Hi Win hope school is going ok. How many days left? It was great speaking to you again the other day. We are off to see the famous harbour bridge tomorrow. Is that on you world explorer cd rom? See if you can find it. the opera house should be there too. So we are being tourists and seeing all the sights. Have you been in touch with Daisy recently? any news? Bet you can't wait for Christmas. Are your brothers getting excited? It doesn't feel Christmassy here because it is so hot and sunny. Still, we will go for a swim in the sea on Christmas day which will be fun. Well i will' but Janet is keeping a good record of woossing out whenever swimming in the sea is on the cards. Speak to you soon from Tony's and have a great holidays. Lots of love from Dad xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

We are now in Sydney with unlimited email access so there is lots of reading and typing going on on our first night.( i think that is called correspondence.......Ed) Thanks again to all for keeping in touch.
Nik and Andy- thanks so much for sending us a Christmas card via Ben. We had such a great time with him in Cape town. We even made him miss his intended trip to Port Elizabeth for the first Test match. He must have been having fun with us! Hope you are having fun in your Camper Van Beethoven............ "take the skinheads bowling take them bowling" ( any excuse).
Mel and John and baby A.- Have a great first christmas with baby A. Its a special time for you. I have fond memories of last christmas...... scalectrix and chocolate.......
John how is the return to the classroom going, i have very litttle news on that so i am wondering how you are finding it. Ps Winona should be able to go chubby racing with you guys soon!!!!!!!!
Have a great time snowboarding. NPBR-great to hear from you. Sorry about Holland. Cape Town was so good with some of the best walking and climbing right on the doorstep. Table mountain was assailed in 3 hours up the skeleton Gorge route. The walking on top is just stunning. We took the cable car down which saved some effort but was a great experience too. it revolves as it travels which is a tad unnerving. Glad to hear the boys are fine and your chickens are keeping you amused. Am hoping to speak to you guys from Adelaide at Chrimbo. Eat drink and be merry. J Guy Band- do you have an email address yet or are you thoroughly immersed in the peasant life in Dorset. " yesterdays cakes is all i can afford"
Speak to you all again soon. T Guy Band where are you? xxxxxx

We're in Sydney, Australia (as opposed to Poitier) and I am verging on hysteria as we've been awake and travelling for somewhere around the 36 hour mark. Aaah! I keep getting alternately grotty and then overly lovey dovey with Pete. Poor boy doesn't know whether to cuddle me or stand clear. We have unlimited internet access here for $2 (80p) so we are trying to stay awake as long as we can by emailing etc... Hello to Karen! I didn't realise you were reading all the website stuff! So glad that you are. I miss the cold terribly, don't diss it, you'd hate Christmas in the sun. It's just not right!! Give Gramps a special Christmas kiss for me. I hope he's been getting my postcards, I have no other way of keeping in touch with him. For the benefit of Lisa Russell and any other person interested in the current hair situation...... aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh! Sob... sob... I look hideous as I am growing the bald look out. Probably only at about 2 inches now. TOP TIP: a diet of marshmallows and chocolate is not good for fast hair growth. Planning on seeing the sights tomorrow: bridge, opera house etc. + there should be live music and films in the open up near the harbour so that's the current plan. Love to all

hi guys! it was so nice seeing you again in cape town!! but johan and I both felt very sad after saying goodbye to you... then we suddenly realized that our trip was over. and that we wouldnt see you again for a long time. too bad. but now we're back in sweden. its cold. and dark. and rainy. and so on. our family is great though, we've missed them, and our friends too. I'm already planning for england, I'm supposed to be there on the 10th of January. I hope you'll have a wonderful christmas over there, take some time just to relax, if you can... hope to see ya soon! merry christmas and lots of love from sweden. its too bloody cold...!

quick message hope your last night in africa was lovely - cheers for yet another postcard you are doing very well at keeping that going. Have just put xmas cake in oven !! everyone great - say hi to Ben for us i will get onto his site. HAPPY CHRISTMAS just in case the festive season and baby stuff swallows me up!!!

