Jerusalem - Ginosar

SUNDAY 17 June

We had to pack up to move, then take our bags downstairs. The staff took our bags down to the bus, which met us after church.

We attended an arabic service at the Anglican Cathedral.  We walked up from the convent in good time (particularly given that we thought the service started 30 minutes earlier than it actually did)

An easier day in that we spent much time on the bus.  Sitting down in air-conditioning is good!  As we went down to Jericho we were once again going through the Judean wilderness.  It is very dry and stony.  We also played once more with crossing the sea level line.  We had lunch at Jericho, and there was the inevitable gift shop. This was the first time I saw Phoenician glass, which is hand blown and has very interesting patterns on it.

We stopped again at Bet Shean when we were nearly at Ginosar. This is a first century Roman town, and much of it is still visible.  It is one of the cities refered to as the ‘Decapolis’ (Ten Towns). You can see where the Cardo is, the Roman baths, the theatre.  We only had a short time to look, as it was the hottest time of the day.  We then had a ride in a tractor train around the hills and up to the bus park, which was through some shops and in the modern town.

Arrival at Ginosar was well organized. We said goodbye to Ammin the bus driver, then settled in to our rooms.  The accommodation here is really lovely, although there's heaps of walking to get anywhere.  I'm sleeping on a trundle, and two single beds have been pushed together as a double for Mum and Dad.  It is pretty roomy, and the kitchenette has plenty of room for clothes washing.  The bathroom is pretty tight.  All are nicely finished and air conditioned.

Dinner was at a buffet.  Looks like the food will be good here. We chose to have a reasonably early night.

Masada & Qumran

SATURDAY 16 June

This was probably the hardest day for me.  There was a lot more sitting on the bus due to the distances we covered, but it was also a really hot day.  

We got on the bus and headed for Masada first. This was the fortress palace that the Jewish rebels against Rome made their last stand.  It did not end well for them, but is celebrated in Israeli folklore as a group of people who chose death as free people under God, rather than living as slaves to a foreign power.

Nedal (our guide) had joked that the cable car was broken, but it wouldn't have been very funny had it been true!  There is a snaking walking trail up the side of the mountain, but it wouldn't have been an easy climb.   It was hot.  We really only did the palace end, where there were Roman baths and storage for food.  We could look over the edge at the lower levels of the palace.  There was a bronze model that showed how the water was collected into the cisterns.  

We also went to see where the Romans had their Hebrew slaves build the ramp for the siege tower, and where the breach in the wall happened.  From the top you can see the remnants of the Roman wall around the whole hill, including watch towers and garrison camps.  It would have been scary to see them and know that they were going to get you.  Josephus might have been recording what they did at Gamla, with casting of the lots to see who had to kill himself at the end (after killing the remaining leaders, who in turn had killed their families).  But they have found ostraka with names on them (including one of the leaders of the revolt).

It was hot, did I mention that?

We then headed up to Qumran.  This is where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls, and was an ascetic community in the desert.  The was a section in air-conditioning, where there was the inevitable gift shop and a restaurant.  I'd be more prepared for the restaurant now, but it was very confusing with multiple lines and the menu at the front that didn't relate to which line you needed for the food of your choice.  It seems to be the way they can process bus loads of people coming continuously.

We had a wonder through the gifts shop, too.  Dead Sea Mud, and some books and things.

We then went into the audio-visual section, and Nedal talked to us about some of the findings in the dead sea scrolls.  It was so cold - I think I was running a temperature and it was uncomfortably cold almost to the point of teeth chattering.  Standing around was also taking its toll on me.  It was a relief to get back outside into the heat, although it took me a while to thaw out.  There are remnants of the Qumran community here, communal buildings for scribes and dining rooms, etc. they haven't found cells/bedrooms, but in this era they often slept on the roof, which haven't survived.

We came back via Jericho and Mt Temptation.  We were shown a sycamore tree in Jericho and Nedal talked about Zachaeus while we all went snap-happy, until Nedal pointed out that sycamore trees don't live for more than 400 years, so it was likely not the one Zacheaus climbed into.

The slab traditionally believed to be where they prepared Jesus' body for burial.

