Rik & Janice also at [email protected] Our turn to apologise for not 'dialing' you up! Sounds like you're having a fabulous time, although we've not read the message board as it seems a bit nosey!!! In fact you seem to be enjoying yourself so much that your spelling/typing/sideways-photos make it a joy to peruse! We're off to Bali on 3 November so we can wave across the short ocean to you! Keep the journal up and we'll keep reading... really! In fact I'm (Rik) tempted to try one of these myself. Looks good. Everyone at the surgery sends their love and best wishes. You look after yourself and keep enjoying!!!! P.S. House as near-as-dammit done and all carpets down!!! Hurrah!!!

Mum Hi Helen Monday morning again, the weekends go so quickly. Glad to here you are enjoying Singapore, we certaily did. The markets really are soemthing else, aren't they? Think I have just about got all the holiday washing done, it has taken ages to do and put away. Went to Manchester on Saturday to see Lizzy. Her house is really nice, think you will like it. See you are going to spend a couple of days with her soon. We were very busy at work on Friday, we had a major incident declared during the morning. There has been a bus crash on Mortal Ash Hill, so lots of casualties. Anyway, I think they were pleased with how everything went, it seemed to run like clockwork. Just trying to think what other news there is, Will is playing hockey for Leggott in Nottingham this week, which he is very pleased about. Me. I'm seeing the Grammar lot tonight, so should get caught up on all the gossip. Grandparents seem all OK. Jo has got herself a house to rent in Hook and so moving out from Graham's. National news - don't think you have missed anything there, there just doesn't seem to be much happening at the moment, just Jack Straw putting his foot in it that Muslim ladies should remove their veils, which has brought very mixed views from everyone. Well, suppose I had better make something of the day. Speak soon. Let me know if there is anything you need for when you come back. Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Helen Hi We are having fun in Singapore. Went to china town yesterday and a re going to little India and the night safari today. Dad I will call you in the week re pick up. Liz I am comming to stay wit you on 3/4th of November as i am going to a medical careers conference. I will write again soon. Helen

Mum Hi Helen You never know you may see a nun or two as well!! Perhaps not. Have fun in Penang. It's raining in the UK. Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dad Hi Got half way through writing a message yesterday but never got to finish it. Still trying to hang on to the holiday. we had a great time with you and Amy, thanks. Sure Will will wake up and start enjoying himself, there is plenty for him to eat anyway. We are going to Lizzy's at the weekend to have a look at the house and no doubt I will have some jobs to do. I am going home tonight the first time in 4 weeks seems odd. We need to talk befre you come home about the pickup but we can do that next week. Love Dad x-x-x

Helen Hi I am glad to here work/uni is going ok. I am back in Penang with Will. I think he is having a good time but he is very tired at the moment but hopefully he will get adjusted soon. Tomorrow I am off to do the usual holiday stuss and visit some temples and climb a hill, drink weak squash and eat mince. Only joking about the last part. Speak to you soon Helen

Mum Hi Helen Well, here I am sat at my desk again, only 279 e-mails to answer. Expect I can delete most of them, as things will have been and gone by now. Just had one bit of excitement, where we thought we were going to have to declare a major incident, when 30 children from North Somercoates School were brought into A & E suffering from Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Fortunately, it wasn't as bad as first thought and most have now been discharged. the press are having a field day though, as you can imagine. We thoroughly enjoyed Singapore and think you will as well. We only managed one meal out in the evening. Our flight from KL was delayed, so we didn't arrive at the Hotel until 10.30 pm, so it was a bit late to try and orientate ourselves and find somewhere to eat, so we ate in the Hotel (only medioca food). On the second night we ate out on the river at Clark Quay, which we can recommend. The next day we set off for Little India, which was absolutely fascinating, especially walking through the markets. One of the stall holders must have seen us Europeans coming and nearly sold Dad a tailor made suit, he was very persuasive and very difficult to get rid of, but amusing all the same. We headed off to Arab Street, where all the fabrics are sold, it was just paradise. A street about the length of Brigg, lined with fabric shops on both sides of the road. Needless to say I weakened and bought some silk, costing about £7 a metre, which is nothing really compared to UK prices. In fact you could buy absolutely anything in Little India from fabric to car and computer bits. We travelled a lot of the MRT which is very good and easy to understand. Then we headed off to find Raffles and decided to go back after tea. Back to Raffles after getting changed we went to have a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar. You really must go before you go home. Although, I have to say that the gin slings are not as good as the ones on Tioman. We decided it must be because they have to mass produce them in Raffles. It was good all the same, and we ate lots of nuts, but will let you find out about that for yourelf. Day 2 in Singapore we went into China Town and the taxi driver wanted to take use to see all his mates first before dropping us off. You have to be very firm with them or they would have you going all over the City. Unfortunately, it started to rain, and not just a little bit either, absolutely poured down for about 2-3 hours. The flight home was good, although I was pretty fed up by the time we got back to London. Did manage to sleep reasonably well though. They serve such strange food on aeroplanes and at funny times as well. A ham salad sandwich is not exactly what I wanted at 5 am in the morning!! Then the thought of having a Malay breakfast and hour later, of rice and fish in some sort of omlette didn't turn me on either. Roast beef and Yorkshire Puddings were lovely at the pub on Sunday after, very yummy. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your time on Tioman. It was an absolutely gorgeous place to be, not long enough either. Hope William has arrived safely and you are on your way for a third visit to Batu Caves! Speak again soon. Love Mum xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lizzy Time does fly I can't believe you have been gone nearly 3 months. I would like you to come to Manchester. I was just thinking the other day that you and mum should come again. I was looking at what was on that the theatre I don't know if that is something you would want to do? Only a quick message this morning as I have to get back to uni soon. Talk to you soon. Lizzy x x x

