tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68304622011-12-15T03:14:36.196ZWE'RE HOME: Read all about the trip below ...Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.comBlogger2401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1132233730327906082005-11-17T13:00:00.000Z2005-11-17T13:22:10.366Z

Hi there,this is the record of our ten-month, round-the-world trip with our teenage daughters, from September 2004 to the end of June 2005. You can use the "Step Back In Time" drop down box on the right hand side to look back at the different stages of our preparations, the journey, and a few posts since we got home (but not many of them). To read about: Preparing to go - April, May, June or

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1126184837282443522005-09-08T13:51:00.000+01:002005-09-08T14:07:17.286+01:00

OK, it's like the Twilight Zone in here - the mysterious disappearing pictures are back again. Enjoy!Meanwhile, here's a holiday snap from Rosa's recent trip (geddit?!) to the Wirral: Ouch! - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1125593461543964292005-09-01T17:47:00.000+01:002005-09-01T17:51:01.550+01:00

Hi there, we seem to have lost lots of pictures - I'm waiting on some help from the Blogger help team, but until then, you'll just have to ask us if you want to look back at some part of our wanderings, 'cos this site is now mostly showing text. The photos are stil there on the website where we keep them, it's just the blogger links that are broken. We're all OK back in Coventry, (although Rosa

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1121284107529504302005-07-13T20:44:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:48:27.530+01:00

At last, the Jamaica photos are up, along with some more blather from us about the last bits of our big trip - scroll down to see them. Maybe we'll put something up in a couple of weeks about coming home - till then, keep well, and thanks again for all the comments you left, and the emails you sent, keeping us connected while we travelled far away.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119996179488903162005-06-30T22:00:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:48:41.640+01:00

We're back safely in Coventry, welcomed home to our redecorated house by Sati, Lani and Kizzy, all of us knackered but well. There are new photos and text from Cuba below, and stuff from our last two travelling weeks in Jamaica will be up here in the next few days. We are looking forward to catching up with all of you we left at home - and to staying in touch with everyone we met (or caught up

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1121198691478020892005-06-30T21:04:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:48:53.493+01:00

So, we're home, twelve hours later than planned, but a thousand quid better off: BA had overbooked our flight, and offered us 250 pounds each, a free international phone-call, food and a bed in the posh Pegasus Hotel, if we volunteered to take a much later, Air Jamaica flight. Rosa still doesn't think it was worth it: but here's a room shot, and the pool - what would you have done?

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1121107502148877032005-06-24T19:21:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:49:09.530+01:00

Larry's friend Dival rented us one of his cars, and we visited a fair range of the tourist attractions on offer. Mostly water related, now I come to think of it, not including: Mandeville Where we used the internet, had an (allegedly) indian lunch, and hung out in a bookshop - how's that for really getting the feel of the country? No rivers, and no photos. Milk River Milk River offers the world's

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1121105878645390462005-06-20T18:07:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:49:59.150+01:00

Marva's yard We're staying an hour or two's drive from Kingston, with Marva in Denbigh, near May Pen, in Clarendon. Marva and Larry run a nursery from home, producing bougainvillea and other plants for landscape gardeners and other trade buyers - Marva is also studying, and teaches horticulture too. It's great to stay with gardeners. There's a lime tree, and a sweetsop, just outside the back

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119993564067950932005-06-18T22:18:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:50:18.520+01:00

Still not sure what to make of Jamaica. I think I expected it to be quite different, more developed than it is. It reminds me of Kenya in many ways, although it is more developed than that. We've received a lovely warm welcome from Marva and Larry, who have gone out of their way to make sure we're comfortable. It's made a huge difference to our experience of Jamaica, to actually have Jamaicans

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1121106052679834322005-06-18T19:19:00.000+01:002005-07-13T20:50:53.960+01:00

Jamaica It's hot, sticky and there are mosquitoes People are very friendly Juici Patties great Don't like jerk chicken Cuba Liked Felipe's cooking Didn't like internet being so expensive and not having MSN - Rosa

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119025205600805872005-06-17T17:17:00.000+01:002005-07-01T10:03:38.636+01:00

Just a short note to let you all know we're safe and sound in Denbigh, Clarendon, Jamaica, and being well looked after by Marva and Larry. Cuba reports and photos will come when we get a chance to get them up here - and our next flight will be the one to Gatwick! Meanwhile here's a short article on the Rowntree's thing (to make up for the missing Sunday Times article ... though maybe that'll be

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119993519192804132005-06-16T22:17:00.000+01:002005-07-01T09:54:55.240+01:00

After the last bus ride, we were more than happy to take a taxi back to Havana, so that's how we arrived, having sped up the main highway under a huge sky, sometimes full of lightning and rain, sometimes sunny and blue. We'd insisted on one with air-conditioning, so we didn't try opening the windows for the first half of the journey - what a relief to let our speed do some proper cooling on the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119993070257739472005-06-16T22:10:00.000+01:002005-07-01T09:08:56.406+01:00

