Aloha, how ya diddlin'? Hope you're both well and enjoying life in China. Excellent postcards and diary entries. Sounds very much like the 100 Club c.1976 with all that spitting. Obviously a lack of leather jackets and bondage trousers. Ma is out of hospital and has been with Nicholas for the last week. She's coming back home tomorrow (Saturday) and we're heading up (via Petersfield) to see her. Her hip operation is pencilled in for the 6th May. Hurrah! Elsewhere, things ticking along nicely in sunny Dorset. Spring is truly in the air and things are all in bloom. Very, very beautiful indeed. Ticked our first swallows on the 2nd April which struck me as being very early but then I'm no expert. Might have been a peregrine for all I know. Speckled Woods and Small Tortoiseshells are out and about but little else. Went for a brilliant walk up to Shipton Hill last week. Yet another very fine Iron Age hillfort. Top stuff. The election is drawing near and we're living in Tory hell. I've even had to put out the chairs for Oliver Letwin at the village hall this week. Massive stuff and nonsense. We reaffirmed our socialist faith with a Billy Bragg Justice for World Trade benefit in Bristol last friday. Enjoyable as ever and fine support from Mark Steele and the heroic George Monbiot. Tonight we travel to the (no doubt) magnificent Winchester Railway Tavern for Chuck Prophet. Hurrah! A report next week. That's all folks. Kids fine. Jill very fine. We're all fine. Hang 10.

I'm off to see a man about a Panda........................... ( ok, ok, its not often you can genuinely say that!)

Wow. Ian, great to hear from you, what a surprise. Wonderful news from Jo too. I don't have an email address for you, so if you, Jo or Dom want to drop us a line on [email protected]. Big hugs from China.

Hi! Add ian mck. to the long list of people who have enjoyed seeing the photo's, reading the posts and being very, very envious... Youth! (can we still say that?!) Got the address off Jo Major, who asked me to pass on her news - 2nd son Joel born on April 2nd, a hearty 8lb 7oz! Dom's visiting this weekend so he too will be able to catch up with your exploits... Can't slow down on the old hoedown...

hello you two. greetings from a very sunny Plymouth - first time we've seen the sun in days - perfect timing for the start of the school week! This is where I wish I was a PE teacher. expect for all the running around bits obviously! Hmm. had a message from Pauli to say he's only in England for another 3 weeks! wow. Major life change. well, better go and do ssome work. x x

Hi there J&P. No sign of films from China or parcels from Australia as yet. Will let you know if/when they arrive. There is a seeping cold about today. Luckily we have something with which to occupy ourselves. Just been told our windows are going to be replaced at the end of this coming week, so there is a scurry of activity - moving money around, and removing blinds and curtains. Our new seating area around the side of the house was taking shape but has now come to a halt until the wood can dry out. I'm glad I'm not wandering the globe looking for a bed for the night in this! Hopefully you will be in glorious sunshine. In case you didn't get my text - Eric just bought me a lovely Victorian necklace for my 60th! Su and I found it in a second-hand jewellery shop in Exeter. Have fun. Love Mum

Thanks for the postcard. Have just finished week 1 back after the Easter hols. Went to Budapest, which we did not like as much as Prague. We still had a good time though. Hope China isn't taking it out of you. Take care Love Lisa xx

Hi Pete and Janet - only just been able to access your website - the hours I've spent ...........! Thanks for all the postcards, another envious person to add to your list. The swallows have arrived in deepest Devon so Spring is here (sort of). Lots to tell you but my one finger typing will take too long - will wait till you get back. Enjoy the rest of your trip - bye for now.

Hi Mel and Nikki, just a quick one to say thanks for staying in touch and letting us know what you are up to. Glad you had good hols. Mel - glad you are getting out on the boat again, reminds me of the little trip we did before we left. Where are you planning to go for thr Summer? Nikki - thanks for all the support. We will try and take a break somewhere along the line when we can. Good to hear Mike Peter's is in town. Sounds great.
Bye for now.

hiya!!!!!
ops i thought the coursework i did for you had been lost! i was in a folder under some stuff and no1 could find it or any of the rest! i stated to panic as i got a B for it so i was panicing badly! Yay a B! Mr ramage and Mrs jones sed they would elp me with the rest 2 day which is cool coz else ill b doomed!
my jobs goin great! i have 3 clients tonight!!!!!!!!!! Im cuttin Kim williams hair! haha! will be fun! colouring sue, charlies mums, with a whole head of highlights and a re-growth. And i doin a blowdry on charlies hair! I've passed my first year in hairdressing on the pratical side jus need to do all the writting!
I've had a good holiday except i keep givin myself a chest infection for goin down town too often!!!! haha!
well beta go im ment 2 b revising but got distracted!
school really boring but only a month to go! my mum sed she will throw me a massive party when i leave on may 13th if i go school every day till then. but she'l probably back down from the result of my last party but neva mind! she sed i can burn all my books and uniform! il start cryin when i leave! im so excited bout it!
when do you get bk? uve seem to be gone 4 ages!!!!!!!!!!! left us all in our last year of school! you nasty person! haha jokin!
Take care
love kerry
-x-x-x-x-x-

Hiya - quickie to say hi - your trip as ever sounds fab - will have to put aside time to read the latest postcards and look at piccies. We have just got back from snowboardning hol it was fantatsic lots of off pistes - fab and sledging - although lil miss fell asleep on the first trip out obviously going to be into radical sports!!!!Back to work tomorrow loads to do!!boo hoo but have reduced days to two!!yippee - boat is back in the water and we are begginning to gear up for our summer hols!!got ot look forward !!!miss you

Big miss you hugs to you two! Wow I have just spent about an hour reading all your postcards and looking at your photos! it all sounds so amazing - did you enjoy NZ as much as I think you did? And to think you werent even keen to go Janet! Really enyoying reading the china stuff as this is a country I suspect we will be hearing alot more about in the very near furture. Really looking forward to you 2 coming home. Cant wait to see all your photos and hear your stories. Life back here will feel soooo boring for the first few months and you will recognise the things you love about here and the things you really hate now you have seen other cultures. Things are good here. Just come back from a 2 week mountain biking trip around the lakes and scotland! We have found these purpose built forest trails made by the forestry commission and they are amazing - you get a graded map to help and there are loads of Mark Wilson style on the spot challenges for us to fall over our handle bars!Ouch!Now back and resting before school on monday :( Year 12 reports and coursework is what I should have been doing these last 2 weeks!OOPS!Off to see Mike Peters the lead singer of the Alarm with Alan, Jon and Sue L tom eve for Andys birthday so should be good!Planning lots of camping weekends now - first one with the gang will be next weekend - watergate I reckon and we will dust off those surf boards. Are you back on Aug 13th? Keep having fun together and making us all incredibly jealous! xxxxxxxxxxxxxx