11 weeks Southeast Asia - a balance

"Well, what did you like best on your trip?" will be one of the most common questions when we get back home. We'll try to put the last few weeks into words for you...

About

10,000 photos

350 videos

Over 1,000,000 steps per person (according to our phones, but we didn't always have them with us...)

A hacked credit card

6 flights

2 overnight train rides

Countless hours on travel and city buses

Several tuk-tuk and taxi rides

Hundreds of kilometers on scooters

Lots of liters of water

4 guidebooks thoroughly examined

15 lost or ruined clothing items

Over 20 new clothing items purchased

2 pairs of shoes ruined

3 bottles of sunscreen

2 kilos per person lost on the body, but about 10 kilos more in luggage overall

2 pieces of luggage delayed in the end

31 blog posts

later, we can say: What we experienced in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam was fantastic!

We've seen so many temples that we can't even count them anymore; we've been given breakfast by a monk, completely exhausted and tired, at 6 a.m.; we've fed, pet, cuddled, bathed, and thrown mud at elephants; we've eaten tons of curries, rice, chicken, seafood, noodle soups, pad thais, spring rolls, pancakes, and eggs; we've climbed Buddhas and mountains; we've traveled kilometers by boat on the Mekong River; we've done motorbike loops; we've swum in the sea at night in bioluminescent plankton; we've spent the night in a tent right on the beach; we've encountered sharks, turtles, and countless colorful fish while snorkeling; we've met new people, traveled with them, made friendships, and exchanged experiences; we've been confronted with different cultures, views, religions, and ways of life; we've driven or walked through kilometers-long caves; we've let our souls relax in great bars and cafes; we've laid in the sun on dreamy beaches; we've seen the sunrise at Angkor Wat; we've seen many floating villages and the poorest of the poor; we cruised through the fantastic Ha Long Bay on a cruise ship; we wandered among the hill tribes in Sa Pa, amidst the rice terraces; we've encountered unfriendly police officers a few times; we've tasted raw pepper in different forms and colors; we've delved deep into the history of some countries; we've drank our fair share of local beer; we've cycled through the capital of Laos; we've climbed various viewpoints; we've clumsily slid down sand dunes; we've waded through small rivers and mountain streams; we've seen countless sunrises and sunsets; we've taken so many photos that almost all memory cards are completely full; we've eaten our way through a food tour in Hanoi; we've kitesurfed off the coast of Vietnam; we've had clothing tailored for the first time; we've crossed the Cloud Pass on a motorbike; we've paddled with kayaks through the 4000 Islands of the Mekong in Laos; we've seen the rare Irrawaddy dolphins; we've zoomed through the jungle on ziplines; we've fallen in love with Hoi An; we've marveled at more than enough waterfalls; we've had a train pass us by just 30cm away; we've taken selfies with strangers just because we're blonde; we've seen countless beautiful green rice fields; we've hitchhiked and ridden on the back of a pick-up truck; we've cooked a Cambodian menu in pink aprons and chef's hats; we've watched monkeys swing through the trees above us; we've rehearsed Bollywood dances with Indians; we've seen millions of bats fly off into the night; we've crawled through tunnels from the Vietnam War; we've done Thai Chi on the sundeck of a ship; we've "tubed" down the river in Vang Vieng; we've jumped off rocks into the water; we've taken on many Emil challenges; we've visited various markets in different countries; we've climbed around in old plane wrecks; in short, we've had the chance to learn and experience so much and are deeply grateful for it!!!!! <3

What we won't miss:

- Asian men who deeply dig up snot from somewhere and spit it onto the street (a disgusting sound!)

- moldy and ill-fitting motorcycle helmets

- animals that just run onto the road all the time

- no one following traffic rules and crossing the street becomes a fight for survival

- Asian music (nothing from the original artists is played here...)

- karaoke, whether someone can sing or not, as long as the biggest speaker is connected...

- countless roosters crowing at all hours

- having to pack our things every day

- air pollution in the cities (it makes the fine dust alarm in Stuttgart seem like nothing!)

- Chinese people lurking everywhere with their cameras, selfie sticks, tripods, and silly hats

- the backpacks on our shoulders

- the amount of trash

What we will miss:

- the good weather and the sun

- the sweet idleness

- traveling itself

- the people (Asian people and other travelers, especially the sweet carefree children!)

- street food stalls with crazy and inexpensive delicacies

- fruit that tastes much better here

- cheap and great clothes

- the Asian serenity

- incredibly beautiful landscapes and nature

- the interesting wildlife

What we're looking forward to:

- cheese

- proper bread

- a decent snack

- gummy bears and chocolate at German prices

- a well-functioning infrastructure

- sidewalks and crosswalks

- our own bed

- having an entire wardrobe to choose from

- own, pleasantly smelling laundry detergent

- Berlin

- sharing our experiences and photos with you

- seeing you again!!!!!

Be brave and break out of your familiar surroundings, get out of your comfort zone, take a look beyond the horizon, immerse yourself in life and other cultures - it's worth it! Southeast Asia is always worth a trip :)

Many greetings and until the next journey...

Your Tina, Carsten, and Emil :*

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." Oscar Wilde

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page." Augustine of Hippo

-> With this, we officially declare the Emil Dinner Challenge over! It should be time to start counting now... ;) The "deadline" is April 15, 2018 (just get in touch with us with the correct number of Emils in all the photos of the posts since the beginning of our journey (Elli Gold-Ear doesn't count!)). If several people get it right, our Asian dinner will be raffled among them and announced here! The winner gets to bring one person of their choice :)