Singapore recently hosted the world's first night Grand Prix, which was a spectacular success for spectators ( unless of course you are a Ferrari fan!). Matt was quite easily convinced by friend Shane to attend the race, despite never having watched F1 on TV or otherwise, and left the weekend a F1 fan.

There was a palpable sense of excitement as nearly 100,000 people streamed into the inner city to watch the race from a number of grandstands built around the circuit - 40,000 of them visitors from overseas. We were located in the Bay Stand which has a brilliant view over the city skyline and Marina Bay, but which also boasted two large TV screens which are critical to monitor developments in other parts of the circuit, as well as maintaining some sense of order as safety cars and pit stop strategies make it increasingly difficult to easily gauge the true race order.

Perched high in the stand in the balmy air, you could hear the first lap of the race moving around the the city, creating a growing sense of anticipation very different from the earlier practise sessions, where times were critical but where the drivers were not all on the track together. As the cars weaved around Turns 16 and 17 and into our view, the unmistakable scream of the engines was deafening and added to the energy of the crowd, with the machines disappearing in seconds after a sharp turn right under the stadium and directly beneath the crowds above.

Despite the two hours and planned 61 laps, there was no shortage of excitement as a number of dramas unfolded including a number of crashes and a pit stop drama with the ensuing (and controversial) reordering of the race. After two incidents, Ferrari was predictably upset with this inaugural event. However after some luck with the safety car, the race was won by Fernando Alonso from Renault who had also topped the time charts during the second practice session. Lewis Hamilton came in third after a conservative race.

Shane, a F1 fanatic, was a perfect person to learn the basics from - and definitely on the cards for the 2009 season.

Hello everybody, nice to meet you.

My name is Amelie Matilda.

I was born last Tuesday at 4:32pm and I weighed just 3.56 kilos. Mummy and Daddy have been waiting a long time for me to join them. In fact, they have been peering inside Mummy, watching me grow since I was smaller than a grain of rice, right to the day before I came out.

My birth day started pretty quietly....Mummy and Daddy got up and we all had breakfast in bed like we do every morning, although it was still dark. I could hear them talking, so I kicked and pushed to say hello as I like to do at this time of day. They pushed me back!

Although Dr Chen was planning to bring me out himself, I had already made up my mind to come out and give my Dad a special birthday present - me! Suddenly there was a rush of water around me and I was being squeezed a bit by mummy's tummy.

Apparently coming out is supposed to hurt Mummy a lot, but it didn't really seem like it. It was pretty quiet for most of the day. Mum and Dad were chatting and laughing, and I think they were even napping. They were talking about something called "contractions" all the time....Daddy kept telling Mummy about "big ones" coming on - I think he was reading the machine in the room. I don't know about that, but it was getting pretty tight inside and Mummy didn't seem at all worried.

All of a sudden I could feel some cool air on the top of my head, and I heard Daddy getting excited. I guess he could see my head coming down. Mum was pushing and pushing and pushing. Then I heard Dr Chen come into the room, and he told Mummy that if she didn't push harder he was going to grab my head with some big tongs! Suddenly Mum did six big pushes and I was sliding and rushing out into the bright lights and all the noise.

Some mean people started poking me and vacuuming my lungs and nostrils which made me really yell! After a little while someone wrapped me up in a blanket and gave me to Mummy so I could see her for the first time from the outside.

Since then I have been a little angel, although I like to make it quite clear if I don't get my milk fast enough - especially between 2 and 4am in the morning. Maybe I am impatient like my Dad. I have lots of lots of clothes and toys from all of you and I am very spoilt.

I've been pretty busy too. On my first night home I went to Mario's Pizzeria because Mummy and Daddy really needed some real food after the hospital. We went shopping the next day to buy even more stuff for me, and this morning I went to an Indian temple to see a festival. I must be like my Mummy too, because I slept right through all that loud drumming and chanting.

Anyway, off to bed again - four sleeps just isn't enough for one day. Looking forward to meeting all of you soon.

Lots of love,

Amelie.

Hi to all,

Hope everyone has had a great 2007 and that your Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year celebrations were relaxing and pleasurable!

