Hi

Thank you for being one of our first subscribers.

We wish you a peaceful, prosperous and exciting year ahead. Pushing your limits and doing things you never believed possible.

2018 has arrived and we are more than 4 months into our year long trip. It’s been a bit of a battle to keep up. Booking flights and accommodation, out sight-seeing, travelling and then trying to document events and post to Instagram and Facebook.

So far we have experienced every kind of emotion. The exhilaration of being on the Great Wall of China, the confusion when observing and going through China, the disbelief of experiencing a country like Japan, the horror of war as seen in Japan, Vietnam and Laos and the inhumanity of humanity in Cambodia.

The stress of messing up a visa application and only making it by a few minutes when travelling from Shanghai to the US.

The thrill of cycling through the temples of Bagan and the sunrise at Angkor Wat. The pleasure of being with family over Christmas and New Year.

The range of food from China to Japan to Vietnam through to Burger King in Shanghai!!

We have had our fair share of minor mishaps. While out jogging I tripped and crashed my head into a bridge railing in KL and a week later took a plunge and smashed my face into the back of a chair in Penang. Carol has had her share. Tripping and twisting her foot in a temple in Xian then falling off her bike on two occasions in Yangshou to toppling over into the side of a very rusty bridge in Luang Prabang. Roger managed to get a traffic boom come down on his nose.

All were a bit messy at the time but soon healed with time and the the help of merthiolate (the old style that has been my go-to remedy for many years!)

On Christmas Eve I passed out at a family function and was attended to by the Marin County fire department paramedics. I’m carefully monitoring my health but suspect I may have been dehydrated, standing too long and recovering from the stress of nearly missing the flight in Shanghai?

We are now in the US until 16 January, then off to Mexico for a week and then to Cuba for about a month. After that the only firm arrangement is the 4-day 3-night classical hike to Machu Pichu from 18 April.

Before and after that … there are many thoughts but no firm plans?

Please contact me if I can help you in any way regarding either making decisions about a more minimalistic lifestyle or travel. I’ll do whatever possible to assist.

All the best

Patrick

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