Happy belated birthday Ian will take yopu for a dilshad when you get backxx good luck with overcoming your camel fear claire , is good to face your fears. Ive received a nasty letter, do you want me just to pay it ? wioll email you about it.

love sarah

We've just uploaded a load of photos from our recent exploits in Udaipur, Pushkar and jaipur. The journal will have to wait.
Thanks again for the emailed birthday wishes and for dad pointing out that it was 30 years ago when a blonde chubby baby was born.
We're spending the day having lunch at the palace terrace restaurant no less and a few Kingfishers with new friends Chris and Emma (our excellent jaipur shopping guides)

Cheers to everyone who has sent Birthday wishes. I don't think I'mhaving a crisis but I'll let ou know after friday. I'm actually quite looking forward to it in a strange way. Perhaps because we're out here doing something special and adventurous.
Catherine and Jim. Great to hear from you, it looks like you're doing all the fun stuff. it seems like such a long time ago since we were there.
We've updated our postcards but not the photos as its a bit too slow. It looks liek we're coming back early now, possibly the 27th April in France then back to teh uk a few weeks later
take care everyone

Hello you two. We are in not so sunny queenstown waiting for a skydive to happen - nearly 2 weeks into our trip and all is going great! Had 6 days on north island and almost constant sunshine, saw coromandel, rotorua, did the tongariro crossing plus extra volcano, and then wellington. From Picton we went to abel tasman for sea kayaking and then down to the west coast for a helicopter ride over the glaciers and mt cook - fantastic! Now about to do the shotover jet as its too cloudy for jumping out of planes... hopefully later. We have Milford sound, Dunedin, Christchurch and whale watching at kaikoura to fit in before flying to sydney on saturday - a bit of a whistlestop tour but we are not complaining!
Hope all is well and that Ian has a great 30th birthday next week - its not that bad!
Thanks for all the tips - we are off to get wet now, C and J.

G'day Guys, glad to hear that you are still having fun, even if some of the locals are not so freindly. Anyway, Happy 30th Birthday to you Ian! I am not sure exactly which day it is, but I hope we haven't missed it. Have a great time wherever you are spending it and whatever you end up doing. Don't get too drunk! Which reminds me, what is Indian beer like? Well, our year down under is almost up and we have got less than a week left before we get back into the UK, so enjoy the rest of your trip, and we'll see you when you get back. Take care, Steve & Zarina.

Hello: hope you are both well and still enjoying your adventures. This is just an early "happy birthday" message for Ian. Havea great time celebrating the big three oh!
Lots of love x

There is a distict lack of other names on this message board but thanks for the emails.

We just had journey from hell, had to run with all our stuff onto a moving train and I fell backwards and only my backpack saved me....not the bas#$rd guard that just stood there (with a wry smile), i had a panic attac, some isrealis (who we hate) had got our seats so i spat the dummy, ian was diplomatic, then the people in the carriage with us were horrible and spitefull (turned lights off when we tried to read when they clearly werent doing anything that needed it to be pitch black)and laughed about us. for 27hrs then we had to get a taxi for 7 hours over bumpy roads in a car the size of a corsa because the next bus was 7hrs later and arrived in the city at 3am.....dodgy.

We are now in Udaipur and it seems really nice, we have a great hotel....I just had a bath for the first time in 10months I am very excited as I now have clean feet!. there is no famous lake here though it dried up a couple of years ago.

Sorry Ant we opted for udaipur for the festival and Ians birthday, it turns out the elephants are weeks later.

We're trying to decide whether to go to jaisalmer in a few days, to see the desert, huge forts and camels....however I'm still very run down and the last journey nearly topped me also thanks to a bad childhood experience I have a rational(some mightn't agree) fear of camels. However its one of THE things to see here so we're torn. its about a ays travel each way.

Joyce thanks for the train advice and the Taj, we'll bear it it mind, we're not staying in agra as we've been heavily advised not to so not sure we'll be able to get there that early, we will try though.

Better go and investigate this place.
Claire & Ian
xxxxxxxxx

Hi
we're leaving goa on monday, after a 30hr train ride we'll arrive in rajistan
we've loved it here but getting itchy feet now our business is done, also its very humid and there are thousands of mozzies, which love the taste of my blood.
time to get back on the road again lioke the littlest hobos that we are.
looks like we're trying to get back by end april, so not long left
We;re celebrating ians 30th at the paint throwing holi festival, going on an elephant safari to find tigers then learning yoga by the ganges before a quick squiz at the TAJ and back home
love to everyone, see you all soon!
Claire & ian
xx

Oh no! Missed your call again. Got there just too late. Hope all's well. Try again soon. Westbymum

Where are our messages?
Hello everyone, just to let you know we've done some more postcards so we're up to date
back in goa now but heading up to ragistan at the end of the week.
less than two months to go now, it all feels a bit wierd, but at the same time feels like we've been away for ages.
We're trying out an export trial business so we've been wheeling and dealing.
Take care everyone
love claire & Ian
xxxxx

Namaste
Sorry for your cold weather, its the opposite, over 40degrees and for several hours of the day unbearable without fans and making us feel pretty grotty but this place is fabulous.
Mum if you go to goa on the map and then east half way across the country you'll hit Hampi, the answer to the cows is the bulls are sacred and the cows are so valuable for their dairy products they never kill them. and its 5 and a half hours later than uk, 4 and a half to france. Also thanks for the compliments, we dont feel attractive, very sweaty and covered in red dust always, oh and smelling of curry!
Good news, all the photos are on and the postcards are up to date......enjoy. off back to Goa tomorrow first thing.
love to everyone
Claire & ian
xxxx

Fabulous photos. Goa looks magic. Love those cows. Ian looks v smooth with his haircut. Have to get used to it. Don't burn your head, Ian. Clairy u look great and both of you lovley and brown. two inches of snow again here! Everything's coe to a standstill in Sheff I beleive. Choas in Paris. Two days of striks and then two days of planes cancelled by weather. U seem and r a thousand miles away from all that. Wonder what tiem difference is?
luv maman