Thursday, November 5, 2015
Fukuoka, Japan
October 20, 2015 : Our first port on the cruise was Fukuoka, Japan. We did our own thing there and walked around the very pretty, peaceful and clean town. There was a lovely park in the middle of the city area.
Robots for sale in Fukuoka mall.
Cruise - Shanghai to Beijing
We had a wonderful time on our 5 day cruise. A very new and huge ship called Quantum of the Seas, which is part of the Royal Carribean group. The sea was very calm, which helped me manage the new experience of cruising. I needed to take a few travel pills, but I managed really well and enjoyed it. Rick enjoyed it too. He didn't feel the movement at all. Very relaxing.
Shanghai by night
China Trip October 16 to Nov 1
Oct 17
Shanghai Night River Cruise on Huangpu River.
Very scenic and a pleasant cruise. Great weather.
After the cruise I got lost from our bus group! It was a worrying time. I was by myself because Rick had opted to go back to the hotel to stretch out his sore back after hours and hours on the plane and the bus! I wasn't all that familiar with our bus group members at this stage, so I was trying to follow people I thought might be on our bus. I failed! I was trying to keep calm and think how I was going to find everyone, amongst the scores of buses and thousands of people in the dark! The bus had parked in a different place to where it was when we fist arrived. That threw me completely.
Probably within about 10 or 15 minutes, Kelly, our tour guide found me. I was very, very relieved. All turned out OK.
Throughout our tour we had to do constant roll calls, because of the risks of getting lost in the huge crowds at the venues we visited.
Shanghai - Day 1 & 2
China trip Oct 16 to Nov 1
Shanghai, Friday October 16 and Saturday October 17
Our China trip began with a flight to Shanghai on Rick's Birthday , Oct 16.
We were able to pay extra to get EXIT ROW seats, to give Rick more leg room....on his birthday.
Happy Birthday Rick! A ten hour flight is your present!
It took a while for the 5 tour leaders ( from Nexus Holidays) to process all 200 Aussies at the airport. I think maybe it was the biggest group they had dealt with. There was a lot of standing around in the airport while we were waiting for all the clear customs and for the five buses to arrive!
Finally we got to the hotel on our "A4" bus and were in bed about midnight ( 3am Canberra time). Our group had 44 people.
Zhujiajiao Village was our first stop the following day.
"A village to take us back in time to the Ming and Qing Dynasty."
We found it a pleasant little village to walk around and we also enjoyed a sampan ride on the canal.
Shanghai Roads! Many an hour spent in traffic over the four days.
Shanghai, Friday October 16 and Saturday October 17
Our China trip began with a flight to Shanghai on Rick's Birthday , Oct 16.
We were able to pay extra to get EXIT ROW seats, to give Rick more leg room....on his birthday.
Happy Birthday Rick! A ten hour flight is your present!
It took a while for the 5 tour leaders ( from Nexus Holidays) to process all 200 Aussies at the airport. I think maybe it was the biggest group they had dealt with. There was a lot of standing around in the airport while we were waiting for all the clear customs and for the five buses to arrive!
Finally we got to the hotel on our "A4" bus and were in bed about midnight ( 3am Canberra time). Our group had 44 people.
Zhujiajiao Village was our first stop the following day.
"A village to take us back in time to the Ming and Qing Dynasty."
We found it a pleasant little village to walk around and we also enjoyed a sampan ride on the canal.
Monday, November 2, 2015
China trip 2015
Our 17 day China, Japan and Sth Korea trip - October 16 to Nov 1, 2015
Well, I haven't added a post for a very long time!
We have just come home from a 17 day trip to China. We left SYD on October 16 and returned home on Nov 1. A great experience!
4 days in Shanghai. A 5 day Cruise from Shanghai to Beijing, stopping over at Fukuoka in Japan and Busan in Sth Korea on the way. 4 days in Beijing and 2 days in X'ian.
Well, I haven't added a post for a very long time!
We have just come home from a 17 day trip to China. We left SYD on October 16 and returned home on Nov 1. A great experience!