CienfuegosOur arrival in Havana had introduced us to one side of tourist life in Cuba - our friendly hosts tried to charge us in pesos convertibles rather than the US dollars we'd signed up to on the room booking web site (a 13 percent surcharge, which we avoided), and we paid our first money-changing taxes (an unavoidable ten percent of whichever hard currency you change from). But our hosts

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1119289985019778372005-06-16T01:11:00.000+01:002005-06-28T22:21:51.476+01:00

Photos of Cuba may have to wait - they will be worth waiting for as Cuba is muy bonita but here are some of my observations of Cuba.The people here are very friendly and keen to chat, they complain endlessly about the government, quite freely and with none of the fear that we might imagine from the propaganda we hear at times. However, they are also proud of Cuba and what it's achieved, proud of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1118842852067812982005-06-15T14:34:00.000+01:002005-06-15T14:40:52.073+01:00

Hi just a quick update as we don't have long.Cuba has been a great experience, we've had fun, met nice people and learned a lot, it's also given us plenty to think about. Mark and I have both written much more lengthy blogs in our notebooks but they will have to wait, maybe until we get home to go up. We also have fantastic photos. You'll all just have to wait to hear our pearls of wisdom and to

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1118346820927700842005-06-09T20:48:00.000+01:002005-06-09T21:05:16.110+01:00

We are now finally at liberty to reveal the details of our new job!We have been appointed by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust, as the two halves of a job share, to spend five years from September working to make real our vision of a juster and more peaceful world. Our vision was one of six chosen from the over 1600 applicants - the JRCT will give us a salary and some office expenses, but all

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1118013608977918632005-06-05T23:44:00.000+01:002005-07-01T09:17:14.180+01:00

So, we're in Cuba: and the people look good. I think it's the healthiest collection of working-class people I've yet seen - despite the US embargo, etc. Just consistently healthy looking people - good teeth, good skin, good postures, healthy looking children and old people, everywhere you look. And no poor, or "underclass" people, or not in the way you see them on US and UK and European streets,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117053596718265772005-05-30T23:36:00.000+01:002005-06-06T00:32:36.010+01:00

Thanks to everyone who voted for Lani's story: the closing date was May 31st. Read more about it at BackPack Nation - and thanks again!!Meanwhile, there are loads of new photos below here on this page - scroll down to see pics of Oaxaca, San Cristóbal, Palenque and Mérida - enjoy!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117408726596898342005-05-29T23:46:00.000+01:002005-05-30T19:09:19.793+01:00

Oaxaca is famed all over Mexico for its fine cuisine and the beauty of its city.We arrived in Oaxaca early in the morning after a twelve hour bus journey. Amazingly we had all got quite a decent nights sleep although I ached like I had just done a triathalon and my feet and ankles were really swollen.The taxi driver told us that it would be hard to take us anywhere near the Zócalo (where we

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117412948504459412005-05-27T01:28:00.000+01:002005-05-30T19:35:55.810+01:00

Our home from home in San Cristóbal was a fifteen minute walk from town, and from the Spanish school. The Hidalgo Diaz family were warm, welcoming, interesting people. There was Francisco and Socoro, mum and dad, and they have four sons and three grandsons. Hector, the youngest son, is fourteen and is very friendly and outgoing. Juan is son number three, he lives three doors down with wife

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117412372115555582005-05-23T01:15:00.000+01:002005-05-30T19:08:34.376+01:00

Round TownIn town it was quite green with plants everywhere in some places, and there were loads of nice places to eat. It was quite big with lots of shops and churches and great markets. (Heather also picked up a street dog, who was very mangy but sweet - she followed us a long way on two different days - Heather wished they could take her home with them). The Español Interactivo

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1116792574322439892005-05-22T20:47:00.000+01:002005-05-28T20:15:02.153+01:00

We're spent a great week here and San Cristóbal is a beautiful town with some lovely people that we have met (look out for photos soon). The only drawback to San Cristóbal is that its cold!!!!! After I took all of the warm stuff home, or else we left it in San Fran - we could now really do with our vests and woolies. I've bought loads of shawls and ponchos and scarves to compensate! The town

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1116272063801690422005-05-16T20:19:00.000+01:002005-05-28T20:15:49.443+01:00

Rejoined the gang in Merida and the next day we travelled down to Palenque - stayed in the jungle in a hippy hideout and actually did some sightseeing! We went to look at some Mayan ruins - impressive, we went to some beautiful waterfalls and bathing places - refreshing in the very hot climate and also had a fantastic three hour horse ride - first time for all of us riding Western style and on

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117410681889068212005-05-14T23:19:00.000+01:002005-05-30T00:51:21.903+01:00

Arriving in Chiapas, we initially stayed in the jungle, or the nearest equivalent to it we'll get on this trip, at El Panchán, halfway between the town of Palenque and the Mayan ruins of the same name. After taking it very easy in Mérida, we risked our hard-won reputation as laid-back travellers by managing to do four tourist sights/activities in two days. Palenque (the ruins) was the first -

