Last holiday entry - Tuesday 9th October (Happy 40th Ann-Louise and Happy Birthday Jo-Jo)

We left Singapore at around 9.30pm last night and have landed safely in Brisbane.  Damian greeted us and cooked us a lovely breakfast and now it's time to start the unpacking and washing, and I'm definitely having a nap this afternoon to make up for lost sleep last night.

What a wonderful, wonderful trip we've had. We're so very grateful for the amazing opportunities we've had on the trip of a lifetime, and for the safe, happy and incident free trip we've had.  Thanks again to Peggy - we are so lucky!

A big thank you to everyone who tuned into the blog, and for the comments, texts and emails of encouragement - it made it lots of fun to write.  I hope you've enjoyed watching our holiday progress. We're all looking forward to seeing family and friends - we can show you many, many more photos (just a warning)! 

Bye for now, until our next holiday adventure...

Last photo - a very happy Beanie comes flying out of the gate to greet us!

Hmmm...someone's been playing with the iPad! Looks like the kids are happy to be finishing their holiday adventures and going home!!

Enjoying a swim and time around the pool for Mums

Gibbo being a domestic goddess

Beautiful lanterns in Chinatown

Enjoying a drink and the views at MBFC Tower - Level 33

Dinner at the markets with lime juice.

Ssssssssnake! Most of the children were happy to hold the snake. I stayed safely behind the camera!

Singapore Zoo water park - the perfect thing on a hot day.

Monday 8th October - last day in Singapore

Just as in Brisbane, school holidays were over for Charlotte and Natasha, so they went back to school today, while the sleepy head Powers took their time getting up. After breakfast we went into Orchard Rd with Gibbo to do a bit of shopping - Em and Alice very happy to find Top Shop!  We had lunch at another market area, a bit different as it was attached to a shopping centre. Food was still great and we all found something delicious to eat.  Geraldine left us to go and get her girls from school and to get them to swimming lessons so we did a bit more shopping before finding our way to China Town to have a look around. It was full of beautiful lanterns and street stalls - fun to wander through but it got very hot.  The weather is quite amazing here - really humid and hot, but not unbearable.  We only had one downpour of rain (at the zoo), that was over quite quickly - Gibbo said the bigger problem has been lightning, and we experienced the whistle-blowing at the zoo which meant lightning was coming and the kids had to get out of the water area and under cover. 

Em was pleased with her Chinatown purchase - she'd seen a decorative embroidered bag in Italy for 65 euros and got it in Singapore for $45 Singapore - bargain! 

We left Chinatown with much difficulty in a taxi - change of shift was happening - which meant for half an hour we had taxis pull up, ask us where we wanted to go, then tell us they couldn't take us. Geraldine said she's never worked out when change of shift is because it seems to go for hours (whenever they don't want to take you somewhere!). 

The kids had another refreshing and much welcome swim at Gibbo's before dinner and farewells - off to the airport again!  Thank you Gibbo and girls for a lovely stay - the perfect way to end our trip. 

The kids try to leave London via Platform 9 3/4 but had to catch a plane instead....

The long, long escalators in The Tube, London - Mind the gap!

Do you see anyone you know?

The Powers enjoy a drink at the Sutton Arms

Fiona and Danny at their pub, "The Sutton Arms", Barbican

Joseph was very happy to find this statue of Winston Churchill

Meeting a London Bobby outside Houses of Parliament, Westminster

The London Eye - see the wedding party in the next "bubble" and the great views over Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

Singapore

We made it to Singapore. Finbarr had about 9 hours sleep lucky boy, and the rest of us did ok. We made our way in a maxi taxi after finally convincing the taxi organiser at the airport that 5 of us and 5 suitcases don't fit in a 4 seater taxi. We arrived at Geraldine Gibb's (Gibbo) home to be greeted by Gibbo, Charlotte and Natasha. David had wisely hopped on a plane to England to escape the onslaught - for work!   The kids took about 30 seconds to find their togs and hop into the pool to join Gibbo's girls, while Gibbo and I supervised them closely from the side of the pool with some aged Riesling.  Lovely hot, steamy weather here!  Gibbo had made a great lasagne for everyone, and after dinner and a movie for the kids, and a lovely catchup for Gibbo and I, we hit bed and slept soundly until about 2am when we awoke ready for the day (got to love that jet lag)  After Finbarr had come in about 10 times to complain about Joseph, the heat, the cold, how he couldn't find teddy, how he missed me etc, I gave up and put him in our bed and he chatted and wriggled until about 5am when we fell asleep.  We were woken at about 9am by Gibbo, who had organised a great day out at Singapore Zoo, where we also met up with Matty and Penny Galligan with their children, Tom, Charlie and Emma.  It's a fabulous zoo - apart from the animals, the natural garden setting and waterpark for the kids was such a hit - it was a really fun day, and we had great Malaysian and Singaporean food for lunch.  
We got home and went to the local market area for dinner - really lovely, freshly cooked noodle dishes and Finbarr had a tasty sweet and sour chicken dish which we all loved - nothing like the glutinous globs we get at home! We took the kids home to bed and Gibbo's maid watched the children while Emily, Gibbo and I went to Floor 33 of the Marina Bay Financial tower for a drink or 2 with Matty and Penny.  The view was amazing, and a laser light show from the casino, complete with fire, made for spectacular viewing. After surviving the day with no naps, we made it home to bed.  A better night's sleep for some (Finbarr won the prize with 14.5 hours of sleep) and I was only awake for an hour or 2! 

