Reflections on our UK holiday

Trekking with Tom

I recently returned from a 3.5-week holiday to England and Scotland with the family. The excuse was my mate Tom's wedding in northern England: he'd previously travelled to my wedding and only stayed 3 days! We tacked on a
proper holiday...

We hired a car and loved exploring the rolling green hills of the UK: first in NW England, then in Scotland for two weeks, and then in southern England. For Heather and Isabel, it was so exciting to experience what they'd only read in books or seen on TV. Ava also loved the new places and people, although her poor little feet didn't always cope with the cold.

Philosophical musings
However, rather than simply recount the highlights of our travels (and there will be some of that), I'm taking a small digression to be a little more philosophical. I've been thinking about the question: what does it mean for a holiday to be particularly 'special', 'meaningful' or 'memorable'?

Is the 'best' holiday spending the most time doing what's important to you (goal-centred)?
Or is it more about your attitude and less about what you actually did (mindset-focused)?
Or could it be about the person you've become that is most important (character-based)?
Furthermore, should the impact on those you travel with and meet also be considered?

Character-forming holidays
While each of these factors are important, upon reflection I think that the character-based measure is the most fundamental. If this is the case, then this could radically change the way we go 'on holiday'.

Our destinations and activities becomes secondary to the effect they're likely to have on our character and the characters of those around us.

The beautiful Scottish outdoors

Of course we still need to make decisions about where to go and what to do, but instead framed by the question 'how could this decision affect my character and the character of those around me?' The places and activities we choose could be deliberately out of our comfort zone to stretch and widen our perspective.

While on holiday, it may be useful from time-to-time to reflect on its character-impact and adjust our activities and/or mindset if required. Given the deception of our minds when it comes to our own nobility, an honest travelling partner would be particularly valuable.

The intent of this is not to be legalistic, but instead to recognise that holidays have an impact on us. The normal rules of character development still apply while we're in holiday-mode. Perhaps even more so because we have so much flexibility, so many decisions to make, and we're often outside our normal spheres.

A Christian perspective

Ava the party animal

This way of character-based thinking aligns naturally with the Christian worldview. For a follower of Jesus, life is about becoming more like him - aligning personal character to the qualities Jesus demonstrated. Holidays can be a special opportunity for this.

The accounts of Jesus' life surprisingly portray him as a bit of a party animal - remember the whole turning water into wine episode..? He loved to have meals with all sorts of interesting people and he even had a reputation amongst some as being a glutton and a drunkard!

He also prioritised rest. He would travel in remote places, withdraw from the crowds from time-to-time, and observe the intent of the Sabbath day rest without being a slave to it. If holidays for the Christian are modelled on Jesus, then they would never be one-dimensional, boring or slavishly busy.

However they would also be other-person focussed, generous to those in need, intolerant of injustice, and maintaining high standards of personal integrity.

Character formation in the UK
So if I asked this question of the recent holiday our family took to the UK, what would I say?

Brrrggghhh... cold!!

The fundamental character development in me would have been putting the needs and desires of my family ahead of my own. Having travelled in Europe on my own before, it was much less about efficiently ticking off tourist sites and more about adapting plans to best suit the varying priorities and energy levels of our travelling party.

As a result, we finished the holiday in good spirits, having had positive experiences, despite not necessarily doing as much as we all might have liked. Interestingly, I feel much better after this 3.5-week holiday with my wife and two daughters than I did after a month in central Europe on my own. Perhaps there's something about the power of shared experiences as well as the wisdom of my wife about what is realistic and beneficial!

This trip was also quite relationship-focussed, given the opportunity to catch up with some family and friends living in the UK. The original incentive for the trip was a wedding, and I was fortunate to spend some extra time with the bride and groom both before and after the wedding.

Kat & Isabel in ice-cream heaven

We also spent several days living with good friends Harry and Sarah and their two kids. Observing Harry's servant-hearted fathering had a significant impact on me.

Finally, attending a performance of Les Miserables with 14yr old Isabel and my sister Katrina was incredibly impacting to observe Jean Valjean risk his own life for the sake of his 'adopted daughter' Cosette.

Longer-term impacts
It's difficult to tell at this stage whether these events will result in significant long-term character development. I guess in some respects it depends on how much I determine to ingrain these insights into my lifestyle and value-set.

Whatever the case, this holiday has provided an opportunity to grow as a person. I hope that subsequent holidays will be even more intentional about opening up avenues for character development. This could look quite different from holiday to holiday. However, if this priority is firmly in focus, then I trust that even through 'leisure' these can be times of increased awareness, intentionality and satisfaction.