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1117144980121338562005-05-13T21:51:00.000+01:002005-05-26T23:07:39.363+01:00

We packed Heather into a taxi, and waved her off from Mexico City to the airport and the UK - a few hours later we were off to catch our plane to Mérida in the Yucatan. Mérida is a very pretty city, of which we took far too few photos, and for us a very hot one, coming from 2000 metres higher up, and several hundred km further away from the equator as we were. So we spent our week there

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1115828921338523802005-05-11T17:12:00.000+01:002005-05-11T17:28:41.556+01:00

So, two important bits of news for you, our loyal readers:First, Heather's interview with the JRCT went very well, and she'll be back in Mexico tonight - but we may not know the final decision about the job until the end of May, so keep your finger's crossed for us ...Second, we now have a UK number (020 7870 3171 - normal charges for calling a London landline will apply) that you can use to call

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1115600446554171092005-05-09T01:10:00.000+01:002005-05-09T02:02:40.716+01:00

San Luis Potosí was great. I guess I'll be back - as I forgot (d'oh!) to check exactly where my grandad was born until the day we were leaving, when I discovered that his birthplace (Matehuala) was three hours further away from Mexico City (I had thought that it was in SLP city itself, rather than on the Northern edge of SLP state). Matehuala is not far from a touristically interesting "ghost

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1115581130809260132005-05-08T20:02:00.000+01:002005-05-09T01:38:32.780+01:00

Plaza de Armas Finding healthy food "Inspector" plays SLP! Face-pulling competition ... 1st May marches

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1115398938227602592005-05-06T17:32:00.000+01:002005-05-08T20:43:40.163+01:00

We stayed near the Zocalo: To the east of the Zocalo in the Palacio National, complete with Diego Rivera murals: On the tourist bus we met a friendly Canadian couple (Tom and Sue), saw a big demonstration of Antorchista's (peasants wanting a better deal for the poor), and hopped off to eat nutella crepes in a cafe-filled neighbourhood: Also on the tourist bus route was the National

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114831379220066332005-04-30T04:19:00.002+01:002010-11-26T09:05:00.561Z

Mexico es increible, extraordinario, fantastico, maravillosa, y muy emotivo Mexico City was fascinating - politics and fiestas on the street in the main square (El Zocalo - like trafalgar square, but flat and with the tower in the middle replaced by the hugest flag you ever saw). I loved walking around - I didn't realise I had been waiting for this so much, but it feels very much like "I'm

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114624140105179532005-04-27T20:41:00.000+01:002005-04-27T22:46:54.336+01:00

hey everyone, well we have just arrived in mexico, and from what I can see it seems really nice. We are staying in a youth hostel, and last night there was music on until 3am in the morning. Heather, Mark and Rosa did not sleep but I did, yey. Today we are just going to walk around and not do that much so blog ya later - melissa - comment please!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114623595800478312005-04-27T20:26:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:12:14.709Z

We got up at 4am in order to catch our plane to Mexico and arrived at 4pm. Mark suffered a lot from the cat allergy that had been kept at bay by anti-histamines and could hardly see and breath on the flight.Driving from the airport to our youth hostel was fantastic and I felt the excitement rising - almost as exciting as India! The streets are busy and colourful and the atmosphere great. We

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114624046714606662005-04-27T18:46:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:06:09.398Z

Hey well, we are just packing at the moment, because tomorrow we are going to mexico.well where have we been here? We have been to a real american diner which was cool, especially the milk shakes, and the food was nice too. We also went to san francisco, which was really fun it as it's full of shops, but we did not go in any! I was not even able to go to nike town - sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol.We

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114624000142725692005-04-27T18:34:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:07:10.570Z

My mum grew up in North London, and one of her friends from her teenage years there now lives in San Francisco. On short notice he invited us to stay over at his one evening, took H and me out to dinner with friends of his, and gave us a fantastic tour of the city the next day.Andrew, an epidemiologist, lives in Noe Valley, near the famous Castro district, and up a bloody great hill from the end

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114623525566835072005-04-27T18:06:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:08:02.860Z

As I write this, we're in Mexico City, taking it easy and recovering from the nightclub on top of the youth hostel that finished at 3am - but more of that later! We arrived here from a great week in California, courtesy of Rachael in Palo Alto, and Andrew in Frisco (subject of tomorrow's blog).Rachael and I last saw each other sixteen years ago, and I at least was a little shy, turning up on her

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114373212584314492005-04-26T09:06:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:08:23.110Z

It was a long drive to Governor's Bay, so we arrived in the dark - and we wished we'd had longer to stay and look around once we got there.Anne and David welcomed us warmly (Anne was waiting for us on the road in the dark to make sure we didn't miss the turning) into their gorgeous home - lots of space inside, with amazing views over the bay, a lovely warm wood stove, land with plums, apples and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1114373178853516582005-04-25T23:05:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:08:42.222Z

