Week 35: August 13 to 19

This week we are all getting excited about our trip at the end of the week.
Not much happened Monday. The kids got home late from school as it rained in the afternoon, whenever it rains traffic is usually heavier and we are still in Ramadan, so the traffic was doublet bad.
Tuesday I spent most of the day having morning tea with the high comm girls. And I went out with them on Wednesday night to the skybar at Traders Hotel, after getting a haircut.
Thursday there was another shoe party. I didn't order any this time. We went out to dinner, but a lot of places were booked out or too busy because of Ramadan. So we decided on a German pub and restaurant at the Pavillion.
Friday was spent sleeping in, and packing, apart from Steve going to the High Comm and getting a haircut ( Lachlan also got his haircut). We left home at 4 to go to the airport. We flew out at 8:30pm and arrived in Abu Dhabi six and a half hours later. We had 3 hours until our next flight, but by the time we walked to the terminal and had a coffee and chai, there wasn't too long to wait. We then flew another six and a half hours to Berlin, and had 3 hours there as well. I must look German because everyone spoke to me in German. The last leg was only an hour and a half, then a 20 minute taxi ride, an hour check in and we were finally onboard the Norwegian Jade. It looked very familiar and we soon realised it used to be the Pride of Hawaii (the same ship we did our Hawaiian cruise on).

a nice shot at the airport; a rare KL sunrise and not so rare haze; fantastic bakery in Berlin; Petronus towers from the skybar of the Traders on ladies night.

 After settling in, having some lunch and of course our safety brief, we sailed out of Venice at 6. It was spectacular!
Sunday was a sea day. We met a lovely couple from England, who became good friends by the end of the cruise. We spent some time by the pool and the kids spent a bit of time in kids club. Lachlan was a little disappointed that he wasn't old enough for the teens room, but was still happy enough to have other boys his age and a bit older with him in the kids club. We had teppanyaki for dinner and the kids thought all the theatrics were great, the food was very good too.

French Alps from the plane; Berlin; our teppinyaki chef; Venice from the plane (our ship is the one in front)

Week 34: August 6 to 12

Not much happening this week, Steve is working hard on his paper and we are saving up our energy for our upcoming trip. Steve went away to the northern border area for work from Wednesday to Friday.

Monday was a public holiday for the kids, but not for Steve. I took then out for lunch and we went to buy some DVDs.

Wednesday I went to Brickfields ( little India) for lunch with some high comm ladies for one of their birthdays. We had some beautiful Indian vegetarian food.

Thursday I spent some time with Toni. We went to Delicious for lunch, then came upstairs for margaritas. The kids and I went to KLCC for sushi for dinner.

Friday I went out to run some errands. Then we had drinks by the pool with the kiwis in the afternoon.

Saturday was spent at home, then we went out for dinner at Las Carretas with Cathy, Al and the kids.
Sunday we went out to Ike's and the Curve because we had to come back early last time when Lachlan was sick. We had lunch at Bubba Gump.

Week 33: July 30 to Aug 5

A quiet week again this week. Steve is working hard on his Commandant's paper. There is not much on tv at the moment and the Olympic coverage here is kind of difficult to watch, so we have been watching our new favourite tv series, Friday Night Lights. We bought the first series ages ago, but have only just started watching it and we are really into it.

Tuesday I went and got a pedicure, with mum and dad here and school holidays, I was well overdue for one. I was also overdue for a big grocery shop, so I did that as well.

Wednesday I took Ryan's mum, Cathy to Publika because she hadn't been and we had lunch at Plan B.

Thursday Steve was finished by mid morning, so we went to Chinatown to get him some swimmers, and get some flowers. We also had lunch at Old China Cafe. We went down to the school for a meeting for The China trip Lachlan will be going on in September. After the meeting we got to watch Danae play netball for a bit, then drove home in the crazy traffic. Cathy and the kids came for a swim then we all went out for dinner at Delicious.

Friday was like most other Fridays, but Steve went to the High Comm in the afternoon so we didn't get to have lunch together. We spent the evening by the pool, then came up for dinner. Steve got a write up in the school newsletter about the AFL game last weekend.

Saturday we had some people over in the afternoon to watch the rugby super 25 final, then we ended up watching AFL afterwards. I made Mexican for dinner, it was a good evening.
Sunday was pretty quiet. We spent the morning at home, then went to Sunway Pyramid shopping centre.

Week 32: July 23 to 29

It's been a fairly quiet week this week, getting back into routines. Lachlan and Danae started After School Activities this week. This semester Danae does dancing on Mondays and netball on Thursdays and Lachlan does tennis on Wednesdays and soccer on Thursdays. With Ramadan, the traffic can be bad in the evenings so when they come home from ASAs on the late bus they can be 10 minutes late or an hour late.
I had a morning tea with some High Comm ladies on Tuesday morning, then some of us went on to have lunch at the Albion hotel, then did a little shopping. Tuesday night just as we came upstairs after a swim to get dinner ready we had a blackout in the whole building, so we went out for dinner and had sushi.
On Thursday all the defense people were invited to the High Commissioners residence for a medal presentation ceremony for one of the army guys who lives in Johor baru, followed by lunch.
Friday was pretty much the usual drinks by the pool.
We went out for breakfast Saturday morning, then Steve, Lachlan and Danae went to get Lachlan's haircut and I went to a furniture expo at the Convention Centre. In the afternoon Steve took the kids and Ryan to school for a parents and teachers versus high school students AFL game. Steve played full forward for three quarters and kicked 9 goals then he umpired the last quarter and Lachlan and Ryan ran boundarys. I had planned to go to some night markets with Louise from the High Comm, which is why I didn't go with them. The markets were good. After the football game Steve dropped Lachlan at Ryan's for a sleepover, and ended up staying for a drink. I got dropped off there as well and we stayed until about midnight.
Sunday was pretty quiet, Steve studied and Danae and I watched some master chef on the computer ( I already know who won from Facebook, but I'm still enjoying watching it. I'm about half way through). I picked up Lachlan and we went to Suzi's corner for dinner.