Test 2

This is my second test - please ignore

Test

This is a test from my new flock browser

Lesley's wish list

On instruction from my b niece (is it b or beautiful or bossy? - just joking L)
Beauty products from The Sanctuary or Aveda
Jewellery box
Earrings
Handbag
Fountain pen
Beauty treatments (at my age you need all the help you can get!!) such as manicure, pedicure, facial

Wednesday

Today we are both well.
We had a lovely lunch on Camps Bay beach watching surfing, I had cooked sweetcorns, so was an amazing picnic.

Tonight we are going to the university to watch Mikael in his end of year gymnastics show.

We think we may have found the perfect place to stay, it is in Campsbay, about 2 roads from the beach in a quite road. It is a 2 level apartment fully furnished. We are unable to view inside as the owners are letting it out over the holiday period, although we have viewed the property from the outside.


We have nothing planned for tomorrow until the evening, where we are going to an end of year BNI party at one of the members house.

Lots of love and can't wait to see everyone on Sunday

We are alive

Hi all, the blog is looking a bit neglected.
Sorry I haven't written since we have arrived in Cape Town, but Mike has been sick so we have not been into the office. Mike is now nearlly better, but he passed on his fever and chest infection to me, so have spent the last few days in bed. We both still have not got are appetites back, so we will be returning whiter and thinner than when we left.

We have done a few things so far:
After arriving at the airport at 10:45, we finally left at 1:30 due to the African service at the car rental, although we got a new car with only 26Km on the clock.

The first 2 days we stayed complimentary in a luxury apartment in Bloubergstrand, with views of table mountain and Robben Island from the bed. Fred and Yolande came around after we had gone to the beach for a BBQ and poor Chrissie and Mikael could not do anything, as everything in the aprtment was glass and breakable.

From Monday night we had more free accomodation in a cottage in the city bowl, this was OK, but we preferred to stay at the Flat, and when we arrived Uncle Pete was there, so that was great.

On Friday we were taken out to a golf estate in Stellenbosch for lunch, which was very fine dining. At this point I was still OK, but Mike was still a bit sick and he said his lamb was the best tasting beef he had ever had.

One last week here, we have a few business things to tie up, and contact a few more estate agents. We are now decided, we would love to live by the sea, the Atlantic Seaboard area is so beautiful. There are not a lot of properties available for Feb yet, but at least we have decided on the key areas to look.

I am supposed to be looking at properties now, whilst mike does his emails, so better go

St Nicholas

Hi all

We are celebrating St Nicholas on Sunday 3rd December.
I hope we can all make this. Sorry Hans you are in New York, but i'm sure you will celebrate well with Sian & Rene. We will have to find someone else to tell us the St Nicholas story.

It would be great if people could comment on this blog with ideas for gifts, to help Secret Santa. (£10)

Love Nicola

It has ARRIVED

My bag has finally arrived, we had to cancel our orignal order from the UK as they had none in stock and I would have to wait until Feb. So we re ordered direct to the US a week ago and my bag is now here.

It's great, look at the picture, the spots and the whole bag is textured and felty, and nice and light.

THANK YOU AGAIN TO EVERYONE

Love Nicola

Thank You

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR MY GREAT COMPUTER BAG. It has not arrived yet, but I can't wait.