4 days in Shanghai. A 5 day Cruise from Shanghai to Beijing, stopping over at Fukuoka in Japan and Busan in Sth Korea on the way. 4 days in Beijing and 2 days in X'ian.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Flowers and Rabbits in January 2015
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Christmas Day 2014
We had a lovely Christmas Lunch at Paul and Jeni's. We missed the family members that couldn't be there this year, but we enjoyed the time very much.
Stuart, Cherie, Lois and Phoebe arrived safely in Seoul, Sth Korea. We were grateful for that. They are having a wonderful 2 week or so holiday with Cherie's family and they will hopefully catch up with friends as well.
Dad made it there. Amazing feat after spending the last couple of weeks in hospital, with conditions including Bronchitis and later on Pneumonia.
Bruce took this photo of us. Baby Alice was asleep.
Stuart, Cherie, Lois and Phoebe arrived safely in Seoul, Sth Korea. We were grateful for that. They are having a wonderful 2 week or so holiday with Cherie's family and they will hopefully catch up with friends as well.
Dad made it there. Amazing feat after spending the last couple of weeks in hospital, with conditions including Bronchitis and later on Pneumonia.
Bruce took this photo of us. Baby Alice was asleep.
Monday, December 22, 2014
Merry Christmas!
Where does the time go?
AS you can observe, I haven't been keeping up with my blog updates.
Hopefully will get some time to update this year...in January!
For the meantime I wish you a merry Christmas with lots of fun and good times with family and friends, safe holidays and some relaxing time out of the normal hustle and bustle. I didn't send any Christmas cards this year as I had planned to do an update here.
Here is a brief version:
We celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday 20th December. It was a great day.... mainly watching the girls having fun with their abundant gifts. Grandparents went a little bit over the top! Rick's borther Andrew joined us which was special. In the afternoon we had a swim and afternoon tea at Bruce and Sylvia's and Stuart and family caught up with the Canberra cousins and their families. Thanks Bruce for this photo: Sam, Ben, Lois and Phoebe enjoying time together after a swim. They see each other once a week and their Mainly Music playgroup.
There is great excitement as Stuart, Cherie, Lois and Phoebe are off to Korea on Christmas Eve to visit Cherie's family and catch up with some friends. They'll be away for just over two weeks.
After taking the Stu-fam to the airport, I will stay in Sydney and Rick and Cameron will arrive later on Christmas Eve.
Dad is in hospital and is very ill with Pneumonia and several other conditions. This is following another bout in hospital last week.
So it will be a different Christmas this year. Not sure how well he will be and it's very likely he will have a steady stream of family visitors in the hospital over the time.... if he is up to that. Mum is coping really well but must be exhausted. I was in Sydney with Mum for a few days last week and Deirdre and Paul and spouses are helping out lots this week. So Mum has got lots of support, which she needs right now.
The year seemed very busy. Rick and I both worked.. Rick full-time, me part time.. which felt like full time! Noticing more health tests and doctor visits and bills... this year!
I have reached the 5 year clear-of-cancer milestone, which feels really great! My brother Bruce has reached it too. Lots of reasons to celebrate!
Cameron continues to work hard... and keep an eye on his dad who works on the same floor! He is having two week break from work now, to rest and recharge his energy for the new year.
I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful and safe Christmas with family and with friends.
I try and upload some pics soon!
AS you can observe, I haven't been keeping up with my blog updates.
Hopefully will get some time to update this year...in January!
For the meantime I wish you a merry Christmas with lots of fun and good times with family and friends, safe holidays and some relaxing time out of the normal hustle and bustle. I didn't send any Christmas cards this year as I had planned to do an update here.
Here is a brief version:
We celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday 20th December. It was a great day.... mainly watching the girls having fun with their abundant gifts. Grandparents went a little bit over the top! Rick's borther Andrew joined us which was special. In the afternoon we had a swim and afternoon tea at Bruce and Sylvia's and Stuart and family caught up with the Canberra cousins and their families. Thanks Bruce for this photo: Sam, Ben, Lois and Phoebe enjoying time together after a swim. They see each other once a week and their Mainly Music playgroup.
There is great excitement as Stuart, Cherie, Lois and Phoebe are off to Korea on Christmas Eve to visit Cherie's family and catch up with some friends. They'll be away for just over two weeks.
After taking the Stu-fam to the airport, I will stay in Sydney and Rick and Cameron will arrive later on Christmas Eve.
