Merry Christmas everyone!

Hopefully all our christmas emails, postcards and e-cards have made their way to everyone by now but just incase they haven't then happy christmas! Hope everyone has a good time and a nice few days break. Email us to let us know what you got up to so that i can get even more homesick (for one day only!)

We're back in Thailand now and have been making the most of the nice weather. We have been to Ko Lac where we did a two day snorkelling trip from and stayed overnight on the boat, very good snorkelling, this town was hit really bad with the tsunami but you wouldn't know it now apart from that all the buildings are new, then went to Koh Sok National Park to mix it up a bit and did some trekking in the rainforest, Michael nearly passed out from dehydration because he used up all his water on the way to the waterfall we were trekking to (7km each way) as it was so humid so i had to bail him out as per usual!, and now we are in Koh Lanta, our first Thai island and enjoying the gorgeous beach, staying in a nice bungalow right by it.

Been on another boat trip today where Michael went on a couple of dives and i went snorkelling at Ko Phi Phi where the film The Beach was filmed for the main beach scenes. We weren't supposed to be going there as it's always pretty crowded with tour boats but it was really windy and the sea was too choppy to go anywhere else so we stayed here as it is really sheltered. I was the only snorkeller so didn't stay in the water too long as i hate going out on my own with no one to protect me! I'm always looking over my shoulder incase anything is coming at me from another direction - such a woos i know! Michael enjoyed his dives though, they seemed to be out for ages both times so must have been good.

On to Ko Samui on Saturday. Hopefully the hotel will be nice as we booked it ages ago and i want to make the most of hotel lodgings for christmas rather than minging guesthouses like we're used to! Only there for 3 nights where we will meet Graham and then on to Ko Tao for a bit longer until after new years.

So will try to make the most of christmas here although its hard in a country that doesn't even celebrate christmas and is boiling hot all the time!

ps don't worry Madeleine, i've not been swayed, far too sensible for that as you know...!

Nicola and Michael xxxXXXxxx