Friday 22 December: Special Christmas Greeting

Well who can believe it's Christmas all ready? It hardly seems five minutes since Di and I were in Adelaide last year and Catherine and Mark were about to leave for England! But what a year it's been! Cath and mark travelled, Mum and Dad moved to perth, Di and I moved to England, then Catherine and mark had Amaya! Di and i got to travel and catch up with all the English Relatives and have a great holiday in Egypt and off to Scotland tomorrow for Christmas! And now it's Christmas again... Well we thought we'd make a special greeting for all the family back in Adelaide. As we won't be home for Christmas we thought we could at least send you a greeting so you could see us.


Happy Christmas to everyone and have a safe and blessed Christmas!
Lots of love, Pete and Di Hobbs

Sunday 17 December

Today Uncle Paul, Aunty Chris and I went down to birmingham to go and visit the grave of my Nanny Harris. She was a great woman and it was nice to go and visit and say hello. We also got to put some flowers there.

Following the visit to the cemetary we went to Aunty June's house for dinner, to pick her up to take her to the Carol service at the Cradley Heath Corps. There we met up with my Aunty Margaret which was really great!

However I didn't get to see her that much as she dobbed me in to play in the band, which was a good laugh, I got to sit next to Santa! I went and sat with her for 15 minutes during the meeting which was nice.. Got her laughing...

As I hadn't played for over 18 months I was a bit rusty, even on 2nd cornet, but I soon got my lip in, as you can see with this picture of Bob Stokes (I look like i have makeup on! Rest assured i don't), old friends of mum and dad. It was nice to meet up with Bob and his wife Doreen, hadn't seen them since 1987ish.

It was nice to have the family around together for Christmas! Well my three Aunties and Uncle Paul! I miss Di cause she is still working night shifts! Next week holidays!! YAY!! Scotland!!

There will be heaps of photos of Di then!

Howz That????

Well you can only describe Australia's performance so far in the Ashes as nothing but awesome! Being in England and watching our fine team play back home has made us home sick, but also their passion and determination has been infectious.

It's been fun getting up really early to watch our team play but watching the humiliating defeat of England this morning was very satisfying. Go Australia! Australians certainly are so talented and so blessed to live in a country which is so amazing, with such great attitudes, a fighting spirit and so laid back and fair dinkum!

As much as DI and I love the countryside and being around our great family and friends. Nothing compares to the lifestyle and life we have in Australia! I am so glad mum and dad moved out there back in 1988.

Australia is certainly blessed and is a very lucky country! What an awesome Cricket team we have!! The worst thing is England has an additional 40 million people to choose from and yet they still can't get a good team together??? I think they should take a leaf from Australias team and learn a few lessons! Two words to start them off Kanga Cricket!

Anyway enjoy these photos!!

Sunday 10 December

Today Di and I wentdown to Birmingham to meet up with Uncle Paul, Aunty Chris, Aunty June, Uncle Derek and loads of other people!! We were going down to go to the Salvation Army Birmingham Citadel Corps's Christmas Concert in the Brmingham Symphony Hall.


Before we got to the hall though we stopped off at a place most harris family members will recognise... Number 82, Nanny Harris's house. The House where Mum, Aunty June, Uncle Derek and Uncle Paul all grew up in. It was quite a nostaligic trip...

From there we headed into Birmingham and went to the Christmas markets. Then we headed to the Christmas concert and guess who we found ourselves sitting next too??? My mums brides maid Margaret Cullingworth. What a small world!

After a really great concery Di and I headed along with Robyn and Cheryl to visit Aunty June and Uncle Tony. Where they put on a great feast for us!! It was a really lovely day and we got back to Middlewich about 9:30pm

Saturday 9 December

Mum and Dad Hobbs, here's the jackets you got for us as a Christmas present!! They are really great. Thank you very much! They are keeping us so warm all ready. Di lives in her's as she's always cold... they are so warm!!

Special Amaya Presentation

Well as I said in the previous post Cath and Mark have been sending us the cutest photos of Amaya.

