We had read lots of reviews that suggested a two night boat trip wasn’t long enough. We did two nights and three days. With one full day being full enough to see and do things on our bucket lists. Vietnam … Continue reading Back on dry land (Vietnam Part 4)
I put behind me the three days of travelling like a gap student and entered into the world of luxury from Monday to Wednesday. For about a month before our journey to Vietnam the three of us couldn’t decide on … Continue reading We are sailing (Part 3 of Vietnam)
Thanks to Jill, this is an apt title. Having left my two travelling companions in Bar Street, Hanoi, I left for my hotel to collect my luggage and depart for Sapa. In the limited research I had done, I thought … Continue reading Travelling Like a Gap Year Student (Vietnam Part 2)
This maybe another film I haven’t watched, but for 7 days from 30 September I was able to say this while actually being in Vietnam! As readers know, I am not one for letting a holiday slip by without travel. … Continue reading Good Morning Vietnam
Due to downing a pint of water before bedtime, my bladder decided that at 3:30am on Friday it needed to wake me up and for me to go to the loo. That then resulted in my brain deciding to think … Continue reading Dramatic Downpours
Is one of Captain Haddock’s phrases in The Adventures of TinTin a 2011 film. As Typhoon Saola’s progress was monitored we were called into the auditorium on Thursday afternoon and told that school would be closed and that Friday’s classes … Continue reading Thundering Typhoons
Starting somewhere new is exhausting. Being inducted into an existing organisation is exhausting. Assimilating systems, processes, finding your way round the building and a new city and learning names of people in the organisation is exhausting. And doing all this while juggling home and work and remaining positive and upbeat is… yes you have guessed it … exhausting. I broke out my I’ve Got This t-shirt this week, the day before the students came back. This t-shirt from one of my ex-colleagues from my lawyering days brings me joy to wear it – as I hope it does for other … Continue reading Beginning Again
Since landing 11 days ago, Martin has had his apartment turned into home. His ladies have returned. The apartment which was spotless when we arrived rapidly deteriorated. 4 suitcases needed unpacking as did 20 or so boxes. The last box has now been unpacked… but on going to open a can of coconut milk last week I found that the tin opener had not come with everything else. Nor indeed had my baking trays, cooking racks, oven gloves, garlic press, lemon zest grater, tennis racket, badminton racket and binoculars. They are languishing in our house in boarding and so now … Continue reading Shining Shenzhen
August 2023 1st August sees many international educators post on the professional networking site of LinkedIn that they have jobs at pastures new. I was among them, changing my title from “On Sabbatical” to House Mistress, College Counsellor and Life Skills teacher at Harrow International School, Shenzhen. The changing of my LinkedIn was exciting but daunting. It realised that the 4 suitcases packed full of clothes, toothpaste, contact lens solution, deodorant and mementoes collected along the way of our 7 months was really real and that our amazing time in the UK was at an end. Only 4 Starbucks mugs … Continue reading Endings and Beginnings
Eleanor and I now have our Irish passports. So do many of our friends, some of whom who suddenly found Irishness after Brexit. I have always meant to apply for an Irish passport, but never quite got round to it, … Continue reading Veni, Vici, Visa Part 2
Crozier's China and our adventures 