"San Francisco, California, which actually is amazingly like Glasgow for its downtown shopping complexes" ..............................You mean San Francisco has a barras as well? Good stuff, get me 10 lighters and some sports socks next time you're there.

Hey Suzanne, howzitgaun'? I like your fur-coat-nae-knickers travel comment! Maybe you could've got Dubya and cronies a cheapo flight to Prestwick for G8 - apparently Air Force One was spotted by one of Alan's pals at the airport. Did you watch any of Live8? I saw Will Smith giving it "summer, summer summertime" in Philly, while we had Travis singing "Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" here in Hyde Park, London (apt, I feel). There's another Live8 concert happening tomorrow in Edinburgh. You got any summer plans or are you waiting for Leanne to flex the plastic and go over visit you for a change? Alan and I are off to Sri Lanka in Oct but apparently the trek requires a "reasonable level of fitness" and seeing as I have sub-zero levels of fitness I have been trying to hit the gym. Well, I dug out my trainers at least. Hope you're well! MC x

Suzanne here, reporting from a web cafe in foggy San Francisco, California, which actually is amazingly like Glasgow for its temperature, hills and downtown shopping complexes. Yesterday I flew first class from Cincinatti and am staying at a swank Hyatt hotel for a whopping 56 dollars a night. I specialize in fur-coat-no-knickers travel. Hope all is well across the Pacific, James!

Hi James! Is that you back on your own now again ? Are the girls away to America? I heard that Veneet is back home for a wedding, therefore you wouldn't have the chance to meet up again.Did you enjoy Fiji? Was the weather good there?Is it winter there too, like New Zealand?Can you contact again before you go off on your trek?Have you enough money left for what you want to do? Let us know as son as pos. so that you can get it on time.STA travel sent a letter to you . Dad happened to open it by mistake but it said that your travel insurance is up on August 9th. Do you want me to contact them and try to renew it for another month if that's poss. or do you want the yearly one again?Phone and let me know what needs to be done. I'm now off on hol. and into the cleaning - big style! It's your room today! Bought a new set of 6 ft. ladders this morn.& managed to get them into my car!So there's no stopping me now .No corner I can't reach!Leanne graduates on Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Finally ,I can see the last member of the family over that last hurdle! It's been a long hard slog!Everything here is as usual.Weather -not really summer weather.One day it is sunny , next it's dull! At least it's warm!Dad and I are probably going to go to Carrowcannon for hol. If weather doesn't improve we might venture south.Dad saw a cracking motor-home on Sunday on way back from Portpatrick. Really impressed by it. Think that's the long- long term goal now!Retirement time! We'll hopefully see the continent yet,in our own style of travelling -not with a back-pack but with a home at our back! Well ,hope you have some rest before you go on your trek.How many will be in your group?Will you be stopping off in any towns whereby you might be able to contact home from time to time.Look forward to hearing from you again. Take extra care now in Africa! Try to contact before you go. Love Mum.

hello. in sydney- just for a day as im on may way to south africa 2moro, having come from fiji today. fiji was pretty nice, but i never really had the chance to see much- and never got to go to the islands off the main one, but i can always go back... i will have a few days in cape town before my trek starts this weekend.

well as they say, when in rome...so the bungee was a must. incidentily yesterday i spent in a mud bath, a 42 degree spa and then ran (tumbled) down a 170m long hill inside a huge inflatable hamster ball thing, with a bucket of water inside- all good fun. significantly updated all my photos- now my australia selection is complete, and a good chunk of new zealand as well.

Hi James,

I managed to revive your mother at work yesterday when she heard of your bungee jump! I've been following your trip in school with some classes - they all think it's "awesome". Glasgow City Council doesn't allow us to reply, which is why it's taken me so long to put a message on - dial up n a' that!
Wonder how mum was heading for Portpatrick today - her taxi (me!) didn't get her home till the back of 2! A very good night was had by all.

Enjoy the rest of your trip. I'm off to Spain for 3 weeks in July. Yviva Espana!

Hola Jimbo y otros muchachos. Have just returned myself from Florida, where I did not bungee jump but did do some Dolly Parton karaoke to the delight of a crowd of drag queens. Thanks for the recent reports from the expedition and the photos! Wasn't that Uluru rock the site of the famous "Dingo Ate My Baby" incident which became that movie starring Meryl Streep? Anyone know the movie I'm talking about? Watch out for them there dingos, mate. cheers, Suz

Jimbo - your mothers reaction was the "mother" of all sighs with a "I dont know anymore"

hello all. apparently the moto in NZ is that if u come to the country, and dont do a bungee jump, then u are a woose, and its almost an insult to them cos this is the birthplace of bungee. i obviously couldnt have that, and in my attempts to always imerse myself in the local culture, i duely jumped off a 47m cliff today with a big elastic band tied to my feet. it was amazing- thats that box ticked, so mum u have no need to worry anymore. anne marie- im actually in rotoura, on the north island just now, moving towards auckland- as im flying out of there on wed to fiji. (incidentily its an amazing place, its all geothermal pools and vents and stuff- really cool, or hot in fact) ive little time left here, and prob wouldnt be able to meet up- which is unfortunate. let me know where they are anyway. cya later.

James, where in NZ are you exactly at the moment? Dave's sister and boyfriend are there for 7 weeks as part of their round the world in a year tour. Me thinks they've been there a month so far. Enjoy the rest of your trip, The TurnersX.

Jimbo - I hope Chris Columbus was right because you are now at the edge of your wee map in your Home Page and if you go any further East towards Fiji you might fall off the edge of the world