Its 1am and we have just got in after the most amazing day. Nothing I could say could possibly do justice to Vegas and our photographs are hopelessly inadequate at capturing this truly spectacular city. Bearing all that in mind I can honestly say if anyone asked me which one city I would recommend to visit in the world it would be Vegas. We have just loved it, the crazy madness, the heat, the casinos - it really isn't like anywhere else we've ever been or even dreamed of going in our wildest imagination.

We wake up fairly early but don't go out until late morning; we have to sort out some laundry first. A very boring task but necessary as we're all running out of underwear!
We take the car and park at The Venetian, the hotel is really beautiful. For anyone who hasn't visited Las Vegas, the hotels are all basically huge casinos and have been built with increasingly grand architecture. My idea of Vegas as a nostalgic place with loads of Elvis impersonators running around actually couldn't be farther from the truth. For a start it's massive, bigger than I thought and ultra modern in many ways.

The Venetian is awesome, with a river and gondolas inside and beautiful Roman figurines and living statues, it's in a great location and I would definitely think about staying here for a future visit. We spend the afternoon in one hotel after another, we manage to see loads, just too much to describe but my favourite hotels were the city themed ones. New York New York with the Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers and rollercoaster, Paris- So amazing, inside a whole stretch of French Boulevards with an artificial sky that even staged a storm with rain, thunder and lightening at one point. We also visited The Flamingo, a kitsch pink palace and Mirage complete with tigers and a dolphin park.

We do some shopping in the Miracle Mile and buy a few clothes for Maisie. We are all going to need a complete new wardrobe when we get home and I figure we may as well buy some gear here where it’s a bit cheaper than in the UK. The shop assistants are unbelievably helpful and shopping here is a real pleasure in comparison to in England where I always like the idea of it but end up finding it a fairly stressful experience.

In the evening we set off late (1030) to try and spot Britney, she is opening a new club LAX at The Luxor this evening but not a chance! The one thing I have really missed since being here is looking glam. In the evenings lots of people get dressed up in all their best threads and there's no way that we are going anywhere near a new club with our year old traveller clothes and 2 kids in tow!!

We settle for dinner at Mandalay Bay, another huge casino/hotel. This one is a bit quieter though and we share 2 meals. We have realised that this is more than enough food for us four and although it's relatively cheap, even with the 18-20% expected tip I don't want to leave loads of food because we've over ordered.

Driving back along the strip we see a few people being arrested and stopped in their cars. Vegas feels like a very safe place, there are too many lights and people to feel unsafe here (On the strip anyway). Despite this though it isn't really a family destination, primarily of course are the casinos and if we had been on our own we would have undoubtedly spent some time gambling. As it is, Ali and Maisie are exhausted and we decide after such a busy day that 1am is probably late enough.

Simon and I both woke up at 4am this morning and lay there, so excited about driving to Vegas. It's a bit like waking up early on Christmas morning! We pack up our gear and set off in the Mustang for the Ghost Town of Calico, as we leave we have our photo taken by the road sign. Barstow, where we spent last night is on the historic Route 66 and we see a few people as we travel along living out their dreams, cruising along on their Harleys.

Calico was once a silver mining town established in 1881 and we learn that $86 million worth of silver was mined here until the price of silver collapsed and the town eventually closed. We're lucky, when we arrive there isn't anyone else here and the place truly looks as deserted as we would hope and expect. We look around the saddlers, saloon, barbers and small museum before heading up the hill towards the ice creams. We put some Elvis on the Wurlitzer and enjoy a few moments of complete nostalgia.

Back on the road we drive for a couple of hours and suddenly sooner than we expect we have arrived in Vegas. Oh my god! How fantastic! Almost too much to take in we pass the famous casinos that we have read so much about -New York New York, Paris, The Venetian, Flamingo, Bellagio, Caesar's Palace to name a few. The strip is just completely amazing, far bigger than I imagined and we gaze around drinking it all in, all talking at once as we each spy some new astonishing thing.

We check into Circus Circus where we have reserved two nights and are thrilled when we go to pay to find that Dad and Pauline have paid the remainder of our bill. Thank you so much- what a lovely surprise! Our room is great- quite luxurious and we chuck our gear in before heading downstairs to explore. This place is massive, the huge casino areas almost dwarfed by the Adventuredome and circus area. There are also loads of shops, boutiques, a wedding chapel and restaurants. I think we could probably spend all day in here and never even go anywhere else.

At 7pm we decide we are going to walk along the strip and set off in the still boiling heat. Its dark by now and the lights are nothing short of unreal. Blazing away, the millions of watts light the strip like an overloaded fairy grotto. Although the temperatures are almost unbearable I take my jumper as the air-conditioning in the hotels is fierce. We walk for what seems like miles, passing Treasure Island and MGM Grand as we want to see the famous fountains of Bellagio. Oh wow! It's absolutely beautiful, the gorgeous fountain display is elegant, moving and really out of this world. Ali and Maisie love it and it makes me cry it's so good.

We have dinner in the Harley Davidson Restaurant; the Harleys are moving all around the roof on a sort of pulley system- awesome! We get 3 meals between us but should have really only got 2 as they were so big and we didn't eat everything even though we tried. We get a cab back to Circus Circus around midnight and although I didn't feel tired we completely flake.

We got up early as we have a long drive today and want to get out of San Francisco and on our way. We have, with the help of Dad and Pauline a really good itinerary that will allow us to see something of the states of California, Nevada and Arizona but it does seem like we have planned too much. (As advised!) Still we're happy enough to have one or two heavy days on the road, after all how bad can it be zipping along in our Mustang with the roof down and our music blasting out!

We leave around 9.30 and drive across the absolutely huge Bay Bridge, skipping Oakland and joining the 580 East towards Stockton. We stop for gas and food and then head inland slightly, driving south through the Central Valley of California. We drive for hours, the kids are so good and don't complain about anything other than eventually the heat. We have to put the roof up on the car, it's so so hot, a dry, crisping heat that seems to suck every bit of moisture from the air. I love it but its even way too hot for me and when we stop for lunch at Jack in a Box (More fast food) and I try to sit on the kerb outside, the ground literally burns my bum through my shorts. We have to have our aircon on full and even then the sun fries us through the windows.

After miles of flat, dry and brown land suddenly we reach the Tehachapi Mountains- wow! So beautiful and not even a well known American geological landmark (Not to us anyway), we drive straight through them before entering the Mojave Desert, a burning desolate area that I would love to stay and photograph. We have failed to make it to some (Relatively) close national parks including the famous Yosemite and Sequoia but as we have all fallen completely in love with America over the past few days we're not too worried as we'll definitely be back really soon.

We stop off at Walmart and buy some CD's. We were divided and limited with our choice but eventually settled on James Brown, The Bee Gees, some 60's compilation thing including The Monkees, The Drifters and Otis Redding and The Police Greatest Hits for good measure. We wanted to get some music to suit our drive and I love it. Especially the Bee Gees album. ( The sound of America I reckon !!!!)

423 miles and 9 hours later and we arrive at Barstow, it's very close to the ghost town of Calico recommended by our friends Shirley and Ade and we plan to stop off there in the morning before driving the remaining 150 miles to Vegas. We book into a motel and me and the kids strip off and dive into the pool whilst Simon goes in search of a few beers. How fantastic! He returns with a few tinnies and a giant Corona! Yeh!

We make our way next door at 8pm and order some Chinese food. It makes a good change from the junk we have been eating since we arrived here and we wolf it down. We get back to our rooms and the kids go off to watch Mythbusters whilst we crash out. I'm feeling really excited about Vegas, everyone seems to love it and I reckon we'll have the best time.

10pm just sat chatting together and I said its only 11 days until we go home. Usually it's me complaining about having to return to the UK but Simon suddenly looks completely gutted. He mutters it feels like a sick joke- I know how he feels.

I woke up feeling very achy this morning something to do with the fact that I slipped over in the bathroom last night and now have a bruise the size of California on my arse. Simon goes off in search of coffee while I catch up on a few emails and gradually the kids come to life.

We go out for breakfast before getting the car and driving down to Pier 39. We have booked a 90 minute tour of the bay which includes a ride under the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. We get on the boat and as we're first on make a run for the top deck. The first sight of this trip is the famous sea lion colony. These massive, big, fat beasts slob out in the sun and occasionally make a huge splash as they dive into the water. Just at the end of Pier 39, they are huge in comparison to their relatively small New Zealand cousins.

