Boyo! Hellos!! Thailand sounds fab! And intense (have you been hanging out with Yanks again!?!) So exciting that you will be home so soon (will see you very soon after your return no doubt!!!)

My exciting news is that I no longer need to study!!! YEAH! Have passed all of my insolvency exams! Happy Days - world domination awaits!!! Think I will be handing my notice in within the next couple of weeks and heading out into the big bad world on my own!!!!

Messageboard Mum - Congrats on your EDCL, fingers, toes and arms crossed you will find somewhere that will truly appreciate your talents just like us!

Have sent you a wee email as well my sweet so will fill you in on any further chat (what little of it there is!!)

Big love heading to Ting Tong or whereever you are!!

Clairey x

P.S I have had to solve a very complex mathematical equation to post this!!! xxx

Hi Kate,

Ben and I made it back safely from our week in Canada boarding. Our snowboards however are still in transit they missed the connecting flight at Toronto airport! Oh well at least they didn't loose them on the way out there.

We had lots of snow (about 70cms while we were out there) so that made conditions pretty good. The first and last day we did have to board in some rain which wasn't that pleasant.

I am trying to get back into the work frame of mind but it is tricky.

Sounds like you are enjoying Thailand. Glad you went to the Cabbages and Condoms restaurant!

James

Hurray! This stupid new set up hasn't let me get to my messageboard for a while...how annoying! Anyway, I'm here now. Thanks for your messages - such heartfelt brotherly love Crizzo...brings a tear to my eye! Mum - I hope that jewellery's ok...you didn't really say - it's quite ugly I know, but it's genuine Thai stuff!! And Vic, thanks for your message...am excited about the wedding now! I have a lot of catching up to do on the journal front as you will see, but I plan to do it when I get home. IN 15 DAYS!!! CAN'T WAIT!!! We decided to bin the idea of Dubai and chill out in South East Asia till we come home as Thailand is so nice. It feels like a proper 2 week holiday now...lying on the beach or by the pool. Need a bit of a tan for Vee's wedding, don't I?! Tomorrow we're going to have a massage instead of lying by the pool all day...it's a hard life! We had a Thai massage last week, which actually left me with bruises in places I didn't know I had places, so I think I'll go for a more chilled out one this time! Everyone here is Swedish for some reason though, so maybe they'll specialise in the rough stuff!

Anyway, as I said...Home in 15 days. Not that I'm counting (as if!) Can't really believe 7 months has passed...but am so excited to see you all!

xxx

Hi Kate! Well, I'm finally allowed to read your message board! Julia banned me from it so that I couldn't read anything about the hen weekend! We had such a fantastic time and Julia's organisation was perfect. Thanks to all of you in Wales who gave tips on Cardiff! Anyway I'm going to spend some time on here now catching up on your travels and your pics. I can't wait to hear all about it at the wedding. Take good care of yourself. See you soon, Love, Vic xx

Thanks for today's parcel.  All that jewellry I'll really try to get some of your money back for you, also a load of cards arrived today.  I passed the last of my ECDL's today if only it would help me get another job.  Never mind really counting the days now, stay safe love, loads of love as always Mum.

Sounds like Thailand is a million miles removed from China. What sort of music are the elephants into then?

Cant believe your home in a few weeks. Lookin surprisingly forward to seeing you again.

Hi love,

What's happened to your message board I've only just found my way around the old one!!!

Fab stories of Thailand and as you say only three weeks until the "real" world kicks in. Anyway I have some news I applied to be part of the audience for "Question Time"and got in and hopefully Rose too it's in Newport on Thursday so everybody must watch, you see we still do excitement in soggy old Wales, (well I'm excited anyway). Look forward to our chat on Sunday and don't worry about the time.  Stay safe, counting the days, love Mum.

PS. Glad the hen weekend went well Julia. 

 

 

 

Well we survived Bangkok...weird place, and hot, but definitely an experience! It sounds a bit poncey but Thailand is definitely the most intense place we've visited - the sights, the smells, the sounds, the people - everything is more colourful, more vibrant blahblahblah...