Lots of Love

Nicola

Last Morning

Well downstairs waiting for Mim so I thought I’d try to catch up with news of yesterday.
Monday 23rd October
Decide that we should do something a bit more cultural on our last day so decide on the marble temple Wat Benchamabophit and take a meter taxi ride there at 11 o’clock. Streets were clear as Monday was a national holiday. When we arrived at the temple there was a notice that it was free entry because of the holiday. There were hundreds of worshippers and prayers being offered in the temple itself. Stunning marble with the ornate golden roof we have come to expect. Over foot bridges across a narrow canal were the dormitories and ancilliary buildings of the monks as this was a seminary as well as a monastery. Monks and trainee seminarians walking around ranged from about 9 years to 99 years. Families were eating meals in the areas surrounding the main temple. The canal mentioned previously was stocked with huge white Koi and catfish – huge because not only were they fen on bananas and pawpaw by the monks but visitors were feeding them bread and fish food. It was extremely hot and humid and we were soaked!
On the way out of the temple grounds, I saw a lady scouter. Stopped and took her photo trying to explain that I, too, was a scouter. Then saw another couple of ladies one of whom in true leader fashion insisted we walk in a particular direction and escorted us. The road we had to cross was extremely busy but she just stuck her folded umbrella out in front of her, glared at the traffic and it was like Moses parting the Red Sea!
When we got to the statue of King Chulalongkorn we realized that today was a holiday in his honour. The area around the statue of the king seated on his horse was cordoned of and was completely filled with hundreds of floral tributes erected on easel like stands. They had all been done by various associations and groups. Amazing.
After spending some time there admiring and wondering at the devotion of the Thai, we walked a fair distance to the Teak Mansion or palace. This is the largest teak building in the world and is still used by the current royal family when entertaining overseas guests. Entry included a tour in English.
We were just to hot to walk when we left so we took a bus to Victory Monument aided by a couple of European tourists. Another new experience. Shopping for some more watches then on the sky train to our stop at Asok. From there straight to our pub for an ice cold beer. We did not notice the bar filling up until we were twice asked if we wanted more beer and, looking around, realized that all the single European men were now accompanied by Thai ladies and we obviously did not fit in. Took the short walk to the Vietnames restaurant on the corner of our Soi. We had our first meal here so thought it was a fitting place for our last.
A bit more packing and a few drinks then down to the lobby for our last foot massage and so to bed.S
Tuesday 24th October
Phone rang at 6 a.m. Pote was in the lobby. I threw my clothes on and came down. He had brought a packet each for Mim and I containing ingredients for our Thai cooking. Such a thoughtful gift and sad to say goodbye.
Mim’s downstairs beside me now so I will post this and we’ll have breakfast and then it’s Goodbye Bangkok.

Weekend

I'm in wingey mode as I haven't been feeling too well over the weekend and I think Hans has come down with something similar. Just a sore throat but also a real lack of energy and feeling tired.

Went to watch Sean play rugby this weekend (he's the one in the picture running away :-)



Actually the moment I decided to take the photo he dropped a high ball kick over the top to him. It was a shame as that was the only mistake he made. Awesome running and a tackle that belonged in the "best of WWF" history books. Totally nailed the guy.

The rest of the weekend was spent with Nicola studying and me feeling sorry for myself lying on the sofa, but did watch The Guns of Navarone (which up until then I had thought was a western).

Friday 20th October

Back to cookery school today! 9 in class with same teachers as previously. Menu today was Pandanus Chicken (marinated chicken steamed in a leaf with a dipping sauce),
Papaya Salad (paw paw to most of us),
Fried Prawns in Tamarind Sauce,Roasted Duck in Red Curry.
(Should be quite a birthday meal for you Nic)
Big traffic jams we were told, so we got the driver to drop us at a sky train station and we have stopped of at the internet cafe to catch up with our blogging before we go and lie by the pool and have an early night (maybe!)

Thursday 19th October

Took tuk tuk to airport and were there 2 hours prior to flight but lovely airport with great coffee shop so waiting was not a hassle. Also lovely shops - just looked as we don't know how we are going to pack all our stuff to fly back to UK so no more buying!
Pote was already waiting for us when we got back to BKK Manhattan Hotel. He drove us to a nearby - about 2 miles - fish restaurant. The drive there took longer than our flight from Chiang Mai! Such traffic jams!
'Seafood', the restaurant, employs 70 cooks and a total of 500 staff. There motto was 'If it swims we have it'. After being shown to our table, we went to the back of the restaurant where there was a fish market stall. A young lady accompanied us with a supermarket trolley as we chose our raw ingredients from the largest array of fish I have ever seen. The counter was the length of an aisle in Tesco's! The produce was so fresh some of it was jumping around. We chose small prawns for soup, scallops, silver pumfret, fresh water prawns about 8 inches long and cuttle fish plus some mixed vegetables for stir frying and not forgetting a bottle of wine for we ladies. We paid and returned with the trolley to our table where the head waiter for our area advised on the dishes we might like to have cooked for us. After a short pause everything arrived at our table one after the other - a feast of note! Pote took a doggy bag home and we took a doggy bottle! - we were so busy eating we only had half a bottle between us. I know most of you will find this difficult to believe but it is waar!

