Return from the wild..part 1

Ah hello blog!

I have just read my last posting here, and I had completely forgotten about that post, but I now remember exactly when I sat down to write it, and remember driving around the Irish country side and seeing some amazing views.

A lot has changed since that last post. I have visited 8 new countries: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. I have seen countless new landscapes, met hundreds of people, done countless activities and had some amazing and unforgettable times. My only regret is that I didn't keep a travel journal or blog, but to be honest if I had of it would have taken away from the experience. All of my time was spent with pre-existing friends, or new friends and I wouldn't change one moment of those times.

I will never be able to write up everything that happened, but I will always remember the most important parts, the amazing people and my general happiness at that time of my life.

To go from countries which have nothing to the high flying countries and economies of Singapore and Australia is a major culture shock and makes you realise how fortunate we are in the western world/1st world. For most of my travelling money wasn't an option, I had worked and saved for two years so I could go travelling and start up a new life in Australia possibly. It was only at the very end of New Zealand, my brief re-visit to Australia and UAE that money was a factor and I was really careful with what I was spending. So looking back now I wish I had of been more careful with my money and been able to go back to Asia to spend some time volunteering or even just donate some money to some of the places that touched me the most.

Highlights of my trip:

Cambodia is the most humbling place I went without a question. To see their poverty, to hear their history-which I had no clue about before arriving in their country, to sit in killing fields and to see babies skulls in their remembrance areas is easily the sadist thing I've seen. I cried, between the heat and hearing of the suffering that the people of Cambodia went through I think it would of taken a cold person not to be moved.

Vietnam was beautiful, we travelled the coast from Ho Chi Minh city to Ha Noi. Both of those cities are horrible and I had no time for them. Most of it could of been any other city in the world and then there was the extra inconvenience of millions upon millions of scooters. Everything in between however was stunning along the coast and the towns we visited were very quaint and beautiful-like Hue, Hoi An and Nha Trang. And getting to see Halong bay and kayak out there was a breathtaking experience.

Laos-Well Laos was a lot of travelling. There were some highlights such as tubing and Vientiane was a very nice capital city. Also we got to do a two day river boat which we pretty much just slept, read and played cards on for two days to recover from the tubing.

Thailand-Bankok is OK, its an experience, I had a lot of fun, but its a shit hole, and according to our guide there only is the Koshan road to go out on, which I can't believe as there are surely ex-pats in Bangkok and I refuse to believe this is the only place they would go. The islands of Thailand are something completely different(or were at that point) between learning how to scuba dive, to partying on a beach with 20,000 other people, the islands have something for everyone.

There is no way I will do all my travels in this blog so I am calling it quits and will come back to it over the next few days, but it has been nice to be typing my thoughts again.