The VERY Best of 2016

Yeah, I know 2016 and has got a pretty bad rap and I am praying for David Attenborough to get through (Will some please wrap him up in bubble wrap and keep him inside for just a few more days!!)

But this is the year we are more grateful than ever to be ALIVE! I have just shared more about our Nautical Mishap off the coast of Panama; there were a few things I didn’t share in the first raw write up of it.

Meeting Bear

BOOM! What a great way to start 2016! Having survived a pretty darn awful shipwreck, we got to meet Bear Grylls and share a bit of our story on the BBC. Surviving a shipwreck left us with an even stronger zeal for life. Not wanting to waste a single breath we departed on another epic adventure. Here are 16 of our favourite experiences:

1. Taking supplies to a Nepalese Orphanage

We started our journey by flying out to Nepal with some rather large Ikea bags full of toys and clothes that were kindly donated for some very precious children at an orphanage in Kathmandu. The children were very grateful for their new clothes and gifts. We also brought them nail polish so the girls could paint their nails and of course paint Pete’s nails. We also taught in several schools in the Kathmandu area. It was fun to get involved with teaching and also be inspired by the strong spirit and welcoming nature of the Nepalese. It was also my first time of getting published! I wrote an article on the reality of Nepal after the news dies down, which later got published by Huffington Post.

2. Trekking in Langtang

We took a rickety journey north on an extremely crowded old bus through the steep sided narrow mountain roads to a small Himalayan town called Langtang. After almost getting caught out without a place to stay we spent the night with a lovely family. The next morning we trekked up into the dizzying mountains. We climbed up and up thousands of meters and were followed by an inexplicably loyal dog. The amazing clear weather meant that we could gaze right into Tibet. Hundreds of miles to the West we could see the magnificent Annapurna mountain. This is was genuinely one of our favourite treks ever.

3. Holi in Varanasi

Next our journey took us to India. We decided to enjoy the epic colour festival known as Holi in the manic city of Varanasi. During colour festival people throw coloured paint and water at each other as part of the celebration. Varanasi is one of the most wacky, intense and unique cities we have experienced in all of our travels. It is crowded, crazy and steeped in history. Varanasi is situated in the north of India on the Ganges river. It is thought to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world (said to be well over 3,000 years).  

4 Getting in trouble with the Happy Police 

The Taj Mahal really is worth a visit if you’re in India. Walking around what feels like any other massive tourist attraction you would be forgiven for not realising it is actually a mosque. Whilst taking a photo of Emma another photographer was impressed by the artistic opportunity and joined me. This was enough to capture the attention of the happy police who came over saying “No Happy, No happy”, apparently you are only allowed to to take unhappy photos at the Taj Mahal.   

5. Camping in the desert of Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a hot arid province in the North West India, bordering Pakistan. It is rich in culture and impressive mustaches. Feeling like Indiana Jones, we travelled west to a small historic and dusty town called Jaisalmer and took a camel ride out into the desert and spent a night sleeping under the stars. It was genuinely very peaceful and serene until our evening was disturbed by a venomous snake rocking up in our camp. If you take a trip into the desert, bring a good torch and watch your step!

6. Meeting Stilt Fishermen

Our trip took us to the south coast of Sri Lanka where we were lucky enough to see the amazing stilt fishermen. In this clever method of fishing, they perch on wooden stilts in the water, which puts them in the ideal position to catch a great yield of fish without disturbing the water. When it’s going well they can catch as many as 1,500 fish in an hour, sardines are one of the main types of fish they capture. It also looks uber cool and so impressively resourceful.

7. Sri Lankan Cooking Course

The flavours and varieties in Sri Lankan food are genuinely unique and different to India or other parts of Asia. We loved learning to cook with a wonderful local couple in the village of Ella. We learned a wide range of drool tastic recipes and then sat down to enjoy the meal. I found it hard to believe I could make such an amazing meal. Coconut pancakes are still one of my favourite breakfasts!

