TodayIsTheDay(TITD): 41 days away from ordinary life

Today is the 41st day away from home and we are now sitting on a small bench in a little park in Moscow to relax our tired legs. I believe that it is time to talk about our days passed and refresh ourselves for the days ahead of us.

4 July 2013 we left Sydney and 14 August 2013 we are now in the 5th country, Russia. I still feel like we are at the starting point of our journey but as we all know, we can never trick the time. We have been through one third of our trip already. Our trip has been incredibly pleasure and joyful. Our days were fulfilled by excitement and memorable moments. My words are too shallow to describe how much I have been enjoying our days and freedom.

Let me share with you what we have done so far.

We have visited to 5 countries : Indonesia-Vietnam-Cambodia-Thailand-Russia.

We have stayed in 8 cities where we stayed more than a night : Bali, Lovina, Ho Chi Minh, Vung Tau, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Bangkok and Moscow.

Average number of nights stayed at one place was 4 nights so I have been constantly on packing and unpacking mode. Therefore, packing and moving businesses do not bother me any more. Limited space in the luggage perfectly controls my shopping but still I could enjoy looking around local style clothes and bought some under my husband's supervision.

I really can't choose the best place as I enjoyed being in each place so much. However, if I have to choose one where I want to stay the most will be Bali. Bali has special charm to make people relaxed and excited at the same time. I can definitely stay in Bali as long as possible.

Where I would not mind going back is Vietnam. Vietnam was full of lively people with endless excitement. The food was simply divine. Fresh, tasty and healthy food... Next time if I have a chance, I would like to spend more time in order to travel from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi by train. Coffee we enjoyed evey day two three times in Vietnam will be remembered as an unforgettable tasty experience.

The worst experience would be the 12 hours bus trip from Siem Reap to Bangkok. We were told it would be 9 hours. Especially the time we had to wait for a bus at Thailand border in the rain, on the muddy street was simply chaotic. After 1 hour wait, they took us to a local restaurant to sell food instead of heading to Bangkok. We were very upset with their behaviour and how they treat us. However, all we could do was waiting for a bus to take us to Bangkok finally. It was unbelievable experience and I never wish to have it again. I strongly recommend you to book an international bus from the hotel if you ever want to go to Bangkok from Siem Reap by bus. It goes directly to Bangkok without changing the bus and avoiding waiting for more than hours without any information. The bus is always fully booked so better try to book the ticket as early as possible. 12 hours of bus trip almost destroyed us.

The best food for me was Vietnamese food. Most of dishes are served with fresh vegetables. The food was absolutely amazing and tasty. Especially, rice pancake with prown was mouthwatering. I should not forget commenting about Vietnamese coffee. It has strong and very special flavour. You can have the best coffee everywhere for $1. It sounds good, doesn't it?

The worst food? For me, Russian food can be the one. Russian food is very rich and tasty but there are something missing with the food. It seems to 'ME' that Russian cousin still doesn't have 'Health consciousness' nor 'Balanced diet'. There are nothing about controlling calorie consumptions. I would love to have the food once in a while for spoiling myself but I can't imagine my body shape if I eat it for every meal. Normal cappuccino price is over $8 so who loves coffee should be ready for it.

The most convenient city is definitely Bangkok. Some people in Sydney would laugh at my choice but I would laugh at their ignorance and blind perception. I still remember my first feeling when I arrived in Bangkok. I couldn't believe what I saw in Bangkok. Train system is far more advanced than any other cities. Big shopping centres are everywhere and world most popular Thai food is available at any places. People are living in a modernised world and also keeping their own culture which makes the city more open and attractive to anyone.

One of the most memorable trips was the cycling trip in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Sightseeing around Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom by bicycles gave me absolute pleasure. Enjoying the beauty of natual and historical monuments while riding was incredibly joyful. Best shopping place was Bangkok even though I didn't do much shopping.

Seeing Cambodian people's hard lives sadden my heart and tought me to appreciate my privileged life.

Moscow was a vibrant city that has a modern life as well as magnificent historical buildings. It was absolute pleasure to walk around the city and enjoy the beauty of the breathtaking old buildings.

Our cheapest lunch was in Vietnam (less than 5 dollars for 2) and most expensive coffee was in Moscow (about $8.50), and what else... Unless you stop me here, my story will never end and go on and on so better end for now.

I have rang my sisters to ask how they are doing and they answered me that nothing special has happened to them. It would be my answer as well if we didn't start this trip. I thanked again for this precious opportunity in my lifetime. My days are constantly joyful and full of excitement. Whatever I see and do are unique and special. Life is fabulous! About 2 more months of travel is ahead of us and still 9 more countries are waiting for our arrival. Of course, I will let you know our journey and share the experiences with you. I hope my story can brighten your day little bit.

'Ciao Ciao' for now.