Mich Wischer Staisy!! oh my god Paris sounds fantastic! i cant wait to hear all about the appointments and shows when u get back!! hope the weather is nice and your not too worn out! haha be safe!! SEE you soon! xoxo

Sarina Zammit Hey babe, It sounds absolutely amazing!!! cant wait to hear all your stories :) That was so nice of Amelia to give you her ticket what an awesome experience! Keep having the best time and looking forward to seeing photos Lots of love, Sarina xxx

christinawilson Hi sweetie, sending this from work as my laptop is playing up - well the outgoing server is and I cannot send emails this week. Can read them though so I have seen the photos from Florence - fantastic, although how can you eat MacDonald's in Italy???? Fiona sent you some notes about Cinque Terre as she was there last year. Sent on Sunday so I hope you got them. You must be in Milan and on your way to Paris. it must have been nice to see Amanda and Georgina - a friendly face goes a long way. I can't imagine what the fashion show must have been like. All is good here. Week 3 at work and I love it. Leon's new boyfriend is coming over tonight for roast chicken - yum. And I am off to your parents tomorrow as Athina has organised dinner with her coach (who i know) as he is going on a contract to Papua New Guinea. We have had a terrible tsunami in Samoa - devastation and so far 140 people have died and many more injured. It is very sad. Love you and thinking of you every day. love chris

Christina Wilson Hi Stais, will you please take a photo of your doors. I absolutely love those huge wooden doors - what opens up behind them is amazing. If you go to the market at piazza del signorina, there is a bronze boar that is the symbol of the market. Rub his nose for good luck for you and me. Can you light a candle somewhere on your travels for Dad. It was his wedding anniversay today - would hve been 58 years!!!. Loved hearing your voice tonight. love Chris

Christina Wilson Hi Stais, will you please take a photo of your doors. I absolutely love those huge wooden doors - what opens up behind them is amazing. If you go to the market at piazza del signorina, there is a bronze boar that is the symbol of the market. Rub his nose for good luck for you and me. Can you light a candle somewhere on your travels for Dad. It was his wedding anniversay today - would hve been 58 years!!!. Loved hearing your voice tonight. love Chris

Allan Driver Stais, Your parcel from Corfu arrived safely. Love, Dad

athina georgiou Stais, So good to get your email to say that you got to Florence. Not surprised that you fell in love with Rome - a love hate relationship (so much like the Italian way!) Can't wait to see the picture of the Vatican? Was the Pope home? I am sure you're looking forward to seeing the Brownlow fashions - will keep the Age for you. Rebecca T a little more sedate this year. Love always. PK still fretting for you. AG

Allan Driver Stais, It is great that you are meeting new people and having a great time. News from home is that Gary Ablett won the Brownlow Medal on Monday night. More later. Love, Mum and Dad

Allan Driver Stais, Lucas arrived home safe and sound. He had a meal with us tonight and sent him home to his new place in St Kilda. Love, Mum and Dad

Allan Driver Stais, Just to let you know that Geelong thrashed Collingwood in the second Preliminary Final. So the Grand Final is between St Kilda and Geelong next Saturday. Love, Dad

Allan Driver Stais, I picked up your car today (Saturday morning) and it looks just like a new one! Mum is off with Nana at the moment to organise tickets for their trip to Corfu. The photos of you at Corfu look really good and brought back some great memories. The photo of you, Anastasia and Noula is special. This idea of a website is really good and we look forward to hearing and seeing what you are doing. Athina is going to the Melbourne Airport on Sunday morning to see Lisa and Lucas return. That will be special for her. St Kilda beat the Western Bulldogs in the first Preliminary Final by just 7 points! Take care. love Dad

Christina Wilson I forgot to say the photos from Dubai are fantastic. love C

Christina Wilson Hi gorgeous girl, it was so fantastic to hear your voice tonight and you sound pretty chirpy even if yesterday was such a bad day. As they say s*** happens, and the holiday would not be the same without a few dramas eh. It sounds like Fabbro has given you good advice about not going out with too much in your wallet. As much as it is a pain, that stuff can be replaced. It is tiring on your won as you have to manageeverything and can't leave thingswith a freind to go off and a drink or whatever. The magic of Italy will seduce you I am sure. It is so European. I still think you will fall in love with Florence. Roma is a mad bustling city full of crazy Italians but it is great. You were not far from the Sapnish Steps at Piazza del Popolo. If you had walked back down the main avenue (an ok walk ) you would have ended up there. So your sense of direction can't be too bad. Remember too that all the designer shops and in the street at the bottom of the Spanish steps - it is a lovely walk too. I think booking yourself on some tours has been a great idea and it will give you a sense of the city and some of the history plus some company. We scattered Iain's ashes on one of the hills (Jupiter's)_and he has a great view over the Forum one way and to the Coloseum the other. He would have been 50 next Friday - how he would have hated that!!! Campo dei Fiori is beautiful - we stayed around the corner in an apartment and went every day to get fresh fruit and chesee and bread for lunch. It might be a fair way from your hostel tho". Another great place to go is the Pantheon which is not far from Trevi, in between that and Piazza Navona if I recollect right. You can sit and have a tea at one of the cafes and just look at the structure (it is a perfect dome and original ruins are first century,). There is a fantasic paper shop just off the square too. But you will see plenty of that in Firenze. My last message on Wednesday night clearly did not get through. My telstra connection dropped out which is does often so I will tell you the news other than what we said on the phone. The really big news is that I have booked to go to Byron on Christmas day for 4 days - it was a big thing and I felt pretty sad (I know that is stupid but you know me -hate the change and then I seem to bring it on!!! - sometimes I wish not so much) but I think it is good too and we will find a different way to celebrate with the family and do the stockings and tree. Havbent' told them yet - they might read it on this site first. Daniel and I went to Cutler and Co last night. The only booking was for 9.30 pm!!. The food was really good but not to die for. Expensive. However you can go and have a drink and a nibble at the bar so we should do that - it is a groovy space. At the top end of Gertrude near Nicholson so we could walk from the city. Am trying to get Colin to give Pip back to us as Leon got home last night from England. Colin says she won't have a good time here now because I am at work so am working on that. His birthday next week - 42 and we are going to Agapi with a group of people. Well will post this and think of you taking photos this afternoon - have a beautiful gelati in that hot weather. Loads of love. Miss you but know you are on an amazing experience. Chris

Allan Driver Dear Stais, I had lunch with a rowing friend on Wednesday and he will be in Italy at the same time as you, but not crossing paths much. His name is Dave Weigall and mobile 0418 128 232. He and his wife Pru arrive in Rome on 20th Sep and then go to Lucca: Palazzo Alexandra, then Monterosso Albergo Cinque Terra on 23/25 Sep, then Como palace hotel on 27/28 Sep. I am just letting you know in case you need to call him for anything. Today, Thursday, it has been raining most of the day in Melbourne. Remember, please don't fall asleep on any boats or trains. Love, Dad

Athina Georgiou Hi there, Can't wait to see the photos - hope you took your bathers for a swim in Corfu! So pleased you enjoyed the sand dunes - hope you met some nice people. Give Noula a big kiss. Met Carolyn on Sunday night - first draft for Inverloch plans are looking terrific. Love always. PK really moping aboput without you. AG