When we got back to Jerusalem we had a short break (on the bed with feet up) and then went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  There is a place where you can touch the stone that was like a skull.  It was limestone that was flawed and couldn't be used for building, so was left in situ.  It was also the town dump.  Although the church is very orthodoxy and over-decorated, there is an atmosphere of prayerfulness.  Or at least there is until the orthodox and catholic liturgies start to try and drown each other out! (The Catholics have an organ.  There’s no way the Orthodox are going to win.)

I didn't go into the sepulchre itself (there was a huge queue).  Greg who is familiar with the building looked like he was heading in another direction, so we went into an unadorned cave with a central preparation area and small niches off it where bodies were buried.  

I was struck by the number of young men in the orthodox community.  I would have expected declining numbers and older men.  Apparently monks are celibate, but priests are expected to have families and live in their villages.  Bishops are drawn from the monasteries, therefore are celibate.  Just so you know.

Bethlehem

FRIDAY, 15 June BETHLEHEM

The deck outside the dining room at Ecce Homo

It's even quite chilly this morning, the birds are going gangbusters all around in the early morning coolness. A little hazy today, as if yesterday was a special "welcome to Jerusalem present. It's 6 am Friday, and as our guesthouse is on the Via Dolorosa, I am listening to the strains of "Were you there when they crucified my Lord" as a group at the first station of the cross. We walked it in our orientation tour on the first day, but not in a devotional way.

We left at 7.45 for the bus at the bottom of the Lion Gate, and headed into Bethlehem. It's not that far from Jerusalem really, but through a wall and checkpoint - easy enough for us to get through, but significant for the local Palestinian population who need papers (we did need to have Passports with us, though, just in case).

The hills as we travelled were different here than on the other side of town.  There is some vegetation, it's easier to see people making a living (or animals not dying) from these.  Lots of rocks, though, and quite steep in places.

We started at the Herodion, walking up to the top was an effort, but seriously worth it.  Herod built his palace, then had earth stacked around it to form a hill. It was probably the best place we've been to yet to see a bit more of the scale of these palaces - there are a couple of stories of rocks still standing on each other.  You walk down into it and it's quite cool in the shade.  

The zealots got into this palace, too, and there is some damage due to the tactics against them.  There were a pile of cannon balls as we left (okay, round stones that were catapulted in).

We went into the tunnels.  Herod had built an aqueduct to the bottom of the hill, then slaves would bring the water up, then others put it in the cistern.  The ones who knew where the cisterns were never got out of the job.  Because they knew the secrets of the palace, there were killed when they could no longer work.  Herod "The Great" seems such a lovely sort of bloke! (There is actually a story that he took hostages from among the first families with orders that they were all to be killed on the day he died, just so he knew that SOME tears were shed on the day he died.  Apparently they didn’t do it, but I'm not certain there was an overt party either.)  The tunnels got us back closer to the bus, so we didn't have to walk all the way back up to the top of the Herodion in order to get back. That was very welcome.

After this we went into the city to meet with Norah from Kairos.  They have written a document that looks at the problems and issues that exist.  Norah is a gentle, humble and strong person. A refugee.  But she is just as worried about what is happening to the soul of Israel as she is standing against the injustice perpetrated by them.  A remarkable woman and one who I will remember her spirit, if not her face.

We had lunch there with her.

We then headed out to the shepherds fields, which now is a suburb of Bethlehem.  There is a cooperative souvenir shop there. Beautiful things from wood carving to jewelry.  I could have spent a whole heap of money there. There was an absolutely gorgeous Noah's ark there for only US $8600. It would have been too big to bring home.

St Jerome - translated the Bible into Latin

Our last stop was the church of the nativity.  Very ornate and different denominations have jurisdiction over different parts of it.  We saw the stable cave with all its trappings, but I much preferred the less ornate caves around the back.  Nedal (our guide) stopped us in Jerome's cave and talked to us for a bit.  It is unadorned, and the cave outside is the other end of the one considered the cave of the nativity. I could have spent longer here, but the time we had was nice.  It was also cool.

Day Two: The day we nearly killed our guide with the amount of sightseeing we managed...