We drove up Highway 1 from Dunedin to Christchurch, stopping only to visit the Moeraki boulders - large, very spherical boulders formed millions of years ago at what was then the bottom of an ocean, in a process something like the layering that builds pearls in oysters. To us they looked like dinosaur eggs, slowly emerging out of the cliff face, hatching when they were ready on the sea shore.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113780220509352152005-04-25T00:22:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:09:40.126Z

Lisa, Paul, Max and Myra are regular visitors to Philip and Madeleine's house at Aramoana - the adults took Heather and me there while Rosa was having a birthday skate with the other young 'uns.To get to Aramoana, head straight on past the horse's bum, and make your way through the dunes: Clockwise (above right), that's Heather, Lisa, Paul, Madeleine and Philip. Sitting slightly behind with the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113780164189217242005-04-24T20:21:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:10:09.008Z

I am fourteen now!!! I had an official birthday party (like the Queen does) on the 17th April.In the morning nobody would wake up for ages, then Lisa woke up, but I had to go and wake Max in the end!! I got cards, cash and other nice presents - ta!!! In the afternoon me, Melissa, Max and Myra went skating, which was freezing, but lots and lots of fun!!! We had loads of chips and hot chocolate -

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113780057516736582005-04-24T00:20:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:10:32.534Z

On a blowy day, we headed up the Otago Peninsula, the long jutting-out-bit that protects Dunedin's bay from the sea, and made Otago Harbour a great place for sailing ships - hence Dunedin's existence.A wiggly drive worried some of our stomachs, but was worth it for the Royal Albatrosses on Taiaroa Head, Yellow-Eyed Penguins, and general scenic attractions: We haven't good enough zoom to snap

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113780007221313362005-04-23T00:19:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:10:58.006Z

Staying with our friends in Dunedin was so good. We felt instantly at home and we easily slipped back into an easy and friendly relationship with them. Our kids just clicked with theirs and we had so much in common and had a similar sense of humour, cared about the same things and just got on well. It was also great to be living with a dog again - thanks Luna for being such a good dog, even

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113529233187130302005-04-22T02:27:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:11:14.411Z

Paul's mum Lyall spins and knits the wool she's spun (as well as cross-country skiing, running a bed and breakfast, baking her own bread, tramping all over the area, keeping up a lovely garden and who knows what else). She gave Heather a jumper - which came in very handy as we crossed the high passes on the way to Queenstown ... Queenstown's a very beautifully located tourist town, with luging

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113527879245420992005-04-21T02:00:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:11:53.084Z

Lyall Campbell welcomed us into her A-frame house in Hawea. Surrounded by mountains and with views down to the lake, it used to be the family holiday home, built by the Campbells when the roads were unsurfaced and the land was cheap - Lyall has lived there, offering a couple of rooms as B&B accomodation, for the last twelve years. There are now public tennis courts just next door, and a

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113526087785368292005-04-20T01:34:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:12:46.566Z

Lisa Levitt met us at Christchurch airport (a week ago last Thursday, by now), and we began a slow meander down to Dunedin over the next few days, looking around us for hobbits et al every step of the way. Our first night was spent in a great little cottage next to Lake Tekapo that Lisa had found - with an open fire as excellent compensation for our coldest evening for many, many months. The

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113896286343077372005-04-19T08:27:00.000+01:002005-04-19T08:40:02.746+01:00

We interrupt the smooth flow of daily updates of fortnight-old news of our travels to bring you this exciting announcement:Heather and Mark have been shortlisted for the job-share "Visionaries" project we applied for - making us one of the chosen seventeen out of 1600 applicants, with six posts up for grabs. We're thrilled and a little scared, and one of us (probably H) will be coming home for a

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113350836067444622005-04-19T01:57:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:13:10.869Z

Hiya, Melissa here. When we were in Sydney we decided to go to the olympic stadium for a tour. We toured the Telstra stadium in which the opening and closing ceremony was held, and all the athletics finals were held too. We got to look at where the commentaters sat, we also looked at the premier seating for the very rich people, and we also got to look at the athletes' training room, which is

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113372268762264092005-04-18T01:32:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:52:54.062Z

Our YHA wasn't far from Darling Harbour, with its Aquarium, Imax, and shops - and a nice walk through Chinatown to get there. After catching Robots at the Imax (it was big), we managed to catch a show on the outback and Aboriginal culture at a nearby art shop. Then we mooched a bit more - then back to the hostel. - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113371710687083592005-04-18T01:30:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:53:49.039Z

After Hobart, we came back to Sydney, and stayed in the Railway YHA - nice enough, although no nearer to the train station entrance than the other central YHA in Sydney.It was fun cooking in the very clean and well appointed communal kitchen. There was internet access, the smallest pool in the world, a laundry place, noticeboards, friendly helpful staff, and they'd even sell you the ingredients

