the ancient mud city of Bam – or more accurately the place where Bam once stood before being devastated by an earthquake in December 2003.  Such a tragedy, 26 000 people are estimated to have lost their lives.  However, it is encouraging to see that reconstruction is in progress.

Upon crossing the border into Pakistan, it was immediately obvious that we had entered a new country, so stark was the difference from Iran.  Pakistan in a nutshell is police, elaborately decorated trucks, buses, tractors, automatic rickshaws (and indeed anything else on the roads – roadworthy or not), police, bustling cities with chai shops on every corner, cricket, and did I mention police.  We were escorted by police as soon as we crossed the border and remained ‘escorted’ right up until Peshawar (a good 2000 kms).  Whilst it was a commendable exercise in terms of organisation on a military operation level with most escorts staying with us for about 20km before another escort vehicle taking over; it was clear we were Pakistan’s ‘hot potato’.  No police wanted us to stay in their area of jurisdiction which meant having to beg to stop for food, water and toilet facilities, let alone sleeping.  We understand that the escorts were for our ‘safety’ but it is questionable how much security was provided by escorts creating havoc on the road and generally drawing attention to us. Most memorable of the police escorts were the Punjab police with ‘No Fear’ plastered all over their uniforms and escort vehicles.  Pakistani cowboys at their finest.

Quetta and Peshawar were hustling and bustling cities mostly void of the female species.  Many of us had Shalwar Kameez made up for us (the national dress of Pakistan) by the many street tailors. A trip out to the Khyber Pass which forms the border with Afghanistan was a highlight. 

It was only after leaving Peshawar that we were finally free from police escorts and travelled north up the Karakoram Highway (built 1966 – 1978).   The road is truly a major engineering feat, winding its way up the steep valley of the Indus River surrounded by snow capped mountains.  It is here that three of the world’s ‘mightiest’ mountain ranges meet – the Karakoram, the Hindukush and the Himalayas.  This area of Northern Pakistan has seven of ten highest peaks in world including K2 (8611 metres) and Nanga Parbat (8125 metres).

We enjoyed a couple of days up in the mountains at Karimabad (about 180km from Chinese border) where people either trekked further up the mountains and glaciers or enjoyed the scenery from their ‘room with a view’. 
Quite a few of us have come down with the traditional ‘travellers bug’ over the last couple of weeks, but I am happy to report that all have recovered  or are on the road to recovery (although the same can not be said about Pakistan’s supply of toilet paper).

Now residing in Islamabad, where we are sweltering in 40+ Degrees Celsius heat with high humidity.  Apparently there is a heat wave here with record temperatures (highest in 27 years); even the locals are suffering in the heat.  So, most people have gone to look for a swimming pool to cool off.  Others are going to the British High Commission tonight by invitation for ‘drinks’.  La de da!!!

The EOE travelling band is setting off for Lahore tomorrow, then onto the border for INDIA…

Our impressions of India are colourful saris, turbaned men, tasty curries, temples, sacred cows, manic drivers, open sewers and humid heat. We love it!!!

Phew!!! What a relief it was to drive into India. Once again there was a dramatic change as we entered a new country. However, this time it was just the people that changed. Women; we could see women everywhere. And not just women, but gaggles of girls and women dressed in brightly coloured saris; smiling and laughing. The effect was immediate; everyone’s spirits were lifted and the hardships of Pakistan forgotten. I am also guessing that arriving at an established campsite with green gardens, beers on ice and a swimming pool contributed somewhat to the elation of the group.

There is intense rivalry between Pakistan and India. We quickly learnt that to get on the good side of an Indian, you just have to tell them you preferred India over Pakistan. This rivalry is characterised by the pomp and ceremony of the ‘official’ border closing ritual, which is attended by thousands everyday. 

India has been our first experience of the many temples to come on this trip. First up was the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the holy city of the Sikhs. As the name suggests, it is a temple of gold (750kgs) surrounded by a bathing pool renowned for its healing powers. Very serene.