Our 2007 was possibly less mobile than previous years, but still as enjoyable as any other. Obviously the big news for us was our start down the road to family life, less than 2 weeks away if all goes to plan. Although a little nervous, we are excited about the imminent changes to our lives, and very much looking forward to meeting our daughter out here in the real world. The nursery is ready, some "help" employed and so we are as ready as we can be for the big day.

Vanessa's condition has obviously restricted our travel a little, with most of the nearby options in the developing world and more suitable locales requiring an uncomfortable long-haul flight. However, we have still put in a reasonable effort.

Australia has been our focus this year, with Matt visiting three times and Vanessa even squeezing in two trips herself. April was a pure social event, with Vanessa's family gathering in Queensland, followed up by a quick stopover at the farm and then a day or two with friends and family in Sydney. We also decided to take our last "adults only" vacation in September with a fantastic road trip around Victoria, and Matt got a "leave pass" to attend Tom and Krishni's wedding in Sydney with a quick pre-Christmas catchup with friends and family thrown in.

With comfort being a priority we took advantage of two of the obligatory short-haul trips from Singapore - a long weekend in Bangkok and a short family holiday in Phuket, both of which were great fun. We also combined work and pleasure with a couple of breaks to Hong Kong and a side trip to Macau. To wrap up the year, Matt had a brief night out with friends in Knightsbridge on a recent work visit to London.

On the guest front, visitor numbers to Hotel Tottler were pretty healthy with another 25 people visiting over the last 18 months on top of the hectic schedule in our first year. As usual, it is always great to see friends and family here in Singapore to experience the expat lifestyle and a little of "Asia Lite".

Matt used the recent lull in guests to take golf lessons and sculling classes (note: for the Aussies, this refers to single-scull rowing and not binge drinking). A longstanding absence of any hand-eye coordination continues to remain an impediment to performance but certainly not pleasure. Running continues to be a favourite for Matt and the jungle trail around MacRitchie reservoir still provides a challenging escape from the inner city, replete with the occasional frights from cobras, giant water monitors or troupes of monkeys. Vanessa's ambitious plans for the year (golf and horse riding) have had to be curtailed - but the pool has been much appreciated over recent months.

Although we both feel like it has been a pretty quiet year we have also switched apartments (to a mirror image place in the same block...very disorienting!) and Matt has changed jobs. So far, both have proven to be very good moves.

We are both very much still enjoying life here in Singapore. The city continues to be a massive building site with old condos being pulled down to make way for glamourous new apartments (.....unfortunately reducing supply and making rents skyrocket - as well as creating an awful racket at times). However, the country is on the move and some pretty spectacular developments are underway with two Integrated Resorts (aka Casinos) being built, conversion of the river and harbour to a freshwater reservoir surrounded by a massive series of gardens, as well as erection of the world's biggest ferris wheel. As usual, a multitude of F&B zones are springing up (read Food & Beverage, local parlance for Restaurants and Bars) with a great one right underneath our condo that is very child friendly.

We have made some really good friends over the last year, and already have lots of babysitting offers which is particularly nice. We know many of the service staff around the area also so it is starting to feel very much like home for us.

Great to hear from so many people over the holiday period with cards and calls - hope to be in touch soon with an introduction to Baby Tottler!

With Vanessa's travel capability rapidly diminishing, we embarked on our last adults-only roadtrip for the forseeable future. Our travel planning consisted of identifying destinations that fit the following criteria:

1) less than 7 hours flight
2) access to English-speaking world class hospitals
3) no malaria or dengue fever outbreaks

This narrowed our options considerably and apart from the steamy climes of Singapore, we were left with.....one option. Australia.

Given the tropical perma-summer that we live in, we were both attracted to the idea of a 'winter' holiday which would make it easier for Vanessa to move around. We both liked Melbourne and neither of us had ever driven along the Great Ocean Road, so we decided that we would make Victoria our destination.

To maximise our travel days, we took the red-eye and arrived at a very unsociable 4:45am at Tullamarine, with a sudden shock from relatively rapid change in temperatures. It's amazing after more than two years with 30C averages, mercury in the late teens seems positively icy. Wide tree-lined boulevards, traditional Greek and Italian restaurants and clanging trams are certainly a cliche for this city, but combined with the crisp spring weather and the prolific deciduous trees they really do add that European feel. We spent a wonderful evening in a restaurant that would have felt quite at ease nestled in the cobbled back laneways of Rome.

