Wardies in Singapore

Sequel?

2009-12-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

Farewell to Singapore

2009-12-16T23:09:00.000-08:00

And now the time has come for us to leave Singapore. It has been a huge year. We are so very proud of the kids, and Steve and I are thrilled to have got away on our big OE at last after 21 years talking about it. Better late than never huh?!

Thank you Singapore for all the opportunities and experiences - it has been priceless. We have made many new friends and we look forward to continuing these friendships well into the future.

To all of our family and friends at home and overseas, lots of love everyone, have an awesome Merry Christmas 2009 and a Happy New Year for 2010.

Markelle, on behalf of Steve, Jess, Nadine, Rhian, Celia and Adam.

21st Wedding Anniversary

2009-12-16T06:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary to my husband!

Images of Cambodia

2009-12-11T04:13:00.000-08:00

The following entries are of our 5 days in Cambodia, from which we have just returned. It was an amazing time, with so very much to take in. I hope the photos will help you to share our experience.

Country roads

2009-12-11T03:55:00.000-08:00

Adam and the tiny monkeys

2009-12-11T03:45:00.000-08:00

Village School

2009-12-11T03:36:00.000-08:00

Music

2009-12-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

One photo is of the band playing along the entrance road to Angkor Wat Temple. The other is the kids playing a small musical instrument we picked up at the same place.

City streets

2009-12-11T03:19:00.000-08:00

Cambodian Dance and Dinner

2009-12-11T01:10:00.000-08:00

Floating Village

2009-12-11T00:58:00.000-08:00

Some wide loads

2009-12-11T00:48:00.000-08:00

Eyes

2009-12-11T00:45:00.000-08:00

This wee girl just stared up at us and held out a plastic container in the hope that we would put money in it. Her mum stood nearby with a baby in her arms.

The Temples, Siem Reap

2009-12-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

Bridge

2009-12-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

Me and the kids on a 12th century bridge.

The King's Palace, Phnom Penh

2009-12-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

Tuk Tuks

2009-12-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Tuk tuks were the main mode of transport. In Siem Reap we were only allowed 3 people per tuk-tuk, but in Phnom Penh we were able to get the whole family on! The streets in town were an experience all in themselves... busy, dusty, noisy, chaotic.... it was much safer not to be driving.

Upcoming itinerary

2009-11-19T20:03:00.000-08:00

Before we leave Singapore we will have the opportunity to go to Cambodia. We will spend two nights in Siem Reap and two nights in Phnom Penh. So we will be away from 6th-10th December. Jess will then spend three nights in Phuket, Thailand, with a friend and her dad (11th-14th December).

Another highlight will be going to the wedding of one of Steve's colleagues on December 12th - we are very lucky.

Our itinerary once we leave Singapore will be:

December 22nd: Singapore - Brisbane

December 30th: Brisbane - Auckland

January 2nd: Auckland - Queenstown/Alexandra

January 2nd-5th: Alexandra

January 5th-16th: Wanaka

January 16th-18th: Invercargill

January 18th .... Alexandra. And resting!

Our local area

2009-11-19T19:49:00.000-08:00

Beach Blast

2009-11-19T19:39:00.000-08:00

This may look like a leisurely day at the beach, but all is not as it seems. Two hours by bus/train/tram/walk to get to a beach at Sentosa, an hour or so in the water, a quick play of beach volleyball - then the rain, bucketfuls of rain .... so back on the tram/train/bus and home!!

The girls had a fun time though (lol).

Auntie Jenny

2009-11-19T19:33:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely visit from Jenny (Geddes, Sydney). The photos are of her trip to the shops with Jess and Deanie.

Celia says 'See you soon Amy and Archie!' :)

Rhian's Class Outing

2009-11-19T19:14:00.000-08:00

It was a memorable day yesterday when Rhian's class of 25 came to our place for their class outing. It rained for the whole day so 'inside activities' quickly became a challenge - though you can see from one of the photos that Adam may well have entertained for quite some time at the centre of the group. Steve took everyone down to the car-park for some ball games and a run around. We did all the cooking indoors, but fortunately the rain stopped around 5.30 pm and we at least got to eat outdoors.