We then made for the hills (if you can call the Himalayas ‘hills’) to McLeod Ganj – home to the exiled 14th Dalai Lama from Tibet and his followers since 1949 (since China took over Tibet). A very surreal place; Buddhist monks, stunning scenery and rickshaws/taxis with very loud horns – Buddhism meets tourism.

Coming down from the hills we had a marathon drive to the mayhem of Delhi. Staying right smack in the middle, on Connaught Circle, we were able to enjoy both the delights of New Delhi with its structured streets and manicured lawns (legacy of British empire) and Old Delhi with its narrow streets, low hanging wires and bazaars. Right next to each other, but worlds apart.

Arriving at our ‘palace’ in Jaipur to traditional drums and a flower lei was a superb welcome to the Pink City. This was topped off by an authentic Ragistani Puppet show on our palace rooftop. Very entertaining. The next day was spent cruising around in rickshaws to the many city sights – forts, monuments, palaces and bazaars; or just ‘shopping ’til you dropped’ in the craft capital of India.

It was then to the crown jewel of India - the Taj Mahal in Agra. WOW!!! It has to be seen to be believed. A monument to love, the Taj was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1648 as a mausoleum for his wife.  A definite highlight!!!

We arrived in Varanasi a couple of days ago and enjoyed a chilled out day by the pool and having massages and barber/beauty treatments yesterday .  This overlanding lark is a tough game, but someone’s got to do it.  This morning we had a very early start - up at 4.30am to experience a sunrise boat trip on the famous Ganges River.  The Ganges can best be described as the river of life and death.  Not only does all aspects of daily life occur here (washing of clothes, bathing, swimming, drinking etc.) but the Hindus cremate their deceased here on the burning ghats and descard remains into river.

In Delhi we farewelled the Himalayan trekkers, who flew out to Kathmandu to start their trekking tours in Nepal. Dave, Nick and Jen are trekking through the scenic Annapurna Range, while Rach, Av and Martin are doing the hard core climb to Mt. Everest Base Camp on the Nepalese side. Our thoughts are with them while we lounge by the pool in our nice hotel with a cold beer in hand by the Ganges River.  Go guys!!!

Some others caught an overnight train from Delhi to Varanasi to complete the Indian experience. A good time was had by all (but not much sleep it would seem).

In general, everyone is happy and healthy and whilst we have really enjoyed India, the cooler climate of Nepal will be a welcome respite.

Nepal has been a definite favourite for most people – beautiful landscapes (jungles, lakes and mountains), so many activities to do (national parks, trekking, rafting, fishing and all things elephant) and less people than India (which lets face it, wouldn’t be hard).

It was good to get back to nature with our first night spent camping in the jungle lowlands of Nepal.  Wildlife spotting in Royal Chitwan National Park involved all manner of safaris – walking, jeeps, elephant back and dugout canoes.  Bathing with the elephants in the river was a scream. 

About half the group had not had their fill of wildlife and made their way west to the Royal Bardia National Park in the hope to catch a glimpse of the elusive Royal Bengal Tiger.  Alas, to no avail.  However, those on the walking safari were apparently hot on the trail of a tiger, following fresh spore and all– very exciting.  Many other animals were spotted including the Asian rhinoceros, Blue Bull (very rare large antelope), large herds of Spotted Antelope, Langur and Macaque monkeys and a large variety of birds (sorry, I can’t name them all Tom – our resident twitcher). 

The group rejoined in Pokhara, a quaint little town set beside the Fewa Lake and back dropped by the Annapurna Range – stunning.  Much shopping; boating on lake drinking beer – oops sorry, fishing; trekking; and overnight rafting and camping was done.  We also celebrated John’s 40th birthday (you old fart) here over a humungous steak and a few beers and 2 for 1 cocktails.  Pokhara was the perfect place to relax and chill out after a few months of travelling – a holiday from the holiday.

