Hey Rach. How's your toe? Hope it ain't slowing you up too much. Fair play on completing the inca trail with a broken toe. I have just been enjoying your photos of the trek and cusco. It was great to look through a friends photos and see loads of places i recognise.

I am back in England after a 32 hour flight/wait/train journey. It as a total shag getting back from London! Had a fantastic time with Streaky and Bonnie in HK. What a city, it was amazing, i've never been anywhere like it. NY was great, up on the roof with a great view around the city and out to Kowloon and TST. I was sad to leave, if I'm honest. However good to be back and sleep under my duvet and to chill at N&T's newly decorated home. Sure you'll see it when you get down to Bomo for their wedding.

Take Care, enjoy Argentina, the country rocks. Melbec wine if you like your red! Miss you loads

Have enjoyed first photos from SA .The wildlife and scenic views were lovely but not so sure about the skulls !!!! Glad you were able to do the Inca trek despite the broken toe ! Please don't feel that you have to visit an A & E department in each country you get to !! But Bath RUH have 7 wards closed because of the tummy bug again so make sure you are fully fit when you get home! It was great for us all to speak to you on Xmas day Matthew had just come in so timing was perfect. We had agood time at Dans despite his cooker breaking down. Nan stayed till 8:30 pm and then I managed to drag her home !! She was determined not to miss anything. She's complained of feeling 'groggy' eversince !!! Nothing changes !! Now you must be looking forward to the Rio carnival. We shall expect some good photos from that. Take care of all your other toes !!!!!! missing you loads, lots of lovexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Rachel,

A Merry Christmas to you....sounds like you are having a fantastic time. Have a great New Year wherever you may be. Love and best wishes. Dawn

Lots more memories from your North Island photos. You even managed to take a picture of our boat plane ! we were flown over Rotorua in the little plane by a girl from Gloucestershire. You even found some sheep !!!!!! Well done ! We're busy getting ready for Crimbo now hopefully can find the lights to put outside tomorrow. The town centre ones are crap ! Adios ! Love and miss you loads xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hey Rach, Glad to hear you have crossed the Pacific safely. Shame you can't leave the airport. You can sample the Andes in Peru. They are amazing!

Thank you so much for the past week in NZ. It was fanbloodytastic! Had such a good time. Feeling a little lost now. It just ain't the same driving on my own. By the way, it took over an hour and a half to get back from the airport! Minging!

On the Friday evening, Went for a drink with Sara and Andrew and met Sara's family. Andrew then cooked up some fancy chicken burgers and home made fries. All good. 22B is missing you.

Am about to leave and meet up with Andre at Mission Bay, then head up north. Think I'll spend next week venturing around the north.

Take Care, Thank you so much again, it was an absolute pleasure to spend just a week travelling with you half way round the world! Enjoy SA and SA! Miss you loads

Maff

Rach

Wishing you well and continued safe journey from all the SSN Team, some of which you don't know yet. Still putting all your blogs on the board, don't know if people are reading them, no messages have been left for you, so thought I would leave a few lines, to tell you we haven't forgotten you. Regards from all.

Have just been looking at photos from NZ which brought back a few memories. I suggested you go to the Huka Falls but l think that was on one of your photos already from the north island! Your ferry crossing looked a bit choppy but it's lovely going up the sound. When we made the trip the dolphins followed the ferry. I hope your postman arrived safely from UK !!!! Enjoy the NZ summer it's gales and rain here at moment! Have fun miss you and love you loads xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Rach

All your updates sound fab - we are all really enjoying reading them and you have inspired Kaye B - she is off backpacking to Thailand in March - we have tried to point out to her that she will need one backpack for clothes.....................................................................................

one backpack for make up............................................................

one backpack for hair dryers and straighteners............................

oh and one back-pack for top up cards for her mobile phone but she is still convinced she is going but will need a forklift truck to get all her baggage on the plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not much news from here - SLH Xmas party Friday - you know the drill - everybody arrives looking their best and then rapidly forgets who they are, how they arrived, what the have eaten, what they have drunk and in some cases how to get home (that is usually me)

I will write to you again soon

Take care Rach and have a fab Xmas and New Year from Gill, Gloria, Kaye, Lucy, Karen and Chris (aka SLH Golden Girls- although slightly rusty now)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hi Rach have you tried the kangaroo kebabs, they look horrible.I was picked for the rugby team at school and on Saturday I went to a tournament and we came 2nd in the silver league.I am taking my swat instructor exam at martial arts and have passed my 1st part, I now need to wear a new green tshirt and there are 6 parts to the exam.Hope you are having a nice time and I miss you xx

Hi Rach love all the new photos and updates. Dads busy beating and shooting at moment, had to buy another freezer to keep up with him. Our stock of chickens seems to be getting smaller every day, I happened to look out of the window the other morning just as he was putting one down shall we say! The market is getting very busy ,I only have Fridays off from cooking now, December will be even busier. Come Christmas day i wont want to see another mince pie, sausage roll etc. We will send cards to Maff to bring out to you.Take care and we love and miss you lots.xxxxx

Have just been enjoying all the new photos pleased to see you have been integrating with the locals !!! Didn't print the gun one for nan she might have got the wrong idea !! Even if you were swapping stories with the local fuzz ! Hope you learned more at surf school than falling off the board you will be able to put the locals to shame down at Harlyn Bay (Padstow) and maybe teach them a thing or two !! Have been invited to D & D's for lunch on Sunday so that should be fun. Kieran had to go to Bath hospital for a tooth filling yesterday (Frid) Dan said he was a little angel . The dentist was so surprised she gave him loads of stickers. They thought he might have to have a tooth out but managed to sort it without extraction. He sat beautifully though all the drilling etc. Love and miss you loadsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ps will send xmas cards to Maff to bring to you .

80 days and counting Ming till South Africa - I'm so excited!! I need to book up the cage diving with Great White Sharks just outside of Cape Town, and the world's highest bungee jump we're both going to do!! If you thought you were scared of spiders...wait till I become your tour guide!!!! Excited Excited Excited Excited Excited Excited Excited Excited!!!!!!!!!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx