The Woodlands Hotel Blackburn

... br>All being well we'll have managed to cram our worldly possessions into a combined 155 litres of rucksack without too many arguments over whether Clarins Face Products are classed as "essential" and also with a bit of luck our baggage will have made it's way onto the same aeroplane as us : ) and we'll be winging our way to London, next stop Bangkok! <br><br>A&amp;Px<br>

Last brief entry, just to say we are safely back home, arriving yesterday with Sue picking us up at Manchester airport.<br><br>We've had a fantastic trip - very memorable! Thank you for following our trip. Hope it hasn't been boring, certainly hasn't for us.

... finest art pieces such as the Salvador Dali masterpiece Christ of St John of the Cross, which has been at the museum/art gallery since June 1952. There was also plenty of minerals/rocks/crystals on display... particularly huge green and pink fluorite crystals (im talking 20cmX30cm!), as well as a collection of early hominid skulls and bones which took me back to my sweet uni days with the geology crew... Immiss you guys alot!! So... I was totally in my element ...

After 3 years of saving we are finally set to go travelling to Eastern and Southern Africa. We will arrive in Uganda and head to Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Victoria Falls and possible Madagascar before flying back in June 2010.

... stuff is planned.<br><br>Now we are starting to get an idea of which are the 'must not be missed' places along the way - we can't possibly see everywhere and experience everything but shortlisting is going to be tricky!<br> The current plan is....<br> India - Sri Lanka - Singapore - Australia - New Zealand - Fiji - Argentina - Uruguay<br> Can't wait!<br>

... they decided the Manchester flight would go from gate 7, which wasn't really a gate but a cunning set of stairs disguised as a gate. This lead to a bus that drove all the way round the airport to an Airbus 320 with 'Star Alliance' seemingly crudely stenciled on the side (they really do need to hire a graphics designer). We had to climb up steps in the rain to the aircaft too - no civilised departure fingers for us BMI monkeys. We were ...

We headed back into Liverpool today and to an enormous park. It is called Sefton Park. In Sefton Park there is a boating lake, a Victorian glass house (The Palm House), a bronzed statue of Peter Pan, a ...

... place, exciting for its little<br>shopping streets, the speed boats on the water and its numerous<br>attractions. It is even more remarkable for its majestic views. If you<br>chance to visit the Lake District National Park, Bowness-on-Windermere<br>offers much for every member of the family and makes a splendid place<br>to stay. <br><br>John ended up buying a great warm coat - the type they wear out on the moors - that they grease up to keep ...

... so-to-speak. <br><br>We found it hard to get our head around the way Wigan was so much "into" Halloween. Everywhere we went there were fake skulls and skeletons, witches 'hair' and scary things hanging up. At our restaurant when the waiter came up to us, I nearly fell off my chair. I had to say to him, "I'm sorry, I'm finding it hard to get past all the (fake) blood over your face and white shirt to make an order!!" His face ...

After Eggs speciality spag bol and a few bottles of vino... thank you both Egg and Gem for the perfect presents...i'm hoping Graham's obsession with Bear Grylls alleviates while we're away otherwise I'll be leaving him in the wilderness somewhere.. so I guess the tool kit knife thing will be put to good use!