From yvonne
Congratulations travelers you did it. hope England isn't too cold for you!
i am sure the family are really looking forward to seeing you. Have a good rest to catch up,
Lots of love xxx
From
Hi Anita and Bernie,
Just a short one to wish you good luck and a safe journey home. I am looking forward to Tuesday for your return.
Bye-bye. Hope to see you soon.
Ciao,
Mum
Response: Planning to come and see you on Monday. Will ring you Wednesday.
From Rachel
All sounds fab! It's come to that time in your trip though-I need you to confirm with me your flight details and arrival time for me to pick you up!! It says on the itinerary that you're due in at 15.45 into Heathrow. Is that terminal 3 again? Shall we do what we did last time and you guys phone me when you land and i'll set off? Up to you.
Enjoy Petra.
Lots of Love.xx
Response: 2 emails have been sent to you. Hope you have received them. Dad will text you from Amman airport.
From Rachel
Hey guys!
HAPPY WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!
Am pleased you managed to get to your hotel safely. Please stay safe in Amman, keep your possessions safe etc cos I don't want you to have a problem right at the end of your holiday!!
I am still studying hard (you'll be pleased to hear!) Although am full of cold at the moment. The anticipation of your arrival is creeping up on me now. Can't wait to give you guys a great big hug! Managed to renew Tigger's car tax on line. I got a reminder through and it was easy cos all i had to do was enter a ref no. Went for the full year as it works out cheaper doing it that way.
Stay safe and enjoy your last few days of your holiday.
Love ya.
xx
Response: Can't wait to give you a big hug too!
From Mum
Hi Anita and Bernie,
I was very glad that you managed to find the house where we lived. I was also sad to see such a beautiful house in such a miserable state. You must have felt very strange and also excited to be in Kuala Lumpur again. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Penang. Did you manage to find the hotel where we used to go for a holiday in Penang?
I am looking forward to speaking to you next week when you return to England.
Have a lovely time in Bankok and all the other places during your last week. Have a nice trip back and a safe journey.
All my love,
Mum
Response: The Golden Sands Hotel is a huge complex now that you would not recognise. It is a ghastly hotel where we would not want to stay. Shame!!
From Doreen
Hi both of you!
Have been following your travels with interest, and enjoying the great photos that seem to have been improving with each visit. Perhaps you will be able to tell the Club about it in French (in instalmants) when you get back to La Barde!!! THERE'S a project to work on so that you don't feel at a loose end when all the excitement is over and you have to live in the same world as the rest of us!
Chaleureuses penséés, au revoir et à bientôt! Et merci!
Doreen
Response: Lovely to hear from you. It will take quite a few sessions to put it all over with photos!!! Looking forward to seeing you at the beginning of June.
From Jo Daly
Lovely photos - I particularly liked the one of Anita with hairy balls in her hands!
Response: You should know!!
From Steve Daly
Looking at your photo's -does Bernie ever stop eating then
From Steve Daly
Just think happy readers - we await the return of the travelling couple. Brace yourselves for the inevitable "Would you like to see my 2-trillion slides on the Far East" OR "When I was in Asia Pac I did this and that and the other". My recommendation is that you paint an eye on each eyelid so that when you nod off from the Lyon bombardment, they'll think you are actually awake. It will work for me - just try it the next time they come to dinner - if you insist on inviting them
Response: We have eaten plenty of chicken and have new recipes so you will be alright for dinner!
From Steve Daly
Anita your experiences of KL sound just fabulous and what a fantastic memory for thing that happened so very long ago !!!!!!!!!!
Response: Not bad memory for someone approaching middle-age.