Art and shopping were the themes, and we indulged ourselves in both. The Guggenheim collection was in town and it contrasted with the evocative colonial scenes from the Heidelberg School and thoughtful Aboriginal Art collection at the classy NGV. We stayed at a boutique hotel called the Hatton in South Yarra and we made good use of the deep hot baths at the end of our days. Running around the botanical gardens and along the river with the swans and rowers was a highlight for Matt without the draining humidity that normally accompanies exercise in Singapore.

After sampling the fine food and meeting up with friends, we set out for our first stop on the Great Ocean Road - Apollo Bay. As expected, the scenery was stunning and the driving challenging but fun (....despite being encumbered with an automatic car....). We meandered around lighthouses, stopped to sample the panoramic views and spotted abundant wildlife all along. We didn't see Keanu on Bell's Beach, but a few dedicated surfers braved the icy water to take advantage of the rolling waves.

Our day at the Twelve Apostles wasn't the brilliant sunny seascape that we had envisiaged, but dark clouds and heavy rain added a moody ambience to the scene. We secretly congratulated ourselves that we had skipped the helicopter or light plane tours bumping around in the strong winds.

After a few days along the Southern Ocean and some lovely walking and fresh seafood, we headed north east via the Mornington Peninsular toward our final destination, the Dandenong Ranges. Our B&B in Olinda was lovely with four cottages, each individually decorated with a crackling wooden fire, local port and lots of individual touches. We had chosen this spot for our last days specifically to relax, and unwind we certainly did. We wandered through European style gardens and through grand forests of Mountain Ash. Having appreciated the beauty of European and North American forests for the last ten years, it was refreshing to be reminded of how varied and pretty the Australian bush in its prime can be.

We also spent a day cruising around the Yarra Valley, one of Australia's cool climate wine regions. Vanessa managed to sample a small sip of the entire Domaine Chandon selection, but we were most impressed by the subtle Coldstream Hills offerings and a case was duly shipped back home. Our last afternoon was spent sipping lovely vintages overlooking the lush green landscapes at Australia's oldest winery, Yering Station.

We were highly impressed with Victoria and intend to spend more time to explore it further in the future.

Since being in the region we have had a number of opportunities to visit Hong Kong, usually for work, but often combined with pleasure. Hong Kong is definitely one of those cities that you need to visit once to experience it. If you haven't been already, think Manhattan perched in a jungle on the side of a steep mountain. The city has a 24hr vibe that Singapore doesn't really have.

Despite being one of the most densely populated countries (or dependencies) in the world, nearly three quarters of the island and attached New Territories is devoted to green space with large country parks and nature reserves. Where development is allowed, there is literally only one way to go - up. The massive office towers and condo skyscrapers are made even more imposing in that they are built on the edges of steep ravines. Roads dive steeply down hills, around sharp bends or straight out along elevated traverses.

However, despite the intense crowding the city maintains an extraordinary efficiency that makes it a pleasure visiting. Our friends Irena and Dicky (+ kids) are long time residents of the city, and it is always fun to head out on the town with them especially as they always have some great restaurant and drinking recommendations.

This last trip we headed to Macau for the day. It was a short walk from our hotel to the "ferry", and on arrival Matt became extremely excited when he discovered that he would be riding on a boat travelling either fast or dangerously enough to warrant seatbelts. The journey to Macau takes about an hour on TurboJET hydrofoil which belts along at 50 knots with barely a quiver through the passenger compartment.

Macau, a former Portugese colony has a great mix of the modern and a well preserved colonial heart. Notwithstanding the chinese signage around you, you can easily feel you are wandering around the cobbled streets of an old European city. On recommendation, we headed out of town to a black sand beach outside the city to visit an institution in the city called Fernando's.

This very simple family-style restaurant serves up huge portions of traditional Portugese food to an appreciative crowd. To secure a table, you need to arrive well before the rough metal concertina doors slide open at 12pm. At that time, it becomes a barely concealed fight for a table. Matt overindulged as expected on the roasted pork, the roasters and the fantastic tomato salad before waddling into a taxi back to town to wander and explore the old city.

With Thailand just next door in travel terms, we took advantage of an opportunity to meet Bronwyn, Jeff and Bree (and a big group of their friends) in Patong Beach in Phuket for an extended weekend. Up before dark but with Changi Airport's slick efficiency we were driving to the resort within a few hours. The trip would be a real eye opener for Matt, given he had holidayed at Patong Beach as a kid living in Malaysia, some twenty-five years before.