At the end of the day we discovered that Bukit Timah (this district) was on the news because of flash flooding. Needless to say the 'rainy season' is definitely upon us!

Deanie's Hair Extensions

2009-11-19T19:08:00.000-08:00

Post-exam outings for Jess

2009-11-19T18:57:00.000-08:00

Measles

2009-11-19T18:47:00.000-08:00

Adam has had the measles ... complete with four days of high fever and a lot of spots. I gave him the leftover icing bowl to cheer him up!

The 3 Rockers

2009-11-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

This is Celia's band ... 'The 3 Rockers'. Vicky (centre) and Max (right) make up the team .. with a medley of songs and instruments. Home school is quickly becoming a thing of the past as holidays kick in and band practices take over!

Fruits

2009-11-19T18:38:00.000-08:00

Kiwifruit, and dragonfruit .... although they look different they actually taste quite similar.

The Merlion

2009-11-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

Jess's class photo

2009-11-05T21:38:00.000-08:00

Farewell arrangements have begun as Steve, Jess's and Rhian's classmates and colleagues learn of their pending departure. Jess presented a farewell powerpoint to her class, with lots of photos she had taken throughout the year. Rhian's friends and classmates are very sorry that he is leaving, as is his basketball coach! And Steve's colleagues have started organising lunches to say their goodbyes. The State schools all finish up their classes over the next fortnight.

Because we are planning to be in Singapore till 22nd December, there will hopefully be lots of opportunities over the next month for everyone to have some fun outings and visits with special friends we have made, and there will be a concerted effort to keep in touch in future years.

Project work

2009-11-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

This is Jess's Project Work group. They have been really busy completing all the tasks required for their study of ShopHouses in central Singapore. Video clips, research, tour, powerpoint, oral and written presentations - all part of the big assignment.

Pattani

2009-10-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

If you look closely at the map you will see how close Phuket is to the insurgency in the Thai south. You can see where the Thailand/Malaysian border is. In the Pattani (southern Thailand) region, five more people have been killed in the past week. The area was an autonomous Malay Muslim sultanate until 1902, when it was annexed by mainly Buddhist Thailand. This sparked decades of tension that spiralled into a full insurgency five years ago.

The newspapers here in Singapore have followed this all year... pretty scary stuff.

Girls on Tour

2009-10-25T05:23:00.000-07:00

After 10 days with us in Singapore having a whirlwind time, Kay and Charlotte headed off to Phuket, Thailand, for 5 nights. I joined them for 3 nights with Nadine, Celia and Adam. The following entries are various aspects of our Thailand experience.

Steve, Jess and Rhian slogged it out at school!

Deanie and Charlotte catch up

2009-10-25T05:15:00.001-07:00

Phuket, Thailand

2009-10-25T05:05:00.001-07:00

The hotel in Phuket

2009-10-25T04:48:00.000-07:00

We thoroughly recommend the 'Access Resort and Spa' to anyone travelling to Phuket. The staff were great, the breakfasts were amazing, there was a live band in the restaurant each night, and the service was awesome.

Adam's Thai friends

2009-10-25T04:38:00.000-07:00

Adam's Thai friends, and sleeping in the big bed with Celia.

Elephant Trek

2009-10-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

The elephant trek was a full hour or more on these monsters. They are awesome. Kay and Charlotte are on one elephant, while all four of us (Me, Deanie, Celia and Adam) are on the other. After about 35 minutes, the guide hopped off and put Deanie on the front of ours, and Kay on the front of theirs. It got quite tricky in parts, uphill and down into swamps... so Deanie had to work hard to stay on!

Apart from the sweltering heat and Adam being a bit overwhelmed, it was just fabulous fun.

Karon Beach, Phuket

2009-10-24T22:32:00.000-07:00

The words on the sign indicate a 'Tsunami Hazard Zone'. Other signs throughout the town indicate which direction to go in if there is a tsunami. There are also shrines everywhere, memorials to the 2004 tsunami. All very sobering.