We head out to sea and towards the Golden Gate Bridge, exactly as we have seen it on the TV; we learn from the commentary that it is painted continuously in "International Orange". When it was completed in 1937 it was the world's longest suspension bride and has been described as "possible the most beautiful, certainly the most photographed bridge in the world". Well its definitely one of the most beautiful things I've seen, graceful and almost mystic looking with San Francisco's famed mist swirling around it, its an awesome sight that even has the kids impressed. We spend ages taking photos and are pleased the information on the tour is so interesting and informative. Sadly I read later on the internet that one person every 15 days jumps from the bridge. Most successfully committing suicide.

Next stop is the infamous Alcatraz Prison. I always wanted to go here and although we couldn't get any trip taking us onto the island we go close enough in the boat. As we near the island the wind picks up and within minutes it is really cold and chilly. Maisie cuddles close and says it's scary and despite the bright sunshine it is an intimidating looking place.

Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary started life as a lighthouse before becoming first a military and then a federal prison. Because of its position in San Francisco bay and the surrounding freezing waters and strong currents "The Rock" came to the notice of the US government as an ideal location for holding criminals. The Great Depression and Prohibition gave rise to increasingly violent and organised crime and Alcatraz was the answer to the problem of where to house well armed gangsters terrorising the law enforcement agencies. The prison housed the nation's most dangerous men and was genuinely feared by most of them.

We learn the names of some of the more notorious inmates, Al Capone, The Birdman (Robert Stroud) and George "Machine Gun" Kelly. I find it fascinating and it’s a good if gruesome learning opportunity for Ali and Maisie who lap it up!

We've seen some crazy things here today- a homeless guy with a sign saying "dollars needed for penis extension", some mad fool on a skateboard being dragged up one of the steepest hills by a car and some interesting and strange looking characters. Although I haven't felt unsafe here I have been more safety conscious than in any other city we have visited on our trip.

We check out the area of Russian Hill and drive across the Golden Gate Bridge before getting an early dinner. More delicious Italian food and red wine, we spend the evening sorting ourselves out for tomorrow. We will be driving towards Las Vegas and had hoped to stop off at Sequoia National Park but have realised it will mean two days of about 6.5 -7 hours of driving each day. Too far for the kids (And us) so instead plan to not take that detour and just head straight to Vegas. Hardly an entirely bad thing I think!

Please move on to America.

Survived the Cook Islands taxi scam and flown on to America now. Due to re-schedule we're skipping Tahiti and flying straight to Los Angeles.

Simon

Up until we booked our trip I never wanted to go America. The reason being that I knew once I got there I would fall in love with it and despite all my adventurous spirit might never go anywhere else. Having been here for 2 days I think it was definitely the right thing to do as we have been seduced by America in a way that hasn't happened with anywhere else we've ever been and we have had the best day today.

We head north along HWY 101 for about 4 hours, stopping a few times for some lunch and to stretch our legs on the way. (I pinch some flowers out of the pot pourri in the restroom so Maisie and I can put them in our hair and we sing the song about going to San Francisco)We keep passing things that look so familiar and yet we've never been here, from small, tall thin windmills, to rusty "nodding donkey" oil pumps, to massive trucks that dominate the roads and completely dwarf us in our Mustang. The landscape is green and scrubby brown, it's hot, with a dusty blue sky and we zip along with the roof down, my hair blowing everywhere.

As we come into San Francisco it looks exactly as I knew it would, the beautiful bay on our right and the busy narrow streets of "Little Saigon" as we head for Chinatown where we are staying. We check in the hotel, a decent enough Chinese run place (For 100 dollars) and park the car. A quick coffee and we head off out to buy a guide book. We reach the most amazing bookshop, full of arty titles and reading tables, its dark and trendy and we end up with The Rough Guide to USA. We wander all through Chinatown and then head towards Fisherman's Wharf. It's quite a long walk, up and down steep hills but so much to look at I don't know where to start.

We pass through the Italian district of North Beach and gaze around at the numerous pavement cafes, the food looks just awesome and we decide we will eat here later. Past an emporium of American symbols and memorabilia , licence plates, Coca Cola stuff, a life-size Elvis, Harley badges, Route 66 anything's ( Bottle openers, fridge magnets etc) its like stepping into America heaven!

At Fisherman's Wharf we have a quick look at the boats before getting a drink next to the hawker food stalls, with a huge choice of seafood including clam chowder, fresh crab and shrimps it’s a lively, noisy area with crowds of people. We see a saxophonist playing jazz, the quintessential cable cars and horse and carriages.

We catch the cable car back up a few blocks and hang off the sides of it like in the movies! I wanted to just jump off but we had to tell the guy so he could stop and we make our way to a gorgeous Italian café where we have some amazing food. Ali and I had salmon with aubergine relish and Simon and I shared a bottle of red wine.

We walk back to the hotel, full of it; our guide book describes San Francisco as the gayest city in the world, once the literary capital of America, a city of hills where poetry meets porn. What a fantastic introduction to the US, today has been everything I dreamed it would be and better.

After all the excitement and worry of last night we ended up having a great flight. The plane was only about a third full and we had the space to completely lie down. I subsequently took a sleeping tablet and zonked out for the night only waking up about 6 hours later. We have our breakfast, I swap my hot stuff for yogurt and fresh fruit and before much longer we're due to land. Coming in over LA I can't believe how flat, brown, heavily populated and massive it looks. I start crying a bit with the relief and excitement of finally arriving here. It feels like a dream really.

We clear immigration and collect our gear before setting of on the free shuttle bus to Thrifty car rental. We have booked a salon type car but when we go towards the car park Simon steers us towards some big beast of a car. Oh my god - how cool!! I'm shrieking at this point! For the next 10 days we will be driving a Ford Mustang Convertible! It is awesome!

We head out kind of North West towards Santa Monica, on the way passing legends such as UCLA, The Getty Museum, Sunset Blvd and Beverley Hills. We will be spending some time in LA when we come back here prior to our flight to New York but for now our plan is to get out and drive up the coast towards San Francisco where we will be spending the next few days.

Its just awesome- driving along the freeway with the roof down and some hip hop music blasting out I feel like we've been thrown into a scene of a film and everything feels very familiar and comfortable. We drive for a about 3hours passing Ventura and Santa Barbara on the way. This is Californian Wine country and we are tempted to stop at one of the vineyards and buy a couple of bottles but keep going. Due to time restraints we know we will have some heavy driving ahead over the next few days and are going to have to concentrate on seeing the places we want to see the most.

We stop off at a Best Western Motel for the night and pay 115 dollars for a big room. Its luxury to have a bath and although we don't want to watch any TV whilst we're here the kids are pleased to see about a million different channels.

Well we're fairly exhausted now its 11pm and we've so far managed to eat McDonalds and Taco Bell. Tomorrow we are going to be driving the rest of the way to San Francisco- about another 4 hours; we have booked accommodation there and also 2 nights at Circus Circus in Las Vegas later on in the week.

Today is our last day in the South Pacific Islands. What a different experience we have had in the two different island groups of Fiji and the Cooks Islands. Fiji was Ali and Maisie's favourite destination of our whole trip so far. They just loved it and who could fail to fall in love with such a gorgeous place, the warmest friendliest people and for us at this time fantastic value for money. For anyone reading this who wants an amazing holiday on the cheap it has to be one of the best places to visit on the planet and we would recommend it to anyone. Regardless of whether you are looking for a party place or a quiet and peaceful retreat, Fiji really does seem to have it all.

On the other hand for us the Cook Islands have been a huge disappointment. The weather hasn't been very good and it has rained on and off for the last two days, this has made it difficult and we seem to be one of a lot of families dragging bored looking children around. We had heard some very good reports prior to coming here and I wouldn't want to put anyone else off as I'm sure if it had been sunny and dry we would have been happier here. Despite these thoughts though I wouldn't come back, although the coastline is lovely its only as pretty as Fiji ( maybe not quite as good) and the islanders seem more jaded towards travellers. It is also quite expensive for what you get, the meal we had last night although ok cost 120 NZD and just wasn't worth that.

We spend the day sorting out our rucksacks for what will probably be the last time. I get really nostalgic and I cry a bit when we leave half of our first aid kit stuff behind. We don't want to carry needles and syringes to the US to avoid any awkwardness at immigration and thankfully haven't needed any more than paracetamol, strepsils and one lot of antibiotics. I figure that if we need it now we are going to the country with the world's best healthcare so no worries.

