Travel Companions

I realized that I have been dropping names of people who I have met traveling into my blog and haven't told you much about them. So I have decided to change that. I originally met Mark, who has been mentioned several times now, in the Bangkok airport. He had the Rough Guide to Vietnam and I was reading my Lonely Planet section and we were comparing notes. He is English, 28, and a computer salesman from Portsmouth. He has been traveling since the beginning of the year and has spent three months motorcycling through India, trekking in Borneo and scuba diving in Thailand. He is slated to be on the road until the end of the year.

He is a loud mouth irreverent asshole who talks way too much. In other words, just like me. Needless to say, we get along perfectly. He is also the inspiration behind the crazy idea of renting a old russian army jeep and driving ourselves the entire length of Vietnam. We want a soft top so that we can drive in the sun while wearing green army pith helmets. The whole idea is completely insane, which is why I am totally inclined to do it. We figure that the only hard part will be getting into and out of the major cities. Once we are in the rural country areas it should be no problem at all. Yeah right... We'll see if we can pull it off and I will be sure to let you know how it all turns out.

Sarah, is a 27 year old Irish girl who, before setting out for 18 months of round the world travel, was a software developer. She has also spent time in India and pretty much every other east Asian country and taught english in Korea for a year. Mark and I think she is the best because not only can she put up with us, but she can dish it back just as hard. She also tends to be one of those people who decides that you are going to have another drink and simply gets you one. Unfortunately she is nearly at the end of her travels and will not be able to join Mark and I on the possible jeep adventure. She is headed off to Laos on her way back to Bangkok before heading home.

The both of them have proven to be excellent travel companions. Mark provides the spark of spontaneous insanity and complete adventure, while Sarah has proven to be a bit more of a level head and making sure that we do not get totally out of hand. Honestly, I am a little scared of how much trouble Mark and I are going to get into after she is no longer with us.