MUM Hi Ben quick message just had 2 interruptions so 3d try a huge bunch of flowers came yesterday are they from you no name just happy birthday and anniversary came via knutsford florist who say got call via colombia if it was you many many thanks we could be on line tomorrow mum

MUM

mum

mum Hi Ben it was nice to talk to you on Dads birthday We had a super meal out on the day Peter came down over night and took us to the Marriot Michael Caines restaurant excellent meal Jonathan and Dave came around for a drink first with a bottle of wine and had the candle etc. We had a really pleasant weekend staying on the Tamar est uary by weir quay visiting Buckfast abbey and the garden house close by we drove down in torrential rain to Plymouth and then the sun came out for the rest of the weekend. We came back over the moor and met up with Patrick and Jen Hickey in Torquay where we had a good fish meal at a wine bar .quiet week this week we are goind to Whatley manor posh place on friday to celebrate our 44 th anniversary and my birhtday may go to see the wirralites the following weekend . The b and b in Devon was cousin of Tanners Wine merchants hope that Dad will get himself on line soon until then love mum

Mum Hi Ben thanks for your e mail ,we had a good holiday in Isle of wight Dad had to stop taking the new platelet buster drug as it gave him a bad head and joint pains but we did a fair amount of walking along nice beaches promenades and cliff tops.We also visited some nice gardens and houses .The farm was very comfortable big room good organic breakfasts and they had a restaurant in Godshill up the road with good food the 2 nights they were closed we had good fish on the coast . UK QUITE MAD TODAY AS WE WON THE ASHES IT WAS LIKETHE MILLENIUM. dont know about the football results Bristol rugby have had two wins well must go emergency case coming in love m

Mum

Mum HI Ben I hope you had a good journey back to Quito, you must have been thrilled that Palace won there match and also the cricket result are quite promising we could have the ashes.It was quite sad to see you off but we have enjoyed seeing you and catching up on all your news, now it will be easy when the home computer is up and running to keep in touch from home ,the machine went back on Saturday it was faulty so we are waiting for Dave aspects and milestones to come and give Dad some help to set it up and then there will be no stopping him you will be getting e mails daily with info on all sport uk .We are off on Saturday to isle of Wight for a week hope the fine weather stays it was a fantastic weekend weather wise here love Mum ps will let you have our e mail address as soon as it is set up

Janet Bloody hell mate, I never thought you'd get around to it. I am in Bangkok killing the last few hours of holiday time before we fly home tonight. Will look at your photos in more detail at home. Weird! Lots of love, See you soon

Ben Hi folks! It may be hard to believe, but I`ve FINALLY got round to putting the rest (well nearly all) of my photos on this website! Apologies to those who have been regular visitors and seen no additions in the last month (or two). If you get tired of photos of Moai (Easter Island) or glaciers (Patagonia). sorry. That`s just the way it is!!! Enjoy viewing them. Of course the next stage is to go through and add descriptions of what everything is (before I forget myself!). I do have some photos of Argentina and Ecuador to upload next...... but who knows when.

mum hi Ben this is the last message until you come home in a couple of weeks time.Dad and I are off on Sunday to Pembrokeshire until the following friday when we will be up on the wirral with Dom we are staying at alittle b and b at cresswell quay at an old harbourmasters 17c house for 4 nights then 1 night at the harbourmasters inn at abaerarron thought that we would keep it in the same sort of place .Had Peter for the weekend he brougt his apple lap top down to add to my powers of persuasion on dad so that we could see his latest pictures of france brazil etc we had a pleasant weekend had a good pub lunch on saturday and walk round a cotswold garden then watched the mens wimbledon final federer won he is an amazing player then sunday therewas a slow food market in corn street opp of fast food .dad has his carotid scan on friday but it has improved anyway .jonathan has joined the henleave library and dave is giving him computer lessons he seems to be picking it up well he moves rooms permanently next month not to the planned one this would have meant a 2 year wait but this is abettermove anyway more about that when you come home as you can see a quiet few minutes at work lots of love looking forward to a bit of time with youdad and i have missed youmum