Friday 5th October

Oh no! Last day in London - so sad! We've had so much fun and it's gone all too quickly, but we're all so glad we had the chance to come here.  We got the remainder of our things together and waved goodbye to Peggy and Tink who are off to Cornwall after spending the night on the barge of a friend of theirs.  The barge has been done up as a houseboat an they're taking it up rivers and locks within England.  Sounds like a great adventure which Peggy and Tink will have an insight into before heading south.  It was strange farewelling them after bing together over the last month - we're so very grateful to Peggy for providing  the impetus for all of us to head overseas and for getting us all there! Thank you Peggy and Grandma! 
We checked out of the apartment and left our bags at the reception down the road in Curzon St then headed off for our last day.  Back up Oxford St, Regent St, and Piccadilly Circus, stopping into shops, and enjoying a really sunny day, before going to Leicester Square. Sue, amazingly "Choquitos" Mexican is still there (!!) and as the kids felt like a big feed, we stayed and had lunch. While I was sorely tempted, I resisted the urge to have the fishbowl sized strawberry margaritas that we used to have and that are still on the menu (Sue, Ant, Kaye, Surrey Quays' girls, I think you know what I mean!). 

We then headed to Leicester Square tube station and made our way to Waterloo to go on the London Eye.  It had really clouded over by this stage, but the view was still great, and there was no rain. In the next compartment/ bubble, a whole bridal party got on.  By the time the half hour was finished, the couple were married and the champagne was flowing and we had a bird's eye view of London and their wedding.  After hopping off, we walked over the bridge to get a closer look at Parliament House and Big Ben, tried to go into Westminster Abbey, but it was closed for the day, so we hopped on the Circle Line to visit Fiona and Danny once more at the Sutton Arms so they could meet the kids. Emily and I had a half pint of lager each and I have some serious parenting work to do with Emily as she couldn't finish it (how embarrassing). The kids had a lemonade which was special as they wouldn't normally be allowed in the pub. They did their best not to scare off the locals before we said our goodbyes and headed home.  We had to change trains at King's Cross so we couldn't miss the chance to go to the above-ground train and find platform 9 3/4 (think Harry Potter). Worth the trip for our very last site-seeing spot.
We made it back to Green Park to collect our bags, and headed to the airport in the pouring rain and heavy, heavy traffic, to join the ridiculously long queue to get through security. We left Green Park at 6.15pm and only got through customs at 8.50, to have to board the plane after quick calls to Stephen -to say farewell- and to Damian to let him know we were about to leave.  
Farewell England for now - the kids have had a great taste for London and want to go back and there's no way I'm waiting another 19 years to go back!!  Emily said to me during the stay, "Why did you come home from here?"  I think she liked it. 
So we're on the plane headed for Singapore and next time I get wifi, I'll put this up with some photos.  Now to sleep at last with happy dreams of England...

Thursday 4th October

A bit of a slow start today (a night out with Fiona has done that to me in the past too!). We decided to take it a bit easy today after so much going on all week and to do a bit of shopping. We walked up toward Oxford St and stopped at a store called John Smedley (a favourite of Damian's and he requested presents because he had to go home in first class - did I mention that?). I am so glad we decided to go in because since we left Australia I've been telling the kids we'd see someone famous overseas.  As soon as we walked in I saw Bill Nighy (actor, most known recently for being the aged singer in  Love Actually). He was very nice in real life - bought a lot of things and was really lovely with all of the staff. I controlled myself and wasn't a groupie, just stared a bit and made sure Peggy and all the kids realised who he was too!

After there we kept shopping and I took the kids to see Hamleys - the famous 5 level toy store in Regent Street, which was loved by one and all. They all made purchases  - Alice was most excited as she got to buy a toy kitty - sadly she lost her beloved kitty in Singapore so bought kitty take 2 and is a happy girl.  