Onto the infamous Kathmandu where we met up with the trekkers who left us in Delhi to ‘walk’ the Annapurna Range and ‘climb’ the Mt. Everest Base Camp (he he he).  Let it be known I have been told in no uncertain terms that the Annapurna trek was technically more difficult than the Base Camp trek. Whatever!!!  But I am proud to announce that all trekkers made it to their final destinations with no problems at all and enjoyed it immensely.  You guys rock!

Kathmandu for many involved more shopping (cheap trekking gear and clothes of well known brands), sight seeing of the many intricately designed temples and of course, Sam’s Bar (THE overland watering hole).  What are we going to do tonight?  Same as we do every night.  Go to Sam’s Bar.

The adrenalin junkies of the group were hungry for more Nepalese adventure and threw themselves off a perfectly good bridge attached to a bungee cord and then to top it off threw themselves off a cliff over the Karnali River near the Nepal/Tibet border.  Craziness.  But judging by their mood when the rest of the group caught up with them in a cool little bar by the river, an excellent time was had by all.  Loved watching the videos, especially yours Rixy (Nnnnooooooo!!!!!).

It was sad to say good bye to Nepal but no rest for the wicked, onto Tibet we go.  Tibet is the land of high mountains and plateaus, smiling Tibetans and yaks.  After crossing the border (Friendship Bridge), a hairy drive at night (due to road closure during daylight hours) took us onto the Tibetan Plateau surrounded by the amazingly high mountain peaks of the Himalayan Range, truly the ‘roof of the world’.  The average height of the plateau is about 4000+ metres above sea level.  A few of us suffered mild symptoms of altitude sickness but after a day or so of acclimatisation we were ready to ascend to the Mt. Everest Base Camp to view the ‘North Face’ (5200 metres).  The main road up to base camp was closed to large vehicles (i.e. our truck) due to the Chinese rebuilding it and making it a bitumen/tarmac road for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.  They plan to highlight Mt. Everest to the world by taking the Olympic Flame up to Base Camp as part of the Olympic Torch Relay – there are rumours that they plan to take it all the way to the summit.  So by using 4X4 vehicles and pony & carts we made it to Mt. Everest Base Camp (Qomolangma in Tibetan) – a much more civilised way to do it (than trekking).  And in true EOE style, the clouds surrounding the mountain top cleared just as we arrived and covered over again as we left.  Spectacular!

We are now in Lhasa (meaning ’scared land’ in Tibetan), the capital of Tibet, spending a couple of days sight seeing the many Buddhist monasteries and the famous Potala Palace. 

Having a ball!!!

Lhasa proved to be quite interesting – our visit consisted of admiring the majestic Potala Palace which takes centre stage in the city to hitting the nightclub scene where our own Stu took centre stage in a much anticipated DJ guest appearance.  Everyone loved him (and his music).  How many people can say they are an ‘international DJ’ - in Tibet?

We then embarked on what we were all expecting to be five long days of driving to make it through the rest of Tibet and into China proper.  They were some of the best driving days on this trip so far – the scenery was absolutely stunning (bare, rocky mountains to lush green, pine covered mountains and waterfalls); the mountain passes high; the road following rivers all the way, precariously narrow and close to sheer drops (made Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway look like a walk in the park); and finally some action in terms of ‘digging’ due to recent landslides.  With a massive rock blocking our path, the EOE team set to widening the road with shovels, breaking up a rock the size of a small car and towing it out of the way.  Nothing was going to stop us.  Bush camping beside rivers, washing hair and bathing in snow melt waters was the order of the day – brilliant.

We snaked along many rivers which finally led us to the mighty Yangzi River in Yunnan Province (southwestern China) and to Tiger Leaping Gorge.  The gorge is one of the deepest canyons in the world at 3900 metres from river to surrounding snow capped mountain tops, namely Haba Mountain.  It is fabled that the gorge became known has the ‘Tiger Leaping Gorge’ because a tiger in an attempt to escape the clutches of a pursuing hunter leapt from one side to the other – whilst quite narrow in some parts, no mean feat.  After meeting ‘Margo’, a crazy Australian woman running a café at the gorge and getting the low down on which parts of the hiking trail were closed due to landslides, half the group set off on a two day hike into the gorge.  Again in true EOE style, the weather went from rain the first day to an absolutely gorgeous sunny day the next.

