Cliff - I think Wilke's message tells you - it gets no better!!! Not really - they have their moments. Our eldest spent an afternoon in hospital last week with a head injury caused at school. He looked like he had been hit around the head with a cricket bat. Turns out he started it - need to teach him a few boxing lessons I think.

Starting to think I'm going to surface from the 12 hours a day + I've been doing at work soon so will have to start thinking of Amsterdam. It will have to be cheap options for me - looks like we might be moving house soon and the market is going mad. A house we looked at was sold 2 months ago - but is now back on the market because the owners think they can get more for it and have raised the price by 25% - in 2 months. Estate agent thinks it will sell too.

Julius I don't mind sharing. I usually share with Derek. I haven't contacted Derek to find out what his plans are. If you recommend both nights in Amsterdam that is OK with me. If we book a triple it leaves the option for someone( Derek) to be added later and hopefully reduces price per person. If Vinny and Wilke are already booked in to the Park, that seems to be the better option. Think if we get more than 10 staying at the Park we can ask for group discount even if we booked separately?

Wilke - I can't remember the name of the hotel we stayed at. Amidst all the travel info - Derry Woman makes a brilliant point. The Undertones do rock the world - Class - Class - Class!!

Arthur: Don't forget to send me more details on your friend in Amsterdam, remember the doc idea!??

George - Derek emailed me a week or so back and asked me to book a room on his behalf if we all found anywhere to stay. I'm sure if you booked a triple he'd be fine about sharing with you and Julius and he assured me his cheque wouldn't bounce!

Lindsay-are you going to book the Park? I can get the Citadel for £134 for 2 nights but it might be nice to be altogether. Our flights were pretty expensive though so any saving I could do with.

Just received a video from Julius - thanks Julius. It came with a nice note from our Customs people explaining they chose to open the parcel as they can under some regulation or other but that my privacy as always has been respected. So just how is my privacy respected if they opened the parcel?

At least I now know what Jackie's brown cafes are. I thought it was some dodgy substance that teachers used to relieve stress! I suppose it still is in sufficient quabtities.

Jackie - the chatroom still isn't working so I'll send you an email but yes I do intend booking The Park or failing that the Best Western AMS Museum Hotel 100yds further along the canal-side. The Citadel is too far away.

jackie did you phone the citadel or e mail them i phone on monday and was told they were full up but then phone city 2000 they told me they had two rooms but they were £30 more than the hotel ask me for just make sure you got the right price . lee my sonwas being pick on in school so i got him in to kick boxing the bully`s left him alone after they found out about it.tssy

liam whats wrong with the chat room are you the one who set it up??tssy

lindsay if you are anyone esle still have to book i was talking to someone who live in amsterdam for three years it seem that on the same dates were there its there queens birthday and a bank holiday so the hotels might get book up quick so book now tssy