THURSDAY, 14 June JERUSALEM

The alarm clock started at 3.30am. We are very close to the temple mount and so can clearly hear he loud speakers starting up with the daily Quran reading prior to Dawn prayers.  Lucky us.  Convents have no air-conditioning, so you don't want to close the double-glazed windows to keep out the noise. Our fan is broken.

An early start to go to the western wall tunnel.  We had breaky at 6 am, and the quality of the light was beautiful (took some photos across our view of the old city).  We have excellent views from here. It is so central to things.  Mornings and evenings are delightfully cool. 

For this trip and the following one to the temple mount we needed to make certain we were dressed modestly - no knees or shoulders showing.

It's very moving, women praying there because the archaeologists have found a gate that is closer than the Western Wall to the presumed location of the Holy of Holies, therefore it is considered as close as they can get to God.  It feels terrible to intrude on them, although very interesting archaeology.  Its amazing that the ground level has risen so much, although with the history of destruction makes it logical.

We went up to the temple mount. You are not permitted to take bibles or religious materials as they have had difficulties with Christians going up there to pray for the mosques to be destroyed.  Jews (orthodox ones anyway) are not permitted to go up there as they may inadvertently step on the place where God lives.  The mosque is built in an octagon, which was an early Christian style.  Apparently when they first built churches, rather than meeting in homes, they added up the letters of ιχθυς (fish) and it came to 888.  Hence an octagon was the shape they preferred. we had great views over the city and to the mount of olives.      As I walked around I looked for really big paving stones that looked weathered, because those are more likely to be left over from the Herodian Temple.  Who knows that I might not have stepped in the footsteps of Jesus?  He was at the temple, after all! 

We walked out past the golden gate. This is the one that the Messiah is supposed to come through. The moslems have closed it and now use it as a room so that the messiah can't come in that way.  Of course, we know that he already has come through it.

We then went to the archaeological park at the city of David. They are excavating some houses that were built into the walls of the city.  They are tiny, the distance between walls constrained by how far palm branches could hold up a mud and straw roof until it dried.  They have also found a stepped stone wall that held up a platform for a bigger house. Maybe David's palace?

They still hope to find things in the archaeological record that might point to David or Solomon. David took over the Jebusite city without conflict, so there is no destruction layer, but there isn't any indication of a change in occupation, either, or the grand structures that Solomon is supposed to have built.  Keep digging, guys!

At this location we also entered into the water source tunnels.  There is an earlier Jebusite shaft where the women would have lowered jars down into the spring. We saw where the spring gushes out, very dark and difficult to take photos.  There is also a small tunnel where they dammed up the spring, and then the water would have risen to a point where it flowed along to a more convenient location. It was narrow, with not much room for feet, but wider where shoulders were - not regular walls by any stretch of the imagination.  At various points where there were low spots in the roof, they'd attached cushioning, I thought that would be a great idea for Chris, but there was only one place where I needed to duck.  Some of us may go back to do the "wet" tunnel if we have some spare time one afternoon.

We then had a short bus trip to one of the possible sites of the pool of Shilom (Siloam).  More rubbish than water at this point, but there were stepped structures round it.

Bus back to town for lunch in the central square area.  We had a walk around and found slushies, the remnants of the old wall, and the Roman Cardo.  We gathered at the appropriate time only to visit the remnants of the old wall and the Roman Cardo.  We then headed for the burnt house, which was really interesting.  We had been told we’d have to wait for an English session, so I headed off to use the facilities.  Thankfully I told my ‘buddy’ because they headed  in while I was away and at least they knew where I was (and so did everyone else!).

The burnt house is an excavation that is now in a building, and they’ve made a multi-media display about the fall of Jerusalem.  Incredibly well done, with screens for projection and the filming done on a set resembling the layout of the house and it has reference to the few items discovered there.

The last stop was the Davidson Centre.  This leads through to the southern steps of the temple, where they have dug down to the Roman era foundations.  It was getting pretty hard to keep going at this point and quite warm - we kept looking for seats in the shade everywhere we went.

Came home for a lie down - very foot sore.

Later we headed out with Greg to a little cooperative where they sell work done by Palestinian women.  Lots of tablecloths, various liturgical dress components, bags, etc.  Some of it excellent work.  Mum really had to think hard about which she’d bring home with her.