Lijiang, in the ‘old town’ was our next stop.  It is a quintessential Chinese town with cobbled streets, flowing canals with boulders and water wheels, beautiful old wooden buildings – all lit up at night with red Chinese lanterns.  A wonderland. 

It was decided earlier in the trip that we would have a fancy dress party with a ‘ridiculous’ theme.  People have been anonymously accruing outfits for their designated ‘party-goer’ in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Tibet.  The party was in the cool little hostel (with a fabulous view of the old town) we stayed in at Lijiang, then after a short walk of the streets (yes, still in our outfits) the party continued in an English Pub (where you could get Guiness).  The outfits were great, most people put a lot of thought and effort into it.  Needless to say, good time was had by all.

We are now in Dali, the last major town we stop at in China before entering Laos in a few days time.  Another typical Chinese ‘old town’ with pagodas and temples by Lake Erhai Hu, Dali has been a chance to do souvenir shopping and soak up the Chinese culture and scrumptious food.

We celebrated the half way milestone in China in terms of number of trip days.  It is hard believe that we have all the time we have had already all over again.  Unreal!!! 

South East Asia here we come…

Leaving Dali in China saw us winding south on some very tiny and sometimes very muddy roads. The vegetation became more and more lush as we headed south with some stunning bamboo forests (Useless but amazing fact: Giant Bamboo grows about three feet in one day).

Our departure from China took a few days longer than expected as there had been a recent change in regulations and since weekends and bureaucratic paperwork don’t mix we were stuck in the little border town of Meng La – where nothing exceptional happens. But to be honest most people were pleased of this break – burgers were available, cheap Chinese beer available in beer garden and a strange nightclub. It was good to be somewhere and relax (do nothing) without feeling guilty that you weren’t taking in the sights.

Crossing into Laos marked the start of the next leg of our journey – South East Asia. The biggest difference between southern China and northern Laos we noticed was the houses. Chinese houses were quite elaborate with intricately carved wooden windows whereas the Lao homes were quite basic, raised wooden or grass huts with thatched roofs.

The Lao are by far one of the most happy, friendly and smiling people we have encountered on this trip (and we have come across quite a few).  It is a pleasure to travel in Laos.

Most of the group swapped the truck for a slow boat on the Mekong River as a means of getting to our first stop in Luang Prabang. This town is World Heritage Listed and has been voted by Wanderlust readers as the city they would most like to visit. It is a quaint town with nightly markets and ‘Vats’ (temples) to boot.

We then stopped off at the intriguing Plain of Jars. As the name suggests, it is a few fields (not ‘plains’ by any stretch of the imagination) of massive stone jars thought to be 1500 - 2000 years old – no one knows for sure who put them there, why they are there or indeed what they were used for. But the most common theories centre around the Mon-Khmer race (about whom nothing is known) who apparently used them as funeral urns or perhaps food storage. To top off the day we found a sublime bushcamp only to be moved on by the police. They ‘kindly’ let us camp at a disused military base - but it was undercover so at least our tents stayed dry during the nightly monsoonal rain.

Vang Vieng was our next port of call as we continued heading south. This town is on the banks of the Nan Song River at the foot of impressive limestone karst mountains. Very picturesque. Kayaking and tubing down the river is the main attraction here along with sitting in the many bar/restaurants watching dvd’s with hilarious subtitles.

A short stop in the capital city, Vientiane was a definite must (if only to pick up Vietnam visas). A very chilled out city, it is situated on the banks of the Mekong River (which forms the border with Thailand) and has a plethora of ‘Vats’ to visit by bicycle and many open air restaurants along the river serving fresh barbequed seafood, fruit shakes and of course, Beer Lao.