From Sally
Hi A&B
Well at last we are on holiday. All went well with Ofsted nothing like before. Hardly saw them..We had a great time out for Kathy's do. I am glad you will stop about your finger now, especially as I have had surgery on my knee.. I had it done on the 1st Apr. so only got to have two days off from work before the holidays started. Just my luck!!! I am really looking forward to seeing you & catching up. We are off school on the 1st of May for polling day. Take care lots of love Sal.xx
Response: Don't try to overshadow me with tales of your operation. I bet mine hurt the most! Have you got any pictures to prove it? Seriously - I hope you make a quick recovery and you don't give Gerry the run-a-round too much. See you on Friday 2nd May in the pub for lunch
From Rachel
Hi M & D
Thought i'd take a break from studying 'the intrinsic aspects of consent and capacity' to mooch on ur blog!!
I find it amazing that you can remember & recognise different places having not seen them for 40 years! Are you the same mum that usually forgets where her handbag/keys/glasses are when you've only just put them down??!!
It's soo good that you've been able to take a trip down memory lane because I know that that was ur main purpose of going to KL. And i'm even more pleased that some of the buildings have survived!! I'm just a bit gutted that I couldn't be there for you to show me round and tell me all the stories as I don't think it's quite the same to look at the photos and it's a bit sad that if i was to go on a visit that the buildings you see now probably won't exist. Not to worry. The important thing is that you got to see them which is fab!
Hope you're well and wish you a safe onward journey.
Sun is shining once again here-although I think some of your plants have taken a bashing from the snow....
Love you
Rachel
xx
Response: It was a very emotional time but it was well worth visiting my childhood haunts. Looking forward to seeing you in less than 2 weeks!!
From Maria
Well done sis & bil super sleuths. The Army complex was on Fraser Hill and my old school was High Gate Hill. Still remember buying my Fruitellas loose at the swimmng pool. Still my favourite sweet now. Enjoy the relaxation of Penang.
Response: Staying in a hotel next door to the Golden Sands. Will look at the Golden Sands hotel in due course. Visiting the snake temple and reclining Buddha 2mo.
From Vee
Well, saw Mum and Dad today - had a great day! Dad gave me a tiny side picture of the house, again it tallies with the piccies you've posted here. Will scan it and email to you sisters. How satisfying. And Maria - I don't remember Malcolm or Frazer's surname but I remember snogging them...
Response: Can't remember them at all let alone snogging them!!
From Maria
The panels by the door underneath the glass are orginal as well. It is lovely to see it because that was such a happy house and great time in our lives. Can you remember Malcolm and Frazer's surname.
Response: I don't remember their surname.
From Maria
Hi, have dug out a photograph this morning with 3 off us on the steps, the double doors are EXACTLY the same including the glass panels, with a door off to the right of the porch (as you are looking towards the house) except there was a wall across the top. Yes you did have a room out from your bedroom. If I can find a way to upload the photograph to you I will.
Response: Will look at the photos you have e-mailed me.
From Vee
Well it certainly bears a close resemblance, doesn't it?! Its so tantalising to see the pictures and not know for definite! There was a side room to the dining room which was used as a store room - Dad used to keep branches of bananas for ripening in there, plus his clackerty typewriter. I remember the porch having a wall, as I recall throwing up over it! From the photo tho, looks like its gone? I will print the photos off for Dad to have a look and will report back x x
Response: The floor on the top of the steps had been altered so there could have been a wall.
From Yvonne
hi Sherlock Holmesx2
Your assistant Watson. YES!! It is the house, the pictures match exactly and we did have an outside door!What a find, well done!
all my love
Response: All 3 sisters are saying it is the house!!! Fantastic
From marion & hanns
Dear Bernie & Anita.
Thank you for the card and greeting- the vineyards certainly flowed with wine = we would loved to be there. We have just returned from Italy. It was a super break with good food and wine. I have really enjoyed looking at your wonderful photos- what a fine advertisement for so many places! We look forward to seeing you back in England in a short while before your next trip to La Barde. We also look forward to seeing the house in July. Bon voyage and a safe journey to Singapore..
With love,
Marion & Hanns
Response: Unfortunately we have now got to the end of the vineyard visits and now into Malaysian cuisine! Less than 3 weeks to go and still a lot to see.
