After agonizing about how to cross the behemoth country of China, we bit the bullet and flew to tropical Bangkok. It was like landing in paradise after a month in Mongolia!
The next five months were a rollercoaster of incredible highs and sinking lows as we explored Southeast Asia while grappling with a growing desire to return home. Meeting with new friends Pete and Natasha intermittently throughout the end of our journey greatly eased our travel weariness.
Life in Thailand was easy and fun, rich with good food and memorable experiences. Cambodia was vibrant and overwhelmingly friendly, filled with facinating rides and jaw-dropping sights. Vietnam was a struggle, as our homesickness was stronger than ever before, and the traffic of our chosen route was incredibly loud.
We ended our cycling adventure in idyllic Laos, easily the most relaxing country we've ever visited. On arrival, we met up with our friends Pete and Natasha for a two-week motorcycle tour in the remote northern mountains, an area we didn't have the energy to explore on bicycle.
When our brief motorized interlude was over, we took to our bicycles once more, tackling the most intense mountain climbs of our trip on Laos' Royal Road. Finally we coasted into Savannakhet where we caught the bus to Bangkok, eager to tackle two months of non-stop journal-writing.
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