One of the most striking things of Laos is the women (whether it be working in fields, villages or riding motorbikes in cities) wear their traditional wrap around style silk skirts with beautifully woven designs. They look so elegant.

Due to bureacratic requirements of the Vietmanese government, we decided not to take the truck into Vietnam and instead give everyone the choice of travelling through the country on public transport either independently or with Kirsty organising all transport and accommodation. Roughly half the group deciced to take the plunge and travel independently - to whom we said goodbye to from Vientiane as they either caught buses or planes to Hanoi (Vietnam’s capital). The other half and myself are now in Hue in central Vietnam where there are at least two scooters for every person (sounds impossible but sure seems like it).

We are heading south along the coast and are looking forward to putting our toes in the ocean (we haven’t seen the ocean since the MediterraneanSea in Turkey)…

Our last expedition diary entry had us travelling independent of the truck in Hue where there were more motor scooters than people (or so it seemed).  Hue is an enchanting town with many temples, palaces and pagodas – all encompassed in the dominating Citadel on the banks of the Perfume River.   A boat ride to view the various temples and pagodas on the river banks at sunset was a highlight and a nice way to cool down after a day of walking around the Citadel City. 

Our next stop was Hoi An and days at the beach, scuba diving around Cham Island, eating scrumptious Vietnamese food and having clothes tailor made was the order of the day.  Day trips included visits to Khe Sanh and other important sights in the Vietnam War and to the archaeological ruins of My Son.

An overnight bus took us to Nha Trang, Vietnam’s premier beach resort town.  We stayed in a guest house just a stone’s throw from the white sands and turquoise waters of the main beach.  We were so excited to be at the beach we celebrated with sun downer drinks on the rooftop balcony of our guest house with 180 degree views of the ocean.  Superb!  We kept ourselves busy here with a day boat trip out to the surrounding islands which involved swimming, snorkelling, yummy lunch and a floating bar (need I say more); sailing; scuba diving; parasailing; bathing in therapeutic mud baths; sampling real beer (dark ales) at a beachfront micro brewery; or simply relaxing on the beach on a sun bed with thatched umbrella with cocktail in hand.  Ahh, this is the life! 

All aboard the train, we snaked our way along the South Vietnam coast (with some magnificent views) and arrived in the thriving metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon).  Our first day was spent contemplating the Vietnam War with visits to the War Remnants Museum and to the nearby Cu Chi Tunnels where the resourceful Viet Cong guerrillas lived and fought in a complex maze of underground tunnels.  It was then onto the Mekong Delta to see the floating markets.  With the improved infrastructure (roads and bridges) in the Delta in recent times the floating markets are no longer a major part of life for many with most markets now situated on land.  Nevertheless, it was great to get up close and personal to the Delta and its people (wearing the traditional conical hats) by cruising the many waterways by boat. 

People who chose to travel through Vietnam on their own (independent of Kirsty’s travelling EOE band) also had a fantastic time.  Same same, but different!  Highlights were experiencing the mayhem of the capital, Hanoi and exploring Halong Bay on traditional ‘junks’ in the north; and relaxing on the relatively isolated island of Phu Quoc in the south. 

Everyone met Steve and the truck at the Cambodian border and proceeded to the capital, Phnom Penh.  It is amazing to see how much of Cambodia is underwater – a natural growing ground for rice.  

Phnom Penh was a sobering experience – visiting Tuol Sleng Museum, sight of the Security Prison 21 or S-21 (prison in the Civil War 1975 – 1979 under Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge Regime where many Cambodians were detained and tortured); and the associated mass graves at the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek.  It has been estimated by experts that upwards of 2 million people were systematically exterminated under this regime which aimed to radically transform Cambodia into a Communist society (a Maoist agrarian cooperative, more specifically). 