This was a beach holiday after all, and by 10am local time we were sipping cocktails at the in-pool bar. We weren't focused on cultural pursuits as part of this trip, but we were both pretty excited about an elephant ride through the jungle. The logging industry in Phuket traditionally employed a large number of these animals, but with its demise the few remaining are now being employed in more sedate activities carting tourists around the forest paths.

At this particular establishment, the animals looks very well looked after and enjoyed a refreshing shower afterward and some local delicacies (bananas!) from the appreciate guests as thank you. It's pretty hair raising on the back of an elephant when they are walking down a steep hill, especially when your "seat belt" is a thin single knot rope.

Despite the ever-encroaching development, we found some nice spots and really enjoyed the beach which is ironically something that we don't get much of in our tropical island city-state. Two evenings were particularly memorable - the first we sat overlooking a stunning sunset sipping a selection of award winnng wines at Ma Tri's Boathouse on the beach. Our last night we spent perched above the cliffs with friends and family eating delicious local Royal Thai a meal watching a soft dusk and listening to hundreds of birds around us.

Given Vanessa's recent return back from Australia, Singapore's May Day holiday took us completely by surprise. Despite the challenging window of opportunity, Matt went to work on Friday morning and by Friday afternoon we were winging our way to Bangkok for a long weekend.

The city was as chaotic as we had remembered - an assault on the senses with smells, sounds, pollution, colours and crowds all around. Bangkok is the antihesis of Singapore. Unordered, untidy, unplanned - and we fully enjoyed the unpredictability of our experience. The trip started on a good note when we were upgraded to a suite....the bathroom being bigger than our old New York apartment. A generous helping of sublime chocolate truffles laid out every day were a favourite for sure.

The trip was all about relaxation, and we indulged in a range of activities from sipping cocktails high above the city, relaxing with a traditional thai massage, savouring delicious seafood meals in local restaurants and navigating the challenging river shuttles. But unfortunately no tuk-tuks (they seemed to have disappeared since our last visit ten years ago).

Tourist highlights included the glittering confines of the vast Royal Palace, the crazy shopping mayhem of Chatuchak markets and the tranquility of Jim Thompson's house nested by the canals.

A productive city break indeed.

Despite 10 years away from home and an equally itinerant set of friends and family, we have been fortunate enough to stay close to our Australian friends (and their overseas partners) across four continents separating us. The last time we lived near a large group of our friends was in London when we were all either single or childless couples. A social event usually involved copious amounts of alcohol and might have ended up with the local "noise police" paying a visit to our underground pad, or might even involve a naked run around Sloane Square in the cool Autumn air.

Our recent trip to Australia certainly brought home how quickly your lifestyle can change. Kenny and Vanessa put on an amazing spread at their place in Kirribilli as a get together for the extended group. Some were sipping tea, others indulged in a rebellious sparkling water with the occasional person outrageously imbibing a small glass of Pinot. But focus for the day were the kids, six in all with one on the way and two more announced since. The backyard was a frenzy of squealing, throwing, tunnelling (and crying) activity that kept the adult population alert and focused.

The next day saw us picnicing on the grassy slopes overlooking the harbour with family and Sienna our cheeky and smiley new niece who was duly passed around amongst the relative. She not only didn't object at all but seemed to bask in the extra attention.

We also had a few days at "The Farm" which after extensive rain was certainly lookings its best although the combinations of dogs, goats, donkeys, cows and horses made it feel a little crazy, especially when there doesn't seem to be a clear demarcation between "the farm" and "the house". Over the years Bellingen has become very gentrified and it is a wonderful place to take a break.

Last stop on our itinerary was a very short drop in to Perth on the way back home to visit friends and family enjoying the mild spring weather.

Going on safari has certainly been one of those amazing life experiences that we will remember for a long time. Observing the animals in a natural setting is extraordinary, but seeing them in their environment adds that extra dimension. Once outside the confines of the lodge or off the vehicles, our lives were at risk from any number of species - lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, mambas, puff adders, cobras and scorpions to name a few. Without the professional guidance of our rangers, even the vehicles would not protect us from many of them if tell-tale warning signs were ignored or misunderstood. It is sobering and somewhat awe-inspiring to suddenly become one of the "lesser" species in a raw Darwinian environment.

