Hi Daringdo and Tinkerbell. Woke up this morning to a text from Caz saying 'Yes, No 1.' Well since I didn't know I had sent a text I was a little confused. Then light dawned - last nite I was clearing some texts from my phone. As you know it is a new one that Caz bought me for my birthday and although I am pretty much used to the texting part of it I sometimes do press the send thing cos its where the space button was on my other fone. So goodness know how many people I have texted without knowing it. Can I hear 'blonde bimbo' being bandied around???? For a change I have read your latest blog this morning instead of the middle of the night. Can't get the photos going properly though so will have to try again later. The plasterer Neil got the ceiling mended and skimmed yesterday and it looks great. Whilst I was at mums a lady phoned who used to come and stay with her sister Joan who doors away from mum. She thought she was talking to mum so that was a bit difficult for me. She was really sorry and obviously wanted to know what had happened. She, like everybody except one.who knew mum, knew what a lovely lady she was. My wrist is still really bad, it's even difficult to turn the shower on and off. Am going to get a power screwdriver today or I'll never be able to dismantle the dressing table. Am also going to invest in one of those special lamps. It's getting dark by 6.30 now and you know what I'm like when the nights draw in. Well, think that's a long enough message now. I'll other bits fir next one. Enjoy the sun while you can, cos there sure as hell won't be much when you get back to Blighty. Well, except that you will both light my life up when you get back!!!!!!!!! Take care as usual, be vigilant with the packing as usual. Lotsaluv.xxx

The thought of you with power tools does nothing for my nerves I am convinced there is a law preventing you from using them!! As for the phone, well thats just another bit of tehnology you will have to get to grips with just like you have with the web!

I have text you today so know we should be talking on skype this coming week. So wont tell you anything now. Be careful not to screw your hand to something!! Lotsa love x

hope your both ok not long to see you now!!!!! time is flying by be safe

ps. i am refering to the bottles of jd in the above lol!

Hi cuz, just to confirm you have NO chance of getting more than a picture of my bottles! HA Ha

Hi, long time since I've been on site and I'd meant to catch up when Alicia was out. Still.....did not see any photos of Norman with an elephant and Alicia - wot an opportunity. However, I've heard he's lost his label so I don't know if he's authentic any more. Having typed that, he was possibly made in China anyway so it's not too far to get a new one (label or elephant). If there were photos of a yellow elephant with a real one, please direct me to those. Whatever, keep up the good travelwork and make the most of your reaining time..

Chou (if that's not a dog)

PS: I only realised, having read some posts, that AC is Carole and not Clicky so I got that wrong in a previous post

Nope hes not lost his label its just a little shredded!! we have honoured your request and taken him to see some of his friends, they thought he was food, which scared him a bit but hes still with us!! the photos will be under the 2nd ko phangan blog which we will put up shortly. xx

Hi, Daringdo and Tinkerbell. Just been reading your Singapore blog and looking at the photos. Quite early tonight, it's only 11.15!! I've been very tired today, must be all that walking I've done over the weekend. I sure wouldn't manage a year walking round different countries. Mind you two are a whole lot younger than me.!! The blog was really interesting as usual. The photos are amazing, wow, you were certainly right about the frightening stuff. Some of those images are revolting. Who would want to go to a temple and worship something like that? Well each to their own I guess. I'm so glad your money had been 'found' David. That guy told me that once they had found your money they would backdate it and sort out the sharesaves. After my little calamity with the lenses at the weekend I am going to getsome spare ones. How strange that Chris and I must need the same prescription. I need to get a new camera as well, mine has finally given up the ghost and keeps going back to number one on the film. Time to update, oh and talking about updating, it will be fun on Sept 30th, we have to reset our televisions and boxes. Wish me, the tvs and the boxes good luck. That's all for now, careful with the sunbathing. Take care. Lots of love and hugs to you both.xxx

Hi, Daringdo and Tinkerbell, Just been looking at some pictures and reading a couple of blogs. It is a bit earlier than usual only half past eleven pm. Where do I start. Thank you for my beach 'Happy Birthday' message, loved that and the very personal one on David's back. Very special. You all had a ball on my birthday didn't you? the full moon party looked absolutely spectacular. The body art was wicked. Talented lot that you are!!! the beach scenery was so beautiful, especially the one that was used in the film. Very dramatic with those huge rocks and what beautiful blue sea. The monkeys looked very tame and weren't the babies cute? Been busy sorting out paperwork here today and trying to find my shoes for the wedding I'm going to. Hunted all over for them with the result that couple of rooms a lot tidier!! Oh, the new chair has arrived, so sitting room looking a bit different now. Still haven't heard about your sharesaves. Hopefully they will soon discover who has got your money and whether someone there is committing full scale fraud or if it just incompetence. Patio on hold, have to get a survey done on house and see where I go from there. That's all for now. I do hope you have a good journey back to Thailand and that you enjoy your 'holiday'. Be careful with the scuba-diving, Maverick. Lotsaluv, hugs as usual please.xx

Yeah not your usual late night viewing time! Forgot to tell you before about that temple with the Elephants, they are a symbol of strength and wisdom and guardians of that temple and many others. Same thing in Cambodia if you remember the carvings in the terrace wall. Had an email about sharesaves from the guy you spoke to asking for details, obviously the guy I gave them to the other night hasnt passed them on! Beach party was very busy for us with all our art work but glad you liked it. Whats this about survey on house?! Just in airport waiting for flight to Thailand which seems to be late as we should have boarded and the plane has only just got onto stand! Anyway going now so will speak later. x x

you cheats youve stolen loads of my photos!!

