We started of 2024 with Storm Henk dumping more than 150% of the usual rainfall and lashing the British isles with gale force winds. Winter was bleak and cold. Not the best start to the year having many unwritten essays AND the dissertation waiting to be written. Worse still, the landlord also dropped the bomb on us by informing us that we had to look for a new home by summer. Though he did promise he wouldn't evict us before my graduation, it was still a hard pill to swallow. Life had to go on and birthdays have to be celebrated because the kids will be sad if you don't. Those who are parents and/or with my birthdate will know. We devoured Colin the Caterpillar and drank bubbly pretend champagne! ​

Note: Because this post is really just highlighting the year's events, I won't go into the details because there are dedicated blog and social media posts about all our travels this year. They are free to access!

Januarys always feel a little sad for me because, December. You have all the wonderful gatherings, decorations, holiday seasons and celebrations in December and then it's back to the grind very abruptly. And this explains why I didn't sound excited describing my own birthday. I've never associated my birthday as something celebratory because it always falls on the first couple of days of the new school year. Though we follow a very different routine now, it is still hard to shake those feelings accumulated over 16 years as a student and 5 years as a school teacher.  

But part of us moving to the UK was about healing and exercising our freedom to choose how we should live. Therefore we chose to make homeschooling flexible, rigorous and interest driven at the same time. Despite all the challenges, it was a good year for homeschooling. 

We've got two very motivated students who have chosen a skill on their own accord and practice so that they could excel. We've also got two students who breezed their UK SATs that we just decided to administer on a random day. I feel that we are definitely on the right track in terms of ensuring our kids do not go through the same educational traumas we encountered. These traumas shape you as a person and it is very hard to undo them. 

So while Debra very valiantly held the fort for homeschooling and cooking, I was imprisoned to my chair and laptop for most of January till May. Most of the 19,000 words required that semester was penned in the bleak mid-winter. Gwyn became so accustomed to seeing me type on Microsoft word that she would sternly question me about the word count that barely moved. 

My chair imprisonment was only punctuated by a terrible flu and a surprise visit from the kid's favourite aunt. 

It was a really nice time together and we thought she'll probably visit again in a couple of years for another holiday. There were lots of tears while we travelled home from Heathrow that evening. 

All the travelling around gave us the momentum of seeing more places in February. In between trying to work on the major research paper, I fell into an absolute rabbit hole of wanting to see Scotland. We did try and visit Shakespeare's hometown to make up for it. That just made us want to see what the land of unicorns, whiskey, bagpipes and deep history had to offer. 

Still can't believe we drove a total of 12-13 hours for the return trip. It was a good couple of days in Edinburgh we are so glad we said yes to the adventure. 

Spring was a little disappointing because yeah the chair imprisonment! It was getting all consuming and anxiety inducing because the dateline was drawing close. Despite cracking my head over the ethics approvals and data analysis, we found time to walk off our anxieties along the seaside town of Skegness. We also managed to pop by an amazing brand new cafe in our community, watch the squirrels, enjoy the blooms, bring the kids for their first live concert.

I think it is worth highlighting that when went for the unveiling of the late Queen Elizabeth II's new statue, the kids told the reporters there were okay to be interviewed (and made it on the actual BBC News) with their friends. I don't know how they turned out so audacious and confident. I don't think Debra and I are good examples haha! 

At this point, the birth pangs of the dissertation baby was getting unbelievably unbearable. But I'm happy to announce that the dissertation baby was born successfully and I was released from my chair. Just in time, t-shirt weather and sunshine was upon us! So we made use of all the long sunshine hours and saw Cambridge as well as Hafren forest. It felt so freeing to be behind the steering wheel and not the laptop, on the camera trigger and not the word counter. 

We also got to yell the whole building down because Man United beat Man City to win the FA cup in the finals. To be honest, I completely lost faith by half time. The kids made the trophy that morning in faith and I was absolutely ashamed for feeling a fair bit of doubt. 

With summer in full swing and a window of good dry weather in sight, we were once again beset with the question "to go or not to go". I sprung the question on the family at an emergency meeting around our bed and the council voted 3-1 to do CORNWALL! We packed our luggage that afternoon and headed down for the ridiculously picturesque south west coast. 

This year we have been very fortunate to be visited by my entire family. They flew into the UK for more than 2 weeks to be with us and visit the place. We are also really fortunate to be given the right to vote in UK's General Election this year. These are things we don't take for granted at all. And to top it off our children have decided they would like to make their commitments to following Jesus. 

It was great showing the family the land we call home now. We traversed beautiful parks, museums and enjoyed meals and rode steam trains. It almost felt like the two weeks happened in a flash!

At no point of pursing this I dared expect to be conferred a Master's degree with distinction. Not even in my wildest dreams I would conceive the idea of topping my course. The majority of my Singaporean education has taught me that I'm never good enough. So I did doubt myself. Moreover, it was hard going back to school more than 10 years after undergraduate/post-grad teacher training. These are positive memories will help me say no to negativity for the years ahead.

With this chapter closed, we focused on enjoying the rest of summer and then addressing the elephant in the room. But first we decided to take the kids to the cinema for the first time in their lives. Yes tell me these kids grew up during Covid without telling me so. We throughly enjoyed The Minions but it made them talk gibberish for the next few days about bottoms. haha!

The rest of our summer was dominated by going for property viewings and hosting viewings for our landlord. We were anxious to move while there's sunshine and long daylight hours. This was punctuated by our little trips to Sheffield for the Monopoly Trail, the Black Country Museum as well as the seaside town of Skegness. 

When you know that the Earth is going to do its tilt in a couple months time and you won't get this much sunshine, we were naturally very motivated to make the best of summer. Our second Balloon Festival (even better than last year!), numerous meet ups with friends to enjoy the countryside, more Welsh mountains and the Royal Mint where we realised what could make our boy smile the widest....GOLD! 

As summer drew to a close, that also meant that it was Birthday season! Yummy cakes, family time and presents. Love their big smiles whenever there's cake ❤️

What made the kids smile even more was that their favourite aunt was going to be in the UK from Autumn semester for her studies!

But it was also around the beginning of Autumn that we received the 2 month notice to vacate our home. A lot of end September and October was a complete blur. We searched every major town in the county for a home because we didn't want to give up the community we've grown with for the past two years. I still call it our miracle because it is! One day, Debra suddenly received a call from a friend who just landed in Spain for her holiday, we were a little confused as to why she would call us while on a nice holiday! By the end of the call, our search for a home was ended. We were offered a property in the very village most of our community and friends live. 

So while the leaves were falling and storm season began again, we were now suddenly thrusted into a new direction. We had two months to pack all our belongings, plan and purchase all the furniture/appliances we needed for a partly furnished house and move in November. Before that we had to sell our beloved car and get a bigger car to do the moving ourselves and also accommodate anyone who visited us. 

​It was a month of madness.

I don't know how but we even managed to squeeze in an entire day at Legoland Windsor to surprise the kids. They really enjoyed the spooky theme for Halloween! As if we didn't have enough excitement in our lives, we took Gwyn on her first legit roller coaster ride and I was genuinely scared as an adult. ​

We were rewarded with one of the most beautiful displays of the Aurora Borealis right from our study's window. It's like the skies threw us a farewell lights show before the endless packing went on. Eventually, we did get there after 4 full car loads and many trips up and down the stairs of our old apartment. My watch recorded me climbing 61 floors on one of the days. 