We ventured to the beach for the afternoon, despite it being probably 39 degrees and humid. Adam and I found our small area of shade, under the umbrella seats which you hire for 200 baht (about $8). Sellers come along every few minutes with their wares - everything from dresses to ice creams to massages! We said yes to the ice creams.

Students

2009-10-17T20:23:00.000-07:00

This photo is of one of Steve's classes. Official lessons have now ended, while students prepare for A-levels. Some very bright kids here... looking pretty relaxed despite their heavy workloads!

After a few weeks now of 'consultation' (tutor sessions), Steve will do one month's invigilation (exam supervision) at another school, Hwa Chong College.

Singapore Sling

2009-10-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Clarke Quay, in a gorgeous little bar/cafe that is named after the Singapore Sling. So of course we ordered mocktails, and the drink in Kay's hand is an actual Singapore (gin) Sling... very yummy too.

Charlotte and Kay did the GMAX Swing (freaky) and Charlotte also did the Reverse Bungy.

Decision time

2009-10-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

We have made the decision to return home to Alexandra at the end of the year.

Jess and Rhian have had a successful year at National Junior College. But for Nadine and Celia, we have not been able to resolve their schooling situation here in Singapore for next year.

We will leave Singapore around Christmas time, and be back in Alexandra by the 2nd January 2010. We have secured a house to rent from the 18th January... so if anyone knows of some temporary accommodation that might suit us from the 2nd-18th January please let us know.

Kay and Charlotte (Stringer, Alexandra) have arrived safely and are 'run off their feet' already making the most of their Singapore experience. I will share some photos of their adventures in a few days.

Where are the monkeys?

2009-10-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

These are the adorable monkeys that we saw a lot of at the beginning of the year, because they played near the roadside at the entrance to Bukit Timah Reserve. Now we hardly see them, so will have to go deeper into the bush to say hello!

Hari Raya

2009-09-20T02:46:00.000-07:00

This is a long weekend, with tomorrow being a public holiday to celebrate 'Hari Raya', the end of a month of fasting for Muslim Malays. It is also the beginning of the lead-up to the Hindu Festival of Deepavali (see below).

Steve's colleague gave us a beautiful box of mooncakes (photos shown), symbolic of a very important Chinese autumn festival, also about this time. They are an acquired taste, but a small piece goes down nicely with a cup of tea!

Rhian has enjoyed his first week at the hostel, despite needing a few good 'sleep-ins' today and yesterday. Jess is getting ready for more exams starting in 10 days. Steve has loads of marking. Celia is socialising every spare minute. Deanie's just had her hair returned to its natural colour. Adam is getting a wee bit more adventurous in the pool. I've had two sessions at the gym this week!!!

We are working on making a big decision in the next week or so, regarding our plans for next year. Very frustrating, but just need a bit more information from some key people. Ciao....

Hari Raya

This is one of the three major festivals in the region, and Hari Raya Puasa literally means ‘the festival marking the end of a period of fasting.’ The festival follows a month of fasting, and the day begins with prayers in the mosque for men, and visits to the cemeteries to pay respects to departed family members, followed by a large meal. This meal usually consists of rendang, ketupat, sambal goreng (fried chilli paste) and serunding (shredded coconut fried with spices).

Deepavali (October/November)This is the Festival of Lights, celebrated by the Hindus. It marks the triumph of good over evil, and is celebrated during the new moon of the seventh month of the Hindu calendar. Rows of oil lamps are lit to welcome the goddess Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, and a range of symbolic foods is served.

Mooncakes are Chinese pastries traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching; moon cakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy on this occasion. Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival, one of the three most important Chinese festivals.

Rhian leaves for the hostel

2009-09-12T23:19:00.000-07:00

Today Rhian leaves to spend a full term at the National Junior College School Hostel. He will come home for the weekends though!

Every year group has a term at the hostel, and this term is JH1 (Junior High 1). All Rhian's friends will be there, and there will be a camp and lots of activities built into the time there - so from that point of view it should be a very interesting opportunity.

But look at the daily schedule!!!!

