Our apartment

Here are some pictures of our apartment in Amman.  We have a spacious 2 bedroom place, great for visitors.  We have all of our stuff in being sent so I'll do before and after photos when we get all of our things.  Once our things are here, it'll feel more like home.

Front Room

Dining area, all open plan

Conservatory - we are most happy about this!

Guest Bedroom

Our bedroom

Loving the wardrobe!

Bathroom

Kitchen

Food that was already here for us.

Our road.

Also, we have a guard who lives in the building who does things like, wash the car, take out the rubbish and generally help us with everything and anything we need help with.  For instance, today, we bought heaps of plants and he helped us carry them from the car to the lift.  Apparently, he'll even go to the shops for us and get us some milk :)  Now that's service!

First day in Amman, Jordan - Mount Nebo

Here we are!  It has been 5 days and we have cable tv, internet and bank accounts.  It is the fastest settling in period we've ever had.  It is amazing.  I can not begin to tell you how happy we both are to be here and how much we have fallen in love with this country and its people.  

First day, we climbed up to Mount Nebo, a site where Moses is 'believed' (not proven) to be buried and also where he arrived and God promised him the 'promised land'.  

Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the Lord showed him the whole land.... Then the Lord said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendents.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." 

And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day on one knows where his grave is. --Deuteronomy 34:1-6

There are many Byzantine mosaics here.  There is also a memorial church, but it is currently closed for refurbishment. 

On the platform at the summit is a modern sculpture by an Italian artist representing Moses' staff and Jesus' words in John 3: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up."

Here we are, jet lagged, but so happy to be here.

Some flora and fauna.

Way more to come :-)

Halifax, Nova Scotia

It is always such a treat to visit Nova Scotia because not only do we get to spend time with family, we also get to hang out in a very green, clean city.

When ever we visit Mom and Dad LeBlanc in Halifax, we are always treated to a lobster meal and it is delicious!  I've never had lobster elsewhere in the world, but I am sure it wouldn't be as nice as Nova Scotia lobster.

As it was my birthday a few days before, Mrs LeBlanc had decorated the condo with banners and signs.  It was super special.

And the birthday cake was yummy!  I had 2 slices.

I also had a very special afternoon with my sister in law, Jen who took me to a make up place where we got to learn how to do the smokey eye effect.

 Here is Robert with his brother, Andre and his family, Jen, Sofia and Jake.  It was a pleasure to spend time with you all.

A beautiful sunset on the harbour.

Breakfast at Cora's.  Probably the best breakfast place in the world.  I wish I could show you the menu.  I ordered a chocolate and strawberry pancake....mmmmm!

 Robert ordered a strawberry covered waffle.

 Happy eaters!

One thing I love about Halifax and Nova Scotia is the colour.  Here are some examples of the colour in Halifax.

 I like purple.

Ships are common in this part of the world.  Every two years, the tall ships come into town.

Halifax will gain a new library very soon.  Here is some of the construction work  You could write a message on the black boards.  I wonder if you can see mine?

 Whilst we were in Halifax, Robert's aunt Elaine and Uncle Bob came for a visit.  It was excellent to spend time with them and for me, it was my first time meeting Uncle Bob.  We have promised we will visit Newfoundland soon.

I wish I took more photos of Halifax because it is such a lovely city filled with massive trees.  Next time we visit, I'll take more.

A big thank you to all the LeBlanc's for such a lovely visit.  We are super thrilled to be closer to home so we can visit regularly.  See you again very soon.  

Lane End, High Wycombe

This is the village where my mum and brother have recently moved to.  Mum bought a little cottage on The Row at the beginning of the year.  They are both very happy here and the cottage is cute - rather like a Hobbit's house.

Me and my lovely dad.

Mum's new house

The village

The village pond

One thing I LOVE about England is the village pub. It is quitessentially part of British culture.  Every village has one or two or even three!  During the summer time, it is a great place to be because there is a wonderful community feel to the place.  People come together, share stories, talk about current events, eat pub grub and drink cool drinks.  It is a fun place to hang out with family and friends.

  

The village pub

I had a fabulous time in Buckinghamshire.  It was a lovely retreat from the hustle and bustle of London.  I spent lots of time with my brothers, mum and dad.  The last time we were all together was two and a half years ago.  My little brothers are no longer little!  They tower above me and have grown into gorgeous men.  I'm so very proud of them.

Rich and Spennie

Spennie, Rich and Dad.

London, 2012

London is a great city!  I had forgotten how much I loved it.  I moved from London when I was 18 and never really returned.  When ever I did, I always had contempt for the place because it was bustling, crowded, grumpy and bleak.  This time was very different.  I was reminded of how lovely London can be, especially in the summer time.

I arrived prior to the opening ceremony of the Olympics and most of my time was spent being reunited with good friends.  Kerry Watkins, my boss in Taiwan, was the first person I met.  We went on a little tour of Westminster and the South Bank.  It was brief, but it was fun walking along the River Thames with someone who had given me a wonderful opportunity. It was ten years ago that I moved to Taiwan. That experience changed my life.  It opened my eyes to the wonderful career of teaching and of course, it is where I met the love of my life!

Kerry and Michelle by Big Ben.

 On the same day, I was reunited with a very special friend, Steph.  The last time I saw her was on a hospital bed in Bangkok after the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami.  We stayed in constant contact and finally, after seven and a half years, we were together again and it was fabulous.

Steph lives on a river boat on the River Thames.  It is amazing!   When I visited Steph, she was docked up at the Floating Market in Mile End, East London.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/jul/27/east-london-top-five-culture?newsfeed=true  There were lots of artists selling their work and musicians entertaining the masses.  It was such a funky atmosphere.  I couldn't stop smiling :-)

After my very comfortable night on Mr Badger (Steph's boat).  Steph and I woke and had a delicious healthy fruit breakfast and then went for a walk to the flower market on Columbia Road.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Road_market

Here, I met my cousin, Lynda and her boyfriend, Luis.  We met in a very lovely pub and I drank some fine London ales!  Later on, my other cousin, Suzanne and her fiance, Alan, came to join us.  It was so lovely being with cousins, just sitting, laughing and having fun.  I could've stayed forever in that spot.  I was so happy!

Luis and Steph enjoying the ales.

Suz, Lynda and me :)

Alas, I had to leave and go on to be reunited with another great friend, Oliver.  Woohoo!!  Oliver and I were inseparable when we were teenagers.  We lost contact when I moved to Taiwan and thanks to Facebook, got in contact again after ten years.  It only felt like yesterday that I saw him!  We went to visit a mutual friend, Helen who is a great family friend of mine.  When Oliver and I were teens, we'd always go round to Helen's and watch Sunset Beach.  It was our escapism from college, study and teenage life.  We had a fabulous time!

My local tube station when growing up in London.

My old friend, Ollie.

My old house.  I spent 7 years here - the longest I have ever  lived in any house.

My old primary school.

On the Monday of this amazing weekend of catching up with old friends, I met another great friend of mine, Nick.  Nick got married to his beautiful wife, Laura last year.  I was heart broken that Robert and I couldn't attend the wedding because we were in New Zealand, but happy that they had such a special day and it was great to see them again!

That concludes my time being reunited with good friends.  It was a very special weekend, but there was one thing missing, Robert!  It was lovely having this time with all these special people, but Robert was not with me and I really felt his absence.  It would have been perfect if he was with me, but he had commitments to school and work so couldn't which was a big shame.  Everyone was pretty gutted that they couldn't meet him.  Hopefully, next time.