Okay, okay - try this. First Day of our Holiday

12/13 June  HOME - JERUSALEM

The longest day of my life.  I'm not entirely certain when one finished and the next one started.  We started on the lunchtime bus to Brisbane, followed by a transfer to a bus going to the airport.  One young asian traveller hadn’t been told to change buses for Toowoomba at the Transit Centre, and was rather confused to end up back at the airport where he came from.

Ran into Ken at the airport, then met some others near the check-in.  Greg made it at the time he’d said, but most of us had checked in by then.

Planes are cramped, and sleeping with little ability to recline isn't conducive to actual sleep.  Watched half of Downton Abbey in between drinking and looking at any lights that came up as we passed over Indonesia, Singapore, India, etc. Possibly slept for 3 or 4 hours, but not much.  Of course, chasing the sun (or rather the dark) meant that it was 15 hours through the night, we arrived in the dark at Dubai, then were in Amman by about 9.30 am. 

We were met by a lovely guide, Gehan, who gave us lots of information, possibly too much for our tired minds, but we kept asking questions.  It was really hard to get photos in the bus, desert hills with no planning.  House, desert, house, new road, tents and camels, irrigation business.  Stupid digital cameras take too long to switch on and be ready. I would never try to keep a herd (what is the collective noun?) of camels on a town block not much bigger than ours.

We descended into the Jordan valley.  The country changed a lot, more irrigation for one thing. You can see the hills of Israel in the distance, and our first glimpse of the Dead Sea as we came across. It was very blue and doesn't really look dead at all.  There is a constant haze in the distance, whether pollution or simply dust, or a combination of the two.

Crossing the border from Jordan into Israel took some doing.  I'm not certain which of the checkpoints were Jordanian to get out, which were Israeli and which we're Palestinian authority, but there were lots of them, most with guard houses, razor wire and concrete defensive structures. We came over King Hussein bridge. No water, tiny stream. Not much work in crossing it today, I think the Bible is making a big fuss about nothing - I'd be more worried about snakes in the long grass than the depth of the water.  And I definitely wouldn't be trying to dig around for 12 stones to build a cairn to celebrate the event.  Then again, if God's telling your illustrious leader to do something, it probably makes sense to just do it.

One of the crossing places we got VIP treatment, waiting in comfortable seats in airconditioning, with continual offers of drinks while they scanned our luggage and did something with our passports.

The Ecce Homo Convent is interesting, with many stages of building within it. This means lots of stairs. It's also within the old city, which means a tractor comes to take your luggage, and you walk up and through the Lion Gate to get here.  Most of this part of the city is made up of buildings that have been pulled down and then re-erected many times. Arches that were once impressive become much smaller as the ground level rises within them as each occupation layer is built upon the last.

By this time I'd lost my ankles entirely.  A short lie down with legs on Mum’s port on a table at the end of my bed, then a shower before going our for an orientation walking tour.  The architecture is amazing. A very old city that has been destroyed and resurrected many times, some stone re-used so that you get a price of decorated pediment in the middle of a wall.  Other places an arched opening is "bricked in".  Some stones are so old that you can hardly see the decoration any more.

Dinner started with a cool cucumber soup, which sounds a bit weird, but was really refreshing. Then salad and stewed "granny" meat, with a very light chocolate cake for desert.

Early to bed was essential.  Dinner at seven was about 2 am our time with only a few hours sleep the night before.

**For some reason, blogger won't let me upload photos from my computer.  I haven't tried since this new layout existed.  I have no idea how to get my photos on any of the media that it will permit me to upload to.  So the chance that I'll be sharing scores of photos on my blog?   ....Hmmm.

****Got the photos to work!  So there you go!

It might get interesting here soon.

Situation: End of semester
Sleeps left: 10
Assessment to draft: 4
Assessment drafted: 1
Words to write: approx. 8200

But:
Situation: Overseas Holiday
Sleeps left: 20

But:
What amount of relaxation am I feeling right now?
≈ 0

So I now have a current resume...

Which is a good thing. And thanks to Emily Sue who has given me tips to make it beautiful as well as being to the point.

