Just been enjoying reading your world adventures, and looking at the amazing photos, you could write a travel book on your return. Am very jealous and wish I were 21 again. Take care.

New Zealand - brings back so many good memories, - gotta be one of my favourite places on the Earth - enjoy it while you are there!

Nice one for keeping things up to date with pics and journal.

See ya in a few Months

Hi Ben,

Thanks for the updated email, just checked out your pictures of New Zealand. Great - Keep safe and enjoy the rest of your time. I understand that you will be working somewhere along the way before you return to Britain - if that is the case I hope you enjoy the experience.

Cheers and keep well

Helene

Hi guys - Well firstly I should probably apologise for the fact that 2 months appear to have passed by and this is my first lame attempt at actually letting you know I'm still alive! Its not that I'm bitter about what you're doing, or the fact you're having such an amazing time........ OK that might have something to do with it! But in my defence I have been a tad on the busy side as well.

Things are going well at the College of Air Traffic Control down here in sunny Bournemouth - passed the first 3 month introductory course, and now working towards gaining my student license. Its pretty intense and a very steep learning curve, but really enjoying it all the same. Got about another 8 weeks left, and subject to some satisfactory practical exams and a scary thing called an oral board (ooo err), then I could be out in the real world by the summer! From what I've been told at the moment theres a chance I could be working on Heathrow Approach, which basically means I'm responsible for sequencing all the inbound traffic into a good, evenly spaced order on final approach to land. Basically its a bit like a sausage factory but with aeroplanes..... or at least thats what I'm told! Not sure if you guys are flying back into Heathrow, but don't worry if you are - I won't be working on my own for another 15-20 months or so!

What else has been going on....... My mate Alan who works for Sky Sports pulled off a blinder in managing to get tickets for the FA Cup Final last week so managed to get another trip to Cardiff, although not quite with the same luxurious hospitality as the last time we were there! I'm assuming you've probly bin able to keep track of all things football but i may as well just remind you that we beat you in the Semi's, and then won a stonking final on penalties after it finished 3-3aet. Not a bad day out really!

Had my sister's wedding a few weeks ago, which was a really good day, and horribly drunken evening as expected. Still seeing Lucy, off up to Scouseland this weekend in fact for the bank holiday so I shall salute Bagot flat on driving past. Tris, Andy n the boys are all well. Sh*t, is it really almost a year since we were in France?! That's just mad.

Well thats a very quick summary of what's been going on in my world, nothing 2 exciting, but at least I can sleep at night now knowing I've made the effort to make contact at last! Anyway, best get back to pushing bits of imaginary metal round the sky on the simulators.

Take care boys,
Chris

Hi u,
Sound like u having it great! quite fast trip in malaysia,, wish I had done the treeking, looked awesome.. how's singapore, cops everywere? someone told me if u drop a gum on the street u have to pay a lot or something like that... we're staying quite long on phiphi, lovely beach but sick of all turist,,, I know I'm one too,, =) Did some rock climbing today, loved it! I only did about 15m, but if I'm going again I'm going to go for 30 at least.. Hugs Sofia

hiya!

Well, it still all sounds amazing out there! Are you still loving it all? does it feel tiring alot of the time? Just had a look at the recent photos, you two look so funny in those hats!!!! Particularly mike, ha ha, sorry mike!

Oh, i got your postcard, thankyou!!! Oh, and mike, errrr, thanks for the honey nut lope addition, will that ever go away!!!

Well not much going on here, the grand national was on yesterday, mum won £60!!! so unfair!! I have a day to myself today which is nice, just going to go for a run then going to catch up with some mates. Neil is in an off road motorbike competition today so not really seen him this weekend as i was working yesterday. we went out friday night with my mates into wycombe, was meant to be a quiet night as had work at eight the next day but ended up gettin very drunk, oh dear!

I have passed my 6 month probation here at work, which is cool, can you beilieve its been that long!! one of my other dogs, milly, had her test last week, she didnt do as well as bob, bless her, but did ok!!! (for her! she is not the brightest dog in the world....an example being she fell down the stairs the other day!!!) I am still living on site at the moment but would really like to move off now i know i am staying here, its just the rent around here is so much! i am going to look at a place on tuesday though so fingers crossed!

Four day week next week as have four days off for easter. Bob has his pre placement week, which is where the person he is going to comes in and learns how bob works and what they have to do etc. He is a profoundly deaf 50 year old guy, who is quite sweet but has alot of emotional problems as was bullied at work and really all his life for being deaf, so it might be a hard week! have to be a psychologist too!!!

Right, well i better stop blabbering on! be in touch again soon with more from my exciting life!!??!! take care
luce x

Hi here I am at last! Been a busy time for us recently and not a bundle of laughs either - somehow I didnt think youd find it riveting reading to know Ive been painting all the house windows and sorting out the door to the basement! Anyway, today we finally feel confident enough to say that the house is sold and that all being well well be moving out at the end of June into the garage of the new house and hopefully from there into the new house itself at the end of the year or the beginning of next. So, who knows, the saga may finally be over. Otherwise, dogs and cats are well as is Claire. And thats it as theres no other interesting bits really! Its great to know youre both having a top time and that alls well with you. Were enjoying hearing about your adventures and look forward to many more. Im going to leave it there for now and will write again soon. Lots of love, Dad
PS I guess you get the football results - but I'm pretty confident that Chelsea will wobble thru in the end.

Hello Ben, so nice to hear from you. The trip sounds exciting and perhaps a little exhausting. I guess you will soon be off to Bankok, where you will enjoy new sights, new things to do and different food to eat. You have come a long way from sausages and chips. The pictures are wonderful and a great reminder for the future. Keep in touch.

Cheers

Ben - Thanks for your postcard from Ha Long in Vietnam, it looks like a beautiful spot. Glad to hear that you are having a good time. I enjoy looking at your travel photos on the web site and I have forwarded the link to Oliver and Natasha. Good luck on the rest of your trip. Bye for now Alan

Hello there gentlemen.
Glad its all fun and games. Very jealous. My entertainment is 9 til 3am dissertation, due in next week so hell will soon end. Map out the good places for me to go next year, it'll give me something positive to focus on!
Glad to see the 6p beers went down well, and the young mr rimmer was sober enough to smile for the camera rather than wince!
Keep enjoying and keep us updated! xx xx

Oi sounds quality and you are actually travelling and seein places- i thought mikey was just gonna go out drinking every day and i could call u both philastines!
As for here it's dissertation deadline in a week- well bored so at least i have time to message both of u. Anyway my uni team won the cup at the weekend and i met merry and went school disco in hammersmith - that place is filth and I was well lashed i woke up next to merry! On that note I'm off to find a girl. Take care spin and trainer...

hi both of you!
WOW! sounds like it is amazing out there! i am so jealous, as are pretty much all my mates i tell about what you guys are up to!!! Compared to what you two are up to, life here is boring! have had a few days off work so been chilling a bit, seeing mum tomorrow. Back to work on thursday then its all a bit mad for a month or two, i have two dogs being tested and leaving within four weeks!
going to the isle of wight (!!!!, rock and roll!!) in easter with neil and his parents and brother. they are renting out a converted barn for four days, should be lovely.
anyway, will stay in touch via this! write soon
luce x