From Janet & Noel
Dear Anita and Bernard
A note to thank you for your gifts. I need a new bag for the ubiquitous plastic bags, and of course can always use a drying up cloth, but it is really too nice to use. Thank you very much. Should have added to my little speach "also someone I sing with and someone I pray with" when I was referring to the guests at the party.
I am sorry it is raining and cold, everyone is cheering as it hasnt rained in Perth for about 6 months. It is a pity for you as you havent got very long in Perth, anyway I hope you enjoy your excursions as best you can. We are going to Toodjay tomorrow, the real Bush, it is beautiful in its own way. Next sunday we are going to the Swan Vinyards for lunch with Eithne, Don and 2 other couples, and of course a tasting.
Probably wont see you on the 27th at Mass as we are going to Shenfield in Essex that day for lunch with two of my sister Margaret daughters.
Enjoy Singapore, it is humid there.
Best wishes
Janet & Noel
Response: Thank you for inviting us to a wonderful party. We really enjoyed ourselves.
From
Hi Anita and Bernie,
It was so nice to see both of you looking so well in the photos. You both look so smart, not a bit like backpackers. It must have been nice to be with your friends for Easter. We had a nice Easter with all the family at Veronica's. I missed you two not being there. Kath and Ray both looked very well, especially Ray, after seeing him at Bernie's birthday party. They both enjoyed the day as well.
We had a lot of snow on Easater Sunday, so different from today when it is sunny and warm.
Melanie rang, and Yvonne is getting on very well. Well, Anita and Bernie, as you are leaving Australia and travelling to Malaysia, have a good journey and a safe one. Regards to Kuala Lumpur.
Bye-bye and see you in three weeks' time.
Love Mum and Alec
Response: Looking forward to seeing you on our return. Hope you won't be bored with all the 1500 photos we have taken!!
From Marlene
Hi Anita +Bernie, well Ofsted is over and it wasnt as intense as we had before .They never watched me with Pip ( thank god ) Well your poor finger must have been so bad, but all this talk of condoms and vibrators the mind bogles he he he. It was Kathys day out yesterday and it was really good . Yes Anita it did rain but luckily after we had been on the eye , just as we got into Namco centre so we kept dry. Gwnn left on Friday he was very emotional. Roll on Friday 2 weeks off. Take care lots of love Marlene xxxxxxxx
Response: It won't be the same without Gwnn. Have they got a replacement? Hope to see you in the pub for lunch on May 2nd!!
From Rachel
Hey Mum and Dad,
All sounds fab still-hope you're not missing home with the snow and the hail and the wind!!!!??
Got the dates for my exam-one is the 20th May and the other the 23rd May!!!! So hope you don't decide to stay out for longer because i'll be needing some TLC in the run up to them!!
Anyways-best get back to the grindstone!
Loadsa Love
Rachel
xxxxx
Response: We will be around to feed you up and give you TLC during the exams. Keep working hard!
From Janet & Noel
Hi Anita and Bernie
Happy Easter to you both. Melbourne very hot for us as well, it was supposed to be unpredictable and chilly. Went on to Lorne, spectacular coast and beaches to kill for, then back to Perth. Been to stay with friends outside Perth, now back with my sister.
SATURDAY THE 29TH MARCH. PLEASE ARRIVE BY 6PM AND NO LATER THAN 6.30. MUSIC DUO PROMPT AT 7PM.
Looking forward to seeing you both. Best wishes Janet & Noel.
Response: Looking forward to the party. The duo sound interesting too. Will ring you when we arrive in Perth.
From
Well, we had a lovely day with all the family. The food was especially good (ahem), we had an Easter egg hunt in the freezing garden (remember the ugly bugly bird?) and everyone enjoyed themselves! Thanks for your call - great to hear your voice. It was lovely to see Cath and Ray looking so well. Jason can't join us in France as the whole family are going to Barcelona at the same time. We will have another family get together when you get back. xxx
Response: Family get together great idea - we will just bore you with the 1500+ picture show!!