Premier Inn Poole - Centre (Holes Bay)

... Michael's Church to help us sort and pack the boxes. You are all stars...

We can't wait to start seeing the smiling faces of people receiving your shoeboxes and we promise to keep you up to date with where we are, who we meet and the reaction your gifts receive.

Check back on Monday when the Trussell team will reach Bulgaria and start distributing your shoeboxes to men, women and children living in poverty...

Booked flight today - Guatemala on Feb 22nd 2010. So to mark the occasion I thought I'd start my travel diary today as well.

Two months to go - and a lot of list-making, planning, shopping, getting vaccinated, freaking out, and bouncing with excitement to do!

... to our other blog please let me know or alternatively you can search for shunny81 and this is the name of it. There are a few to read but it will take away the boredom on a Friday afternoon.

Hope your all well and the weather is not to bad. Just think of us when its raining having to take shelter of the 35 degree heat.

All the best

Nigel

Bournemouth has a very funny layout.. the two main streets of the town go up both sides of the hills that lead down to the park and eventually to the famous Pier.

I was a bit down in the dumps this day.. I think because I was watching all the families and couples having some fun. It was mid term break so there were heaps of kids around and the entrance to the Pier was packed with amusements and ...

... south is also lovely with a huge Priory, which unfortunately was closed but we wondered down to the habour and saw all the yacht moored for the winter. OOh and the nasty swans.. I didn't know they hissed!! lol

Did I mention that I stayed in cowplains in Portsmouth and cowpitt lane in the New Forest.. mmmm whats this theme with all the cows??
Frank and Robert, Deidre's son's and their partners took me out to the Queens arms in the Forest ...

So after an emotional farewell we boarded the ferry and had our own personal send off from the shore party waiting by the Sandbanks ferry - it was great to see Mum, Dad, Pamps, AnT Sue and Rowan all waving their flags as the ferry went past! We were also waving like loons - did you hear us shouting goodbye? To the Stylish Stile Jumpers - we could see the first part of our Purbecks ...

... and shopping as well. They also have an area where you can peruse through potted plants and buy what you're interested in. Of course you can't take any plants or wildlife back to the states... not that anything else is going to fit in my luggage. As you walk through the different themed parks, such as the Italian Gardens, Wooded Valley, Rock & Water Garden, Heather Garden, and Japanese Garden you can see markers on the different plants ...

What a day. Val Holmes picked me up at the hotel at 8:15am to take me to the North Rd location in Poole. I was to meet Louise (buddy) at the reception area at 9am. The traffic wasn't too bad so we got to the campus about 20 minutes early. Val took me to the Graphic Design studio so I could meet the coordinator of the Graphic Design & Media program, Lee Knight. I stayed with Lee in his computer suite and spoke with him about what I knew about ...

... Back home I cleaned a little and simply went to bed later. It's been a lazy daydreaming day, I talked with our remaining guests who all left today. I ended up going to the pub with Bart (HC: morhart) and Eamon. It was another great sunny day and when Floh came back everything was so disturbingly silent and calm :( Sad in a way. I miss her. It's been a talking talking evening and awaiting to get news that she had arrived safely, I was happy when I talked with her! She made it ...

Woke up at 10.00 and had to race to get ready. Left for a nearby beach - or Aussie standard! - and the weather matched as well (28c°)! We had a long ferry wait but eventually got to 'Shell beach', which is a beautiful bay - with yachts and a huge ship (the 'Condor') that go past in the distance. The Condor makes trips between England and France. We stayed there for some ...