Hi Ian, Lovely to talk to you and Ben - I'm imagining the view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House that you described and wishing that I was with you! (wouldn't want to do the bridge walk though!)

Not much going on here apart from Ben coming home and gearing up for the birthday. Leavers' Mass at Clifton today so A Mag and Chris have gone down - I hope the rain stays away. Chris is windsurfing this evening and leaves before I get back from work so I won't see him until 7.30. He's got his flute exam in a couple of weeks and is still sailing on a Monday. Jerry says he's almost ready for a grade too, so he's keeping busy. Mrs Gittins came in to school to speak to him and the others yesterday - he thinks she's cool because she allowed Daniel to fiddle and said that she liked you! Chris and Chris have gone to Ireland for a few days so I hope they get some good weather. It's not that inspiring at the moment and we're really looking forward to Canada. Chris has plans to spend time with you before we leave so I hope you can schedule him in somewhere! Gramp rerceived your card and was very pleased to hear from you - he is well and the new summer house is lovely. He's got some heavy lifting work for you when you get back! Thinking of work, the smoking ban comes in in July so the R&C will be a smoke-free working environment - excellent news for you guys.

I'm glad you've got your Oz Experience booked. If you get the chance, let us know when you plan to be where so that we can follow your progress. Sounds like you'll be leaving Sydney at the same time as Ben, I hope you get a dive together. We'll be thinking of you all on Saturday night and I hope you all have a fantastic time but we do want Ben home in one piece if possible!!!

Take care, lots of love as always xxxx

Glad you're enjoying yourselves, hope you are now solvent again!

Have a safe flight and have a great time with Ben. (Hope you all remembered Fathers' Day on Sunday..?)

Looking forward to seeing the photos, bet you are all really brown. We, on the other hand, will all be pale and soggy and suffering from rising damp as our wonderful English summer really gets into its stride...!

Lots of love, take care, have fun but remember to be Good Boys (mostly, anyway) - GM xxxx

hey guys,

Have just come off of the islands in fiji, and have had an awesome time. Mana island was great, made good friends with the locals and people that worked there and ended up drinkning kava with them on our last night, that stuff is good!! Flying out tomorrow and looking forward to meeting up with Ben in Sydney.

Hope everyone is well, (will post some photos as soon as we can!)

xx

Hi Ian - Just to wish you a safe journey to Oz and have a great time with Ben. Don't let him lead you guys astray (or should that be the other way around - not sure!) Either way have a great time. Looking forward to your home coming too but don't want to wish your time away! Take care - love from us all.XX

Hey Ian not long till you get to oz.

Give me a ring as soon as you can 0424 294649 as i am running out of days.

I recomend that you guys stay at a backpackers called "wakeup" it is very good its next to central station so its very easy to get to and from places.

look forward to seeing you soon

On re-reading my message, it occurs to me that perhaps I should have been more specific - it's not just the NUMBER of limbs that you return with that's important: preferably they should all be your own, and still attached to the rest of you...

Hi again! Hope all is well over there, and the proper travelling is going well. Feeding the sharks sounds... shall we say exciting? (You don't need to know that what I really mean is 'completely terrifying'!) Glad they were satisfied with whatever was in the bucket and didn't feel tempted to take a chunk out of any of you, we'd all be best pleased if you all came back with the same number of limbs that you went out with.

Glad you remembered Mum's birthday Ian, you need to keep in with the banker you know! I am a little surprised that she didn't remind you actually, she always rings to remind me (sometimes more than once!) Mind you, I don't blame her, my memory is terrible. Talking of which, you haven't forgotten that it's Dad's birthday on June 26th have you? (I won't say how old, in case it makes him grumpy, but you know it's quite an important one..?) I doubt he;ll get any presents to top your Mum's though - she had a portable toilet from the Bennetts....! I didn't realise that she had a problem of that sort, but your Grandma always used to say 'Never miss an opportunity' so I suppose one is never too young to have one's own commode! (It's for camping allegedly, but they may have just been trying to be discreet...)