In a similar vein to our Alaska trip last year, once inside the reserve there was little to link you to the modern world. There were no televisions, no radios and no cellphones - only the noises of the bush, the brilliant starry skies and a very thin wire surrounding the lodge separating us from "the wild". There is a solitude and tranquility that develops almost immediately....so much so that after five days away we were a bit overwhelmed when we returned to the regular hustle and bustle of our hotel in Johannesburg.

Madikwe is a 75,000 hectare game reserve in the north-west of South Africa bordering Botswana. This park is particularly noteworthy in that it was designed specifically to provide opportunities in an underdeveloped area of the country while promoting animal conservation. It is a joint venture between the government, private industry and most importantly the local communities. To establish the park, degraded farming areas were cleared, a perimeter fence was erected and the largest game relocation in history was undertaken to transfer around 10,000 animals into the park. It is joint managed, and by all accounts appears to be a resounding success for both the local communities and of course the animals!

We were fortunate enough to see the "Big Five" (elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo) as well as the very rare African Wild Dog which is one of the features of Madikwe. However, every day was like a lottery - and whilst seeing the big five was exhilarating, the gentle grazing of a giraffe, the frenzied jumping of bushbabies and the labouring of a dung beetle could be just as rewarding.

Angry Africa

On our second day, our two rangers decided to stop the vehicles and track down on foot two male lions reportedly in the vicinity. Notably, our lodge did not have gun licenses and Gavin and Quentin disappeared into the bush armed only with their considerable experience. After about two minutes the chatter in the vehicles was interrupted by some almighty roars and a few loud yells - followed by complete silence.

We all froze then desparately started to formulate what to do next. Fortunately common sense prevailed and we decided to wait a little longer before doing anything rash. It turned out that our guides had been charged by the two males....but had held their ground which had ensured their safety. On their return we watched the two lions for a considerable time as they woke from their daily slumber and wandered to the waterhole to drink.

The next morning we were returning to the lodge after a brief spell of rain when we chanced upon a large herd of elephant, including some incredibly tiny and very cute calves. There was a vehicle ahead of us and both trucks inched forward to try and slip past the herd, as the dirt roads and tracks were being closed by the park due to the inclement weather. Out of the blue (at least to the guests), an angry female broke from the bush lining the road with ears flapping, trunk trumpeting and legs rapidly pounding the ground. With at least two tonnes of flesh bearing down on us, both vehicles revved their engines and suddenly we were rapidly beating a retreat in reverse as the mother continued to chase and rest of the herd formed ranks. It was our first encounter with angry elephants and we were to experience a number of close encounters that left all of us in awe (and Vanessa slightly shaken).

Bush Transport

Our transit to Madikwe was also a "first" for us. Not only did we have a private plane to take just the two of us there, but it was also a private 6-seater plane. It was extraordinarily personal flying in something not much larger than an SUV . It's difficult to describe the thrill of flying low over miles of bush that you know is teeming with big game. Landing was pure adrenalin as we banked sharply before skidding left and right along a short dirt strip cut out of the bush. The "arrival lounge" was a large tree under which a safari vehicle was parked.

Although our return journey was on a "big" plane (i.e. a 12-seater), it was no less uneventful. Prior to arrival of the plane, a lone giraffe casually strolled across the runway - arguably a potential impediment to safe take off or landing. As the propeller engine roared and we surged forward, the pilot inexplicably slammed on the brakes and the plane came to an abrupt standstill.....and a family of warthog trotted unperturbed across the landing strip in front of us. It was good to finally get in the air, but to cap off the excitement the back door of the plane swung wide open and one of our pilots casually manouvered to the back and dragged it closed, much to the relief of the passengers. The airline was fantastic and extremely professional, and our teenage pilots (....only a slight exaggeration, they had finished school....) shuttled us on our 3-stop hop to JB both smoothly and safely.