6.30 am - Breakfast

7.30 am - Off to school assembly

School Day

6 pm - Dinner

8 - 10 pm: Study Prep

10 pm - Roll Call and Supper

11.30 pm onward - Lights out!!! Poor Rhian......

Gareth and Caroline

2009-09-08T05:42:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we attended a 'renewal of vows' ceremony for Steve's colleague, Gareth, and his wife Caroline. They are an English couple, really fun, and it was a lovely day to be a part of.

Jess and Deanie got to do bridesmaid duties, Celia carried the bouquet in front, and Steve accompanied on the piano accordian.

It was a very special occasion - complete with champagne and yummy food - hosted by friends at their condominium.

Adam's climbing

2009-08-30T05:15:00.000-07:00

Adam's piano skills are coming along nicely, so's his climbing!

Photos on Chris's travels

2009-08-30T05:06:00.000-07:00

Some great shots, thanks Chris...

Raffles Hotel

2009-08-30T04:56:00.000-07:00

A historic hotel surrounded by cafes and restaurants, souvenirs and clothes shops. Raffles was on Chris's agenda for 'high tea' so off we went. Thank you Deanie for babysitting.. wouldn't really have worked with Adam!

Dream dress, dream price

2009-08-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

The girls had some time to fill in while selling flowers at Orchard Road (fundraising project). So Deanie tried on this $4,000.00 dress, with expensive shoes as well. Hmmm... it would take a fair bit more fundraising to purchase that!

Brendan's visit

2009-08-30T04:29:00.000-07:00

Brendan is well on his way to Ireland now, via Turkey. It was great to have a few days with him to share our new lifestyle. He didn't particularly enjoy the Singapore-style barber, who proceeded to 'thump' at his head after the hair cut.... or the foot massage which he described as a form of torture. I'm sure his hair and his feet are all the better for it though!

All the best in Ireland Brendan.

Arab Street

2009-08-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

Arab Street, in Kampong Glam, is a Malay 'cultural and heritage' area with an Arab flavour. Steve, Brendan, Jess and Celia took a trip here by bus. Chris did the same a few days later.

Jessie turns 17

2009-08-20T06:29:00.000-07:00

17 years ago, at 8.19 pm on the 19/08 Jessica Diane Ward was born!

Jess celebrated her birthday 3 times over today - firstly before school with the netball girls and a cake; secondly during lunch time with a school surprise from all her friends and classmates (and another cake); and then of course at home for dinner with her family (yes... a third cake). Her day has included special guest appearances from Chris (Heywood, Alexandra) who is here now for 2 weeks and Uncle Brendan (Ward, Invercaragill) who is here for 5 nights in transit to Turkey and then Ireland.

Happy birthday Jess - what a day... what a year... what a gal!

Some apartment shots

2009-08-12T02:08:00.000-07:00

The quality of some of our photos is starting to falter, due to the camera batteries dying or the settings getting changed. Plus, the strong light in some rooms, and dark in others makes for a challenge. So these apartment shots aren't great I'm afraid, but hopefully you'll get an idea. The red 'hanging shelf' is in the laundry and houses all the towels etc. The 'blue' bed is our bedroom, which is a good size compared to the kids' twin shared rooms. The living area where Nadine is sitting at the computer table, is the total living space for the apartment (ie. dining/lounge/living combined).

Tony and Bernie

2009-08-12T01:56:00.000-07:00

More little 'visitor angels' came our way with Tony and Bernie (Lepper, Alexandra) coming for dinner while in transit from Europe back to New Zealand. They had a fabulous six weeks away, and it was so good to catch up. Thanks for coming guys!!

National Day 2009

2009-08-07T00:45:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 9th August, Singapore celebrates its 44th anniversary of independence (from both Malaysia and colonial rule). National Day celebrations started today and go right through the weekend. At school assembly this morning at National Junior College the acknowledgements started, with soldiers leading from the front, songs, flags etc.... over and above the usual National Anthem and pledge.

Playground

2009-08-03T03:45:00.000-07:00

Every evening between 6.30 and 7.30 Celia congregates with all her mates at the Parc Palais playground. It gets quite busy, and darkness descends during the time they are there. Most of the younger children are supervised by their family's maid - so it is a social time for the maids as well. It is a very hot and sticky place to be... but Celia just loves the time out.

