Dod, do you want an Indy hat? Chris and I were thinking about putting in an order.

Took me a moment to figure out what a desmond was. I have almost resigned myself to getting a desmond – the only thought that consoles me, is that a desmond at york is worth a 1st at cambridge… or something like that.

Played in a charity tennis tournament yesterday – didn’t win but fun was had by all. also a new layer of sunburn was added to my forhead – mayhaps I should get some sunblock?

Not satified with only three hours of tennis, I joined Chris and Kyle on a run. We ran a breakneck pace to what might have been lendel bridge (I can’t be sure) in town via the millenium bridge. Overall it took us 50mins. Chris and I decided, to the amusement of kyle, that we would run with our shirts off and chant in the manner of US marines. By the end we were glistening with sweat and rather red so I took a photo for prosperity.

We then had a fairly epic bbq round the back of the block, by the lake. £5 for a good sized disposable bbq. I my rainbow trout – wrapped in foil and no more than 5mins each side. Absolutely lush and tasteful. As an added bonus, the skin stuck to the foil and peeled away in an effortless manner. New potato and spring onion salad (with the merest hint of dressing) accompanied this – also tasty.

At £2 for two in M&S, you just can go wrong really!

The APS film I thought had got lost thunked through the letter box this morning. I appear to have acquired a raft of landscape shots with no people; or people I don’t know – not that I would know them, of course! Here are a couple of a bloke with even longer hair than mine was in days of yore; and one of fishing. The photos are actually okay; it’s my scanning ability that’s at fault. I’ve just found your list of numbers, Jul, so I’ll put a few up each day. The scanner’s ability to produce dross no matter what I do stresses me more than I can say.

I’ve just been looking at cheap deals to Bali from here, as an alternative to trucking up to York to see Liv in a ridiculous hat get given a rolled up piece of paper, and they’re not cheap at all. Flights around £450; package deals nearly double that. NZ$1000 for flight and accomodation to Bali or Fiji or wherever doesn’t seem too bad by comparison. Mind you, it’s a lot nearer.
I remember Gisborne being a pleasant sort of place, but it’s right out of the way. Many Woofers there, I believe. As in Napier, too, doubtless.

annika, christian, dave, caroline and andy having a jolly time fishing at a beach near kerikeri.

me as Jesus

me at hone heke lodge in kerikeri

happy anniversary! Hope you had a good day, and that the excitement wasn’t too much for you!

Liv: well done on finishing the exams, but you never see the back of them!! Do yuo reckon you’ve joined the ‘desmond’ club like me and tan?

G

Hail all,

That sounded rather on the hellish side to me jul. on the 1st you say? You are flying out on the same day as us arn’t yoou? The 6th? Well we will try to find a place to stay in the south of malasia. Will let you know soonest. Congrats and all that old hasbeens!!!! The hat looks good. Looks almost as hot as here over there. mama. do you want a thai hat as dod seems to have nicked that vietnam one???? Liv, hope it all went well. I didn’t understand my courses, just joined up a load of quotes lifter from the book with a few random words and hoped for teh best (which turned out to be a 2:2!!)

We woker up today to the welcome sighn of clouds!!!! A non broiling day.. Hazzzaaahhh!!!! WE at last found the strength to go on our planned walk to the next beach along the coast. Every other day we tried it, the sun seemed to seep all the energy out of us the moment we got up, and it was all we could do to slip down the customary morning pancake and fall into the hammock!!! (i have decided to have a western food diet for a few days to see if that gets rid of the bumps. Pancake and macaroni for me. I think it night be the soup. Probable the fish sauce or the soya sauce . we’ll se if it works. If not i will try the rice and fruit diet.)

The path was clearly market on the map fo the area to ‘bottle beach’, but we checked with the locals who were pretty cagy about the whole thing,saying we shoul dget a boat there, and that you had to know the way and all that. We scoffed at this and set of. We found the trail quite easily, and at first it was fine, and we had great fun scampering alonf between the trees and over the rocks. At times we had to use some great skills in finding the hidden path undure bushed and wot not. I, to my amazement, seem to be a little better at geoff than this. He relies to much on direction, and as he is standing there trying to calculate the lateral and vertical conections of the cliff to the sea, i found the path with little difficulty. Must get my abilities from mama!!!!

Some kindly soul had painted red markers every few hundres miles, so we were pretty sure we were going in the right direction. WE did a lot of back tracking though when one path would peeter out, and we went back to find the trail again. Much fun until we lost the path. It just seemed to come to an end. The kindly soul markinf the was sporadically had obviously given up, and we haD NO IDEA WHICH WAY TO GO. option one was to head back. we gave this up as a bad idea as the chances of finding the way home were slim i would say. The only other option was to climb down the cliff face onto the rocks be the sea and walk round the rest of the way on them,. Easier said than done!!!! Luckily the rocks aroudn here are not slippersy, and have many hand holds, but it was pretty steep. Geoff gave me the bag to carry as he was too scared!!!( i bet dod would have given it to you mama!!) It was pretty much hang on by the finget tips and toes and scuttle along like acrab until we got to a big rock. Jumped onto this and and then scaled down the side of it. liv and jul would have loved it!!!we looked back up at the vurticle cliff, and decided that the only way was onwards! WE scrambled along the rocks, sliding and climbing. Very tiring. My thighs were killing me as we were constantly on a tilt. Geoff ankles were his problem. The beach always seemed to be just around the next corner. we could see boat loads of people sailing past us to the beach. all the ocupents staring at us in amasment. Obviously not a common walk then… WE could now see the beach, but it didn’t seem to be getting any neared!!!!

We eventually arrive and collaps on the sand. Pathetic!!!! After a drink and a relax we decide that this beach is not as nice as ours!!! Loads of pepole lounging around. there si no one to speak of on ours. We opt for the boat back. It is actually a long way, and all we see on the trip back is inpenetrable jungle!!!!
It reminded me of the walks in seychelles to anse azio and anse giorgette we used to do. Much fun and adventure!!!!

Well, my feet feel pulpifies and i’m of to sit in the hammok.

Love to all,
tanya

Jul: does that mean that annika might come to bali????

Hello all,

Happy anniversary to Mama and Dod. Hope you had a good day…not too much excitement I hope!!

Bet you are glad the exams are done and dusted Liv. Take it from me though, you never really see the back of them. Just when you think that you’ve left them behind for good, they come back and bite you!!! The big question is: are you going to join the desmond club like myself and your sister?

Jul: How’s the boiling mud???
See you somewhere near Singapore. We’ll tell you where when we’ve had the chance to consult our bible.

Geoff