Nkwe Tracking

The elusive leopard ("nkwe" in local Tswana language) was a major attraction and on one occasion, after much searching, we spotted a large male stealing off and blending into the bush. Gavin and Johann rapidly piled us all into one vehicle and we bounced off road trailing the graceful cat until it decided to lose us, somewhat oblivious to our attentions. It was thrilling being on the "hunt" (modern-day photography style) and when we lost the trail, we returned to a nearby tree to find two dead wildebeest calves carefully placed in a high branch for a future meal. Along with our lion and elephant encounters, the sight of the poor calves was a sharp reminder than we weren’t in a zoo.

The Safari Experience

Our lodge Tuningi was a very small and personal outfit with space for only 16 guests. Gavin, Quentin, Heidi, Benny and the team made us feel like part of an extended family, and we enjoyed the company of the other guests. Deep baths overlooking the bush, outside showers, delicious meals and friendly staff made each day a luxurious pleasure. However, comforts aside, the safari routine itself was unexpectedly tiring.

The morning starts at 5:15am so that you can depart at dawn for your first game drive of the day. Coffee is usually served somewhere spectacular in the park following by a huge breakfast sometime later in the morning back at the lodge. Between breakfast and high tea you basically sleep, read, swim or just laze around taking in the sights and sounds of the bush. The waterhole at the lodge is regularly frequented by wildlife so the safari continues even while resting. Late afternoon you depart for your second game drive which ends at nightfall, but is broken up by extremely civilised sundowner drinks somewhere within the park. Often dinner is served in the "Boma", an enclosed and elevated area close to the waterhole under a huge fig tree after which the lodge is named. A roaring wood fire, paraffin lanterns and local folk songs sung by the staff make it a pretty magical experience, especially when a large herd of elephants wanders by to drink and play.

A wonderful experience and something we intend to repeat in the future.

Our trip to South Africa, was triggered by the wedding of our Singapore friends Richard and James, and our long flight deposited us into the sunny morning warmth of Cape Town. The city itself was beautiful, perched at the southern end of the continent and overshadowed by the monolithic bulk of Table Mountain. Being from Sydney, we were very much at home with the sparkling (although freezing) beaches, fresh food, Art Deco architecture and breezy climate. Camp's Bay was a firm favourite with its trendy bars and restaurants overlooking the Atlantic sunsets.

On a recommendation we set off for a drive around the spectacular coastline of the Cape. Our round trip took in the lovely antique stores of Kalk's Bay, a very cute penguin colony in Simonstown and was highlighted by some scenic hiking at the Cape of Good Hope. The latter was stunning - huge cliffs tumbling down to beautiful rocky beaches and covered with the Cape's unique flowering plants (called "fynbos"). We stopped en route to watch a baboon family holding up the traffic.

The wedding itself was at a stately old hotel in Cape Town, followed by a reception in Stellenbosch, the wine country just outside of Cape Town. Our second bed and breakfast was located amongst the vineyards overlooking the valley and it allowed us to sample some local wines at old historical wineries before the wedding. The ceremony itself was very touching and the reception enhanced by the vocal talents of James' Irish family contingent. Congratulations guys on a fantastic day!

Following the wedding we headed inland to explore the Klein Karoo - a semi arid region inland from the coast. The area was surprisingly beautiful and the vastness of the valleys and plains was extraordinary. We stayed at a small place called Oudtshoorn in an old-style farmhouse surrounded by lush gardens, an oasis in the dry countryside. This town's claim to fame is its long time association with ostrich farming. At the peak of the industry (just prior to WWI), wealthy "feather barons" were being created in numbers due to the huge fashionable demand for the feathers of these native birds. The industry is still thriving, although interesting enough the leather and meat are now the big earners.

We had originally planned to drive along the country's coastal "Garden Route", and decided to take two famous mountain passes to get there. Both the Swartzberg and Prince Alfred passes were pretty spectacular - both unsealed dirt roads snaking around ravines and up over tall mountain ranges. Fortunately there was little traffic as the drive was challenging and breathtaking enough as it was!

We finally made it to the Indian ocean to one of the Garden Route's main centres, Knysna. As with most places on the Garden Route, Knysna is famous for its outdoor pursuits and we canoed through the forests, hiked up and down cliff faces on the ocean and visited some pretty stunning National Parks. Although out of season we saw a pod of whales playfully breaching and visited an elephant park where we fed and played with these gentle giants (Note: our perceptions of elephants changed significantly after safari).

