Well, here goes….

Thank you for joining me on this adventure/ journey/ flight of fancy/ foolish waste of time and money….. take your pick. Actually I am writing this on a traditional Vietnamese junk boat sailing around Halong Bay so at this moment in time, it is a great adventure.

So what is my motivation for this trip, you may ask? It has been on my mind for a good few years now but needed the time and money to be able to do something that is worthwhile doing, it makes little sense to me to take 2 weeks leave and try and cram in 16 cities!?

I actually spent 2 hours last night writing down a post which I thought was great but somehow lost it all! Probably a good thing as it was just rambling stuff about motivation etc, boring stuff that in my head sounded interesting!

Having said that, now at the age of 50+ with all the health and medical issues that being a women of a certain age brings (I know some of you know what I mean!?), I now have the means, opportunity and motivation to turn my world upside down, in a good way.

The main reason for writing this online journal is so that I can remember and record my travels without boring people with endless FB posts and secondly, if you are reading this and think that you want to join in at any time, or I am near to you, then do let me know!

My current plan, which might change along the way, is a 15 day trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, once in Cambodia, I am going to be volunteering for an NGO which works to support women to get back into the economic and social community.

Initially I was just going to stay on after the tour but very sadly, an old friend passed away the week before I left and I want to pay my respects and send her on her way at her funeral, so I have a short trip back to Somerset via Singapore.

My voluntary work will start on 20th January for 3 months, after which I hope to be able to travel around Malaysia, Indonesia and Phillipines.

In July I will travel to USA and then spend some time visiting friends and family around the States and Canada, down through Central America after which hopefully Rita and I will spend some time together in Hawaii.

From Hawaii to NZ going through Polynesia and South Pacific Islands and then hope to be in Australia for the new year and see friends and family.

If by then I am still in one piece, Borneo, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China will be next and then homeward bound through Myanmar, Nepal and Tibet…..

I have no idea if I will make it all but that is the plan now!!

First stop was Dubai to see Mum and Dad, which was nice. I travelled out of the downtown area for the first time and went to the Indian area! Moni Uncle also stayed with us for a couple of days although I left before him – was lovely to see him