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113351232369277332005-04-17T01:07:00.000+01:002005-04-17T23:16:34.953+01:00

These are the things I liked most about Asia - with links to read more about them, or to see our photos.[use the Back button on your browser to come back here after you follow a link]: INDIA - kerala, specially varkala CHINA - great wall INDIA - bangalore CHINA - trying strange food THAILAND - changmai CHINA - shanghai CHINA - cheap electronics and posh hotels INDIA - all kinds of

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1113345486558751292005-04-12T22:11:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:54:36.380Z

Hooray! The photos are going up! I finally got time to faff with the camera and use Paul's nice fast connection to put some down under photos up - so here's the first (long!) installment. We've more, shorter, collections to come in the next few days, plus some blogs from the girls coming soon, and news of how you can help Lani win money for the disabled group she visited in Kenya.Click "Read more

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1112614334427005632005-04-04T11:37:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:55:24.144Z

Like da lady sez - for photos you have to bide your time. So here's a little descriptive prose (sorry about that, will try and use only mechanical means of communication in future) to keep you going. Great things about our week in Tassie:Being so warmly welcomed into the household of Teresa (my aunt), Keith (him indoors), Hannah (cousin) and Sarah (other cousin) - there was an original plan

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1112511433453100162005-04-03T07:29:00.001+01:002010-11-26T09:55:56.204Z

Hi all, just arrived in Sydney after a really great week in Tasmania with Theresa, Keith, Hannah and Sarah. Mark will no doubt put up lots of good photos all in good time. We were really well looked after and felt very at home. Tasmania is disturbingly like England in some ways but in others shockingly far away. For instance the weather, the countryside and the people all looked very British

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111831222811901822005-03-26T09:56:00.000Z2005-03-26T10:00:22.813Z

Just to let all of you know that we're safely delivered to Teresa, Keith, Hannah and Sarah's house in Hobart - and by now are well fed, bathed, and about ready for bed. 22 hours from Bangkok hotel to West Hobart front door was pretty exhausting - but we did manage to pop in to Sydney for an hour or two. More later!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1112239861891388062005-03-23T02:37:00.000Z2005-03-31T04:31:01.903+01:00

Traditional foodAfter our day-trip to Mae Wang we took Moodang, Fanta and Pom out for a traditional western healthy dinner: pizza and ice-cream. Traditional entertainmentNext day, we headed off with Mike to go ice-skating: stymied by the rink being closed for renovation, we bowled instead. Mike won - but Rosa got the prize for true grit, managing to raise her game at the end after about six

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111745276885445032005-03-22T09:42:00.000Z2005-03-31T02:37:07.156+01:00

Back at the KavilWe were glad to return to the Kavil Guest House - away from the over-touristed bit of the Andaman coast we'd been on, and away from the heat (for the first day or two, anyway) Fanta and Moodang, above, are the children of Nui and Jerat, who work at the Kavil for Eve, the owner. Round Town Many Chang Mai mornings, Heather and I got up as early as we could manage, with the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111467550708212272005-03-22T04:49:00.000Z2005-03-22T04:59:10.710Z

Just thought I'd let you know that we are 'enjoying' temperatures of 38 degrees!!! Never thought I'd be able to survive such heat but actually it's not too bad if you're as natuarally idle as we are and just lounge about all day long. We will shortly be leaving Thailand's hot season to fly to Australasia's autumn and I'm wondering how we will feel in Tasmania and New Zealand with temperatures

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111383638068722102005-03-21T05:26:00.000Z2005-03-21T05:40:38.070Z

A couple of weeks ago, me and Dad went Scuba diving!!!!! Tee HeeIt was well fun, but it was proper hard as well, like, we had to do this test, (I got 100% by the way, oh and dad got 96% so hahahahahahaha!!!!!!!) and I had to do it on the boat (I get well sea sick) so I had to take pills.When we went down for the last part of the last dive, I couldn't get down because I had a squeeze in my ear,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111317519931961612005-03-20T10:46:00.000Z2005-03-20T11:21:18.543Z

So, this post is a bit like the one just below. It's true - Thailand has just become interesting, now we're about finished here - we've hung around long enough at our guesthouse to have begun to be more-than-just-tourists to the family who work there, and they invited us out to the countryside with them yesterday - we got to sit and eat home cooking amongst the longan orchards, and then go bamboo

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111289023302264042005-03-20T03:13:00.000Z2005-04-13T06:38:32.483+01:00

Yesterday we had a great time! We were invited to go to the house of the family who work at our guest house gerat and Nui. they have two children Fanta (girl) who is 15 and Moodang (boy) who is 12. We went out into the countryside to their house and there were lots of other relatives there. we ate lovely food and then went off bamboo rafting. The Thais were full of fun and we got very wet!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1111046405320103942005-03-17T07:44:00.000Z2005-03-17T08:00:05.330Z

