Hello Kat and Tinks. Why was my name last on the postcard? I'll have words when you get back!!! Have just seen the lovely pictures and am envious. Take care of yourselves. Lots of love Granny.

I have broadband now! So everything is very quick! Hello by the way! How are you both? I hear I have a pressie, so thank you very much. Will get over to Mum's and get it asap. It's nice that Marmi has started catching mice again as I had to sort out his mouse guts when Mum and Jim were away! Anyway I have very little to report as school is the same as always. One child thinks he's a dog, another makes ghost noises and another hisses like a snake! Oh the fun! House is coming along nicely. You can almost fit the car in the garage, but all Simon's done is move stuff in to the shed, so you can't get in to the shed now! Argh! Anyway I had better get marking. Miss you, Callie x

hello everybody, Thakyou for all your lovely messages we have been very busy this week lots to see and do with little time!!! Fisrst would like to thank Amy for your most useful chinease phrase has helped a lot NOT! Next what have we done?? We have been to the forbidden city, very nice apart from the tour groups who like pushing westerners out the way. Also seen tain anmen square one were you cannot cycle round it but you can drive a tank on it. Went to the Great wall, def a must see was really good even with the steep inclines and watching the rain clouds close in. Beihai Park with a screen with nine dragons on it was very nice apart from the locals and chinese tourists thinking we were the tourist attraction. Temple of heaven also very nice with lots of history but is being renovated for the olympic games. we have also been in many markets again, and if you walk off they will tend to run after you with the price you want, but they can also grab you in their stall and wont let go, had to prize a womans grip off kats arm in one, but it got the price we wanted to pay. They did comment that we are hard bargainers ( we think Bali had something to do with that). Good news chris and fi about getting a house in brock hill. keep you posted on more travels soon
love from kat and tinks xxxx

Have just spent happy 5 mins looking at your pics. Bali does look nice, but what about the creepy crawlies? Ste - please no more pics of you with only your shorts on it is v upsetting for a mummy! We are all well here. Work is rubbish but at least it's half term soon. Marmi is a very clever boy at the moment as he's found out where the local mice live and he and Daddy are back playing their fav game of hunt the mouse in the lounge / kitchen / bedroom! Thanks for the parcel, how kind to arrange to have it delivered at 6:45 on a Saturday!!! Thanks for the mask - it's great. Will deliver other pressie asap. Well must go now more essential handbags and shoes to be bought today!! Much love. Us XXXXX

Hi mateys
Hope everything is going well in China. Do they do nice chinese chips like downstaris?!! There's a coppa in ur old place. We hopefully going to be moving soon to a house in Brockhill. There's 2 bedrooms so u can come stay when u get back. We're just fed up with all the kids. Its getting worse. Chris is helping out in Merry Hill this week. Teachings going ok. Quick question to u teachers out there..... Whats the best way to deal with ADHD kids?!! Theyre doin my head in Got 2! Well hope to hear from u soon. Can u take a look at our reply on our website, there's a v. important message u need to read.
Love Fi and Chris.
P.S. Miss You!

Hello yous twos!
Enjoying looking at your lovely photos and reading all about your adventures. Hope you are getting used to everything in China being in chinese by now (strange that, isn't it?)
We had a little family get together on Sunday at Caroline and Simon's new place which was very nice. Granny Mary was there and your Mum and Jim, and Jim's Mum and Dad. So Steve and I had a captive audience to bore to death with our pictures of our successful conquering of the Three Peaks. Yes, we did it - there's life in the old dogs yet!
Phil lives to skateboard another day by doing well in his GCSEs despite doing practically no revision! Pete got an A in his GCSE maths as well so we are pretty proud of them both (but mustn't let on!).
Anyway, just a quickie to say we haven't forgotten you and hope you are still enjoying yourselves.
Love Aunty Deb, Uncle Steve P & P and a special hello from Granny Mary xx

Hellooooooooo!!!! So i am back!!! Costa Rica was AMAZING!!! Spent 5 days in this tiny little place in the middle of nowhere called Drake Bay - was fab had to get there on a 12 seater plane (with a shack as the arrivals lounge) followed by a half hour bump in the back of a truck fording streams etc followed by a 500m walk along the beach followed by our luggage in a tractor!!! Spent 3 days diving (saw so many sharks!!!) did a night tour (LOADS OF BUGS!!!) and hiking in the rainforest (amazing)!! then headed up to Arenal for 5 days (live volcano) very fun went white water rafting and canopy climbing (I went upside down and like superman - Darren went very slowly as he was very scared!!!! Bless) day in San Jose - not much to see and then 3 days in Miami SHOPPING!!!! All in all seriously cool - saw hump back whale porn (well the backs of them while they were at it anyway) followed by the male doing this spectacular Jump 5m off the side of our boat!! So much to tell and so many photos to show!!! Maybe will email you some of the best ones to your email!!!! Glad you are having fun and soz for the HUGE message!!! Enjoy China! Hoy Fat Moi Choy (or something is chinese for Happy New Year i think) Love Axxxxxx

ne how everyone. (hello everyone in chinese)
China is cool except everythng is in chinese, we are playing a game of spot the brands as even mc donalds is in chinese symbols. We have been eating chinese food although we do not know what we have had because it is chinese symbols. We have just spent this morning trying to buy train tickets to Hong Kong (very interesting) but we did it, as our chinese is coming along nicely. Callie glad to hear you found the kitchen. mummy the food is very nice better than the takeaway also is about 1/4 of the cost. peking duck and pancakes is around 2 pounds and 2 lots of chicken in black bean and drinks is 2 pound 50. We are going to do lots of attractions in the next few day and then we are going to Hong Kong on tues 27th. Report back soon on our adventures. Mummy we have found that half the stuff we are carrying has been made in China. I did not know there was a trade embargo.
love you all lots
kat and tinks xxxxx

Hello Beijing, I r tired, I r tired?!!!.
Hope the journey was okay. and that you are enjoying the change of scenery.
Has the scenery changed?
what does it look like?
Can we see some photos?
What's the food like, is it like take away chinese on a Saturday night?
Remember the EU has a trade embargo on clothes from China so no buying cheap shirts with sticky up collars or silk dresses for mummies.
Love Us.xx

hi all arrived safety in Beijing will write again soon and reply to all messages, we are a tad tired as we have not slept for two days now, nite nite love Kat and Tinks xxxx

Found the kitchen finally. Just one room I have no idea where it is and that's the second bedroom. House is lovely and starting to feel like home. What did you barter for? Love Callie

hi guys, glad your both havin a great time. im jealous of your sun tans. all the photos look great, kat i hope u didnt mistake ste for some of the animals. i been at the nursery 3 months now and the kids love me. bye for now. keep havin a great time xx