Monday 16th October

Slept a bit longer as we were only being collected at 9.30 by Noom and yet another driver. Our tour said home craft village but it turned out to be a visit to numerous shops which had workshops behind their premises.
We visited leather, silk, silver and umbrella making shops/factories. It was fascinating. At the umbrella factory they also do the beautiful paintings on the umbrellas and offer to paint designs on anything the visitors have with them. Mim and I had beautiful designs painted on our bags for just 50 baht.
When we came out of the umbrella shop, Noom, driver and minibus gone! So we sat and had an ice cold beer. Eventually they turned up and said they’d gone for lunch. Said we would have gone too but Noom said they only ate from roadside. Told him that’s what we normally do and asked him to stop and buy us something on way back to guest house. When we were almost back, we stopped and he asked if savoury lice and chicken ok. It was very ok – so delicious.
After our now customary snooze, we took a 15 minute walk away from the direction of town and found a pavement strip with tables and chairs and many stalls from which to choose Thai meals cooked to order. Chose a stall where we were greeted by an old man in English who explained what his wife was selling. He directed us to a table and sat down to chat. He was 73 years old and his parents had come from Indonesia 100 years ago. He had been a dairy farmer until recently when he could no longer manage his herd of 40 cows on his own so had moved to Chiang Mai to be near his daughter and her family. Meal of rice chicken and fish balls with chili sauce was delicious. It only cost 55 baht including a coke. (80 pence or 12 rand for the two of us).
By the time we walked back it was dark. Had had to dodge the potholes on the pavements when it was light but doing so in the dark was a bit trickier. Crossing the road was also an experience – so many mopeds and motorbikes whizzing by.

Sunday 15th October

Woken from a dreamless sleep by the alarm. Noom and a different driver picked us up at 8.45. He was depressed because Liverpool had drawn 1-1.
We arrived just in time to see the elephants bathing in the river at the elephant camp. Then hurried up to the ‘stadium’ to see the most spectacular show. Elephants dancing, playing football, working with huge logs and painting! They obviously each had a close relationship with their mahout (trainer) who, we later saw, even slept beside their elephant in their shelter. There was only only one elephant per mahout.
Noom had earlier asked if we wanted an elephant ride and taken us to the kiosk to buy our tickets. Only when we went for the ride did we see that we could have gone for just half an hour instead of the hour we had bought. After just five minutes on the elephant we wanted to change to the shorter ride because the mud he was walking through up a step incline was over a foot deep and we were convinced the elephant would slide and we would fall off. The ride turned out to be absolutely awesome but our calves were killing us once we got off. Must have been trying to balance ourselves.
Noom asked if we wanted to see a monkey show on the way back. As we both love monkeys agreed but how we wish we hadn’t! The tricks were fun but the conditions terrible. The babies even showed signs of severe trauma.
Both felt gloomy as we drove to our next destination, an orchid farm. As ever this was designed for tourist. The orchids growing there were beautiful. Unfortunately my camera battery was flat but Mim was able to take about four photo’s before her spool ran out. Bought some souvenirs. Would have loved to have seen a real orchid farm where the flowers were being grown for the market. They are so beautiful.
Back at guest house, I checked with reception that it would be ok to stay longer then got Tiffee, the receptionist, to ring the airline and change our flights then to ring Hotel Manhattan in Bangkok and change our dates. That done we sat at the pool with a cocktail and Thai snacks before our afternoon nap. Woke up with a start and realized it was 5.40 and church was at 6. We had collapsed onto our beds in our clothes so just a slap of lippie and our shoes and off in a tuk tuk to the Sacred Hearts Church. Tuk tuk driver offered to pick us up afterwards. When he picked us up he told us we had to eat at Antique House. Said no wanted to go to night market. He said “Yes but eat first Antique House” and promptly drove us there. Welcomed by smiling waitress. Told her we did not want to eat but could we have a drink. She said that was OK. So we had a beer and thought of mom who would no doubt have approved of us going to mass first before having our beer!
Walked through night market and found an IT plaza where I had my photos put on a disk. Walked back to our guest house – quite a trek. Hadn’t eaten so thought we’d have a drink before bed (sounds logical). (Had poured some vodka and whiskey into empty small water bottles when we left Bangkok!)