Hi all this is my first blog for ages it seems. If you are in my mailbox then you will have recived this as an email and don't need to bother reading it.Thailand has been interesting and not really what I expected.Expectation: Bangkok would be really horrible, polluted, full of sex tourists and noisy and dirty.My experience: great fun, lots to see and do, big, bustling city with ancient and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110539332494756652005-03-12T08:08:00.000Z2005-03-12T07:37:40.316Z

I've finished bingeing! There are loads and loads of newly posted photos and quite a few newly posted words below this post - all the way back to Feb 11th, so scroll down and take a look. Here's one more photo, taken with the disposable underwater camera, just for fun. &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110520644815472832005-03-11T05:33:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:10:31.806Z

OK, so I haven't blogged much recently. It's time to catch up.I've emptied the cameras onto the hard-drive of a local internet cafe, selected and shrunk pics for the blog, drafted lots of short blogs with pictures from our time in Bangkok with Jo (I'm that far behind - I uploaded those photos to photobucket already, just didn't have time to link them all into blog entries), processed the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110605690516837922005-03-06T05:33:00.000Z2005-03-12T06:16:59.866Z

A night on a train, a day in Khao San Road, and another night on a train have brought us back up here to mellow Chang Mai. After recovering from that little epic, we're settling happily into the Kavil Guesthouse again - five pounds a night for our two rooms, and lovely food over the road for about two pound fifty for four good meals. We've met up again with Mike, a Yorkshireman now living in

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110605651683475082005-03-04T05:32:00.000Z2005-03-12T07:15:02.046Z

After five hours in a pool, followed by our first two ocean dives the next day, it was a bit of a relief when we couldn't do our last two dives the following day, as planned. Even though this meant staying around (relatively) expensive Ao Nang for a few more days until there was another dive trip to Phi Phi, it did give us a chance to recover from the unaccustomed hard work: By Thursday, we

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110612403055117052005-03-02T07:17:00.000Z2005-03-13T04:35:36.516Z

Hi everyone, how are you? Well we are in Ao Nang, Krabi Province at the moment, having a really good time - we have not really done much, we have really just been on the beach and swimming in the pool, which we pay 40 baht a day for, while rosa and mark do a scuba diving course. We are going to leave here in a couple of days, we are off back up to chang mai which I hope will be good. I bet it

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110537715603875702005-02-26T09:21:00.000Z2005-03-12T06:30:48.730Z

It's been a busy time: and this post begins busily with lots of links to little blog entries about it - most with photos now. Use the back button to return to this entry if you click a link.After our Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai trips, Diane left us to head off into Laos (jealous, us?) to buy even more lovely things for the shop, and we flew back to Bangkok to meet Jo, my mum, who arrived the day

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1109256895969909252005-02-24T14:27:00.000Z2005-02-24T15:01:36.246Z

Today we have been and booked Mark and Rosa onto a four day diving course - this qualifies them to dive after we leave Thailand too - but will they ever be able to afford it?! Me, Rosa and Melissa decided that we didn't want to dive - me and Rosa because of the sea sickness issue and Melissa because she is scared. Mark has wanted to do it though and we thought it would be a nice reward for him

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1109171353368774512005-02-23T15:05:00.000Z2005-03-11T09:28:07.280Z

Hi all,Thailand's great - I haven't blogged or emailed so much as I might recently because Heather and me have been working on a job application (believe it or not!) for when we get back, and my mum's been with us for a week and a bit, so I've been spending lots of time catching up with her. We've been North, now South - we were over in the Gulf of Thailand, and now we've just arrived on the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108964276678107922005-02-21T05:25:00.000Z2005-03-11T09:17:29.056Z

Today Jo has left and we all should be leaving with her to go to Ko Samui to see her off, but Rosa is sick so her and me have stayed behind and Mark and Melissa have gone.It's been really lovely having Jo with us and of course it wasn't long enough (I said that all along!). We had a lovely and horrible day yesterday - we went on a snorkelling day and had some great times snorkelling around the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110539265619261412005-02-20T11:01:00.000Z2005-03-12T05:45:53.533Z

On Ko Tao we stayed in clean, new rooms near a pretty beach: Jo caught a plane back to Bangkok from Ko Samui - which wasn't our favourite place, but had it's compensations:

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108612873981296632005-02-17T03:30:00.000Z2005-03-12T07:43:32.293Z

It is amazing - amazing to be with the family and amazing to be in Thailand. The family are great - well and very together, brilliant at planning and moving forwards, enjoying their experiences around the world, talking with the extra dimensions of people who have a wider world view, thinking creatively about the future. The girls are poised and relaxed, very good at relating to people and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108964832505211402005-02-15T17:40:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:12:17.546Z

We have now been in Thailand for just over two weeks and we have done so much it seems like we've been here for ages. First my sister Diane and her son Seamus joined us in Bangkok and we travelled with them - and Seamus's friend Xander - upto the north - Chang Rai and Chang Mai - we had a great time with them and were sad when it was time to say goodbye (there's more about that time on the blog