We made it!!! After an entire week of unpacking, building numerous Ikea furniture, slogging it out in the garden, extracting carpets, my laptop no longer recognised my fingerprint. And we were absolutely shattered. Just in time, the kids got to enjoy this winter's first snow! (Yes, Gwyn scored a headshot 😂)

We visited Christmas markets, put up the Christmas tree and did our best to settle into the new home, surroundings and our new routines. We've been truly blessed considering how precarious it was just 2.5 months ago.

We were so excited to enjoy all the Christmas festivities in the village church and actually did manage to attend a few. We managed the yearly Christingle service, Carols by Candlelight, Kids Christmas party and trail with all the good people and friends! In the midst of all these, we were also acutely aware that my dad would be so happy to be part of this. 

We squeezed in a trip to Cambridge and before we knew it, it was Christmas Day! 
Opening presents was the first order of business before the best lunch of pigs in blanket and mouth-watering goose fat roast potatoes. As per our family tradition, we watched the King's Christmas speech (it was the Queen for many years). 

Sadly by late Christmas afternoon, Debra and I were completely down with high fever. Things ground to a halt. Over the next few days, the kids too developed high fever. A trip to the supermarket medicine aisle confirms that there's a massive spread of this horrible flu. 

We are all on the mend now and hope we can enjoy the last day of 2024 before we welcome 2025. This is how our year went. Huge challenges, more than sufficient grace. Time and time again, we have been reminded that miracles do happen! From all of us at Hiro & Jack, we pray that you'll experience that too and have a very joyful 2025! 

Summer 2024 has been a great time of celebration and connection. It was a time we will look back at fondly and cherish for a long time.

Here is how this splendid summer went from start to finish in chronological order...

Starting off with a bang

Summer started off rather strangely with frost on the grass in June. Throw in the sudden abundance of freedom from piles of paper, books and intense brain work, it made us very restless waiting for something summery to turn up. We took the plunge and decided for ourselves SUMMER IS NOW! That meant we took 636 mile (1023km) round trip to Cornwall (the very south western tip of the UK). I won't go into the nitty gritty details because I've written a post for that trip here: www.hirojack.com/blog/am-i-too-old-for-this#/
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We visited Tintagel Castle, St Michael's Mount and stuffed ourselves with the most delicious Cornish pasties. These are arguably the Crown Jewels of a very stunning part of the UK. We celebrated the blue skies, emerald waters and a well deserved break!

Everything in between

We are no longer travelling full time and I think we quite enjoy this freedom to roam and yet be rooted at the same time. We have found ourselves a great community and summer meant more gatherings and being outside.

It was nice connecting with people again! I think all four of us would agree it was nice having me back from being holed up in the study for months getting the dissertation finished. 

​Between travelling and meeting people, school continued and dad's taxi schedule was really packed. Gwyn's scheduled was packed with dance practices for her exams and major performance. Despite it being her first taste of formal testing (by an examiner that isn't her parents), she did really well. 

In the midst of all this chaos Gwyn also asked for a guitar and wanted to learn it after seeing me play and sing for the Sunday school kids. Makes me strangely proud she picked up the guitar. Don't particularly fancy the colour though 🤣

June flashed by really really quickly and it felt like we didn't do much for the month. Not sure if we expected July to turn out the way it did....

Jam-packed and Jubilant July

The first week of July started off with the UK general elections, Gwyn performing at 3 shows and preparing my family's visit. I think it caught us slightly off guard. We didn't expect ourselves to be that tired. 

But before we knew it, we were up and down the motorway travelling to London to meet my family whom we've not met for almost two years. In the midst of all that commuting chaos, Gwyneth asked me if she could get the soft toy in a claw machine at mall near an underground station. I was a little shocked because she never asks for toys like that. I'm so glad I said yes. (I shocked myself by saying yes too). We celebrated the first time we've ever caught anything with a claw machine. That toy is now hugged and loved every night in bed. 

Just cannot emphasise how important it is to sometimes say yes in the midst of a busy schedule and exhausting day. It might just be the makings of a very precious memory. 

For the next two weeks, the family had a great time seeing the UK, catching up and enjoying meals together. We've not seen our little nephews and niece for a long time. It was such a precious time holding their hands chatting with them and showing them the land we now call home. 

The highlight of it all was being able to celebrate Matt and Gwyn's Baptism and my graduation with the family. It was a joy and privilege to be all together to celebrate life's big moments. 

It's shocking how quickly all this went by. We were back in London saying our goodbyes and we'll meet agains. 

It was however not that shocking that England lost at the European cup finals....again. Can't say that's a highlight of our summer but Matt and I made many memories of yelling at the TV in anguish and joy 😅

We had some down time to ourselves before we resumed our adventures in the final week of July. 
The kids finally had their first taste of the Cinema. I can't believe we took 10 years to take Matt to the cinema. ​We watched Despicable Me 4 and Gwyn even dressed up as a minion! We had the whole theatre to ourselves and it was really awesome! 

After a brief lull period, we visited The Black Country Museum (in West Midlands near Birmingham). This amazing museum is a living museum with "actors" telling stories in period costumes. You get to time-travel and experience school lessons of the past, go in a mine, ride an old Routemaster double deck bus to the next part of the museum and enter realistic period-accurate buildings that tell a story. 

There was even an operating chip shop that cooked the fish and chips in beef dripping. Oh my goodness, it tasted divine! This museum is an absolute treat for all your senses. You get to see real buildings and touch artefacts from the past. You'll get to hear stories and listen to music as well as the old black country dialect. You'll ride the old buses, experience the dark cold mines and school lessons of the past. I definitely loved that integral to the whole museum experience were an operating pub and a real chip shop. How often do you get to taste old school fish and chips as well as beer in a Museum?!

July ended off with a trip to Leeds for the Monopoly takeover and the seaside at Blackpool. I must add that at this point we are quite done with the heat of summer wishing cooler days would return. It was absolutely boiling in Leeds when we were out looking for clues, finding "properties" around the Leeds city centre. 

With quite a few hours of daylight to spare, we decided we had enough of the heat and headed for Blackpool to cool off for the evening. There's just something magical about walking along a boardwalk/pier into the open sea while enjoying the breeze and sunset. 

Astonishing august

I think we are astonished ourselves after an amazing June and July that August would be just as good. We started August with a trip to our favourite place in the world. Those who have been with us throughout our journey here would know that Cregennan Lakes in Gwynedd, Wales is especially special to us. We laid out our picnic mat and camping chairs, soaked in the stunning landscape and  celebrated our 12th marriage anniversary! 

Our first Bristol Balloon festival last summer turned out to be the wettest and muddiest we've ever experienced. This year we were really really fortunate to have blue skies, sunshine and a cool breeze. It was a relaxing day sitting in a large estate, soaking in the sights and just enjoying each other's presence. Maybe next year's winds will be perfect and we'll finally get to see the balloons take off! 

 Feeling the warmth of the flames in the cool evening breeze and watching the night sky glow in sync with the music is just phenomenal. But of course, there's always something about the weather to complain about...

We had some really hot days lined up after the festival and on the hottest day of the year we escaped to South Wales where it was a whole 10 celcius cooler. We visited the Royal Mint and went for the factory tour to see how coins are made. Apart from the tour, we also got a history lesson of coin making and the mint at the exhibition. We even managed to strike our own coin celebrating the Olympics and sporting the new king's face! I was most amused to see the widest smile on Matt's face when he got to touch and lift a real 999.9 gold bar weighing 400 troy ounce (12.4kg).  

