Higashiyama and Gion - Kyoto, Japan

This wasn't the first person we saw when we got to the Geisha district (Gion for anyone that hasnt read that Geisha book) but I'd like to have you all believe that.

Kiyomizu temple

View from the temple back over Kyoto, which nestles into a valley

Dan finally finds a word to sum him up

Bullet Train to Kyoto, Japan

Even though the bullet train is about as expensive as flying we decided it was a quintessentialy Japanese experience and not to be missed. We soared through snowy areas towards Kyoto.

Beautiful clear weather unveiled the worlds most famous mountan - Mt Fuji.
2.5hrs and a Bento box lunch later we arrived in Kyoto

Christmas - Tokyo, Japan

My runny hangover from SE Asia afflicted me for the first few days of Tokyo, and I looked to be on the mend, only to have Megans hope of a binge eating xmas dashed when she caught the bug too. It turned out better than it could have though. Megan felt well enough to sample the bits and pieces, we had gifts a plenty and a pricey homestyle xmas dinner. Even bat-down cricket on the street.

The proprietors of a fine spread. Dan and Jen had joined us at Jasons for what was to be our 4th New Year together.

Jason liked his gift from us, a lovely meat cleaver, harking back to the flatting days where he refused to slice even the smallest thing without one.

And what do you think of our xmas tree? I found the loveliest branch from a tree in Jasons outdoor bit, hacked it off, cleaned the spideywebs off, and inserted it to a roll of bubble wrap that was just there, then populated the base with gifts.

Tokyo - Japan

Tokyo, largest city in the world, most of the residents are in this photo.
Jason picked us up from the airport and we sat on the heated train seats for the 90minutes it takes to get to his styley apartment.

Skyscrapers with distinctivly 90's colour schemes and materials, harshly but beautifuly pruned trees and flocks of silverheaded, gold top sock wearing, smiling businessmen cement all the stereotypes we had firmly in our minds.

Megan, Jason and Eiko, his Japanese girlfriend, inside the imperial palace gardens what are only open to the public twice a year, we were lucky enough to be there on one of those days - the emporors birthday.

This image looks like an architectural rendering or something

The big dog Leslie, in the part of town where socks shops rule supreme and the alternative elite gather to text other people.

And just around the corner from there, a murder of rock and roll dancing elvis impersonators, using convenience store beers to enhance there twisty footwork.

Bye South East Asia! - Bangkok Airport

We will miss you

Kanchanburi, Thailand

You may have heard of the Bridge over River Kwai. This is it. Its famous because the Japs built the railway (to Myanmar) during WW2 to cut the Wests supply chain to China, and to access Myanmars oil, and because they wanted to control all of Indochina and rail was the first step. 100,000 POW's perished building it.

This, apart from Bangkok, is our last stop! Bye SE Asia, hello Tokyo!

Ayuthaya, Thailand

Ayuthaya is an old capital, built in a island made by the convergence of 3 rivers. it was sacked by the Burmese a couple hundred years ago. Really lovely temples, and different to ones we'd seen before so that was refreshing!
If Buddha ever rode a bike this is how he did it. Featuring giant clothed reclining Buddha in the background.

You can use the old bricks to make your own personal tower for Buddha.


This was the overnight train journey to get there from Pai. Whiskey - check. Pepsi - check. 7-11 cups - check. Cards - Check.

Elephant Riding - Pai, Thailand

We are up high. Riding bare back, Megan on the neck. It gives you a bit of a thigh rash.
This is the part where they made the 3.5 ton elephant shake violently until it threw you off into the water. Please don't step on me!
This is the part where our renegade elephant wanted to eat bark all the time and squash megan against the tree.
Megans smile goes so wide you can see the inside of her mouth on each side of her teeth!

Getting nosy

Pai, Thailand

Pai. One of the loveliest places on our trip. We needed to tick off a few essential experiences here as we wind down, for example we couldnt leave SE Asia without riding an elephant, learning how to cook a red curry, and boil an egg in a hot spring (well ok maybe not the last one). Above is me facing the cruel irony of a full day cooking class on a crook stomach. Below is our last bungalow (sniff).
This was our last motorbike day (another sniff). Saw a waterfall, a canyon, this place below that was up a dirt road too steep for the bikes, and some other stuff. Below shows Pai valley, a big flat plain with a river running through, surrounded by difficult mountains.

I like this picture because I accidently made it look like there was a lovely red umbrella built into the balaclava
Reintroducing Jay and Mika. First met them in Nha Trang, Vietnam, and spent the week at Pai with them too. We actually did boil an egg in a natural hot spring. We arent swimming in that part though.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

We got up at 430am or something ridiculous to watch a procession of 11500 monks in celebration of the Kings birthday. Pretty spectacular, they hold their urns out and people drop in food stuffs, the public have sacks full of food all to dontate to these hungry orange men. Kinda like monk trick or treating. It gets put back into sacks at the end and I assume distributed evenly.

Also for the Kings birthday (its a big time) we found out about a fireworks extravaganza in the most beautiful public gardens we have ever seen (maybe). At both these events we were somehow among the only tourists. It was a nice way to spend time in a place that was a little underwhelming overall, maybe cos of all the hype you hear about it. When you ring the bell Megans about to hit somehow the gold bit on top ejaculates a spurt of water!