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1999: The Year of Travel



Hi everyone, Sorry its been so long since weve emailed everone and said Hi.We had a great Xmas, our flatmates went away so we had the house to ourselves. We got a Christmas tree and had Brad round and I cooked a big Christmas dinner (minus the gross Brussel Sprouts that everyone seems to eat over here at Xmas)We got videos and had some drinks seeing as we didnt have to travel.




Winter has London in its icey grip, and we find that we live only with the assistance of the central heating. The short distance to work each day is increasingly more difficult.
Paul has handed in his notice at his work, intending to return to the supply work he enjoyed so much before. Tina is happy at her current work.
Paul had his birthday, reluctantly celebrated at a great brickland resteraunt. He never liked birthdays.
We are currently attempting to sell the van, but without much luck. It appears to be the wrong time of year.




Hey everyone, I thought it was about time I did an update letter now that we have started work again. Paul is enjoying his class, he has a few difficult children but he is managing them. He is really happy as he has some amazing singers in his class so he is enjoying doing lots of music with them. His new school has noone that is capable of playing an instrument so he has been approached to take assemblies and play the guitar for other classes.
My class is excellent. I am enjoying them sooo much. They remind me how much i enjoy teaching and remind me of the kids from home. My school work is full on though. We have a team of inspectors coming in 2 weeks which is standarrd they come to schools every 4 years but it is piling on the pressure early on in the term. In fact I havent left school before 6pm since i started last week. It is a highly organised school with high expectations of staff which I am enjoying. My classroom looks beautiful and im keeping up on top of things, just though by doing all these late nights.

We havent been paid yet so we are flat broke but have enjoyed catching up with friends over the weekend that have returned from holiday. Itis ggreat having Bradley over here (a friend of Pauls from school) and Im looking forward to friends Aaron and Steph coming over soon. I loved when my brother Brian was over its awesome to show people around and see their reaction for the first time as Ive forgotten how different i thought London was at first. I loved going to the bars and showing him around. cant wait till our parents come over next year so I can do it again. We havent sold the van yet but plan to do it this weekend which will be cool, more money to pay off visas from holiday. We have been babysitting our old flatmate Stephs laptop since she has been on holiday and still have it till she finds a flat and I have fallen in love. I have to have one. So I am going to sstart saving once my visas are paid off to buy myself one for Xmas.

Anyway I havent got any more news and Eastenders is on soon. Ive become addicted. Its as week special, on every day as Bianca and Dans affair has just been uncovered. Exciting stuff

Lots of love to you all. We miss everyone loads
Love Tina and Paul xxx

PS Dont forget my birthday in a month October 7th. Gives you time to start organising postage etc.
Pauls is on the 16th of Nov too. Hes 29 old fart
hahaha




Hi everyone, Well we made it back from Europe safe and sound. We came back a few days early as we needed to find a flat and the van was making strange noises in the rear brakes so we quickly mad it back to London and are selling the van in the net few weeks. We had the best time. It was great.
Since our last letter we went down to Italy and met up with another van with a kiwi girl and a british guy. We formed a convoy and headed down to Venice with them. We also met up with a Bus a bout tour, we drank with them in Salzburg and ran into them again in Venice and enjoyed catching up with them again. Venice was boiling, 40+ degrees and I was not coping very well. I decided after that not to head furthur down into Italy and we wanted to go back to Austria to see the Eclipse. It was great and we filmed it with the video camera which was a bonus.
We drove back through Germany after that visiting Dacau concentration camp on the way. We are glad to be back in London as we still have so much to do before we stat work. We have found a new flat which is great. It is with another couple, An Aussie guy and English girl. It is a very modern flat which is cool. We move in tommorow. We have been sleeping on the streets of London in Our van since we got back, so are looking forward to getting into a house.
Im not sure of the new phone number and adress so will write again soon with all those details. Our new flat has a computer and Internet so you may now continue to write to us and we will be able to check it regularly.

Tina.




We are writing from Austria. IT has been a week and a half since we left London and we are having the best time. WE have driven through Holland, Belgium, Luxemburg, Germany and Austria. I am writing this from a campground in Salzburg in Austria. We spent a few days getting across Germany and found many gorgeous camping grounds in the woods etc.
We stayed at my Aunties for 2 days when we first arrived in Austria which was awesome to get out of the van, get washing done and spend time with them. Paul spent most of his time learning and practising german words and phrases. We are planning on going to visit some ice caves outside of Salzburg tommorow and then mayby heading down to Italy. We dont make definite plans just see what we feel like. We will be back in Austria next weeek for the Eclipse of the sun as from Tonis house they get 100% viewing which will be exciting. THe van is going really well it developed a small radiator leak just after we started but i just bought some radiator stopleak which has completely fixed the problems.
We have been cooking lots of meals using the gas stove which is saving lots of money. WE have not got an adress in LOndon anymore as we moved out of our flat before we came to Europe. WE will look for a new flat once we get back to LOndon on 23rd of August. IT GIVES US A WEEK TO FIND A HOUUSE AND GET READY FOR OUR NEW JOBS starting on SEpt 1st (sorry i bumped capslock) Anyway keep in touch i need to keep this short as i am paying by the hour. Keep in touch via email and we will give you all our new adress and phone number when we get it.