The rest of the year's hottest day was spent up the Bwlch Mountain. What's a trip to Wales without visiting a mountain? Never happens with us! haha! I pushed the little car's tiny engine hard round the hairpins and inclines before we were rewarded with these amazing views + a photo-bombing sheep.

It wouldn't be the last time we'd be out in the country side....because the last bits of summer was spent having picnics with friends and enjoying walks together. 

It was also spent on property websites looking for our new home this summer because our landlord is selling. We encountered terrible property agencies and discriminatory landlords. Discriminating against families with children isn't as bad as the outright racism we faced in Singapore where landlords would say "No certain race" or "Race X only" but it's something fairly uncomfortable to experience. 
​

The search for a property goes on...not the most ideal way to end an amazing summer. Regardless, I think we've scored a hat trick of amazing summers...

​1. It all started with our 7 month long Grand Tour in South East Asia
https://www.hirojack.com/blog/category/the-grand-tour-2022/3#/

​2. Our stupendous 2023 British summer 
https://www.hirojack.com/blog/a-stupendous-summer#/
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3. And now in 2024 a very very splendid summer!

​It is going to be a very changeable autumn with all the house moving, making career choices, restarting of the business.  We really don't know what lies ahead but we are surely hoping that this awesome streak will never end. We are also focusing on the little ones' birthdays this week!

How did your summer go? What do you love and hate most about summers? Would you enjoy a summer like ours?

If you are wondering why we have gone quiet on social media and why this blog hasn't moved for 4 months since our Scotland post (https://www.hirojack.com/blog/spectacular-scotland-stole-our-hearts#/), this post is for you. And for those who are looking to find out where this sunny stunning place is, this post is also for you! 

CHANGE

Change is the act or process through which something becomes different. Change is undeniably uncomfortable. In the past year, there were many moments I asked myself: "Am I too old for this?". It was the same question I asked myself when Debra suggested I furthered my studies. After all, I've been out of school for a whole decade. The last time I dealt with citations, academic journals and writing an extensive research, I was terribly miserable. Moreover, we've just spent 7 months travelling through South-East Asia on our Grand Tour at that point (www.hirojack.com/blog/category/the-grand-tour-2022) and life will be so different settling down again across the world.

We coped very well in the first part of my journey but the past 4 months were really difficult months. I spent most of it imprisoned to my chair in the study reading through countless research, tabulating numbers and trying to churn out a Masters dissertation while doing my best to be present for my family. Gwyneth would come and sit on my lap and ask why my word count hasn't moved much. Matt would lament about the severe lack of FC24 games between us. The whole family wanted their daddy and husband back. At times this change felt too difficult. 
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Out of the discomfort of change, I'm happy to report that we are all alive and well. The dissertation is complete and the process has made me immensely grateful for my family. I'm also very thankful for all those who prayed for me and check in on how we are doing. In Gwyneth's words, it's an extinction! (Go figure the grade! Clue: it rhymes).

I'm so glad we chose change. Our lives are so different now compared to early 2022. Change has opened our eyes to new perspectives and helped us make better choices. Change has taught us new skills, grew our confidence, healed our wounds and soothed our grief. We now speak a little different, eat different and hang out with a different bunch. But we cannot imagine life without these differences. Oh yes, I think I've answered my own question. No I'm not too old for this. 

​Now we are confronted with more changes. How should we order our lives from this point? What sort of work should I dedicate my time to? Should we restart Hiro & Jack Co. here in the UK? We don't have ready answers but we've learnt that embracing change is a good thing. 

It wasn't all work in the 4 months of silence, we did find time to visit Hafren Forest in Mid-Wales, Skegness on the East Coast of England and tried absorbing all the intelligence in Cambridge. You can find them posts on Facebook and Instagram! 

CORNWALL
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I won't blame you if you thought we've gone across the channel for a holiday at some sunny European seaside destination. We did consider that. You see, we are on British Summer Time and it is metrologically summer here in the UK. However, there were many moments we've considered turning the heating on at home. It is rather ridiculous when night time temperatures are low enough for grass frost in summer. Sick of the gloomy, rainy and cold, I studied the forecast and satellite simulations extensively looking for a sign of better things to come. Lo and behold! I realised that there was some sunshine to be had in Cornwall. That's how we ended up escaping the rain through our 636 mile (1023km) road trip.

​Our first stop was 2 hours away at Gloucester Services South Bound along the M5 motorway. It was voted the best rest stop in the country and I had to see what the fuss was about. As it turns out, it was the best rest stop I've ever been to in my entire life. It had spacious and clean toilets, as well as AMAZING food. The cherry on top of the cake is the massive farm shop that featured drool inducing local produce and yummy drinks (ahem*...cheese and gin...)

There is even a little pond outside complete with ducks and ducklings. The kids spent some time trying to talk to their duck friends but I'm pretty sure the ducks didn't understand. It was then time to continue our journey south towards Cornwall. 

Many dead bugs and hours later, we finally arrived in Cornwall and it was SUNNY! But you'll notice we are all still wrapped up like most people on the beach because the wind was still pretty chilly. The blue waters, waves crashing, adorable dogs and stunning landscapes made our evening one to remember! 

I have utmost respect for the people boating and learning to surf at the beach. That sea was far too cold for comfort. I think we wouldn't survive a minute in there.

After a long walk, we headed to rest for the night. Like the Scotland trip, Debra and I didn't get the best sleep. We are just so used to sleeping separately from the kids. I must remember to bring ear plugs the next time we share a hotel room with the kids. I need to scream this again...How do co-sleepers out there do it? HOW?

The next morning we woke up to a slightly warmer day and beautiful sunshine. A short drive down really narrow rural roads later, we arrived at the coast in Marazion where St Michael's Mount sat. The tidal island is home to a small group of houses and a massive castle on top. I looked at it, felt green with envy and wished I had a house like this. 

After an arduous climb up the mount to the castle, my envy very quickly dissipated 🤣 
No way I climbing a hill and ALOT of stairs just to get home. That aside, the architecture, history and views were most fascinating. You will be forgiven to think that this is just a tourist attraction but it isn't! The island is still inhabited by people and the castle is still a family home. I just love that there is so much effort to preserve history, culture and communities here. 

At low tide, people can walk across the causeway (visible to the right side of photo above) to the nearby town. When the tide is high, the island is only accessible by boat. We visited when the tide was high and when we left, the tide was just beginning to recede. That meant we had to catch a boat both ways. It's best to check the tide timings if you intend to experiencing walking across! 

We only managed to catch a glimpse of a portion of the causeway on the way back. The receding tide also revealed the seaweed. Am I weird for thinking they look absolutely delicious? I mean, they make Sushi and Miso soup with these!

From Marazion we drove 90 minutes to get to Tintagel to another incredibly gorgeous location. In my opinion, St Michael's Mount and Tintagel are the Crown Jewels of Cornwall. Am I missing something else in Cornwall that's even more impressive? 

CURRY PUFF

We arrived at the village of Tintagel past our lunch time and our stomachs were protesting. The beautiful town was littered with chip shops, ice-cream shops and other touristy shops. There were quite a few tourists and you'd expect a place like this to have really easy access. My advice is, put on proper shoes. I've learnt through all the travelling that remarkable views always come with a price. You either work for it physically or you pay for it. We chose to walk but for those who rather pay, they can pay for an expensive 2 minute long ride on the quintessentially British Land Rovers.

