The end of the beginning - and travel awards

So here we are in London. We've been so busy since we arrived, with job and recruitment company interviews, starting work, bank appointments, shopping and sorting out our new flat, there's barely been a spare moment to reflect on our fabulous trip. Right now, we'd like to look back on it, hand out a few awards and find excuses to stick up some of the best photos we've not already posted.

Before I do that, special thanks to Kat, Stephen, Erica, Lucy, Chris and Sal for hosting us at various times. You're all awesome.

Lauren's top five places, in no particular order:

1) Fethiye, Turkey

2) Halong Bay, Vietnam

3) Dubai, UAE

4) Bergama, Turkey

5) Luang Phrabang, Laos

Tane's top five places:

1) Goreme

2) Halong Bay

3) Fethiye

4) Istanbul

5) Luang Phrabang

Rockingest Rocks #1

The Giant's Causeway. Finn MacCool's work is indeed cool.

Rockingest Rocks#2

The phallic wonderland of Goreme.

Rockingest Rocks#3

The limestone karsts of Tam Koc and Halong Bay, Vietnam

Most amazing city

Dubai: proof that money may not buy you love, but it can buy an awful lot of cheap labour to build an awful lot of skyscrapers.
Closest shave
Bergama. The guy even took a blow-torch to my earlobe fluff. Seriously.
Best relaxation
The beach at Olympos - away from the boats booming out techno.
Worst relaxation
The night of the 80-odd bed bug bites in Channakale. The itchiness, the itchiness!
Best night out
Karaoke and Efes in Bodrum. Erica and Stephen, you rock.
Best room
Our cave room in Goreme. A former Byzantine-era stable, those niches in the wall were where they put fodder for the animals. And where Lauren put her lollies.
Most unexpected pleasure
Lots of contenders, but it has to go to Saklikent Gorge. I'd read that it was good, but not mind-blowing.

And last of all ... best tanlineLauren's fondly-remembered tanlines, in Kos, Greece.