Hi Rach
Thanks for the postcard from Thailand. I hope you're still having a blast. I'm sure you are. You must have soaked up loads of culture and learned to curse in so many languages. Now you're in Oz the only culture you're gonna learn will be to burp on command and wear shirts with the sleeves ripped off. Hey!!!!! I've just watched Wolf Creek again...... Don't trust 50 odd year old mechanics, don't visit any meteor craters and don't get seperated from the group. Oh!!! and if you can get your hands on a gun, keep it with you at all times.
As I'm sure you've heard from everyone back at the Nick, nothing's changed. I'm not going to bore you as I'm sure it'll be the same when you get back. The only difference will be that you'll be speaking with some wierd accent, you'll have a cracking tan and knowing you, you will have missed the job so much you won't notice.
Keep loving it and don't hurry back. (I mean that in a nice non selfish way) The place don't smell the same without you.
Much love
Dave xxx
PS
Was off line for over 2 months with a virus.(PC not me)!
Mum
Trust you are sober and able to read this !!! Well done intrepid travellers what a great trip! Hope you enjoy NZ have sent email with a couple of requests.We are all ok here. Nan doesn't stop moaning but what's new ?!!Matthew earned some brownie points last week when he did some hoovering for her ! First real frost of winter today ice on car !!! Enjoy the sunshine !!! Still missing you loads and loads xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Carolynne
Well, well, well, Lady Raquel, how are you my friend? I'm happy to hear all is well...minus the tooth of course. Erin and I talk about you 3 every other day and you are always in our thoughts, how could you not be, some of our best stories about the Philippines include you guys. Anyways, I'll make this short and sweet, I hope you are all well and enjoying every moment of this trip. Please tell Will and John I say hello. Take care my friend, hope to hear from you soon...for sure.
ME
Lloydy I'll have a new tooth for Christmas please... the Aussie dentist pulled one out yesterday!! Alternatively you could put into the 'Keep Raquel on the road' fund as Australia is bleeding me dry along with a mammoth dental bill!
Keep in touch x
Mum
Have just caught up on latest blog and photos.Have printed off the usual for nan including the VB beer ones so that should lose you a few brownie points !!!!!Tonight is D & Ds first one in new home. I've lost count of all the boxes and bags we've packed this week, poor Donna now has to unpack !! Daniel will be lugging furniture in his sleep for the next month! Thank goodness all three houses are in Frome. Last night he got in at 11:30pm. The new house has lots of space and a lovely big garden which they will certainly need for 4 kids ! And 3 dogs !! Were you sitting in the middle of the Stuart Highway ? The bit we travelled on was a little more busy last year. I think that was the only time I got honked from an enormous truck.... Aussie drivers !!At least they drive on the left which is their only saving grace ! Enjoy the outback hope you will be creepy crawly free! Love and miss you loadsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lloydy
Raquel. More great photo's. I can't beleive you've almost made it to Sydney. Are you going to stay in the Glebe? So Rach, what do you want for chrsitmas?
Marcus
Gorgeous - hope all's good with the kangaroos! Thanks for my birthday parcel - MOST WICKED!!! I've got your photo now - not the most flattering, so I'm going to have to substitute it for one of my great photos of you to take up to Toby - will see him next week to get your card, and book my flights for SA - very excited! I'm going to fly out on 10th Feb, which gets me into Cape Town on the morning of the 11th, and then fly out from J'burg on the evening of 24th - the cost of flights has gone down since I last looked - get in there!!!!!!! London's missing you - still managing to get up to mischief and loving being in the big smoke - can't wait for you to come and stay each and every weekend on your return for some quiet sambuca's!! Haloween's in 2 weeks - doesn't feel like a year since the last one - no coffins this year, but hopefully some good fancy dress to scare the londonners suitably - Soho won't know what hit it!! Hope you're having a fabulous time in Oz before jetting off to NZ - you'll have a great time there - make sure you go down to the South Island in plenty of time for bungy jumping and sky diving in between some of the most stunning scenery I've ever seen......mind you, I haven't been to half the countries you've now seen, so may be a little disappointing for you, but I'm sure you'll have an amazing time! Have you left the rest of the bus team now or are you still travelling with Will & team? Who else is going to be in South Africa? Really can't wait to catch up soon....I need to get Skype installed back on my laptop so we can have a long natter! I'm working from home now most days - just going to Bath once a fortnight which is great....I was getting somewhat tired of the 4:30am starts - until recently, I don't think I've ever been awake at that time (or at least sober at that time!!)....then I remember the photo you took of me asleep at Victoria bus station waiting for the mega bus!!! Anyway...hope all's great with you....lots of love!! Mxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mum
Thanks for email. Will get back to you soon ref car.We've just had a few days at caravan with good weather the last visit will be at end of month for winter closedown. Have just caught up with your blog and photos. Hope the hole in leg is healing now you are more likely to get better medical attention anywhere than in uk ! No-one wants to go into hospital here for fear of catching a superbug !!! Christmas fever has started with a vengeance I expect once Halloween has gone all the xmas trees will go up !! Maff has taken over my job at Dans tonight he is staying up there with Curtis plus Katie and Kieran. He should have fun !!!! The rugby is about to begin so fingers crossed at least they beat the aussies !! Dan earned some brownie points this week when he did nans garden and took Donna over to meet her but you are still top of the ladder !!!!!!Love and miss you lotsxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Poof
Raquel! I keep missing you on Skype - you always try calling when I'm either in a meeting or having a fag! I'm not ignoring you - just very jealous!!!!! Hope everything's going really well - you've now been through 5 or more countries since we last spoke. Just think.....you'll be home soon!! Still can't wait to meet up in SA in Feb - so looking forward to that, and the fact that you'll be staggering back to our flat in London every weekend after a heavy night when you return!! I still haven't received your photos - are you sure you sent them, or have you got a more reliable source to sort it out?!!!
Lots of love - keep having random drunken moments! xxxxx
Gareth
Hi Rach, thanks for text. Good to see you are having a cool time, can't quite see what all the fuss is about myself, I mean, Butlins in rainy summer time? No contest!
Seriously, looks like a fantastic trip and Im sure you will have many great memories with more to come. Everest looks great.
Work is as you would expect, same same, if you catch my drift. So rest assured, you have definately done the right thing!
Have a great time, Gareth.x.
Dad And Kim
Hi Rach,
Good to hear you have your camera sorted at last , the photos are really good . Everthing is fine here, well apart from the weather that is. Dad has started the shooting season now so I won't see him much until the end of January . On the days when there are no shoots he still manages to find somewhere to go!
Had a great time with mum, it was nice to spend time with her, she sends her love and has been following you right from when you left.
No news this end for you miss you lots , take care love dad and kim xx
James
Hi Rach, I've just enjoyed looking at your photos and reading your blog.
We went to France a couple of weeks ago to see Gran for my birthday and had a really nice time. Gran has a cow called Tilly and I helped walk her in to her stable in the evenings. I also helped Wayne clear the pond of weed and got very, very muddy and wet but it was good fun.
I had lots of money, a portable cd player and cd, arsenal stuff, psp game, doctor who cards, binoculars, wrestling belts and lots more, I was a very lucky boy.In the evening we had a shooting contest with family and friends and dad won it.
Mum says I have to go to bed now so I will send you a message soon, I hope you have a nice time and see you soon, love James xx