Final stop was Johanesburg where we toured Soweto and the Hector Pieterson museum to get an insight into black South Africa and our first direct exposure to the effects of the former apartheid regime. It seemed fitting to get a copy of Nelson Mandela's "Long Walk to Freedom" here and it is a beautiful book. We spent our last night in the fun company of our friend Adrian's parents, Dave and Hillary, before we headed out for our final adventure......safari!!!

A really great place with real and tangible sense of a "new future".

Since reading about a small Vietnamese town called Hoi An, Vanessa has repeatedly elevated this UNESCO World Heritage site to the top of our Asia Priority Travel List. What is Hoi An's attraction?

Of course its historical legacy as a trading crossroad between Vietnam, China and Japan is one factor. And its situation on a quiet river and proximity to beautiful deserted beaches is another. But the key attraction that seems to draw hordes of visitors to this small town is specifically retail in nature. Or more precisely - tailoring. Despite a population of only 80000 residents, there are reputedly more than 300 tailor stores in the town. We took all our favourite clothes and simply had high quality reproductions made of them. We chose one of the more "established" places (“Thu Thuy”), and although we probably paid extra for it, we were assured of quality and unbelievably good service. Not to mention the extremely good prices.

Talking to the locals involved in the process, you certainly get an appreciation of how hard they work for the money that you are paying. But having spent considerable time with the ladies in the store, and having met the guy who actually made Matt's suits, you do feel as though this option is much better than pumping your money into a large Western company. Although your designer suit might actually still get made in Vietnam, at least this way your money is supporting a local business and all of the sundry services that make up your visit to the town. When an “expensive” quote is less than a third of what you pay in London, New York or Singapore, you can choose how hard to bargain and how much money you want to leave in the local community.

Although the primary purpose of the trip was to stock up on clothes, it was also a good introduction to Vietnam. We still found time to explore some cultural sites such as the Buddhist and Hindu temples built into the Marble Mountains as well as the very traditional local produce market in Hoi An town. Just being in Vietnam is a cultural experience - our hotel was nestled on the Do River, and local fisherman constantly trawled or netted the waters both day and night, often in husband-and-wife teams. The local fish market was truly an eye opener....despite being at least a foot taller than pretty much everyone else (and sometimes considerably more than that!!), the locals were oblivious to Matt as he wandered around snapping away at the chaotic scene.

Despite the hectic shopping and cultural schedule, we actually spent a considerable amount of time relaxing, especially at two of the nearby beaches. China Beach in particular was a stunning pristine stretch of sand, where we were often the only swimmers in sight. When you were floating in the tranquility of the South China Sea, it was hard to imagine this as the site of the first landing of American combat troops during the Vietnam War, the first French bombardment in their plans for colonisation of Indochina, or the point of departure for many thousands of Vietnamese “boat people” fleeing the communist regime.

In summary - if you want to combine shopping with some R&R and even a cultural item or two, we can definitely recommend this town as an option.

The year has flown along, and we are absolutely loving the tropical lifestyle. There is never much need to check the weather forecast because it is pretty much 30-32C with a 60% chance of a short thundershower....every single day of the year. The sun rises at roughly 7am and sets at roughly 7pm, regardless of the "season". Dining is pretty much always al-fresco, and the only deterrent to swimming in the pool is lightning. Vanessa has simply given up trying to avoid tanning.....

Singapore is a regional hub, so our travel profile is somewhat similar to what we enjoyed in London. Within Asia have visited Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia already, with a European vacation thrown in too. We spent a month in Japan, and Matt has also had some trips to Hong Kong, Shanghai and New York for good measure. Our main reason for moving here was proximity to Australia, and we have both had a number of opportunities to visit and catch up with friends and family within the last year.

At this point we look like we will be here for a while, so expect to see and hear more of Asia from us. Looking forward to catching up and hearing your news.

Kirsty, Tim and Lourdes....we don't have any photos of you in Singapore, but if you want to send us some through we can update the guestbook!

Cheers - Ciao - Bonjour!

We used Simon and Chesleys' wedding in the UK as a good excuse to indulge in a somewhat Contiki-like stopover in three of our favourite European spots. First of all we caught up with friends and family in sunny London....it was really good to see everyone again, and fun to visit the old haunts and some new additions to the city. It certainly brought back a rush of memories, especially for Vanessa who had not been back for nearly three years!