mum Hi Ben it was good to hear your voice on the phone yesterday as I said the weather was pretty poor on holiday but the hotel was super it had been a monastery and been well converted to a hotel with things like the cloisters being kept it was well situated on the lakeside and our room had aterrace that overlooked the lake the restaurant terracesadly was not being used as the weather was not hot enough for sitting out the previous week it was 30degrees with us it started at 15 /16 max 20degrees no shorts or sun tops weather we did use the boats on the lake and visited lots of pretty places also read 4 books fod and accomodation excellentJonathan and Dave aspects and milestones joined us for lunch sunday and we had our 1st barbecueit was baking hot typical on return from hols.Dadhad a problem on return from hols we went to see the doc andhe has to have adoppla done of his carotid artery to see if there is aproblem with the blood supply to the brain as he kept feeling faint when looking up his hands are also erupting again so he is seeing dermatologist today. Graham will check your car over before you return so it is ready for you to go off visiting all your mates and catching up on all the news at the moment Dad will come to the airport in case you are delayed and i have to be at work the next day but if thereis a problem with that i will take some time off work and act as chauffeur.we are all looking forward to seeing you and catching up love all the uk schillers

J & P Hi Sweetie, Just to let you know that we are back home on the 15th July. Are you planning on coming down to deepest darkest Devon or do we have to find you? (the thought of getting on another bus/boat/train/plane/car right now is enough to make me cry but if I must I must!) We are in Cambodia right now and unlike your dear self I pride myself on the fact that I have finally got off my fat backside and have put photos on the website! www.offexploring.com/jbpgbigadventure See you very soon. Keep having fun, I'll keep the Scrabble board warm for you! xxx J

Ben Thanks to those who´ve been keeping in touch via this message board or by email. It´s good to hear form you...... but the messages seem to be getting thinner and thinner (but on the other hand lots more emails now I´m settled here in Quito). Sorry about the lack of postcards and photos I WILL (eventually) get round to it. it´s not like there´s nothing happening of worth. Just that I´m felling more like a worker now than a traveller. Although every road journey here is an adventure (polite description!). For those who don´t know, I´m retrning (temporarily) to the UK on July 20th for a month before returning to Ecuador for another year at thew British School in Quito (and some more travels around here too of course). Have a month at ´home´ before flying into Quito on the 28th August (to start work the following day!!). Hope to get to se lots of you in that month (if you haven´t been in touch much, perhaps you need to to get on my visiting list!). M & R - will try to call next weekend .... airport pick-up service??? Cheers from the equator! Ben

mum hi Ben Dont appear to have heard from you for a while , we had a lovely time at our codgers reunion the weather was pretty wet so our planned canal boat ride up the grand union canal didnt materialise we did find some good pubs to dry out though we went to a nice elizabethan house and managed the garden in between the downpours the b and b was super an old thatched house pretty garden and the food was superb a corden bleu cook tanners wine of course helped wash it all down .Did Batsford arboretum on the way home .Mo L is very forgetful so it was a case of lost key s specs etc all the time .had planned to go to Liz early birthday celebrationthis weekend but on finding out it was in north wales on the whit bank holiday weekend for just the one night have said no 5 hours up and then back seemed crazy instead we willrelax in the garden Jonathan is coming for lunch on Sunday so we will try and call you but really dont appear still to have the right no Dom still undecided what to do but they are all welland the boys are thrilled with all the eggs that are being laid We are off in a week 4th june to lake constance for 12 days hope for alittle warmth its been really cold and wet more like April than May so if Idont hear from you and we cannot get through on the phone hope you are well and still happy love from all the schillers Mum

cate hello Ben. glad the sun is still shining for you... are the rumours true that you are out there for another year? or is that just the chinese whispers syndrome! Life here is pretty good - the sun has been out which always helps. Work is good - Say hi to Tonky for me. - are you still planning on coming to Will's wedding in August? Take Care Cate x x