Hello Krate! It's lovely, as always, to hear your news, but a bit depressing at the same time while I'm stuck at work! Do bear in mind what your mum said - of course you'll feel a bit lonely...but you're on a trip of a lifetime and we're all so very jealous of your exploits! I can't believe you're going on a sailing trip. It sounds amazing, but I get SO seasick I feel sick at the sight of a boat! Hopefully the sea breeze will keep the humidity away though. Did the German girl ever notice you? Or did you ever work out who she was?! It's not like you to forget who people are ;-) All is well here. I've had quite a quiet week this week which has been really nice. Ben and I went to see our annoying photographer on Tuesday as our album pages have been designed. We're having a funky modern-style album, where the pages are printed digitally and you can have a few photos on one page. It looks really lovely, so I don't hate her so much now! We'll get it in a few weeks, so am looking forward to boring everyone with it. Vee's hen do is all planned now - thanks to some help from you, Nat, Emily...the whole of Wales! Mum has paid for a stretch Hummer to pick us up on the Saturday night and 'cruise' for an hour, so we really can be a cringey hen party! It looks cool though - it has a massive sound system, champers, a TV and DVD player. Wish you were here to come with us! Otherwise, I don't have much news. Ben and I are going to a Gordon Ramsay restaurant on Sunday with a bloke from his work, who turns out to be gay...and his boyfriend is coming too. It's a typical Ben story - he didn't know he was gay etc. and the bloke used to talk about his girlfriend - so I'll fill you in another time! Have a fab sailing trip and let us know how you get on. Jane - I'm SO jealous you're seeing Madame Butterfly! Hope you have a wonderful time. Lots of love to all and keep your chin up Katie. Jools xxx

Hi love, Hope the sailing trip goes well, I hope you're ok and still coping on your own. Chris came around for his tea and showed me how to "burn" CDs etc. He seems fine and still very enthusiastic about his decorating. I'm going out with Eunice and all her friends on Thursday she's going back to live in London with her sister. We're going to the Ship so it'll be nice to see everyone. I'm off to see Madame Butterfly in Cardifff on Saturday with Pam, Rose, Chris and John. I'm looking forward to it and of course the rugby on Sunday. They're playing Ireland a dead loss on a Sunday but probably just as well after the last time Rose and I had a day at the rugby. Keep in touch love and stay safe, look after yourself and remember that there are bound to be times when you feel lonely but the good times more than make up for it. Speak to you very soon, Loads of love, Mum.

Hey everyone... Now in a place called Airlie Beach. It's nothing like as humid, but it's decided to rain, so that's nice. Met up with Mike from work and his wife Lucy this morning and we did brunch and had planned to have a bit of a BBQ tonight, but not sure whether it'll actually happen now!! Going on a 3 day sailing trip around the Whitsunday Islands from tomorrow. Feeling a bit apprehensive, as I'm not sure that I'm much of a sailor, but hopefully it'll be cool! Am sat on a computer, and have just turned around and seen a girl who I know I have met, I think she's German, but I cannot think for the life of me where I met her...so now I'm scared to turn around again...I'm such a pillock. I have a feeling I spent quite a bit of time with her too!! Bl**dy hell. (Thankfully she hasn't seen me, I don't think - or maybe she's thinking the same thing!) Better go...keep in touch everyone. I'll let you know how the sailing goes! Miss you all xxx

I'm on Magnetic Island off the coast of Queensland, where it must be about 99% humidity...I can't cope! I'm at a nice hostel though and met a couple of really nice girls from London last night and a guy from Peterborough who was very nice too :) I'm going to Airlie Beach tomorrow, from where I will go on the Whitsunday Islands sailing trip...bring on the sea sickness!!! As long as there's a sea breeze (literal or alcoholic) I'll be happy! Clairey...lovely to hear from you sweets. I'm feeling surprisingly friends- and family-sick at the moment, so the thought of seeing all you guys at a big party makes me feel a bit weepy! :) Keep in touch...I love hearing from you guys xxx

Hello Kate!!! As ever you are having far much more fun than all your pals back in good old Blighty - however like to think I am keeping the homes fires burning and all that!!!! Friday afternoon - half two (just had a few Pinot's at lunch, never good as it makes the aft sooooo lonnnngggg!!!) Ta very mucho for your card!!! Very excited at being 28 (well, more at the parties and stuff - not in the Priory quite yet!). Also excited at the propspect of a party for you coming home - count me in on that malarky - love it in the Green Country!! Sharks, and flying through the air - well cool! Oz does indeed sound fab - have been trying to convince Clive that going to live there for a spell would be a plan - to yet my plans have not come to fruition (BOO - HISS) I did watch Soapstar Superstar (and being an old married am proud to admit it!!) was slightly dissappointed at the result, tried my best to rig the voting but I will leave that to Channel 4 (have you heard about 'the race row' in your part of the world??) guess not as you are far too busy having fun!! Mum and Nat - hellllloooooooo boyos!! Anyways - have to go now, as I have a few people to evict, don't know how I sleep at night! Take care of you - and I hope you are making a slide show for the party upon your return - not wishing your time away but it will be fab to be on the same continent!!! Much love as eva, keep it street Me xxxx

