It was really great to speak to you today. such a wonderful surprise. We were expecting nan and grandad and my mum for dinner today, but grandad didn't feel too good so dad did meals on wheels. They ate all their meal up so Grandad can't be too bad. Yesterday dad and I went to Frinton in his car, longest ride he has had, and we had a walk to Walton and lunch in one of the cafes, then we went on to Gaye's because they hadn't seen the car. Nan is staying with us till Tuesday because I have got to take her to Broomfield to check her eyes. Not sure what they can do. Gaye told us Ben and Gemma are moving. Gemma has been working for an estate agent. so obviously had inside information!! Do you want Margaret's telephone number. I will have to ask Jean and shall I email them to let them know you are calling in. Sorry Steph is feeling unloved - we are thinking of you all the time and keep wondering if you will change the date of your arrival to a later one. Look after yourselves, loads and loads of love to you both. Mum and Dad xxxxxxxx

Thanks everyone for all you messages recently, they have really been a pleasure to read!!!!! NOT!!!! Where are all our messages of love and tears of misery through painless nights of worry and anticipation of our arrival home!!!!!! Out of sight out of mind hay!!!!!!!

Ok, well for all those who are actually bother of care...... we are doing very well thank you! We decided to get the ferry last night to Wellington as we are running out of time for the North Island! Wellington isnt as big as we were expecting but it is a nice change from hills, sheep, campervans and villages that only consist of one shop and public toilets!!! We are staying out of Wellington slightly in a camp site as the city is so expensive and we need to keep our Hoff safe! We are just chilling today and wandering around the streets aimlessly (as we are too poor to go into any shops!) We are off to the cinema later tho to see Spider Man 3 which i am very excited about as one of my top 10 fitttest men is in it!!!!! Yum yum!!!!

Well better go for some more window shopping (boo)!

Sarah, Happy Birthday. Hope Italy was amazing. I did try and ring before you went to wish you a happy b but it went onto answer phone. Emma, we have had this conversation, you know the score!!!

Everybody else... poor job... email me now... im feeling very unimportant and you know thats not good for me and my ego!!!!

No love, just dissapointment!!!!!!! :(

Steph

(p.s, Rob says hi... love you!!) 

Hi guys......

Guess what we saw today?!!! Not NOT Elvis...... we saw Sperm Whales!!!! We are in Kaikoura which is famous for whales, seals, dolphins etc. We did a boat trip this am and are about to go see the fur seals on the coast!!!! The whales were very majestic! Their heads are a 1/3 of their body, very much like steve..

We will only have a couple of nights before we leave for the north island but are still enjoying ourselves! We staying in a fab hostel for a few nights in Graymouth. There was not much in the town but the hostel was so nice!!! We were both just totally fed up with the cold, damp, cramp campervan and it has been raining so we decided to pay a little extra and have a few nights in a very nice hostel. The place had an oven so i cooked a roast veg lesanga and if i say so myself it was fab... Just what we needed... Fed up of rice and fried veg!!!

Gonna have a lot of driving this pm, so better dash.

 Was great to see the kids the other day... they are soooooooooooooo big!!! Cant believe how well they talk, much more accomplished than rob!! Ha ha!!!

Hows the car hunt going? Think ive decided that i would like a fiesta, 3 door, powered steering if poss. Tar

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Hi

Great to hear and nearly see you both on Tuesday. It was such a shame the connection was not good but I hope you could see us and Mia and Ben. It was lovely to hear them say hi rob and steph. No doubt you saw how much they have grown. Ben said rob so clearly. They both look at your picture in the lounge and they haven't forgotten you both so dont worry. Sarah and Steve are back from Rome today.

Steph hope your knees are ok. Sorry I wasn't able to speak to you properly only little legs will travel faster than me!! Only a few weeks and you will both be home. We are counting the days. Hope you are both still enjoying yourselves. The lastest photos are great. Well must go as I've got lots to do in the office. Miss you both loads but keep on having a wonderful time and be safe.

OOOdles of love mum and dad.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A beloved pair of glasses were unfortunalty involved in a fatal hit and run accident in Queensland..! a young driver was responsible for the accident....! Our thougths and pras go out to the family at this tragic time...

