Dear All

We had been feeling really guilty that we haven't been in touch . . . but then thought "sod it" the b*****s haven't been in touch with us . . . but we must give you the benefit of the doubt. Our got-a-life email account was cut off 1 week before we returned home (don't ask!) and in mitigation it has been REALLY busy since we got back. It is Easter Sunday today and it has been snowing here today, but we did have hot cross buns . . . whoopee! The inclement weather has provided us with the chance to catch up with overdue communications.

How is it to be back in England? Well surprisingly it has been very good and even the weather was kind to us for the first couple of weeks, and our memories of Australia and most importantly the people we met there are with us everyday to provide some metaphorical sunshine.

On our flight home we determined to make some real changes to our lifestyle and chatted about ways to achieve them . . . well we certainly did make some changes. Within a week of returning we had sold Maureen's Porsche and bought a Burstner A-class motorhome . . . we were already confidantly planning our next big tour, around Europe.

However . . . things do seem to turn up that you hadn't thought of and two days after buying the motorhome I got a phone call from one of my customers, asking me to pop in and have a chat. Long story short, he wanted me to "help out" as he was getting married this year and needed someone he could rely on (don't know why he called me but there you are), and in the words of the film he made me an offer I felt I couldn't refuse. I get to learn a whole new system (technology) which funnily enough I have been quite enjoying, although the old "greys cells" have been a bit stretched at times and he wears me out just watching him run around.

Maureen and I still think and talk about our time in Australia and speculate when we might be able to return. I have uploaded some pictures of our new "home on the road" it had only covered 8,000 miles and was in really excellent condition, having said that it hasn't stopped Maureen from "top-to-toeing" it (like she does). We got away last week for the first time and as you will see from the pictures the weather is not Oz style and I am sure you will all recognize it as the classic European winter we all know and love in Blighty.

Leonora and Peter from near Lake Macquarie came to see us, they had come to England to go to their son's wedding in Scotland, we had to pick them up from the station with the motorhome as we didn't have a car at that time but they seemed to enjoy the experience and Peter was really impressed as he could stand up . . . he is 6'5". It was excellent to see them both again, and chat over what we had all been up to.

We would like to wish you all well and hope we can all meet up again one day! If any of you wish to contact us you can do so on the email address below:

[email protected]

Warmest regards

Maureen and Keith