2011: A Summary

It's been 12 months since I last posted, so this is well overdue. This edition is a summary of the year 2011. It charts the return to Australia of our family from nearly three years in Samoa.

November-December 2010: A new job
OK, November to December 2010 is not 2011, but it's worth mentioning that I started a new job during this period. We flew into Sydney and  straight down to Canberra on the afternoon of 10 November to spend time with Heather's family. The next morning I had a telephone interview with the NSW Office of Water. I was offered the job of Senior Natural Resources Officer (Surface Water) and by 13 December I had started. It certainly didn't take long to be shaken out of Pacific time...

By this time, Heather was 30 weeks pregnant, which only slightly curtailed our adventurous spirit. I participated in the the Triple Triathlon with the Dixon family team (they generously gave me the relatively easy 13km final run leg). We also enjoyed some relaxation time with family Dixon in Katoomba between Christmas and New Year - Australia certainly has its fair share of beautiful places...

In Sydney, we stayed at my parent's house until their three-bedroom townhouse in Balgowlah became available to rent. It was on New Years Eve 2010-11 that we moved in and spent out first night as an independent family in Australia.

January-February 2011: New school and new life

January to February 2011 was always going to be big period for us. Isabel would begin high school in late-January and Heather was due to give birth on 5 February. Isabel also had her 13th birthday on 28 January (which turned out to be her first day at school!) and things would begin to pick up at my work.

Isabel began high school directly into Year 8 (second year) due to the differences in the schooling system in Samoa. She managed to get a place at Monte Sant Angelo college in North Sydney, a Catholic girls school. Rather than adopt the standard curriculum for schools in NSW, they use the International Baccalaureate Middle Years program for years 7 to 10 and then give students the choice of either the IB or the NSW Higher School Certificate for years 11 to 12.

Language learning is given a high priority, with Isabel choosing to study German. The school has an international and social justice focus, which matches well with our recent experiences working in development in Samoa. A friend of ours who teaches music there had recommended the school and so far we are really happy with it. Isabel quickly made new friends who seem to be very kind, generous and fun.

The other big event was, of course, Heather's growing bump. We had hoped that baby 'Kanoot' would delay its arrival until after Isabel's birthday and first week at school. Heather however didn't want to wait much longer than that! Kanoot's timing could hardly have been better.

At 5:25pm on Thursday 3 February 2011, a healthy baby girl was born to us. At 4.08kg and 56cm long, she was bigger than expected. It wasn't long before we named her Ava Marie Wrathall. At 9:30am the next morning, Heather discharged herself from hospital to spend time with our new daughter and sister in the comfort of our own home.

Of course, the subsequent few days were the hottest of the summer, with temperatures peaking at 41.5C on 5 February. My parent's air conditioned house came in handy that day...

March-August 2011: More firsts and the 100km Trailwalker 

The majority of this period was dominated by Ava's rapid growth and Heather's incredible endurance. It was exciting to see this dependent and sleepy little baby develop into an active and engaging child. During this period, Ava's curiosity and happy demeanor became more and more evident. She began rolling over after 9 weeks, sitting up unassisted at 4.5 months and doing an amusing commando crawl just before 6 months. As expected, us parents thought she was the most beautiful and advanced of the children we knew!

At the same time as caring for a demanding child, Heather was busily training and organising a team for the Oxfam Trailwalker in Sydney on 26-28 August 2011. This 100km event is undertaken by teams of four and is one of those extreme physical challenges that doubles as a fundraiser. Heather coordinated a group of women for regular weekend training walks in the months after giving birth. It was a pretty significant undertaking, but one that Heather thrived on and was supremely motivated by. The team achieved the feat in just over 30 hours and raised almost $4,000.

At the end of June, we also managed to take a week off to have a holiday in Fiji. My parents had previously arranged a trip to Lord Howe Island in January 2011 which we couldn't take due to Heather's late-term pregnancy (although Isabel had an amazing time there!). We were able to redeem the unused flights for a trip to Fiji and had a relaxed international holiday at a budget we could almost afford.

Ava loved the stimulation of a different environment and being able to crawl around with minimal clothing. Isabel enjoyed chillaxing alongside and within the warm pool water while Heather and I managed to do a bit of exploring further afield.