We have so many that our blog site couldn't cope with uploading them all onto one post (great keep sending more), so I thought I'd make something special so you can all appreciate them and ooohh.. and ahhh.. at the whole selection. With special thanks to YouTube.com you can all enjoy this presentation.

Mark and Catherine you have a cute litte girl and we're very proud relatives if you can't tell! not long now till we get to see her!

Saturday 3 December

Today after a long sleep in Di, Robyn Cheryl and myself drove to Sherwood Forest for a special Robin Hood Christmas Dinner!!

It was really great. We had a three course meal then an evening of dancing check it out!!

We ended up driving home at 11:30pm and getting home about 2am.. but it was a really great night!!

Sunday 26 November

This morning we got up and Linda cooked us the best English breakfast... was really nice!

After breakfast Dave and I got a desire to go looking for remote controlled helicopters, so we all went to a super centre nearby and hit Toys'R'us but unfortunately they didn't have any... of course Linda and Di had a chance to look at clothes. This is what we're looking for "The Honeybee"

Then We went to the White Rose shopping centre in leeds.. The best I've seen in England so far!! However we didn't find any good helicopters, but Di and I got new jackets, which we had as a present from my Mum and Dad!

After a few good hours of shopping we said goodbye to Linda and Dave and Di and I headed back to Middlewich as Di had a night shift.

Another great weekend!!

Saturday 25 November

Today Di and I went to visit my cousin Linda and her husband Dave. We had a really nice day together, when we arrived we got to tell them all about Egypt then we went out for a the most fulfilling Thai meal Di and I have had since we've been here in England.
Obviously we were stuffed after eating such a huge banquet.


Leeds, a really great city... Although nothing beats Menai Thai in Sydney!!

It was a really great night and we also visited the German Christmas Markets in leeds, where they had some strange christmas treats...
We had a really Great night!!

Sunday 19 November

This morning we were picked up by our Traveline Consultants at 5:30am and taken to Cairo International Airport. Here we boarded our BA flight back to London... We got to watch some really great movies on the plane home but the flight was only 4 and a half hours... nice short one.

We were met again by Allison Cowling and we all went out for Lunch at Mcdonalds... YAY!! poor after trip LOL... then we spent a few hours catching up with Allison then started our 4 and a half hour drive back to Cheshire... HA!

It was a really pleasent drive and not much traffic. Dark at 4:30pm which is so weird. It's going to be by 3:45pm in a few weeks time. YAY!! Anyway we got home about 8:30pm and hit the hay, ready for work tomorrow!!

For more photos of Egypt visit: http://peterhobbssalvorock.spaces.live.com/

Saturday 18 November

This morning after our last buffet breakfast we spent time relaxing on the beach. Where Aunty Chris took a giant leap in confidence, by snorkling off the hotel's pontoon which was about 15 metres deep under her!! YAY Both Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris are now like water babies

Then Di and I said goodbye to Uncle Paul (they left later) and the fantastic Sheraton Duty Manager Ahmed, and our precious cleaner friend, Ramastad (who kept telling us we're having three or more kids) and headed off to the airport at Sharm.

We took a flight to Cairo where we spent our last evening. Accept Di and I were so tired we ordered room service and went to bed after watching Naked Gun 2 1/2... it was the perfect end to a perfect holiday...

For more photos of Egypt visit: http://peterhobbssalvorock.spaces.live.com/

ris

Friday 17 November

This morning DI and I were up really early to go on our last day of diving. We went out to the Jackson Reef on Tiran Island. Just look at how amazing it was.

We spent the whole day diving, however after diving the Thistlegorm we found it a little unimpressive. It was a really nice and relaxing day and we drank alot of free Coca Cola, which was provided by the cruise.

We got back home about 5 then hit Naama Bay one last time for our final night in Sharm. We went to a Thai restaurant (Which wasn't really a Thai restaurant, it was only by name). We spent time looking around the shops and I got a hard rock T-shirt from Sharm.

Then our tooting taxi driver which Uncle Paul appropriately named 'Toot in Car Man' (get the pun??) took us back to the hotel (how great is the hotel) where we played another game of Uno then hit the hay.