We got ourselves some Cornish pasties at the cafe and they were mouth-wateringly tasty! And they reminded us of the curry puffs we ate growing up in Singapore and Malaysia. Look at it, you can't blame me for whipping out my phone to look up history about this. Other than its size (the pasties are palm sized), they look almost identical. 

True enough, my research showed that the British brought their Cornish pasties when they ruled over Singapore/Malaya in the 1800s. The locals adapted the pasties and modified it to their taste. I a little lost for words when it comes to describing the feeling I had discovering the connection between the curry puffs and pasties. 

Here's a little more about these tasty treats:

Curry puffs: Deep fried and fillings are usually made of potatoes and/or boiled egg, sardines/chicken mixed with a spicy curry paste. Modern versions include creamy chicken etc. 

Cornish Pasties: Baked. Fillings are beef, potatoes, onions. The crimped sides were made thick so miners who work in filthy conditions can still eat without getting poisoned or sick. They hold the sides and eat the rest of the pastie before dumping the part they held with dirty fingers. 

After we've filled our tummies with delicious pasties (and crisps)...we made our way towards the coast line, bridge and ruins. The tiny little white building was where we had our pastie before we climbed to the point to take the photo below. You'll burn some calories to say the least....

If you are afraid of heights, it might get scary for you. Sheer drops in many places but the views make it all worthwhile. The clear skies we were blessed with made the blues of the sea come alive. This made the experience infinitely better!

We were absolutely knackered at this point. The markedly lower stamina is probably the result of being cooped up for too long through the winter and spring. As the kids fell into deep sleep in the backseat, I reflect on how grateful I am to be out and about again on my 4.5 hours drive back to the midlands. We are making plans for the rest of summer and fingers crossed, the weather will behave....

Hello 2024! This is our first blog post since our November 2023 post because of work submissions, plenty of storms, really short days and the Christmas season. Life just happens and that's how we ended up not hanging out for two years with the children's favourite aunt. The pandemic may be something we are eager to forget but so many of the social distancing rules literally tore families apart. Right after the restrictions were lifted, we travelled for 7 whole months and almost immediately moved to the UK. We were overjoyed that she wanted to visit and hang out with a weird bunch for 10 days haha!

As we share our story of reconnection and recharging, this 10 day itinerary could work for you too if you'd want to visit the UK with your family. It's a slow, mindful and relaxing trip around England and Wales. 
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We met in the grandest of settings in Hintze Hall of the Natural History Museum in London. I thought finding each other under the blue whale skeleton named "hope" was really apt for our reunion. We spent a couple of hours exploring the rooms filled with dinosaur skeletons and animal taxidermy. I don't think the children gave their aunt's ears any break with their constant chatter. It was kind of a foreshadowing of the next 10 days. Haha! 

After a mandatory shop at the museum gift shop, we took a relaxing stroll to Hyde Park's serpentine in the windy, cold and gloomy weather of central London. We braced a sudden drizzle and the noisy geese and made our way towards our yummy rewards. 

After clocking more than 10,000 steps we were famished and so after a quick bite at Leon (a local fast-food chain with gluten-free options), we managed to find a space for 5 in the really crowded Italian Bear Chocolate - SOHO (London W1F 9QL). Call in to make a reservation because they are always full. ​The Italian hot chocolate looked really lush but our in-house chocolate connoisseurs thought its gravy-like texture didn't satisfy their chocoholic tastes. The cake however, did satisfy. It was gooey and fudge-like when served warm. Don't leave it out in room temperature for too long, the chocolate hardens!

After our dinner and dessert, we had our second dessert! Ice creams are great in hot weather but I think they are even better in cold weather! That's exactly what we had at Bilmonte (London W1D 7LW). They serve really really rich chocolate ice-cream (that taste a little like brownie batter) and their famous double pistachio ice-cream! 

Long walks, yummy food, lots of desserts and a jet-lagged aunty with two chatter box kiddos wasn't too bad a way to start the trip! We left Sasha for the next 24 hours in London while we headed back to Leicestershire that night. 

London is a bustling city very much like most major cities in the world. So if you'd like a relaxing time, we highly recommend getting a hotel room at any of the Hilton, Marriott, Sofitel or Holiday Inns at Heathrow airport itself. The Elizabeth Line now connects the airport to central London (Paddington) in less than 30 mins. You get to be away from all the sirens and crowds + lower hotel prices! 

Suggested relaxing things to do in London:
1. Museums (Natural History, National Portrait Gallery)
2. Parks/Garden (Hyde Park, Kew Gardens)
3. Stroll along the Thames or take the River Bus to see the major landmarks
(Canary Wharf to Embankment is quite a good route. You'll even get to sail under the Tower Bridge and London Bridge etc...)
4. Watch a play!
5. Desserts and Cafe hop. 

After some 400 miles (640km) in 48 hours on the motorways, we were now reunited in Leicestershire where we live. That meant we were all a little knackered from all the travelling. I think the worst mistake we can ever make when going on vacation is planning one that is so exhausting you'll need another vacation after that. 

We enjoyed a couple of really slow days where we just enjoyed each other's company. The kids bombarded their aunt with card games, board games and video games. Debra hung out in the kitchen with her sister and we enjoyed the simple meals. We've grown to appreciate just recharging with no agenda, just meals and company. 
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​HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ACTIVITY WHEN TRAVELLING: Take a stroll in a large local supermarket. Our visits to Tesco (a local supermarket chain) turned out to be surprisingly therapeutic for all of us. I've not come up with an explanation for that...do you have one?

Once we felt recharged and ready, we crossed the border over into our favourite place in the world: Wales. Dolgellau, Gwynedd was our mandatory stop and TH Roberts (LL40 1BD) is our compulsory lunch spot. (Gluten free options available!)

After filling our tummies, we picked Cregennan Lakes in Gwynedd and Llandudno's Marine drive as our day's agenda. We spent the time soaking in the countryside, fresh air, strong winds and amazing sunshine. It was a lot quieter when we were out in nature. I guess we can all agree, with views like that, words fail us. 

The day definitely felt like it was too short. It wasn't long before we watched the sunset and revelled in some crazy dance music on our ride home. ​

The countryside is like a balm to the soul. We always recommend visiting Wales because it is just so incredibly gorgeous. We've met the warmest, kindest and most helpful people in Wales. I think the perspective and calm of being around our natural environment helps make us better people. What better place to be when taking a break from the hustle?

We spent a couple more days having early nights when we felt tired and woke up later when we wanted. The kids started their mornings with games and chats in bed with their aunt. The grownups had evenings watching our favourite shows (and some Rick Astley, haha!) while enjoying a glass of wine. 

We also took time to explore our shared interests in space at the National Space Centre in Leicester and ancient history at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum. It was refreshing to be away from work, be with the people you care about and just enjoy each other. 

We spent the last bits of the 10 days in the Cotswolds exploring the treasures within the villages. Stow-on-the-wold's candy store and other small local produce shops were really interesting. Feast your eyes on beautiful architecture and then enjoy all the amazing cheese, wines and candies you'll find in the shops! What we all really enjoyed was The Old Bakery Tea Room (GL54 1BN). They serve the most delicious gluten-free scones and meals. It must have been years since we've had scones that didn't ruin our guts. The cream and jam (or jam and cream) just made our smiles wider. 

