It has been 92 days since we left our motherland and decided to embark on this whirlwind journey travelling through South East Asia. If you have been following our story, you might have noticed that things on Finding Cloud Cuckoo Land had been quiet. But not to worry; this is all because we are having the time of our lives, collecting stories and memories to share with you on our humble blog. Blogging, as I have come to learn, is quite a job on its own. Sitting down and taking time to write down thoughts and stories can sometimes be challenging, but we have decided that the radio silence has been too long and we have too many stories and photos to share, so we shall make more effort to keep this blog updated – even just to keep our family and friends in the loop.

Travelling has always been a dream for us and now we get to live this dream, but with all dreams sacrifices need to be made and the journey isn’t always a walk in the park. Bus journeys can be daunting, hotel rooms nasty and people just plain rude. Sometimes the dream can seem picturesque to the outside world, but just like back at home we have good days and bad days. The good trumps the bad, but bad experiences happen and can leave you frustrated, sad and sometimes just angry as hell. Although, through these bad experiences lessons are always learned and it will therefore seldom be repeated.

Herewith some things we have learned thus far.

1. Start your day with food. This lesson we learned quickly in our second week of travelling. If you are tired, hot and hungry, things can quickly turn bad for all parties involved. Take it from me: problems are solved more quickly on a full stomach.

2. Bus trips are not great. Spending hours on a bus from one country to the next is already an ordeal in itself but add countless people throwing up, packages getting dropped off and picked up as a courier service, bags dropping off the roof and drivers speeding on winding, narrow roads and you’ll know you’re on a bus in Asia. There are ways to avoid this, but traveling on a budget you’ll most likely find yourself on a bus like this – in which case the only thing you can do is to breathe, put on headphones and trust that these people ‘know what they’re doing’.

3. People have grown money hungry in Asia. If you are of Western descent (even as a poor African) you will be expected to have a thick wallet and they will gladly try to make this wallet of yours thinner, be it by doubling the cost of products or giving wrong change. Be very cautious with your money and try not to get angry with the constant – and I do mean constant – exploitation as this can easily ruin your mood/day.

4. The Vietnamese Hand is frustrating. When Vietnamese say no, they gesture by putting up a hand straight in the air and turning it 180 degrees to the left and right. On many occasions we were lost or needed to ask just a simple question and this gesture was quickly thrown in our faces, marking the end of the conversation. Don’t even attempt anymore; you will be ignored. End of story.

5. Never forget that this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Although tough at times, you will look back at your journey delighted and contentedly. (I think we learn this lesson daily.)

6. You will get homesick. The biggest lesson of all is that home is not to be taken for granted. Wherever you are from, home is where your people, your culture, sometimes your language, but most of all your heart is. Luckily through technology friends and family are just a phone call away, but homesick you will get at some point during your journey.

On our travels I have seen remnants of horrible wars, left to be cleaned up by someone else. I have seen how greed and money can remove every inch of humanness in people. But what scares me most is the amount of pollution that goes into our beloved oceans and forests. So please do us one favour, or maybe two: pick up your trash and just be nice to your neighbour.

With all that off my chest, on our travels I have also seen beauty in nature and met people with hearts and smiles as big as the ocean. I have experienced things that I will never forget and I have seen things never to be unseen again. I enjoyed every step of this journey and will continue to do so.

Please stay tuned; there’s a ton of stories still coming your way.

Also read: Out and About – Greetings from Southeast Asia

Conrad & Mareli are two recently married individuals hailing from sunny South Africa. They recently decided to pack up their lives and travel through Southeast Asia, starting in Vietnam. Visit their webpage (http://www.findingcloudcuckooland.co.za/) where you can follow their story, look at their photos or just drop in to say hello. They are photographers, designers, organisers and are always on the lookout for new opportunities and adventures, so please don’t hesitate to contact them!