Sunday, Monday, Post day...

We are lucky to have a UK address here, which makes on line shopping much easier - not many companies deliver to Brunei. And not just easier for us but friends too. Sending parcels is cheaper, if not quicker. But it does mean that we only get post once a week. Hence Tuesday is often the best day of the week!

Our January Sunday

Another mum blogger was calling for Sunday posts, and I decided to share ours. We actually do have a pretty much "standard Sunday" - lounging around the pool or taking the boat out for a picnic but this was neither.

Tennis mums

I am fully embracing the expat wives' life with children at school and signed up for tennis lessons. The course is actually organised by the school; they have got great facilities - especially if you get to play before 10 am - and the timing is perfect just after drop off.
Learning tennis is something that's always played on my mind but I haven't really ever picked up a racket except as a kid playing on the road, pretending. But who ever said old dog can't learn new tricks was onto something.... We've only had two lessons with two different strikes; last week was "easy", this week I was already all confused between the two. Front hand - back hand - where's the leg, how many hands to hold the racket.... Oh, that was the ball.... Better luck next time!

The group is quite a mixed ability one with only few beginners and occasionally it feels quite frustrating that all my balls are flying high. At least they are going over the net - yes, thanks for the encouragement! I'm not sure if 12 learners is the best group size as the lessons seem to go by demonstrate-practice line rather than getting 1-1 tuition and whilst I am aware what I am meant to do, it's not quite that simple in my brain. From low to high isn't as easy as it looks! I thought I was quite good at body and muscle control but this is clearly not my forte. But I am laughing and sweaty after an hour so I guess that's mission accomplished. I will never challenge the Williams sisters, though, and probably not many of my course mates either!

Busy biking

Unlike anywhere else I've lived, if it's a cloudy day we pull our boots on and head outdoors. If it's windy, even better as that keeps the nasty sandflies abay.

Education, education, education

I did not miss the 6 am alarm during the holidays... First term - and the Christmas break - is now well behind us, and it's a good time to look back on how starting school has gone for us.

Weather warning!

No snow for Christmas for us this year and I feel quite jealous looking at photos from Finland and - surprisingly - from the UK. We are just living in the midst of the rainy season, which means rain every day for about a month. We are lucky not to have typhoons sweeping through Brunei, and there were no tsunami victims on the island 10 years ago. But it does rain, and I mean rain.

What would you like for dinner?

- Sofia, what would you like to eat?

- Hmmm... I'd like some crab and noodles! 

Or sushi! I love soft shell crab. 

Or how about sweet and sour prawn with broccoli and carrots? 

- How about it, indeed?! 

Our 2014

It's been an eventful year. It's been a long one that paradoxically has gone quickly. It was our first full year in Brunei, and this new year marks the half way point. We are no longer the newbies but still a long way off from the lifers. The year has been marked with various visits to Ripas, and to the mechanics.... but also with several trips around the area on planes, boats and automobiles.

Bah humbug

Just before Christmas I mentioned that the representatives of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRa) had gone around restaurants telling them to strip off their Christmas decorations. The MoRa has been able to clarify their position further: