Support and Thanks

We owe a big thank you to our families who we know have some concerns pertaining to this trip yet who have been incredibly supportive.  We also want to thank them for bringing gear over when they came to visit for our wedding in November (despite spending a lot of time gear shopping when we were home in October, there were a surprising number of items we forgot to get).  They have also mailed us very important supplies (unfortunately we’re still waiting for a package from Heather’s sister that seems to have gone astray somewhere over the Pacific… we are hopeful that the package that Monica, Kieran’s mom, just sent us makes it to Vientiane!)

We also want to thank Exofficio (www.exofficio.com), a wonderful little company that makes excellent outdoor/travel clothing and gear.  Heather bought a pair of Exofficio underwear when home in Ottawa in October.  They quickly became one of her favourite items for the bike trip because they are so comfortable and they dry so quickly after washing.  On a training ride, Heather stuffed some dirty laundry in a pouch in one of her new panniers and over the course of some bumpy roads, they bounced out.  Because we didn’t have any more friends or family making the trip over from North America, Heather decided to write an email to Exofficio to see what the chances were that they might send her over a replacement pair (and yes it was embarrassing to write a letter to strangers about a lost pair of underwear, just as it is a little embarrassing to write about it on this blog).  Steve and Chris at Exofficio were amazing. They replied quickly, asked for both of our size/colour/style preferences and sent a package to us within a week.  Not only did they replace Heather’s underwear but they also sent Kieran a pair of underwear (men’s :)), their “savvy” dress for Heather and a long-sleeved shirt for Kieran.  It is no exaggeration that Heather has worn the dress practically every day since receiving it and believes it’s the best travel dress ever made.  Kieran is now a lifelong fan as well.  Thank you!

Jamieson Vitamins (www.jamiesonvitamins.com) have also supported us by putting together an amazing package of vitamins and supplements for our trip (pictured, right).  We got in touch with Jamieson because we were curious to know what they might recommend for a trip such as ours to maintain nutritional health in so many varied countries.  Unfortunately, because we were already in Thailand, the package couldn’t be sent over due to customs regulations.  It is now waiting for us at Heather’s parents’ home and we’ll be sure to make good use of it on future adventures (and if anyone happens to be planning a trip our way, we would be happy for you to bring it over!).  Thank you Rachel and Jamieson!

We also have huge thanks to Dr Peter Johnstone, Kieran's ankle surgeon in Brisbane and Natalie Belanger, Kieran's physiotherapist in Ottawa.  Both did wonders to repair and rehabilitate Kieran's ankle. Without the early physiotherapy treatment from Natalie at Carleton University Sports Therapy Clinic in Ottawa, we doubt Kieran would have been ready for the journey. Thanks to both for their great medical treatment and advice along the way. 

Update from Heather ~ April 23, 2010:  The heat doesn’t just make us feel beaten and worn, it can also sometimes batter our equipment as well.  I’ve owned a pair of Chaco sandals (www.chacousa.com) for almost 5 years.  I’ve never had a single problem with them and they’re a really high quality and versatile pair of shoes.  This is why I was so surprised when they suddenly fell apart one very hot day in Laos.  Kieran and I were walking on the island of Don Khon on a smoldering day and found a beach so we walked down for a swim.  As we walked away from the beach after our swim, my Chaco all of a sudden fell apart.  We think that the extreme heat/sand/water combination somehow weakened the glue (a theory, we don’t know).  I emailed Chaco Repairs and was so impressed with their service and response.  Margaret at Chaco was really helpful and within a very short amount of time had a new pair mailed out.  Unfortunately they couldn’t mail outside the US but they are currently in safe keeping with a friend.  I was able to get my Chaco glued at a shoe shop in Hoi An.  We’re not expecting this to be a lasting glue job but hopefully one that lasts for the meantime.  We love companies that stick by their warranties.  If we had been at home we could have mailed the current shoes in to Chaco and they would have repaired them there.  Thanks Chaco for making a quality product that you stand by!