Helen Hi I have just waved mum and dad off from the Tioman Island, they are off to Singapore and then home befor you know it. I am going to write a journal bit about the tioman Island so check that bit out form more info, it saves writing everything twice. Sorry for there being no photos after I promised the other day my camera battery died. Glad to here you and Will had fun andf Uni is going ok. Will arrives on monday and then it is back home for us in two weeks. Doesn't time fly. I was thinking of comming to Manchester shortly after I get back but will let you know nearer the time. Helen

Lizzy Hey Jungle treck sounds really cool. I had a bit of a jungle treck the other day when we were trying to clear out our garden, it's a little over grown and has a big tree in it blocking out all the sun light so it's pretty dark and dingy. I started back at uni this week, it's good to get back into it but we have to buy another load of books and we have a ton of reading to do. Glad to be getting stuck back in. Not got my loan yet though which is a little anoying but it should only take a few days to come through. Richard Hammond is doing much better. He came out of the coma quite quickly and has taken his first few steps and doesn't seem to have any seriouse complications that I know of as they were worried that he would suffer from brain damage. It did happen while they were filming for top gear and they have said that they are not going to show the new shows until he is able to join the other two in presenting it. There has been a Labor party confrence in Manchester this week which has been a nightmare as half the roads are closed off and it takes so long to get any where on the bus. There are police every where too and loads of riot barriers, there has been a few demos but nothing that coursed any trouble. I think Will enjoyed his weekend here. I didn't get him drunk however he did get to experiance watching my flat mate drunk which I think he found very funny. I took him on a tour of the city centre and then to the Urbis which is a musum/gallery all about Manchester. It was ok but it could be so much better as Manc has so much history. There was thing one bit about the bombing call "every cloud" and showed how they city was able to rebuild and modernise quicker than it would have done if there wasn't the bombing. What else have you been up to then? Is William coming out to visit you soon? Lizzy x x x

Helen Hi Nice to here from you both. Cheers for keeping me up to date with news, not much gets through here, I didn't know Steve Irwin had died until a week after it happened, so keep me updated. It is horrible to hear about Richard Hammond. Did it happen on Top Gear, have they said much about it? Mum and dad are haveing a good time but i think it is going a bit quick for them. They have gone off to an exotic Island so i won't see them for a few days but i will keep you posted. I took mum to some little roadside stall the other night she looked a bit worried but she really enjoyed the food in the end. Me and Amy did a 7 hour jungle treck today it was hard work but really cool. I am now recoverung by emiling you and eating cheese cake, hard life. I am also about to put some photos up which will take a while because the internet is slow so I will write some more and a new blog entry tomorrow. Helen

Lizzy Hello, sorry I have not been in touch this week. As you can imagin we have been busy settling in and we have been trying to get people to join our society at freshers fair. How very dare you think that I would get William drunk. I'm not like you when I stayed with you and you were trying to pour it down my neck. I'm glad Mum and Dad are having a good time. How much longer have you got left there now? It's gone so quick. I don't know how much of the UK news you get over there but Richard Hammond had a crash when driving a jet powered car at 300mph. It flipped over. He is still alive but in a very bad way as you can imagin. With brain injurys. However it was said that he did smile when Clarkson said to him that it was coz he's a crap driver. I did a review for a club night the other day that Mike Davis from Radio 1 was DJing at and it's going to be in Rock Sound Magazine which is pretty cool. I'm so glad that I passed my exam I was worrying about it so much it was such a weight off when I found out. Any way I don't know if I have any more usless infomation to tell you. Talk to you soon, Lizzy x x x

Will Granny and Grandad are all ok, they say "hello", they went fishing today and are off to the garden centre tomorrow sometime and plan to go to brigg market but say they dont want to walk alday in lincoln so i complained at them. Speak to you soon Will x x x x

Helen Hey Liz and Will Mum and dad got here safe and well. I think it will take tem a bit of time to get used to everything but they are enjoying it. I am off to meet them for dinner in a bit. Well done for passing your exams Liz. Will how are you coping with granny and grandad? I am glad to here you are both well. I will keep you posted with Mum and dad's exploits. Helen

Will hey helen, hows it all going? Settling in nicely at college it ace, making some cool friends and i keep bumping into some of the old St mary's lot, which is good to catch up. Im getting very fit too because im playing hockey 4 times a week as i have joined the hockey academy at JLC plus my biking. Going to be a bit bored for a couple of weeks now, even though im off to see lizzy in manchester next weekend. Speak to you soon Love Will x x x x x x x x