Chris and Paula’s World

A Year in Review

Hi Everyone,

We arrived in Bangkok from Hanoi last Friday. I don’t know if Chris’ post mentioned, but I have pneumonia and it has put more than a bit of a drag into the holiday season. We spent $400 at a clinic (thankfully we have travellers’ insurance) for chest x-rays and bloodwork to find out that my bronchitis never quite went away and that it resurfaced as its ugly cousin, pneumonia. I was prescribed bad ass anitbiotics and rest and I am just starting to feel more alive. This morning we decided to go to a computer mall and by the time we got there, I had to head back to the hotel. Not fun. As the days go on and the antibiotics do their job I feel I am getting better. It has been a long week for me and no doubt, even longer for Chris.

Thinking back on the year, I can’t believe how much we have done, seen, eaten and spent. What a year of contrasts in terms of the places we have visited, the people we have met, and our own feelings about all of it. There are times when I have never felt so excited and then times when I have never felt so bored. I feel really thankful that we have had such an awesome chance to do a trip like this, and I have mixed feelings about it almost being over.

In the spirit of New Years Eve I am going to list my 2007 highlights.

Getting engaged on the sand dunes, Erg Chebbi, Morocco
Hot air ballooning over Cappadocia, Turkey
Elephant bath time, Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Donkey ride to Valley of the Kings, Egypt
Getting to know the students at Kilimehewa school, Moshi Tanzania
Walking around in the ancient markets of Damascus and Aleppo, Syria
The beautiful food in Florence
Everest Flight, Kathmandu Nepal
Taj Mahal, Agra India - the gorgeous colours of saris against the milky white marble

I’m sure there are more, but these were the ones that come to mind immediately. It has also been a big year for a lot of our friends at home. There have been some big changes and we are looking forward to seeing new homes, new babies, new puppies, and hearing about new jobs, new romances and other exciting events that have happened since we’ve been gone.

Anyhow, I hope that everyone had a very happy Christmas. Best wishes for the new year and we’ll see you all soon.

xoxo
Paula

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Well, translated that means something like “I know I will never get the money back”, but that is irrelavant, it’s just some good Thai characters. Paula and I a on “Lonely Beach” on the island of Ko Chang in South Eastern Thailand. I notice tonight that this is our first posting in quite a while. Well it seems we have been on a bit of a holiday. We arrived just over a week ago and spent 4 days with our friends Chad and Morgan in Bangkok and then we promptly headed for the beach!

Let’s start with Bangkok, perhaps the coolest city I know! Very populous and large, excellent transportation, excellent food on every corner (and I mean right on the corner) and every western amenity that we have come to miss (and indulge in at every chance). Seafood is everywhere and shopping is everywhere. We spent our days consuming as much of the both of those as possible. “Birdies” - these little cans of strong coffee mixed with sugar start the day off great. We checked out some of the tourist attractions including the grand Chatuchak market - where you can buy anything, I mean anything. We are planning on spending our NYE in Bangkok coming up, lots of plongs (whitey) there to spend it with too…

Now we are in Ko Chang. About a five hour bus ride from Bangkok to a place called Trat, home of a very cool night market. Spent the night there and next morning (ok, 1:30pm) we took the ferry to Ko Chang. A big tropical island with a road skirting the outside. The western side of the island has about 6 little villages full of beach side huts that you can shack up in. We are about 30 meters from the water, 20 meters from an endless supply of beer and all night long house music. After almost 9 months of travelling, we needed a vacation!

Oh and PS, sorry for no pictures lately. When you are on vacation the only pictures we have are of me in my new orange speedo bathing suit. Don’t worry, you’ll see them soon enough!

Let me tell you that pineapples here are extra good.