Rob's harmonica ... is like that gnome in the film Amelie - it's been photographed all round the world! Sounds like your trip is still going great. Josie and Matt xx
HI Mary .. and Bob
I've just logged in again and yes, it all sounds great. As before, I hope you can 'persuade' my Mary to do something similar once she retires. Our grown up kids and grand-children may help-or-hinder that!
Look forward to seeing you both again and hearing (directly) from you.
Frank
frankhowie@hotmail.com
Fantastic! Fantastic photographs. Your trip sounds fantastic! I'm a huge Gump fan but didn't know 'The Reflecting Pool' until I saw your pictures. Fanatastic! Enjoy the rest of your fabulous adventure. Look forward to meeting up when you (and we) return. Lots of love. Heather, John, Ben, Chris and Isla Dowdeswell x
In LA now!! Great to hear from you Dunc! We would love, love, love to come to Kenya!! We used to be scared of wee planes but now having been in the twin Otter, we think we could cope with it!! if you go very very carefully and promise no turbulence - We would love to see you all - your children must be soooo big now!!
Bad luck about the Bridge of Weir house hope you get it sorted - Just send Tony over!!
What kind of job are you thinking about? What comes next after being an engineer and managing a tea plantation - You must have a million sell able skills by now including being a pilot - You will be an employers dream!!
All love
Mary and Rob
Time has flown Hi Mary, what a time you've had in Fiji, so many memories, you won't want to come home. I can't bleive you are home in a month - it doesn't seem any time at all since you left. We've had rottener weather than you though. Hope you have a great time in USA. You sound as if you might need a rest. Lesley due in three weeks but is lying in breech position so liable to get a Caeserian in about a fortnight if Splodge doesn't do a double somersalt and get into a more traditional position.
awaiting next instalment
Noreen
XX
change yr flights! hi there you old hippies!
Finally i have got onto your website having been told about it by phil when she was at tony's 2 weeks ago, sorting out a leaking roof in our house in bridge of weir. So listen, now that you are in the groove, you need to change your flights and get a ticket to kenya. I am sheltering from a storm, by the pool, summoning my energy for a run when my cup of tea has gone down and the rain has stopped. You do know that we are only 20 mins by plane (mine) to the maasai mara, one of the wonders of the world. And 30 from lake victoria, the largest lake in africa, and r 1 hour from mt kenya the 2nd highest mtn in africa? How can you miss the opportunity? i am hunting for a new job, so it may be yr last chance for a personal guided tour...!! How's that for the hard sell? Great to hear you are both having such fun. Keep it up, enjoy the wacky backy, and keep your beads long.Love dunc and phil xxx
Hi Mary and Rob,
Loving reading your travel blogs. You have so put me in the mood for campervan life! Jim and I are still looking for our perfect van-hope to have it by the summer! Enjoy the next leg of your wonderful adventure.
Lorna
Haast Hi Mary and Rob, we are now safely back in Wellington but our trip did not go quite according to plan. The day after we met you our car died and we had to wait in Haast until the Thursday lunchtime before the part arrived to fix it. Unfortunately it rained for most of the time we were there but we met some very hospitable local people who invited us into their home for a meal and others who kept checking that we were ok. The garage owner lent us a car so that we could get out and about, despite the torrential rain, which was very kind of him. It was such a surprise to meet you and we enjoyed the evening we spent with you. Good luck for the rest of your trip. Regards Pat and Jim Johnson
Following in your tacks? Hope you can encourage (my) Mary to do a similar tour to yours and Bob's. We look forward to seeing you when you get back home. We always loved our campervan holidays when the kids were young, then for some reason we stopped doing adventurous holidays! Now our kids are all grown up I hope you will encourage us to once more get 'back on the road'.
Look forward to seeing you on your return. Frank and Mary Howie
memories! You guys are certainly getting around! NZ is indeed an amazing place - I was looking up my travel journals the other day and checking out where I went when I was there - mostly the same places - unfortunately I missed that amazing museum in Windy Wellington! Did visit my alchy uncle there who offered me whisky with my cornflakes at 8am! Loved the malborough sounds and all the wines there! Abel Tasman was amazing as were Milford Sounds. Did my bungy jump outside queenstown which is probably the scariest thing I have ever done after giving birth!!! I am so pleased you are exploring in a campervan. I did that in the South Island with people I met up with on the bus trip 'kiwi experience'in the north island and it was an amazing way to travel. So pleased that you guys are having the time of your lives. Good on Rob for jamming with his harmonica in lots of the bars you go to. Loving all your photos and reading your blogs. Lots of love Sheena x P.S will be thinking of you travelling to Fiji on March 28th (Eubha's 5th Birthday!) While you are relaxing on the plane, I will be tearing my hair out trying to control 25 children from her nursery at Logy gym - her first ever party! xxx
Camper van Mary, lovely to read your blog, yet again! This just makes me really want to visit. The camper van sounds good, but I always wonder what you do for transport into towns once you have set up camp for the night?
Robert is going to Kho Tao, atiny wee island on the east coast, he leaves on the 2nd.
Take care, lots of love Trisha xx
from Brazil Hi Mary and Robert, how are you?
I miss you and our time in Whitsunday Magic!
Now I have a lot of work in Brazil at University: research, classes, making papers, preparing talks in meeting... but I love my profession!
