AAAGGHHH!!!! Tomorrow it's over.

The photos in order are
Lanie and her prince at the Fantasyland Castle in Disneyland
Sitting in comfy chairs in the Tuilleries Gardens in Paris looking up to the Arc de Triomphe
First crepe in Paris
John and I at Sacre Couer
Lanie and I at the Moulin Rouge

Hope you all feel sorry for us. Tomorrow will end our 5 weeks in France. We have been busily eating and drinking all the things we feel we might miss when we return home. Had the best French nougat today - it was superb.

Yesterday Lanie and I had a shopping day. It was wonderful and we did buy a few things that needed to be bought. We had a lovely time shopping in Paris. Not every day a mother and daughter get to do that. It was special. John and Ben went to the Army Musuem. Lanie and I were disappointed we couldn't go but forced ourselves away. We all aimed to be home by 3 to watch the French Open and we were ready to sing Advance Australia Fair from the balcony. Maybe that's why Sam Stosur lost. John headed off the the Maritime Museum as well in the afternoon and Ben and Lanie went to see Sex and the City at night. Now that's true love, Ben!!!

Today John and I went to Pere Lachaise Cemetry. Funny the things you do when you are travelling hey. Wouldn't dream of going to a cemetry at home but here we saw the graves of Heloise and Abelard, Chopin, Edith Piaf and Oscar Wilde. Interesting. Oscar Wilde's grave has lipstick kisses all over it and messages written on it. From there we met Lanie and Ben at Sacre Coeur for a beautiful view over Paris and a walk down Mont Matre to the Moulin Rouge. As it had rained pretty heavily in the morning the artists and buskers were not out but it was still a pleasant time. We then went out to the Flea Market at St Ouen, one of the biggest in Europe. Was very interesting wandering around and we picked up a few souvenirs. Met Lanie and Ben for a walk from Notre Dame to the Place des Vosges and Place de Bastille and then home.

Big day and our feet are hurting!! We all love Paris and have had a wonderful time here. The French people have been helpful and courteous and it is a very easy comfortable country to live in. We have not found it that expensive but we have eaten mainly from the supermarket and have had the advantage of having the apartment where we can cook and wash etc.

Love it, love it, love it!!!!!

Look forward to seeing everyone. We get home on Wednesday morning after spending two nights on the plane. Thank you for your emails and interest. Au revoir.

I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again

These photos in order

Fontainebleu

John and Ben drinking multiple beers in big big glasses

Lanie at Disneyland

Outside Disneyland Paris

... like going on the ROLLERCOASTER!!!! Today we had a wonderful day at Disneyland Paris. This was one thing Lanie really wanted to do and we all hummed and ha-ed a bit but we all ended up having a wonderful time. Within the first 10 minutes we were plummeting around the Indiana Jones - Temple of Peril - on a rollercoaster. it was terrifying. They tell me it even went upside down. My eyes were shut so tight I didn't really know much except that we were moving very very quickly and that it came to an end!!!

The sun was shining and it has got quite hot. We had a really good look around and did most of the rides we wanted. The Paris Disneyland is a really good park about 40 kms north east of Paris. We go everywhere on the trains. It was only 17 euro for a weekly pass for the trains and the buses. Great value. Lanie had a wonderful day and has got a new design for her first house - the Fantasyland castle. We got some beautiful photos of our princess in a castle.

Yesterday we went separate ways - Lan and Ben went to Versailles and had a very full day exploring the chateau and the gardens and John, Alana B and I went to Fontainebleu Chateau - majestic like Versailles but not so many people. It also was a mindblower with its extravagance and its gardens. It also houses one of the oldest tennis courts in Europe which is still used for international tournaments. We got back to Paris and went to a couple more memorials and then had time out at the movies where we saw Robin Hood.

So all in all a productive couple of days. We are conscious that the end is now near. We will miss all the great things France has to offer and to which we have become very accustomed. Love it here - no wonder so many people choose it as a holiday destination.

Shopping with my girl in Paris tomorrow - hope our feet can stand up to the challenge. Think so!!!

Gay Paree!! You gotta love it.

These photos are in order:

Lanie and Ben canoeing and talking to the animals

Us after being submerged coming through the weir

Looking over the Camembert Valley

Lanie and Ben feeding the fish and chooks

John at our favourite picnic place - Menil Glaise

After a delightful final day in Normandy when we revisited a couple of our favourites - Camembert and Menil Glaise - with Ben and Lanie, we packed up and I mean packed up, the mighty Twingo and got on the road for Paris. It is about a three hour drive and we made good time. I tell you - the Parisiens are crazy drivers - and we couldn't wait to get rid of our car. We nearly had about 100 accidents looking for our apartment but we finally found our piece of Paris.

