Hi from Bangkok

So completely different from India it is so much nicer and developed, and the strange thing is that we have airconditioning in our room, but prefer not to use it because it gets too cold. We're so used to the heat its strange when its cold. I really don't know how we're going to cope in the australian winter.

Apparently my dodgy eye was caused by the shock of the heat when we first arrived.

Rob don't revise too hard or if you are make sure you make up for it by partying hard too. Is their a website where I can look at your pics?

The wierdest thing about Bangkok is that people talk to you and help you and don't expect any money, in India if anyone started to talk to you, you ignored them because it usually involved giving them money. Also we don't get stared at here, have our pic taken and have to continually say hello to people. Although yesterday a Tuk Tuk driver tried to scam us, but we avoided it, and even got a free tuk tuk ride out of it.

Its 11:15 in the morning local time and Kate still asleep, she really doesn't like mornings.

Hope everyone is well its really good hearing from people back home, going to go now and try to arrange a cycle tour of Bangkok.

all my love Laura

xx

hi laura, have been lookin for u for ages and at last hav found u! seen ur pics u look very well hope ur havin the experience of a life time! lots of love all of us xx

You're new photos are great. I love the sari. The photo of Kate teaching in her sari - she looks very professional! The photo of your eye Laura is gross! What caused it --- someone's little finger?

Heya,

I was just looking through all your photos from my room in rainy Cambridge and I'm really jealous. I hope you're having a great time on your travels and I'm glad to hear that Hindu temples are nothing like the blackpool tower :P.

Revision is the bane of my life at the moment and exam term sucks but it will be may week soon (middle of June for some reason) which just involves lots of parties, balls, punting and alcohol.

In other news after failing my first year I'm doing some wedding photography and general even stuff to earn myself some holiday money and my prints are not on sale in Bromley but they are only selling very slowly.

Jack seems to be getting on well with his work in Nicaragua although I haven't seen any pictures yet. Other than that and the massive workload for the exams there isn't very much going on here at the moment.  I suppose I really should start sorting out my summer holiday.

Hope all the travelling goes well and I'm sorry that I haven't got in contact sooner but being the well organised student that I am I lost the web address and kept forgetting to ask for it when I was on the phone.

Lots of love, 

Rob 

Just a quick hello from Singapore, got an hour to spare before our connecting flight to Bangkok and found a free internet place so making use of it.

Local time is 6:45 in the morning but due to the time difference only got about 2 hrs sleep so we're both a bit tired.

Singapore airport is well nice, only a shame we didn't have more time to look around the city.

Not really much else to say. Kate is pleased to have used a clean toilet where random women don't pee in front of you on the floor.

ok bye for now

Hello,

Just wanted to add that I think I am addicted to TV.

Aunty Alice the fishing in Goa is apparently awesome, Uncle Wayne might even catch himself a dolphin. Really recommend it for a holiday.

Dad, hindu temples are nothing like blackpool tower. But that statue did look like a scarier version of the statue of liberty.

Hope everyone is well, not feeling to grand at the moment but it will pass. Kate's just distracted me by saying I sound Irish, so can't remember the witty comment I was going to write. Anyway, had another good look around Bangalore and realised that actually it is a nice city, compared to Salem anyway, but when we first arrived we thought it was a dump, its interesting how expereinces change your mind.

A tip to any people thinking about travelling around India, be prepared for wierd things to happen to you while you travel, for example some guy touched my knee then kissed his hand as if I was a good luck charm and I've even been kicked (not hard) in the back as if the person wanted to see if I was really real or something. You also get lots of free stuff from people wanting to show the white people how hospitable Indians are, and indeed most of them are really friendly.

One thing I won't miss leaving India is the constant stares, and people wanting our pic taken, even though it probably will happen in Bangkok, but hopefully not to the extent it does in India.

Lots of love

Laura

Hi folks from Bangalore,

It's our last day in India and we have finally given the people what they want - pics of nuns! Have a look at our latest album, there are only about 5 pics of them though I'm afraid. 

The one in a plain orange saree is also a nun - they can choose if they wan to wear the full habit or the saree.

So we have left the project and now looking forward to 3 months of HOLIDAYS - jealous? Off to Bangkok this evening :)

Last week at the project was good, we bought some art supplies in Ooty so did things like painting with them on the last dy which was brilliant and made a display out of the pics the morning we left - as usual a mad plan but we followed it through, as was walking to the rickshaw stand in the searing heat with our massive bags...

Hayls - happy belated birthday! Sorry couldn't get to internet actually on your bday but that's nice that your Mum sent my PC to you for it :) How was it, did you have a good one? I am not too sure about being 19 myself, feel old and not looking forward to turning 20 as a fresher!!