For more photos of Egypt visit: http://peterhobbssalvorock.spaces.live.com/

Thursday 16 November

Today we had a day lounging on the beach, we got up and had breakfast then it was off to the beach where we spent the day snorkeling and relaxing.

It was here Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris both got really adventurous and entered the water to discover a whole new side of Sharm... the ocean.. It was great we all got to experience the fish, coral, and beauty of the Red Sea.

In the evening we went to a really nice restaurant in the holiday complex just next to the Sheraton. We all had really nice meals, more fish and meat... mmm...

Then following that I taught some of the local Bazaar store owners some simple magic tricks with their money, to their delight. It was really funny watching them try to work it out, then show their friends... Ha!

Then it was back to the hotel room for another game of UNO!! YAY!! then an early night as Di and I need to be up early in the morning for another Dive.

For more photos of Egypt visit: http://peterhobbssalvorock.spaces.live.com/

Wednesday 15 November

Today Di and I headed off on another Diving adventure accept this time to dive on the Thistlegorm Wreck, a boat bombed in world war 2. Check out the video..

Tuesday 14 November

So we spent the next hour and a half soaking the fact we're climbing the mountain where God gave Moses the 10 commandments... it was truly awesome.

Once we reached the top (as far as the camels could go), we had a hot chocolate in a little rest point (a Bedowan Tent). Then our guide led us in the dark up 700 steps to the top of the mountain. When we reached the top we purchased a mattress and blanket each then were taken to the best viewing point on the mountain and slept till dawn.

We awoke to see one of the most amazing sunrise's you'll ever see... we pulled out our bible and started to read the section where Moses received the tablets and it was just so special... like you could imagine what it would have been like with just moses alone on the mountain. selah...

We came up with the camel, but on the way back we walked.. in fact we walked back on a different track, it was meant to be the track Moses walked on, a narrow and very steep track which cut down through a valley of Mt Sinai.. You must all do it!! it is so awesome. At the bottom of the mountain is St Katherines Monastry. This is supposed to be the site of the burning bush experience and where the Israelites camped while Moses was up the mountain.

We made our own monument to mark our visit to the mount.

When we got back to the bottom we headed back to Sharm.. another 2 hour sleep.... zzzzzz

Di and I then slept for another 3 hours on the beach when we arrived. Then we went for a walk around the bay to a cute little place where we had lunch. The rest of the afternoon was speant lounging around the hotel and snorkling.

Monday 13 November

Today was special as it was Aunty Chris's birthday! YAY! We got up early and had breakfast together, all you could eat buffet... We love holidays.. Then we spent the morning by the sea sun bathing and relaxing. After that we headed into Naama Bay to do some site seeing and had dinner by the sea in a little cafe.. it was yum.. Then we went on a glass bottom boat in the bay to check out some of the tropical fish, then watched the sunset.

Once we got back to the hotel we went back to the Turkish restaurant and had another delicious meal, then all of a sudden the lights dimmed and a birthday cake was brought into the room with candles... yay!! Happy Birthday to you... it was a great surprise, none of us knew Uncle Paul had arranged it... After a great meal Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris went off to bed while DI and I got picked up out of the front of the Hotel to be taken to Mt Sinai...

Fortunately we were able to sleep in the van on the way as it took 2 hours to get there. On arrival we met our guide and started to climb the mountain.. It was an awesome experience to know this is where Moses had been... Any way we came to a Camel Caravan and we were asked if we would like to ride a camel half way up the mountain.. of course Di and I didn't say no and we then spent the next hour and a half riding up Mt Sinai on a camel... it was awesome...
(continued on Tuesday)

Sunday 12 November

Today DI and I began our first day's diving, we'd had our check now it was onto the marina to head out to Ras-Mohammed National Park to go diving... well it was awesome and it should be as this is meant to be one of the best diving places in the world (http://www.rasmohamed.com/rasita4.html).

We had an amazing day and did two dives and snorkelled. We saw so many different kinds of fish, like sting rays, trumpet fish, lion fish(picture), Nemos... it was awesome.

When we got back we spend the evening with Uncle Paul and Aunty Chris and had dinner in the Turkish restaurant in the hotel... the food was great!!