HI Everyone,
We thought it was about time to update everyone on our news. Well theres four weeks till school finishes and we head off to Europe, we both cant wait. The van is going great, for those who dont know a few weeks after we had it some useless English guy drove into the back of us. Of course he had no insurance but as that is illegal here he turned out to be ok and payed for everything to get fixed if we didnt call the police so that turned out well.
Paul is doing day to dat supply teaching which he is enjoying. It has been a bit stressful for him as the work is slowing down but he has been lucky and got work most days. I am still struggling through my school. I have just finished reports so I am very relieved and plann on just cruising the last month of the year.
I had a job interview last week for a new job starting in Sept till sept 2000. That went well and I got the job. The school looks amazing and it has strict discipline policies that are consistent throughout the school which is what lets my school down at the moment. I took the job for a year and am looking forward to getting back into teaching again. Because my class are so violent i find Im not actually teaching but being like a prison warden breaking up fights and disciplining children.
I twisted my ankle a few weeks ago on a night of drunken debauchery with the girls and that is slowly healing. I spent 9 hours in the local A and E waiting for it to be looked at, which was totally frustrating.
We got exciting news that my twin brother Brian wsa coming over in late August the other day so we hae decided to cut our Europe trip back to 4 weeks so we can spend time with him and we can then start school on time hence the new job. We are playing the travelling be ear but plan to cross from Harwich to Hoek an Holland on the ferry, then drive through Belgium, Germany, Austria and down to Italy to meet up with our flatmates Rob and Steph who are travelling around Italy. We will then drive back through France ad cross Calais to Dover. We are not sure how much of that we will get done but that is the plan. When we return to London we will look for another mixed flat in Stratford which is close to were we are staying but a bit more upmarket. We have both set up email adresses on our cellphones which receive short emails so that will be very handy for while we are travelling. We will still be checking hotmail but only every few days so if you want to tell up something send it to the cellphones. We can reply from them too. I will send you the addresses closer to the time of our leaving cause i know how easily it is to forget these things.
It is gorgeous weather here at the moment about 26 degrees although the schools we work in arent really great as thay have no wind passing through and mine is 3 stories. I have decided to buy a PC when we get back from Europe as my new school uses computers for all there displays and I do alot of school work on it plus its so great for keeping in touch and i know i would get annoyed with having to go to the Internet Cafe all the time so once we return you will have regular contact with us.
Paul is planning on getting a terms work from Sept till Xmas as its hard to get supply that term so Ill keep you informed of his sucess. Thats just about all our news, we are still enjoying the pub culture here and getting out and about. Ive decided after Europe I want to go to Ireland so thats my next plan. Anyway well write to you just before we leave this flat. Until then,

Lots of love

Tina and Paul
xxx




Hey everyone, Sorry this is a generic email but Robs computer has died, therefore we are at an Internet cafe costing £5.50 an hour. I will update everyone on the news and then set around writing personal replies later. I have 26 letters sittting in my inbox and im not that fast a typist. Paul and I are great, still living in the same flat which has been sold but they have agreed to let us stay here till 23rd of July which is when we set off on our Europe Jaunt. We are both stil teaching at the same schools. I have bben there since Feb and am staying till July.

It has its up and downs but the moneys good.I had a bad day this week and went to the Head saying mayby I wasnt cut out for teaching in East London Schools but she just convinced me I was having a bad day which I was the bastards stole £5 off me plus many fights and kids refusing to do work, but hey.Paul is at the same school he has been there for about 11 weeks and they keep extending his work.He isnt in a classroom, he just floats which he loves. They have asked him to syay on till half term which is in 2 and a bit weeks. After that we just have 7 weeks till the big trip.

We havent bought a van yet but have reached our savings target so we are seruosly looking this weekend. We are off to EuroDisney next weekend which will be excellent. Our whole flat are going plus 2 friends from NZ. We havent planned a trip in the halfterm but hopefully will havepurchased or willpurchase our van then and are planning to try it our driving around England. We might drive up to Newcastle to see a friend of Pauls bt there are so many chooices with a van.

