The Macdonald files

Since I last wrote we have been relaxing and resting and meeting people from the church here.We met with the paster at someones house with an amazing swimming pool..with slides..we had a lovely time with them sharing about Honduras.We were invited to use the pool when we wanted..we have been so blessed by peoples hospitality!!I sang at the church..and we spoke of Honduras and the work there…we have been so fortunate to have met such great people.The paster is called Tom and its a pesbytarian church..we want to thank him for being so welcoming!We also had an earthquake..it was a loud noise and it felt like the bed lifted or something rolled under the house very odd and made you feel shakey but over very quickly! thankfully..it was 4.5 and glad no bigger..I dont think I`d like to live near so many fault lines..the Californians feel them all the time..its like rain in England just a fact of life!Well back from another week touring in the purple pontiac..had a wonderful time.though we are exausted from all the miles and night driving!We started at universal studios where we saw JAWS which the kids liked ..also the set of Darcys favorite film THE GRINCH..and saw the plane wreck set of WAR OF THE WORLDS..and we saw norman bates motel and the house behind..There was loads to do and the kids loved it.The next day we went to disneyworld..crowded!!but we had a wonderful day..the kids were allowed on all the rides height wise…even little Flora..so we were going on all sorts of scary rollercoasters..there was one in the dark and it felt like you were flying in the dark..flora went on the front with Seth and the rest of us behind..I thought she would get off crying..it was so fast and scary ..but she turned to us and said “that was wicked”she`s only 5.The next day..off to San diego…lovely place..and sea world…saw some amazing shows of dolphins and shamu the killer whale…we fed dolphins.. saw sharks..pola bears and basically had a fantastic day out..a great place!flora was enthralled by the huge walruses with horns and the penguins.She spent about two hours at the end of the day pretending to be a penguin..walking with her feet turned out flapping her wings and demanding fish with penguin noises…it took us ages to get anywhere!!she told us she wasnt pretending..she really was a penguin! an actress in the making !We then headed to the joshua tree national park..which was gorgeous..desert with loads of huge rocks.and joshua trees!Then we headed for las vegas..DESERT for miles….nothing for hours in the car..no food..just water and no airconditioning..it was a trial at times…but just amazing expanses of space and never ending straight roads! then a flat tyre!! in the desert at around 6pm….not impressed but thankful everyone was ok..the tyre in pieces.We all sat in the dust at the side of the road whilst ham fixed the tyre with a tiny get you home tyre..looked unsafe ..then along came a policeman who was lovely..and helped us out..got to vegas..and found a mexican tyre place and we got a new tyre and fixed within 15 mins!event over.Finding a place to stay there was difficult as friday night prices were impossible..eventually we found somewhere out of town..and had a good rest.We visited the hoover dam..the next day amazing piece of engineering..then swam in a near by lake to cool off!off back to vegas for the evening..to wander through the huge hotels..and soak it all up..we took the kids in New york New york for an icecream..a rollercoaster..rides through it..everything was larger than life..and it was great to see..think I would like it better without the kids..it was packed scared of losing them!After that another long drive to death valley…this was one of the most beutiful places I have ever seen..huge mountains..sand dunes..such a weird landscape..gorgeous..though the heat was overwhelming..119 in the day 96 at night…we drove late into the night and couldnt find anywhere to stay..so we slept in the car in death valley…never again..the heat was incredible..Hamish went outside and slept on the path to keep cooler..we all thought about it but the kids were worried about the coyotes howling..and rattlesnakes..so we stuck it out in the sweat mobil !A bleary eyed onwards and upwards to yosemite national park..gorgeous..and would love to go back there..dramatis mountains..freezing clear lakes and cool breezes..love to do some serious walking there..On to San Francisco with its lovely skyline and spooky fog.We went over the bay bridge and saw the golden gate bridge..and the trams and the harbour with Alcatraz(thought of sending kids there for a few days)A most charming city full of character..and hills that are incredibly steep..the children said it looked like Plymouth!( but the hills much steeper)We saw seals in the harbour( Flora became all dramatic again..a seal this time) and wandered around old boats..a lovely city.That day was finished off in china town where we had a duck! well it came with its head on..and a twisted neck…flora said yuk its still got its eyes in!Seth thought it was cool..they all ate it.. obviously not shocking enough to make them vegetarian.On the way out of San francisco.we broke down on a very fast freeway!!hamish paranoid someone would go in the back of us got us out of the car and I started walking with the kids down the freeway ..no hard shoulder in the dark to get petrol..the kids were brill and kept holding the rail at the side of the road .We walked for about ten minutes..then I realised there was no junction in the near future..just continue walking on these scary bridges..so I made a decision to turn back and was greeted by a police car..which had earlier picked Hamish up and hooked the car to the front of his.Hamish told us afterwards the police had asked him to get his hands out his pockets and stand still..he said he was in the middle of the road with his hands up..feeling like he was in a movie…we all had a good laugh thinking of the scenario!They got us to a petrol station..me and the kids were black all down our left sides due to muck on the rail..it was all on our faces too..they gave us stuff to clean our hands with..checked it was only a petrol problem..it was thankfully!..we had a chat then off we went in search of a bed!An eventful evening..kids..enjoyed the police car ride and got a junior officer sticker..impressed so far with American police..still dont like thier big guns though..my son is more impressed with those.Off to sequoia national park..to see the giant forest.Huge magnificant redwood and sequoia trees were amazing to see..made formby pine woods look like toytown!we had the added joy of seeing a bear with her two cubs by the side of the road..fantastic view of them..a lovely end to our 2000mile mad trip round california.California is a most beautiful state..and would love to come back..though its the size of england..getting round with more time would be better.Well I`ll try and put some photos up soon..a bit of news we will be returning to Honduras via Guatamala again towards the end of this week depending on flights we are going for 3 months we are still doing the rest of the trip we have just taken a bit of time off Austrailia and India..we feel this would be best for us..and the children to be settled and there is so much to do down there..it seems at this moment to be a more productive use of our time.When we are there..bad internet connections..will mean less emails to freinds but we will update the blog at least weekly to let you know we are all ok.We miss you..keep in touch always great to hear from you..Love and God bless Rachel and the gang.