 

The royal family visit Hamley's Toy Store (Lego style!)

We found a great spot for lunch before we headed to see the matinee session of Billy Elliot. The kids were also happy because they finally got to go in a London black cab.  What a fantastic show - The lead actor who played Billy would have been no more than 12 years old and he had incredible talent.  The dancing was really wonderful and it was hilarious - I had to give the kids a warning that they won't be allowed to use any of the language they heard in the show! So much talent in one city and so many shows on offer - you could never be bored here. 

Tink didn't come to Billy Elliot as she met friends for a day in Oxford, but when she got back to London, we all met up to go to China town for dinner.  Peggy had never tried crispy duck pancakes before, and the rest of us really wanted them, so that was an absolute must-have item, along with other favourites.  Another delicious meal before heading home to finish packing for moving out of London on Friday.  Boo hoo!

The Frigate and Firkin - no sign of Paul the Aussie Legend

Sinclair Rd and No 28

Guess who's been to Harrods?!

Sue - just for you - the Carlton Towers and your gym - doesn't look much different!

Sheraton Belgravia

My old office window - now part of a bar.

The foyer looks quite different now! 

The rest of Wednesday

The rest of today was a gain step back in time for me - a trip down memory lane.  After leaving Buck Pal and (Peggy and Tink too), I walked with the kids through Belgravia firstly to show them where I worked.  The hotel I worked in, the Sheraton Belgravia, is still there, but is unrecognisable. It is now Belgraves hotel - an American chain took it over and have given it an amazing facelift.  It's completely different - very modern, and much better use of space and light, but so strange to see the window of my old office is now part of the main bar (that could have been handy at the time). From Belgravia we walked up Sloane Street and I showed the kids Harrods.  We had a lovely pizza lunch in one of their outlets, and bought disgracefully rich cake treats in the spectacular foodhall.  From there we shopped around Knightsbridge - Em bought a jacket as the cold is too much for her too, then we jumped on the no 9 and went down Kensington High Street to Kensington Olympia, and Sinclair Rd where I used to live. For the other residents of 28 Sinclair Rd, some important points to note...the door is still green, the Frigate and Firkin pub is now called the Beaconsfield and it's under construction, 5 Star Kebabs is gone (shocking I know), Sticky Fingers is still in High St, but no sign of the Hairy Palms (The Palms) either. So strange to be back and so many funny, funny memories.  The best part of today though was meeting up with my favourite Scottish girl ever, Fiona McLeod, and her wonderful husband Danny, both from Sheraton days. Em and I met them near their pub at the Barbican and had a great meal at another pub, before moving to see their pub and home above it and enjoy the beautiful chocolate dessert Fiona had made for us. Speaking of funny memories, Fiona pulled out a pile of old photos and we laughed the night away over too many drinks (tradition!) and pieced together stories and worked out who the people were and the photos and what became of them all. We called Loic and Wendy during the night so we could chat to them too.  It is seriously time we all had a reunion somewhere - I'd be happy to come back here again to do it.  What a great night - thanks Fiona and Danny for a fabulous night - I hope we can do it again much, much sooner! 

The Queen's back door and entrance to her yard (all 33 acres of it in central London).

The royal mews - the coronation coach is real, the horses and men, not so real.

Spot the difference

A visit to Lizzie - waiting for her to open the front gate.

I've been to London to visit the Queen...

Wednesday was no quieter for us - so much to fit into 5 days.  So here's what happened today. First stop was a walk through Green Park on our way to visit the Queen. We had a really wonderful tour of Buckinglamb palace (if you're Finbarr) or Buckingham Palace for everyone else - we visited the Queen's Portrait Gallery (any doctors would have loved to have seen the anatomical sketches by Leonardo Da Vinci - not only a great artist, but an explorer and keen documenter of the workings of the human body - amazingly accurate considering they were done over 400 years ago).  We then moved to the Royal Mews and saw up close the carriages used for coronations, weddings, jubilee celebrations and other occasions as well as the horses themselves in the stables. If you ever see a coach led by Windsor grey horses (not their breed name, but the name given by the queen), you'll know the queen is in the carriage as she prefers those horses to the other chestnut coloured horses.  We moved next to the state rooms - we saw where balls are held, important dinners, official photography rooms, music rooms and most importantly, we saw the Queen's 60th anniversary diamond exhibition.  I have a few new ideas for birthday presents in case Damian is looking for gifts for me. Diamonds aside, I have to say Buckinglamb palace made even Versailles look positively old and shabby, from the beautiful artwork to silk wallpapers, 11 foot chandeliers and gold leaved plaster and timber mouldings - just amazing and extravagant and extraordinarily decorative and beautiful. I'd love to see the private rooms of the royal family to see if they are a little more relaxed - it would be hard to live in such precious surroundings! We weren't allowed to take photos inside the palace, but we were allowed to in the mews, and the gardens, where we walked afterwards.  I had actually been through the front gates, grand entrance and gardens of Buckingham Palace in 1992, when I was lucky enough to be invited to the Queen's royal garden party (one of only 3 held each year, for award winners, community volunteers, business representatives and Australians who put their name down at Australia house and get picked out of a hat). We weren't even allowed to bring a camera in, let alone take photos, so it was nice to be able to get some this time.   