It's so sad though, unavoidably today we have had to face the fact that we'll be home in two weeks and the thought makes me feel sadder than I could have imagined. Although we always knew there was a time limit for us and we're looking forward to seeing all our family and friends I can't help wondering if we'll ever experience again that total thrill of anticipation, excitement, nervousness and freedom that we felt when we left 9 and a half months ago.

On a much lighter note we have had an email from Dad and Pauline today and they have sent us a fantastic itinerary for America based on what we told them we wanted to do. So exciting! They have suggested some other places to see and visit that we hadn't thought of and we can't wait to get there and see it all for ourselves.

Our flight is at 11.50 tonight - just sat watching Dreamgirls and then off out for dinner before getting a taxi at 9pm. Next blog will be from LA - yeh !!


Midnight- oh my god what a nightmare experience we have just had and now I really have turned against the Cook Islands. Sod it - I wouldn't recommend the place to anyone. At 9.30pm (half an hour late) our taxi arrived to take us to the airport. When Simon booked it at 6pm he waited by reception and asked the receptionist to ask the taxi company how much it would cost as a previous taxi to the airport (when we went to change our flight) ended up costing 30 dollars instead of the 15-20 we had been told and we need to ensure we have enough cash to pay.

The company relayed the information that the taxi would cost 20 dollars but when we get out and Simon hands over the money the woman says the cost will be 60 dollars. Oh my god- what a rip off that's nearly 25 quid for a 4 minute taxi ride and I'm not surprised when Simon refuses to pay up.
The woman goes mad and stalks us around the airport, after telling the check in guy all about it she eventually reports us to the police who to our amazement and horror completely take her side and tells us we have to pay. A huge row ensues and once it starts to get really heated I back off with the kids leaving Simon to deal with it. I have to laugh when he virtually accuses the policeman of extortion but it gets a bit more worrying when the guy then appears to put his hand on his gun. In the end Simon pays an extra 10 dollars and just walks off - a scary experience that I wouldn't want to repeat.

Well I'm feeling really pissed off today and can't seem to raise myself out of an evil mood. The weather is crap, really hot and humid but completely overcast and when we ring the Cultural village at 7.30 am apparently they won't run the tour with less than 15 people so it's not on. Oh my god - what are we going to find to do with our selves today.

Simon and Ali decide to get the bus to the town and go and get some money and in an effort to improve my miserable self I head to the gym with Maisie in tow. She's completely contented sat reading her book and when I ask if she's bored she tells me not at all. I cycle madly for 50 minutes and then we have a game of tennis. Simon and Ali have been playing every afternoon for a few hours but it's as much as we can do the get the ball back over the net in this particular court!

When the fella's come back we go and lie by the pool and Ali has some drumming and ukulele lessons from the entertainment chap. I satisfy my unhappy feeling self by writing a long and nasty email of complaint about the resort staff. (Didn't send it) - but I might tomorrow with a few alterations.( In retrospect it did sound a bit harsh although true) Some of the staff here are really bad and the entertainment guys- Mr Hopeless and Mr Useless ( Their names they said) could also be known as Mr Arsehole and Mr Fuckwit amongst other things.

The day improves massively in the evening. Whilst out today Simon met a fella from Plymouth he knows who used to play rugby for OPO's and arranged for us to meet him and his wife and children for dinner. Ian, Donna, Emily and Garen have been on holiday fro 6 weeks in Singapore, OZ and New Zealand and Ian tells us he is in the Navy. Coincidentally they also know the McCabe family we met in Fiji and Nick who we stayed with in Auckland. (A small world indeed!!).We have a lovely evening with them and for the first time since we left home I think it's great to hear some English voices. I reckon I must be feeling a little nostalgic for home now as we're so close to it.

Off to bed now and really looking forward to leaving for America.

Yesterday was spent doing much the same as the day before but when I woke up this morning early we decide we will go out and see a bit more of the island. We have our breakfast and then the kids have an hour's scuba diving lesson in the hotel pool. Despite the fact that the instructor was a little scary it was very good, free and they were the only people doing it. Maisie certainly needed a bit of persuading but really enjoyed it and I was proud and pleased to see them both swimming like fish along the bottom of the pool with all their gear on.

Most of the other hotel guests (make that all of them) are from New Zealand and although there are a few families here the majority of people are a lot older than us. This is reflected in the activities board which offers nothing more exciting than a lecture about Cook Islands black pearls and fish feeding.

We catch the anti clockwise bus to Muri lagoon which takes about half an hour. It gives us another opportunity to look around the island and the coastline is stunning. Miles of white (ish!) sands and shallow turquoise waters, it's definitely a "honeymoon" kind of destination with hardy any traffic to disturb the peace. We get out at Fruits of Rarotonga and realise we've made a bit of a balls up here, as we haven't been to the ATM for a few days and have just spent our last cash on 4 return bus tickets, we have no way of buying any lunch at this tiny café. We walk about 3 km along the road and eventually like an oasis in the desert spy a delicatessen that takes cards! After a long walk in the boiling heat we're fairly knackered and guzzle down our ice cold cokes before having a scrummy lunch.

We head for Vara's the backpackers hostel and laze on the beach for about an hour before meeting up with Katrina and Roshen the two Irish girls we'd met in Fiji. Although it's so hot it has become very overcast and when we get in the sea there's nothing but sea cucumbers and a few patches of grass, so much for great snorkelling!! We walk back along the road to a good snorkelling site and me and the kids decide we will catch the bus back. We leave Simon and when we get back to Edgewater I'm pleased to see its bright sunshine again. We head for the pool, stuff the gym today and get in an hours sunbathing.

When Simon gets back he said the snorkelling was really good, loads and loads of fish it was like swimming in an over crowed aquarium. Secretly (Not now!) I wasn't too bothered about missing out and console myself with thought of snorkelling off the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea Coast in Eygpt. ( I can live without snorkelling!)

We have our dinner and watch a film before getting the kids off to bed. Hoping to go to the Cultural Village in the morning.

Today has been a really good day. After a lateish start we get some breakfast and make some plans for the day. Simon and Ali are going to catch the bus into town and Maisie and I are going to do nothing. There are two buses to catch, one goes clockwise around the island and the other anti clockwise, and they both in theory arrive at Edgewater at 20 minutes to the hour so planning should be simple enough. We want to check up on the balance on our credit card and more to the point make sure we will have enough money to last us for our time in America.

They go off and Maisie and I bag some sunbeds by the pool. It’s a lovely setting overlooking the beach and sea and as the weather is perfect today the sun worshipper in me is happy to laze around. The temperature has been around 28 degrees with a warm breeze making sunbathing a relaxing experience with not much risk of burning or getting overheated. We have a swim and then read our books and listen to music.

At midday one of the entertainment girls -Miss Sweetheart?! Demonstrates how to make a floral hair wreath that the women of the South Pacific Islands are often seen wearing. A lady helps Maisie make one and when it's done she looks beautiful in it. Like a little princess! We have some lunch and wait for Ali and Simon to get back; when they do I'm pleased to hear that we are financially afloat and will be able to do most things we want (At least) in America.

The kids wander off and we sit staring out to sea. Suddenly Simon notices the telltale spurt of a Humpback Whale, its amazing, it then seems to be lying on its back with its tail in the air for about 10 minutes. Cool! Such a shame the kids missed it.

We have some pasta for dinner and Simon has a beer from Tahiti which he said was vile (Eventually he noticed it was 4 years out of date). I am abstaining at the moment after all those creamy cocktails in Fiji and don't want to undo my hard work in the hotel gym. I think I biked for 10 miles this afternoon- pretty impressed with myself as it's so hot. Wasn't too sure about the monitor on the bike though- although I cycled for 40 minutes I apparently only burnt 7 cals and my heart rate went up to 373.

After a quick breakfast we head back to our apartment and get stuck into some schoolwork. Maisie has been spending the past few days reciting her 7, 8 and 9 times tables and they have both written stories about their favourite place on the trip. (Fiji) But I decide it's about time we tried to learn a bit about the history and culture of the South Pacific Islanders.

The islands of the South Pacific have had the reputation as being untouched paradise since the 18th century. The huge Pacific Ocean is as large as all the worlds other oceans put together but its landmasses are tiny and separated by miles of sea. We learn that the ancient Pacific Islanders travels in dugout canoes were motivated by the need for trade, wars, colonisation of other islands and curiosity to see what else was out there. Captain James Cook (1928-79) was born in England and went on to become the most well known explorer, navigator and mapper of the Pacific and sadly met an untimely end when he was killed in Hawaii trying to explain to the locals about European property laws.

