For 6-12 ish year olds they are amazingly strong, and got stuck in with our amazingly efficient human rock passing chain- so many hours passed passing rocks in a series of entertaining ways, we even had time to teach Millie to catch (rocks are good for this because if you drop them on your foot they hurt) - no
feet harmed btw.
Today we also visited what Rahul (one of the people who looks after us here) in his 'grande casa' on the hill to watch the wales breeching, and learn about what they are trying to protect in the marine park here.
Onward then, and it was an early start this morning as we had to catch the ranchera to Esmeraldas- we had to be out in the rain waiting for 6am yuck.
Ratty visited us one more time, but we got some sleep at least!
After about 3 hours in the ranchera sharing with the locals, planks of wood, sacks of food, and plantain (mm yummy)) we arrived in Esmeraldas to beautiful sunshine, sat on the beach and had a picnic. Our hotel (complete with showers and beds with mattresses - ooh such luxuries!) after a swim in the sea, we returned to the hotel to have a mammoth blog comment read after a week with no signals..
Some brief messages from some of us, I am sure these will make sense to those who know what they mean:
Becky looks like a lobster. Torse stop posting your daily routine. Louise didn't get burned (ner) Rhiannon and charlotte look like they have been a jolly good meal for some biting insects. Charlotte says just
Because you are in scissasy (her spelling) doesn't mean you cannot post loving comments to your only child. Millie feels loved,please don't stop.
Nat says nic please teach my parents to comment !!!!
Pab and Bethan we love you.
Hi to the tilly fan club (again)
People who feel unloved:
Becky
Rhiannon
Rosie but she is bored of comment from mum and Rachel because they are dry (?)
Finally, we have to ask that our growing fan club please avoid posting comments that may be regarded as offensive to staff or students as we are unable to publish these. (our site here is linked from the school remember) 8-)
Dear Rosie,sorry but it's 'dry' old mum here, letting you know that Henry has gone to Paris and me & dad are back from walking, nay climbing in the Swiss mountains, it was tough. We saw a glacier - bet it'll be bigger than yours!Dad dropped his rucksack in a fresh cow pat - v amusing. Why haven't you told me about the Mystery Jets before - I love them! Next tour date, you and me, at the front. I'm soooo down with them kids.Looks like you're having a brilliant time, enjoy the beach and be a good little bushbaby. Miss you loads, lol Mum xxxxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Rhiannan
ReplyDeleteSchool holidays have started and everyone is starting to chill out at last!! Life here seems as busy as ever - no more tortoise eggs phew! As there is very little room left for them in the incubator! 2 new t - Pandora & Milly! Everyone says hi! I'm glad that I'm not doing your washing right now!! It looks as though we have had more sun than you've had! Remember to take some photos of some of the galapagos tortoises for me.
Love Mum, Dad, Olivia & Bryony xx
Hi! Becky, just to let you know you are 'loved',
ReplyDeletethe 'old foggies' have just learned how to contact you!!!! Missing you loads, trust the the sun burn is easing, lots of love, Nan & Grandad. xxx
Hi Tilly, sending this to keep your fan club position!! Hope you are well.Bet you were glad to get in a bed with mattress- we know you like your sleep!! We have just come back from Yarmer Beach cos it was soo hot! sand burning our feet!Love Belinda, David,Ben and James xx
ReplyDeleteCatttthhhhhhh... Oops did I embarress you?? You did make me promise. Ah well - Seen my stripey bikini anywhere? ;) Anyways sounds like you're all having a fab time, see you soon :) Torse xxxx
ReplyDeleteHi Tilly,
ReplyDeleteBen here(u know ure cousin)glad u r havin fun looks hard work as in the picture ure hair tells the story(if tht is u)we r in devon the weather is fab it was so hot we couldnt walk on the sand.I hope ure English teacher is not there as my English is not up to scratch
From Ben xx
P.S Eliza slept over at ours last week and she is a loud sleeper as u may know but she worked hard at my mum work expieriance.
Charlotte and Pip
ReplyDeleteLooks like you are having a great time. I'm sure it has been an experience!
