A COUPLE who have spent much of the last two years driving around the world are on course to cross the finish line and reach ‘home’ this weekend.

Lisa and Philip Armstrong will drive into Gullane after covering 50,000 miles and passing through dozens of countries.

The arrival in East Lothian will end an 18-month journey which has taken them from their home in Melbourne, on Australia’s south coast, across the globe to their new home in East Lothian.

Lisa said: “We’re closing in on the finish line with a real sense of achievement but also sadness that our road trip is over.

“The trip took five years of saving and planning, plus the 18 months we’ve been on the road, so it’s been a huge part of our lives.

“However, we’re looking forward to reconnecting with all our old pals and spending quality time with our families.

“We’re also looking forward to being clean and not having to dig a hole when we need the toilet.”

The couple lived in Australia for more than a decade but wanted to be closer to their families.

Lisa’s family have lived in Gullane “for generations”, with her mum and dad, Ian and Catherine Thomson, still in the village.

The couple are due to arrive in Gullane on Saturday and will start looking for jobs after adjusting to life no longer being on the open road.

Together, they have spent more than 13,000 continuous hours in each other’s company – yet Lisa said that there were no plans for a divorce!

Along the way, they suffered from altitude sickness and broken bones, while their 1998 Toyota LandCruiser Troop Carrier, nicknamed Troopy, merely suffered a single slow puncture along the way.

She said that reaching the finish line was mixed with sadness but she was also looking forward to exploring “all the nooks and crannies of the British Isles, plus we have Europe on our doorstep”.

The incredible journey came about after Lisa, who was a project officer in the Australian finance sector, and Philip, who worked as a pricing manager in the banking sector, handed in their notice.

Since then they have met countless people as they travelled through countries ranging from Australia and Singapore to Armenia and Georgia. The final leg takes them from Yorkshire to Gullane.

Lisa added: “Everyone has been so kind to us, particularly those who don’t have very much and in places deemed ‘dangerous’.

“We also loved the challenges that Mongolia threw at us – a broken wrist, extreme weather and a river crossing where we were close to flipping the truck. It’s those moments of adversity where you think: ‘I can’t believe we got away with that’ that you remember the most.

“Hopefully this doesn’t sound glib, but we don’t feel we’re particularly adventurous.

“We decided we wanted to see a bit more of the world, put our heads down, saved and planned and achieved our goal.

“If anyone has any inclination to do the same, we’d be more than happy for them to get in touch so we can share our experiences and help them with their plans.”

The former Gullane Primary School and North Berwick High School pupil spoke to the Courier on Tuesday, which also marked her 44th birthday.

She said: “Today, I’ve feasted on bacon and eggs, chocolate, bangers and mash and birthday cake. This time last year I was in Mongolia getting excited about an omelette.”