It is a very French big apartment at the top of six flights of steps. It is wonderful and we are very very comfortable on the Boulevard de la Villette. We spent the afternoon relaxing here and then headed out to see the Eiffel Tower. As usual most of the major monuments are covered in scaffolding - pity but still pretty spectacular. We had a lovely stroll by the Seine and under the bridges.

Today we went out to Roland Garros to see if we could get a day pass for the tennis but no such luck. Pity but it is not to be. The stadium is in a very green and leafy area and it was worth a walk around. We then headed back to the Ile de la Cite and walked from Saint Chapelle to the Arc de Triomphe via the Louvre, Tuilleries Gardens, Place de la Concorde and Champs Elysees. It truly is a fantastic city which awaits us to explore.

We have our friend, also Alana, coming over from London tomorrow and then we have a few days planned. One at Disneyland, one at Versailles/Fontainbleu, one shopping (of course), and we will fit everything else cultural and historical in as well. It will be relaxed having a week here and I know we will enjoy it.

Lanie has just cooked dinner and is calling. We have a couple of bottles of wine to finish off. Think we really splurged tonight - the wine was 1.3o euro. Someone has to do it!!

Time with Lanie and Ben

Have had a lovely three days with Lanie and Ben. They arrived on Wednesday afternoon to miserable weather for the first time in two weeks. Such a shame but nothing you can do about that. On Thursday we did a trip to Mont St Michel and a beautiful medieval town called Dinan. Dinan is south of Mont St Michel and was really worth a visit. We did a big walk around and it was delightful. Won't comment much on Mont St Michel except once again it was mindblowingly beautiful. Bought a few things there this time. Got your tapestry Paddy and one for ourselves. It was a great day and we were all exhausted by the time we got home. We did manage however to eat too much and definitely drink too much. We have got into the bad habit of eating bread, pate, sausage, camembert and fruit before dinner - now that's a healthy lifestyle.

The next day was quieter - well in the morning that is when we lazed in the beautiful sunshine around the farm. Ben and John went into Falaise for a while and Lanie and I rested up for the afternoon. In the pm we hired two canoes and paddled 13 kilometres up the Orne River. It was fantastic - we had to go down about four little weirs and a few sets of rapids. Got sopping wet but it was a beautiful reach of the river and we all really enjoyed it.

Today we have been to the D Day beaches - not in as much detail as with Paddy but still had a good day seeing the whole stretch of beaches. Sent Lanie and Ben to the Musee d'Embarquement to see how the Mulberry Harbour was made which they really enjoyed. We then headed down to Bayeux for another look at the tapestry. It is sooo incredible - I love looking at it.

We have really enjoyed having Lanie and Ben here. That Benny is so funny - he has us laughing the whole time. We head to Paris on Monday and will be very sad to leave our place in Normandy. Don't know how we are going to fit all our stuff in the little Twingo but we will.

Hope all is well at home. Love from us all.

Our week this week is quite different as we have more time to relax and catch up on little things we haven't seen but don't want to miss. For example today we headed off to a farm which produces Calvados, the local brew. We found this obscure farm and Claude, the owner - a rosy cheeked, good looking Frenchman - greeted us with a smile and we drank Calvados with him and chatted - him trying to understand us and we trying to understand him. All this at nine in the morning left us a bit shot for the rest of the day. We then scouted out a beautiful chateau called Pontecoulant and spent time just hanging over the fence drinking it in (unlike the Calvados!!)

From there we stopped at a restaurant near a river at a village called Clecy where we ate crepes, had a coffee and watched the ducks. The waiter wouldn't let us speak English and we had to order in French and converse in French. At two, which is the time when France kicks in again, we went and saw the second largest model railway in Europe. Now I can hear what many of you are thinking, but Emmanuel the owner showed us around and it was fascinating.

That all took us six hours so we went home and had a little sleep. Now we have to go and tend to the animals and water the garden. Lanie and Ben are due in on the ferry tomorrow so we are really looking forward to spending time with them. I know they are going to love France - how could they help it - it is a wonderful country.

Cheers for now.

Up northo

We have now clocked up 4200 kms on our car and so find that a lot of what we wanted to see in Normandy is done and we can now relax more and enjoy the sunshine and the farm.