Why thanks for being so generous lending us you photos!!!! Glad you wanted your pics to be part of the blog!!!!

Hi, Daringdo and Tinkerbell, Hope you still having a wonderful time there. Bin looking at some of the photos of when Alicia was with you. Beautiful pictures of you all with the cubs. What superb creatures they are. I have had to stop looking at them, never had such an intense feeling of regret about not going somewhere! It must be strange to see so much poverty around and yet see all those richly decorated temples. They look so beautiful and those flowers, the pink ones were superb. Did they have a perfume? The temple with the carved elephants was fantastic, was it dedicated to elephants in some way? Yesterday I cut down two more little conifers and cleared some more of the brambles and perriwinkle near the fence. I did so much tugging and pulling and sawing I could barely move my hands last night and this morning. Ruth and Charlie gave me a hand to cut and bag all of the stuff this afternoon. I really appreciated that because there was a little mountain range of cuttings along the lawn!! We collected 8 dustbin bags full. Stephen and Martin are going to help me get it all to the tip. Well it is now 12.45am so I think I had better try and get to sleep. Got another busy day tomorrow. Take care of yourselves and each other. Miss you both, lots of love from me to you.xx

Hi, well when you wrote to us we were having fun and up until the last few days still were. You are aware of the issues with the sharesave so wont tell you again. The time with the cubs was fabulous, bu again since you put that we have spoke and you can look forward to your chance with them! Just finished putting more pictures and blogs on so you will have some more to see and they are pretty good ones and a bit different!! We move tomorrow to Singapore then its back to Thailand for a holiday unil we come home and with a 90 day visa we hopefully wont have to worry about moving to far! Lotsa love speak soon. x x

Hi you 3. No blog or photos for 2 weeks. I'm getting withdrawal syptoms!! Glad to hear all is well & Alicia keeping up with hectic pace of life - not to mention the food, creepy crawlies etc. Well Alicia, I gather you've some exciting news of a major adventure. Can't wait to hear about it. You never know though - I may just be speaking to you all in the next few days. Philip tell me he's been gadget shopping!! Love & hugs to you all XXX
PS Alicia may have told you about Benji moving in on the Sunday. Well, he did a runner on the Wednesday, not to be seen since. We put posters up all over Headingley & at vets so hopefully no news is good news & I bet he's already adopted a new family! Shame as he was a real cutie.
XXX

Hey, sorry to hear about cat, hopefully he is alright somewhere else though. as for blogs i dont know if you heard when we were briefly on skype that we had put one on but it wasnt showing for some reason but the last one is the siem reap and sihanoukville one and we will be putting another one on in the nex few days hopefully. sorry had to go so soon when skyping, next time will make sure have plenty of time, good to know it works though!! speak soon hopefully love to u a PO xxxxx

Hey hey i have chosen and ordered a wedding dress so no need to worry, they did say i left it a bit late, the dress can take anything up 6 months to come in and then they usually say 1 month for fitting and i get married in 7 months lol, im sure it will be fine. if not ill slum it down the isle in a bin bag. it would be cheaper that way. Glad you are both still really enjoying it, i have a week in holland with band coming up but that it for this year. Im counting down the weekd till we go to the maldives. I cant wait . Oh well time is up im back on the phone in a min to take lovely lending calls nOOOOt. see you soon ish
love to all xxx

Its about time you sorted your wedding dress out. im sure it will be fine too. Even if you did slum it down in a bin bag im sure Nick will still say yes!!!! I really want to go back to the maldives, think we're going to go back in next few years you will have to tell me how nice it still is when you get back. you love lending calls, dont pretend you dont. u still doing mortgage calls or stopped them? Not long til we're back now, cant wait to see you. Love from both of us, miss you xxxxx

Hi Daringdo and Tinkerbell. Well it is midnight again and I have been going through photos this time. I just loved the Beverley Hills pictures and as for Rodeo Drive, Wow, that looks beautiful. I have to say guys that yellow car is just my kind of car. I think if I demolished the garage, garden wall and shed and maybe half the width of the front steps it would probably fit nicely in the drive!!!! Beverley Hills looked pretty and you can see why it has 'Hills' in it's name. The mix of star's names on Hollywood Boulevard seems quite bizarre, as you said. Glad you got pictures of them. Oh, and I've been looking at some pictures which looked like an Asian version of Blackpool illuminations. Very pretty. Well, I guess you are going to have an especially interesting time for the next three weeks. Have fun Alicia, well done. What a lucky girl you are, being able to tag along with our two intrepid travellers. They have got this travelling lark sorted out now which will be great for you. Well guys, guess I ought to go to bed. Glad you got back to Bangkok safely. Take care. Love you lots. Hugs as usual please.xx

Hi, yes the car was very nice and Beverly hills has certainly got style and a price tag to match!! Strange how plain the hotel from pretty womem was though. Think the Asian blackpool ones you mean are the animals in the river and lanterns on trees which is in Vietnam.