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Hi..thanks to all who have written comments..and sorry we couldnt write much whilst on the road..the net is too slow in many parts it was just too much agro to be bothering!We met my parents a day earlier than scheduled quite by chance..which was great..great to see them….they werent impressed with central American bus travel!!but they arrived with no problems! we stayed with them for a few days in Flores Guatamala..and visited Tikal mayan ruins which are in the jungle..saw monkeys in the trees..and climbed huge temples.Dad had us in fits of laughter at the pool he didnt like his grey chest hair..so mum in her wisdom said she`d use hair removing cream ….which she did…well what was revealed was weird bra shaped tan lines.. so funny! later on he complained of 5 o`clock shadow on his chest!! brits abroad eh!All he needs now is a medallion!We then travelled to San Ignacio in Belize..and took a trip to caves and waterfalls..this was a fantastic day..it was like a natural water slide..with conecting pools and a strong current that swept you down..such fun..seeing Grandma and Grandad sliding away then catching the kids as they went too.We met two guys from spain who were a lot of fun ..and help with the kids.We then took off for the coast and went to placencia a lovely peninsula of beach..and chilled out!!gorgeous…the kids found lots of starfish and coral..snorkelling was nice.Mum wasnt well with her tum…which made travelling to the mexican border hard..the next day the last stretch of 5hours till we got to playa del carmen Mexico..to our hotel and a doctor to sort mum out(all better in a couple of days).Well the hotel was fantastic…all inclusive and the food was amazing…marble floors massive beds..fridges filled with everydrink imaginable.. shower and seperate jacuzi bath..full airconditioning room service..towels folded into exotic shapes of animals!!And the kids had thier own ajoining room..which was lovely as weve all been in one room and sometimes all in one bed.I have never in my life been anywhere so posh…and I`ve a sneaky feeling I could get to like it!!swimming pools right on the shore of a fabulous caribbean beach…idylic!we spent a week eating.. drinking pina coladas..swimming in clear blue sea..and pools and generally relaxing.The kids loved having Grandad to play in the sea with them..Seth and Darcy loved jumping from the sandbanks into the high waves and getting pushed to the shore with them..fantastic fun the lifeguard kept blowing the whistle at them!!It was the same when we were kids it was my Dad doing the mad stunts in the swimming pool and getting the whistle blown!Saying bye to them was horrible and we felt on a real homesick downer all the way back to guatamala city..27 hours on buses spread over 3 days!!flora and Seth had picked up an ear infection(probably all that swimming)so it wasnt the most pleasant of journeys..we saw a doctor and they got sorted with antibiotics and are much better now thankfully..Seth throwing up all over the bus wasnt one of his finer moments..i am learning long bus journeys require towels not tissues….but wasnt quite as bad as when Darcy was sick in a restaurant in belize( a reaction to malaria tablets..not the food!) the plumbing in these places is bad and however hard I tried to poke the sick down the sink it wouldnt go!!!!I eventually had to tell the manager of my plight and asked him for a plunger!!!That wouldnt work..he had to unscrew the U bend in the sink and use the plunger and a bucket underneath to release my darling daughters stomach contents!!! it went all over the wall ..the guy was sweating and green..the walls were red..she had just drunk strawberryade!!it looked like the set of a cheap horror movie!!It was one of those please let me die now God moments!!Travelling with kids..its never dull.Well we made it to guatamala city and got our flight..it was a turbulant one with full scale thunder storm..was not impressed and very glad to get feet in LAX airport.We waited for a taxi and they wouldnt take 5 of us( we are definately back in pc western world..central America packs them in..it was quite a shock we couldnt get a taxi!)waited abouit half an hour and was talking to a guy who had been shooting a film in the very hotel we had stayed in the previous week..he was so lovely and offered to share two taxis..then he paid as his production company covers all his costs!!we are blessed..his programme is beauty and the geek!! I`ll have to check it out.Stayed at Niks house and had a sleep then off to santa monica mountains in the morning! we are in LA for 3 weeks and will be speaking about Honduras and hopefully generate some funds for the orphanage..and also singing and worshipping at a church here..and travelling to see some more of California.We will post photos pronto we have loads to weed through..trust all are well we heard UK has been having floods..sounds awfull..hope camp isnt a washout we miss camp( how can we say that whilst sunning ourselves in California…but its true!!)Trust camp has been a huge success and all is well with our friends and family.Love to you all miss you..Rachel Hamish Seth Darcy and FloraXXX

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