I've even applied for my first job, which is an even better thing.

I've had my first 24 hour spac-attack about not having set plans for 2012, which is not really a good thing at all, but I'm over it now. (Sort of. For this five minutes at any rate.)

And, as you would expect things have changed for our holiday. Mum and I got our information back for what we're doing on Crete, Dad saw it and decided that he really didn't need to get straight back to his business after all. We were going to have too much fun without him!

So now he's going to come with us to Crete, then he'll get an earlier plane, while we have a final wander around Heraklion, then head to Athens for our Paul Tour later in the day.

Now, if only I knew what's going to be happening with the beginning part of the year. But how much of an idea do I have?

Exciting Things...

There are a few.

And I haven't been blogging, time has been the factor.

So, a few things that are happening around here:-

1a. Our church can't afford a part-time pastor for next year.

1b. And we as a church really want to look at getting a pastor's job description that really fits the direction that we think God wants us to head for the future.

1c. And I've been feeling that I really need more opportunity to study.

1d. So I don't have a job for next year.

Interesting Times, hey?

2. I need to find a job, so I've been working on my resume (thanks to Emily Sue who is good at that stuff), and looking for jobs to apply for. There are a couple of options coming up. It's hard to know which way to go, but I figure if I apply for everything possible, I might get something.

3. This leaves study in an odd position. I've enrolled in one subject per semester, but am hoping that with a part-time job I may be able to do 2 or even 3 subjects a semester (still distance ed.), depending on the number of hours required.

And the best and most exciting thing is:-

4. In June/July 2012 I will be doing my absolute dream overseas trip that I never really thought I would be able to do. My Beloved is not really interested, can't get time off work, and we can't afford it anyway, but I've convinced my Mum that it would be great, and Dad thought it sounded great too so they will be coming (Dad only for part of it before leaving Mum and I to get lost all by ourselves).

Oh, you want to know where to?

Well then, I'll humour you!

Starting with 5 days in Jerusalem and surrounds, going to some of the usual sites of interest to Christians and tourists; Temple Mount, Western Wall & tunnel, Jewish Quarter, Temple ruins, pools of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa and Holy Sepulchre, Qumran, Masada, Bethlehem, and the Herodium.

Then 14 days at an archeological dig at Bethsaida on the sea of Galilee. Digging in the mornings, recovering in the afternoons before pottery reading late pm and lectures in the evenings. The weekend is free, and I understand that the various lecturers on tour pick an interesting location to go to visit.

Then 5 nights in Southern Israel and Jordan, going to Petra, the Dead Sea, Negev desert, Mt Nebo.

Then Dad comes home and Mum and I board a plane to Athens. Or rather, we board a flight to Athens, then Dad goes home. I've always loved ancient Greek history, architecture, art etc, particularly Bronze Age. So whilst the tour we're doing is Pauline sites, there are a few days to spare between tours and so we get off the plane from Athens, and get straight onto a plane for Heraklion.

What? You don't know where that is? Crete. Minoan civilisation and beautiful artwork. I was initially depressed that the Aegean Cruise that we get to go on as part of the tour doesn't go to Crete (it used to), but we now get three days there between tours and that will be SO much better than a half-day wander about.

So we will see Knossos (Palace that was reputed to be home of the Minotaur and one of two places that I have ALWAYS wanted to go since I studied Bronze Age Greece - despite bad, bad, bad early archeology) Phaestos, Gortys, and spend time in the Heraklion Archaeological Museum which has some of the best examples of Minoan art and objects.

Then we go back to Athens to start a tour that is "In the footsteps of the Apostle Paul" And does Athens, Philippi, Thessalonika, Meteora, Veria, Corinth, Mykonos, Ephesus, Kusadasi, Patmos, Santorini (3 day cruise around the Aegean).

Then we have booked a day trip to Mycenae (yes, I have inconsistent Greek K/ Latin C use) so that I can see the Lion Gate, which is the other of the two places in Greece that I've always wanted to see.

We fly out in the afternoon of the next day, so that leaves us a morning to walk around Athens (rioting crowds permitting).

So how excited am I?

... approximately LOTS AND LOTS!!!!