Enough history for today. The weather is beautiful, hot and sunny and we have to go into town this morning. We have decided to try and change our flights to LA again, although we like it here we have all agreed its not as gorgeous as Fiji and as we only have about 3 weeks of our trip left we want to make the most of our remaining time somewhere we really like. If we can have 2 weeks in the US we will have more opportunity to get out of LA and explore more of California. (Our original plan for the West Coast) We try and phone the airline but no go. They're being awkward and it looks as though they will try and charge us 200 dollars for the change.

Simon goes off to the airport to see Air New Zealand. He refuses to take me with him as he said I will just lose my rag and demand they change our flights on the basis that they cancelled our flight to Tahiti and we had to pick a date to fly to America in a rush. This is actually all true but it suited us not to go to Tahiti anyway and I agree he should go alone as he's much better at getting what he wants than I am. I take the kids shopping and we get a few bits and pieces, some food, a pair of flip-flops for Ali who has been wandering around barefooted for a few days and a guidebook for LA and Southern California.
When we meet up again in an hour it's all sorted, as I knew it would be. There is no one better in the world than Simon for sorting this kind of thing out and at no cost- hurray. We're now going to America on Saturday!

We have some lunch at a restaurant called Trader Jacks and Ali is brave and tries the local delicacy Ika Mata, raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk. I knew the sushi and sashimi loving kid would like it and he wolfs it down. When we get back to Edgewater I spend 40 minutes on the exercise bike. In an effort to perfect my LA body before Saturday.( At least I already have the tan)

Its 11pm now and I've been lying writing this for the past hour, Simon and the kids are watching the film Doom. (So bad). I have been researching accommodation and restaurants in LA this evening but unfortunately as Simon pointed out got no further than the cost of dinner at The Ivy and Spago and a few nights at The Beverley Hills Hotel.

When I wake up this morning Simon has been up for a while and brings me a coffee before heading off back to town to return the car (Actually he said driving it was more like driving a boat with totally unresponsive steering and I'll be glad to see the back of it)

I rouse the kids and we head down for breakfast-yum! One of the best things about staying in a big posh resort like Edgewater is the breakfast menu. Described as a tropical breakfast there are loads of different types of cereals and fresh fruit to choose from as well as toast and cake things and we stuff our faces, whilst sat by the swimming pool and admiring the view of the ocean.

The resort is built on the coast and as we look out to sea huge waves crash into the reef creating an interior lagoon. It's very picturesque and although not the most beautiful area of Rarotonga I feel lucky to be here. If we hadn't got this stopover included in our RTW ticket I doubt we would have ever visited as it's so far away.

At 11am we make our way to the activities hut to attend the welcome meeting. Most of the other guest here are older than us and from New Zealand. I guess most backpackers don't choose this place but for us it has actually worked out comparably cheap. (We're honestly not trying to avoid the hostels!) The fella introduces himself as Mr Hopeless?! And gives a talk about Rarotonga and the resort before showing us around. There is a spa and beauty salon here as well as lots of free activities including a games room, tennis courts and snorkelling and I think the kids should be entertained for the next few days at least.

We spend the afternoon lying by the pool and in the evening cook dinner before watching a documentary about Elvis (Live from Graceland) and a film about joining the US Navy. God bless America.

I wake up really early and look out of the window to see the coconut palms swaying madly in the wind. I lie there hoping that the weather picks up a bit later, it going to be a very long 2 weeks here if it rains a lot. By 9am though its bright sunshine and lovely and warm, not as hot as Fiji but warm enough for a skirt and t-shirt which is perfectly acceptable.

Simon goes off to see if he can get us a car for the day. I have read that we need to buy a Cook Islands driving licence so I'm surprised when he returns after 20 minutes with a car. Well rust bucket, more to the point- for 55 NZD (around 22 quid) we have the pleasure of driving the biggest pile of crap car for the day. We pack up our stuff and pile it all in. To get the driver licence we need we have to go somewhere up the road and in the end after a short discussion decide not to bother. Possibly a slightly irresponsible decision but it will cost us and as the island is so small and quiet we figure we'll take our chances.

The Island of Rarotonga is the largest and best known of the Cooks and we head off clockwise to circumnavigate it and find somewhere to stay on the way. We want to stay in the South East area of Muri near the lagoon but stop off at most places we pass to check prices and availability. After half an hour it's not looking good, the beachfront locations seem expensive and many places we try are full. Hmm! Seems like we may struggle to fulfil our requirements of somewhere luxurious and dirt cheap! We eventually find a place that can offer us 2 beach bungalows for 200 dollars.

The problem is that the pool is horrible and there isn't any restaurant or bar attached. I can see us going steadily mad through total inactivity and we decide to get back in the car and keep going. We pass several lovely places, although very expensive I'm beginning to think we should just go for it anyway but when we ask children aren't allowed. Back to square one.

By now we have travelled almost right around the island. It's very pretty and so peaceful with a spectacular coastline. All we have passed are a few shops and churches and we decide to try the islands largest resort as a kind of last hope. Thank god for concrete and over development, although Edgewater Resort wouldn't usually be our ideal holiday destination we manage to secure a large modern apartment block with two bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen and lounge area and breakfast included for 225 NZD (About 86 quid a night) As we are paying so much it is really important that we have cooking facilities in order to save us some cash and we're really pleased we've managed to get something sorted out albeit only for 5 days. (The only availability they had)

We drive round to the apartment block. It's in the middle of the resort and not particularly pretty but good value and fairly plush inside. We've certainly been staying in far better quality accommodation more recently; I can't remember the last time I made my own bed. How lazy. We leave the kids playing on the laptop and head off in the rust bucket to the shop. We end up spending about 100 NZD and get 3 days worth of lunches, dinners and snacks for that. (Definitely a lot cheaper than eating out)

Back at the apartment we get dinner fixed, a very humble beans and cheese on toast with fruit and icecream for pudding. The kids love it and we sit watching some crappy horror cuddled up on the sofa together -Yeh for slobbing out.

Saturday 18th August 2007-My first thought is that I want to phone someone at home this morning just to say "I'll speak to you again yesterday" and as I have 5 minutes calling credit left on a phone card I give mum a quick ring before breakfast. Peterina comes and sits with us until we leave at 10.I'm impressed she made it to say goodbye as she tells us she was out partying until 5am with some guests from the hotel.

We wave our goodbyes and get in a taxi for the airport. We sit reading and before long board our flight to The Cook Islands. The flight time is just over 3 hours and the time when we arrive is around 5pm. (Friday 17th August 2007) - Weird!!

We have booked a hostel within walking distance of the airport but I'm a bit upset when we look out of the plane window to see heavy rain. Anyway by the time we have been through immigration it's stopped but it isn't that warm and I'm definitely going to need to change into warmer clothes.

The hostel looks ok, right on the beach, we have a big room to share and the view out of the window is great. The fella tells us that the humpback whales are migrating past Rarotonga at the moment and to keep an eye out for them. We shower and change quickly and head to the bar to see if we can get some food. It is going to cost us a lot of money here for the next few weeks and it’s a bit of a shock when they tell us its 25 New Zealand Dollars (NZD) each for dinner, the hostel is 120 NZD and I can feel the cash draining away already.

We have our meal, a BBQ buffet and chocolate cake and ice-cream for pudding and watch the band. There is a wedding party going on and I feel sorry for the bride and groom. I guess when you go all that that way for a tropical wedding you hope the weather will be fantastic. As it is, it's pissing down with rain and looks like a cyclone has struck outside. Not quite the photos they had hoped for!

We head back to our room, I go to sleep and Simon and the kids watch some film on the laptop. Tomorrow we are thinking of hiring a car for the day so we can drive around the island and try and get some decent accommodation that won't completely break the bank. Hmmm! Could be difficult!

Our last day has arrived and we have breakfast and start to pack up our gear. We spend the morning by the pool and eventually Ali's guitar arrives. It doesn't look too good, it's been mended with fibreglass, not quite what we expected but it actually seems to play ok and as we had resigned ourselves to the thought that it was knackered anyway we're happy enough.

After lunch Ali spends some time getting some of the guys here to sign his book. We had originally intended to collect email addresses in this book but forgot about it from Malaysia to here so it’s a bit empty. Nevertheless he adds a few and he's pleased with that. At 4pm its time to go and we say our goodbyes to everyone before Sunny takes us out to meet the ferry. Goodbye and Thank you everyone at Walu Beach- You have all been great- Sunny, Ziggy, Malley, Sena, Paul, Tico, Appi, Josh, Stanley, Matilda, Cassie- we love you all!! Our Fiji Family!