More food for thought

2009-08-03T03:37:00.000-07:00

Trumpet and Clarinet

2009-08-03T03:23:00.001-07:00

For the past 6 weeks, Jess (clarinet) and Rhian (trumpet) have been practising for a church concert, which took place on Saturday evening, 1st August at St. Mary's Church. Fortunately the church is well air-conditioned, as they had to wear all black - including long sleeved shirts and long pants.

It's been so nice to hear the instruments being played around the apartment, and it was a lovely opportunity for them to be part of a (chamber) group again. We will have a recorded disc of the concert in case their Alexandra tutors need evidence that they are keeping up their music!

The photo shows Adam conducting Rhian through a tough piece.

St. Mary's Parish Fair

2009-08-03T03:14:00.000-07:00

Jess and Nadine took Celia to the local church's fair yesterday. It was a huge set-up. Occasions like this take months and months of planning. The massive car park, as well as the large area in front of the church were full of games and activities, food stalls and craft. Celia is in a mini-pool full of newspaper, collecting some 'treasures'.

Ann

2009-08-03T01:34:00.000-07:00

This is Ann, from Germany. She is at National Junior College for a two-month venture to Singapore. It was lovely to have her over for a meal last night, after the girls spent the day out and about.

Lectures

2009-07-28T23:34:00.000-07:00

Steve has understandably had a few tired moments after a big month of lectures and marking. Over the past four Wednesdays he has had to present a series of Economics lectures to two groups of approximately 250 students each. During this time he also had over 200 essays to mark within a specified time frame.

Sleeping is socially acceptable in public places in Singapore. You see people asleep in all sorts of places - their lunch break at work, in the classroom (students that is), on the buses and trains, even on the footpath! Celia's violin teacher often has to be woken by the receptionist because he is having a wee kip in the next room prior to her lesson.

The work and study ethic is very very strong.. people definitely burn the candle at both ends... and therefore it is understandable that there are a lot of tired people about. Some of Jess and Rhian's class mates will try to set up on-line conferences to discuss school projects right up till midnight. They may have tried this in Alexandra, but not to discuss schoolwork!

Thank you Mum

2009-07-22T19:40:00.000-07:00

Grandma flew out of Singapore last night and will be back in Invercargill by tea-time today. Thank you Mum for saving every last cent to come all this way and see us. We had so much fun. You did amazingly well. Two great weeks - thank you.

Adam turns 1

2009-07-22T19:17:00.001-07:00

Our beautiful boy turned 1 on Monday 20th July 2009. He had a great day. Click on the video clip for his 'ice-cream explosion' afternoon tea at Swensen's. We didn't think he needed a party, with a family dinner at night and Grandma here - that was party enough. A very happy, funny, and active wee boy... just delightful... that's our Adam.

P.S. The ice-cream platter was delightful. I chose the 8 flavours, and unfortunately decided to try 'durian' flavour as one of them. It is the strongest, most pungent smell/taste you can imagine. Durian is a well known fruit here - looks like a green porcupine but even bigger!

Clarke Quay

2009-07-22T19:09:00.001-07:00

Out and about with Grandma

2009-07-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Singapore Flyer

2009-07-11T22:35:00.001-07:00

The Singapore Flyer goes the equivalent of '42 storeys high' and gives (obviously) a very good perspective of the whole of Singapore. It really accentuates how small the island-country is, and how built-up it is. There has been a lot of land 'reclaimed' from the sea!

Adam didn't get at all phased by the experience.

Welcome to Singapore Grandma

2009-07-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

Grandma has arrived safely, and by Day 4 has already seen a few of the sights. Grandma has clocked up 4 swims too!

Term 3

2009-07-03T04:16:00.000-07:00

Term 3 is under way. Steve, Jess and Rhian are back at National Junior College, and the home-schoolies are back into it as well. Adam likes Celia's activity book!

Jess finished a week of exams today - what a relief.

Temperature-taking

2009-07-03T04:12:00.000-07:00

This is Adam getting into the swing of temperature-taking.

