Hi everyone,
After having been in Australia for 7 weeks I head back to China today. I am so sad. Tears in bed with my cat after saying goodbye to Dave, tears after saying goodbye to Zoe, and tears on the way in the car after saying goodbye to Mum. Luckily the tears started again when I checked my bags in as I had just said good bye to Mum on the phone again. Luckily because I think my luggage was about 32kg! Oops!
I am feeling really, really tired right now. Up at 4am and a 2 hour drive after only getting like 4 hours cause Leo stretches righhhht ouuuut in bed.
Anyway take care everyone and goodbye Australia for another 10 months. :(
Finn's Age...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Family Shots
My family - Mum and Dave, Kane and I, Brad and Audrey, Michael and Lachie at my Great-Grandfathers 100th birthday Heritage reunion. Frank Heritage died of liver disease when he was 54 (I think).
Kane with his niece Chelsea (Paige and Craig's daughter)
Dawn (Kane's Mum) with Cooper (Paige and Craig's son)
Kane with Dahle (Kane's Dad) and Jenny and Jenny's sons Tim and Tom at Benvenuti's Italian Restaurant.
Kane with Ty (Kane's brother) and Ty's niece Annika (Zoe's sister Mindy and Jeremy's little girl) at Sunday's goodbye brunch at Eastland in Ringwood.
Shots from our trip
Kane and I at the Adelaide vs Collingwood game. Collingwood won.
Kane at All Saint winery where we had lunch on my birthday.
Me on my birthday with my bubbly
The new engagement ring all finished.I can't believe...
Hi everyone, I can't believe that it has already been 6 weeks in Australia - our home.
We have had the biggest busiest holiday here and have travelled the whole time visiting family and friends. I still can't believe that I have less than 7 days left.
Kane flew out of the country this morning. We woke up at around 5.30 and got very lost on our way the airport. He finally pulled up at around 7.30ish for a 9.35 flight. We had a quick kiss and hug goodbye and then I drove back to Traralgon. It's not really worth me hanging around the airport with him when we will be seeing each other again in 7 days.
At around Warragul I thought of Kane as it was around 9.50... I thought ...oh, my the boy will be in the air now... just as I heard an ad on the radio about a couple who were arguing about doing the dishes. In the end the ad was about a 'Tom Tom' (a sat nav for the car) for driving directions so they weren't arguing over directions. Quite ironic as that is what Kane and I did as we got lost around Greensborough and I couldn't give him directions and I was told I should have had 'it' organised... I can only try my dear :) I think I will buy one when we get back!
At around 10.10 I thought he will well and truly be on his way and I got to Mum's at 10.30ish. Once I got there I found out in fact that the plane was delayed!!!!! And in fact he wouldn't have even been in the air while I was thinking about him being gone. So it is 8.35 here in Tyers, it will be 6.35 in Shanghai and Kane should be landing in about 10 minutes. It will then probably take him 2-3 hours to get home to Suzhou. So if he hasn't slept on the plane it will be about 18 hours travelling for the poor baby and he should get there around 11pm Oz time and 9pm China time.
I will be in bed by then :)
Next my turn, but not before my school reunion this weekend - bring it on!
Cheers
Kelly
We have had the biggest busiest holiday here and have travelled the whole time visiting family and friends. I still can't believe that I have less than 7 days left.
Kane flew out of the country this morning. We woke up at around 5.30 and got very lost on our way the airport. He finally pulled up at around 7.30ish for a 9.35 flight. We had a quick kiss and hug goodbye and then I drove back to Traralgon. It's not really worth me hanging around the airport with him when we will be seeing each other again in 7 days.
At around Warragul I thought of Kane as it was around 9.50... I thought ...oh, my the boy will be in the air now... just as I heard an ad on the radio about a couple who were arguing about doing the dishes. In the end the ad was about a 'Tom Tom' (a sat nav for the car) for driving directions so they weren't arguing over directions. Quite ironic as that is what Kane and I did as we got lost around Greensborough and I couldn't give him directions and I was told I should have had 'it' organised... I can only try my dear :) I think I will buy one when we get back!