Next week we are going to the BBC to see a taping of a comedy show with Mark Lamaar in it which should be cool. We have been visiting many of the localpubs and met heaps of cool people. Most weekends we join others for a night with a pint or 2.

Paul and I have started a health kick which doesnt really go handin hand with the last comment but we are eating healthy to allow for those pints and not put on the weight that is so easy here.

You will be please to know that we were safe from the London bombs although the night the Soho one went off in a gay bar I was having dinner with people from work only a street away. I came out to phone Paul who was meeting us for drinks to find loads of messages on my cellphone saying was I ok as he and others knew we were out in the area. A bit close for comfort for me.

With mothers day last weekend we were both in contact with family which was great. Times like those when you thinkof home.It was great to hear the news that my twin brother had snuck away and got married in Dunedin last week too. Anyway thats all the news I can thinkof. We are both well and having the time of our lives. The money and travel is Ace. That doesnt mean we dont miss all of you It just means you have to come over and make the picture complete.

Anyway lots and lots of love

Tina and Paul xxx




April marks our 4th month in the British isles (with a few traveling exceptions)We have been occupied with our money saving/work and have been partying in the weekends. Within 2 weeks we will have saved enough money to purchase a Combi van and then the arduous task of saving for traveling expenses begins. Our land lord has given us notice of eviction (we have untill July) but that fits in with our plans beautifully, as we intend to hit Europe by then.

Paul is still working at the same school (contrary to what he said) as is Tina. Both of us have just recieved a pay increase, putting us on 100 pounds a day, which is not bad for glorified babysitting...

We have booked our upcoming France trip, Tina wanting to see Disneyland (having missed out in LA). The trip will be in just 3 weeks, and only will take 2 days...

Tina was recently out with her friends in Soho, when the nail bomb went off a few buildings away leaving her very shaken. 3 people lost their lives and 88 were severly injured. This close call make us both wish the time away until we can embark on our first prolonged trip.

Paul is looking at buying a new cellphone which is capable of sending e-mail, which will negate the need for internet cafes in order to send travel reports. It will be a simple matter to simply 'phone' any news through our traveling e-mail list, so that you can keep intouch with us. More news on that to come.

Spring in the UK is similar to back home, and the break from the constant drizzle is a welcomed change. We are both sick of public transport as the new heat levels make it both stuffy and unpleasent.




It's been quite a hectic 4 weeks for us. We have both been working fulltime, saving enough money to be able to afford our planned trip through Europe. As such, we haven't really had time to go out much, apart from our local area. A few of Tina's work friends have had us over for dinner, and we've been to quite a few pubs, but seeing that we are limited by the local public transport (rather slow) we tend not to stray to far from home.

We have been researching into Vans (of the VW combi type) in preparation for our trip. We hope to purchase one slightly earlier that when we intend to leave. This will cut down on our travel costs and accomadation, but will in turn be countered by diesel costs. Hopefully, given good luck, we will be able to sell the van upon return to cover our initial expenses. We will keep you informed of our progress.

Paul is still (dispite insisting he wouldn't) working at the same school. He is basically being payed handsomely for being a babysitter, doing no real teaching or planning. Tina is not enjoying her school (prison) and looks forward to getting a placement in a north london school upon return from our travels.

We were recently given (for free) a weight bench+weights, dumb-bells and a cool rowing machine from a mysterious stranger. We have placed them in our basement. Paul and Rob are intent on building up their muscles and getting fit (fat chance). But for free, there is nothing to loose....

Tina keeps running into people from NZ. She recently bumped into a girl who went to training college with her. Perhaps there is noone left over there....they're all over here in london.

Leanne Smith recently arrived from NZ and popped in to visit us. She has just got back from Vietnam and other exotic hot places. We celebrated her arrival with a visit to the local pubs. She said she is creating a webpage to put all her photo's on. She's got this great shot of her driving a Vietnamese Tank....and after all, she's now been to 'nam. -we will get the page address for anyone who asks for it...

We also got a new flatemate. She's from New Zealand also, but down south. (shame). She is fitting in nicely, and is a teacher like us. Poor rob doesn't know what to do, surrounded by teachers....

We have got school holidays coming up in a week and Tina has planned a few days away in the netherlands. Our tickets are booked as is our accomadation. We have been working so hard for so long, we are hanging out for this....

With the rest our our two week break we were hoping to get around england to see Paul's relations and Tina's aunt down in Dover. Working in central london (public transport stopping so early) prohibits distance travel for fear of the return trip being impossible.

Well, not a very exciting letter, but our next one will have more news (travel stuff) and will be a little longer than this effort.



Miss you all VERY much
luv,
Paul and Tina
x x x x




Hello all, Well, we're well into february and were still alive. Everything is going well, even the weather has been looking after us (still colder than we are used to). London, as we have discovered, is so vastly enormous that one could spend a lifetime exploring and still see but a fraction of what it has to offer. With us currently working, we have had to confine our explorations to weekends and days that we both finish before it gets dark.

We both are enjoying our respective jobs. Tina has landed a 2-term position that will carry her through to late July, whilst Paul is enjoying the day to day jobs (no responsibilities or reports etc). The schools here are very different from back in NZ. In fact, most of the schools we have been to seem to be steering into the NZ methods. Paul thinks childrens behaviour is not as bad as we were led to believe. Tamaki Primary (back in auckland) was far more difficult. Some of the kids here are a handfull, but they are far and few between. Tina's kids seem more naughty, suggesting that perhaps she has pauls naughty ones as well as her own.

Tina had an unfortunate incident last week when a child in her class stole her newly purchased cell phone. The child admitted to the theft, but upon talking to his mother on the phone, he retracted his confession. The school took over from there, but it would seem that nothing will be done about it as the parent is irate that the school thinks her son is a theif, when in fact he is a perfect angel. (some things never change). It cost 130 pounds to replace tonight.

We have been out a few nights, to some of the local pubs and even braved the west end to visit some of the NZ and Aussie hang outs. We went to the 'church' yesterday. Quite an experience....

We have been quite organised and have prepared a budget regarding money saved and earned. Hopefully, when our 6 week holiday break happens, we will be able to take our first lengthy tour of Europe. We had concidered purchasing a combi-type van, and driving from county to country. This would allow for those smaller out-of-the-way places that trains/busses seem to miss. The problem we see is getting parking in the big cities. Hopefully we might leave the vehicle on the outskirts and take public transport into the heart.

It would seem that flight deals are readily available. With prices under 50 pounds to most places (depending upon the specific offer) we were concidering doing a few 'outings' during the two 'smaller' school breaks before end of term.

The flat we have moved into is great. It is better than anywhere either of us have ever lived (besides home, of course) and is quite cheap also. Living in the east side has its benefits.

As one takes the bus to work in this area, you can see the various abandoned buildings left in ruins from the last days of the bombing during the war. Further south we can see the 'millenium dome' that is being built in preparation for, you guessed it, the year 2000. Most people around seem to think it's a waste of time and money....

We have 1 week holiday in a week, and we hope to aquire a tax number and visit some of the daytime london attractions. The cheeper the better. We have planned a few walks arround the thames area. At a satisfying £0 cost, it's well worth the price.

Well, thats about all for now. Miss you all!

Paul and Tina
x x x x x x This is a quick note to let you know what we are up to. We have been majorly jetlagged since we arrived and haven't really had time to accomplish much. We leave for the canary islands tommorrow morning at 5am. (thanks to tina) and will return in one week (hopefully brown and ready to tackle these english schools). Today we explored the tubes after checking out the place we will be living in. It's very nice...shame about the new flatmate, rob (hehe) The tubes were a new experience for tina, and paul nearly got caught in the door. Rob took us to leicester square for a yummy indian meal. The weather has been quite mild, but tonight it was a tad nippy. Paul had to wear his jumper.




Well, we are all established in Rob's flat in London. We have been oh so busy these last few days, racing around the city collecting those essential things one needs to exist (blankets, food, cutlery etc) but we think we are almost ready to begin our work in London.What have we been up to??

We stayed with Dave and Dorothy, who kindly put up with our jet-lagged company. We caught up with Paul's Grandparents over a delicious english pub meal, and we payed a quick visit to Rob's place (now 'ours') to drop of our gear.

Next we spent a week in the canary islands on Tenerif (just west of africa). It was a very touristy place filled with british (and a few local spanish). The weather was not so good, 2 days fine, the rest overcast. We hired a car and drove around most of the time checking out all the usual (and not so usual) attractions. We drove to the highest point in spain (it's regarded as spanish land), and got caught in a half hour hail storm at the top. Visibility was as far a the front window. The beaches were rather poor (by NZ standards), the sand having been imported due to the fact that the islands are actually volcanic rocks. Met some interesting people, a few of which we will keep in touch with here in London.All in all, a good break after a year of saving every penny...

We arrived back Friday 15th and headed for Rob's (a kiwi friend of ours) flat and slept a great deal. Since then, Rob took us on a Monopoly board pub crawl (saturday) and we spend most of today recovering, squeezing some much needed grocery shopping in toward the evening. Tommorrow we travel to central london to have our interviews for our respective teaching agencies.

Well, that just about brings us up to date. Please keep in touch with us. We promise to reply...true!

ka kite ano
Paul and Tina
x x x x