A particularly memorable experience was climbing up a steep, remote mountain to the north of Nadi with a local village guide. Heather once again demonstrated her endurance by reached the summit carrying Ava in a baby carrier the entire way up.

September-December 2011: New house and Heather's new job

The event that dominated the last part of 2011 was buying and moving in to our new home. We'd been looking at houses on and off for most of the year without much success. When Isabel and Heather first saw this house they both fell in love with it... along with dozens of other people.

We persevered through a prolonged contractual process, eventually made a low offer and amazingly it was accepted! We moved in on 6 November and continue to be amazed at how great a place God has blessed us with.

It has a beautiful leafy backyard, with an in-ground pool and a sizable grassy area in the vacant block next door. The kitchen-dining-living area is open plan and ideal for entertaining. We occupy three of the bedrooms while a vacant guestroom with ensuite is perfect for visitors. We're already trying to be hospitable and love sharing this space with others.

The other significant happening during this time was Heather's new part-time job with Relationships Australia. She started in December and is working on a community development program addressing areas of social need in the Pittwater area of the Northern Beaches. The job has flexible working hours, is reasonably close to home, and is alongside some passionate and competent colleagues in what seems to be a meaningful role.

As usual, she already manages to exceed in balancing the multifaceted and demanding areas of work and family. I am very blessed.

We're Back!

Heather, Isabel, Kanoot (as our baby is affectionately known) and I arrived back in Australia last week, one month earlier than originally planned. We left in a bit of a rush because of concerns over Heather's health. She's had a tough run of it in the six months of her pregnancy with various sicknesses and ailments. Fortunately, as far as we know, the baby seems to be doing well. 

Now that we're back, I've just started to reflect on our almost three years in Samoa. I drafted an article (that may or may not be published) for the Engineers Australia magazine. The article is reproduced below and I hope you'll find it an interesting account of life (with a work focus) in Samoa.

A Long Samoan Honeymoon

In March 2008, I ventured to the Pacific Island paradise of Samoa. It was a 12-month placement as a Hydrology Engineer with the Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development (AYAD) program. Little did I know that almost three years later I’d still be there... as a rural water supply technical adviser... married... and with a child on the way.

It started out as a short tropical adventure. I’d been working in Scotland for two years and by the second winter I was in need of some sunshine. With five years engineering consultancy experience under my belt, I felt it was time to utilise those skills in a developing world context. I hadn’t planned on Samoa, but with my ‘bronzed Aussie look’ slowly fading, who was I to second guess such a providential assignment?

1. Volunteering with the Samoan Government

I was to work with the Water Resources Division (WRD) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, a division that had only been established in 2006. The WRD was set up to lead the Samoan Government’s management of the nation’s water resources, and I was tasked with developing their ability to undertake hydrological monitoring and assessment. My counterpart was responsible for two other office-based staff and up to ten field staff.

I had been prepared to undertake the tasks specified in the work plan, such as providing training on flood risk analysis, establishing a yield assessment program and specifying sustainable water extraction rates. However, it soon became clear that there were other more pressing issues.  

2. More Pressing Issues
Firstly, the existing hydrological monitoring network was very small. The Division operated only three river flow monitoring stations and five rain gauges throughout the whole country, with no water quality monitoring program or groundwater monitoring boreholes. The national hydrometric network had lacked long-term funding support, after the initial injection of funds in the 1970s saw up to twenty flow stations and thirteen rain gauges in operation.

Secondly, the data that was collected was of poor quality. Field measurements were often sloppy, very little information was documented, and large amounts of data was lost due to equipment malfunction or poor filing. Once in the office, data was neither centrally collected, nor registered and checked.

Thirdly, the majority of historical data had been destroyed during the major cyclones that hit Samoa in 1990 and 1991. What remained of the hard copy historical data was left gathering dust in filing cabinets, vulnerable to any future natural disasters.

And finally, there was little awareness amongst staff of the value of hydrological data and the purpose behind their monitoring. The Division didn’t really know their clients, and their clients hardly knew them!

3. Time for Action

So, with the help of regional partners from the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) and the European Union-funded Water Sector Support Program (WaSSP), we began to develop the Division. Field equipment provision and short-term intensive training support from SOPAC kick-started the improvement of data collection. We began weekly training sessions on Fridays to consolidate the learning in previous weeks. We installed a number of new monitoring sites at locations agreed to by key stakeholders and donor partners. We began processing the large amounts of historical flow and rainfall data, even initiating a monthly competition to provide incentives for the most productive and accurate digitisers. Soon, the team had developed patterns of operating that could be documented and collated into an operation manual.