The ferry ride takes about 2 hours and we arrive at Nomads Skylodge around 7pm. Peterina has invited us to dinner with her family and at 7pm we meet her Dad, Sam and brother and sister Thomas and Carolin. After a quick drink we are shown to a table right by the pool and soon we are joined by Leba, Peterina's mum. (The manager of the Skylodge)What a lovely family, they extend fantastic hospitality to us and we have a great Indian meal. The food is so good and includes thali's with about 6 different curries to choose from. We also have some yummy puddings that we never tried whilst in India and Sam explains this is Muslim food that would traditionally be eaten at Eid.

We spend the evening chatting about our trip and about Fiji. Its very interesting conversation and we learn about the political and economic situation here. As with some of the other places we have visited it seems that waste plastic is a big problem, we also listen to some great stories about the local people. Despite the fact that Fiji is in lots of ways very progressive, it seems that in some areas, local traditions such as kava drinking are going strong. Probably accounting for "Fiji Time". (Basically things will be done-sometime!)

By 1130 its time for bed and we walk down to the house to collect the kids who have gone off with Thomas and Carolin to watch The Simpson's Movie. I feel really sorry that we haven't had longer time to spend with Peterina's family, they are so kind and friendly and I feel really happy to have had the opportunity to share a meal with them.

Tomorrow we are flying to The Cook Islands and crossing the International dateline. This means we will actually gain a day. How amazing I can't really get my head around this concept no matter how many times Simon explains it. We leave on the 18th Sept at midday and fly for about 3 hours, and then arrive at 5.30 on Friday 17th. Wow!

Saturday 18th August 2007-My first thought is that I want to phone someone at home this morning just to say "I'll speak to you again yesterday" and as I have 5 minutes calling credit left on a phone card I give mum a quick ring before breakfast. Peterina comes and sits with us until we leave at 10.I'm impressed she made it to say goodbye as she tells us she was out partying until 5am with some guests from the hotel.

We wave our goodbyes and get in a taxi for the airport. We sit reading and before long board our flight to The Cook Islands. The flight time is just over 3 hours and the time when we arrive is around 5pm. (Friday 17th August 2007) - Weird!!

We have booked a hostel within walking distance of the airport but I'm a bit upset when we look out of the plane window to see heavy rain. Anyway by the time we have been through immigration it's stopped but it isn't that warm and I'm definitely going to need to change into warmer clothes.

The hostel looks ok, right on the beach, we have a big room to share and the view out of the window is great. The fella tells us that the humpback whales are migrating past Rarotonga at the moment and to keep an eye out for them. We shower and change quickly and head to the bar to see if we can get some food. It is going to cost us a lot of money here for the next few weeks and it’s a bit of a shock when they tell us its 25 New Zealand Dollars (NZD) each for dinner, the hostel is 120 NZD and I can feel the cash draining away already.

We have our meal, a BBQ buffet and chocolate cake and ice-cream for pudding and watch the band. There is a wedding party going on and I feel sorry for the bride and groom. I guess when you go all that that way for a tropical wedding you hope the weather will be fantastic. As it is, it's pissing down with rain and looks like a cyclone has struck outside. Not quite the photos they had hoped for!

We head back to our room, I go to sleep and Simon and the kids watch some film on the laptop. Tomorrow we are thinking of hiring a car for the day so we can drive around the island and try and get some decent accommodation that won't completely break the bank. Hmmm! Could be difficult!

Today is turning out so good! We're going to America Woo hoo!!

Our original RTW ticket included 2 months in the US but when we decided to go home early our plan was to travel from Tahiti to LA and then onto New York the following day before flying home. After talking to the Irish girls who are also flying to The Cook Islands on Saturday we decided to reconfirm our flights and discovered that our flight at 6pm has been changed to midday. This isn't a problem although it does mean we will have to leave Walu Beach tomorrow instead of Saturday morning as planned.

We therefore decided to accept Peterina the student leaders offer to stay at her parent's hotel on Friday night and meet her family. Simon then checks our onward flights to Tahiti and is a little confused to see that although the flight to LA is booked we aren't booked onto any flight from The Cook Islands to Tahiti. We decide to try and miss out Tahiti altogether and fly straight to LA from The Cook Islands. We have taken some advice from our friend Marie and everyone we have spoken to tells us Tahiti is very commercialised and extremely expensive. The initial phone call seems like its getting a bit complex- we have to fly back to Auckland and it will take us over our airmile allowance. Blah blah blah.

However half an hour later and its all sorted - Hurray!!! If all goes to plan we should be flying to LA on the 1st Sept for a week, then to New York on the 8th and then London on the 9th. Perfect- just awaiting a confirmation email now. I'm feeling so excited about this. Although Tahiti is supposed to be good, we have had the most fantastic time in Fiji and couldn't wish for a more perfect beach holiday. With 2 weeks to go in The Cook Islands- another idyllic beach place, I won't feel cheated at all at missing out there and would definitely rather go to the States.

So it seems tonight is our last night here and the staff here have been lovely. At 2 o'clock the Americans leave and we wave them off happily. Its back to being a quiet and peaceful place and we're touched when we're informed that they will be having a special dinner for us here tonight. They clear all the tables except one from the beachfront and spend ages making it all look good for us. Sena put balloons and flowers out and tells me she has done it in red and white especially. (England colours)

Ali goes wake boarding in the afternoon and I sit worrying about him. It looks a bit scary to me but when he returns he tells me I needn't have worried, the fella who took him out didn't seem to have much of a clue either and I don't think he managed to stand up on the board even once. In the end he tried knee boarding and at least kept his head above water for a few minutes! Simon, Maisie and I then take the sea kayaks out for half an hour and whilst looking through the water at the coral see a big bright blue starfish.

Many of the staff here have been sick since we arrived with a viral infection and when we get up to the bar, Paul the barman looks really ill. They are all complaining of feeling cold and have headaches and sore throats. I have been giving them paracetamol as they have been going to the hospital on the mainland and coming back with vitamin c tablets which they seem convinced will cure them, and telling them to go to bed.

Our evening ends when some Italian guests ask Malley to get some Kava roots. We have a few bowlfuls but it tastes horrible and I'm paranoid about getting sick as everyone including half the staff here are drinking out of the same coconut shell. Ali is already complaining of feeling weak and I give him a paracetamol at 9.30 when he asks to go to bed. We sort Maisie out and then go and lie in a hammock on the beach with a few beers, staring up at the stars and listening to the waves in the warm balmy air it’s a blissful and romantic last evening in Fiji

I'm running out of titles for our diary now as we are doing so little! The main notable points of the day are that our fellow Malolo Sliders are all leaving today. At 11pm Mairi and Kevin say their goodbyes and we wave them off from the end of pier with reminders to go and catch up with them if we ever get to Ireland. To be honest comparing the prices for a holiday there and one here it would probably cost us almost as much to go there so I doubt we will go but we'll definitely stay in touch by email .As Mairi's camera broke Simon burnt some holiday photos onto a disc for them and they now have the proof of their fantastic time here.

I crash out on the beach in a hammock strung between two coconut palms and lie there listening to my MP3 player and making plans for our return home in a few weeks. First thing to do is buy a dog. (We have promised Maisie) We want to get an Alsatian like our friends Alli and Adrian's lovely dog Reefer and I have promised Simon faithfully I will walk it every morning before I go to work. ("We'll see on that one!" - Simon)

Caroline and Lydiane move their gear into our bure at midday and we have our lunch together. After travelling for a year and working in OZ for 6 months they are flying to LA tonight and then home to France in a few days. They have been lovely, we've really enjoyed spending time with them and we make some plans to holiday in one of the French ski resorts after Christmas and go and see them for a few days then.

They have their showers at our place and at 4 o'clock we walk down to the pier to say Au Revoir. We'll miss them but I really hope we will see them again in France so I don't feel too sad. The benefit of being the last of a group to leave is that we have scored 2 lots of sunscreen and some insect repellent!

I'm off to the bar now its beer time- quarter to 6 and I'm definitely ready for a Fiji Gold. We had a quiet dinner and sit chatting to the latest arrivals at the resort- two Irish girls Katrina and Rosheen. As it’s the Americans last night the staff perform the show we saw here last week. It's very good and we enjoy it despite having seen it before.