Saturday 14th October

After a wonderful night’s sleep, we enjoyed breakfast of eggs and bacon, fresh fruit and coffee before being picked up by our guide Noom. We were headed for the mountain top temple of Bat Soi Duthep via a hill tribe village.
Once again it was just the two of us in an air conditioned mini bus with Noom and the driver, Tiger.
The journey took about 50 minutes climbing up winding roads through a national forestry park. Beautiful trees and plantations but with no views in the distance because we were shrouded in mist. Passed a spectacular waterfall and crossed a number of rivers and streams. As we neared the temple area we came out of the mist into sunshine. At the temple, we had to change vehicles because the roads into the hill tribe area were very narrow and we needed a driver who was familiar with them.
The hill tribe village was geared up for tourists with winding lanes lined by stalls selling a multitude of items ranging from tea through hand embroidered clothes to jewelry and postcards. Everyone was wearing traditional dress. The little children offered to pose for photographs for money by singing in English “We are poor. We have no money. Please give money for food for my baby.” They were all under 10 years old!
The people lived in this village in very basic houses. There were loads of children and Noom explained that after dark as there was no electricity for lighting there was not much to do except make babies!
We descended in the back of our bakkie to the temple. There were 318 steps up the hillside so we opted to take the funicular up and walk down. As always the temple and its supporting buildings were exquisite, all the flooring was beautifully tiled and spotlessly clean. We had to ring at least one of the temple bells as a visitor. There should have been a view over the whole of Chiang Mai but it was very hazy. A Thai bride and her English groom were posing for photo’s. She kept calling “Briiian” when he was needed to pose.
Noom got the driver to stop at the Orchid & Lavender house on the way down the mountain. We thought we were going to see orchids but it was a jewelry shop. Oh dear! The items were exquisite with a price tag to match. (Would someone at the office please ring Mamut and get me another assignment! And Pete, for the next two Saturdays and Sundays would you please go and sit in the market for Mim!)
Back to the hotel for a snooze and swim before going out to the evening market in our street. We were the only tourists as it was aimed at the Chiang Mai residents and prices reflected this.
We love our guest house and Chiang Mai so much, that we decided we would follow Ed’s suggestion and extend our stay by two days if possible.

Thai Meal

Hi Mom, Mim

The meal idea sounds great, it will mean at least I have a couple of birthday hours in the day.
It will be a lovely treat after a long day of study and a 3 and a half hour exam in the afternoon, we have been told by our tutors that we are allowed Friday nights off!! Every other day for the next 3 weeks i must study 3 hours at night after a full day study then all day at weekends. So i better stop writing on the blog and get back to work.

Lots of love

Friday 13th October

Pote collected us at 6.30 and we were at the station by 10 to 7 for the 8.30 train to Chiang Mai. Had coffee at Black Canyon coffee shop overlooking the main concourse. Below us were people sleeping in chairs. They had obviously been there many hours if not overnight. At 8 a group of soldiers marched into the main concourse and we all stood for the national anthem. The old man on one of the seats below us had been sound asleep. He jumped up, stood to attention and then afterwards promptly went back to sleep.
We walked onto platform 10 at about 8.15. It was blazing hot already and the train, only three carriages, was 25 minutes late.
There was no engine as each carriage was powered by 2400bhp diesel engines located underneath the carriages. The carriage was well worn but scrupulously clean. During our journey the floor was swept and washed three times. The carriages were air conditioned but also had rotating ceiling fans which passenger could switch on.
An hour into the journey we were served tea or coffee and a roll with raisins and a pastry from a trolley like the airlines. Fascinating watching the city scape change into countryside. Fields were flooded and we expected this to just be over a small area but it went on for miles and miles. Water was up to roof level in many areas and families were moving about in small boats and canoes.
A delicious hot meal of rice, mince and fried fish was served at midday. Again at tea time we had tea, coffee and a couple of delicious home made biscuits.
The journey took over 12 hours with a number of stops where passengers got off and others got on. Fantastic experience as we had such a good idea of the change in the countryside between Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
(The first time I went to the loo, I came back to tell Mim that it was a squatting toilet and she nearly had a fit – a twelve hour journey and she would not go to the toilet! Luckily I later discovered there was also a western loo).
Arrived at Chiang Mai at about 9 and took a taxi to paradise. The guest house where we are staying is a veritable oasis – lush vegetation, swimming pool surrounded by a wooden deck and only 8 rooms in two two-story buildings built in Thai style. The staff here are so helpful, relaxing Thai music is piped into the gardens and there is a light incense burning all the time.
The décor is stunning. All drapes are in red Thai silk similar to the colour of Traer’s wedding dress. There are double folding doors to our rooms – outer solid wood, inner part wood with lacy netting and mosquito netting. We lock the room with a padlock when we go out. We each have a double four poster bed with mosquito canopy and burgundy silk drapes. The bathroom has a painted cement bath that, if filled, the water would be half way up our thighs whilst standing. The shower head is the size of a dinner plate and is like standing in a rain shower. All the furniture is in beautiful dark wood.
On the verandah outside our room, we have a small settee and side tables where we can sit overlooking the pool. We are provided with grass slippers to walk around the guest house and take our shoes or slippers off before going into the room which has beautiful polished teak floors.
So, after our long day on the train, we sat by the pool and sipped a drink before going to bed.