The Partridge Family xx
Hi J, we are in Tuscany, just off on a short introductory walk (about 8 miles apparently!) Using the computer behind the reception desk in the hotel. People keep asking me thing in Italian. Scussi. Mum sends love. Dad XX
ReplyDeleteTo Rebecca Potter (the unloved one ;])
ReplyDeletelol well i saw the comment about it and thought i best send you another message as you feel my last one wasnt good enoguh ay. :) well missing you loads back here in wet horrible England lol hope you been having a good time ... not having to get up at 5 in the morning for work you bumm!! ha. oh and another thing you never said when your dads bday was part from its when you are away.. big help :P
Anyways not long till you back :D:D:D:D:D soo have fun and i'll see you soon.
love you
Jay
xxxxxxxxxxx
Becky dear...looking like a lobster sounds about right for you :) i am trusting your pulling the look off very well :) B i realised this time next week im actually going to be an adult...and i dont have my bestfriend to drink with me!! major drinky session needed when your home. Ive spoke to your dad and little holly :) and you dad imformed me your not actually back for my party :( but dnt fear, pictures will be taken (pure amusement for you) and drinks with be saved for you :) and im hoping to come and see you as soon as your back home and settled :)
ReplyDeletemajorly looking forward to seeing you!
I miss you lots and lots and lots.
Sounds like your having a right laugh out there. take care. see you soon.
love you :)
Rosie.xxxx
Hi all, hope the weather improves for you. Since you've been gone, Ava has learned to blow raspberries, roll over without taking her thumb out of her mouth and has slept through the night until 6am several times - yippee! Kali has completed her 6 week puppy school course and won an award for 'most improved puppy' (a reflection on how terrible she was to start with). We have enrolled her in improver classes as she loves the other puppies - especially George the spaniel and Stanley the terrier (the little hussy!). She hasn't eaten anything she shouldn't have lately but climbs up onto the sofa whenever we leave the room! Ava has enjoyed watching the Tour de France with her Daddy and is a big fan of 'Cav' (5 stage wins but just missed out on the green jersey). Checking your blog every day and looking forward to updates!
ReplyDeleteClaire xxx
Dear Rogito (your equadorian name now)
ReplyDeleteSorry you think our comments are dry, you obviously got the humour genes of the family!
Mum text me to tell me you look like a dirty old rabbi in the picture of you and the bush baby, she's right - your jewish heritage is showing through!! tame those rabbi curls!
not much happening here, Mark and me went out in bath on saturday night and mark got chatted up by a polish man in the toilets - typical mark. the day he comes out no ones going to be suprised. then on sunday on the train back i sat next to a really sweet nice old lady who then started making racist comments about all the tourists on the train - wonder if she knows granny?
Me and mark have seen toy story 3 twice now, i cried like a big girl both times - it's so sad!! I can imagine you shaking your head at this right now. I've also got a new phone that I can go on the internet with and everything - I'm finally in the 21st century!
other than that it's all quiet here, i would try and tell a joke but i dont know any that you'd find funny. being witty isn't my forte!
ciao ciao for now loser, hope you're having fun! I would tell you the other slightly racist comment mum made about you being italian but i dont think it would be allowed - i think thats her way of saying she misses you.
Love Rachel (and Mark)xxx
Hi Rhiannan
ReplyDeleteIt is wet and pretty miserable here today. Great for the garden, but the tortoises don't like it!!
Olivia & Bryony are off to Coral Reef on Wednesday. Your dad is as busy as ever, and my college work is keeping me out of trouble. I have a month off the Kids Kickers syllabus (and boy do I need a rest).
The dishwasher has finally gone to dishwasher heaven, and having to wash the dishes by hand reminds me of camping!! However, after a week of having no dishwasher, I will admit that I can't stand it much longer. I had a look at a couple at the weekend, and just need to make a decision. By the time you come home, we will have a new dishwasher!! Hooray!! Genevieve, Lola, Hippy, Pebbles, Calypso, Mimi, Cosmo, Ozzy, Taz, Ziggy, Yoda, Otis, Felix, Scooter, Woody, Pandora, Scooby (formerly Milly) Luna, Simba, Cpt Jack, Tortuga, Aurora, Indie, Harley, Kenji, Merlin, Mayhem, Anarky & Kaos all send you love. Missing you, dad, me, Olivia & Bryony XXXXXX
Hello Millie,
ReplyDeleteWe've finally found out how to contact you. The older ones take a bit longer to work out how to do blogging!
It looks fantastic out there - you must be thoroughly enjoying it.... and loads of sun as well.
Enjoy yourself and speak soon
Lots of love
Austin and Celia
Hi Tilly
ReplyDeletePleased to here you feel loved and have 1/4 of the blog messages - we all love post in our family! We have just a few spare moments to blog you here in VERY SUNNY Portland / Weymouth. Oscar is out on the water doing his stuff I just managing ten minutes out of my waders - helping launch boats while Eliza and Matilda catch the raise and hence have just had to buy some after sun lotion for the two pink lobsters!! They have been hosing boats and helping too. You father is way off on the horizon somewhere rescuing little sailors. Not sure of your colour coordination in the photos Eliza and Matilda are 'lol'ing - not my typing!! Granny coming here on Thursday. Hope you are all managing to have time to read all our comments. Take care - enjoy what is left.M D E O and Matilda - hoping the ducks are ok at homeXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx
Hello Tilly
ReplyDeleteYou will be glad to know that i have helped myself to a selection from your wardrobe :) Weymouth is very hot!!