By the end of twelve months, I had written the Division’s first Data Management Manual, specifying the procedures for managing the increasingly large amounts of hydrological data being collected. We had registered, digitised and checked all of the available historical data, adding it to the now well-established national hydrological database. We had conducted several in-house training sessions on the value of hydrological data, the principles of data management, and the basics of GIS mapping. We were also now collaborating with the Electric Power Corporation on the long-term monitoring of potential hydropower sites. Oh yeah... I’d also just proposed to my girlfriend Heather: an AusAID posted officer I’d met six months earlier!

4. Time for Change

For several reasons then, I extended my placement as an Australian volunteer in Samoa. At eighteen months, I was married and honeymooning in Thailand and Laos when I received an email urging me to consider working for the Independent Water Schemes Association (IWSA). The WRD was at that stage operating fourteen river flow monitoring stations, fourteen rain gauges, ten routine water quality monitoring sites and three newly-constructed groundwater monitoring boreholes. Considering the benefits of stepping back from such a hands-on role with the WRD, and the needs of the newly-established and very small IWSA, I agreed to a part-time arrangement: three days with IWSA and two days with WRD.

At two years in Samoa, I was providing technical advice to village-managed water supply schemes while offering occasional support to the WRD’s hydrological monitoring program. While at the IWSA, I was fortunate enough to oversee the upgrade of five rural water supply schemes and finalise the conceptual designs for another thirteen schemes. Also at that time were the final consultations for Samoa’s Water Services Policy, of which I was able to provide input. I could hardly believe I’d found a job where I could both work on valuable grass-roots projects while also having access to national policy discussion! 

5. Time to Leave
But like most good things, it had to come to an end. Heather’s posting was due to finish in early-2011, around the same time our baby is due. We agreed that late-2010 was a good time for us to come home.

So we’ve only just said goodbye to Samoa. It was a much longer and more rewarding honeymoon than I’d expected. Yes, international development work can be hard and slow. I was very fortunate though to be placed in a well-supported (and well-funded) setting where, after almost three years, I have seen measurable progress. It has been satisfying to see some tangible development of the water sector in Samoa. In the big picture, I played quite a small role. Nevertheless, I hope my contribution has made some sort of positive impact in the long-term. I think that’s one of the main reasons I became an engineer.

Latest News on the Home Front...

Two Weddings and No Funerals

My latest 2.5-week adventure to Australia in June was to celebrate the weddings of two great friends of mine: high school friend Dzung (pronounced ‘Yoong’) and HSC Study Camp friend Tim. Fortunately for me, I could combine the two events in one flight from Samoa (what an environmentally conscious move... :-)

I arrived in Sydney on Friday afternoon, met Dzung and his fiancée Ruth for a combined Bucks/Hens BBQ on Saturday at lunch, and celebrated their wedding the next day. We almost didn’t make it – had Ruth not separated Dzung and I chatting religion and philosophy for hours on Saturday night...

1. Dzung & Ruth: a beautifully personalised masterpiece
Dzung and Ruth have been together for about 4.5 years, and are very well suited to each other. It was a pleasure to see them publicly declaring their individually prepared vows in a beautifully personalised ceremony. Set on a stunning outlook over the cliffs of Stanwell Tops, just south of Sydney, Dzung’s romantic masterpiece came together like the delicately interwoven strands of a great tapestry. Those floods of tears pouring over Dzung’s cheeks at Ruth’s graceful entrance were a sight to behold (for some amazing photos of the day, check out http://www.vlblog.net/wedding-at-tumbling-waters-retreat-stanwell-tops-crystal-palace/). For those pivotal moments etched into our memories for a lifetime, this was one moment to stake a memory flag (especially for Dzung: my big flag was almost 12 months ago but it’s still fresh)!

During the lunch, I was able to share a few of my impressions of Dzung: his fine intellect, his high standards, his irrepressible romantic tendencies, his strength, his near-metrosexuality, and his deep thinking. I likened Dzung’s question-posing abilities to one of the great question-askers: Jesus. A dialogue between the two of them could go something like this…

Dzung: Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus: Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.
D: Upon what basis do you claim that God alone is good?
J: Do you doubt the Biblical record?

D: Why are you so confident in an unscientific source?
J: …Why are you wearing a pink t-shirt?