Thursday 12th October

Picked up at hotel by the Baipai Cookery school bus. Honeymooners Michelle & Julian already in bus and picked up financial adviser Guy on way to school. There were 9 in total in the class. Had a great time. Suffice it to say that it was so good that we booked another class for next Thursday (now changed to Friday as you will see later). We will be doing a different menu then. As Mim goes home on Saturday 28th, think that our 'family' meal should be on Friday 27th and we can do the cooking. (Is that OK with you Hans and the Hatfield Bartrums?)
When we got back to the hotel we sat by the pool for about an hour, Could not swim as pool closed for 'underneath' cleaning.
Mim packed our bags for Chiang Mai (Esme, for herself Mim only packed 2 skirts and 2 pairs of trousers plus a number of tops and kept the shoes down to 3 pairs - thought you would be impressed!). Pote rang to ask what time we were leaving for the station. Told him 6.30 as we would rather be early and he said he would pick us up. It is a long way for him to come but he is very kind and concerned about us.
We did not eat as we had eaten everything we cooked in the morning but went down for an hours foot massage before setting the alarm for 5 am and crawling into bed.

Wednesday 11th October

Collected by Korn and driver at 7.45 a.m. Drove about 60 km through outer Bangkok past vast pans where salt being ‘mad’ from sea water to a tourist area. Here we saw palm sugar being made from the juice of coconut flowers. Then we took a ‘high speed fish tail’ boat through a vast network of canals passing homes on stilts in the water. Most homes had shrines outside and many grew stunning orchids, strelitzias and other flowering plants either hanging or growing on made stone walls demarcating their area.
Arrived at the floating market where fruit and veg are sold from boats to local residents doing their shopping from their boats. Alighted onto a jetty leading to area selling all types of goods to the tourist market.
After spending an hour (and many baht) there, we traveled a short distance to a teak carving factory. The carvers are amazing artists creating furniture of all designs and size. Most of the furniture waiting to be shipped was for the US market.
At 7 in the evening, we were picked up by Harry, the Thai tailor, his daughter Rosna and her five year old son. Harry took us to a dinner buffet at the Novotel. It was absolutely delicious with an amazing choice of food. Says he will take us again next week.

Tuesday 10/10/06

Korn, our tour guide arrived to pick us up at 9am for tour of the palace the temple housing the emerald buddha. We had driver and minibus with guide for just the two of us. Grounds and temple stunning in different designs dependent on king reigning at time they were built. Luckily Korn had brought brollies because rain started just as we finished viewing outside. had to dash between temple and various buildings as rain became a deluge. Were waiting in throne room for weather to improve but sky so heavy there did not seem to be any chance of that happening. Told Korn we should make a dash for it. He rang the driver and we hurried out to meet him. Had to wade through giant puddles and with only one umbrella between the two of us, we each had one wet side plus water seeping up from our shoes. Were dropped off at MBK shopping centre where the Thais shop. By now so damp and cold from air conditioner that we had to buy clothes and change in the toilets. Ate on the fifth floor where they have a food hall with a multiple of stalls serving a wide variety of food. Purchased coupons to exchange for food. Delicious meal and cool drinks for just 120 baht for the 2 of us.
Caught the sky train to Asok station a few blocks from the Manhattan Hotel where we are staying. Looked around Robinson department store and bought juice and sushi in the basement supermarket to take back to our room. When we went to leave the store for the short walk back it was bucketing down. Crossed over the road via covered bridge to centre where there is an internet café. Typed the log for the 9th and had a coffee. Mim went to check if the rain had let up and returned to say that it was flooding. As we walked back over the bridge the water was up to the lower edge of the car hubcaps. Five minutes later when we had made our way to the door of Robinson’s it was at the upper level of the hub caps. I thought it would just get worse and we should bite the bullet and go. Crossing the roads the water was just below our knees. On the pavements it was above our ankles. We walked briskly but had to be cautious as we could not see where we were stepping. Behind me Mim said “Those rats are swimming for their lives!” I looked down and could only see small goods from pavement stall floating away. Shop keepers were struggling to keep the water out as their shops were lower than pavement level – they were fighting a losing battle. We eventually made it through the hotel doors causing a bit of a stir as WE looked like drowned rats. Showered and scrubbed our legs and feet. As we were sipping our drinks, Mim assured me that there really had been rats – glad I did not see them!
Suhti the travel agent was supposed to drop off all our tickets, etc. and collect payment at 8 pm but only made it by 9.30 because of flooding.