Just like how a pot of tea always finishes too quickly, the 10 days flew by. We found ourselves at Heathrow again saying our goodbyes this time but our hearts and tummies have been very very full. We'll meet again. 

More than 11 months have gone by since we moved to the UK. Never in my wildest dream would I imagine myself saying that it is the best year of our lives. There's never a day that goes by that we don't say "this is way better than XYZ..."

But we hate it....we really do. Here are 8 reasons why...

#1 Schooling 
No syllabus to follow, no mandatory exams to take, no invasive home visits to host, no investigative file of evidence to submit to a government officer, no state enforced "national values" to indoctrinate, none of it!? Don't get us wrong, we still do ensure our children match up with their British AND Singaporean peers academically. We are still working towards their GCSEs and A Levels so they will be able to go to University or other paths.
​
We hate it that we have tasted the freedom from these things homeschooling our children here in the UK. We hate it so much because we never want to go back to pleading for permission to school OUR children by ourselves and in the way we desire. 

#2 Roaming
We hate it that we have now tasted the freedom of living in a land we will take a life time to finish exploring. If you are willing to take a hike or a drive, you'll be spoilt for choice. We hate to think that the simple pleasure of seeing no people or houses in sight for miles and miles can disappear just like that. 

#3 Community
We hate it that we have experienced a community that genuinely cares. We hate it that we have seen people living how they wish, be who they want to be and be taken care of unconditionally. We hate it that we didn't have to worry about being who we really are for the entire year. Now there is a reference for comparison. 

​#4 Values

We hate it that we have now lived in a society where it isn't all about the money all the time. Yes, people still do want to get rich, own big houses and cars they collectively still believe in each other's welfare. We hate it that we didn't have to fear and worry in a time of crisis because of the values that the whole society pays for to maintain. Now we know what I means to be rooted, invested and connected. 

​#6 Seasons
4 seasons have come and gone. We hate it because we have experienced so much it is now impossible to go back to tropical monotony all year round. We have grown to love the long days of summer and great long days of adventures. We have also grown to appreciate when nature springs to life and shuts down. We have learnt to rest and appreciate the little sunshine we get on the short days. We down the ice cold drinks in summer and hot cuppa when it's colder. We can now appreciate an ice-cream in winter because it doesn't melt. 

We ended off summer with a massive post (A stupendous summer) in August! Summer was quite an experience and turned out so much better than we've expected. If you haven't read it, do click on the red link! 

Septembers have always been special. Growing up, half my family's birthdays were in September. After my first stint in the UK, September took on even more meaning as autumn became my favourite season of all. It isn't hard to imagine why isn't it? Autumnal colours, cool weather and especially the one extra hour of sleep you get when British Summer Time (Daylight savings) ends in October....

After Matt and Gwyn were born, we started having 4 birthday cakes in a month.That brought all of us a lot of joy. When dad passed in 2021, we became even more acutely aware of our mortality which makes birthdays even more important. We don't know when we'll blow out our last candle. We've therefore made it a point to let our children know that we are celebrating their lives, and our lives together. It really isn't about how fancy the gifts or celebrations are, it is about the people we have to love and hold. 

For those who are wondering if they do share the same birthday, they don't! Their birthdays are less than a week apart so for the past many years we've been letting Gwyn blow out her candle early on Matt's birthday. It has become a sort of tradition that they each get their special day out on the actual day (and get to enjoy their siblings special day out too). It is like having two birthdays.

We did a little poll on Instagram and you guys responded...

Turns out we've managed to do both a special day and a double celebration! 

LONDON
Before we could enjoy London, we had to do our voting duties at the polls in London at the Singapore Embassy. That meant a 2 hour drive down south and a quick Underground ride to central London. 

Voting was done very quickly and we were off for a quick lunch at Shake Shack. It turned out to be really ordinary! I think that's because Debra makes way more awesome burgers at home these days. I haven't got a single picture of the meal because it was that forgettable. 

We headed to a more memorable Borough Market where we experienced a whole host of smells and sights. It wasn't good planning on my part that we visited the place on a full tummy right after lunch. We didn't buy any of the food but they looked pretty amazing! There was a paella stall that had security managing its snaking queue. It was surely the most popular thing in the market. If you love your cheese, you'll find that there's no short supply of cheese shops there. 

Apart from the cooked food (and raw oysters), you can also get fresh produce around the market. You can get the regular vegetables, fruits and  meat to whip up a tasty meal here. You'll also find monstrous looking fish and even wood pigeons at the butcher. We were a little shocked because we have some wood pigeon friends around our neighbourhood that hang around in the trees...

After the children had a little dance to the music of the buskers, we walked across the London bridge that hasn't fallen down to catch the Underground towards Leadenhall Market. 

Matt wanted to see the spots that one of the Harry Potter movie was filmed. We did manage to watch a Youtube video at the market to identify the spots. Leadenhall is a little more upmarket and consists of mainly eateries and pubs. We were a little disappointed because there wasn't much to see or experience around here. Beautiful architecture aside, I think it would be more suitable about 10 years from now when I can share a pint with my kids. 

We were back on the underground and headed towards Mina Lima: the design studio behind the graphic props of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films, founded by Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima.

If you are a potter fan, this place is a must visit! It is a more sophisticated version of the platform 9 3/4 shop at Kings Cross Station. They sell more designs and art related to the film instead of movie merchandise. You'll find very beautiful prints, notebooks, frames, books and posters here. I think most fans of the potter films will find the shop decor an attraction in itself. 

We must have done 10,000 steps by this point and were a little wet from the downpour but it was the time the kids were most looking forward to. It was time to buy their birthday gift from Nai Nai! I told their grandma not to send a gift over because it would be a waste of money on the freight. We would buy it on her behalf instead. 

We first headed to Hamleys but the kids couldn't decide on what they wanted. They were quite focused on Lego but some Lego sets at Hamleys were priced £10 more than the Lego store itself. We decided to visit a Waterstones (Book shop) but they couldn't find books that they really wanted. As the evening drew near,  it was Leicester Square's Lego store that fit the bill for the gift. I think the most wholesome thing that happens every time we head to a toy shop is that the kids never want to buy anything unless they really loved it. Choices are not made based on the price tag or size of the box. It is one of those things that warms the cockles of my heart. 

Dinner was supposed to be a spectacular meal at a Malaysian restaurant serving up satay, nasi lemak and yummy fried rice but they were booked out for the night. We were sorely disappointed and settled for McDonald's because we were just too tired to keep looking. 

Things didn't go exactly to plan and our plans didn't really turn out the way we expected it to be but I was a proud dad of two kids under 10 who conquered 18,291 steps, 11.8km, 32 floors and 6 Underground lines (Elizabeth, Bakerloo, Central, District, Piccadilly & Jubilee) in an afternoon! The unintended effect was that all of us slept soundly once we go back home to the midlands that evening! 

​MANCHESTER/AUTUMN

We promised Gwyn that she could visit the zoo to hug the Graffalo and see the penguins on her birthday. Tickets were booked on our annual pass but the British weather had other ideas. A heat wave descended on the UK and temperatures shot up. The sun was relentless and we decided to postpone the zoo trip to avoid getting heat exhaustion/burnt. I hunted down for a replacement activity somewhere air-conditioned to escape the heat. Our cereal packet promotion finally led us to this attraction in an ornate mall in Manchester.