No trip to Europe can be complete without a stopover in Paris. Having been there on many occasions before, we shunned all tourist attractions and focused on what Paris is truly good for....the fine french food, the superb wine and simply reacquainting with our favourite areas such as Le Marais. Although it was opening weekend, we showed great restraint and decided that watching "The Da Vinci Code" in Paris had its attractions, but probably would not have made good use of the 7000-mile journey from Singapore.

To top off our European vacation we spent some time relaxing in the Italian countryside in Umbria, with a day in the University town of Bologna. Umbria was lovely - we stayed in a beautifully converted 12th Century monastery called La Preghiera, replete with its own chapel, olive trees and cypress pines (we highly recommend it!). Hiking, relaxing by the pool and visiting some of Umbria's famous hilltop villages was top priority. Over a year of learning Italian still didn't help Matt who froze in fear at anything more complex than "uno cappucino, grazie".

Bologna is famous for many reasons (not least the ubiquitous spaghetti bolognese!), but one of the more interesting was its title as having the western world's oldest university. It was a real juxtaposition to see the "grunginess" of modern university life in the 11th century surrounds. We were fortunate enough to be given an enthusiastic private tour of the University's museum collection by one of the local teachers. It was pretty amazing to see some of the original equipment used in historical experiments that you actually studied in high school. Even more bizarre was looking at real world maps that have absolutely no reference to an (undiscovered) Australia at all!

Most disturbing was the obstetrics display from the 18th century....our female friends might be pleased to know that midwifery progressed from a hook (yes, we have seen the proof) to forceps not that long ago. On the other hand, although fascinating, we are not convinced that we needed to know how many ways a baby can actually attempt an exit from the womb.....

We were recently fortunate enough to be able to attend the wedding of our good New York friends, Simon and Chez, who got married at the grand Bovey Castle in Devon, England. With just a handful of guests, the celebrations were very intimate and allowed friends and family to mingle and catchup over champagne and fine food.

In advance of the ceremony, the boys were treated to some archery and pistol shooting in the grounds while the girls did the spa experience. Matt was passable with the bow, but won't be applying to NYPD in a hurry. Not only was it wonderful to share their special day, we also got to see many of the New York crowd in the same trip!

Congratulations Simon and Chez on a wonderful weekend and a beautiful day.

Konnichiwa,

Our first trip to Tokyo was a true Lost In Translation moment (if you haven't seen the film, we highly recommend it!). Although we knew what to expect this time around, the experience was no less surreal, although perhaps a little less jetlagged than the last. Ultra-modern buildings, appliances and machines that talk to you, lots of smiling and bowing, strange food, strange clothes, strange noises and strange customs make it a sensory experience for sure.

A classic example was the toilet at the local health club which had a control unit covering toilet seat temperature, music level (to disguise unsavoury noises), flush strength, lid position and an emergency call button for those difficult moments. The toilet also had jet showers for front and back with fine tuning for direction, temperature and pressure as well as blow dry heat and strength. Perhaps not for everyone. On the other hand, automatic sensors to put the toilet seat down after use are a marriage-saving bonus.

Sakura festival is one of the highlights of the Japanese calendar, and our trip happen to cooincide with the event. This springtime celebration sees Cherry Blossoms bursting into flower all over the country, and the locals take it very seriously. For once, Matt did not look like a tourist with the locals well and truly outdoing him in the cherry blossom photography stakes.

Our extended stay this time allowed us to make a trip down to Kyoto, The weekend started with a smooth 300km/h journey in the sleek Shinkansen bullet train, passing the snow-capped Mount Fuji in the background. Whereas Tokyo is the heart of Japan, Kyoto is arguably the soul of the country, embodying it's traditional way of life. The city is crammed with peaceful temples and tiny wooden back alleys filled with intimate gardens, small bars, restaurants and traditional craft stores. The Gion district is the haunt of the traditional geisha, and we saw a number tiptoeing through the narrow streets.

We had met a Japanese friend "Miyuke" on our Costa Rica adventure the previous year, and after discovering that she lived in Kyoto we had a great traditional meal with her, consuming copies amounts of saki while seated on soft cushions on the floor. In keeping with the traditional theme of the weekend we stayed in a Japanese inn (a ryokan) which involved eating and sleeping on the floor behind paper screens.

A memorable month, and a new perspective on Japan for both of us.