Nearly-new age travellers: Well our bags are packed, we're ready to go. . .

Wednesday 18th April 2007
Well, how has it come to this? Our last day – it’s come round so quickly – and never, at any time have we been bored (and you know what a low boredrom threshold I have). I think if we could fly home, see everyone, we’d be quite happy to set off on another adventure. But we’ll probably feel differently when we’re home.
So, here they are, the trip Oscars:

Best Hotel

: Intercontinental Moorea for it’s luxury and exclusiveness, but most of all its location, Nacional Havana for its history – many runners up including The Grand Serenis, Akumal, The Portsea Breakfree Resort, Port Douglas and the Intercontinental Papeete, Chez Dan and Carole

Worst Hotel:

Joint bottom, both Vietnam I’m afraid: The Seagull Hotel at Nyh Quong (including its boil in the bag fish) and The Chancery Hotel, Ho Chi Minh for its general awfulness (we’d been put in their as ‘overspill’).

Best sights:

Can’t choose between Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Great Barrier Reef. Runners up – Swimming with dolphins, the Daintree Rainforest, Milford Sound, Uluru (no particular order)

Biggest disappointment;

Fox Glacier (only disappointment really apart from pointy Vietnam Hat)

Favourite Countries:

Vietnam and Cuba

Favourite City:

Havana

Most emotional moment/best single day:

Meeting junior Platts at Byron Bay

Best journey:

Train from Hue to Hanoi (with musical accompaniment)

Best flight:

Cairns to Alice Springs (awesome as the North Americans say)

Worst flight:

Brisbane to Cairns (Sid didn’t like the turbulence)

Most often used phrase

‘I’ve had an email from my mum’

Least used phrase

(never!) ‘This case has got lighter’

Best buy:

Silk jacket from Hanoi

Worst buy:

Didgeridoo (not really a bad buy but a bad travel companion)

Most memorable music:

Guantanamera

Most cost saving contribution:

Sid washing ‘smalls’

Most frequently purchased item:

Sunglasses for Myra – lost Nike designer (won by Sid at Golf) in Cu chi tunnels; those bought in Burleigh Heads disintegrated; New Zealand pair fell apart; Cubans still going strong