Summer 2011

We are in Phuket, Thailand for a month !!  Yes, you read that right - for a month !!  Girls are off school until mid-August and Paul has his break too - as it's too hot for the horses to race in HK - and isn't back til early Sept.  Timing works well for everyone so we have gone on a beach holiday.

We are staying at Kamala Beach a stone's throw from the water.  And there's nothing quite like hearing the surf crash on the beach.  It's not a beach where the girls can go swimming - apart from going up to their knees as there's quite a strong rip.  They don't really venture too far in as they normally have clothes on - they just like filling up the buckets to make sand castles.

It's low season here so it's rather quiet and unlike Koh Samui (where we were last year) there are numerous shops and restuarants closed.  We've got a great place just a stone's throw from our apartment where we go for dinner - right on the beach.  It's just perfect.  It's also the rainy season and touch wood we haven't had any yet and we've been here nearly a week.

Girls have recovered from their op and are enjoying the time spent in the pool!  I"m enjoying lying beside the pool !!!!

These photos were taken from our first couple of days....

Kamala Beach

View from our apartment

Kamala Beach in the evening...

On our way to Smile Restaurant - our apartment is on the right

View from Smile Restaurant

Hannah's Art Journal

Along with her Portfolio Hannah brought home English, Maths, Mandarin, Writing and Art journals home.  It really showcased what she'd done during the year and we could see how she had progressed !!  This two photos are from her art journal.....

Showing different emotions....

For some reason this doesn't want to upload correctly so this is the best I could do.  Sorry you might have to turn your head to the side......

The story reads:

My animal has a lot of hair.

He has a rainbow nose.

This is a kind animal.

He is like a nurse.

He likes to eat fish.

He can fly like a bird.



Hogwarts has come to Times Square....

In anticpation of the new (& final) Harry Potter movie the decorations have gone up at Times Square.  I do have to say that they've outdone themselves......

When they were putting it together......

All complete.....

End of School Year for 2010/11

It doesn't seem right to say that the end of the school year is June 30th - the school year really should be December as it's the last month of the year !!  Guess that comes from growing up in a country at the bottom of the world !!!  But aside from that you do get used to the difference - after all it says summer is here !!!  And it HAS arrived in HK !!!  Talk about being hot, steamy, and rainy !!!!

29th June was Victoria's last day at Woodlands for the year.  She is no longer in the Rabbits class.  It's been a wonderful year for her.  She's made some wonderful friends (some of who are no longer in HK but still get talked about and are very much missed!!!)  The development she's made amazes me and I'm sure it's a combination of having wonderful teachers, wanting to learn but also copying her big sister !

So we say goodbye and thanks to Miss Bettina.....



















Miss Mimi....

and Miss Jessica. 

June 30th was Hannah's last day at QBS.  I can't believe that she has completed her very first year (Year 1) at primary school.  The year really went by rather quick.  She's had a FANTASTIC year and we're just so thrilled with her progress - her writing, her reading, her maths and her mandarin is amazing !!  She's made some wonderful friends and some of them will move with her into her new Year 2 class.  The excitement of that is some of her old Woodland classmates will be with her too !!!!  Hannah also ends Year 1 with her bottom two teeth starting to grow !

End of August, well the 17th for Victoria and the 23rd for Hannah.  But until then we're going to enjoy our summer break!!