Hullo

Long time, no blog. Currently in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia staying with kin, so not much to tell in that regard. Air Asia is excellent, apart from the times of flight meaning that everything takes a day longer than expected. Annoying, but far from desperate.

Beach art

Nice work, Fifi

My french is not that great...

Is that a direct translation?

My leg

Looks much better, believe it or not.

Spring hail

Aww

Nearly gorgeous

Spring is ace, but i can't wait for the canoe house to be finished

Really?

Wish they could do it on the pitch....

Just because road and traffic say no...

Don't let that stop you

Nuts, frankly

From Kk...

iPad

That's how to sell.

Update

Well the rest of the Borneo trip went smoothly and well. Met loads of soon-to-be relatives, took a trip to the wild side of Borneo (the East) and did a bit of shopping.I *think* it was pretty successful all told: all still on with the lovely Fifi and not too many diseases. Leech-bite doesn't really count.

Then sorting out more organisational things. Honestly, I never thought that sourcing Cadbury's Mini Eggs would be anything other than a formality. A couple of years ago I bought masses of them. Gave most away (truly!) but it was a great thing to have available. Not an optionj this year :-(.

All else under control for the 17th April. Gosh, it's exciting.

Christmas Eve

That was a scorching day. Hot and sunny and, of course, with the best company available. I also had lunch in an interesting establishment: Kenny Rogers' Chicken. Seriously. I presume he owns it, as a cartoonised picture of him adorns each page of the menu. There's something not right about that.
Anyway, it was a "normal" day. Shopping and chatting and drinking fruity juices. These are good days indeed.

Rafflesia

When I was a young boy, I was given the Guiness Book of Records. This was a Good Book. It provided many hours of amusement. It also left me with a few abiding memories, and no, I do not know why this should be the case. One of those was that the biggest flower in the world is the Rafflesia Arnoldii. These grow in Borneo. I have now seen one. This is a boyhood dream come true. Really. The fact that it was only a foot across, unlike the monstrous 2 metre record older, didn't bother me at all. Although it does seem to disappoint others. What it is, is what matters. The fact that these blooms are extremely rare and take 9 months to fully form, means that this one must be one of the biggest blooms on the planet right now! Maybe everyone else just isn't as romantic as I am.

Brunei

Have some Brunei pictures. Go on. Have some!

Kota Kinabalu

I am on my journeys again, although this time it will be relatively brief and certainly less travelsome. Meeting the in-laws in Kota Kinabalu. That's Sabah. East Malaysia? Borneo? Look it up.

Anyway, to get here was something of an adventure. In the interests of cost saving, certain corners were cut. Let us just say that these corners will not likely be cut in future. But, nonetheless, we are here all well. Royal Brunei is not an airline about which you will find me waxing lyrical as to the sublime cooking. Their French Toast in particular would have shamed a child. Who hated cooking. And as for the person in front who insisted on pushing back his seat as far and as fast as possible, even though the movement was hampered by the table or even my poor knee... well, the less said the better.

So what do you know about Brunei? Anything? That would be more than me. I knew the richest man in the world was the sultan, until Bill Gates took over. And beyond that... Hmmm. Anyway. I have now seen representatives of their snake, lizard, crocodile and even proboscis monkey (Ally McLeod) communities. Fabulous. But no need to stay, to be honest. They have a water village and a lot of stuff dedicated to the sultan. Including the museum, which largely houses his collection of coronation gifts. Jenny Shipley can retain a sense of "job done" about the regulation green bowl, but Canada should hang its head in shame at the rather pathetic walrus statuette, waving a flipper to the, presumably rather bored, recipient. Actually rather fascinating.

And I am happy and good and it is fine to be here. More anon.

Serendipity (not in the same league as the last one)

From today's stuff.co.nz... I wonder if the two stories are related?



I loathe this story. Prob just a stunt, but what trash.

Busy (who'd have thought?)

So, in the last few weeks I've finished my TEFL (or as much of it as I'll ever get time to do), bought a house and started organising a big event for next year.

6 Sasanqua Way, Chartwell will very soon be mine. It's a 3 bedroom place with an interesting garden and no structural problems. I think. Linkie here.

Nelson

Awful Football

Forest lost and so did my 5-a-side team. At least the harbour was beautiful.