Jack's Dance Show

Thursday 13th March.
On Thursday afternoon we drove to Jane's, picked her up, on to Winchester to pick up Remus, and then on to Tring. From Jane's place it took over 3 hours and we arrived late. Fortunately Jane and Rosemary got into the theatre just in time to catch most of Jack's solo, which was close to the start of the first item. Remus and I parked the car and just missed the solo, but in the last number Jack had a 'duet', if that's the right term in dance, with another male dancer in which they executed what were, to my very inexpert eyes, the most advanced jumps and balletic manoeuvres than I'd seen all evening. The journey back to Jane's took about 1 1/2 hours. All the journey in the dark and in light (fortunately) rain.
When we left Hythe around 4 pm the car's indicator of the external temperature showed 6C. When we returned, around 11.15pm it showed 10C!!
The weather has been miserable, and occasionally awful, since we've been here. Looking forward to warmth and sunshine in Egypt.

Our suite in Hotel Equatorial, Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur to Hythe

Friday, 7^th March.

Had breakfast in our suite, A$10 ea, then a taxi to the airport, 80 ringit. Gas powered so the large suitcase occupied the passenger seat beside the driver, and I cuddled Rosemary's carry on bag between my legs!

No luck with a 'special' seat for Rosemary. Think that it's more difficult because the flight isn't originating from here, so the 'best' seats were nabbed earlier in the flight's intinerary.

Flight was fine. I watched 3 movies. Reservation Road, No Country for Old Men, and The Night belongs to Us (or something like that), and slept a bit. Rosemary slept little if at all, and was troubled by her leg, even though we had a vacant seat between us and Rosemary was able to put her leg up, sort of.

Hire car is a Renault Megane, which doesn't have a key, so I spent some time looking for the slot into which the card must be inserted. Nice car.

Got to Hythe about 20 to 9. Elaine was there, she'd brought Mum back in the afternoon. Elaine stayed for about an hour. Rosemary went to bed a little earlier, and I sat up talking with Mum til nearly 11. John and Zena returned about 11.45 having been delayed by roadworks.

Petronas Twin Towers

Thursday, 6^th March.

Buffet breakfast. All you could eat for A$12. We didn't do it justice though I had an individually prepared omelette, cereal and a croissant, and we both had a hash brown.

We then walked to the Petronas Twin Tower and took the free sky bridge walk ie we walked across the bridge that connects the two towers at the 41^st floor level, 170 metres above ground. The walk was preceded by a 3D movie mostly about the Petronas company.

Then we walked in the nearby gardens, paddled in the pool accompanied by whistle blasts from a super efficient female official in charge of telling off any one who put a shoe on the blue tiles under and around the water.

Back to the towers and a brief wander through the upmarket shopping mall, then out and about for cheaper shops. We visited one cheap mall, mostly small eating places, then found another a little more upmarket. It had an eating hall which had a Burger King, a Subway, and such like, and, at one end, a food hall such as in the basements – and sometimes elsewhere – in Sydney shopping centres. Lots of different Asian eateries. As all the menus were in English, and most of the food familiar, the only real difference was the lower prices and everyone bar us two Asian in appearance. In some ways the prices were the same as in Sydney, but in Ringits instead of in A$. One A$ buys 3 Ringits.

I had a cuttlefish Teppanyaki set which came with green tea, miso soup, a smll piece of flat filled bread, the cuttlefish Teppanyaki cooked in front of me and a small moutain of rice, plus two small dishes of differents sauces. Less that A$3!

More walking then we bought 2 small Malaysian mangos – sampled first and 3 Red Dragon fruit, and came back to the Hotel for a siesta.

After our siesta, I walked around to get night shots of the Petronas Towers, meanwhile Rosemary rested and prepared for our departure.

Departure Day

Today's the day. Less that one hour until Geoff Harrison (my skipper and our neighbour) drives us to the airport. We should get there 3 hours before lift off, in the hope of getting a seat located in a left leg friendly location for Rosemary.
Bye!

We were able to get a good seat for Rosemary, but only after visiting the Service Desk after checking in – at the suggestion of the Check in person. Flight good. Watched Michael Clayton starring George Clooney – 3 stars, and Elizabeth, The Golden Age starring our Cate, - 2 ½ stars. Rosemary did Sudokus. Very good red.

Quickly through KLIA. Hire car/taxi to Hotel via excellent highway system. Somewhat taken aback to hear an ad for Harvey Norman on the car radio, in English. Checked in at the Hotel to learn that our room had been upgraded to a suite! I'm writing this in the lounge, which has it's own toilet etc, and Rosemary is next door in the large bedroom complete with king size double bed and ensuite!

Getting Ready

Nearly organised, nearly packed. Don't know yet where we'll sleep on our first night in the UK...

Day 33. Thursday 28th June, 2007.

Said our Goodbyes to Jane at 7.45 am when she left for work, and to Remus at 8.45 am when we returned to Hythe to pick up Mum and drive to Eastleigh, to the Eastleigh market and the charity shops. 4 hours in Eastleigh. Shopping interrupted only by a coffee break for all three of us, and a lunch break for Mum and me while Rosemary continued shopping. Mum and I had a 5GBP (each) Indian buffer lunch in the Gandhi Restaurant on the perimeter of the Swan Shopping Centre. Then to Brian and Vickies for tea and biscuits. Brian took and early mark from work and was home by 3.15pm. After more goodbyes we left at 4.10pm and returned to Hythe. TBC.