Dad is in hospital and is very ill with Pneumonia and several other conditions. This is following another bout in hospital last week.
So it will be a different Christmas this year. Not sure how well he will be and it's very likely he will have a steady stream of family visitors in the hospital over the time.... if he is up to that. Mum is coping really well but must be exhausted. I was in Sydney with Mum for a few days last week and Deirdre and Paul and spouses are helping out lots this week. So Mum has got lots of support, which she needs right now.
The year seemed very busy. Rick and I both worked.. Rick full-time, me part time.. which felt like full time! Noticing more health tests and doctor visits and bills... this year!
I have reached the 5 year clear-of-cancer milestone, which feels really great! My brother Bruce has reached it too. Lots of reasons to celebrate!
Cameron continues to work hard... and keep an eye on his dad who works on the same floor! He is having two week break from work now, to rest and recharge his energy for the new year.
I hope you have a wonderful, peaceful and safe Christmas with family and with friends.
I try and upload some pics soon!
Monday, December 15, 2014
CPAP... the new normal
Well, I have been busy and haven't added much to our blog lately!
Since we returned from Broadbeach in October, we've both been working hard. I've been working a lot more than I expected this term! I have been to Sydney to spend some time with Mum and Dad. Dad has had too many health challenges this year but has been amazingly positive and has faced them all courageously. Life isn't much fun for him these days!
I've been getting used to using my CPAP machine to sleep and have been sleeping much better. I have been feeling less tired and have found that my blood pressure has gone back to within the normal range. This is good news. No need for any blood pressure medication.
I wouldn't wish the CPAP machine on anyone, but it has helped me and I am told it will increase my life span. The first two months while using the rental machine was pretty difficult.
Since late September I have been using my own brand new machine and things have been good, despite a few setbacks with a bad season of hay fever and a rye neck that was very painful. Rick had a few medical check-ups and also a trip to emergency with a kidney stone. He seems to be fine now.
We've been enjoying minding Lois and Phoebe a bit more regularly to enable both Stuart and Cherie to attend worship team practices together. This has meant we get to see them on Tuesday nights and then I mind the girls on Thursday afternoons.
Towards the end of the term I was asked to work a few full- week stints, so then I had to miss out on minding the girls as well as going to my Thursday morning group at church.
Note added 22/12/14
I am really enjoying having more energy now I have adjusted well to my CPAP machine. What a difference consistent and quality sleep makes! For our family Christmas I prepared breakfast, morning tea, lunch and dinner; went for a swim in the afternoon and still went to bed after 10pm, feeling a bit tired but not thoroughly exhausted as I have been for years! I could not have done all that this time last year! Amazing!
Since we returned from Broadbeach in October, we've both been working hard. I've been working a lot more than I expected this term! I have been to Sydney to spend some time with Mum and Dad. Dad has had too many health challenges this year but has been amazingly positive and has faced them all courageously. Life isn't much fun for him these days!
I've been getting used to using my CPAP machine to sleep and have been sleeping much better. I have been feeling less tired and have found that my blood pressure has gone back to within the normal range. This is good news. No need for any blood pressure medication.
I wouldn't wish the CPAP machine on anyone, but it has helped me and I am told it will increase my life span. The first two months while using the rental machine was pretty difficult.
Since late September I have been using my own brand new machine and things have been good, despite a few setbacks with a bad season of hay fever and a rye neck that was very painful. Rick had a few medical check-ups and also a trip to emergency with a kidney stone. He seems to be fine now.
We've been enjoying minding Lois and Phoebe a bit more regularly to enable both Stuart and Cherie to attend worship team practices together. This has meant we get to see them on Tuesday nights and then I mind the girls on Thursday afternoons.
Towards the end of the term I was asked to work a few full- week stints, so then I had to miss out on minding the girls as well as going to my Thursday morning group at church.
Note added 22/12/14
I am really enjoying having more energy now I have adjusted well to my CPAP machine. What a difference consistent and quality sleep makes! For our family Christmas I prepared breakfast, morning tea, lunch and dinner; went for a swim in the afternoon and still went to bed after 10pm, feeling a bit tired but not thoroughly exhausted as I have been for years! I could not have done all that this time last year! Amazing!
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