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110353506028685912005-02-15T07:26:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:27:59.556Z

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110355198174454272005-02-15T01:50:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:27:21.160Z

For our few days in Bangkok with Jo, we'd booked back in to the Atlanta, where we enjoyed the pool and the food (as before) and met the resident terrapins, as well as a Foreign Office friend who'd been helping organise things at the British Consulate, post-Tsunami. Jo caught me and Rosa packing (apparently we two always pack last) just before we left for Ko Tao. - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110453908744369632005-02-14T03:42:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:28:15.323Z

Skyway and river boat (with a seasick Rosa) took us to the King's Grand Palace, much of which is open to the public - including the Wat of the Emerald Buddha, where we spent most of our visit. The big demoness above was one detail among many of the enormously long wall paintings in the 'cloisters' of the Wat - my favourite part of the Palace.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110353148698404892005-02-14T02:18:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:21:15.193Z

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110354610839032272005-02-14T01:40:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:22:35.130Z

From above Bangkok the views are spectacular: This is how we didn't get to see the city from up so high: - and this is how we did:

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110354003987937342005-02-13T07:31:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:18:28.463Z

The traditional puppets were great - we saw them as my birthday treat, the day after Mum got here. Three people to a puppet, all dancing together - and this fellow (Monkey - the one on the right) had us all in stitches coming out into the audience and interacting with us. Great skill.Then off to the food court of the neighbouring night-market for a while ...

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110352707347603992005-02-13T01:10:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:16:17.673Z

As always:Leave your mouse resting on a pic briefly for a captionClick a pic to see a bigger version

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108275322207382542005-02-12T06:09:00.000Z2005-03-11T07:58:06.576Z

Hello, Rosa here, me and dad are sitting in the airport, waiting for Jo's flight to arive. It wont be here for another 1hr yet! So I thought i would write a blog! The internet here is, wait for it, 250 baht (about 3.50 pounds) for an hour!!! Thats about 210 baht an hour more than normal!! Well we are in an airport I suppose. But anyway. We have been in Chang Mai and Chang Rai for the last week.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108648259209379632005-02-11T23:50:00.000Z2005-03-11T09:20:52.626Z

Hi therejust sitting back here at the Atlanta computer - seems so hot here after the cool of Laos and N thailand. Just another day - mostly to be spent organising my baggage I think and getting prezzies. Time to write a few words for the blog I thought.Great to hear that you met up with the boys again - nice to know they are well!It was great to spend 10 days with Heather Mark Rosa and Melissa in

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1110339753251704662005-02-11T23:30:00.000Z2005-03-11T08:00:59.556Z

We spent a nice few days in Chiang Rai, where Seamus caught up with us with his mate Xander in tow. Diane, still being the ace tour guide she said she wouldn't have time to be, checked us in to a great travellers hang-out and guest-house - with pool! The little girl Rosa's fishing with (above right) was keen to make friends and hung out with us a bit over several days. The day before we left she

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108103188305067412005-02-11T06:19:00.000Z2005-02-11T11:35:17.420Z

Well, we've been having a very good time, we've been up to Chang Mai (on a Thai train, which was really nice). We went up to a temple which was at a top of a mountain; we went up by cable car (we did not want to walk), and up at the top there was a really nice view. We have also been to see elephants painting. Yes real elephants, painting really nice pictures, and also playing

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107778315886343812005-02-07T11:42:00.000Z2005-02-08T12:14:01.596Z

We've now been in Thailand for a week and it's certainly a nice place to be. We spent four days in Bangkok (which we really liked, so different from what I expected). Much of the time we just lazed around the very nice hotel pool. It has been great to be with my sister and nephew.We took an overnight train up to Chang Mai in the north and arrived here yesterday. The train was really

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108135239885831002005-02-06T14:58:00.000Z2005-02-11T15:32:19.193Z

We enjoyed our twenty-four hours return to Mumbai: The Hotel Atlanta's great - nice foyer, nice pool, nice food, nice "no monkey business" policy: Bangkok is full of interesting sights, as you walk around ... After all that walking, we had a great foot massage. We had a team of five young men to ease our aches - it was quite like being massaged by a UK boy band - except boy bands sing, and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107333550211411032005-02-02T08:31:00.000Z2005-02-07T12:04:29.940Z

Hi all This is just to let you know that we're safe in Thailand, at the very comfortable Hotel Atlanta, where we slept a full twelve hours last night, after a pleasant 24 hours in Mumbai and a lot of flying about. More blogging will follow soon - and the pictures from Kenya will be up in the next few days, but I'll date them at the end of January (so if you can't see them, just click January in

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108099354671592262005-01-31T23:00:00.000Z2005-02-11T05:24:11.756Z