Hi. Glad you have been able to alter your flights o.k. Not sure if you have heard that Folkestone, Kent had an earth quake yesterday, 28 April. Lots of people evacuated from their homes. Nobody killed fortunately. We went to Sevenoaks with Laura and David to Knole House. The weather was great. We had a good day and in the evening we all went out for a meal in Leigh. It was their 34th wedding anniversary. We didn't see Jenny, but told she is getting very big with their new arrival due in August. Jo came home last Wednesday because she went to one of her friend's wedding in Witham, then reception in Stock. Had a wonderful time. She is coming home again on Tuesday, going to St.Johns for a scan. Dad and I have just collected our new glasses. Needed a mortgage to pay for them!! Took my mum to see her doctor on Friday just to be told he will write to the consultant to find out if he thinks she should have another operation on her hip. She had the x-ray 6 weeks ago. Went for a ride in dad's new car to Heybridge Basin last week and had a long walk round the basin and saw lots of boats then had a fish and chip supper. Look after yourselves. Loads of love Mum and Dad xxxxxxxxxxx

Hi everyone, we have put our Oz pics on the web. All our pics are on the website now so enjoy. We have just rang Qantas and put our flight back 3 days to Chile. Flying on the 18th May! That date rings a bell?! Ha ha!! Its weird we fly at 5pm on a fri and land at 1pm on the same day?! All we need to do now is extend the Hoff for 3 more days! We are about to go and get the bus to do our Shotover jet and rafting on the K something river!!!!! We decided to treat ourselves last night to a pizza out. Went to the Cow. Did you go there Em and Jon? it was well nice. It was a milking shed. Because its so small you share tabels which was ok. Sat with an Oz couple who were really nice. We are also treating ourselves tonight as am board of the campervan. We are going out for dinner again and then on to the Minus 5 Ice Bar. Its made of ice,...everything. the seats, glasses, tabels, walls etc. should be interesting. Oh, guss what. I was walking down the high street in Queenstown and Rachel from our China tour was standing right infront of me!!! Small world hay!!! Well better go... lots of water sports to do!!! Email when we can. Leaving Queenstown tomorrow!!!! Boo!!!! (Think ive found me new home here)!!!! Oh, we went to Milford Sounds the past few days... was very nice, did a hike and a boat trip!!!! Rob liked being in the great outdoors!!!

Hi everyone,

We ahve put our underwater pics on computer. They havent exactly captured the clear water and bright coloured fish and coral but you get the picture. Can anyone spot the turtle, baby nemo and stingrey?! They are there i assure you!!!

Well where do i start with NZ.  Which way around are you going.  A must do is queenstown and all the extreme sports and of course the luge.  Milford sounds is really pretty with lots of walks but only one place to stay so you have to book up.  Also had no power after 11pm so you get and early night.  Must go to the glaciers but again book it up as also gets busy.  Nelson is lovely and so is around abel something, cant remember the name. Just found the name abel tasman.  There is a hippyish town which serves up a nice veggie lasange. Malborough is the wine region and at kaikoura there are the lovely crayfish, yum yum and the whale watching.  We stopped at most the top ten holiday parks which are all over NZ.  Driving up or down the west coast is very pretty.  Don't forget to fill up with petrol as sometimes the petrol stations are very far and few between. Enjoy NZ. 

Love emma and jonny

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ps laura had a baby boy Lucas.

Hi all,

Well we managed to get our campervan a day earlier which is great and we also managed to get our money back from the jail (hostel). The accommodation is so nice, even though it was a fully functioning jail until 1999!!!! We have a tiny room with bunks! They have painted it just white and the furnishings are really modern so it dosent feel like a jail. Its much much better than some places we stayed in Oz!!!

Christchurch as i said below is really nice, its just quite quaint! We spent most of the day checking out outdoor shops as we are in need of decent sleeping bags for Peru and also for the next few weeks. We managed to get 2 650 dowl (dont think thats who its spelt) sleeping bags which can keep a man warm at -10 and a girl warm at -5. We got these for just under $600 which is about 250 pounds!!! Although that seems expensive, it was pretty good compared to other prices and i think they will keep us warm as i think the temp will drop loads when we camp in Peru!!! They squash down quite small too.

We have a full day tomorrow in Christchurch to take in the sights and i think we might need to buy some more winter clothes!!! Its about 10 degrees here!!!

The hostel has a big group of teenagers here which is a pain in the ass as they are taking over the tv room!!!!! Not cool!!!!!!!! Hopefully they will be sent to bed at 10!!!!

Well, will check in before we get the campervan. Emma if you can remember the best bits to go to so we dont miss them, let us know!

Take care

Steph

xxxxxx

Hi all. Am in NZ now and Christchurch is lovely. Its like England. You would think you are in Cambridge!!! Makes me feel quite homesick. There is not much to do here so we are about to go to the campervan hire shop to see if we can pick up the campervan a day or wo early!!!

Email soon

xx

Hi

Just a quick note to say your digeree-doo came yesterday. Hope you are enjoying New Zealand the weather is good for you.

Have fun, oodles of love to you both

Mum

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