Mum and Dad Having now collected you from Heathrow and given you huge hugs, can I record what a tremendous trip we have had with you! Your blogs and photos show the great joy you have had visiting some wonder filled places and giving us a view of people and places we would never otherwise have known about. Many thanks also to Phil and Barb for giving you such a great start. Lots of love, Mum and Dad

Mum Happy New Year! Looking forward so much to seeing you on Wednesday. Christmas day will be happening again on the 9th!!! Love Mum x

Mum and Dad Just viewed your New Year photos from Sydney. What a wonderful way to complete your travels...until you journey again! Looking forward to seeing you at Heathrow on Wednesday morning. With all our love, Mum and Dad

Mum and Dad Even a cloudy Bondi Beach outdoes wintry home! Great to see you both looking so well and sun-tanned. We are going out for a Gibside walk this morning and have even got Louis out for over an hour in the snow. Be in touch soon. Lots of love, Mum and Dad

Phil, Barb, and Jean Christmas on Bondi beach looked great! We are all asking was it one bottle of champagne? Vancouver is also very sunny at present, but 35 degrees Celsius colder than Sydney. Enjoy new year and the fireworks display. Happy 2010 from us all.

Brimble Haha! a toad race! that's funny! what a sport! & you won!..hope your vans comfortable! glad its going well! Merry Christmas! Brimbs xxx

Phil and Barb Here is your Christmas card! Merry Christmas from Barb and Phil. Enjoy the remaining days in Australia.

Mum and Dad It was lovely to read your blog entries and see what a great use you have made of your visit to Australia. It was also good to hear that you are putting your "incident" into perspective, and continuing to have as much fun as you can. As we look out onto several inches of fresh snow, it has been wonderful to be transported into a totally different part of the planet. One with heat and sunshine. Take care on the rest of your journey. Lots of love, Mum and Dad

Lynda Hear you are in Australia Can't access blog but also hear that you are both well. Noah's 1st birthday on Thursday Can't believe that Hope you both have a lovely Christmas Lynda (and all)

Mum and Dad The diving and snorkeling pictures are excellent. It's amazing what you can do with an H2O camera phone! Claire, you will have to let us know how you can throw yourself out of an aircraft and still smile. Lots of love, Mum and Dad

Mum and Dad We enjoyed your blog on Vietnam very much and have come to the conclusion that if you give up your day jobs you could do worse than become Travel Writers. Pete and Tricia and Liz and Arthur are visiting this weekend for Auntie Kathleen's Birthday and all send their love. David Murphy is in India until December and you may be able to see his photos on Facebook. Lots of love, Mum and Dad.

Phil and Barb David and Claire, Catching up with all your adventures. Looks like the fun never stops! As noted in another message, enjoy the warmer Christmas season. Just like Britain, we are experiencing very heavy rainfall. Cowichan Bay was flooded as were many parts of Duncan. No word on Hillary's cheese shop, but I am sure it survived!. Barb and Phil

Mum and Dad You have both taken some stunningly beautiful photographs. They also give the impression that there are very few people where you travel, especially in New Zealand. We are glad you are enjoying this leg of your travels so much, but, if Christmas time in the warm Southern Hemisphere seems a little strange, then I can assure you it beats the reality of cold, rainy days with little sunlight in the Northern Hemisphere! Lots of love, Mum and Dad

Lynda Great hearing about your adventures second hand from mum and dad. Sounds more exciting than Lincolnshire although Christmas shopping with your mum was probably exciting enough. When they were packing it was touch and go as to whether your mum would get in or have to return with us via Bolton Love to you both Lynda