I hope that you are spending a wonderful holiday, enjoy this time because it never come back!
I have picture about you and Robert! I'll send to you by email.
Keep in touch.
kisses
Luciana
hello Hi mrs Stephenson,
i really liked your pictures and hope they get lots of shoes and socks!
I am fine and i am at secondary school (it is huge).
Frazer says hello
from Glen
finally caught up with blog Hi Liz
Sorry you didnt get the job - You would have been great - never mind there will be another one - Nicola is lucky to have you and you are great for Bonnyrigg.I always thought that DHT post is one of the best in Education. Hope you and your family are fine and your mother is doing OK
All love
Maryx
Hi! Hello Mary and Rob, reading your blog with jealousy! So many memories of the places you are visiting! I loved Byron Bay - I even attended circus school there and mastered!!!!!! (perhaps not the correct term!) the trapeze! Sounds like you are enjoying every minute of your trip - am so pleased for you both to experience all that wonderful Oz has to offer. Hope you get the opportunity to spend some time with aboriginal people. I spent 3 months living on an aboriginal community - met lovely people and had my eyes opened! Sending you lots and lots of love. Sheena xxx
finally caught up with blog Hi Mary
Great to hear all your news and so glad you are having a good time. All well here and things very busy as usual at Bonnyrigg. I didn't get the job at St Peter's but more than happy to stay put!! Look forward to the next instalment!
Liz
wow ... so good to read about your trip, you don't seem so far away. John and Nicky here for the weekend, we went to the rugby on Sunday but didn't stay in your house as .... well, long story to do with cars and paintings! Anyway good fun and a great supper at Cafe Andaluz in Byres Road, on the way home ...
lots of love ... andrew
Hello Hi Penny - Panda
Silly me I have just realised that people can respond to my blogs and so I have just read all the things you have said since January!. Particularly the New year with John and Nickie- He didnt tell me anything about it, except they had a good time!!No mention of suspenders at all!!
I saw him on the news here in Queensland today - He was standing on the set of Coronation Street beside the Rovers Return as Camilla Parker Bowles'was visiting- How Bizarre.
Anyway they are up to Ashcliffe this weekend but you are in Edinburgh - I am so glad that you are able to stay at our house and yes I think its important to be able to have some cafe/ bar life in the city - For me it makes Tighnabruaich a great place to be- Ashcliffe is just about booked up every weekend until we get back in May!
Im very impressed with you and Joyces fitness regime!! Moan Groan and Tone at Glendaruel - Im sure you could write a magazine article about it - Rob and I certainly laughed! Not at you two, of course, but just at the thought of getting fit at Glendaruel - Anyway I will be joining you next winter!!
I will keep my eyes open for artifacts but I think Australians go to Thailand, Bali and Indonesia to fill up their shops - Perhaps we need to have a recce to these places for the Gallery!!Spirit Houses might go down very well in Tighnabruaich!!
Rob and I were appalled to hear about Andrew being excluded from the meeting- Im not surprised everyone was indignant- It is an outrage! I do hope he has managed to make a comeback- the Community Council do not know how lucky they are to have Andrew!
Anyway give him all our love - We will be in touch soon. Rob says Can you give Daisy an extra cuddle from him this weekend but watch she doesnt scratch you - She is a bisom!!All love and missing you, Mary
Lovely to hear from you again, I can feel the warmth coming through this cold, cold, weather. Your so lucky to have missed one of the coldest winters!
Dont know what Jay-jay and daisy would think of baby Koalas!!.
Look forward to the next instalment
Lots of love, Trisha xx
wow wow i want to be there too! love the sound of byron bay - sounds like glastonbury-on-the-pacific
not too much happening here during the week - still spending lots of energy tryng to keep warm - off to see your cats at the w/e as have tickets for rugby (Scot v France), pictures and glass to collect plus a couple of flats to view (my accountant pressing me to buy-to-let) plus we need another dose of civilisation- its proving quite a lifeline for us. big thank you. your sister tricia popped into the gallery the other day to say hello - do keep an eye out forany australian artefacts you think we might like for the galleria - and enjoy, you deserve it - love panda
ps do you want to go and see mark knopfler in glasgow may 21?
Good to hear you are traveling around the world as you said you would. Let me know when you are in US west coast or even if you intend to visit here. If you and Rob are thinking of coming to Seattle, please know you are both very welcome to stay just 1 hour's very pleasant ferry ride from down town Seattle across the beautiful Puget sound and stay with us (me and Jess). The view is of very fine with the house standing on an 80' bank looking over a great water channel with the wooded back of Bainbridge island on the other side. Bald eagles sometimes fly by. Seattle is just a 10 min ride to the i hour ferry so it is easy to get back to the city.
Unbelievable how time flies by. Always seemingly faster the longer one lives.
Anyway good to know your and Rob's trip sounds like it is going well and wow you are sure traveling over many miles.
best wishes, christine
I'm very jealous Mary, hearing you talk about aus and Sydney makes me wish I was back there!! Hope you're having a great time!! If you have time stop in Byron bay for a surf lesson- great fun!!!
Josie
non-member comment
Rob's harmonica
... is like that gnome in the film Amelie - it's been photographed all round the world! Sounds like your trip is still going great. Josie and Matt xx