Finally, the school holidays are here!! Two weeks of no school! There is now a chance for us to have a bit of a catch up, a relax and actually get out to do some sight seeing in Jakarta!!

When we first arrived here we flew in on the Thursday, went and bought uniforms and essentials on the Friday then packed everyone off to school on the Monday...and with 3 kids' school/sports/birthday parties/other social calendars, we have not really had a chance to catch our breaths since!  Phew!!! But, we made it through the 12 week long term!

Today is Sunday, and the kids are frolicking in the pool.  We are relaxing by the pool, watching the children while on our computers (wasting time I am, while MOTH does bill sorting...did I say I love you lots and lots honey!?!?!), temperature is bearable...just need a cold wine...soon. Wi-fi is grand!

Our holidays will not quite be our own, as we are "blessed/cursed" to have a very talented swimmer on our hands. (I do not know where the sporting prowess comes from, as neither MOTH or I are at all sporty!) Daughter 1 (D1) has been selected to compete in the Asian All Stars Swimming tournament in Perth in the second week of the holidays. So, it is training as normal for her poor thing through the first week. 6.30-8.30am M,T,W,Th (Good Friday - none), then back on the Monday for another session.  We fly out on the Tuesday via Bali to Perth.  We had to cancel our "Bali by the pool" holiday - damn!! We are staying at Scarborough, by the beach.  The hotel we are staying at looks lovely.  It will be so, so,so  nice to go "home" even if only for a short break.  To breathe in some fresh air, suck in some blue sky and stock up on some Australian essentials will be lovely!!

It will be divine just to enjoy the open spaces again that we take so for granted, and to go for a walk!! Jakarta is incredibly disabled "unfriendly".  Having initially arrived here on crutches due to an ankle/foot injury, I have become acutely aware of this fact!  Even for the able bodied it is perilous at times to just get around on foot. There really are very few footpaths - so you tend not to walk anywhere!  (It is also so hot!!)  If you do walk you have to take your life in your hands and walk on the side of the road! (Not a great idea - especially with three kids who are not "Jakarta-traffic-savvy"- in tow!)  Then, if there is a foot path, or "flat area", the concrete will often be all broken and uneven, or rocky and gravelly.  The whole place is built full of stairs.  Sometimes there will be lifts or escalator, but not reliably, and then they'll often be out of order...tough! Everything is tiled in marble (even around pools) , so then of course with the frequent downpours that comes with the monsoonal climate, the floor/stairs will be as slippery as glass...just lethal!

Life is good though...I might just go and open that bottle of cold wine. Oh bugger...that's right I'm here...no wine for me today!! (Had limited supplies but shared them on Friday night! Man - I am a good friend!!!)