Peterina the student coordinator sits talking to us over a beer. She tells us about the previous December's coup and how when they reached the check points they would all open the windows and shout "bula" to the soldiers. She described how the soldiers would then sling their AK47's behind their backs and shout and wave back. By all accounts it seems that even the day of the coup it remained extremely safe here and we have had the best time. We tell her that we had heard the Fijians are the friendliest people in the world and that we will be spreading that bit of information around when we get home.

Off to bed now it's late and I really want to make an effort to do something tomorrow.

Oh my god we're all feeling slightly weak this morning and although I didn't drink too much, clearing up all the bottles from outside our room makes me feel a bit fragile. We all make breakfast apart from Maisie who scrapes her bum off the sheets at about 9.45 and has to make do with a bit of toast. Warrick and Amy left at 8am this morning, on their way back to Perth (The dark side as they called it) we really enjoyed them being here they were very young and mad and we had a great time.

Happily the Americans are going out for the day, island hopping, on a catamaran and it means the resort will be completely peaceful and half empty. Maisie new Fijian friend Gigi has also left today and it seems so quiet around the pool.

We laze about all day and meet at the bar for cocktails around 7pm. The entertainment fellas have arranged a "cross dressers" evening for the American's and although we didn't join in its highly amusing watching them prancing around in their thongs (Guys) we agreed that some of them conform perfectly to a stereotypical image of young American people- really loud, argumentative and a few are so rude and demanding. On the other hand they are full of enthusiasm for games, really competitive and fun to be around. They're leaving on Thursday and although we will be pleased to be able to bag a sunbed and at least 5 minutes on the internet I will miss their rowdiness.

1030 Off to bed now- feeling tired and ready for sleep.

Joe takes Ali's guitar off to the mainland today and we decide to keep our fingers crossed that it returns repaired. If not we are kind of expecting that anyway so won't be too disappointed. We feed the fish in the morning off the end of the pier and I lie for ages looking into their big fishy faces. The circle of life- we feed the fish our left over food, they get fat and end up on our plates and so it goes on.

After a quiet day by the pool the American girls come back and we decide its time to move to the beach. There is a bit of "them and us" situation developing now and although its very good natured they are so loud and over excitable that their screaming and running around is enough to have us all heading for a bit of peace. We find it perfectly, Warrick and Amy supply a bottle of Jim Beam and we sit with our fellow "Malolo Sliders Society" members(Us, Mairi and Kevin, Caroline and Lydiane and Warrick and Amy) on the beach watching the sunset and drinking whisky and cokes.

After a quick shower we meet at the 360 bar up on the hill, the students are eating up here tonight and then have a Pirates Night organised. Ali and Maisie join in enthusiastically and have dinner before all piling down to our room with a load of beers, a few bottles of wines and a few cocktails. We have a lovely evening, everyone gets quite pissed, Malley joins us later with his guitar looking frazzled after a day entertaining the Americans and we don't get to bed until after 2am. We end the evening sat on the beach looking at the stars and promising we will try and come back to Fiji one day.

Simon and Ali got up early today to take part in a two hour hike to the highest point on the island. Patrina the American student co coordinator leads the walk and by all accounts they have a good time. When they get back around 10am I'm surprised to see they are completely knackered and filthy dirty, apparently the hike was fairly hard going and poor Ali suffered badly with his hay fever.

Maisie and I have had some breakfast and feeling guilty for my complete lack of exercise I decide to have a try in the gym. The gym area is on the beach and consists of a couple of bikes, a cross trainer and a rowing machine. Keeping in mind that I don't want to exert myself particularly and do anything too strenuous I opt for half an hour on the exercise bike and leave it at that.

I ask at reception if it's ok to start moving our stuff to our new home "Bure 6" and when I'm given the ok get moving, Maisie and Mairi help me and it takes us about 20 minutes. It's well worth it though. The new place is so so cool, with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms it's massive and has lots of natural light. It's also in a beautiful location, again right on the beachfront but with a long veranda out the front and a big patch of grass with coconut palms and a couple of hammocks.

I spend the afternoon lying on the grass outside our bure, it's very peaceful and we love it here. When we talk to Mairi and Kevin later they tell us that the price for a one bed roomed beachfront bure was 450 Fijian dollars a night in 2005. The coup has definitely been a positive for us as we wouldn't have been able to afford to come here .The normal rate for this place would be 690 dollars a night. (Without food) As we are getting it for the same rate as the other place - 50 Fijian Dollars each and all our food, we're very pleased and well satisfied.

In the afternoon Caroline and Douglas an Aussie fella take the Hobi Cat out for a couple of hours and take Ali with them. He comes back having had a great time and plays volleyball on the beach with Simon and the fellas before collapsing in an exhausted heap.

We have dinner, a BBQ and then it's the Hermit Crab Race again. When the winning crab No. 11 representing Wales is called with Ali as the owner we're a little confused as we didn't enter but it turns out that Malley has bought Ali a crab and entered it for him. Ali wins 19 dollars and is thrilled and touched by Malley's kind gesture. We all sit having a few drinks and head off to bed around 11pm.

The decision about Ali's guitar has been made and Joe has offered us a free nights accommodation and food, a bottle of wine, the guitar is going to the mainland on Monday for repair which they will pay for and Ali is going to have some wake boarding lessons with Malley. We're happy with this and think its fair compensation and as much as we can reasonably expect.

I expected it to be really quiet here this morning but there are lots of people around. At lunchtime a group of around 50 American students arrive. We knew they were coming so although it does turn this peaceful place into more of a party island we don't mind. We sit talking to a couple of French girls, Caroline and Lydiane, they are at the end of their RTW trip and spent 7 months in Australia working and touring around. As they didn't go to the East Coast its interesting listening to them chatting about the places they visited including Ayers Rock (Uluru).

In the afternoon Caroline takes Ali out in a kayak for some snorkelling just off the reef. Maisie plays in the pool with Appi and I lie frazzling in the sun. Simon has been playing volleyball and table tennis with the boys who work here but I haven't so far been able to persuade my legs to do anything so energetic. I have got so brown since we've been here and I think it because it isn't any hotter than around 30 it's easy to lie there all day reading and listening to my MP3.

By 4pm my tooth is really hurting again. I have been managing the pain ok with 2 paracetamol in the morning and a couple of beers each evening but today it's so painful and makes me feel miserable. I go and have a shower and as soon as it reaches a decent time- 5.30 head for the bar. Paul makes me a Malolo Slide (The best cocktail I have ever had and everyone here loves them) by 7.30 the pain is forgotten and we have a lovely evening with the other people staying here. A good mix, a drunken Aussie couple Warrick and Amy, Mairi and Kevin, Caroline and Lydiane, an American couple called Terence and Sarah, an English girl Michelle and us. Everyone has a lot to drink and I call home and chat to mum for half an hour in between.

At 9pm it’s the Kava Drinking Ceremony. It's famous in Fiji and we have heard loads about it, the Kava roots are ground up and mixed with water to make what looks like muddy water which you then drink. It has a mildly narcotic effect and once Malley and Sunny have got all the American students sat on the floor I go over to have a look at what the Kava Ceremony entails. Apparently you should clap your hands once, say bula, drink a coconut shell worth and then clap 3 times. Well it tastes fairly non descript and only has the effect of making my tongue feel slightly anaesthetised. I'm surprised when Maisie says she want to have some but not surprised when Ali gulps his down. I tell Malley that Ali isn't to have too much but despite this hear later he had 4 cups. I guess he'll sleep well tonight.

The first thing to do after breakfast is go and have a chat with Joe the resort manager about Ali's guitar. Simon is worried as we don't want to get Malley into any trouble and he makes it clear to Joe that we aren't blaming Malley for what was definitely an accident. He says he wants to have a talk with Malley and we leave it that they will perhaps send it to the mainland and try and get it repaired. Everything here works on "Fiji time" and Simon is going to speak with him again tomorrow and try and sort something out.

We spend the day lazing by the pool and watching various people arriving. We thought it would be very quiet here today as lots of couples have left but a big group of Japanese people arrive and it's soon fairly lively. Carol, Shane, Conor, Megan and Niamh pack up all their gear and we help them carry their stuff to the pier. At 4pm its time for them to go and we stand by the boat saying goodbye. We've had a lovely time with them and will miss them loads. We promise to go and see them in Portsmouth before Christmas once we get home.