Interesting three weeks! That could be an understatement, it will be like Carina at the start all over again. With what we have lined up though it should be fun.

We are sat waiting for a bus at the minute and will be for a few hours followed by a flight in the morning before we finaly stop at our destination tomorrow afternoon. So its food time I think so we will chat again soon probs on skype before here. x x

Hi Daringdo and Tinkerbell. It is now midnight and I have just been catching up with your blogs. As you know, I am now doing these backwards and I have just been reading Little Nan's day. Needless to say I am in bits at the moment but would like to say Thank You for the lovely day. She would have loved all that you did and saw and like you I hope she was seeing it all through your eyes. I don't think anybody will ever realize how difficult it was for you to carry on with your trip but mum would have been so proud of you. She was really impressed by you and Carina and all the hard work you both did to achieve this. She never ever wanted to put anybody to any trouble and would have been horrified to think that she had been the cause of you not fulfilling your dream.

Certain parts of America sound wonderful to me. You certainly packed a lot of activity in there. You do seem to have problems with the performance at borders don't you. Well, the song 'I did it my way' certainly applies to the pair of you. I got to finish chatting for now. Take good care of yourselves and each other. Lots of love, miss you both.xx

Hi you dirty stop up, well at least you are getting through them one way or another! When Little nans blog was wrote I wasnt in a bit of a mess as well, I think writing that helped in a way though. The decision of what to do was very difficult especially been the second time it had happened while were away. We are glad you liked the day and nan didnt deserve anything less! Just hope it was enough. Writing sad news blogs seems odd but we said we would share everything about this trip and although it is fantastic to be doing it and we love it, things tsill go wrong and problems still happen just as they do there. So we share it all.

America was packed full! Couldnt possibly have got any more in in that time, Yellow stone is one of the favourites there. As for borders they are a bloody nuisance to say the least, but part of the fun as well but wont be missed!!

Hope you are ok will let you know when we get to Bangkok later. x x

I spoke to Naomi & I'm afraid she said the course can't be put back. She says there will be a wash up course next year to pick up people that haven't done it yet such as people on Maternity leave (did I tell you Sarah Ward & Farida are pregnant?). The 2010 training plans haven't been made yet so she can't say when it will be, but she said if it is a long way off she will look to sort you out with some one on one training but you def won't get left behind.

I was on a course with James Suckling last week. He told me he arranged for you to visit GSC, hope you enjoy it. I was partnered with James to do loads of exercises & it was funny cos we both have organised wardrobes & dvd's in alphabetical order and stuff so basically we are both control freaks!

I got my blood tests back & they are normal, my Dr said it is just life! Really! Kimberley has been off work for 6 weeks now & has a sicknote for another 4 weeks, I'm worried about her, she is just really down. I went to see her the other week & I just wanted to give her a big hug, but then I don't do things like that!

My brother left to go live in Malta today. I was a bit upset. I'm really worried about him, my step dad will be with him for the first few months but how will he cope on his own?! Plus everyone keeps saying that my mum will go live there too. I don't think so!! HSBC opened a call centre in Malta last year, I've been told I could transfer there no problems. So if Chris pisses me off I have my back up plan ready lol.

For the record I agree with Dave, I have dinner & tea xxx

Hey, well the new word is 'dinch' a mixure of dinner and lunch!!!

Thats ok about training, as long as i get to do it thats the main thing, thanks for checking about it.

whats up with kimerley? thats a long time off work and i really hope shes ok, as for you wanting to giv her a big hug that really isn like you!!! can you send me her number pls, lost it with rest of them, got urs from email thanx.

how come your brother has moved to malta, seems a big move and as for you going over there a much as chris annoys you sometimes you'll miss everyone too much.

really hoping there was something from the Dr to explain things for you, i just dont think they check for everything, just guess what i could be and do tests for that, you never know if you can believe them or not!! i do think you need checking about the dvds being in order like that though!!! only joking.

oh and no you didnt tell me sarah and farida were pregnant, really surprised about farida and as for sarah when is she going to stop popping!!!!

how come you were treated to london for that meal, sounds very posh and i can just imagine naomi telling you you cant drink oo much, i do feel like you though in rgards to the alcohol, i would much rather have a fruit shake than anything alcoholic!!

speak soon xxxxx