Me and Matilda are in charge of Dermot as Claire and Dave are on the water! He is so funny and loving having us both running after him!
The cottage is really nice and so is the club .... Me and Matilda are burnt as ever!
Lots of laughs happening here.... especially loving your outfit i have to say!! (i matched my boat shoes yesterday) haha :)
Anyway sounds like your having a really good time ! Enjoy what is to come and we will be waiting for the next blog!
Love ya long time
Eliza xxxx
MILLIE!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my G, i am sooo burnt, very red and painfull. i look like prawny ralph! Weymouth is really hot and sunny, loving the flip flops atm. Looks like you're having a good time, we all missed an oppertunity to see Dan yesterday, im glad i wasn't the only one!. For some reason my last comment didnt post :( dont think i have forgotten about you!. I am quite enjoying your selection of mascara.
lots of love
matilda xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Heyyy Rhiannan (: ,
ReplyDeleteArghhhh, Life without you is worse thann having to tidy my room! :( Hurry up and come home pplease. Its sooooooooo boring without you, and your science packed brain could really come in handy with things I need to know!!,,, Dad has agreed to let me join the football team (: Woop Woop, But he only agreed cause i made dinner for everyonee!! ,Unfortunatly the dishwasher has broke. NOOOO, Its like we are already on holiday. :( Well whilst you are out there Struttin ya stuff I am lounging around the house watching DVD's and planning stuff with friends. We could really use your Happiness and imaginative mind to spark up the house's atmosphere.
Missing you lots and lots and lots and lots. Love you LOADS AND LOADS!!
From Bryonyyy x (:
P.S,, did i tell you i lovee you Lots!! xxxxxxxx <3 <3 x
Hi Becky, I am sorry you are feeling unloved but we have send some messages(honest),Even nanny Joany sent a message yesterday.We are all fine,not much happened here.Dads been out in your car so you will probably need petrol when you get back.Make sure you are slapping on the Aloe Vera if you have got sun burn,but you should have been putting on your factor 50, you doughnut.Went up to Phil's on Saturday for Callie's Birthday everyone was asking how you are. Love you lots Mum, Dad,Holly and Bailey
ReplyDeleteHey again! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear that Jess' finger survived. :)
It seems like you guys are doing really well! Although, you could do without the rain, I assume..
I saw the most awful teeth today! Like actually on the verge of black?! How disgusting. The highlight of my day was definately the "Hygiene" treatment. Oh the joy! Sarcasm aside, I actually enjoyed the observing. I hope some even more exciting things happen in the next week.
I'm counting down the days til you guys are back, and of course Bethan too. I'm bored stiff. My facebook is actually so dry, it's depressing me. Hardly anyone writes to me at the moment..
Charlotte, you will definately enjoy turning your phone on when you're home, by the way. :)
Anyway, I'm off for now! Will write to you soon, probably tomorrow, I don't really have a life..
Lots of love! xxxxxxxxxxxx
Hello to everyone, special hello to Matthew, hope that you are all still having a wonderful time and not too exhausted from all of that hard work! It must be amazing knowing you have helped towards such a good cause, well done to all of you. Lauren has been trying to post a message, keeping you updated on all the transfer news, we may turn her into a football fan yet, never know!! We are all really missing you Matt, but we know you will be having such an excellent time. Speak soon, Love Louise, Ryan, Lloyd & Twiggy xx ;-)
ReplyDeleteHeyy Nannan,
ReplyDeleteI really don't like that you're feeling unloved, I did write a rather long comment a few days ago, but it doesn't seem to have appeared!
I miss you a lot, you are like my sunshine, and i'm blaming the recent rain on you!
When you get back, i'm ready for eclipsing and i've bullied Neesha into coming aswell.
That spider looks terrifying btw.
Love youuu!
xxx
Hey mum and dad.
ReplyDeleteAlun here, Check your email for an update from home. I got 2 jobs! You look like you're having fun.
Keep the blogs coming.
xxx
Rosie dont feel unloved, i miss your moon face very much!
ReplyDeleteLooking forwards to seeing you when you get back! Me and vikki popped in to henry holland section in debhamans yesterdays and said "oooh im rosie macleod"
Thomas says he misses you to!
Hope the rest of you are doing good :) oh and lousie ive been stealing your shifts at work. :)
Krista xxx