With two free tickets, Legoland experience centre in Manchester was more affordable and worth the 2 hour drive up north. It is effectively a Lego themed soft-play with two kiddy rides and a 4D show. The kids are huge fans of Lego and they flood my telly's Youtube history with Lego related content. Their mornings always start with building all sorts of contraptions and worlds with Lego. No surprise they really enjoyed this one! 

With some time to spare after the Legoland experience (very weirdly closes at 230pm), we knew exactly where we wanted to be that afternoon. Matt and I are massive United fans and we decided to take a trip to our home stadium. It was too late to book a tour and so we did our own mini tour around the stadium and browsed the store. The walk wasn't too bad because most of the way was sheltered under the stadium itself. 

It is not often that kids are quiet. But they became uncharacteristically quiet and attentive as they read the boards detailing the history of the Munich air disaster that killed 8 Manchester United players and 15 other passengers on board. I'm sure it moved them. It gets me every time when I read the part about the team being rebuilt and winning the European Cup 10 years after the crash decimated almost the entire team. I hope the kids are as inspired as I am to believe in coming back stronger, fighting against the odds and doing the impossible. 

Now onto my favourite season: autumn!

We have had 3 very very different months this summer in terms of weather. June was the hottest June on record and July was 10th wettest on record. We saw storm Antoni and Betty along with a mix of rain as well as sunshine. What we've felt constantly however is a period of healing. A healing of body, mind and soul as we mindfully savour our adventures. 

If you haven't been able to follow our journeys, here's a quick list and some links you can visit:

JUNE
Post: Summer Bumper Post: We surrender
-Brighton Pier
-North Wales (South Stack lighthouse)
-North Wales (Great Orme)
-London Leicester Square

Post: Reduced to tears
-North Wales (Gwynedd - Dolgellau)
-North Wales (Gwynedd - Cregennan Lakes)

JULY
July was basically a very restful month because of the constant rain. We took the opportunity to continue school since the kids usually take a break in September when we celebrate their birthdays. We followed the Wimbledon, watched a lot of Bluey, attended Gwyn's first ballet concert and listened to Matt's live radio show weekly. It was apparently also loose teeth season and I've had to pluck two really loose ones in a day....

The wet weather slowed down our schedules and helped us become more mindful and present. We need to realise how special these ordinary days are. The seemingly ordinary days to us are our children's memory of their childhood. We take nothing for granted because the days may seem long but the years fly by really really quickly.

I think the quiet moments also made us appreciate the community around us a lot more. We've learnt to slow down and take our time to see people as people. We're incredibly grateful that people take time to make us feel at home and that we belong to the community. Little things like a light-hearted chat after service, picnics, tea time and lunches in a backyard feel really wholesome! 

Despite the rain, we did manage a farm shop visit in Market Harborough, a drive on the Gospel Pass (highest road pass in Wales), a stroll on a sandflat and Lavender farm in Norfolk. We've had to dodge some showers and drive in really wet conditions but it was all worthwhile. I've grown to love trips that subtly stimulate your senses and help form amazing memories. You hear the buzzing of the bees, smell the fragrance of the lavender, see the wild horses and feel the wind in your hair.

It is so easy to lose our ability to feel deeply and appreciate a moment. Doom scrolling and switching constantly from video to video have programmed our brains to be constantly demanding the next. We want entertainment that is stimulating and quick. We are never really in the moment nor have the time to appreciate what we are looking at. I cannot recommend being in the countryside more. After capturing the shots we need, we make an effort to put our devices away to stare, smell and feel. We come back refreshed. Every single time!

Healing also came in the form of food. Having to pay more than £10 for a loaf of Gluten-free bread back in Singapore is never far from our minds when we visit the supermarket and farm shops. For so many years, it was exceptionally difficult to listen to our bodies and eat food that doesn't ruin our guts and trigger allergy symptoms. It isn't just the affordability that we are grateful for, it is the labelling and ease of access that makes it much easier. 

AUGUST

August has been pretty packed compared to July. We are well aware that that we won't be getting as much daylight. At the end of June, the sun rose at 4.41am and set at 9.32pm. Days were long and we barely used our car's headlights in the height of summer. But by the end of August,  we will be losing as much as 3 hours and 40 minutes of daylight. The seasons really teach you to seize the moment. It is either now or next summer.

We wanted to maximise our time and resources and so we tried as much as possible to visit the countryside and attractions that don't require an entrance fee. We've also opted not to stay overnight for all of our trips. Hotels can cost between £60 to £100 a night for a "budget option". With two storms in a month, we gave up toying with the idea of camping.  

We wake up early and get on the road early from our home, spend the whole day at a place and leave by early evening to make it back in time for the kids' bedtime. It is a lot of miles but we managed to to visit London, Bristol, Eastbourne, Twycross, Coalville and Mam Tor in the Peak District. We've got to adapt to make these travels possible and it made us many core memories! 

-London
To be really honest, we didn't manage to enjoy the British Museum properly. The place was jam packed with tourists and school groups. If you don't like queues and crowds, don't come to London in August. Wait until the 2nd week of September when school holidays are over! It is also generally cooler by then and you won't have to be cooked alive in the older Underground lines.

We got a glimpse of the mummies that the kids have been learning about in their world history curriculum. It was an eerie but intriguing sight. Although I must admit looking at dead people was a rather peculiar choice for our 11th marriage anniversary...

​-Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire
This was the only significant ticketed attraction we paid for this summer. Paying for the day ticket entitled us to a year pass. This was a good investment because the kids never get sick of going to a zoo and we live in the same county as the zoo! Graffalo land (a walk through experience) was also included. What I liked the most about the zoo is that children get to interact with people instead of screens. They get an activity sheet that guides them to explore the zoo and look for stations where a staff member will ask questions and share interesting facts with them. It makes the Zoo experience less of a passive one. 

-Cattows Farm, Coalville
Gwyn decided she wanted to wear her bright pink dress that morning for no apparent reason. It was the dress her late-grandpa bought for her just 3 months before he passed on. It was a surprise because we didn't tell her our plans that day and we didn't know she could finally fit the dress. The blazing hot sun and clear blue skies made it a perfect day to roam the sunflower fields and take photographs that pop! 

-Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
I was just unwinding at the end of the day and looking at my socials before I saw an amazing video of hot air balloons glowing in the night sky. The next moment I was all over google maps looking for the best way to get to Bristol. The next day, we left home at 4pm after Matt's radio show and headed straight for Bristol. The weather was very very unpredictable. When we arrived and parked, it started POURING. Fortunately all of us came prepared with waterproofs and boots on. As with any large scale event with rain pouring down on the fields, it was a mud fest. Somehow the clear brolly became a really fascinating toy for the kids and they thoroughly enjoyed huddling under it. We did get a few breaks between downpours to enjoy some fish/nuggets and chips before the night glow. 

It was an amazing experience being in a crowd on a huge field singing to famous tunes in the rain. Keep calm and carry on indeed. We've learnt that if you are determined to have fun, not even the rain can stop you. The balloons were slowly inflated and started glowing to the rhythm of the music in the night sky. It was magic. 

This boy loved it so much he had tears in his eyes. He told me he wanted to do Glastonbury next year because he loved being at a festival. I knew it was a core memory created there. We can't really put a price tag on these things in life can we?