Yesterday we headed up to the north to a place called Etretat. We went via Honfleur, one of our favourite towns, where the Saturday market was on. We wandered around here for a couple of hours and enjoyed it immensely. From there we headed over the Pont de Normandie - a huge bridge over the Seine delta - up to Etretat, a beach resort with huge limestone cliffs - sort of the French answer to the Great Ocean Road. (not as good of course). For some reason as we drove into Etretat a huge cloud rolled in off the sea but we still had our lunch on the beach. We usually take a picnic with us of baguette, cheese, tomato, onion, avocado and coffee. After the cloud and wind drove us insane we drove about 5 kms south to where it was sunny and beautiful and did a long walk into another beach set on the same cliffs. You would have been proud of me girls. Walked in, up the steep hill to get to the top of the cliffs and back up the valley - no problems. Amazing the difference a bit of exercise makes - thanks Lizzie and Helen and Sandy.

Faye and Paul who own our place left for Madeira on Saturday morning so now we ae lord and lady of the manor. We feed the chooks and ducks and look after the garden. We sat down on the deck chairs last night having a drink and talking about the day in the sun at 8 at night and all seemed very well with the world.

Found the perfect spot in France!!!!

We have had a relaxing few days - maybe I should say more relaxing cause when I think we've been on the road for a lot of them it doesn't sound too relaxing. Our major undertaking was a trip up to Rouen and the Seine Valley. It was a wonderful day - we drove via some picturesque towns - Bernay, Vimoutiers - and a couple of magnificent abbeys - to Rouen. The cathedral here is something to behold - unfortunately the front was covered in Gladwrap so we couldn't behold that very well. Had a look at the Vieux Marche where Jean d'Arc was burnt at the stake. They have built a very modernistic church on the site which didn't leave us feeling very satisfied. From Rouen we drove to the Seine Valley and followed it up to a place called Pont d'Audmer. It was a fantastic drive right along the Seine and we stopped and had a coffee on the banks of this mighty river. Pont d'Audmer was another pretty town built on a canal system. This was a really long day- over 12 hours on the road - but we enjoyed it. Usually we take a picnic with us of a baguette, tomato, cheese, ham, coffee and fruit. This allows us to stop at some very scenic places and to drink coffee on the banks of the Seine.

Yesterday we found the perfect place. It is quite near Falaise - Mensil Glaise. This is a chateau on the top of a cliff on the banks of the Orne River out in the countryside. It is out there by itself except for a little French restaurant. Just perfect. We sat on the banks of the river for a long time and just chilled for a while. From there we went and had Camembert and cideer in Camembert Village. How perfect was that!! Camembert is just a tiny village - no tourist rot or commercialisation. Just a little place you can have a plate of different types of camembert with some cider. We love that about France. For example I am typing this at Maccas in Falaise. It is right out in the Industrial Zone. Straight from the factory to your plate. All Maccas at least out in Normandy are out of town. Today we have been back to the D Day beaches to Arromanches - once again the areas are discreet about tourism and it really adds to the appeal. We went to a couple of the museums in Arromanches and were really impressed with the presentations. Today the Museum we visited showed how the Mulberry harbour was constructed to bring the troops and supplies and transportation ashore on D Day. Yesterday we went to a Museum explaining the complexities and strategies of the campaign around the Falaise Pocket. It was well presented with film, models, guides, etc.


Things I love about France:
Bread
Pastries
People who say "Bon appetit" as they walk by
The supermarkets and their cheap prices
The wine - no more than 3 euros a bottle
The fields
The villages and stone houses
Our accommodation and the people who own it
The language
The people
Mensil Glaise
The long days - light from 5 am - 10 pm
Picnics in the sunshine
Chateaux that just appear through incredible gateways

Things I'm not so keen on
The difficulties of not speaking the language
The price of beef
The two and half hour lunch break the whole of France takes every day
The fact that things close down when it's not summer
The price of petrol 1.39 euro


I sound like Maria von Trapp. Cheers everyone. Life is good.

Webber is on pole!!!!

How exciting was that news yesterday. Paddy has just written and said he had the best shot of Carcasonne by night - the only better shot would be Webber on top of the podium. Well here's hoping.

We are having a day at home today (Sunday). Had a huge day yesterday when we went to Nogent le Rotrou to a medieval fair in an 800 year old chateau. It was fantastic starting with a grand parade through the streets of the village and then we all walked up the hill to the chateau behind the parade. They had displays, exhibits, action packed knight fights, tours of the castle, music and dancing etc. Felt a bit more authentic than the Abbey Museum. Even the villagers who came dressed up. It was a great day.