Once they've left we have our showers and meet Merry and Kevin for a drink before dinner. It's very quiet without the McCabes and we eat quietly with the kids. The Japanese group soon liven things up though and we sit laughing so much at them dancing around whilst Ali, Malley and Ziggy play the guitars. Very funny and exactly what we need to brighten us up after the upset of last night. I talk to one of the Japanese ladies about Japan and she tells me we should definitely visit there as it's so beautiful.

We round the night off playing a game of guess the capital city by listening to the national anthems with two French girls and a drunken Australian couple and Simon wins us a cocktail voucher. Maisie is completely exhausted and I take her off to bed. Guess the Malolo Slide will have to wait until tomorrow.

Today started really well, we had our breakfast and after an hour or so sat chatting by the pool joined one of the entertainment fella's Malley for an aqua aerobics session in the pool. The 4 guys here Malley, Ziggy, Sunny and Mel have been working really hard to make sure everyone has a good holiday and the 5 kids adore them. After a fairly placid kind of workout involving a bit of stretching and running around the pool we have a game of water polo.

Not a good idea for me as it turns out when I get elbowed hard in the mouth and end up with a split lip ouch! Still it recovers with a bit of ice application and Carol and I have a lovely afternoon sat watching the kids all playing around the pool. They have been joined by Appi one of the children who lives here and the gang of six seem to be having loads of fun. Simon and Shane take the sea kayaks across to the nearby Plantation Island telling us they're off to check the talent out across the way.

We all meet for dinner in the bar early and have a few cocktails. The Malolo Slide is the scrummiest thing and Carol and I share that and a Fruit Daquari. We order dinner and are sat chatting with Merry and Kevin the lovely Irish couple that have been here a few days longer than us when we suddenly hear a huge bang. It turns out that Malley one of the entertainment guys has dropped Alister's guitar and we're completely distraught to see the head has almost completely broken off. Oh my god what a complete nightmare.

We now face a sticky situation, it was a complete accident and we don't blame Malley at all. On the other hand it will cost us around 500 pounds to replace it. We talk it over with Shane and Carol and in the end ask Malley to talk to Joe the resort manager tomorrow and we'll see what we can sort out. When we check our insurance policy we realise we will probably only be able to claim around 100 quid for it. What a bummer, Ali's gutted, Malley looks distraught and its upset us all. I feel bad as Shane, Carol and the kids are leaving tomorrow and we wanted to make their last night special but it has cast a shadow over the evening for us.

11pm-off to bed now feeling tired and sad.

When we made our way to breakfast this morning we were so pleased to see pancakes and maple syrup on offer-Yum! We settle by the pool and sit watching the kids all playing around. Maisie, Conor and Megan have a largish collection of Hermit Crabs and seem to be spending a lot of time lavishing attention on them. It's good to see them splashing around in the pool and Maisie practises her front crawl.

Ali and Simon take the sea kayaks out into the bay and do a bit of snorkelling. I wondered whether they would be disappointed having dived at The Great Barrier Reef but they said it was good and they saw loads of different types of fish and some coral. The weather today is a bit overcast but still really hot and it makes us laugh to see the staff wrapped up in their warm clothes, It very humid also and I seem to have caught the sun a lot when I strip off for a shower later on in the afternoon

Early in the afternoon Shane, Carol and their kids go off to the village for a couple of hours and Maisie and I lie together chatting away, it's very peaceful and we have a lovely restful afternoon.

We meet in the bar and have a few drinks before dinner and then watch Ali and the guys playing their guitars for about an hour. There is a big group of American students here who have been working as volunteers. Not bad, they have been doing some conservation work in New Zealand (2 weeks) then an outward bound bit in Australia and then an optional week in Fiji. (All accredited towards their course- what a great degree that is!) Anyway they love Ali's guitar playing and he has a dedicated bunch of groupies there.

Around 9.30 the show starts- this is a mixture of singing, dancing and comedy and we have a great time. The 4 entertainment fellas work really hard to ensure everyone enjoys themselves and the night ends with a bonfire on the beach. As we head off to bed I look back and see wild flames being blown across the beach and up the palm trees!

We were all awake fairly early this morning, my broken tooth is aching a lot and the pain only seems to be controlled with at least 3 Fiji Golds (Beer) 2 paracetamol and 2 Ibuprofen a day. Good diet eh?!

Ali has been up since about 4.30 and by 8am we're all ready for breakfast, there is more choice today and I have some fruit and cereal whilst Simon wolfs down a pile of bacon etc!

We spend the day quietly by the pool. Carol and I have a lot in common and chatter away like old friends. Shane and Simon decide to take one of the Hobi Cat's out for a couple of hours sailing and we watch them trying to catch the wind making their way back and forward across the bay. When they come back one of the guys Mel asks them if they will answer a few questions about the resort which of course they're glad to do. It was all a big scam! and took them a few minutes to realise when they came back that Ziggy had actually been under the table all the time merrily painting their toenails pink!

We have dinner together and a few beers. It's really great here as there are only around 30 guests we are getting to know everyone and there is a very happy and friendly atmosphere. We have been thinking about taking a trip to see one of the local villages but need a few more days rest before we attempt anything as energetic as walking to the end of the pier and into the boat.

We didn't wake up until 9.30 today and almost missed breakfast. Still after wolfing down a few slices of toast we're ready for the main aim of the day which is to do as least as possible.

Another family arrived yesterday afternoon, after us and we sit chatting to them by the pool. Shane is a Navy doctor and his wife Carol was an ITU nurse until she had their 3 children, Connor, Megan and Neve. They tell us they have been living in New Zealand for a year before returning to Portsmouth and that they lived in Plymouth fairly recently where Shane worked at Derriford. We have a lovely day with them and despite the age difference- their children are younger than Ali and Maisie they all get on well.

We spend the afternoon lying on the beach, chatting about raising children and frying in the sun before showering and getting ready for dinner. We have a choice of meals, I choose fish and when it arrives I'm surprised how good it is, we have definitely chosen a real winner with this place.

The slight downside is the return of mosquitoes and sandflies, we're all bitten all over despite using loads of repellent, coils and knockdown spray and in the end I go to bed fairly early feeling a bit frazzled and thankfully avoiding the balloon dance competition arranged by Sonny and Ziggy!

We had to set our alarm as we are being collected by the taxi at 9am. We have our breakfast and load up our gear which has increased dramatically with the addition of 6 days worth of snacks and drinks and a few beers. The journey to the pier takes about 15 minutes and gives us an opportunity to have a bit of a look around. It's very beautiful with loads of tropical coconut palms and colourful flowers everywhere. The women we pass wear bright floral dresses in reds and yellows and flowers behind their ears!

We get some money from the ATM (No ATM on the island) and wait for the ferry to arrive. At 1030 we board a catamaran for the 50 minute trip to Mololo Island. We stop once and then a second time at Musket Cove where everyone else apart from us is staying. We're met by Stanley in a longtail and pile all our gear in before setting off. When we arrive at Walu Beach Resort I'm surprised and thrilled to find it's absolutely stunning here. How fantastic! With a gorgeous long white sandy beach and about 20 beachfront "bures", we couldn't have wished for a better place.

As we pull up we are serenaded by 2 guitarists, a traditional "bula" welcoming song. So cool, we're given welcome drinks and shown to our bure. Its great accommodation, right on the beach with 2 bedrooms, a lounge area and a thatched roof, its very cute and we feel really lucky to be here. Without a doubt this is one of Simon's best finds. For 200 Fijian dollars a day we are getting 3 meals and accommodation. We worked out that this is costing around 15 pounds each. An absolute bargain for 6 days in a place which really is nothing short of paradise.

We spend the afternoon lying on the beach and baking in the warm sun; I try the hammocks and nearly fall out. There is only one other guest lying anywhere near us and other than that its almost completely deserted - complete heaven!! We sit watching the lovely sunset together, it's very romantic and have a few beers. We make our way back up to the reception/restaurant area for dinner and pile our plates high with the BBQ and salad on offer. We have bananas rolled in coconut for pudding - the kids loved it. We sit listening to the guitarists playing and talk to a lovely couple from Ireland. They have been visiting their daughter who is half way through her RTW trip and we have a good chat.

At 9pm the fella announce it is time for the International Hermit Crab race and having picked a crab each for a dollar( I chose No 4 - called Mitsubishi and representing Japan) we all crowd round the crab racing area. To my delight he wins and I get back 18 dollars for my crabby investment! Hurray!

We head off o bed around 1030 and go out like lights. We have had a fantastic day today and I'm completely looking forward to a lie in and then doing nothing all day tomorrow.

