Hello from Dubai.

Jane is at work and so i've popped in with some lunch and so I can nick her internet connection for ten minutes.  Dubai is pretty much heat, hotels, heat, shopping malls, tall buildings, more roads, more heat and more malls.

We went to the gold souk ('souk' being Arabic for 'market') on Friday (they work from Sunday-Thursday here so it was Jane's weekend) and walked around whilst having 'handbags, watches, come and look' shouted at us every two minutes.  Desert safari was fun - though going over the dunes in the 4x4 made me feel really sick.  I'll never make a sailor.

On the plus side... cheesecake on room service is great and something that I need to try and arrange to continue to get once I get back home.

Might try and get a Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt later.... 

Isn't there a military coup in Thailand?  They seemed to say on the news that the current leader wasn't too bothered about it.

Hope all is well.

Matt.

p.s. Lou - if you'd like a spider then they appear to like selling dead tarantulas (and scorpions) in Abu Dhabi... i'll bring some back if you fancy one.

Hi Guys,

A short Message cos I have been to Manchester and just got back.I will send you a massively long email tomorrow.Did you get my Piccies of my party

Sam and I will be sharing....No naughty things for me I am forty( Fabulous Forty and flirty OMG !!!)or ( Finished Fat and Forgetful !!!!!!)

 Miss you

Michelle xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Love and Hugs

What has happened to Troll?  Have been enjoying the lastest photos, but no sign!

No sign (either) or your thrilling parcel - when was it posted?

It's still very warm here - havent lit the fire yet - Lou and Mark have just gone, after spending last night with us, they are looking forward to their move.

We have just put the gammon in the oven and are about to retire for a large sherry and the Antiques Road Show - bet that makes you homesick (not).

Nana still fairly immobile, but is back on the general ward, we are seeing her tomorrow.  She is in a side ward with a t.v. so can keep up with Coronation Street.

We heard from Jane and Matt in Dubai - they have just come back from a safari and are going on to Abu Dhabi next week.  Back on the UK next Saturday - no doubt also bearing 'unusual' Christmas pressies.

Love to both, hope you are still enjoying the experience and not too shattered - Lou remarked that you seem to be holding a drink in most of your pictures, but we are sure its only Coke!

 Love , M & D.

P.S. for Debbie - Mark was called back from work the other night to remove the biggest spider in Luton - he was none too pleased, but obeyed, as he is a good chap!  So you are not the only arachnaphobe! 

Hi all,

Quick message for Michelle and Sam....I dont know if you guys have decided but I need to know whether you want to bunk up together or whether you are hoping for a little bunking up of your own!!!! Email me, I will call Sam later this week...xx

Bex...big kissed and hugs for being such a clever doctor person. You sound like you are having the time of your life..try to do some work though!! Email me again soon with more news xxx

Jo...We are still heading your way so should hopefully bump into you on some small Laos street somewhere!

Cathy and Shaun...Big congrats on squeezing out a new pup...I would like lots of pics emailed asap please xxxx

Martin and Teng....We did manage to reach Hong Kong in one day!!!! It was like something out of Trains, Planes and Automobiles though...we travelled on three buses, two taxis, one flight and one train!!! Reached HK at 12.05am.....we ended up legging it to Wuhan and flew to Shenzen....probably passed you on the highway..we were the ones shouting at the taxi driver to step on it!! Anyway, good luck with the move...let us know if you are around, and hopefully we'll meet up in BK in a couple of months. xx

Everyone else, hope you are all well.....email your news please!!!! xxx

hey debs and tim, well I am now offically a med student and loving every minute of it. It is hard work, but i am stil managing to go out drinkin everyday!! Got our cadaver after 4 days and we've called him Sid!!! E-mail me soon!!!! Bex

hello me and Mark are very exicted as we were just laying in bed on a Sunday morning (gosh this sounds awful ...) watching an episode of Extras (Ricky Gervais) we had recorded and his character goes to the Baftas, and who was in the crowd of photographers, but none other than Tim Whitby!!  We got very exicted, Mark couldn't believe I had spotted you so quick ... though I reminded him of my excellent observational skills and extra teachery visual perception which I have honed to perfection!!  We did indeed rewind and pause a few times, but defo was you (nice curtains so must have been a while ago!!)  Anyway, not much else to say ... only 21 days until we move into our new swanky flat ... so we are going shopping for toasters and kettles in a mo!  Woooooo hooooo!!!  Hope the travelling thing is still as exciting as it was before!! Speak soon Lou and Mark xxx

One more thing. Before I forget: that new Sichuan restaurant in Chinatown is called Bar Shu and it's at 28 Frith Street.

Hi Guys,

We are back in London now. After the tour of the Three Gorges dam, we JUST made our flight from Wuhan to Chongqing. It was a very close thing. I assume you didn't make it all the way to HK that day?

Tour of dam was just about worth it, although didn't get much from the tour guide speaking only in Mandarin and views were limited because of the weather. Visior centre was good! :-)

Still working on the move to Bangkok: not signed and sealed yet, but looking like first half of November.

Hope it's all going well!

Cheers,

Martin & Teng.

Hey Tim and Debs,

Thanks for the parcel.  Jane and me are off to Dubai on Friday so Max is with Jo, but we'll give him his exciting booty when we return.  Hope all is well in Bankok.  Don't carry anything dodgy through customs by mistake.  They frown on such things.

See you soon.

Matt, Jane and Max.

just to let you know I'm thinking of you, I LOVED Hong Kong when I was there with dad for 2 weeks when I was 17. always wanted to go back....love sylvia.

Hi debbie and Tim---we arrive in luang prabang on wed 25th oct and leave mon 30th and are staying at the Sala Prabang guest house---love to see you there--love jo

Hallo all,

Am now in Thailand...all good, very hot again after crappy weather in south China, back to sweating a lot and wiping my brow which is good! Beer here verycheap, women even cheaper apparently! Tim has been offered Ping Pong every time we step out of the door of our hostel. No explanation required.

Anyway, for everyone coming to Thailand....AND THAT INCLUDES YOU MISS JANE YOUNG......we are planning a week in Ko Lanta, a week in Ko Phi Phi and then Christmas and New Year in Koh Chang......please let us know if we should just book your accomodation too, we are going to stay in bungalows on the beach?????? We are going to book in the next few days....call me if you need to.....I will also email you anyway.

Can one of you people coming to Thailand call Jane or email her because I spoke to her the other day and she is hoping to come but is rubbish so needs plenty of assistance....!!!

Love to all, will send proper message soon xxxxxxxxxx