The Vietnamese banquet later that night was certainly an entertaining cultural experience. The food was the main highlight (there’s no Vietnamese food in Samoa), though our MC/singer/entertainer had to be a close second. I’m not sure what was funnier… his attempts to work the crowd over the top of techno music, his spontaneous bursting into song, or his fluoro happy pants with chain-link sides. There were also a number of other memorable features… An hour’s worth of photos of the ‘happy’ couple with all the wedding guests in front of their personalized wall of rotating chandelier-disco-light. Their own karaoke-style video on loop as we entered… any Celine Dion song could have fitted seamlessly over the top. Dzung and Ruth were very good-hearted about it all and we really enjoyed ourselves.

2. Tim & Heidi-Jane: a musically-infused celebration

Tim has the wonderful inclination to invest heavily in his close friends, and the lead-up to his wedding certainly demonstrated this.

I was fortunate enough to share a spa and beers with him while watching NSW be destroyed by Queensland in the second State of Origin. Along with his mates, we spent a full day playing sport, eating and socializing for his Bucks Party, and watched Australia painfully draw with Ghana in the Soccer World Cup. We shared a meal with the rest of the bridal party after the wedding rehearsal – no sporting events involved. And the boys in the bridal party spent the night before the wedding drinking a fine selection of beers, playing pool, relaxing in the spa, toasting marshmallows, watching sport, and smoking cigars by the fire. Hmmmm… it’s amazing that we managed to wake up the next morning at all. Yet Tim awoke excitedly and before I was even out of bed, he was dressed… in my shirt.


The wedding itself was a musically-infused celebration, with both Tim and Heidi-Jane demonstrating their ample talent in song-writing, recording and conducting. It also contained the marks of Tim’s cheeky humour, by projecting the groomsmen’s hypothetical thoughts onto the screen in the final seconds before the processional…

I had the privilege of preaching at the church service from 1 John 4, looking at love: God-style. When there are so many conflicting messages about love in the public arena, I focused on the type of love God demonstrated through Jesus. I think Tim and HJ both possess the type of love that mirrors God’s love, and this should enable them to cultivate a strong relationship for a lifetime. With the amount of enthusiastic support demonstrated by their friends and family, they have the ingredients for a great marriage. They certainly got off to a great start.

Injury-Induced Bonding

Brother Will in Samoa for a week. An opportunity for great fun and adventure with a close friend, right? Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves... Throw a torn ankle ligament into the mix. Crutches. Now these adventurous plans don’t look so promising.

Yep, my injury meant we couldn’t cycle around the island of Savaii or explore the more remote parts of Samoa. Instead, we consigned ourselves to reading, chatting and watching sport. Not quite the holiday us active young males were expected.

This (negative?) experience brought to light a question I had been concerned about for some time:

Is the quality of my close relationships contingent upon a shared interest (in Will’s case, physical activity)?


Testing Ground
This is an aspect of relationships I’ve noticed most between males (especially involving sport), and one I have been aware of in myself. Being a sporty person, I have invested heavily in others who also enjoy sports. Of course it’s natural that I’d have this shared interest as the basis of the friendship (at least initially), which I’d see as perfectly acceptable. However, for more significant relationships, I’d expect greater depth to grow to the extent that if the shared interest were removed, there would still be closeness and mutual value from that friendship. Will’s week in Samoa proved an interesting testing ground...

Glory, Girl, Money
He arrived in Samoa at 12:30am and was on the cricket field at 2:00pm for the second annual Samoan ANZAC Day Twenty20 Cricket Match between Australians and New Zealanders in Samoa. The noticeably more serious Aussie cricketers, led by our cricket-tragic High Commissioner, were first to bat. Will was opening batsman. I was consigned to the scorers role. I watched my brother dominate proceedings to the admiration of the High Commissioner (who freely made job offers mid-pitch). 19 runs with the bat and 2 vital wickets with the ball, he was almost in line for man-of-the-match, in a fairly one-sided affair... He took the glory that could have been mine!

Fortunately enough, despite my injury, we were able to do some exploring: a couple of waterfalls, a couple of walks, the volcanic Sua Ocean Trench and one of our favourite beaches. Though for half of these adventures, I was left while Will accompanied Heather to the more inaccessible parts... He took the girl that is mine (not really, but it reads better that way)!

