Overland with Kids

Following a visit to Angkor Wat
Jessica says “This reminds me of Alexandra Palace”
Dad says “This reminds me of Ixworth House - everything so symmetrical!”
AJ says “I liked Angkor Thom the best - it was like a TV film set!”
The children have seen many people through our travels who have been in need of help but [...]

(Saibadee - hello! Photos are back to front)
AJ being a great lover of toy soldiers and lego tanks etc. was very vocal recently about forming his own country, being president (Barack Obama had been on the Cable TV channel alot during our stay in Vientiane) and having his own army…………..
“………..I am going to have [...]

En-route to Vang Vieng, Laos
Jessica says “When we were driving on our way to Vang Vieng and it got so dark, I saw a really unusual and beautiful scene. The area around looked so flat and beautiful, it was a like a chalk drawing - a huge big black jagged mountain with the river and [...]

(This blog update a bit rushed -please excuse spelling mistakes & photos a little bit back to front)

Jessica and AJ were immediately impacted on entering Laos - both getting in tune with their surroundings
(AJ describing what he’s going to do with his favourite cuddly toy monkey called ‘ooo, ooo’)……….
“If I lie ‘ooo, ooo’ in the [...]

Jessica: “If mum had been driving this section of the road, we’d all be dead by now!” (describing a dodgy crumbling mountain pass)
AJ: “I’m so glad dad is driving!”
Our feet have hardly touched the ground since entering China and we’ve been on the move daily.
From Chengdu, famed (apart from Pandas!) for being known in China [...]

Mum: (to Jess and AJ) “So, what’s been your favourite thing since being in China?”
Jessica and AJ: “Pandas!”
Dad: “What happened to the Hanging Monastary?”
Jessica: “The Hanging Monastary too!”
AJ: “And the Great Wall!”
Jessica “But they’re now in second and third place! The pandas are the best!”
While at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base:
Mum (to Jess): “Jessica, [...]

Following a visit to the Great Wall of China:
AJ says: “If you turn the Great Wall of China on it’s head, would it be taller than Mount Everest?”
Jessica says: “Sitting in the car now, it’s hard to believe that we climbed the Great Wall of China this morning. It feels like a dream - like [...]

While mum and dad dancing (waltzing together) in bare feet among the sand dunes in the Gobi desert:
Dad “I’m sorry I couldn’t find anything better!”
Mum “What a terrible place!”
Jessica “Can we go now, it’s too nice!”
AJ “Can I take my top off, it’s too hot!”
Mum “How does grass grow on sand?”
AJ “Can we play hide [...]

AJ: “Who is the boss out of mum and dad?”
Dad: “Mum is the Chenggis of our family!”
Conversation on the way to Oondarkhan as night fell - all of us admiring the orange full moon:
AJ: “Oooooh! Look! - the first night-time star!”
Dad: “Make a wish!”
AJ: “How many planets are there on our earth”
Jessica: “There are no [...]

Cost per mile: almost 0.83p (everything included).
Our actual spends for 144 nights:
22, 837.90 USD / 17,966.40 Euros / £14,726.52 GBP - breakdown as follows:
                  Euros    GBP (£ Sterling)   %
Ferries (x 5)    917.72      752.22    5% (100% Europe)
Diesel             2897.83  2375.27  16% (75% Europe)
Accomm         3614.39  2962.61  20% (50% Europe)
Visas              3106.21  2546.07   17% (3% Europe)
Food & Drink  4777.05  3915.61   27% (55% Europe)
Cigarettes         633.03   518.87     4% (96% Europe)
Other              2020.17 1655.87    11% (63% [...]