Have continued to look around the area. Spent a day in Bayeux on Friday. Just moseying around. I actually did some shopping while John went and found more ancient things to look at. We had some pastries sitting on a little bridge over the River Aure. Bayeux is a beautiful town - very quaint and of course the tapestry is magnificent. We will save a second visit to that for when Lanie and Ben are here.

The weather is now warming up a bit - I have shorts on for the first time since we have been away today but will change into my trackies when I get home.

The food continues to entrance us. We found a fantastic supermarket yesterday. We tend to go a bit overboard I think and buy up all this food. Dutch cheese was only 4 euro a kilo. Great wine for 2.30 euro. Beautiful bread - John ate half a loaf after I went to bed last night.

Had a fabulous meal with our new friends and owners of our apartment, Paul and Faye. How good was it at midnight when we just had to stagger upstairs. Faye is a great cook and I am a bit worried about having them to our place next week. Don't think I can live up to the standard.

Well, off home to prop in front of the TV.

The photos in order are:

The first one is out in front of the property we are staying in.

The second one is Paddy and Abbey at Chenonceau

The third is John and Paddy in the shop which we couldn't get them out of in Mont St Michel

And the last two is John with his new friends at the medieval fair at Nogent le Rotrou.

Our first meal in France

I have still to figure out how to add photos but will work on it.

It is so cold here!!!!!!

We have just had the most delightful day. We started off by going to a car boot sale at a little place called Dive Sur Mer where I thought I would pick up a whole lot of little French treasures to fill up my backpack. Not to be - just junk people didn't want!!! But after that we headed up north for Honfleur. It is a beautiful little port town - medieval. Look it up on the net to see how it nestles around a marina and the houses are all skinny and tall (my dream - maybe that's why I liked it so much). We spent a couple of hours there wandering around the streets and then meandered home through back country roads and discovered some more delightful villages.

Paddy and Abbey are now on their way south and we said a sad goodbye to them on Tuesday after a fabulous morning at Chenonceau. It was in amazing condition and the gardens were beautiful - full of tulips and spring flowers. They even had a maze which we had fun in. Thought of you, Jude, when we were there. We also went to the town of Loches for a look at the domjon. It also was delightful. From there we headed north and Paddy and Abbey headed south.

The whole time we have been away - except for Malaysia - it has been mainly freezing cold. Can't believe it. We have bought some winter stuff but I think it all finally caught up with me and I have come down a bit flu-y and I think John is getting it now too. So we had a very relaxing day yesterday - sleeping a lot and enjoying our accommodation.

This weekend we are off to a medieval fair just east of Alencon. Looking forward to that and tomorrow night we are having dinner with the people who own our apartment. So some good things coming up. It is actually sunny outside at the moment. It's 8 pm and the day looks like about 3 pm at home.

Take care everyone.

Three big days with Paddy and Abbey

Comment allez-vous? J'aime France et tout les places nous are seeing. Can only do that for so long and then I have to call on John whose French is improving day by day.

We have had three big days since Paddy and Abbey arrived last Friday night. Our first day was at the D Day beaches where we started at 7 in the morning and got home at about 11 at night. We had a huge day but saw so much starting at the Pegasus Bridge and ending up at St Mere Eglise. We went to Juno, Sword, Gold and Omaha Beaches with calls at Arromanches and the Mulberry Harbour and the American Cemetry. Paddy and John relished the day and squeezed the most out of every minute. They were very happy with what they saw and Abbey and I enjoyed it as well. We had a lovely day though it is still quite cold. For lunch we sat on a hill overlooking Arromanches and the Mulberry Harbour and had a picnic and it was perfect.

The next day we headed off to Mont St Michel - a beautiful monastery set atop a rocky outcrop in the delta of a river. Around it has grown up a small medieval town and we spent many hours exploring the church and the township. It was fantastic. From there we drove to Bayeux to see the Bayeux Tapestry. They have presented it really admirably and it was well and truly worth the visit.

Today we have driven down - in separate cars this time- to the Loire Valley. We visited the Abbaye Royale at Fontevraud and also Chinon Castle. We thoroughly enjoyed both and although we drove most of the time in rain the weather was kind on our arrival at both these places. We are staying tonight in a small town called Amboise and then we will visit Chenonceau tomorrow and we will head back north and the kids will go south.

