Normally a 12-hour flight would be something you’d want to forget, much less boast about on a blog. But not this one!

Bear in mind that we flew during the week of some of the worst weather to hit the UK in 18 years – we were fully prepared for a severe delay. However, when we checked in not only were we told that there was no delay but also that we’d been upgraded to World Traveller class. Apparently this meant that we would have more leg room – no small blessing on a 12-hour flight. So, chuffed, we pottered around Terminal 5, had a couple of drinks and toasted our good fortune.

Then, when we got to the boarding gate we were told that we’d been further upgraded, to Club Class. When we asked, the stewardess told us that we’d have our own beds! Well, that was it, we were off – giggling like school kids on the last day of term. We practically skipped to our seats/beds.

Made up.

At first we thought it was some elaborate surprise concocted by our parents, but it turned out it was just because the peasant’s seats were overbooked. It was the perfect start to our journey!

(Landing at Hong Kong was pretty special too – as you land it looks as though you’re about to touch-down in the South China Sea – now known as the Hudson River Manouvre – because the runway is on a promontory of reclaimed land which juts out into the water)

So this is it. After years of planning, scrimping-and-saving, the prostitution of our nice little flat, the abandonment of our jobs (well, one of our jobs at least) , profligate leaving celebrations and tying up of various loose ends; the time has finally come for us to embark on this 6-month expedition.

Our planned itinerary is as follows:

1) 4th Feb – Fly to Hong Kong

2) 8th Feb – Fly to Bangkok – From here we will make our way to Northern Thailand, then into Laos where we will work our way down to South Vietnam via Cambodia. Next we’ll head North, eventually to Hanoi, from where we’ll fly back to Bangkok. Then down to the Thai Islands before continuing South, through Malaysia, to Singapore.

3) 8th April – Fly from Singapore to Bali.

4) 15th April – Fly from Bali to Melbourne (Via Singapore).

5) 18th April- Get a train from Melbourne to Adelaide to see and stay with our ex-pat friends Phil & Jo.

6) 24th April – Fly from Adelaide to Cairnes (Via Brisbane)

7) We’ll then make our way down the East Coast of Australia, eventually to Sydney. Currently planning to do the bulk of this journey in a ‘Wicked Campervan’.

8) 27th May – Fly from Sydney to Santiago, Chile.

9) 3rd June – Fly from Santiago to Lima, Peru.

10) 24th June – Fly from Lima to LA, via Miami.

11) From LA we will find our way to The Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite Park and San Francisco. We will then probably get on a train to New York, trying to fit Chicago and Niagara Falls in en route.

12) 22nd July – Fly home from JFK airport, New York. Arrive at Heathrow, London at 07.15 23rd July.

Of course, these plans could change apropos of financial straits, advice from fellow travellers, emotional attachments, or any other unforeseen circumstances.