8. Surfing in Bali

I can see what the hype is about!

After 8 years of travel we finally gave in and went to Bali! We found it to be a genuinely delightful location for relaxing and adventure. We went with the flow and rented a board to learn to surf, We spent a good chunk of time getting our asses kicked by the board! Kuta beach was however a great location for a learner and eventually we rode some pretty sweet waves. Though we’re no pros, it does feel pretty awesome riding a wave into the beach!

9. Seeing a Volcano in a Volcano

Rinjani is a sunning active volcano on the island of Lombok. The trek is steep and challenging. You start close to sea level and trek for miles up steep jungle paths. The view is well worth the slog. The small cone in the crater lake is a volcano within a volcano. Watching the sun rise over the mountain and pour into the creator was spectacular; a morning that will stay with me for life.

10. Blue Lava in Java

This was really one of my highlights of South East Asia. Kawah Ijen is an active volcano in East Java and has particularly high amounts of sulphur. This leads to the most stunning phenomenon. We climbed this volcano by night and saw the impressive blue flames that result from burning sulphur vapor and the blue “lava” which is molten sulphur. We left stinking of eggs, eyes watering and grinning like geeks as neither of us could have even imagined something like this exists!

11. Diving in Koh Tao

Pete loved learning to dive on the South Thai island of Koh Tao. The diving course took several days and includes some theory classes and plenty of practice. His first session under water comprised of practicing a range of exercises to better understand how to use the equipment safely. By the end of the course we we able to dive to around 18m depth and swim through holes in the coral rock. …and now we can dive together!!!

12. Tham Lod Cave Northern Thailand

This is a breathtaking cave of magnificent proportions. The giant main cavern has a slow flowing river running through and can be explored by boat. Smaller caves and passages lead off from the main cavern and are fascinating to explore.

13. Discovering the Dee Doke waterfalls

The Dee Doke waterfalls are a series of beautiful blue waterfalls in a valley in the stunning Shan state of Myanmar. Half the adventure is getting there! We rented a bike and travelled there from a small town called Pyin Oo Lwin. The journey took several hours and included a stop for some very tasty Shan Noodles. When we visited Dee Doke the area was only frequented by friendly locals, so we really felt like we were exploring somewhere new! There are many stunning lakes and waterfalls in Myanmar

14. Took a Trek Back in Time

The isolation of Myanmar has meant that change has been very slow. It was fascinating to explore Myanmar and notice many anachronistic remnants of the British Colonial era. One of my favourites was a beautiful little railway station we stumbled across during a 3 day trek. The tracks were covered in grass. As the train rolled in on a lovely sunny evening, locals dashed up and down the platform selling herbs, spices and vegetables. This was a truly timeless experience…

15. Learning to Cross a Road in Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh city, formerly Saigon, is a vibrant crowded city with a real buzz. I have fond memories of wandering the streets at night, sampling tasty local treats and enjoying the local beer. We learned that the only way to cross the roads is to walk steadily in a straight line and let the thousands of scooters swerve around you. Somehow it just works.

16. Building Homes in Cambodia

AND seeing our precious boy Mai has turned 18 and getting a great job!

Since first building the children’s home and living in Cambodia, we now run a little Charity named Love Cambodia and we go back as often as we can. One of our precious boys who was living in nothing more than a rusty metal shack when we first found him around 7 years ago is the first to leave the orphanage and grow into a happy healthy adult life. He has now become an amazing and most admirable young man, we could not be prouder of him! 

Thank you

One of the most exciting things about 2016 has been having so many people start to join us on our crazy Adventures! I cant actually believe how many of you have! It makes the Adventure so much more exciting! There is a moment in one of my favourite stories where the main character has the realisation “Happiness is only real when shared”. SO, the more lovely people we have to share with, the happier our experience too!!

Thank You,

Looking forwards to sharing 2017 with you!

Whatever happens in the world in 2017, make it a year of Love, Learning and ADVENTURE

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