Gorgeous girls off to see Les Miserables - note Emily's vintage Parisian top!

A squirrel runs for cover from enthusiastic tourists, Alice and Finbarr.

Big and little kids enjoy Hyde Park playground

Autumn leaves in Hyde Park

5 happy cousins

Meeting the Mollisons in Hyde Park!

Tuesday 2nd October

Tuesday in London was a lovely and very full day. We started by meeting Stephen, Lillian and Daniel in Hyde Park for brunch. Alice and Finbarr were thrilled to see their first squirrels and have been on a quest ever since to get as close as possible to one (they did very well today in Green Park with a squirrel coming within 1m of them!). It was a bit chilly so we sat inside for brunch, overlooking the Serpentine (lake) and watching the kids feed ducks. It was such a typical day in Hyde Park - autumn leaves starting to show, squirrels scampering and horses being ridden. The kids found a playground and had a lot of fun, while we tried to fit in as much chatting as we could before the Mollisons had to head home to Holt, Norfolk.  So sad to say goodbye as it could be a while before we get to see them again and before our kids get to play with their fun-loving cousin, Daniel. Thanks so much Stephen, Lillian and Daniel for making the effort to skip school and work and come to London to meet us!
After saying goodbyes, we caught my old bus and the kids' first double decker red bus, the No 9, to Piccadilly Circus. Of course we sat at the top! We were on a mission to find one of the open top tourist buses so we could do the sightseeing tour around London (this way the kids could get an overview of all of the top spots, to see what we wouldn't have time to look at properly- this time!).  We found one and saw all the sights, except for Peggy and Tink who did their trick of falling asleep (apparently they've slept their way through this tour a few times now!!). After a couple of hours of trawling through London traffic and seeing all the requisite London highlights, we jumped off and I met up with my friend, Judy Kent, who I worked with at the Sheraton Belgravia.  We had a few coffees and did our best to squeeze in 19 years of stories and catching up. Judy was the PA to the hotel General Manager and was and is great fun.  It was so lovely to see her and she is looking amazing.  We could only meet for a while - July travels for work now, so it was fabulous she was in town at all this week.  
After leaving there and grabbing some food for dinner, we quickly got the ladies of the house glammed up for a night at the theatre in the West End. Peggy, Tink, Emily and I had pre-booked tickets to Les Miserables - my favourite musical.  It was beautiful and I managed to cry all over again.  What a fabulous day!

After a hard day of magic, Stephen and I found some magic in a glass - it's been a long time between pints (19 years!), and I'm delighted to say they still go down well.

We took the kids to a pub in an area close to us called Shepherd's market - lots of little restaurants, shops and pubs. We chose one and the kids had their first pub meal - all good choices; fish and chips, pie and chips, and bangers and mash! Stephen, Lillian and I got Thai instead as the pub had that too.

When the brooms broke down, Emily took some of us in the flying car!

But we decided to fly instead!

We thought about catching the Knight Bus home...

Fun with Harry Potter

The cupboard under the stairs.

The Great Hall where Harry and his friends had meals, and where the sorting was done with the Sorting Hat.

It was such a great look through all of the props, designs, plans and creations that took JK Rowling's books from print to life, or as Emma Watson (Hermione) said, "These creative people turned magic into real life, and our real lives into magic". We all had an amazing time exploring all of the rooms and exhibits - there is so much to see and learn about how the movies were made, and they really made it a magical experience. Lots of fun for all of us.

A Magical Day with Harry Potter

Today we visited Harry Potter studio tour in Watford, just outside of London. What a great day! It was hard to pick which of the children were most excited (and I'm including Emily in this!).  This was a truly magical and fun experience, and for anyone who is even vaguely a fan, this tour is a must if you're ever over this way.  

The children had their first experience on the tube - we had to be at Euston Station by 9.30 to meet Stephen, Lillian and Daniel, and then we caught the London Midlands train to Watford Junction where a Harry Potter bus picked us up. We had a quick coffee while we waited for our booked time and then joined the line. Here are the excited fans waiting with their passports to go in.