By the time we got home it was midnight and I spent the next two hours washing muddy boots and wiping down our picnic mat and waterproofs. It was exhausting but it was worth every ounce of energy. I'll do it all over again!  

-Seven Sisters, Eastbourne 
This was another re-visit of a spot we visited 10 years ago. It was winter and we didn't have enough daylight to properly explore the area. It looked absolutely stunning in the summer sun. 

This was one of the final spots we visited before leaving the country. I think we were seriously dreading that our holiday/honeymoon was coming to an end and we had a meeting to attend hours after our flight back. I don't think we could have ever imagined that we would be back here with two kids of our own. ​

After viewing the seven sisters cliff from this side, we took a short drive to the cliffs itself. The sheer height and drop is both terrifying and fascinating. Thanks to modern engineering, there was a strong and stable stairway that took us down to the pebble beach at the bottom of the cliffs. We laid our picnic mat and enjoyed the light sea breeze and comfortably warm sunshine. 

I know many people say that a beach without sand isn't a real beach but I absolutely adore pebble beaches. No cleaning up necessary with pebbles. In fact, they are a source of entertainment if you enjoy stacking pebbles! That was what the kids and I did while Debra did her painting on the beach. It wasn't just about being at a stunning location that made this trip really great. It was also being able to see her do what she loves. 

As the sun began to hover around the horizon over the English Channel, we soaked in the views on the white cliffs knowing it will be the last time we are seeing it this summer. We'll meet again. 

It felt so special and exciting to be on that tiny path along the mountain ridge. There was so much to see on either side. I took a couple wrong turns looking at a tiny topographic map on my phone trying to figure out which of the tiny paths to take. We did manage to eventually find the loop that took us down on the side of the mountain through the vegetation down into the valley. We met some sheep, birds and very prickly plants before dodging landslides and mud. That was a highlight for all of us! The abundance of ferns made the little ones think they were time-travelling. They were looking out for prehistoric creatures and naming dinosaurs I have absolutely no idea existed.

We stopped near the end of our hike at a bench overlooking the valley and enjoyed some snacks and PB&J sandwiches. Debra managed to do a quick paint where the kids ran around time-travelling again. 

I think this concludes any major adventure for the summer of 2023. 
I won't miss cleaning a million dead bugs off the car, hearing alarming cries for help to capture bugs at home or having difficulty sleeping because of the warm muggy nights. I'll surely miss the holidays, festivals, long days and lush greenery. 

Our first British Summer is finally here. We've been out and about making the best of the dry weather and long days. Britain is GORGEOUS in summer! We hope you'll enjoy the 60 plus photos that'll come up in this bumper post. More than that I'd like to share a little of why we are surrendering. We are putting up the white flag.

SURRENDER 1.1 
Finally after 6 months, we have touched the sea again. We surrendered to the lure of the sea and being able to dress in shorts/t-shirt again. I think more than that is the fact we are back at a place we visited 10 years ago and were disappointed because it was closed. This is a recurring theme that I'll talk about in detail later. 

Brighton beach is my kind of beach. Instead of the regular sand, there are pebbles instead. No messy cleanups. Just strolling down the beach and enjoying the sea breeze brought smiles to all our faces. The pier is also an amazing place if you enjoy bumper cars and old school roller-coasters. The British seaside charm is a very unique experience that you can only fully experience in summer. It comes alive in summer and hibernates in winter. 

A short drive away down the Marine Parade was a series of white cliffs. The famed cliffs that inspired the song "The White Cliffs of Dover". Although this isn't dover,  it still evoked a moment of deep reflection. This was one of the last things we saw before Debra and I left the UK on our honeymoon 10 years ago. ​It was so stunning we were speechless. 

SURRENDER 1.2
With the dry weather going strong, we planned another trip a few days after returning from the South Coast. With our snack bag and lunch packs done up, we booked tickets to a museum in London and punched in the address on google maps. 1 hour into the drive, we hit the first of several traffic jams on the motorway. A quick time check made us realise that we can't take the kids to the play area and museum anymore. "Plan B then!" I thought to myself. We parked the car and realised that the cable-car station we planned to go to wasn't where we thought it was. It was a 20 minute walk away and we decided against picking a fight with the blazing hot sun. We surrendered. We quickly consulted google maps again and decided to take the river bus down the thames towards the most central areas of London. We were ALL thrilled with the speed and power of the boat as well as the awesome views. It was a special perspective to see the city from the Thames itself. 

You may be thinking...the UK can't be hotter than the tropics? Thing is, a lot of British homes and  public transport aren't built to deal with the heat. At 27 celcius it can feel like you are suffocating. Fans and air-conditioners DO NOT come standard in houses, buses and Underground trains. It can be a pretty miserable experience if you are in a packed train on the London Underground without air-conditioning. House windows usually come with very small openings. It is mostly a small narrow opening at the top. So we've been flying the white flag lately hoping for the colder days to come back. Life can be SO ironic isn't it?

On this trip, we have also surrendered our money at the Leicester Square Lego store. The selection at the store is massive. If you love Lego, you'll be amazed at the Aston Martin, London bus and Harry Potter themed life sized displays. We decided to get the kids very early birthday presents. Debra got a custom Lego figure that is seriously her alter-ego. Maybe when the kids are grown up, I'll be hanging out with a wife with neon pink hair at the beach. (Scroll down for example...)

The ride back to our car on the Elizabeth Line was a lot quieter and air-conditioned. We were greeted by a mesmerising sunset. 

SURRENDER 1.3
I think this is the biggest and most significant part of our surrender. Earlier, I spoke about the recurring theme of surrendering. At some point, one will realise how brutal life can be. There are moments that will completely wreck havoc in our lives. Just like a traffic jam or sudden closure, it can upset our plans. 10 years ago when Debra and I felt the disappointment of not being able to see Brighton Pier and South Stack Light house, I don't think we realised 10 very hard years were before us. 

Whether you call it God's plans, fate or just life, it takes a certain level of surrender to keep going. We need to realise that quite often, not everything can be planned or controlled. We dreamt and we planned in search of a homeland we would find wholesome for a family but the search was long and fruitless. The pandemic and my dad's passing rocked us real hard. The only way we could stay sane was when we surrendered and took one day at a time. 

Being back in North Wales at the South Stack Lighthouse was a very special moment. 

​We would never imagine that we will be here 10 years later with two children. It is extra special because after our trip here 10 years ago, we found out we were pregnant with Matthias. The beauty of Wales made such a huge impact that 3 years after that, I decided name my daughter Gwyneth which is the anglicised spelling of Gwynedd. Gwynedd is the Welsh county where Snowdonia is. That's also where our love affair with mountains began. How our lives are panning out now is beyond our wildest imagination. I believe in surrendering now. This surrender can bring a lot of peace. Putting away the pride and having faith that one day, things will work for our good keeps us going. 
​

The sea bashes the rocks and the winds assault the cliffs but seabird colonies continue to thrive. The rain lashes out but the flowers still bloom. The resilience in nature and its staggering beauty of remind us that out of the immense pressures something good will emerge! If you're facing a difficult time, don't give up.

​We ended our time in Wales around Great Orme in Llandudno. Gwyn enjoyed the views so much that she asked Debra and I if we could buy a house there so she can enjoy the views every day. Perhaps darling...perhaps. 

We'll see you guys round the corner for the next adventure!