We are now in Siem Reap – the sight of the Temples of Angkor.  The temples were built between the 9th and 14th centuries by the Kings of the Khmer Empire which extended from Vietnam in the east and south, to Yunnan (China) in the north, and Bay Bengal in the west.  The kings built these temples in reverence to their gods (namely Vishnu from the Hindu religion and later, Buddhism).  The size of the area that Angkor temples cover is awesome with new temples being discovered in heavily forested areas all the time.  The magnificence of the crown jewel – Angkor Wat is breathtaking and has to be seen to be believed.  The Bayon is also a very impressive temple within the walls of the fortified city of Angkor Thom.  The third temple that cannot be missed is the Ta Prohm, a temple that has been left to the ravages of the jungle.  There are trees growing on it with their buttress roots encompassing the walls of the temple (of Tomb Raiders fame) – eerie and magical at the same time.  For many, the Angkor temple region has been a trip highlight.  It certainly has the WOW factor!

Next, we cross into Thailand to the bright lights of Bangkok and all that it has to offer…

Bangkok, the temple and sex trade capital of Asia, was a city of contrasts. We were amazed by the sheer number of tourists (Bangkok being the first and last stop for many) – we simply have not seen this many backpackers on all our travels. But then again, how many people drive from London to Sydney?

Highlights were the various temples, Buddha’s and buildings; walking down Khao San Road with its many stalls selling anything from second hand snorkel sets to Singha Beer t-shirts; and taking in the risqué night time entertainment that Bangkok is well known for…

We then headed south to have fun in the sun. The group split into two, with half going to Kho Tao for the spectacular diving in exceptionally clear waters and idyllic beaches; and the other half to Kho Samui for equally beautiful beaches and adventure. The islands were everything we had imagined – blue waters, white sand and coconut palms. Perfect!

Many people completed their PADI Open Water and Advanced Open Water scuba diving certifications, while others simply soaked up the sun and enjoyed a well earned break or ‘holiday from a holiday’. Kho Samui offered a little more in terms of action than Kho Tao. Island hopping day trips, snorkelling, kayaking, fishing, zip wiring through jungle canopies, swimming in waterfall pools kept us busy during the day whilst Thai boxing matches, watching the Rugby World Cup on the big screen, dining on seafood and thai coconut curries and dancing in the many clubs on main beach occupied our evenings.  A night out on Kho Pha Ngan was enjoyed by some to celebrate the Black Moon – by the look of them the next day a good time was had.

After prising ourselves from the Thai islands, we once again boarded the truck and headed for Malaysia. No sooner had we arrived in the country we were on a boat out to yet another island, Palau Langkawi. Here we did more of the same – swimming in the ocean (with phospherescence at night), sunbathing, enjoying drinks while watching magnificent sunsets over the water and general ‘chillaxing’. Other activities that were indulged in were visits to the Aquarium, horse riding, scuba diving and snorkelling (with black tip reef sharks and huge groupers), cable car rides and many a night in the Irish Bar.

We are now in Kuala Lumpur, taking in the city sights  (Petronas Twin Towers and Menara Kuala Lumpur - Sky Tower) and preparing ourselves for a huge party tonight - celerating Rich’s 40th birthday (you old fart), combined with birthday celebrations for Jo and Maria.  All while watching the Rugby World Cup - go the Wallabies!!!

Leaving behind the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur, we headed to the very end of the Malaysian Peninsula and onto the island of Singapore. It is a cosmopolitan city/country with diverse Chinese and Indian communities. Highlights here were visiting the famous Raffles Hotel and indulging in a Singapore Sling or two and spending the day at the world class Singapore Zoo featuring animals such as orang-utans, chimpanzees and polar bears.

We then said our farewells as a group to embark on our independent travels while the truck was shipped to Australia. People dispersed to a variety of locations including the Philippines, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, East Timor and Japan. By all accounts a fantastic time was had by all. The main activities were beaches and diving, wildlife spotting (orang-utans, komodo dragons and proboscis monkeys) and experiencing different cultures.

