Amed, Bali

We're in Amed on the East Coast of Bali. The car trip from Kuta took 3 hours and amazingly the three never took out their electronics once. We saw Mt Agung - the highest mountain in Bali, daily going-ons of Balinese life (kids fascinated with teenagers riding their mopeds), rice terraces and much more. 

Amed is very quiet and we are in the middle of a Balinese village with not much else around. "Life In Amed" is so far perfect for us. A swimming pool, excellent food and a villa on the beach. 

"The Tooth"

Last saturday night, the event which we have been waiting for at least a couple of months eventually happened - Ayden's "Nanny McPhee" tooth fell out. Ayden has had a tooth growing before the baby tooth fell out and as the adult tooth got larger the baby tooth was pushed further and further out. He was very happy to have the offending tooth fall out and get another visit from the tooth fairy who was most happy to eventually claim the whopper!

The main purpose for Bangkok - Patana Feeding Frenzy

After two free days in Bangkok we spent the next two at the Patana School 50m pool for the Feeding Frenzy competition. This was Iman's second time at the competion and first for Jack and Ayden. With over 500 swimmers from the ages of 7 to 18 representing International school from Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore; it was a very tough competition. 

The first day being the long course events, Ayden and Iman competed in 100m free, 100m breast and 200 free. And Jack in 100 free, 100 breast and 100 fly. And the second day was 50m with all fours strokes for all three.

Being in the same category of boys 8 years and under, Ayden and Jack swam together in 4 heats together. Here's Ayden showing Jack his ribbon for heat winner in 100m breast.

Panorama of pool thanks to Hubert Menard

On the starting blocks and both in the middle lanes, Jack and Ayden fight it out in their 50m breast heat.

The small JSC team with Coach Eva

The medal and ribbon total for the JSC team. What's lovely about this competition is not only do 1st, 2nd & 3rd  places get medals but 4th - 8th get ribbons as well. Ayden finished with 3 ribbons for heats and 

4th for 200m freestyle

6th for 100m breaststroke

5th for 50m butterfly

8th for 50m free

Aside from the 200m free all other events had up to 30 boys in each race and Ayden was the only 7 year old to feature in the top 10 of the group and finished 10th overall.

Jack did equally well with the following and finishing 12th overall

5th for 100m butterfly

7th for 100m breaststroke

8th for 100m freestyle

Bangkok Day 2 Dec 2013

Another day to chill out in Bangkok before the start of the competition. 

The day started with breakfast with the Menards.

Then we had a morning downtown with Coach Eva

In Siam Paragon we came across a lovely display for the King of Thailand to honour his birthday on 5th December (same day as my Dad!) There were little tags to wish the King a Happy Birthday and the kids wrote wishes and hung them up. Imam confessed later that she thought it was a Christmas thing! 

Predictably lunch was at Cafe Chilli

And the afternoon was all about Christmas displays. After two photographs Jack and Ayden called quits and went back to the hotel with Coach Eva leaving Iman and myself to the ones at Central World. 

Bangkok Dec 2013

The kids and I are in Bangkok this weekend attending a swim competition that Iman competed in this time last year. Free day today so it was jalan-jalan time. Iman and I wanted to shop but we only managed a couple of hours before the two boys lost the plot.

For lunch we met Jube and Namo. Jube went to school with my sister Hanna and we've known each other for nearly 25 years. Of course we both didn't feel old at all! It was great to meet Namo at last and predictably the boys got on immediately!

Just so Ayden would stop badgering me about a tuk-tuk ride, I bit the bullet to pay the tourist price for one. It was actually a fun ride and well worth it! Iman though was not so impressed and said afterwards "never again!". Just as well really as next year I don't think the four of us will fit in one!

Terminal 21 is always a hit with the kids. Iman and I just wish we could have stayed longer!

Happy 18th Birthday Fabulous!!

My not so little lovely niece turned 18 today. It doesn't feel so long ago when she knew every single "Little Miss" character and modeled herself after "Little Miss Neat" or as she said it "Mit Nit".

Thank you Fatin for being the best niece ever, for the constant humour you provide for the whole family and simply for being "Kaka Tin" to Iman, Jack and Ayden. This is a big year for you, aim high and you will reach the stars! We love you!

     

"Kaka Tin" by Ayden

Grassroots Football Festival

Jack and Ayden (keen as ever) were up at 6am this morning to take part in a grassroots training event organised by the Brunei Football Association and The AFC. Several hundred boys invited from schools across the country took part in drills and played short games under the intense morning sun and the watchful supervision of HRH Prince Sufri Bolkiah.