Janet - just had a thought! How long is your hair now? We break up tomorrow. Wonder what the Christmas dinner at school will be like this year? All dept dinners tonight (Sci Hums and Tech - all at different places). Saw lots of last year's year 13 at the sixth form awards on Mon. Hve a great time in Australia and glad you ahve enjoyed Africa. Don't know how you coped with the seals! Secret Santa went well in the end. I am buying for Rob Ingram and Rachel Haimes is mine. School Fund going ok. Take care. Love Lisa xx

Goodness me, I've just looked back through the messages to see when we last wrote, it seems to have been a while. sorry. It sounds like you're having a great time, can't wait to see the pics. Bryn is still following your progress with interest. Ro has been on top form and is busy running around. i had a couple of days off last week and I took Ro out on the bike. Superb morning. Bryn is really looking forward to Christmas and is counting off the days. He was Joseph at the school play this year, aah, and was in top form and fully dressed in robes. Pauline is now working at the local playgroup and loving every minute, big step change in career, but she is much more relaxed. We now have 6 chickens, but they have stopped laying for the winter so we expect full production in the spring. The new 3 are all smokey coloured, but they keep getting picked on by the older 3. Holland is off the agenda now, but we'll keep you posted on the work front, it sort of changes day by day. If you get a spare day or two when you get back We'll bore you with it all. Hope you have a good christmas, and love from us all

Hiya Janet & Pete its your fav cousin here, yep you guessed it its karen. it sounds like your having a brill time i wish i was there instead of being stuck here at work in the not so sunny Bolton. Everyone up here is fine, grandpa asks if ive heard how your going on,mum keeps him updated, hes doing really well or as well as a 95 year old could be, Sophie is almost walking now shes so cute n always doing funny stuff, n im not too bad just sick of working all the time anyway i finish work for xmas on tues for 2 week so i cant wait, have a brill xmas n new year in oz. loadsa luv karen xxx

Old messages have been put away but are still there if anyone needs to see them. Our last day in Africa today, we're off up Table mountain again, but this time at night for celebratory cocktails...hurrah! Will also be saying bye to Ben Schiller for a few weeks before we meet up again in the new year in NZ. Anyone who wants to keep in contact with him, he has an offexploring address too: www.offexploring.com/bschiller
Have a fabulous Christmas holidays folks. Lots of love to all

We've made it through to the end of term, what a relief. Just about managed without you. South Africa sounds fantastic, especially the seals and penguins. Expect your hair is natural sun-bleached blonde by now. Cuddle a koala for us in Oz. Bad news for my son, Rob. Exeter University have closed their chemistry dept as from July 2005. Don't know what he is going to do yet, but is looking to transfer to Bristol direct into the 2nd year. Have a great Christmas. See you in the New Year, eventually
Love The Techs XXXXX

abi got your postcard this morning and tried to phone you on my mobile to talk to you about it - god knows who she spoke to.!!!! Anyway, I said it was a lovely heart and she said no,its a lion like Aunty Janet's shoes? bizarre! maybe she doesn't remember you? or maybe you've got shoes I don't remember!! Anyway, Thank you - Cate

hello you 2 thankyou for the zim postie Arabella enjoyed devouring it!!!!She is sitting on my lap as i type playing with xmas cards. Things great here can't wait for xmas hols J out buying wine in prep!!back at work now things ok busy already!!A is getting on well at nursery got really excited to see the girl who looks after her last wed so no worries there!! She has also come home with lots of art work already and enjoyed paint between her feet!!! my xmas pressie arrived this morning a snowboard how exciting!!!we have already road tested A's xmas pressie a 'chariot' on the back of the bike had a good ride around burr resrv last sun. Well u 2 have a great xmas if i don't get to this again hugs US XX