We celebrated meeting up as a group again in Darwin with a traditional Aussie BBQ on the ocean front – overlooking the Timor Sea. We had the quintessential ‘shrimp on a barbie’ (aka prawns), snags (aka sausages), skippy (aka kangaroo) and, of course, cold beer…

Setting off the next morning to Kakadu National Park we took in sunset views over the flood plains teeming with bird life. About half the group rose very early the next morning to cruise the Yellow Waters wetlands and spotted ‘salties’ (aka estuarine crocodiles) and yet more birds. We also did a number of bush walks and visited aboriginal rock art sites. It has been estimated by archaeologists that aboriginals have lived in the Kakadu region for between 40,000 and 50,000 years – a truly ancient culture.

Next stop was Katherine Gorge – an amazing geological formation forged by the Katherine River over the millennia. Here we marvelled at the breathtaking scenery by boat, canoes, bush walking and swimming. Onward down the Stuart Highway we stopped off at Mataranka Thermal Pool for a quick dip before a pub lunch at Daly Waters Pub – a good ole` outback watering hole.

Devils Marbles, a collection of granite boulders precariously balanced on top of one another in a seemingly impossible arrangement was our next stop where we encountered a group kids from a local Aboriginal school on an excursion. They were more fascinated by us and our truck than they were in the big round rocks.

We have been sharing the Stuart Highway with all sorts of weird and wonderful looking vehicles – the Solar Car Challenge from Darwin to Adelaide is currently on with entries from all over the world.

We are now in Alice Springs – the red centre of Australia looking forward to visiting Uluru and Kata Tjuta (aka Ayers Rock and The Olgas).

Continuing our ‘outback’ adventure we headed west from Alice Springs to the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park – a stunning range that stands 800 metres above the surrounding flat landscape.  The MacDonnell’s are characterised by a series of hill ranges with impressive gaps, deep gorges and cool waterholes.  We stopped at various gorges for bushwalking and swimming in the waterholes with the Red Canyon being a favourite.  Continuing around the Merinnee Loop we hiked around the amazing Kings Canyon with ancient cycads (many hundreds of years old). 

It was then onto the crowning jewel of the red centre – Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas).  Our first view of Uluru was at 5.30 in the morning (yes still dark) with the Southern Cross star constellation hanging beautifully just above it – absolutely magic.  Strategically positioned we enjoyed hot drinks whilst sitting on the roof of the truck watching as the sun slowly lit the worlds largest monolith and revealed it stunning red colour.  Some people chose to climb the rock whilst most enjoyed a leisurely walk around the base.  Onto Kata Tjuta, equally as awe inspiring, we hiked through the Valley of the Winds (where surprisingly enough it was very windy).  Back to Uluru for sunset we again enjoyed the view from the truck roof, this time with a few ‘coldies’ in hand.  Back to camp for kangaroo kebabs – what a day. 

Coober Pedy was our next stop, the opal mining capital of Australia where its population mostly live underground to escape the summer heat.  We stocked up and set off for Australia’s smallest town, William’s Creek (population of 10).  A night was spent in the infamous pub, enjoying a few ales and talking tall stories with the locals (yep, just about the whole population were there).  It was time to get serious in our 6WD and brave the Oodnadatta Track that follows the Ghan Railway Line.  Luckily or unluckily (depending how you look at it), the track was no problem, in fact we were travelling along it doing the same speed we were on the Stuart Highway.  We heard a couple of days later that it had rained and the track had been closed to all vehicles. 

Entering South Australia we had a couple of days to explore the Flinders Ranges National Park, highlight of which was Wilpena Pound, a natural sandstone rock formation shaped like a big bowl.  We were rewarded with wildlife sightings such as Emus (and Emu chicks – very cute), Common Wallaroo (aka Euro), various wallabies and kangaroos – not too mention Black Cockatoos, Sulphur Crested Cockatoos and hundreds of ‘Flamin Galahs’. 