King Kong?

While I was away - had a great time, thanks for asking - Emily Sue needed to get some cat-related stuff and while we were in the pet shop I bought a Kong toy for the Little Black Dog. The vet had suggested it as it keeps a dog's brain active and isn't too hard on their back legs if they just nuzzle and chew it, trying to get the treats out of the inside.

So I bought one.

Filled it with doggie treats and put it down for the LBD. Moved it with my toe to make it interesting.

So now the game goes like this: I move the Kong around with my foot. Every so often food falls out. The LBD eats it. Then looks at me for more. I move the Kong around with my foot...

The chance that this is how it is supposed to work?

Goin' ta Melbin

I'm on holidays next week.

And I'm going away - on a plane.

I have 6 nights at a wonderful resort in Melbourne where I've been promised a bed with two four-footed masseuses (and the male is a hunk - I've seen photos); trips to try the local cuisine; an A-list party at an exclusive venue; and a trip to a luxurious day spa where I can sleep on a comfy couch whilst reading great literature.

So I'll be seein' ya.

But the chance I'm enjoying watching the news at the moment? I'll have to book a seat where I can make certain those engines are still operating effectively.

Jen is Burstin' Out All Over

Trying madly to remember where the song I've adapted comes from. I'm guessing "Carosel".

So, I might have not met my exercise goals and best eating patterns in the crazy time leading up to Easter.

And I might have pretty much indulged in the "Food Tour of Malaysia" while overseas.

But although I refusing to get on the scales for three weeks after my return, there are some indicators that I'd better get cracking on the exercise programme.

So here is my little secret.

I have had three sets of clothes fail in the belly department.

Yep. Three (and that doesn't count for the 3/4 pants that split in the sideseam in the vicinity of my thighs).

1. A pair of new 3/4 pants where the stitching beside the fly began to let go and I had to sew it up. I tell you, those pants would have gone back to the shop (it was about the 2nd time I wore them) if it hadn't been in Toowoomba and I needed them to wear on holidays. I was cranky, because it was obviously woeful manufacture and not that I am getting a bit porky.

2. I busted the zip on my board shorts when I went swimming with elephants in the Genting Highlands. I blame the fact that when the elephant rolled over and I hit the water I must have contorted somehow in a strange way and that was the reason the zip broke - Definitely not that I am getting a little porky!

3. When I got home I was wearing an old favourite pair of suede-finished pants and the stitching beside the zip let go. Of course, they are getting on a bit, so it is probably not that I'm getting a bit porky.

Chance that I've not gained a few centimeters?

... I neither confirm or deny! (Basically because I haven't measured and don't want to know!)

Y'd think...

One thing that perplexed me all the way around Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore was the search for a cold drink.

We first learnt that one should ask for 'mineral water', which means bottled drinking water, not the carbonated (and often flavoured) variety we get here. Okay, I can do that.

We learnt to ask for a "Sprite", not lemonade, because no-one seemed to know what that was.

My parents found you couldn't get "Diet Coke", but if you ask for "Coke Lite" you might do better.

But what were the chances that whatever liquid you get would be cold?

... Yep.

Sometimes you'd get your room temperature softdrink with a glass of ice, but water was usually just plain room temperature. To the point it was a surprise when the bottle of liquid arrived with tiny beads of condensation. Ahhhhh!

It was hot. It was steamy. You'd think that cold drinks would be just that, but the chance?

... Approximately Not Much At All

Don't you hate it when your Mother is right?

I work in a church.

I've been doing that for 12 months now.

As a result I had some annual leave ready to be taken, so I took three weeks off, 15 days of which were spent overseas.

I needed the rest of those days because the house is a mess and I needed to see if there was still a desk in my office under about 3 months worth of study books, commentaries, miscellaneous paperwork and puppet prop creation paraphernalia.

There is. I can see parts of it now.

The extra days are also useful for the de-jet-lag-ation. I didn't think there would be anything much when you've come back from the equivalent of Western Australia (Malaysia and Singapore are only 2 hours behind). Maybe its just the whole deciding to watch movies on the plane thing, or maybe I just acclimatised really well to the sleeping in an extra two hours every day thing while we were away.

