Claire! Ian ! Did u reely wen u were on yor way up the Colca cañon think that we'd be able to make it? We are SO glad we did. We went with a young couple who looked after us and a brilliant guide. We r both k************** but thrilled by the fab experience! We are reely hoping to make the Inca trail and will do a couple of treks to keep up our fitness!!! Off to Cusco 2moro. off to Trail 15th

Love to all the relis imagining u in the hot pools.
Lolmumandad

Claire & Ian...Helloooooooooo! Soooo go to hear from you guys and to see what you've been up to - WOW!!!!!!!!!! All is well in Bonnie Scotland - bloody freezing...dark nights...pretty miserable but we're doing just fine. Bumped into Jordi a couple of days ago - not seen him since you were both in Edinburgh...he's just as good looking! Will def have to meet up again when you're back...but let's not make it in the Adelphi! Just about to head out but promise to e-mail soon...now that I've found your details and am back on-line...big hug...Nic x

love you miss you ...................xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ps im pissed .........but that doesnt mean i dont love you or miss you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

loads of new messages to read, good job I'm not working very hard so I have loads of time to e-chat. My new job with a local charity organising cycling programmes for children with special needs/disabilities is going really well. No time for induction on the first day, just helped my boss write a new bid for extra funding! Very similar to being at my previous job, last minute panic! My first training day was different! my idea of casual - skirt, smart jumper and nice black shoes didn't really prepare me for a spell outside on the bikes! Was I cold!! Shopping mission today - new fleece tops and fleece lined waterproof jacket. Makes a nice change from a suit. Take care xxx

Hola nostromos in Arequipa es mucho gusto!
Hope sue isnt reading this. We swept round Lima and then flew across amazing sceenry to A today. Hoping to do the cañon trip wondering if ewere reely up to it. Sun and lovely Misti mountain. Looking for camarones and pan pipes. R u in the hot springs yet? wonder which streets you saw here. I´m falling in love with ponchos and top hats! Dad -> Arequipa anice change from the mist and dust of Lima, although we liked a lot of it....now superb sun and the town looks great v lively and a lot richer - we're comparing all the colca deals and waiting 4 days to get used to altitude before daring 4000m - as Mum sas hope we're up to the canyon side walk at 3am up a vertical 1000m! still if you can do it... we leave her on 9th for Cusco and booked 4-day Machu Pichu for 15th. Stayed at Boudinose on 31stOct so Geraldine now has fred and invitations. lots of love to all M&D

I just need to recap so it all sinks in. Dr.v, my mate of many years, now living in Aus, has gotten engaged, shaved his head, grown a beard and taken up surfing. Congratulations on all accounts you guys. There must be something in the water down there. It s bottled water for us then. It sounds like you guys have seen everything. we'll pick your brains while we are there and you can pick ours. Unfortunately we've already booked our ticket out of Brisbane for the same day we arrive to get straight up to Cairns. I didn't realise you would be in Brisey. We arrive on monday the 15th of Nov in the morning (8.10) and fly out that afternoon if you fancy meeting up for a coffee. If you can't then we'll be driving south from cairns soon enough so we'll meet up.

Take care

Mum and Dad,

Cheers for the football update. You can stop if its too painful. Good luck to Mum with the jobs. Let us know how it goes.

WOW!!
Well we are very chuffed and if I do say so myself (a little tearful) to have all these messages, makes us feel like we've not been forgotten and its so great to hear from you all and what you're up to....especially a certain dr friend (I'll leave that to Ian though, but really chuffed to hear about your engagement......how romantic)
Thankyou abs for the message, really wish we could meet up with you but theres no chance I'm afraid booo, to be honest we're already having to rethink our trip a bit, the money has dwindled too much and I'm afraid to say Japan is now off the list and possibly some of our time in Oz unless Delia works her magic in the campervan market (we can always dream). We'll write to Bex and Ben, wish I could be there for them poor little things fingers crossed, I'll try and call soon, mainly is call boxes so a bit of a pain but I'll endeavorxxxxx. Tobes and Sazzle thanks for the message great to hear from you, miss you guys too, are you still going for the curry nights? Thomi, did you see the chuf chuf photos for Mitchy? Ian took the one of the real train from the van as we were driving along. Let me know when you get home and I'll call you as promised. loads of love xx Mick, cheers for the message, ha ha about the wing mirrors, they're huge on this van so would find it hard! Has Dean left? his mail was rebounded? how's Ian and Graham etc? Sam, yes "your" island is beautiful and I'm sure your car will cope with the uphills better than Delia, she gets a bit hot under the collar.....to say the least, see you guys next week, sorry to hear Cov is working soooooo hard, what will you do? record daytime tv? WestbyMum&DAd did you get to Peru? are you ok? Dont drink the water! Dont sniff the Llama Gas! Sarah and Steve, how are the wedding plans coming along? Everyones talking about it over here, looks like there will be a Kiwi enterage! Take Care everyone, thanks again, miss you and glad you're all well xx

Hi you 2, another quick message just to let you know that I have finally uploaded the piccies of Martyn & Zoe's onto Mitch's website so you can see him in his penguin suit. Web site address is http://www.thomi.smugmug.com and password is mitchell. Have a quick look when you get a chance. Love ya loads Thomi

