Mum Nearly time to come home now - sad in some ways but great in others. Enjoy Culcutta and have safe journys home. Mumxxxx

Grandpa Glad to read of your continued adventures. When in Calcutta, remind your father that, as a member of the Calcutta Turf Club, JWJL drew the winning numbers in the Calcutta Sweeps on the Derby and St Leger in 1927. The odds against drawing Call Boy in the Derby Sweep were 561,628 to 1, and in the St Leger 40,362 to l. The odds on the double of the two races would have run into millions. This legendary feat is recorded in The Romance of the Calcutta Sweep by Major H. Hobbs, published in Calcutta in 1930. All love and good luck!

Mum Read your message - all sounds wonderful. Have sent you and email. Lots of love Mum

Adrian Up at six this morning, the lake was still as anything, just the parakeets flying below. Had simple breakfast for a pound and then Edward and I got a rickshaw to the coach station to book our ticket for our bus journey to Jaipur, a government bus so no air conditioning and it takes nine hours. The cost for both of us, seven pounds. This is the most beautiful place and we have nearly got it to ourselves since it is the hot season. Had a guided tour of part of the Royal Palace which was built in the beginning of the seventeenth century, the Royal family are still in residence, largest palace in Rajhastan. Went and saw painters at work in the palace grounds and bought a small picture which is being mounted and framed at a cost of 3 pounds and delivered to the hotel tonight. Quick soup for lunch and then a visit to the only roof top swimming pool in Udaipur, stunning, only one other couple there and we treated ourselves to tea for a pound, so we spent three hours there, it was too hot to do anything else. This evening we have a first fitting with a tailor who is making both us a lightweight jacket, different colours, the cost of the two is less than Richard's. We will need them in Kolkota. Out to supper, Edward is taking me to a terrace that overlooks the lake for a drink before. Goodness knows what the temperature is, well in the hundreds. Tucked up in bed last night at nine thirty and lights out at ten. Love to all Adrian

Andrew Clench Edward, I am so sorry that I have not contacted earlier. However I have enjoyed reading about your travels. Madeleine and Robert have loved the pictures of the big hairy spiders, more please! I am bit confused about 'Dad' watching cricket at Lord's, I thought he was now with you. Anyway, I am glad you are having a wonderful and very interesting time. Please pass on my best regards to Adrian, as I missed his call with Claire before he left. Montgomerie, last night, almost won the US OPEN! Bogied the last. Wonders never cease. Well I hope this works and reaches you and love to all the familly who are able to read this. Andrew, Claire Madeleine and Robert.

Mum lovely to get your messages. It all sounds so wonderful. We are having a leisurely start to the day - church is in the evening - and I am thinking of you on the bus journey. Probably better to do it at night time cos it is not so hot but then you don't get the views. Can't have it all I suppose!! I wonder how many more people you will bump into i'm sure the ones in bobmay will not be the last!! Overcast here today but ward. did lots of watering last night. Looking forward to the next message and some piccies. Lots of love to you both and big hugs Me

Dad Have just got in having had Dinner, I sussed it out yesterday and met two boys on their gap year after leaving Charterhouse so met up with them for a beer in the Bar, only to meet the girl I sat next to on the plane from London with her boyfriend Tim Bond who is here on business. His granparents used to own Wheatwood Hall, parents live outside Alnmouth. The restaurant is the top one in Mumbai and in the top 60 in the world. Dont worry, usually a meal for two is only six pounds, tonight it was 39 and superb. Today we went to Elephant Island about an hour on a ferry, we went to see the carved caves built in about 7Ad. Boiling hot, monkeys everywhere. Get an overnight bus to Uddaipur tommorrow evening, takes about sixteen hours, so it will be crisps and coke for supper. Staying there for two days and then a nine hour coach trip to Jaipur. Edward on good form and good company. Beggars everywhere wanting to clean shoes even flipflops, great atmosphere and continual buzz. Hotel basic but very good, staff very helpfull, lovely views over the harbour. Off to watch England play cricket at Lords, some things dont even change in India. Love to everyone and yourself. Adrian

mum Hello darlings- I have been following your flights on the departure and arrival boards onthe internet and Adrian, you should have arrived now and Edward you will be a bit delayed cos you were late getting to Darwin. Clever isn't it. Just seen that there are awful floods in India - in the north particularly, so I do hope that you manage to get around without too much trouble. I am so envious of you both meeting up - big hugs to you both and an extra one, please A, to Edward from me!! lots of love Mum xxxxxxx

Ed Dad, the info for memery cards is: you need to get a "xD-Picture card" of the 512 megabyte or 256mb variety. It depends on how many photos you reckon we are going to take.

Mum have sent you an email!! Lots of love Mum

Picnic in the hills last night with Pat and Jim, lovely views, retired early before being bitten to death by the midges. Woke up this morning to see a red squirrel on the lawn. Need details of memory card for your camera. Richard and I head south at the crack of dawn tomorrow, lunch with Tania on Tuesday before Richard drops me off at Joy's. Sun not out yet, it was 44 degrees in Calcutta yesterday and 38 in Bombay. love as always Dad.

Dad Another scorcher, Richard and I are teeing off at Bamburgh today. Go to www.viewhotelsindia.com and see the Harbour View Hotel, booked in this morning. I arrive in the morning at 11.15 and they are sending a car to collect me and they will do the same for you in the evening I will give them your flight number and meet you back at the hotel, at a cost of 800 ruppees and it is about an hours journey, dont give any money it will either go on the bill or I will pay for you at arrival at the hotel. Take a copy of the hotel telephone and address from their web site, as you can see we have free internet access at the hotel. Can not really believe that this time next week we will be meeting in India. Poor Charlotte in bed with cold and sore throat, fighting to get fit for county trials on Saturday at Hexham. Love Dadxxx

Dad Another scorcher here. Mummy of shortly to collect granny near Leeds which is the halfway point from Oxford. Richard off to Edinburgh to move into his new flat, back on thursday. Charlotte in the middle of exams. Hope all ios well with you. Love as always Dad

DAD England lost five wickets for 21 runs and were thrashed in the final test. High in the eighties here today. Richard has been making shelves in the shed and a large racks for all the garden tools. We have moved another 30 concrete slabs and angela has made a path behind the fruit cage and along side the beech hedge to the path, looks great. Paddy has got his helicopter licence. Went and orderd my malaria tablets today in Wooler and saw two traffic wardens, mad. Ross is coming to supper tonight since Bex is out of hospital and her mother is looking after her in Yorkshire. Ross has been working with Ken Armstrong in the steep wood by Hill Cottage building Pheasant pens. Shearing starts her sometime next week. As I look out of the study window i can see Richard reading his book with Purdey lying at his feet, He and Ross might go for a swim at Linhope spout this evening. This time next week Richard and make are way south to London and then Devon and I will get a coach from Exeter to Heathrow. Lots of love dad

mum have sent you an email!!