My mother has commented since I've been working in the church that you just can't take holidays at home when you work in the church, because people know you're there. You have to go away.

However, in my innocence I thought that I would be able to quietly slip home and get a whole lot of stuff done before anyone had realised that I was actually back in town.

But...

My partner in crime in the church knew we were getting back early this week, and she's been telling everyone that we'd be back, and organising meetings for this week. Grrrr.

I went to one of the meetings, and organised name tags for another thing, but was a bit cranky about it.

The chance that I'm going to do anything else until next week?

... APPROXIMATELY NONE!!!

So where's my buffet breakfast?

Glad to be home and to have been in my own bed last night. Slept for 10 hours before needing to get up, and then I had the luxury of dozing for a few more hours.

But I was very confused to finally get up and shower and head into the dining room to have breakfast and find that there was no-one to make my roti cani, cook me pancakes or do my eggs just the way I like them.

Similarly, there was no choice of fruit sliced and ready; nor cooked noodles and beef curry; no hash browns or bacon or baked beans; no juice, or choice of cereals.

What sort of hotel is this?

Sadly, there is no-one to vacuum or clean the bathroom or make the bed. No porter to carry my groceries into the house. No laundry just around the corner who will bring me back clean and dry clothes (and even iron them if need be!).

The chance that I could afford to pay all these people?

... sadly, approximately none! *big sigh*

Coming Home

Well, the difference between Brisbane and Singapore airports is that the internet kiosks here are FREE! (okay, there are a few other significant differences too, but I only have 11 minutes left...


Great time away and I will blog more detail later. Used my blogging time to keep a journal, so I can recreate moments for myself, my family, and any interested bloggy buddies.

Didn't spend too much money, but really enjoyed what I spent.

So think of me tonight, winging my way homeward, which is a whole lot better than if I either:
a) lived in Europe
b) was travelling in Europe

We have met quite a few refugees from the UK wandering around Singapore, making the most of their extended holidays. However, I'm very glad that the number of whole days left before I'm back in my own bed are...

Approximately None. (Enjoying holiday, but will be glad to slow down a tad)

The $2 Post

Well, I haven't had time to post because I've had heaps of Easter Services to organise, and we're heading on our family jaunt at 00.50 tomorrow morning.

However, we're now sitting at gate 79 and there is an internet kiosk just next door, so I borrowed $2 in change from my perfect sister-in-law and am madly typing for the 20 minutes that I can spend here before the clock runs out.

It is amazing how a busy life can suddenly clear up when you're work is finished (with the second service this morning), you've packed, and you're in the car, so you can't finish all the heaps of housework that has been building up for a month or so while I've been crazy-busy because I am not at home to do it!

Our new minister has arrived in town, and by the time I get back, he'll be in full swing (great timing, hey?) - which means I can get back to closer to quarter time and maybe vacuum from time to time.

I'm hoping we've remembered everything, because it's terribly distracting to be finishing puppet costumes for the Easter puppet play (which went down really well) and making certain that the huge whoppin' cross fits in my Beloved's trailer for transport to the little town just down the road.

The dramatic entrance worked. The singing worked. The streamers were duly waved by all but the most staid of our congregants. We welcomed the visitors and talked with them. I got home, finished packing, ate the last of the eggs in the fridge for lunch, packed up the LBD to go to my Nan's for his holiday, put our ports in Mum and Dad's car and headed down here. We met up with Giggles, and her parents and now have a couple of hours to kill. It's so strange to have hours to kill. All I forgot was to take the last of the milk to Nan. It will possibly be off by the time we get back.

And how much time do I have left at this computer?

... approximately none!

We didn't do too badly, really

Passport photos are notorious, aren't they?

My last passport I made the mistake of getting the photo taken while wearing a cream blouse, which resulted in beige background, cream blouse, washed-out pale skin with dark hair, eyebrows and irises the only relieving features. I should have worn brighter lippy. At least back

then you were permitted to smile.

We really haven't done too badly this time, though. Both appear to have colour in our faces and whilst I made certain I wore a coloured shirt this time it doesn't seem to matter so much these days, because you can hardly see any of it.

My Beloved looks like he's up to mischief, though. The chance they'll let him into a foreign country?