Heather, Will and I took the opportunity to reflect and discuss a discussion booklet produced by World Vision New Zealand on ‘Living Simply’. It raised questions about our materialistic culture and its compatibility with Christianity. Even living in Samoa, we’ve not been immune to the drug to excessively consume, upgrade and indulge. It was interesting to note that wherever ‘Consumerism’ has flourished, religion/spirituality (of all types) has been squeezed out. We’ve been prompted to reflect on how our lifestyle and spending choices have wide impacts, to ourselves and others... By introducing this discussion, he took away my right to spend my own money with impunity!

My injury took away the physical element of my relationship with Will. As a result, he got the glory and the girl. He also stripped away any sense of pride towards materialistic success. This could easily have led to conflict had our relationship been based only on shared interest. However, conflict was only evident in our discussions on the ethical dimension of military intervention.

Firm Foundation
On the contrary, this experience only served to deepen my relationship with Will... We had ample time to share the big issues of life with each other... He could spend quality time with my two special ladies in our natural habitat... And this confirmed that our relationship was built not on our shared interest in physical activity, but on a much firmer foundation. I hope all my significant relationships are built on a similarly firm foundation, sore ankle or not.

Grandma's Nod of Approval

It’s a family tradition that my mother’s mother, Marie (or Marnie to me), spends her birthday on an island paradise. However, Samoa is not usually on the itinerary. This year though, for her 84th birthday, Marnie did it. For five days, she accompanied my mum, Jill, for an adventure on a new island paradise.

As assistant chaperone to Isabel on the flight over, Marnie gushed with positivity and optimism for this novel experience. And why not? She got to celebrate her birthday, 22nd January 2010, twice!

Despite the late night and beyond the creature-comforts of Aggie Greys Hotel, she joined us for an evening on Salamumu Beach at Samoana ‘Resort’. The relatively basic accommodation and rock hard pawpaw at breakfast did not dim her excitement, and while she decided not to brave the hammocks for fear of involuntary entrapment, she was thoroughly enthusiastic about this slightly more authentic Samoan experience.

We cut our beachside getaway short to head back to Apia so I could play in an Australia day cricket match against a Samoan team. Despite being billed as one of Samoa’s best batsmen, I fell short of all expectations by getting out first ball! Since we’d agreed to give grace to those out first ball, I was given a second chance. I promptly got out second ball as well!! To a guy in his 60s…Yet, Marnie was still complimentary.

Church on Sunday was followed by a driving tour of the tsunami-affected areas, in the rain. Jill and Marnie planned to piece together bits of our family history, prompted again undoubtedly by their visit to the Robert Louis Stephenson museum the following day. His writings and influence are certainly an inspiration.

The wild, windy and wet weather kept me busy at work, but I finished the evening sick in bed. Four days travelling with my 84-year-old grandmother and I was the one flat on my back...! Maybe she’s still got a few things to teach me… Oh, to have a similar exuberance at her age… Fortunately, my Samoan life (and my wife) received her nod of approval.

Next year though, it’ll be back to Marnie’s original island paradise, Lord Howe Island. Come 22nd January 2011, I can only imagine the compliments that are to gush forth…

Relaxed Christmas Break in Australia

Rather than go into the intimate details of our 3-week trip to Sydney and Canberra, here’s a highlights package…

Date Night 1: a surprise meal at the Park Hyatt in the Rocks, complete with stroll over the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Christmas Day: started with surfing, progressed to family present-opening (Isabel did particularly well!), church and a relatively small family gathering at our place. While it was low-key, unlike some of the Christmas lights we’d seen the night before, it was still special.

Hang-gliding: not really an adrenalin-charged extreme adventure, but enjoyable nonetheless. Heather, Will and I casually walked off the cliffs at Stanwell Park (south of Sydney), accompanied by a guide and a hang-glider. Perfect summer conditions made the whole day out with the family, including picnic lunch on Austinmer Beach, a definite highlight.

‘Wicked’ Musical: spontaneously purchased matinee (1pm) tickets for the extreme back corner of the Capitol Theatre in Sydney was inspired. One of the best musicals Heather, Isabel and I have seen, with its clever take on the ‘Wizard of Oz’ story exploring the nature of good and evil.

New Years Eve: an afternoon picnic on the grassy slopes near Fairlight Beach, with 9pm fireworks off Manly Cove, followed by midnight fireworks on the roof of the family home.

Food, food, food: unsurprisingly, food was a highlight, both in Sydney with my family and also in Canberra with Heather’s family. Mmmm… cheese… Heather and Isabel made an amazing gingerbread house. We even had food thrown at us, tepanyaki-style…

Bella Fella time: quality Mike-Isabel bonding time was had at Cockington Green. We were wide-eyed at the intricate miniature scenes and later gorged ourselves on food and lollies (don’t worry, a salad was also on the menu!).