Schools, workplaces, etc are all in the routine of twice-daily temperature-taking, to help slow the rate of spread of swine flu.

Art assignment

2009-07-03T04:05:00.000-07:00

This is Jess's art piece recently submitted for assessment. The canvas is over 1 metre high.

Adam walking

2009-07-03T03:59:00.000-07:00

In the last fortnight Adam has gone from staggering a few short steps, to walking freely around the house. He is very proud of his newfound skills. He is 11 and a half months old. Hopefully you can access this video clip, complete with mum's sound effects!

Sentosa with the Fonsecas

2009-06-22T00:46:00.001-07:00

Sunday 21st June was a big day out with Savio and Loretta, our godson Jacob and his baby brother David. We got the Express Train over to Sentosa, took the bus to the Dolphin Display (very cool), then to Underwater World. Returned to Singapore then got the MRT and bus back to our place for a swim and dinner. The kids, babies and adults all did very well!

Two friendly snakes

2009-06-22T00:38:00.000-07:00

Nadine is looking a bit more relaxed than she feels! It all happened so fast.... this guy kind-of wrapped the snakes around her, then said we could pay $6 for a photo so I agreed. Next he put the turban on her head and offered us another photo. I wondered if the next thing he was going to do was propose marriage to her, so we left fast!

(PS.. yes the snakes are very much alive, but obviously extremely friendly).

Underwater World

2009-06-22T00:21:00.000-07:00

Some creatures here you won't have seen before!

Happy 7th Birthday

2009-06-21T21:54:00.001-07:00

Celia turned 7 on Friday (19th June) so her day was full of excitement. Also pictured are Loretta, Jacob and David (Fonseca, Alexandra) who are in Singapore for 2 weeks. What a bonus for us that they are here for the week of Celia's birthday! Savio joined us later in the day.

Celia's Party

2009-06-21T21:40:00.001-07:00

Celia's party was full of fun and games, with Jess, Deanie and Rhian leading the way. The 3 Singaporean girls in the photo are Valerie, Shanel and Qinyi - all of whom live at Parc Palais.

Pin-the-tail-on-the-Giraffe went down well, and plenty of food and goodies were had by all.

Celia got some awesome things... activities that will keep us busy during home school too!

Celia's Foot Massage

2009-06-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

On the morning of Celia's birthday Steve took her for her very own foot massage. Celia said they 'cracked her toes' and 'made her feet numb' and it felt 'weird'.

She did say, however, that it was a good experience! Over the past few weeks Celia has been role-playing by massaging all of our feet, with the foamy soap and bucket of water etc.... so it was nice for her to get a reward treatment.

June Holidays

2009-06-14T02:17:00.000-07:00

The holidays are upon us and everyone is in relax mode.

Jess has the pressure of exams coming up, Steve and Rhian have a big term ahead as well - but for now its lots of swimming to keep cool (temperatures are steady at 35 degrees with 95% humidity) and visitors to keep us company (Savio and Loretta arrive tomorrow).

June is the big holiday for local schools in Singapore - the whole month in fact - then just a week in September.

Nadine's Birthday

2009-06-14T02:01:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, the 13th June, was Nadine's 15th birthday. There was the present-opening first thing in the morning, a lunch at home with the cake-lighting, then a surprise Skype-session with some Alexandra friends in the afternoon.

For dinner we went to the Prima Revolving Restaurant which was really cool. It was Chinese food with exquisite icecream desserts (apple flavour shown) and the kids had mocktails.

Deanie indeed had a H A P P Y 15th birthday!

Curly hair?

2009-06-14T01:53:00.000-07:00

Adam's hair is getting curly. Despite him always being dressed in blue, we get asked 'boy or girl?' Steve is threatening to get his beautiful locks cut off at the barber!

Harbour Front at Night

2009-06-14T01:47:00.000-07:00

Vicky

2009-06-14T01:42:00.000-07:00

This is Celia's friend Vicky. She is a few years older than Celia but they have quickly become very close friends. They meet at the playground every night for a while after tea. Vicky originally lived in Sydney - her Dad is Australian and her Mum is Austrian. She has a younger brother Max. They are a lovely family.

