Alright, this is it! The last of my travel posts (for now, anyway – wait till Uganda/Rwanda get under way :P). The first of my string bracelets fell off on the plane last night; even the string knows the trip is over!
Rich and I are master list-makers and spent a bit of time compiling some lists. Here’s a recap of where we went, what we loved and where we were sad to leave, for those who are planning trips and would like opinions in summary form (or for those who lost track of us and want a recap). :)
The Trip (*denotes a stop, but not an overnight stay):
New Zealand: New Plymouth, ferry crossing, Kaikoura, Christchurch, Lakes Tekapo* and Pukaki, Milford, Queenstown, Wanaka*, Makarora*, Fox Glacier*, Greymouth, Nelson, Renwick, Picton, ferry crossing, Wellington, Napier, Gisbourne, Opotiki*, Whakatane, Mount Manganui, Whitianga, Paihia, Russell*, Kerikeri, Auckland, Coromandel Town*, Whitianga
Malaysia/Borneo: Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kinabatangan River, Kuching, Santubong*, Bako National Park
Cambodia: Phnom Penh, Kampot, Sihanoukville, Koh Rong Samloem, Battambang, Siem Reap, Krabie, Sen Monorom, Ban Lung
Laos: Don Khon, Tadlo, Thakhaek, Vientiane, Phonsavan and the Plain of Jars, Vang Vieng*, Nong Khiaw*, Muang Ngoi Neua, Luang Prabang
Thailand: Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Bangkok
The Highlights:
Favourite Non-Motorised Activity
Elephant cleaning in Sen Monorom, Cambodia
Santubong Mountain, Borneo
Cycling around Don Khon, Laos
Favourite Motorised Activity
Kampot bike ride (Cambodia)
Battambang tour (Cambodia
Angkor/Siem Reap tour (Cambodia)
Favourite Guesthouses
TreeTop Eco Lodge (Ban Lung, Cambodia)
Lazy Beach (Koh Rong, Cambodia)
Beachfront in NZ
Favourite Paid Tourist Attractions
Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, Borneo
Beng Melea temple, Cambodia
Orang safari, Kinabatangan, Borneo
Favourite Free Tourist Attractions
Tadlo cascades, Laos
Kaikoura seal colony walk, NZ
Staete Landt wine tasting, NZ
Driving to Milford, NZ
Best Swimming Locations
Koh Rong, Cambodia
Mt Manganui beach, NZ
Cathedral Cove, NZ
Ross (Maxwell Family Farm), Australia
Tadlo cascades, Laos
Overall Favourite Stops
Kampot, Cambodia
Coromandel, NZ
Muang Ngoi Neua, Laos
New Plymouth, NZ (A)
Don Khon, Laos
Wish We Had More Time For
Wellington, NZ
Wanaka, NZ
Bay of Islands, NZ
Ban Lung, Cambodia