Date Night 2: two lots of flowers (one purchased, one home-made by Isabel) greeted Heather at the door. I was there too. Beautiful food and company once again…

Chillaxing: between family-bonding time, shopping and eating, there was plenty of chilling and relaxation time. Interesting reading and mesmerising TV (Russell on ‘Survivor’ and yet another great escape in the Sydney cricket test)!

Earthquake and Tsunami

For those wanting to know about the earthquake and tsunami in Samoa, we're all fine, but the situation in Samoa is pretty serious. A magnitude 8.3 earthquake occurred at about 7am this morning, approx 200km from Samoa, triggering a tsunami that affected mainly the southern side of the islands. We were just waking up at the time and it was quite vigorous and lasted a long time (about 1-1.5 minutes). Apparently there is massive amounts of damage to the south of Upolu (the main island) but there doesn't seem to be as much where we are in the capital Apia (in the north). There was approximately 15 minutes between the earthquake and when the tsunami hit. From the reports from eyewitnesses, it seems like the wave was pretty large (~2-3m). There was also another tsunami warning issued later in the day, but it looks as though that was a false alarm.

We've been at home most of the day and just listening to reports on the radio, but unfortunately the local radio stations are all in Samoan language only! Heather has been heavily involved in the response, especially with Australian citizens here. It's already been a long day for her and it looks like it could be a long night as well, with supplies and personnel being flown in from Australia arriving this evening.

We'd appreciate your prayers in regards to the people who have lost loved ones, for the recovery effort (both immediate and long-term) and also more specifically for Heather in her role.

Thailand & Laos Honeymoon: 9th August – 30th August 2009

After our wedding day (see previous blog entry), Heather and I spent three weeks in Thailand and Laos for our honeymoon, hoping for a healthy mix of relaxation and adventure. To start with, we flew to Phuket and stayed for 5 days at a private beach resort away from the main tourist mayhem. We had our own private outdoor jacuzzi, delicious room service meals, shared gym, pool, lovely views over the water, and were treated to amazing complementary buffet breakfasts every day. We’d originally planned to spend the full 5 days chillaxing about in the resort, but once we discovered the scooter hire place across the road, the lure of adventure became too strong.

We soon ended up at chaotic Patong Beach, replete with its sea of banana lounges and myriad of sellers of every description. Heather had her hair braided very swiftly and cheaply there, but we were soon exploring elsewhere. While it’s an experience we’re glad to have tried once, we were happy not to repeat it… The following evening we stumbled upon another intriguing once-only experience: ‘Fantasea’. This cheesy extravaganza boasted light shows, music, dancing, singing, animal shows, fireworks, etc, etc, etc. The show itself was preceded by a buffet meal in its 4000-seat food hall… Every associated attraction was over-the-top and tacky, but mostly quite amusing and entertaining. It was sad to see two amazingly powerful (and rare) white tigers being kept in a lifeless and tiny enclosure. The performing elephants were impressive; hopefully they were treated a little better than some of the other animals we saw there.

We also booked a boat and sea kayaking tour to the limestone islands east of Phuket. Even though this was meant to be the quiet season, it still felt as though we were in a factory-line procession of tour groups. We were ushered here and there, waiting in line, observing boat after boat being led through the same caves and past the same cliffs. The scenery was pretty amazing, though the experience was tempered by the ‘lemming effect’.

After Phuket, we made our way north towards Chiang Mai via Bangkok by bus and sleeper train. We spent a few hours exploring Bangkok on foot. Then… assured of an amazing tuk-tuk deal, we agreed to jump in and explore the major attractions for 10 baht (AUD$0.40) each. While it started well, we soon began to realise that we were being directed towards suit makers and jewellery stores rather than tourist attractions. Our tuk-tuk driver ‘Nong’ became irritated at our lack of interest in these shopper’s delights. It turns out that they’d be given petrol vouchers if we spent enough time inside one of these accredited stores. However, we weren’t playing along! So, by the time we reached the next Buddhist temple, he dropped us off, picked up some other passengers and we never saw him again… We felt like we’d been ripped off! When we thought about it for a moment though, it actually worked out well for us – we explored more of Bangkok than we could ever have managed on foot… for free.