The elephant village was cool, although we weren't entirely happy about the bit sticks with claws on the ends of them that the trainers use to prod them, and exactly how they make them dance when certain songs come on...Anyway, wildlife worries aside, it was a nice day and I have some great photos.

In Bangkok we saw ladyboys and went to the famous Patpong district where all the strip clubs and prostitutes are - and were approached by 100s of touts offering us all manner of 'shows' involving intimate parts of the female anatomy...they actually show you a menu! Some of them had diagrams! On James's recommendation (and that of my trusty Rough Guide!) we also went to Cabbages and Condoms, which is actually a very nice restaurant!

The day before yesterday we went to visit the Bridge over the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple, where you get to have your photo taken with the tigers and stroke them. Awesome!! They seemed a lot happier than the elephants, but then they are looked after by monks (and I can't imagine they'd approve of big sticks with claws!)

Yesterday we got on a bus back to Bangkok that we thought was going to take 2 hours and get us back in time for the train we'd booked, but it actually took 3 and a half (oh the joys of foreign communication!) and so we rushed by taxi to the train station hoping the train was delayed, only to discover it had left bang on time...The next thing I knew we were clinging onto a couple of railway officials for dear life (with our rucksacks between their legs - bearing in mind mine weighs 23kg!) on the back of a couple of mopeds speeding across Bangkok, weaving in and out of the traffic and generally being scared half to death! It was one of the funniest experiences of the trip so far...particularly when we ground to a halt to ask a railway signalman in his little box alongside the track if we were going to catch the train in time at the next station - I felt like everyone was rooting for us! Can you imagine a railway official in the UK giving you a lift to the next station if you missed your train?! (On second thoughts, Health and Safety would probably have something to say about it!) Anyway, God love 'em, they got us to our train and we got to a place called Chumporn 7 hours later, where we paid 3 quid for a room between us and at 7am this morning got on a boat to a beautiful island called Koh Tao, where we hope to snorkel with turtles...

Anyway, I feel like I've told you all a lot, but I still have so much catching up to do on my journal...you all have to promise to keep reading if I finish it when I get back!

Just over 3 weeks til I'm back! How crazy is that?!

Looking forward to seeing you all xxx

Hey churks! Been reading all the messages and am completely put off going to China - it was on my list for this year but just might give it a miss! I've been looking back through all your adventures and boy will you have some stories to tell your grandchildren when you are old and grey! You seem to be looking forward to coming home now as you are on the last leg of your journey...believe me nothing has changed in good old Wales!!!!!! Still, it will be nice to have you home to spend hours with Nat in her new home nattering, as she won't he able to afford to step outside the door once she moves in!!! You seem to have sufferred many extremes of weather on your travels, at least Wales is consistant....rain, rain and more rain! Don't worry about your flat, I will make sure that it is habitable when you come home! Looking forward to seeing all the photos...enjoy the rest of your trip..see you soon. Leso x

Hello All! I'm back in one piece and we had a lovely time. The weather was kind to us for the whole weekend, apart from Friday night when it tipped it down. Victoria loved everything about the weekend and everyone got on with each other, which was a real relief. I'm very tired now though and think I need the rest of the week to recover. Nat - we loved Bellinis, so thanks so much for the recommendation. Katie - I've just sent you an email so will be quick. I'm so pleased you like Thailand and are happier there than when you were in China. The cookery school sounds great and I can't wait to sample some Thai delicacies when you're back :-) The elephant park will be wonderful - I'd just love to see them in real life. Send some pics when you can! Jane - I hope you're okay now Kate's on the final leg of the journey. She'll be home in no time at all. Lots of love to all Jools xx

Sorry I hit the wrong button again. How lovely to get a happy message I think China will have to be put down to experience. Enjoy your last month I'm sure it is with very mixed feelings. I hope you get a chance to read your E mails, I didn't receive your last attachment. Keep safe I'm still counting the days, love, Mum. PS. Victoria has lovely bright weather for her Hen weekend in Cardiff.