At around 10.10 I thought he will well and truly be on his way and I got to Mum's at 10.30ish. Once I got there I found out in fact that the plane was delayed!!!!! And in fact he wouldn't have even been in the air while I was thinking about him being gone. So it is 8.35 here in Tyers, it will be 6.35 in Shanghai and Kane should be landing in about 10 minutes. It will then probably take him 2-3 hours to get home to Suzhou. So if he hasn't slept on the plane it will be about 18 hours travelling for the poor baby and he should get there around 11pm Oz time and 9pm China time.
I will be in bed by then :)
Next my turn, but not before my school reunion this weekend - bring it on!
Cheers
Kelly
Friday, July 25, 2008
My Birthday
Today it was my birthday. The big 28! I spent my day with the boy bringing me a cup of coffee, only to be left on the bedside dresser as I fell asleep again :) (The joys of holidays). My wish was to head out to Rutherglen and taste test at some of my favourite wineries. We stopped at the Rutherglen Bakery for a pie and read the newspaper in the sunshine. We then stopped at Campbells and then on top All Saints for lunch. I had the most delicious meal of cod, mash and coleslaw. Kane had a risoto, we then headed out to the duck pond to relax with my brut sparkling. Next we stopped at Morris wines for some award winning fortified's. We finished the day with 2 bottles of wine and a nice buzz. I have had a wonderful birthday.
Yesterday I finally got to pick up my engagement ring from the jeweller.
We have spent a lot of time with family in the past few weeks with stints in Healesville for me, Bendigo for Kane, Wodonga with Ty and Zoe, Leeton with Mama and Gaga and Dahle and now we are in Albury staying with Luke and Trish. Tomorrow we will go up the Mitta valley and then may go to the football. Next week we are planning of organising more wedding stuff before I head to Brisbane next week.
I can't add photos today and so I will try again another time.
We've done so much and still have so much time left - I am loving being home :)
Yesterday I finally got to pick up my engagement ring from the jeweller.
We have spent a lot of time with family in the past few weeks with stints in Healesville for me, Bendigo for Kane, Wodonga with Ty and Zoe, Leeton with Mama and Gaga and Dahle and now we are in Albury staying with Luke and Trish. Tomorrow we will go up the Mitta valley and then may go to the football. Next week we are planning of organising more wedding stuff before I head to Brisbane next week.
I can't add photos today and so I will try again another time.
We've done so much and still have so much time left - I am loving being home :)
Friday, July 4, 2008
Life in Tyers
Hi everyone,
So we left Suzhou at 2.15pm on Monday, got to the airport at around 4.30 and flew out at around 8.30. Surprisingly all the waiting went by so quickly. That morning I had gotten up early and gone for a run, so I knew I'd be really tired on the plane. Also my friend Kate had bought me a travel pillow from Auchan to help me sleep on the plane, and when I had gone to pick it up, her Aunt had given me some cold and flu tablets that make you drowsy. All combined I bombed on the plane (thank-you) and slept for 6 hours out of 10 and bit. God my knees were sore from sleeping with bent knees while sitting, they only started feeling better yesterday, really achy.
We were supposed to land at 8am, but the plane had been delayed an hour in Shanghai and was late an hour too, also upon landing there had been a storm, so they were down to only one run way and we had to fly around 'somewhere' until there was a space to land. Then once we landed they ran out of buses to get us to the terminal and we had to wait for another 20 mins. Then we finally gout out around 10am and got back to Tyers at 12.30pm. Almost 24 hours travelling.
But you know, there is always a story or two...
The bike story -
Kane decided to buy a bike and bring it back to Australia to ride from town to town. It was good enough idea if it had been warmer, the bike had weighed less and he had researched enough. Am I sounding jaded - YES! That's all I will write in this topic. I only wish he had some clothes to wear in the middle of winter.
So since I have been back home I have caught up with my three closest girlfriends, had dinner out, Mum and I have looked a some wedding dress styles and I have tried three on and Kane and I are going to the footy on Saturday. After that, I will go with Mum to Healesville and then to Yackandandah and Kane will go to Bendigo. After that we will join up in Albury/Wodonga for a while. A week apart from each other might be nice and I might start to get over the whole bike fiasco.
Update-
Mum and I went to Target and managed to buy Kane some clothes, some of the shirts were only $3! Bargain. At least he has winter clothes now. And I am feeling much better about the whole fiasco.
