CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
Trip Start
May 22, 2005
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Trip End
Jan 22, 2006
Paihia (Bay of Islands),
New Zealand
Thursday, December 22, 2005
We are not dead! We just haven't had time to keep up to date with our travelogue. It looks like we will be writing about India in Vancouver. For brevity's sake, here is a quick synopsis of everything that has happened since we left Moscow in October (we have also added some pics and brief descriptions for now):
Rode the rails almost 10,000 kilometres from Moscow through Siberia and Mongolia to Beijing; spent four days straight on our locomotive home; stayed with a local family in Listvyanka in Siberia; dipped our hands in the frigid 26 million year old Lake Baikal in Siberia; rode horses across the Mongolian steppes and lived in a ger; finally stepped off the train in our homeland to dine on Chinese food! Fattened up on our food tour of Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Yunnan Province, Hong Kong and Guangdong Province; ate indescribable amounts of indescribable foods; met Paul's brother and Mel's parents in Shanghai; travelled with Mel's parents through China and witnessed the behemoth that is China; entered a different world in India; experienced the human crush; saw wild tigers; visited the Taj; amazingly won the epic India v
01
. Our Stomachs throw down; took a turn at cricket with some local children; flew to Singapore for more food and time with family; went Down Under and swam at the Great Barrier Reef, cuddled a koala, ate a kangaroo and climbed a giant rock.We are now in New Zealand where we will be spending our Christmas in Opposite Land (toilets flush the other way, lemonade is 7-Up, summer is winter and winter is summer). Christmas away from home never really feels like Christmas. We miss you all and look forward to seeing everybody at the end of January. In our absence, we want to wish you a Christmas filled with all the Love and Joy that God's Grace can afford and may the New Year bring more of the same. Eat a turkey for us!
Love,
Paul & Mel
Comments
Happy New Year!
Hey Paul and Mel,
Glad to hear that you guys are good and that you have experienced much over the past many months. What adventures you must have to share with us when you come back. You must be somewhere in South America, I think? I look forward to hearing all your stories esp. the one about you eating DOG. (by the way, we adopted a dog from the SPCA!). See you soon... isabel
Re: Happy New Year!
Hey Isy,
We´re in Peru right now on our last day before we head home. Looking forward to seeing everyone. Dog is delish with a little bit of cilantro and noodles.
Congrats on the addition to the family. Did you name it Vince Jr.?