Driving through South Australia’s premier wine country we stopped off in the picturesque Clare Valley, where many world famous wineries are situated.  We started the morning off with tastings at the oldest winery in the region, Seven Hills Vineyard run by Jesuits.  A well needed pub lunch was taken at the beautiful Watervale Pub, then we hit numerous other wineries in the afternoon – Annie’s Lane, Paulett and Mintaro vineyards.  Camping within walking distance of the Magpie and Stump Pub in Mintaro capped off a perfect day.  

Heading onwards and upwards, or downwards as the case may be, we hit the south coast of Australia and stayed on the beach in Adelaide, South Australia’s capital.  It is a friendly city with a relaxed atmosphere and an alfresco café and restaurant culture.  

Having driven from the top end to the bottom end of Australia, we will now follow the coast around to the east and then north heading for our penultimate destination, Sydney…

We made it!!!  We have completed an amazing journey from London to Sydney.  This has truly been a trip-of-a-lifetime.  We have experienced so many different landscapes and cultures along the way - it is a little awe-inspiring looking back at what we have done.  We have also made life long friends that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.  But more of that later, where were we???  That’s right, Adelaide…

Upon leaving Adelaide, we made a small detour for Hahndorf, a quaint little German village in the Adelaide Hills, then headed back to the coast and stopped off early at a viewpoint near Coorong for an afternoon of lamb spit roasting and Melbourne Cup (Australia’s biggest horse race) celebrations. With the lamb jam-packed with veges, it was roasted over coals for many hours and was succulently juicy – you’ve got to love the Australian lamb season.

The Great Ocean Road was a highlight for many with superb ocean views, Eucalypt forests and more wildlife sightings. We stopped off at The Twelve Apostles along the coast, and got very excited at seeing our first Koalas and Echidnas. A quick detour was made to Torquay and Bells Beach (home of the Australian Rip Curl Surfing Competition). Then it was into the cosmopolitan city of Melbourne early the next morning. Here we experienced the café culture and nightlife and yet more wildlife can you believe it – Blue Penguins on St. Kilda beach on Phillips Bay. A popular detour was made leaving Mebourne for all the Brits onboard – Ramsay Street of Neighbours fame.

Our last National Park was next on the itinerary; Wilson’s Promontory, characterised by eucalypt forests and coastal scrublands. Bushwalking and wildlife spotting were the order of the day. Sightings here included enormous wombats wandering around the camp, possums and colourful birds (that seemed to be very attracted by Steve’s red overalls).

Once into New South Wales, due to popular demand we made an unscheduled stop off at Eden, a tiny town situated on a very pretty bay that Humpback Whales use as a rest stop on their long journey down to Antarctica. Cruising out on a boat to do a spot of whale watching we saw many pods of mothers and calves (including a seal who thought it was a humpback) and dolphins.

Venturing inland again we visited the nation’s capital, Canberra. It is a very organised city in terms of the layout of the city and has some of the best museums in the country.

Heading north up the coastline we bushcamped along different rivers and enjoyed swimming and bathing in their warm waters. These bushcamps had entertainment galore - Louise wrote and performed a very clever poem that incorporated all EOEers (without offending anyone) and the next night we rolled out the red carpet and held the inaugural EOE Oscar Award Ceremony (thanks to Alex, Tom & Jock for all their hard work). Everyone was a winner and many laughs were had.

After a quick stop off at Mollymook Beach for a dip there no more putting it off – we headed for Sydney, our final destination. With the truck fully decked out in Aussie and English flags, streamers and balloons; driving into Sydney was surreal. Driving across the Sydney Harbour Bridge had everyone screaming with delight, so much so, we turned around and did it again. Then it was to the iconic Sydney Opera House, the ‘real’ finish to an amazing expedition.

32 people on a truck, from one hemisphere to the other, through some of the most visited and least visited countries, experiencing some of the most stunning landscapes and cultures in the world – we drove overland from London to Sydney. Congratulations and a big thank you to all involved…

Alrighty!!! We made it!!!