Monday 9/10/06

Alarm at 7.30. Hot drink while we got dressed. Pote was going to pick us up at 9 but rang to say that he was stuck in a traffic jam and would only get to us about 9.30. However, when we went down to breakfast at 8.10 he was already in the foyer. He first took us to his travel agent Suthi Jupao of Journey Inter Ltd. Suthi runs his business frm his home in a gated community. Very welcoming and helpful. After booking Bangkok tours for this week and travel to and from Chiang Mai (Friday to Tuesday), we left for jewelry factory "Gems Gallery The World's Biggest Jewelry Store ISO 9001 : 2000 certified". Here we were greeted with ice cool drinks and handed over to a 'guide'! Walked through area where some jewelry was being hand made - very interesting. But we were rapidly moved through to the shop by our guide now turned 'saleswoman of the year'. Without our noticing, we had a 2nd salewoman join us so that we each had our own personal shopper! Well, the system works! We each bought jewelry and had to wait less than 15 minutes for my ring to be resized.
Next stop - Harry the Thai tailor. Both Mike & Terry want some shirts and I fancied a couple of winter dresses. Back across town & Pote parked in the Thai Plaza hotel so we could get 3 hours free parking. Longish walk down bustling street to large shopping centre (where the Thais shop). Harry was not around but Peter rang to ask where our measurements were. Located them in minutes (one does not need a computer to be well organised!). Ordering done and paid for, we stopped on the way back to car and bought lunch for the three of us - 405 baht (5.91 pounds). Back to hotel at about 3.30 pm just before the heavens opened.
10/10/6 5:00 pm Suffice it to say we did not get back to hotel by 3.30 today ehan the heavens did open so shelterng in internet cafe at moment. Today's adventures tomorrow as we think we may as well make a dash for it.

Start of Thai trip

7/10/6
Had so little luggage that Mike & Nic could take us to Heathrow in the mini. Arrived 6pm. Check in already open so no queue! However took more than half hour to get through passport control and security! Tried out all the perfumes and Mim & I both chose the same - the new Dior - something poison. Neither of us ever paid so much. A glass of chablis with smoked salmon for Mim and gravadlax for me. What a way to start our hols! Bought a bottle of scotch and one of vodka from duty free plus a couple of mags - now we were all set.
Flight departed late but wonderful crew and service - shame about the two drunks (Englishmen!!) sitting in front of us. Mim said the crew had to put one guy back in his seat a couple of times when he fell asleep in the aisle and had to carry him back from the toilets he couldn't walk. Makes one want to speak a different language so no one thinks we're English too!
08/10/06
Plane arrived on schedule at beautiful new international airport opened just 11 days ago. Greeted by driver holding up name placard as we exited customs. Glad he took our trolley as quite a walk to the car. Vehicle hemmed in by two lanes of parked cars. Unperturbed driver put luggage in car then calmly pushed cars out of the way befrore getting in and manouvering through the gap. It would seem that all chaffeurs park and leave brake off so that they can be moved!
On arrival at Manhatten Hotel was told gentleman waiting to see us. Pot, who had e-mailed that he would take us to supper, had decided against it as he now has difficulty seeing at night. Instead of just leaving a message at hotel, he had driven all the way down to tell us in person and to make sure we were ok. Mim unpacked all our bags whilst I bathed. She did likewise then down to corner cafe - a little Vietnamese rest. - Eds favourite. Lovely supper for just 4.40 pounds. We were both dead tired, particularly Mim who had hardly slept on the plane. Special offer of one foot massage in the hotel lobby, was more than we could resist and a bargain at just 250 baht (3.65) Actually included reflexology, leg massage and finished with 5 min. neck and back massage - heaven!

Lottery Win

Hi Mom

Just to let you know that you won £10 on your Thunderball ticket, so you can buy an extra dress from Harry!

I'm afraid we did not win the £46 million euro lottery.

Hope you both arrived safely, and all your luggage arrived with you

Lots of Love

Nicola

So little luggage for two babes

Mim & Les are all packed and ready to go. Chaffeur and assistant have arrived. Mike is so impressed with small amount of luggage that we can take the mini instead of the VW!

Spa

Last week some of the Perks went racing in Spa, taking the Lenham, Camper van and pop up tent.

After not finishing qualifying, the lenham actually finished a whole race, with dad coming 3rd in class!!

Dad has now gone to Dijon, to race again.