Hello! I haven't been on here in a while and seem to have missed loads. So cool that you saw a shark babe - and very brave of you to try scuba diving. That's the one thing I'm not sure I could cope with. The thing flying through the forest sounds great - I've been people do that on Planet Earth and I wanna do it...though not sure how that would go down with my scared of heights thing! It's lovely to hear all your news as always, particularly when I'm freezing my a*se off in the snow! More to come tonight apparently so that's something to look forward to. A PARTY would be great when you get back! I'm definitely up for that! Hope the beach tomorrow lives up to expectations...think of us in the cold while you're sunning yourself. Jams - that restaraunt cracks me up! What on earth were they thinking? Good that you've had a chance to sightsee though. Sorry to hear about the house - people buying houses are so very weird, but Kate and Emily know more about that than me! Have a safe journey home. Jane - glad to see you still haven't quite mastered the art of the messageboard and have left a blank message for old time's sake :-) Hope you're okay. Nat - thanks for your email. I'll write back/text or call at some point :-) Krate - take care of yourself babe. I can't believe you're back in 10 weeks! Loads of love Jools xx

Went out to the Great Barrier Reef for a bit more snorkelling today (think it may be my favourite thing ever!) Saw a turtle and loads of wicked fish. I bought an underwater camera, so it'd be great if some of them actually come out...the photos I took in Fiji looked like I could've been snorkelling in Hull or something! I thought I'd put plenty of sun protection on but my ar$e seems to disagree. Tomorrow I get on the Greyhound bus to somewhere called Mission Beach. More of the same I'm guessing! Beaches. Palm trees. Humidity. It's a hard life...would anyone believe it if I said I was actually feeling a bit nostalgic for the British winter?!? Starting to feel a bit nostalgic about home in general actually! Promise I'll appreciate you all more when I get home (for a while at least!) Thanks for the restaurant recommendation, Jams. Sounds like a Thailand must-do! For those of you who are a bit confused about the journal...I'm desperately trying to catch up with myself, hence me now writing about Florida. I'll get there eventually I'm sure (although it might be about 2009 by the time I finish it!) Miss you all!! xxx

Well I am still in Thailand only a couple more days to go then I can escape! You have to get a massage when you are here - I had a 1 hour foot massage the other day. It was excellent I was nearly asleep at the end of and the best thing is it only cost four pounds - bargain! Last night I went to restaurant call Cabbages & Condoms (www.cabbagesandcondoms.co.th) - excellent food and it has very odd statues made out of condoms! It is a sexual health awareness venture so the money goes to a good cause as well. Anyway better get back to sitting on my arse doing nothing. The house fiasco continues. Liz's house is back on the market with a new agent - the first person that viewed it offered full asking price then pulled out two days later (because it wasn't near a bus stop) - what is wrong with these people?! Someone else was going for a second viewing last night - not sure how that went yet. James

Hi mate, Sat in your old bedroom at your Mum's drunk on red wine wishing you were home so we could talk cr*p until the early hours. The hazy happy glow of a red wine Sunday not the same without my old drinking buddy. Hooray for the party, would be great for all your buddies from the message board to get to celebrate your return and talk in person after many months of this message board business. Hurry home misses, love to Jools and Claire while I am here too. See you soon bud. Nat xxx

I am typing this from the 3rd most remote internet cafe in the world (after one in Peru and some other place I've forgotten) It's bl**dy boiling, I've never felt humidity like it - I'm still in Cape Tribulation but later on today I'm going back to Cairns, which I would be dreading (it wasn't great when I was there the other day, and I've discovered that the reason a lot of the people look a bit mental is because they sniff petrol on a regular basis - nice place!) but I met a nice German man (no, not nice in that way people) who is going to come and meet me tonight and there's an English girl who I met snorkelling who is arriving at my hostel tomorrow so I won't be a Dougie no mates! (Not that I have been at all up until now, but I'm always worried I will be!) Bl88dy hell, get me, verbal diarrhoea or what!?! Anyway, all is good here. I've just counted that it's 10 weeks till I come home, and I've already been away 18. Much as I'm loving all these new experiences, I can't wait to come home and see you guys...I think a big party will be required! xxx

Hi Love, Not sure what happened there but never mind. I put the computer on deliberately hoping that there would be a message from you. Has something happened to your 'phone ? I have left a few messages for you and I must admit I was beginning to get a little nervous that I wasn't hearing from you. However ,I have remained calm (just ask Nat )as I was sure that you were doing exactly what you say you've been doing. Sounds amazing ! Yet another parcel arrived from you today it has the 'photo of the koala in it and you look really great, so stop having doubts. I have been in all day generally tidying up and sorting cupboards so at the moment I'm about to start climbing the wall. I'll go out tomorrow I should know by now not to stay in all day and night. Anyway, I'm going now to have a scintilating evening with the TV, it has actually managed not to rain constantlt today and next week we're heading for a much colder spell so next time you're moaning about the heat think of us, cold,windy and very soggy Look after yourself and stay safe, speak soon, Missing you loads of love, Mum