Went to the lake today with the entire tribe of Thomases and Bennetts and we had a fabulous day - the weather was incredibly hot and we all baked - currently I am more of a bright pink than golden brown, but I live in hope that I may be able to leave the house by Monday! Chrissie took me out in the Snark and I had to pull ropes and duck at the same time (co-ordination never being a strong point, I was a little worried by this idea, but since he didn't tell me I actually had to do anything until we were already out there, it was too late to change my mind...) and WE DIDN'T SINK! Nor did I fall overboard, which is always a good thing. He did brilliantly - I was very impressed with his sailing skills, he explained it all to me beautifully and I felt perfectly safe, which is also always a good thing! Ibet you'll see a few differences in him when you get back - he's growing up fast.

Had a dippy moment yesterday - Spent at least 5 minutes trying to get out of the flat yesterday morning becauseI couldn't get the key to turn properly to unlock the door - was just beginning to panic when I realised that I was using the wrong key - had put my Brownie keys on the same bunch and was trying to use one of them. Glad no-one else was there, I felt a right fool, but not as bad as if I'd had to ring work and say I couldn't come in because I was locked in!

Good to hear that you're ok and surviving even on noodles and fruit (bet you wish you hadn't fed everything to that shark now, eh?) Take good care of yourself and have a glorious time - lots of love, GMxxxx

Hi Ian, It was great to talk to you this morning and you remembered my birthday after all!! Diving in with the sharks in the aquarium does sound amazing and I don't suppose that many people have hand-fed a shark. Just don't go trying it in the ocean! Had a post card from Rob and Lilla yesterday from the Cooks - it sounds as if they've been chilling. We're going to the sailing club this afternoon and Jane is coming with us. Karl is doing his level1/2 and Chris wants to take out the Mirror. He's started sailing on a Monday evening which means that I have to take him over to South Cerney plus he's over there on a Thursday windsurfing so I'm spending plenty of time in the car - but not sleeping in it just yet! As I said everybody came round yesterday which was great and it won't be long before Ben is home and we're all together for Dad's birthday bash which we're having on July 1st - it's got a cornish theme and we're thinking pasties, strawberries and clotted cream and Spingo direct from Helston. It could get messy. Anyway enjoy the diving and have safe journies. Lots of love from us all xxxx

Hello Ian and Crew, Sounds like your having fun what are the dives your going to be doing i am looking forward to hearing about them? water has got cold here but it will still be warm enough for you guys coming from NZ.

The party sound like its going to be great loads of people and it ozzy dress so we have to get dressed up looking stupid in ozzy stuff so get thinking.

When you get here ring me on 0424 294649

looking forward to seeing you will be fun.

Hey everyone, just come back from our travels round south, didn't raelly see too much as we are on a rather tight time schedule. But we did get time to visit the Rob Roy and Franz Josef glaciers, felt like something out of Lord OF The rings was pretty awesome, will post photos when we can. Meeting up with our friends from Auckland this weekend, then hopefully a couple of dives before we leave on thursday. Ohh yeh, and incase you didnt know, i hand fed a 2.5m long shark in the aquarium on friday, that was pretty cool!

Hope everyone is well xxxx

Don't get any ideas about diving when you get back Ian, - you won't have time!!! You'll be too busy working to pay off your debts! Make the most of these last few weeks and TAKE CARE!! Lots of love as always xxxx

PS Zig keeps sneaking off upstairs and has taken over your sofa

hello Ian sounds like your into the diving which is cool as i will have someone to dive with when i get back, i have been looking at british diving and i think Jill and Barry may have visitors! I have just got back from the reef and had a mad time saw so many sharks it was unbelivable but the best was a Manta ray and a Minky Whale. Looking forward to taking you diving I hope that we can dive with the sharks in sydney as they are cool and look very mean and come close, its great.

Have fun on your travells look forward to hearing all about it with a beer or two.