Glad you have done some work, sounds good, keep it up Mrs and good luck in any more exams?

To clear things up, we are now in Bangalore, been here a couple of days, last week spent back in Salem with the nuns, week before that we had a week's hol so travelled to Ooty, then back to Salem, then Madurai, then the tip of India, Kanniyakumari. Before that was in Salem. And before that Goa and before that Salem and before that Kannur. Sounds confusing so hope that made some sense. Love you lots x x x x x

Janig - drunk bowling sounds like fun I will look forward to tht on my return! Glad you and the Jam are good, no not missing exams at all, hope they are going well, I'm sure you'll do good coz you are a good girl and actually work! Love you lots x x x x x

Auntie Jean - thanks for your tirvia! No I didn't know about your elbow does not sound nice, how is it now? At least you get a break from the chores! Can't believe Neil is mowing the lawn, what does Alison reckon to that? How are my 2 northern cousins getting on in their exams? Hope you had a nice time with Nana and Uncle Robert. Lots of love to you and Uncle Frank and Alison and Helen x x x x x

Aunty Ruth/ Nana- thank you for the birthday msg, it was pretty much on time! Glad you are both getting better, hope you stop hobbling soon. Sincere apologies for any swearing on this site, I will tell people off if they do it again! Or edit it out. by the way did actually figure out that the soup the nuns fed us on my birthday was most likely chicken stock as we found a box of it in the fridge so after 6 years of being a stirict veg I ate meat on my birthday. Not happy! But threw most of it down the sink. The nuns, unlike most Indians, didn't really get that we were vegetarian and still treid to give us fish on the day we left. Lots of love to you both and all the animals x x x x x

Take care,

Kate x x x x

Enjoyed your recent photos. It conjures a picture in my mind of Blackpool Tower meeting the statue of Liberty!! Bet the sea was warmer and cleaner than Blackpool! Been pouring with rain all day in Wales. Only now seeing the mountains. Hopefully finish decorating tomorrow so we can head home just in time for work!! Laura sounds as if you're suffering withdrawal symptoms from the TV. Mum always said you were addicted. Just about to go and get a welsh indian take away so will be thinking of you as we tuck in. Hope you're flight to Bangkok is on time and that your hotel is sorted!!!!

Hope you've left the nuns with a good impression of what nice english girls you really are! Hope you're farewell with the kids wasn't too tearful. Please allow yourself enough time to book in for your flight to Bangkok..!! Think you're going to have to buy some winter clothes in Melbourne. Ann Martin sends her love and says get Andrew to take you to some of the charity shops for winter clothes don't waste your money as you won't need them for long. You won't want to carry them all the way back to the uk. She says what you do is then leave your winter clothes in a charity shop in New Zealand!!! After then you're back into summer clothes.

Arun's in Bangkok atm

Take lots of care - you're back on the road again so keep you're eyes open for each other. Lots of love to you and Kate xxxxx

Hi girls, Hope you've enjoyed your last week at the project. Hopefully you'll read this when you get to Bangalore at the weekend. Keep safe, hope it's cooler there,

Love to you bothxxxx

Hello my little travellers! I was just naughty and opened a birthday package my mum sent early, as was curious and it looked like it had chocolate (don't worry there are others, so all is not spoiled, and i was right bou the choc) but anyway it had your postcard in, has made my night, so good to hear from you. I am having a bbq tomorrow and probably going to lewes for some lunch, very excited as everyone has been doing lots of whispering and haven't bought myself anything for ages.  Hope yours was good and you two didn't have to eat meat. I'm glad i recommended good books, and your ahead of me cos i've only ever read the first page of DD and watched half te film haha! aHH Brighthelm is a good choice, where all the coolest folk are at, and the new one's will probs be full of poshos. Oh and i have done lots of work in the last week- an easy on how women writers have negotiated female subjectivity under patriachy don't you know! Just think ypou have all this to come! Ohh and i had an exam which went pretty well.  Don't worry about forgetting how to write i do it so rarely i forget all the time! Yeah will be cool when you start and i can tell you all the dodgy stuff to avoid and the cool places to go, and be in with your fresher friends! Hope all continues to go well, i want a postcard from California if poss- make me jelous!!!- Where are you at right now by the way i'm confused?! Sending love to you both and the nuns xxxxx

Hi Laura,

Ta for the postcard that came today, Goa looks lovely, Ethan quite fancies the beach for next christmas holidays!  Wayne wants to know what the fishings like before he commits!!  Its still raining here,(no suprise) Josh and Kim are in the middle of their exams, he,s working hard - NOT!! Hope your both ok still waiting for pics of nuns please, I,m going to bet 50 - 1 that Aunty Ol will take Sister Leo down, do you think the bookies would take my money?  hee hee

Love to you both

Alice