We are still relishing the food and the wine. It is fantastic. We got three bottles of wine plus an abundance of good food for dinner tonight for 20 euros. Just love it. Add to that the wonderful scenery and, although I hate to admit it, the helpful French people, we are having a very very nice time.

God bless Mark Webber for winning the Spanish Grand Prix - here's hoping he can do it again this weekend cause Patrick and Abbey are going to be there.

Will have a glass of wine for you all.

Ooh la la - we love France!!!

We are finally in Normandy. After a speedy trip on the Eurostar to Paris, we picked up a car at the station and came straight to Pertheville de Ners our little village in Normandy. What awaited us was even better than the photos that I am sure I have shown everyone who crosses my path. We have a delightful apartment overlooking green fields that you can hardly believe. The spring is here and the flowers are beautiful. The people who own our apartment have chooks and ducks and a staffy. How perfect. To get to our apartment we cross a little bridge over a moat. It is just gorgeous. I will post some photos soon.

We have spent the last couple of days sleeping in. I can't believe both days I have slept till 7.30 but that doesn't matter cause it's light till 10.30 at night so you get lots done. We have gone for long drives to explore the areas and to see the places that John has so thoroughly researched. He hasn't missed once. All the places he has recommended have been great.

Added to this, we have been enjoying the wine and food. Paul and Faye had a bottle of wine, camembert, a baguette, milk and nice coffee waiting for us in our apartment when we got there so the first night we were into it - the food that is!!! We don't find it too horribly expensive and today we had lunch in a beautiful creperie in a mediaeval village called Domfront. The restaurant was in a building from the 1600s and it was wonderful. Falaise the town nearby has a distinct French flavour and we enjoy wandering around there.

All in all, we know we will be very happy here for a month. Paddy and Abbey are due to arrive this weekend so that will be exciting and we will head for the first time to the D Day beaches. They are in Paris at the moment and come to us after a few days there.

Hope all is well back home. Thanks for your emails.

We are off to Normandy this morning!!!

The time has flown since we have been in London and it has been wonderful. Our lovely hostess, Alana B, has made us so welcome in her home in Hither Green and we have enjoyed catching up with her and she has so willingly and happily shared with us great sights and areas around London and beyond. We met Lanie on Thursday and had a bit more of a look around London. John explored bookshops and Lanie and I had a walk down Oxford Street as you do. That night Alana B drove us over to Greenwich and we had a look around that area and then had dinner with the Hennesses. Those of you from Lowood will remember Nat Henness. Nat and Rob and their two beautiful children came up from Kent and we had a wonderful night with them.

The next day Lanie, John and I went into London. Lanie and I went and finished off Oxford St and then out to the V&A Museum where they were having a Quilt Show (just like the Ipswich one girls!!!) which was magnificent. The buildings there are stunning and we had a very relaxing few hours while John found the Knights Templar Church and did some more exploring. Lanie and I met Ben and we all went back to "their" apartment at Notting Hill - on the way we strolled down Portabello Street. They stay with Ben's cousin and the apartment is absolutely amazing. After meeting Alana B and having pizza we all went to the theatre. Lanie, Ben and John went to see Les Mis and Alana B and me went to Jersey Boys. Both were wonderful.

On Saturday, Alana B, John and I headed off to Canterbury. What a cathedral!!!!! We had a marvellous day wandering around the Cathedral and the town. You know you can't capture these places on camera. The splendour, the quiet, the stained glass, the toil - it is so magnificent. We dropped into Greenwich again on the way home and went to the Maritime Museum. John and I then went into London and met Lanie and Ben at a very atmospheric London Pub called The Anchor and went to the Globe Theatre to see Macbeth. Because it was raining and we were running a bit late we overstayed our dinner at the Anchor and got to the Globe as most of the groundlings were filing in. Consequently we got bad standing room especially for Lanie and me. It is an incredible theatre and the production of Macbeth was so interesting - there were haunting instruments in the audience, music, singing, blood and guts - but as the rain got heavier - and colder - and we were standing in it, I started thinking - I can't see, I can't hear, it's pouring rain and my feet are sore. So unfortunately we left at half time - after the death of Banquo. Still what we saw was extremely interesting.

Paddy and Abbey arrived that night as well so we arranged to meet them in Trafalgar Square. At 10.30 am yesterday, John, Debbie, Paddy and Alana Mill were all together in London. What a time!!! With Ben, Abbey and Alana B we all had the best day. Paddy and Abbey had already been walking for a couple of hours when we met them. The seven of us headed down Whitehall to Westminster Abbey and then along the river. It was pouring rain and freezing cold and a great London pub call the Porterhouse was calling to us loud and long. We popped in there for lunch during which time at least the rain stopped. Headed off to Covent Gardens, the Knights Templar Temple, St Pauls, across the river to the Borough Markets, over the Tower Bridge, and then into the Whitechapel Area where Alana B gave us a very interesting and well informed tour of the Jack the Ripper scenes. Everyone was very appreciative and we all chipped in and gave her the 6 p left over from our drinks later in the night.

