Half of the world in numbers

• Millions of mosquitoes, bugs and dive-bombing maggots
• Thousands of pictures taken
  
• 788 hours spent on planes, buses, trains and boats (just under 33 days)
• At least 500 instances of Rick brushing his teeth
• Over 100 days in the sun
• 60-odd great friends made
  
• 49 cities, towns, villages, islands visited from Bangkok to Perth
• 40 blog posts
  
• 32 jumps from a high place into a wet place
  
• 15 temples and monasteries
• 8 countries let us through their border crossings (more fool them)
• 5 and a half months wandering from country to country
  
• 3 near death experiences (including near-death by hammer and near-death by moped)
• 2 drops out of or from stuff over 100m in the air
  
• 1 amazing journey

I landed back in the UK yesterday. It's grey, rainy, and after spending 2 days in the 40deg heat of Dubai, it's a tad chilly. But, it's home. In Dubai it was great to see mates I hadn't seen in 6 months, Chris and Kerry thanks very much for your hospitality, and Matt A and Camilla, you two behave! While I was interested to be back and see the place again, I can honestly say that apart from the friends I have there, Dubai doesn't hold the attraction it once did. Maybe I did some 'growing' these past 5 months after all...

The final few days staying in Perth were a bit of a whirlwind of interviews and booze, the outcome of which was a job offer and a hangover. I've accepted the job and gotten rid of the hangover, leaving England once more on the 9th October. Matt has taken some more time to go and visit India, and with a bit of luck he'll be landing there in a few days. Hope you have a blast mate, sorry I can't be there to share it with you.

I hope you, the reader, have enjoyed reading this blog as much as I've enjoyed writing it. I can't urge you enough to get to these places if you haven't already been, especially places like Laos and Cambodia. The life, the people, it's all so different but in an extremely good way, and, given the money and time, I'd go back there in a heartbeat. Without a doubt I shall visit them again.

And so, with a tear in my eye (don't worry, I'm only crying on the inside) I bid you farewell.
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I love a bit of drama I do.

This is the end, of our elaborate plans, the end

Well not quite. Yet. Though that's a great Doors song. Go look it up if you don't know it.

We arrived in Perth to find Sam waiting at the airport for us. Apart from the first words out of his mouth being 'What the hell is that?!' while pointing at my unshaven chin, it was good to see him again. Sam was one of my friends from Dubai who I'd worked with, and was given the Spanish Archer (El bow) by Hill McGlynn on the same day as me. Unfortunately, he had responsibilities which prohibited him from becoming an itinerant world-wide vagrant (such as a wife) and he'd come to Australia and got a job pretty sharpish.

It was great to see him and Bev again. They've settled pretty much in the centre of town, literally a stone's throw from the CBD. Somewhat strange when compared to other cities, it seems that people live in the centre of Perth but all work in the suburbs, and up until a year or so ago there were no bars in central past 6pm.

Unfortunately he and Bev have had to work the whole week so far, but their housemate Elle (a lazy student type, is there any other?) has been around to keep me and Matt company. Our first couple of days were spent not doing too much at all other than buying food for dinner each evening. As a bit of a thank you to Sam for allowing us to kip on the couch, we've been cooking most days - rather domesticated I know. The weather hasn't been great, so we've only really gone out and about a few times. The first was down to Fremantle, a rather hippy-chic, boho-esque kind of suburb (these buzzwords doing anything for you?). Not that many people about on a weekday, it's filled with second-hand book shops, cafes, aboriginal art galleries and gelato shops. Great to pass an afternoon and have a walk around. For those of you who are scared by my geeky nature, probably best to pass on to the next paragraph now, however I did find an arcade with a Guitar Hero game. Had to go in and play. Sorry.

The day after was gloriously sunny, and Matt and I took a walk up the hill to Kings Park. It's huge, and provides a great view of Perth CBD and the Swan River. Beautifully cultivated, there are Botanical Gardens and many cafes and restaurants to while away an afternoon. Matt went on yet another of his 3 hours walks, so I went and walked around some shops before going home. Bought some new trainers too. Result.

The weekend has been a bit of a blur of beer, vodka and food. The Wallabies won their first rugby game in a while against the Springboks so pretty much everyone around us was happy and chatty which made for a good few nights. At one point we did duck into a strip club to play some pool (I couldn't hold Sam back) but for the most part we've been good. Scouts honour. Today was rather relaxed as some of us had a hangover, taking in a trip to Hillary's Boat Harbour taking in some pool, crazy golf (called Whacky Putt) and some rather good fish and chips.