8.30 Saturday: Just skyped Jenny and David, they're fine and working out what to do next. They were woken around 4.30 and David very intelligently leapt out of bed and got them both under the mattress on the floor as protection, how impressive is that for quick thinking!

The hostel they were in suffered some damage, but the staff got everyone outside, and they are now safely in another hostel. It was really good to see and speak to them and to know that they are safe and well.

A great story for them to dine out on for years to come!!

Hi! Glad to hear it! I have just checked pictures on the news...suerte y ánimo.

KIRSTEN

You've probably seen on the news that there's been an earthquake in Chile. Just to let everyone know that we're ok. Think we're going to be be stuck in Santiago for a bit but we've been moved to another hostel so should all be ok. Will contact again when we know what we're doing next. Phones down but internet working intermittently. Love to you all Jenny & David xxx

Constable Country was lovely, if a little chilly, but we found a nice coffee shop so that was OK. Obviously the NT cafe shut just as we walked up to it.....Can't wait for the Victoridan Underwear, I seem to remember a pair of Queen Victoria's knickers were sold for a high price, matching the vast 60" waist of our own dear queen. Do let us know where and when!

Photos of Lake Taupo were astonishing, so beautiful and such a contrast with volcanoes, rivers and beautiful sea and sand. So it was worth doing a geography degree then.

I love dipping into the blog, message board and photos during particularly dull stuff at work, a lovely bit of light relief from spreadsheets and targets for 2010.

Ian, Jenny tells me that my recent post encouraged you to make a trip to Constable Country. I must be doing something right ;) I was thinking for my next story which involves a victorian underwear display I could go along the lines of 'National Trust gets knickers in a twist'! Hope you're all well.

Jenny, David - am completely JEALOUS of your travels now. I think it's just that it seems so long since I went anywhere on hols. The glacier looks AMAZING and would LOVE to do that hike. Your postcard arrived today, I spotted you in the front before I even read the back ;) Glad you could put what I sent to good use.

I was sad to see the campertravels have come to an end. However, the first one was just so chavtastic. I think that all vans should come with a giant octopus spray painted on them - just so stylish ;)

Keep on having fun, thanks for sharing, just a shame we can't share in the wine tasting with you. There in spirit though. XXX

Well Jenny & David -- and all your Blog watchers who have 'gone quiet' obviously( like us, well me) unable to cope with your wonderful suntans and envious of the 4th of 5 leg of the Great Adventure.

Also it's lovely to see Pat & Chris with you too. ( aka David's Mum n Dad). Mandy will be popping in to the photos soon everybody.Hello to you 3 from Cool UK.

You know it's been snowing ( well as Jenny said 'Not again' and 'obviously this means it will be a good UK summer' ) here in East Anglia, London and the South East .We're getting sort of used to it.

Amazing that the Winter Olympics that start shortly in Canada are lorrying snow in;) Funny old World now isnt it!

By the way Finch ( aka Jemma , with the big Camera at the Wedding --and who works for National Trust) became a bit of a local and quasi National 'celebrity' with her recent rash of publicity on the anniversary of T Cr...er. In East Anglia the current headline in the local paper is a Senior School I used to invigilate for ( before Holiday Property Bond sent me traversing the M25 ) banning their female students from wearing skirts and the school uniform , even in Summer, is now trousers. What more can I say ( Jenny will say ..enough or Shut up, back to work, Dad.....and... Don't we all miss her little sharp Jenny phrases)

Love/regards Dad/Ian C X

I think this might be the most jealous I've been, NZ looks amazing and it's cold and wet here :(

This is me just getting in after midnight on a school night, but it does mean I can now say HAPPY BIRTHDAY Jenny ;)

Hope the camper travels are proving a better success than the last, although the chavtastic camper is one you won't forget.

So, it's been a totally mad week here and I thought it might make you laugh with what I've been up to.

Monday was manic as my story about the discovery of a Constable landscape made all of the national newspapers and radio stations... The phone did not stop ringing! Although the painting's main feature is a dung heap!

Tuesday we had Prince Charlie grace us with his presence at one of our properties. Always a laugh when you get a phone call afterwards from his press department, asking us to identify a sheep in the photo with him. 'Yes, I believe his called Malcolm...'

Today, has been totally crap! In fact it's the 100th anniversary of the death of Thomas Crapper and despite not inventing the flushable toilet I decided to throw 100 years of history down the pan and reveal all about some of our toilets, facts such as the accident prone toilet known as the bottom slapper, as well as the numerous famous rears to have sat on them! As you can imagine the press went to town with this one, even had to arrange sound recordings of the toilet flushing for BBC radio. Nothing like lowering the tone.

Hope this message finds you well, have a fab birthday. Eat cake and drink lots.

XXX

Happy Birthday, Jenny!

Have a great day.

Love Pat and Chris

O.M.G!

Look at those tans - I'm so jealous!

Hope all is going to plan and you are having more fun that you thought imaginable.

L xx

Ey up, soon be moving onto pastures new ;)

Well I can say with some certainty that the sea at Felixstowe looks nothing like it does in Oz (not jealous much)! The question is, do they have really cool beach huts like your folks? See, Felixstowe is sounding more appealing all the time... Bet they don't do fish and chips as good as ours ;)

Great news about Ollie and Lucy's engagement. I'm sure you'll have a thing or two to teach her about how a wedding spreadsheet should look on your return. Safe trip over the water to NZ, happy travelling ;)

Good to see David smiling and relaxed on a cable car - has he finally started to enjoy being marooned at high altitude, we ask?? Love the pic of Jenny swimming in the lake below the waterfall, and the snorkelling sounds fantastic, would really love to be there.

Especially as it's still freezing here, all very picturesque, but that's enough, now just stop it so we can get on with life. Am fed up with being cold - this being an old house I come home and put extra layers on and then we just stay in one room with fire and radiator at full blast! This is ridiculous. Enough!! xx