... Let's hope they do! Because how much would I like to go without him?

... Approximately None!

Dear Big Brother,

Very exciting things are planned for this year, one of which is that my Mum and Dad are taking my brother and I, our respective spice (spouses?), and my niece to Asia for a week's holiday. My sister-in-law is originally from Malaysia, so they're sticking around to catch up with her family and friends and we're going to add an extra week to our trip. I'm looking forward to it immensely.

One of the essential jobs to do was to put in our passport applications. Mine had been in my maiden name and expired years ago, and my Beloved has never had one, so I've been collecting his birth certificate, a registered marriage certificate and the photos we needed, got all the paperwork filled out and found a guarantor. Then we waited til my Beloved was on holidays and went last Monday to have our interview and lodge them. Exciting.

They say to expect it to take 7 weeks. That's fine, we've plenty of time.

You can imagine my surprise to receive an email last Thursday (i.e. three days later) to say that my Beloved's passport had been processed and was being sent via registered mail. I didn't think that Snail Mail could have got the application forms to Canberra in that amount of time! And Monday the postie rang the doorbell to get my signature to recieve one passport. It took a week. Howzat!?!*

So, my Beloved is definitely going on the family holiday.

Now, I was expecting to wait seven weeks to get our passports. I was happy to wait seven weeks to get out passports. The only problem now is that my Beloved has his that was lodged at the same place, on the same date, at the same time as mine.

The photos were taken at the same place by the same bloke, so surely if the Aussie government accepts his pic, mine should be fine too. (although I won't be able to explain to them the flat straight hair phenomenon whereby they don't need to take off very much hair to get to where my skull actually is - the photo is not too small).

I would have thought mine would be easier given the fact I've previously held a passport.

I'm just hoping that the chance that they've found my post about having an assassination list when I was at college is...

Approximately None!

I swear I didn't mean it. I wouldn't ever really do that!

*For my US readers 'Howzat!' is a jubilant exclamation and appeal to the umpire in cricket when you think you've just got a member of the opposing team out. In this case I'm jubilantly appealing to you, my readers, to compliment my government on extraordinarily efficient processing.

Happy New Year!

Mum, Dad, my Beloved and I have just had a few days away at Maleny on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. This was after Christmas and the big family gathering on Saturday. Sunday we headed off in our car to catch up with a friend of mine who is by now back in her Yorkshire winter then to meet Mum & Dad at our motel.

Had a great time. Tried to be reasonably good. Rowed on Sunday morning before we went, walked miles on Monday, ate my head off on Tuesday and haven't stopped yet. My will power seems to have evaporated with the final days of 2008. Or it might have been the gelati/yoghurt/cheese & icecream that they make in the area. Or the all-you-can-eat buffet on Tuesday night.

I might need a wake-up call on Saturday morning to re-establish my momentum. I was doing so well through Christmas, but now I'm eating everything in sight and REALLY cranky at those who left behind food after our Saturday family get-together (you KNOW who you are!) because if they hadn't done that my "I feel like nibbling on something, but there's nothing in the house" plan would be working.

But we caught up with my brother and his family and her family. Spent heaps of time looking through craft shops and art galleries and bushwalking and looking at views.

Wishing everyone all the best for this brand new year.

Chance that I haven't put on weight in the last four days?

... Approximately None.

Jet Lag?

Hi Honey, I'm home!

So I'm back from my little bloggy holiday and I'm suffering from a close ally of jet lag. I mean, it can't be jet lag, because I haven't been anywhere near a plane, but I'm seriously suffering from the change in time zone.

OK, so my regular readers would recall that my time was spent at Grandad's house and I can walk it in 25 mins, but that doesn't mean there's no time zone change.

We had a great time. I had time to sit and listen to his war stories, and the early part of his work as a Methodist Minister; we giggled at huge numbers of episodes of "Dad's Army" (set during the same war); and I found a stash of Nan's kid's books, delightful, sweet stories set in the '30s and '40s and many published in accordance with 'War Production Economy Standards'.

I'm having some difficulty re-adjusting to this time zone.

Chances that I can just stay in '40s rural England?

...Approximately None.