Basketball

2009-06-14T01:38:00.000-07:00

Rhian's Co-curricular activity (CCA) at the moment is basketball so he is enjoying being back into that. This photo is of Parc Palais' small outdoor basketball court where Rhian goes to practice, usually in the scorching heat and he manages to practise for ages!

A meal 'Steam Boat' style

2009-06-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

No, this is not the Singapore version of the Earnslaw. Steam Boat is a style of meal where all the food is served on separate plates, then boiled or steamed in special dishes in the middle of the table. These photos are from the girls' Netball Dinner at a Steam Boat Restaurant.

Alexandra Road

2009-06-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

There's also a Queenstown District, and an Adam Road. Makes us feel right at home.

Parc Palais

2009-06-08T22:29:00.000-07:00

A few people have asked for more photos of Parc Palais. Here they are....

Fish Spa

2009-06-08T22:23:00.000-07:00

If you are coming to Singapore then we will be taking you for a Fish Spa. It is very cool, but quite freaky until you get used to it, and ticklish. The fish eat all the dead skin off your feet! Very therapeutic.

Where to go?

2009-06-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

We were surprised when Jess's Singaporean school mates commented that there was 'nothing to do' in Singapore. As visitors, and from a small town like Alexandra, we think that there is so much to see and do in Singapore. But I am starting to appreciate what the kids here might mean. Because of the heat, the small apartment lifestyle (mostly HDB 's - Government Housing Flats), and the lack of parks etc... there is actually a real restriction on where you can go, particularly if you just want to hang out somewhere with friends or family and relax. Malls and cafes do not offer much privacy or space - and its too hot to do many outdoor things - so I am beginning to understand why the youth would say there is not much to do in Singapore! Certainly in my case, when trying to think of where to go with Adam - the options are very limited. We're getting pretty good at going to the library though!

Kirsten's holiday

2009-06-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

Kirsten's holiday - Singapore 2009

Elephant Ride

2009-06-02T23:23:00.000-07:00

The elephant ride was a much anticipated highlight of the girls' trip to the zoo.

Ben and Jerry's

2009-06-02T23:18:00.000-07:00

Ben and Jerry's ice creams go for about $10.00 each! They sure look tempting though....

Clarke Quay at night

2009-06-02T23:13:00.000-07:00

The girls check out Clarke Quay.

Animal friends

2009-06-02T23:03:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves animal photos, right?

Kirsten's here

2009-05-29T21:09:00.000-07:00

Kirsten arrived safely.... yay!!!

No Studying Here Please

2009-05-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

At many cafes or popular eateries you will see a sign asking the public not to 'study'. This particular sign implies that you could study between midnight and 6 am if you wish!

Students often study for hours at these places, so employers are obviously getting sick of it.

There is also a joke here: you can leave your wallet or cellphone lying around and it will be safe - but don't ever leave your study notes. The notes will get stolen!

Musical and dance extravaganza

2009-05-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

Nadine, Celia, Adam and I got another chance to see some of NJC's extraordinary musical and dance talents at a concert at the school on Thursday. Pictured are some of the instruments - the 'kucheng' (long harp-like instrument mentioned in an earlier post); and the 'anklung' (held by the 2 girls in NJC uniform). There were over 40 kids on stage with these anklungs - the sound was something I had never heard before. Will try and post a video clip shortly.

The 3 girls in costume are the 'Indian Dance' performers. We also saw Malay Dance, Western Dance, the Harmonica Ensemble (over 60 harmonica players!!), and more. Awesome.

Steamed Dough balls

2009-05-20T02:38:00.000-07:00

The famed 'steamed dough balls' which are sold in all shapes and sizes in Singapore, and are full of all sorts of things.

Ice skating

2009-05-20T02:36:00.000-07:00

Jess at the Ice Skating rink. When the going gets tough we're all heading here to cool down!

Gloria

2009-05-20T02:30:00.000-07:00

Jessie's friend Gloria. She's a real sweetie....

Escape

2009-05-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

Adam planning his escape from the apartment!