Bula!

I set the alarm early this morning and was up and showered by 8am ready to go and explore our surroundings in the daylight. This hostel is quite big and we are staying in the parrots building. Everyone else wakes up after I clatter around and we head for breakfast which is complimentary. It's really lovely to be able to sit outside wearing my skirt, t-shirt and flip-flops and I think it's perhaps a bit warmer than I expected. (It is winter here)

We dig out our suncream and mosquito repellent and after breakfast of toast, fruit and coffee settle ourselves by the pool. It’s a really friendly hostel and I sit chatting to a big group of girls (All English) after exchanging the usual "where are you going where have you been?" it seems that half are at the end of the trips and some near the start as they began in America. We of course are amongst the group at the end of our trip.

A few weeks ago we decided that for several reasons we were going to cut our trip short. This has been a really difficult decision and one that we thought a lot about. Coming to terms with the fact that we are going home soon has taken a lot of accepting and a few tears to say the least. On a more positive note, for us this is the start of a lifetime of travelling around the world and has only fired our enthusiasm even more for getting out there and doing it. Definitely not the end of The Bowmans Travels!

6pm - We've had a lovely day, sat by the pool, swimming and reading. I started Harry Potter today and have just been so lazy only stirring for half an hour or so at lunchtime to get a sandwich .Its boiling and our pale white bodies seemed to frazzle in the scorching sun. In no time at all Ali has burnt and has been banished to the room. Simon has been out for a few hours to sort out our onward travel to one of the surrounding islands. In the end he has decided on Malolo Island which isn't too far from here and my only requests were a decent beach and cheap accommodation.

I'm a bit alarmed when he returns minus one sandal to hear he fell down a manhole whilst out. He has a big cut on his foot and leg. With all our other hassles of the past few days it is a bit upsetting. Anyway he said he was fine, not really hurt just a bit shaken up. Bless.

As its Saturday night the hostel have a show later and when we go down for dinner Ali plays his guitar with the resident players for an hour. What a star, he got him and Maisie free cheesecake from the owner for that. Then its time for the show and its fantastic, such good fun, entertaining and funny with loads of dancing, singing and fire eating. The group of about 10 islanders perform dances from Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and Fiji and they look amazing with their grass skirts, long hair, tribal tattoos and flowery headdresses. It all gets a bit wild when one of the girls burns her belly! It looked so painful and she dropped her firey thing into the crowd but we had a great time and went to bed very happy and full of it.

In Fiji now, next post maybe upto a week as we're off to the islands and we're told there is no internet access.

Later.
Simon

We suddenly remembered last night that we hadn't confirmed our flights and Simon borrowed Nick's computer to do so. Good job as apparently our flight isn't until 6pm tonight and we would have been gutted if we had got up at 4am and rushed to the airport only to be told our flight wasn't for another 13 hours! As it was we didn't get up until late and spent the morning researching places to stay in Fiji. It looks beautiful and I'm so excited and can't wait to get there now.

Simon books a backpackers close to Nadi airport for tonight and we plan to make our way to a beach resort tomorrow or the day after. At 3pm Nick takes us to the airport having managed to get off early from work in order to be able to do so (Saving us around 50 dollars in taxi fare) we say our goodbyes and send Roni our love and thanks. They've been so great and we're really grateful to them both.

We check in, pay our 75 dollars departure tax and make our way upstairs to the bar. Maisie, Ali and I then wander around the bookshop for ages before making our decisions on which books to buy for our beach holiday of the next few weeks. We get Ali the final Alex Rider book and I chose A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini- author of The Kite Runner).

Soon its time to board and after driving the plane for what seems like ages around the airport the pilot takes off. As the flight is destined for LA we are pleased to see it’s a big jumbo and get nicely settled for the 2 and a half hours to Nadi. As usual with the short flights the time literally seems to fly and before long we start to descend.

As we get off the plane the warm, balmy tropical air hits us. Hurray!!! So so glad to be here and our high expectations of Fiji are all confirmed, as we collect our baggage we're serenaded by a 4 piece band of guitarists playing some kind of hula music! We have arranged a free pick up from the airport and are herded into a mini van with another few people. When we arrive I'm so happy. The Nadi Bay Resort Backpackers is really good, much better than I expected for the money we have paid. (112 Fijian dollars- exchange rate 3 dollars to the pound) and has 2 swimming pools, 3 restaurants and a huge room for us that we're sharing.

10pm- The kids are a bit tired and moaning so we stick them up in the room and tell them they have to stay there whilst we go for a beer downstairs. On the whole trip I think we have only done this maybe a few times but its good to get away from them for half an hour and have a beer in peace!

11pm- Off to bed now feeling really tired and so happy to have to put the aircon instead of the electric blanket.

Well at last our last day here has arrived and we spend it organising ourselves ready for our flight to Fiji tomorrow. First to do is to get to the dentist and see if I need something temporary doing to my tooth. After driving around 2 or 3 medical centres we eventually get an appointment at 1045. I'm completely petrified and snappy, which isn't too helpful as Maisie's still really poorly. I'm finding it very stressful as I don't want to leave her at Nick and Roni's without any way to contact us and the poor thing dozes in the car as we sit outside the dentist waiting for my appointment.

I needn't have worried, the dentist was lovely and after pulling my filling about with that jabby thing they use informed me that despite the fact half my tooth is missing the filling is stable and should last for the next 5 weeks whilst we are in the South Pacific Islands. Good- no drilling today. We make our way to the shopping mall and get a few things we need, Maisie seems to have made a miraculous recovery for the time being anyway and insists on gobbling down a plate of sushi for lunch.

Of all the places we had to visit on our trip New Zealand was the place I was the least excited about. For years I had imagined it to be very much like England with sheep and rugby and in many ways it is a bit like that. What I wasn't really prepared for though is how beautiful it is, we have seen some of the most stunning scenery here of our whole trip and despite the sometimes more than freezing weather we have had fun here. The highlights of New Zealand for me have definitely been the 3 days we spent skiing and snow boarding. We LOVED it. So much fun, I never thought I would enjoy it so much and proudly displayed my bruises and injured knee.

Milford Sound was awesome and Whale Watching in Kaikoura was a wonderful and moving experience that seemed to sum up New Zealand for me. I'll never forget it. We've met some friendly people along the way, especially the shearers in Waipura and of course Nick and Roni. A massive thanks to them for letting us stay with them. It has been a relief today to let Maisie sit and watch DVD's all afternoon in the comfort of a home rather than a hotel and we owe them big time.

We have to get up really early, I think around 4am for our flight to Nadi tomorrow. We have checked with the UK foreign office and despite last December's coup it seems it's completely safe to travel there. Good news for us, unfortunately for the Fijians their tourism industry has been badly damaged and prices are therefore much cheaper than they were a year ago. Can't wait to get there and get some sunshine. BBC World Weather said its 29 degrees and intermittent sunshine. That will do nicely.

We didn't wake up until nearly 10am and had a very slow start to the day. Simon and Nick used to play rugby together for OPO's and as Nick has been living in New Zealand for years they have a bit of catching up to do.

We drive out to Mt Eden, one of 38 extinct volcanoes around Auckland city. Maisie is a bit concerned we might have to walk to the top but to her obvious relief we drive up. We stand and look down into the crater which is really cool, it's very windy up here and we have fantastic views of the city and landmarks which an extremely knowledgeable Nick points out to us.

After lunch at Nando's, Nick showed us around the city some more before we head to an art and craft centre to buy a few souvenirs. There are loads of really nice things but as usual we don't buy too much and settle for a cheese board and knife set thing. We've eaten loads of cheese and biscuits here and I figured we will be reminded of here when we sit with our wine and cheese at home reminiscing about the trip.

By now Maisie is complaining of bellyache so we set off home stopping off at Borders to get a Lonely Planet for the South Pacific Islands and the latest Harry Potter book. The LP is going to cost 57 dollars and Nick kindly says we can have his copy- what a star! Just after we arrive Roni gets home and we plan to get pizza later for dinner. Unfortunately our plans don't work out too well as by 6pm Maisie is crying with her tummyache and we decide to take her to the hospital for a check. A relatively painless hour later, minus 85 dollars we leave, clutching a prescription for antibiotics and analgesia. (Another drama dealt with!)

Ali and Roni have been watching the film The Great Escape and after ordering pizza we crash out with a few beers. Tomorrow we have to sort our shit out ready for the flight to Fiji on the 3rd.