So we left Suzhou at 2.15pm on Monday, got to the airport at around 4.30 and flew out at around 8.30. Surprisingly all the waiting went by so quickly. That morning I had gotten up early and gone for a run, so I knew I'd be really tired on the plane. Also my friend Kate had bought me a travel pillow from Auchan to help me sleep on the plane, and when I had gone to pick it up, her Aunt had given me some cold and flu tablets that make you drowsy. All combined I bombed on the plane (thank-you) and slept for 6 hours out of 10 and bit. God my knees were sore from sleeping with bent knees while sitting, they only started feeling better yesterday, really achy.
We were supposed to land at 8am, but the plane had been delayed an hour in Shanghai and was late an hour too, also upon landing there had been a storm, so they were down to only one run way and we had to fly around 'somewhere' until there was a space to land. Then once we landed they ran out of buses to get us to the terminal and we had to wait for another 20 mins. Then we finally gout out around 10am and got back to Tyers at 12.30pm. Almost 24 hours travelling.
But you know, there is always a story or two...
The bike story -
Kane decided to buy a bike and bring it back to Australia to ride from town to town. It was good enough idea if it had been warmer, the bike had weighed less and he had researched enough. Am I sounding jaded - YES! That's all I will write in this topic. I only wish he had some clothes to wear in the middle of winter.
So since I have been back home I have caught up with my three closest girlfriends, had dinner out, Mum and I have looked a some wedding dress styles and I have tried three on and Kane and I are going to the footy on Saturday. After that, I will go with Mum to Healesville and then to Yackandandah and Kane will go to Bendigo. After that we will join up in Albury/Wodonga for a while. A week apart from each other might be nice and I might start to get over the whole bike fiasco.
Update-
Mum and I went to Target and managed to buy Kane some clothes, some of the shirts were only $3! Bargain. At least he has winter clothes now. And I am feeling much better about the whole fiasco.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Only 2 days left
Yesterday was our last day of school. It was a crazy day with signing out, making sure everything was packed up and then saying goodbye to all the students I'd had this past 10 months. I got a couple of little gifts, but on the whole, all staff were very disappoited. Back home you get a small gift from most students, here you may get 1 or 2 from a whole class. As we teach quite rich families we all sort of expected more in gratitude. I was a lucky one, I got two Finland crystal glasses from a Finnish girl.
Last night we had farewell drinks down at Mr Pizza (A chinese style pub) and it was great. There were nearly 40 leaving staff this year and it is really sad to say good bye to so many of them, and then next year it's making new friends.
I have news too...
I can drink beer now!
I have never been able to drink beer. I could pour a perfect beer, but never put it in my mouth a swallow without getting goose bumps all over my body.
I drank 3 big tiger beers and 2 corona's yesterday. I think its a pretty big accomplishment. (I've been practising all year) If nothing else, I can say a learnt to drink beer this year.
On that I decided to make a list of all the things that have happened in the past 10 months just to remind myself of all that we've done:
Last night we had farewell drinks down at Mr Pizza (A chinese style pub) and it was great. There were nearly 40 leaving staff this year and it is really sad to say good bye to so many of them, and then next year it's making new friends.
I have news too...
I can drink beer now!
I have never been able to drink beer. I could pour a perfect beer, but never put it in my mouth a swallow without getting goose bumps all over my body.
I drank 3 big tiger beers and 2 corona's yesterday. I think its a pretty big accomplishment. (I've been practising all year) If nothing else, I can say a learnt to drink beer this year.
On that I decided to make a list of all the things that have happened in the past 10 months just to remind myself of all that we've done:
- Learnt to drink beer
- Went to Thailand
- Went to Cambodia
- Went to Vietnam
- Went to Beijing and Xian
- Went to China!!!!
- Learnt to speak some Chinese
- Saved heaps of money
- Got engaged
- Went to Ty and Zoe's wedding
- Had my parents and brothers visit
- Had Kane's Mum and Gary visit
- Learnt to make dumplings
- Made many new friends
- Learnt all about fresh water pearls
- Discovered how cheap all my wedding stuff will be if I buy it here.
- Picked green tea
- Bought a Chinese tea set
- Learnt to eat and make sushi rolls (Korean Kim bob are better though)
- Started swimming again
I am sure I could write more, but I was starting to think too hard! So much in one year!
Anyway I will sign off, this may be our last post from China for a few months,
Take care,
KK