Kuta, Bali - unfortunately cut short :(

Our little vacation was unfortunately cut quite short by a little sick baby. We were only able to spend one full day in Kuta, Bali before re booking a flight back to Jakarta. The one day we were there was quite nice. We started the day with a yummy buffet breakfast at the hotel, then explored some of the beautiful nearby beaches. After Maya's nap, we walked the main street of Kuta and checked out some of the restaurants and shops. Had a great BBQ fish dinner and spent the evening sipping on a few Bintang's (local beer) on our balcony. On Sunday morning (after very little sleep) we awoke to a sick baby. That was pretty much the end of our holiday. We scrambled to find a flight home and were back in Jakarta by 5:30pm. We did however take a few things away from this weekend 1) never forget the baby Tylenol 2) always book a hotel room with two bedrooms and 3) definitely go back to Bali!

PS - We took Maya to the doctor when we got back to Jakarta, and, the good news is that she should be just fine in a couple of days. Tropical bugs are new to all of us !!

Maya's 2nd day at school

Maya has started what everyone around here calls "school". She is attending Kinderland preschool with me (and soon her nanny too) twice a week. She enjoys most of it with the exception of sitting down and actually listening. She's made some new friends, both Indonesian and Australian, and is learning to paint, sing, dance, discover shapes, colors and share toys, amongst other things. Best of all, it keeps her busy for an hour and a half.

"Lollipops" Haven for Kids

On Sunday, we took Maya to the Senayan City Mall (8 floors of shopping!). On the top floor, is where the kid crazed "Lollipops", an indoor playland, is situated. Needless to say she loved it, all you have to do is look at the photos. We spent the rest of our Sunday hanging out by the pool, sipping on fresh strawberry and avocado juices. Overall, a pretty fun-filled weekend.

BTW - I'm looking forward to heading back to the mall and checking out the actual shopping. Did I mention it's 8 floors!

Ragunan Zoo

Today we spent the day exploring the vast Ragunan Zoo. Maya had her first encounter with a gorilla, some elephants, zebras, kimodos and a number of monkeys. Unfortunately these were all the animals we got to see in the 2 1/2 hours we were there. The zoo is so big and so poorly marked that we spent more time trying to figure out where we were than actually seeing the animals. That's what you get for a 50c entry fee. We will however return in a few weeks to attempt to see what we missed. Maya once again was a huge hit and attracted a LOT of attention from the locals.

PS - We booked a long weekend in Bali next weekend - sooo excited!

A few firsts

Our first Indonesian noodle dinner and mommy's first big purchase.

I went to the Indian Women's Association bazaar this afternoon at the fancy Four Season's Hotel. I had the opportunity to sample some tasty Indian fare, shop at local and international booths that sold anything from ethnic clothes, decorations, jewelery, etc. I quite enjoyed myself especially when I found a German lady who sells pork sausages ... YEY!!!

Maya in her new surroundings

Just as we suspected, Maya was the first one to adjust to her new lifestyle. What's not to love I supposed? Out at the park twice a day, swimming, trampoline, playgroups ... what a hard life.

Tomorrow is Indonesian Independence Day. We look forward to celebrating with our new neighbours. The apartment complex is putting on some shows and games for it's tenants and Jared is off work!

PS - I found a bakery really close by and can't stop eating their croissants, soooo good. Thankfully there's also a gym here that will help me work it off.

Oh Jakarta Life...

We are 4 days into our new life. Where to begin? Our apartment is amazing, the facilities are amazing, the staff is amazing. The traffic is horrendous, the city is always busy, time means nothing. Everyone is very friendly, the customer service is impeccable. I know those are very general statements but 4 days in, I can't really comment any more.

I decided to venture out to a nearby shopping mall yesterday afternoon. WOW!!! Who ever says Jakarta doesn't have money is wrong. I felt like a shmuck amongst stores like Bvlgari, Dior, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada just to name a few. I was however extremely pleased to find a local Starbucks for a Grande Mild.

Maya is settling in beautifully. Her and Ibu Watini (housekeeper/nanny) are getting along well. She is enjoying her new indoor and outdoor play areas with all the other expat kids. She even gets to bounce bounce on a trampoline! Next week, we are starting a few mommy and me playgroups to keep her entertained.

As for mom and dad, we are also adjusting. We have been invited to our first dinner party this Saturday as well as a brunch on Sunday. It's great that the other expats are very open and inviting.

That is all for today ... off shopping again! Above are some views from our apartment.

Doha, Qatar

Finally, we're here. Let me rewind a bit and tell you about Doha first.

After a 12 hr flight (of which Maya only slept 4hrs), we arrived in Doha only to find out that one of our bags and the carseat were missing. 2 hours later, one damaged bag was found and we were off to our hotel. Stepping outside was a shock as the temperature at 8:30pm was still around 40C. Even at night, we could still see what an incredible city Doha was. A tiny little speck in the middle of a huge desert. We awoke in the morning, had hummus and pita for breakfast and chilled out by the pool in the sweltering 45C. That evening we decided to venture out to the largest outdoor market in Doha for dinner. The Doha locals were extremely friendly especially to Maya. It is always so interesting to see how other cultures live. We discovered some amazing facts about Doha, like only 30% of the dwellers are actually locals. There is such an array of people in the streets. Unfortunately our Doha experience was short lived as the very next morning we were on another 9 hr flight to Jakarta.

Last few hours in Canada

The time is finally here. We've shed a few tears in the last week. Said goodbye to amazing family friends, to a house that truly became a home when Maya blessed it with her presence, and a ton of great memories in a neighborhood that we will not be coming back to.

Now the BIIIIG (as Maya would put it) journey begins! Thanks for all the well wishes everyone.