In answer to Rachael's comment question - here are our three (each) favourite things about visiting Kenya, and our most surprising thing (each) - you have to decide for yourselves who picked what! Favourites (no particular order!)Seeing LaniChoosing, bring home and getting to know two very sweet puppiesSpending time with Naomy, including thinking about her NGO lots with herChapattisSeeing Anne

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108102087367096902005-01-30T05:44:00.000Z2005-02-11T14:49:07.553Z

Another list - Mark's impressions of the last couple of days in Gambogi:Being prayed over, several times - lots of good wishes for our travelsA great last night party - Luka and David came from Majengo with their cousins, Priscilla and (?)Presca(?) and we sang Kinyore songs, got taught Bunyore dancing, and had fun till late.Seeing Rose again - she came back to cook for the last day or so, so we

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108100375254642482005-01-26T05:24:00.000Z2005-02-11T05:39:35.256Z

So, kwaheri Kenya. We're off after our longest stay in any one place of the whole Big Trip, probably our most intimate connection with rural everyday life in the developing world, and possibly the most useful bit of work (outside of parenting!) that H and I will do all year ...The thought of hitting the road again is mainly a tiring one - but once we get to our Bangkok hotel we should be able to

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1108133253719082452005-01-25T21:28:00.000Z2005-02-11T14:58:10.716Z

OK, so that wasn't the final installment from Africa - here are just a few more photos that I didn't put up before:

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107502122004832622005-01-25T08:14:00.000Z2005-02-11T14:47:53.843Z

And here, as a final African installment, are a mixed bag of photos from our "home from home" in Gambogi:

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107501257020923362005-01-25T07:56:00.000Z2005-02-11T10:52:20.363Z

Here are photos of a few other local trips - including going to collect water, visiting the nearby equator sign, and an abortive visit to the "Rock House" - which used to be an important local history place before the guy who lived there died ...

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107500152462444162005-01-25T06:44:00.000Z2005-02-11T14:29:22.013Z

The day after academic day at Kaimosi, we visited an old friend from Naomy's schooldays up in Kakamega. Aquinata was a very welcoming Teso (from the border of Uganda and Kenya) with a lovely big house and a five acre shamba (farm). - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107499435019730822005-01-25T05:30:00.000Z2005-02-11T10:51:08.776Z

In early January, before Lani arrived, Anne went back to Kimosi Girls Boarding School: here she is ready to go. Our girls were fairly amazed by the huge dormitories, the menu (maize, beans and medicinal paraffin for lunch - six days a week), and the limit of five chappattis in your luggage when you arrive back at the start of term!The Saturday before we left for Nairobi, we (Naomy, Rebecca, Susan

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107498369708532822005-01-25T04:02:00.000Z2005-02-11T10:50:27.723Z

Day two at Lake Nakuru (day one is below, keep scrolling down!) - and we got up in the dark, to catch the animals' morning rituals. We slowed down a little too close to a baby buffalo at one point, and mum chased us away ... We had been driving for maybe three hours, and were keeping quiet as we crept through some acacia forest when Heather spotted the leopard above, not six feet from us.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107496875407150362005-01-25T03:25:00.000Z2005-02-11T10:49:40.943Z

Rebecca, Naomy, Lani and the globe-trotting four spent a night in Lake Nakuru - safaris are not so expensive if you can use your hosts car; the national parks are very cheap for Kenyans (if they can get there, and get around); and it turns out to be a pretty great activity for people with mobility impairments. There are lots of photos below, and quite a few of them are worth clicking on to see

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107494702728446462005-01-25T02:48:00.000Z2005-02-04T07:18:49.200Z

We visited the impala sanctuary sometime between Christmas and Lani's arrival on the 7th January. Here are some photos. As usual, if you rest your mouse on one, the caption will appear; while if you want to see a big version just click on the photo you want to enlarge: a new window should open with a big pic in it.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1107437867161954372005-01-25T01:00:00.000Z2005-02-03T13:37:47.160Z

Here's the first photo-catch-up-blog - just a couple of snaps of Lani and Naomy getting their hair done. This took a mere eleven hours, which both bore pretty amazingly stoically. - Mark

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1106568364422981742005-01-24T11:43:00.000Z2005-01-24T12:06:04.423Z

Hi all.We are now on our last week in Kenya and our last few days in Western - boo hoo! As usual we have the combination of sadness at leaving and excitement and trepidation at moving on to a new country.However the reason for this blog is a much more serious one! I don't think that our watchers and supporters are playing an active enough part in this blog. We spend hours writing,

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6830462.post-1106139248221591792005-01-19T13:51:00.000Z2006-07-05T09:04:21.173+01:00

[For a longer article Lani wrote about this visit, look here (Word document) or here (PDF document) - she won 1000 US dollars for the Emuhaya group with this from Backpack Nation!]Emhaya Group of Disabled People are the group whose harambee Heather, Mark, Melissa and Rosa went to before Christmas (pictures here!). We were due to meet the group after their monthly meeting, as Naomy had agreed. I

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17114510711635190217noreply@blogger.com3