Day 4: Who said romance was dead?

This is just going to be a quick one because i'm on a computer with very bad connection and in fact only half of the letters displayed on the keyboard (apologies in advance for all typos)

We are still doing well! Last night we saw the sun set over the TajMahal before it disappeared into a sand storm and this morning we scooped the least-romantic trip to the Taj Mahal award by, now how to put this politely, basically Rob had your classic case of Delhi-Belly and i had a Kat-classic case of everything disagreeing with me. So, between Team 365, we had it coming out of both ends as the Indian sun rose over one of the 7 wonders of the world and a man proposed to his girlfriend nearby. Who said romance was dead, eh?

Tonight we're on a sleeper train to Varanasi (which should be interesting) - a mere 10 hours, see you on the other side!

love threesickfive xx

Day 1- Let's get it started

That's right folks - Team 365 have indeed made it to India and less than 12 hours in it has already been eventful to say the least. We've taken on bizaare stall traders (in every sense of the word), reckless autorickshaw drivers (think; no indicators, no brakes, absolutely no regard for even which side of the road to drive on) and the presidential estate's security (first asking to be allowed onto the Ministry of Defence's lawns for a quiet sit-down as the sun sets over picturesque palacades then being asked to leave, then being instructed to stay. Cue; two very pale and confused westerners walking back and forth across said lawn until we managed to ascertain that the Prime Minister of India was actually about to pass! Imagine the honour - an (almost) audience with the PM himself on our very first day.)

Otherwise all is well; we've eaten a fantastic Thali and drank our first King Fisher beer - so we're integrating well. Now off back through the half-built streets of Old Delhi to out hotel to wash under a bucket and sleep under a fan.

Massive love, 365 xx

Day -0.7: So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, good bye!

In a possibly outrageously presumptuous move, Team 365 feel themselves ready to post a final goodbye.
The skies have opened (not something we'll probably say again until monsoon season) and so today your patient travelers will be making their way to Heathrow and then, she says with baited breath, onwards to Delhi.

Thanks for sticking with us thus far: now may the real fun begin!

Day -0.5: It's just another day for you and me in paradise

Ah yes, as the sun sets on another glorious day in the Costa Del Watford, Team 365 cannot begin to thank Iceland and the glorious Ash enough for allowing an elongated stay.

A mere five days since we were dreading leaving these green and chilly lands for warm lands and chillis; we're lucky enough to still have our feet very much on this hallowed soil.

Those devilish people at the Flight Center seem determined to deposit us in Delhi come Thursday (22/04) but the Ash in which we trust has stopped this before and it can surely stop it again.

And so we continue our time in metaphorical purgatory with bags packed and our eyes lifted to the skies. Are you really there Ash? Show yourself to the people whose fate you control! Show yourself oh mighty Ash - or get the hell out of the way.

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Day -0.1: The show must go on

Well after much ado and a number of PR-strings being pulled with the family Branson (luckily it seems Kat's brief career as a round-the-world-balloon-puncture-repair-assistant wasn't to go completely to waste) here we are!

Iceland? What volcano? No 20,000 meters of molten rock, glass-like shards of ice and toxic ash was going to stop Team 365 on this trip.

We have, as you can see, been enjoying basking in the awe of the magnificent Taj Mahal in beautiful Agra.

Having been there, it really is difficult to describe in words the sheer scale and spiritual significance of this sacred structure. Rudyard Kipling once described it as 'the embodiment of all things pure' - and Team 365 couldn't agree more.

But hey ho! The show must go on, and with India done and metaphorically dusted we're heading east as planned to white beaches, blue seas and a clear Thai sky.

Day -0: Oh my god I can't believe it, I've never been this far away from home

...well, almost.

Ironically enough, as Ricky Wilson sang about "drifting around like a plate tectonic" it is indeed tectonic activity that seems likely to keep team365 well and truly close to home.

We're keeping our eyes peeled and our fingers crossed but at present ash from the second eruption in Reykjavik, last seen heading towards our green and pleasant lands, seems to be stopping play.

On the up-side, if our flight is delayed I will be making it my personal goal to appear as a pale and disgruntled customer on as many rolling-news stations as possible. Just imagine, 15 seconds of fame just before 15 hours of delay, that's fair compensation, right?
To my mind, yes, so watch out for us on the BBC!

...now where did I put that three six five t-shirt...?

Day -3: Routes Manuva

Hello all,

Thank you to everyone who was able to come along to team365's leaving soirée on Saturday. I hope you had a really great evening. We certainly did and it meant a lot to be able to see you all for one last time before departure day.

I was talking to some on Saturday who wanted to know the where, when, how and why's of the trip. Either that or they just felt obliged to engage in some polite chit-chat with the hosts before hitting the bar. We can't tell you everything about it just yet as there's a lot more we don't know than do know, but I thought I'd share one of the few things we have organised and the countries team365 will be calling home - or "home". I've also said roughly when each country will be providing the stories, photographs and experiences that will inspire, among many other things, this blog.

1) India: 15th April - 15th June. We fly into Delhi and out of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Got that word on the first attempt. Yes, I did spend time learning it after we booked our flights. Yes, be slightly concerned.

2) Vietnam: 15th June - 15th July. We arrive in Hanoi and will make our way South through the country. It'll probably involve motorbikes.

3) Cambodia: 15th July - 15th August. Head north through jungles towards...

4) Laos: 15th August - 15th September. We'll be here for about a month too before crossing the boarder into north Thailand.

5) Thailand: 15th September - 1st November. The route-line scrawled onto our map acts like those financial graphs the news thrusts upon you and plummets once more as we head south through Thailand.

6) Malaysia: 1st November - 1st December. From Thailand we keep heading south until we leave main-land Asia.

7) Indonesia: 1st December - 5th January. Spend Christmas and New Year time here, maybe even on a beach.

8) New Zealand: 5th January - 15th February. We actually fly from Singapore to Christchurch, so we'll have to back-track slightly from Indonesia to do this flight. It's not booked, but It'll work out fine, I'm sure...

9) Fiji: 15th February - 1st March. We fly out of Auckland for beaches, palm trees, hammocks etc...

10) Cook Islands: 1st March - 15th March. More of the same in a destination we were told we could 'have for free' when arranging our flights. Even better than the Metro.

11) USA: 15th March - 15th April. Big party times on the West Coast. We fly into LA and out of Vegas, but will take our time getting from one place to the other.

And then home. Nothing is set in stone and is all subject to change, but this is the rough idea. Years of planning have almost entirely been condensed into this short list. Nice. Of course if anyone has any stories, recommendations, warnings, tips, myths, interesting conversation pieces about any of the places on here, we'd be very grateful to hear it.

Now where did I put my passport...

Day -10: These boots were made for walking

Well as the day of departure looms ever nearer, members of team365 can be found in various guises of preparation.

One has dutifully attended the appropriate outdoorsy shops in the Bucks area and equipped himself with the requisite anti-mosquito and safety-enhancing devises (nets, sprays, ancient chants to be mumbled two strokes before the dawning of each new day while facing south and balancing in an improbable position.)
The other, last seen "wearing in" some visually offensive walking boots (with a high waisted skirt and turquoise tights, if you're asking) in the vicinity of Leicester Square, has only recently breathed a sigh of relief since posting the teams' passports to an address in Hayes.

They have since been returned with a shiney new Indian Visa in each and so, it seems, the trip can continue as planned!

A belated happy easter to all!