It's not that easy gettig a word in between all the women yapping on....! Nanny Daph is correct ..... and if you decide on your return to pop into Sweden she has another story to tell !! ... You will both smile and have funny stories to tell of the times it went " not as planned".. x

Very pleased to hear you are both OK - sorry about the delay but at least you are safely in BP now. As nannydaff says not all adventures are enjoyable all the time - I guess that's what makes them adventures! Have a good time and look forward to hearing more soon. Weather in BP and Prague forecast good all week. Love Mumxxx

Thank you all for your birthday messages, it was quite eventful. To reassure everyone, we are now safely in Budapest for our first night, after a 14 hour delay. We will put a proper update with photos tomorrow night. Thanks again and love you and miss you all lots, like always!!

Until Nic is able to update I believe the problem was the intense temperatures (well into 40s) which have caused a problem to the railway line. I looked at Serbian railway website and it said there were problems on Friday and they were doing engineering work. As we haven't heard anymore yet I very much hope that the train got moving without too many more delays. They were en route from Sofia to Budapest for a couple of nights and then onto Prague. Let's hope they are both safe and sound and have reached Budapest without any further mishaps. Nic I 'm sure we're all looking forward to reassurance asap please! Loads of love as alwaysxxxxxx

Happy birthday, darling, although I understand from your Papa that you are stuck in a train in Serbia due to a fire on the line. Is this correct?

If so, you have to remember that you are on an "adventure" trip and that all "adventures" are not highly desirable! Look forward to hearing all the details.

It can 't be as bad as missing a 'plane in Iran, not being able to get another flight until a couple of days later and, in the interim, finding no-one who could speak English! Nor having a husband who crashed out with a major stroke in Granada! If I can survive, so can you - the Balneaves genes are pretty gutsy!

Perhaps, in the circumstances, I shall refrain from giving you an ENGLISH LESSON!

Lots of love, XXXXXXX

Tried to 'phone you but was "blocked" in some way.............

Happy Birthday - been trying to send you a text all day but keep getting message not sent, not sure whos phone is playing up?? Anyway, love you loads and hope you have a good one. xxxxx

Happy Birthday Gorgeous Grrrl!!! I think you'll find Budapest a much more lively place to celebrate your birthday. Remember, the good thing about birthdays is: You can eat and drink as much as you like and there are NO CALORIES, You can say or do whatever you like and everyone HAS TO AGREE with you and tell you YOU'RE GREAT, you can tell scott NOT TO TALK FOR AN HOUR and he has to listen. love nik x0x0x0

Hiya - alreday wished you a happy birthday but I hope you have a good day albeit it's all on a train! Hope all goes well through Belgrade and into Budapest. I see it's still upper 30s and into 40s until you get to Prague so no respite from heat yet! Loads of love xxxxx

Happy Birthday hun. I hope you have a wonderful day andget spoilt by Scotty. The photos look lovely, very jealous of your tan and all the amazing weather your having. Enjoying the blogs and your weird little videos...only joikng vert cute. Well Happy Birthday again smelly. Love you lots.x

Couple of facts we forgot to mention:

1) All taxis in Pelopennese, Greece are maroon

2) All taxis in Athens are yellow

Great to catch up with your activities - they are lovely pictures. We have just got back - 38 degrees the day we left Corfu, forecasting well over 40 this coming week! Hope you got my hotmail messages and that you continue to have as good a time as it looks from the photos. Good camera (or it could be the photographer/s!) loads of love and as said, do keep putting on that suncream or you'll edn up looking like me! xxxxxx

Can't wait to see where you end up next - catching up with the news in England and Stratford and many other places in the Midlands are completely under water - great summer here!

Hello Nanny,

Am really learning a lot from all your spelling and english language advice! Jandals is Scott's mum nick name. Hope your well, speak soon.

Love you xx