It has been WARM, DRY and SUNNY! These 3 words are enough to help anyone living across the British isles break out a little smile. After a dark cold winter, we had a gloomy wet spring and now summer is finally upon us. Daytime temperatures are around 16 to 22 celcius which means we've packed away all our winter gear. It is now nice enough to head out in shorts and t-shirt. Best of all, it is still possible to enjoy the outdoors without soaking our clothes in sweat. 

We've clocked several hundred miles and travelled across the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District and Brecon Beacons. We've found ourselves exclaiming in immense joy and awe as we drive along tiny country roads. It is a feeling we haven't felt since we left Sapa, Vietnam and Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. Click here to read about all our other travels!

Now let's get to the fun parts!

SOUTH WALES (The Big Pit Coal Mine)

We drove over 2 hours before we got to South Wales. I was telling the kids that we had entered another country in the same country. We had crossed borders without our passports! It is a very unique union we've got here in Britain. The drive into the hilly parts strained our car's little 1 litre engine and there were many sections where we had to get down to gear 2 before we could make progress. 

We had never gone down a mine shaft before and we definitely knew nothing about mining. The Big pit is an amazing destination that's both educational, reflective and enjoyable. We got our free underground tickets before we headed to a waiting area. 

Our guides greeted us and brought us to a room to get kitted out with a special mining headlamp. The battery was strapped to our bodies and we had to wear a hard hat too. I was pleasantly surprised that they had equipment that fit children. They do weigh quite a few KGs but it was manageable even for Matt and Gwyn. We had to surrender ALL battery operated items because they can cause a spark and set off certain gases that the remaining coal may give off. All watches, car keys, mobile phones and cameras had to be put away on the surface before we took the "cage" down the shaft. 

We got down 90m underground and was led through various tunnels, shown the equipment used and told about the dangers miners faced. It was both a fascinating experience and a really reflective one. At one point, the guide instructed us to all turn off our lamps and try to see our palms in front of us to illustrate the darkness miners experienced in Victorian times. Women, children and men who couldn't afford candles (yes they had to buy their own to work the mines) worked in absolute darkness. Horses that were used to pull carts stayed underground for the rest of their lives once they entered the mine. The immense hardship and dangers they faced in that darkness is absolutely shocking. 

Out of these "dark satanic mills", homes were warmed, trains had steam and ships sailed across oceans. The dirty coal as we call it today advanced civilisation. I applaud the Welsh government for preserving the coal mine and funding the museum. It is completely free to visit and I think that helps us put things into perspective. Yes, we need to care for our environment and use cleaner fuels but we also need to remember the sacrifices of those who came before us too. 

We also got to ask many questions along the way and Gwyn asked the guide if she could try the tool that miners used to shovel coal into the cart. She got what she asked for! Her response was most hilarious "OH IT IS SO HEAVY! I don't think I can work here". I asked the guide how people did their "business" underground...he said "ANYWHERE!" and "sometimes they put a pile on the conveyor belts carrying coal up to the surface as a joke". Oh gosh....

We headed off to the mining simulator after we got back up to the surface. It was a light and sound show where machines from different eras come to life as miners shared their stories. A quick lunch later we headed off to scale the highest peak in South Wales. 

Pen y Fan

Measuring 886m above sea level, we thought it wouldn't be that tough to scale because our starting point was somewhere around 500m above sea level. The sun was out and the place looked absolutely gorgeous. 

10 minutes into the hike the burn in our quads and calves became pretty real. The incline was pretty punishing for amateur hikers like us. The sun felt pretty hot but the wind was intense and cold. It wasn't the most pleasant of climbs but we pressed on. Along the way we met the real champions: the sheep. They scale the peaks in search of the best tasting grass and hang around with their friends on perilously steep sides of the mountain. Unaffected by the wind, they graze leisurely while we huffed and puffed our way up. 

At around 780m just shy of the summit, the wind became very intense and the clouds blocked off the sunshine. Our muscles were crying out for a break. The children were increasingly whiny and it became clear we've reach our limit for the climb. We popped a few sandwiches into our tummies in that crazy wind and headed back down. The view was absolutely liberating. 

My ankles were sore and unstable for a few days after this climb and I realised that my boots didn't provide sufficient support. Wear proper hiking books with ankle support if you intend to climb here! The downhill is especially punishing on the joints because it very uneven and rocky on portions of the trail. 

We decided the next trip was to be a little more leisurely before we attempt anything like the Scafell pike (Highest point in England)...

Ribblehead Viaduct

Once we had recovered and stopped aching, we found our way to the Lake District via the Yorkshire Dales. The Ribblehead Viaduct is one of those scenic places that you can't miss in this area! Built between 1870 and 1874, this iconic viaduct cost more than 100 men their lives to build. It is still being used today!

I mean just look at it. It is AMAZING! You don't have to pay an entrance fee to enjoy it and the kids aren't fussing about sweating buckets. If the day ended here, it would have been pretty satisfying already. Then we saw a sign "Boats, Kayaks and Paddle-boards for rent". I looked at Debra in the eye and we both agreed without a single spoken word that WE HAD TO GO ON THE LAKE IN A BOAT! I headed straight to the rental booth and asked if I needed a boat license to drive and they said I didn't need one. It was GAME ON. 

We paid £40 for an hour and they fitted us with life jackets of the right size before briefing us about the health and safety rules. 

The kids were a little terrified in the beginning because it was their first time on an open top boat driven by their father haha! The kids were absolutely thrilled as we cruised along the lake. We kept checking with them if they were enjoying the activity and they said they were! They even suggested I buy a boat so we can do this again...ermm....

We didn't plan to do a boat ride because we didn't know we had this option but it turned out to be one of the best change of plans ever. We manage to catch a glimpse of the Wray Castle and the beautiful hills surrounding the picturesque lake. 

What are your plans this summer?

​Let us know in the comments what would be fun for the kids. We are always open to new ideas! We are happy to connect via chat and social media channels too! 

One year ago in April 2022, we gave up all we've known to travel for 7 months across South-East Asia. (If you're interested and want to read those, click on the blog categories at the bottom of the page to see our travels by country!) We walked on through the wind, through the rain, through the tears, had our dreams tossed and blown. We tried to find healing for our grief and a way forward but nothing seemed to work. We tried out best to walk through the storms with our heads held high.

Life can be rough. In fact, it can be rough for an excruciatingly long time. It is so easy to lose sight of it all in a storm. But I hope that whatever your circumstances may be, you'll walk on. I hope you'll walk on with hope in your heart and that you'll never walk alone. 

We just said goodbye to April 2023 and it looks like we've finally seen off the worst of the storms. The shadows of the storms of life along with the gloomy bitterly cold winter has gone. We can finally see glimpses of the golden sky. We are here we are in the United Kingdom settled like we've been here forever. The kids are done with their semester of homeschooling, I've turned 12,500 words into turn-it-in while Debra has kept us all happy and alive with yummy grub. 

As you will notice with the pictures below, we've shedded the layers of thick clothing because t-shirt weather is finally starting to arrive. We've been so blessed by a couple of days of amazing sunshine and balmy 16-19 celcius weather. ​

​We had the opportunity to visit an apple orchard in Cotswold this week. No luck with the apples because apple picking season is in summer so we still have a little bit of waiting to do. Having lived our entire lives in a city, we were absolutely clueless about the times crops are sown and harvested. We'll keep learning! We did manage to buy some apple juice and enjoyed a nature trek around the property. The cool air and warm sunshine made everything look so stunning. ​