From there we dragged our weary body to the Prospect of Whitby - John's favourite English pub - where we settled in for the night and had a pretty good time. This is a pub right on the banks of the Thames and we eventually had the best table in the house - on which were lots of glasses.

It was a wonderful day. What a pity our big girl, Caitie, could not have been there too. Today we are off to Normandy. We are very excited and have had a wonderful time here in London.

Take care everyone.

London Town

After a fourteen hour flight which is cruel and inhumane punishment we finally got to London and to our friend, Alana Britton's home. It was great to see AB and she has made us more than welcome. She is girl after our own heart and has given us her discount cards, two for one vouchers and a list of the good pubs in London.

This morning we are meeting Lanie, our baby girl, in Trafalgar Square and we are looking forward to seeing her and looking after her for a few days. We are also tonight catching up with other friend, Rob and Nat Henness, for dinner at Greenwich.

Yesterday, John and I spent the day in London. It was wonderful to see all the sights again and it is an amazing city to walk around with a piece of history around every corner. We started off in Trafalgar Square and finished up in Southwark Cathedral. Along the way we meet many interesting people and saw some of the best sights London has to offer. We had lunch at the pub John worked at when he was here in his youth so that was a nice stroll down memory lane for him.

We booked tickets for a performance of Macbeth at the Globe Theatre. This theatre has been reconstructed near the original Globe Theatre and pretty well true to form to the orginal. For those of you who have seen Shakespeare in Love you'll appreciate what it looks like. We have standing tickets for Saturday night and we are looking forward to being groundlings.

Well have to get organised to meet our baby. Hope all is well at home. We have booked our flights back home from Paris and will get in on Wednesday June 9.

Kua la Lumpur - against the odds!!!!

We have had a couple of days now in the very liveable Kuala Lumpur after a couple of traumatic days before we left which have affected our whole holiday plan. I will explain here cause I hope only friends are reading this and you will understand. We are now ending our trip in Paris and will be home by about June 9 as at 2.30 pm on the day before we were due to leave I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shitty but true!! After miraculously getting an appointment with a surgeon on Friday afternoon, he agreed that we could have only six weeks of our holiday. We thought it would be great to go to London to s ee Lanie and be there with Paddy and Abbey and then have our long waited time in Normandy and Paris. So now we will be returning after Paris. The other amazing thing on that day was that John had a sore tooth and went to the dentist to be told he needed root canal work. So what a wonderful day last Friday was. Hopefully all will be well, we will have a wonderful time because we know it won't be so wonderful on our return and my dear sister will put appointments and surgery in order for when we get back. So PLEASE some prayers for our wellbeing and the slow growth of whatever is in me and for John's tooth.

We had a great flight over. the plane actually had quite a few spare seats and John had two seats and I had three. Could even lie down and have a snooze. Air Asia's food leaves a lot to be desired but we quite like them as an airline. We had a great day today in KL. Went up to the Skybridge on the Petronas Towers, walked a lot, visited the Royal Selangor Club (a British institution) and Mederka Square, found the real Little India which was mostly shut because it was Sunday and did a bit of shopping. Good day.

Exhausted now and ready for the feet to be up. If anyone ever wants a good place to stay in KL the Hotel Chinatown Inn is great. Only $33 a night and very clean big rooms.

Take care everyone.

On this Saturday April 24, we are leaving Brisbane bound for Malaysia, London, Normandy, Paris, Tuscany, Belgium, Tunisia, Czech Republic, Telford and back to Malaysia. We get back to Australia on August 29.

We will see our baby, Alana and her boyfriend, Ben, in London. We are staying in London with an old friend, Alana Britton, who both John and I have taught with. She lives at Lewisham. Paddy and Abbey will also be in London for a day while we are there and they will come and stay with us for a few days in Normandy. Lanie and Ben are also coming to Normandy and we will have a week in Paris with them. We are trying to talk them into coming to the Czech Republic as well.

So all in all it's pretty exciting for us, a bit nerve racking as we prepare to go, but everything is now dropping into place and once we are on that plane, we will feel RETIRED!!!