March 11th - London - A summing up

So, it is all over. We are back in London after a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong.

As is usual after one of these events, we both can't really believe we won't be getting up at 5.30am, packing our bags and heading off on another long day's drive. In fact we both suffer from withdrawal symptoms at the end of a John Brown tour!! It becomes such a way of life, that even with all the negatives, the positives are so huge, you come to ignore the hardships.

On each of the five previous tours we have done, I've used the sentence 'We feel very privileged to have been able to see these countries by driving through them.' Now once again it is an appropriate way to describe our tour through SE Asia.

We have seen people and places that we will remember for the rest of our lives. Hopefully, some of these wonderful memories have come across in the blog, but there are many, many more that I just didn't have time to put down in a daily blog.

We have over three thousand photos and seven hours of video, so we will always be able to look back on the tour and be reminded of many of those very special moments.

Now, we would like to give our final thanks to all those people who made our five week journey through SE Asia such fun. So, here goes.

First, to John and Joanna Brown. We know how much hard work and effort goes into planning an event like this, over a considerable period of time. Well, let us tell you both, it has all been worthwhile. A huge thank you for getting us all safely to the finish.

Second, to the crew on the event. The support they have given everyone, like when so many went down with a tummy bug, as always, has been tremendous. That support is a major reason why Wendy and I sign up for a John Brown event. We know we will be helped if/when times get bad.

Third, to all the other participants. Without doubt this has to be up there with the friendliest group we have travelled with. It is such an important part of an event for everyone to get on with each other. It has been one long party from beginning to end. Thank you to all the crews of the other 22 cars. We will miss you!

Fourth, to all those people we have met from the seven countries we have visited. There was never an occasion when we were not greeted with smiles, interest and help. SE Asia has been like India, Central America and S.America, in this respect. It will never cease to amaze us how generous the poor are with their hospitality. This is especially so, when you see how difficult their lives must be living in universally poor housing conditions.

Fifth, to everyone who has followed the blog and especially to those who posted comments.

Now we must turn our attention to our next drive from California to Alaska, in July/August of this year. As I write this the car is being transported to the port in China from where it will be taken by container ship to Los Angeles. Bob and Thelma Howells are joining us in their Toyota Landcruiser to do a drive through the Pacific western states of the US, into Canada and then on to Alaska. We hope to drive as far north as you can, all the way to the shores of Arctic Ocean. We will then drive south to finish in Anchorage.

I'm already thinking of an appropriate title for the blog. When we did our drive across the States in 2007, I called it 'Two Across the States', referring to the two Landcruisers we were driving. Any suggestions for the Alaskan trip?