Hi ya guys,

Haven't you both been busy!!!!
Well, it's been a while since i was last in touch, so i thought it was time to update you on what we've been upto lately, and i figured it was time i left a message for you on your web page (just for posterity!)
Well, we have now got rid of the campervan (which we have had for 3 months). We have travelled nearly 18,000kms in it, and seen pretty much all of Australia in it! We have now travelled the entire east coast, swam with dolphins, trekked in some of the tropical rainforests of far north Queensland, snorkelled on the outer barrier reef, been 'croc spotting' along the rivers in Kakadu National Park (near Darwin), gone whale watching off Western Australia's south coast, bush-camped in the Red Centre (under the shadow of Ayers Rock), experienced many of Australia's out-back towns/roadhouses/campsites/pubs, visited the Snowy Mountains (coud'nt find the Man from Snowy River though!!) and the Blue Mountains, and marvelled at the stunning rugged coast line of Australia's south coast. There is only Tasmania left to see, but i'm not sure if we'll be getting there, not yet anyway!
I know i have been a bit slack in getting photos developed/downloaded, but i have downloaded them all onto discs (i have taken thousands of the b*****s!), so hopefully it shouldn't be too long before we sort through them and get some printed before we next see you, and give you an idea of what you are missing! (that's assuming you come to Brisbane!)
Anyway, i do have some good news, i have decided to make an honest woman of Zarina and, last week, we got engaged!!!! We have not set a date yet, but we my decide to tie the knot over here, if it helps our emmigration process!!! we are not sure what's going to happen yet! You are welcome to join us if we do, but i won't be stumpng up any flights for you! So, you will have to pay for them yourselves! Anyway, I surprised Zarina on the beach with the ring, along with a single red rose and bottle of chilled champagne! It was quite romantic, even if i say so myself! but i suppose you had to be there really!
As our visas run out next March, our next plan if we can afford to do it, we will be to move on to New Zealand (and possibly Fiji! for the honeymoon perhaps!?!? who knows!) for a while, before returning to England! You will have to give us the low-down on what they are like when we next see you! We are still looking into the possibility of migrating out here, but that will depend on whether I can find a suitable job here in Brisbane, which is where we are now. We are booked to see a few migration consultants over the next few weeks, so we shall see what they have to say! We are currently renting a hotel-style studio flat in Brisbane's trendy Southbank (which is just a 10 min walk across the river from the city centre) It's not exactly the flat we had in Perth, but its ok and its very close to the city, which will be handy if I find work there.
Unfortunately, we are not near any beaches now (Brisbane is slightly inland) The nearest decent beach is about 40mins away by train (which is the Gold Coast - Surfers Paradise), but Southbank has got 'Streets Beach', a man-made beach and swimming area, which is very popular with the locals. The trouble is, i'm keen to learn surfing, now the summer is coming, and that's proving a little difficult at the moment, and time is running out!!!! Oh, by the way, you may be interested to know that i've shaved my head and grown a beard!!!!! (don't laugh!) Zarina says it suits me, but i'm sure you would say different, just to take the p*ss.!You will have to wait til you get here to see me!
Anyway, you'll have to let me know when you are getting to Australia (Brisbane in particular!) so we can meet up as you pass through. How long will you be planning to stay in Oz? Where are you planning on going? Are you just gonna work your way down the east coast? or will you be going into the outback? If you need any info on what not to miss, just let me know, i'll be glad to help (you probably have it all planned out anyway!)

Well, that's all for now, i'll be in touch again soon, happy travelling!

Steve & Zarina

Bit boring but I promised to keep you up to date with the football news !!!! Last Saturday it was a new low even for the Wolves. Gillingham 1 (lost their last 7 games and down to 10 men after 20 minutes) Wolves 0 (the only team this season not to score against Gillingham). Wolves move into 6th place (from the bottom).
As a result they sacked Dave Jones yesterday. Pity that some of the players wern't sacked as well. No confidence that they will appoint the right person. I'm hoping that Helen and Steve keep going or me and Dave might have to go instead.
Will send a more interesting message shortly but there's no escape from the Wolves.

Hello claire and ian - glad hear Delia's still alive, but the other DIY fantasy campers look amazing! fantastic collection of photos, brings back our trip to NZ load and clear, we've been running around feverishing getting ready for departure to Peru tomorrow, can't wait - but spent this afternoon doing a big Amnesty demo in Autun in beautiful Autumn sun complete with profeesional actors doing poetry to drag the crowds in - got another 60 photos for the controlarms campaign (anybody who doesn't know about this should see www.controlarms.org). So now we're now thinking full time about Peru and have followed your advice Claire and booked the Inca trail with SAS travel - they've been very efficient even though their fax machine doesn't work.... fingers crossed. So better get those rucksacks packed - love from Mum, Azzies, cats, hens and your friends the bees. Talk to you soon. Dad

Hi guys hope you are both well. V quick message to say hello, as I've got to go and get the monkey up in a minute. Torquays good as usual though the weather has been v v s***e this week, but Mitchy has loved splahing around in the puddles getting soaked!!!! Down here for another week and then home. Hopefully Mark will be back in about 10 days and has a whole 2 weeks before jetting off again. Love you loads Thomi & Mitch