Land of the Kangaroo

We did it, we made it, we still can't believe we were in Australia! I guess it was always one of those places we never thought we'd make it to. Although we were only able to visit Western Australia, it was still an unforgetable experience.

The trip began by attempting to drive our rental car from the Perth airport to Fremantle (only 20km away), on the LEFT side of the road. I can't even count the number of times Jared had the windshield wipers on when he was trying to signal. After practically moving in to the wrong house (we had a bit of a scare as this place was a real dive!), we finally found 32 Tuckfield and were settled in for the week. Oh what a joy being able to BBQ once again! Our week began with a few days in "Freo", as the locals call it, exploring the original architecture of the town, the harbour, the yummy fish and chips hotspots, and ofcourse the local playgrounds. We couldn't resist but to spend the day at a Wildlife Park where we all got to pet a koala, chase the kangaroos and discover a number of new animals we've never seen before. It was then time to get back in the car and drive down the coast to Margaret River (popular wine region in West Aust). After the GPS took us on an extended tour (1.5hrs longer than expected, although very scenic), we finally stopped along the ocean in a small town known for it's 2km long jetty that literally jets into the middle of the ocean. We saw a few humpback whales splashing around in the distance from a 100-year-old lighthouse, sampled some wine at one of the local wineries and just enjoyed the spectacular views from incredible view points along the ocean. A day in Perth wondering around King's Park, and another day bumming around Freo enjoying some delicious homemade curry and meat pies and ofcourse the local Little Creatures beer, and we were done. Thanks again to our wonderul friends for lending us their home. G'day mates!

Singapura

Why did we wait a whole year to see you? What a place! Everything you hear about Singapore is sooo true; the extreme cleanliness, the stunning skyline, the diversity of the people (including the amazing food), the high end shopping, and the incredible order and strategic planning that goes into every aspect of this city ... we were blown away.

We had a very busy 3 days in Singapore this past weekend. Tried to see as much as we could towing a 2 1/2 year old around in 35C weather. "I want to go to the hotel" - that was pretty much Maya's favorite part of the weekend ... with the exception of the water park at the Zoo (oh yah, and the ice cream stops). Loved the Marina Bay Sands Hotel-well, from the outside anyway. What amazing architecture to create a ship on top of 3 buildings, it really is spectacular to look at. We thoroughly took advantage of the sidewalks, fresh air and clean water that we've been craving for so long. Oh and did I mention they have Subway-we ate it twice! What an advantage to be a 1 1/2hr flight away from this place. Scratch another one off the list ... although once is never really enough.

Girls Weekend!

What a great idea! A weekend away from the kids, husbands and the hustle and bustle of Jakarta. Sheuwen, Gina and I escaped the big Durian early Thursday morning to Ubud, Bali. We spent the first day shopping at the local market (what a surprise), and just walking. I know that may sound strange to most, but living in Jakarta we really don't get many opportunities to just walk outside. Day one ended on a high with our incredible dinner at Mozaic. I tried describing the food to the girls before we arrived, but words just don't do justice to how you feel when you bite into something that sends shivers down your spine and makes your mouth want to explode with flavour. I know, I know, it sounds very food critic of me, but it really is true. The following day we spent the morning hours touring through the local fruit and veggie market, some stunning rice paddy fields nearby and then on to our cooking class. After chopping and mixing, we were finally treated to a wonderful Indonesian lunch. The evening began with a massage and facial, followed by another great meal. Last day in Ubud we watched as the Balinese people paraded through the streets in their traditional wear as they celebrated their bi annual holiday called Kunningan. We spent the rest of the day exploring the town, finding some treasures (amazing gelato place!!!) before heading back to the airport. Thanks for a great weekend girls!

Happy Canada Day!!!

A Brading family first; celebrating Canada Day away from Canada. Although a nice time, not nearly the same as being home and feeling the patriatism all around you. We certainly tried (see photo!). The long weekend began with a fancy shmancy soiree at the Four Seasons Hotel rubbing elbows with ambassadors and company heads - very typical right? We enjoyed some Canadian grub, imported wine and beer. Sunday afternoon, a few of us girls at the apartment organized a BBQ to celebrate Canada Day and 4th of July. It ended up a great success with over 25 people and kids running around.

Thanks to those who promised to have a pint or caesar for us this past weekend, we cheers you right back!

Phuket, Thailand

Oh Thailand, what is there not to love about you? Beautiful beaches, fascinating culture, delicious food - what more could
you want? We were so excited about revisiting Thailand after
4 years, especially a new part of the country. Needless to say, we
were not disappointed. Our holiday with Granma was everything we hoped for. Maya fell in love with the ocean the very first day and couldn't wait each morning to jump in the waves and build sandcastle after sandcastle. Afternoons were spent lazing on our
balcony with a book and a beer, after indulging in one delicious meal after another. We spent most afternoons by the pool or out in the "town" experimenting with the local street food. Fresh mango and rambutan peeled and cut into bite size pieces followed by tantalizing banana chocolate pancakes. We did venture out one day to visit a local temple and HUGE Big Buddha which reminded us of the incredible structures in this country. What a wonderful trip, especially because we got to share it with a wonderful Granma.

Jogyakarta - Indonesia

Shortly after Lynn arrived, we (Jared, Lynn and I) took off on a quick 3-day trip to Jogyakarta which is located in Central Java. The city is known for it's culture, arts, shopping :), the surrounding temples and Mt Merapi. Needless to say, it was a VERY busy 3 days from sunrise to sunset. We spent the 1st day touring around the city, taking in a palace, visiting an underground mosque, and dipping into the water castle. All while being transported by horse and buggy. Day 2 brought us to Prambanan Temple - one of the largest Hindu temples in the world. The temple was literally lost and buried for over 1 thousand years before being found in the late 1800s. Day 3 began very early - 4:30am early. I didn't even know such a time existed. We climbed the hill, flashlights in hand, to Borabudur temple. This is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the world. The sunrise over Borabudur was quite magical and by 9am, we were done! We took advantage of the extra time before our flight to visit Mt Merapi. Unfortunately we could only get within 4 kms of the actual crater but the destruction throughout the area was just devastating. The volcano had last erupted in October 2010.

Little Cleopatra

Kinderland Preschool had their end of the year concert last week. I couldn't resist, just had to add one Post so you can all see how cute Maya and her little classmates were. Their class theme was Ancient Egypt. They did such a great job dancing up on stage in front of over 100 parents and visitors with their Cleopatra and Pharaoh costumes. Can't wait to see next year's performance!