After our second sleeper train, we arrived in Chiang Mai to a pristine guesthouse and ultra-friendly owner and his wife… The highlights here were scootering, night marketing and elephant riding. We scootered up the nearby mountains to an elaborate Buddhist temple and the Royal residence and gardens, but got a flat tyre on the way up! One of the guys wanted to charge us an extravagant amount to call for help, but we didn’t have enough cash on us. Just when we thought we were really stuck, a much more helpful man called the guesthouse owner for us and they arranged a replacement bike. We were on our way again in an hour.

That night, we explored row after row of market stalls selling a massive range of crafts, clothes and food. It was quite a draining process by the end of it, but we managed to return with our arms full and only AUD$35 lighter in the pocket.

The following day, we joined some local mahouts (elephant trainers) for some bareback elephant riding. We were trained in the six main commands, fed the elephants to develop rapport with them, and then began our practical training. Heather and I were then assigned to our elephant for our trail riding: a slow plodder! We took turns at being the driver (sitting on the neck behind the ears) or the passenger (sitting on the back). These incredibly powerful animals were quite tricky to get moving, and while it wasn’t so much an exhilarating experience, they certainly commanded respect. The highlight for us was washing the elephants, who relished the chance to cool down at the end of their walk.

Our next adventure was the Gibbon Experience, located in the Bokeo Nature Reserve in the rainforests of north-eastern Laos. From the Laotian border, it was a 1.5hour drive, followed by a short boat trip, 1-hour walk, half-hour off-road adventure and another 40-minute walk to reach the zip-line network. We were given our harnesses, a few instructions and some directions before launching ourselves onto these canopy lifelines. It was immensely freeing to be flying along these steel wires way above pristine forest and deep ravines. We were given a lot of latitude to test out these different routes for ourselves – unlike the highly safety-conscious Western tourist operators. We stayed two nights in different treehouses, only accessible by zip-line. They were surprisingly luxurious, with mattresses, mosquito nets, showers, sinks and squat toilets (holes)! Food was provided by the local guides, who also took us on early morning walks to search for gibbons. The mornings began in beautiful cool mist. The stillness was disturbed on our first morning walk by the highly energetic and varied gibbon calls. We followed the sound through the dense forest, and fortunately Heather managed to get a brief glimpse of a quickly retreating gibbon. Surprisingly enough, there were very few other wildlife sightings on the trip, besides a bright green snake, a bounding lorus, a wide variety of butterflies and various oversized insects. The experience itself was wonderful, and for the nine of us in our group, it’ll be memorable for its beauty, excitement and speedy trekking.

Rather than opting for either the excruciatingly long slow boat trip down the Mekong River or the prohibitively dangerous fast boat, we flew by plane to the more densely populated parts of Laos. The five days we spent in the French-influenced town of Luang Prabang were some of the most relaxed and pleasant of our trip. We stayed in beautifully designed wooden bungalows beside the river and treated ourselves to French wine, cheese, baguettes and rambutans. How luxurious… We also embarked on some adventures, including mountain-biking to the milky waters of the Tad Sae Waterfalls, kayaking down the Mekong River to Pak Ou Buddhist caves, and climbing up to the top of Phousi hill in the centre of town. We had some amazing meals and also enjoyed the night markets, which were much smaller than Chiang Mai but probably better quality on average. This was definitely a place worth spending some time in.

On the way down towards Thailand, we decided to stop at the small tourist town of Vang Vieng, on the southern end of the mountainous northern region. Set in a beautiful riverside location and fronting onto striking limestone cliffs, this a popular stopping-off point for tourists between Luang Prabang and the capital, Vientiane. A favourite past-time for tourists is floating down the river on inflatable tubes, stopping off at various riverside bars for drinks, revelry and water swings. We opted instead for a kayaking trip that also included tubing through a partially water-filled cave. It turned out to be such a great option, given that we were also able to experience the riverside bars and water swings without being swamped by the teaming tourist hordes.

Our honeymoon finished with a long trip down to Phuket Airport, broken only by a short rendezvous in Bangkok again for a Thai cooking course. Overall, it was a wonderful experience and we were impressed with how well tourists are catered for: efficient transport, delicious meals, varied accommodation, and great value for money. We particularly enjoyed the mountainous northern regions of Thailand and Laos.

Given the excitement of the wedding, honeymoon and Heather’s sister’s wedding in Canberra soon after, it’s been tough to readjust to life back in Samoa. However, now that we’ve set up the house and are settled back at work, we’re starting to get back into more usual routines. Hopefully we’ll set-up some healthy patterns as Heather, Isabel and I begin life as a little family.