Not so much "Great Escape" - more "Search & Recovery"

Bit of a strange one this - a bit like "The Perfect Storm" - calm and then boom!

Best laid plans fell over -  we no longer were to wait to collect from the airport in Singapore, but had to jump on planes to collect from Philippines, destination unknown.

I won't go into detail here, but amazingly scary times when you go back to the old days of no mobile phone connectivity, with your loved ones "somewhere" that you cannot  reach. 

Not for the faint hearted. 

Do NOT try this at home!!!!

Anyways folks it started and ended well, so lets focus the attention there, with some lovely family shots of immediate and extended.

So for the first half of this trip, I like you, saw the vacation for the first time through these photographs.

Off go my girls, alone (boo hoo) to Cebu then to the Island of Bohol - Tagbilaran and Mabini. Two main reasons - yeap "the Great Escape Part III" and JimBoy's (Mary's son) school graduation. Amy was desperate to go, so we thought hey why not it will be fun for all - as it turned out in the end it was indeed. So all good there.

Here is Amy aboard the ferry from Cebu to Tagbilaran, Bohol. Basically a 3 or so hour flight from Singapore to Cebu (usually a simple transfer through the airport to the port - not so for Mary this time as a visitor with a child that is not hers, despite supporting papers from me - ce la vie!)

Any way Amy looks very happy to finally make it the ferry - albeit much much later than expected so night time now and the "sleeper". Now this is  a first for Amy.

As  I think you'll absolutely grasp from the photo below. Apparently she finally chose the safe option of the bottom bunk after seeing that the top bunk had cracked plastic pillows. She's such a snob!

I miss some days out not as only have photos and have no context of what exactly happened so can't really usually write in normal style. Summarising though - the girls were busy with family and friends all over Bohol. Great to see.

Some random shots that I cannot tell you anything about. All the same they are lovely. Our kids together clearly having fun and enjoying themselves. Plus a token and random goat - hey why not, this is my blog and I'll show what I want!

Some lovely shots now of the actual graduation celebration. Jimboy did superb coming something like 7th out of 70 in his year - AWESOME Jimboy! I think also he got 4 special merit awards. Nicely done mate! Nicely done - you have a very proud Mum here!

Let's have a look at the day!

Jhea looking absolutely stunning - growing up too fast. Can't believe only a year or so ago we were there and messing about as a gang. This was her graduation I believe - see award in hand - well done Jhea!!! SUPERB!

Now the three girls together. Very cute, amazing mix of colours on the clothes though - you'll see more shortly!

The man of the hour.

The man of the day.

The man of the week.

Take a step forward, take a bow - Jimboy Enoroba. Graduated with honours indeed!

Well done again Jimboy, we're all so very proud of you! Near and far mate!

Here he is with Mum - thinking how he's going to spend all the money he's going to earn now he's graduated. Mum is thinking how she can help him do that! Ha Ha!

Yummy Mummy with No1 daughter!

See what I mean about the mix of clothes wow! Certainly it was not a somber day was it. Pow! But don't they all look great, so very happy - ok apart from Amy (in her defence she had literally just woken up, and stumbled on stage to give Jimboy his presents for his hard work).

I just love this one. 

Left to right; Jhea, Amy and Rai Rai. All perfectly happy with each others company, silently munching on chips, almost oblivious to each other's existence but happy they are with their friends all the same. 

Just love this picture. So very very cute!

Now I believe they are leaving Mabini. Suitcase so heavy it's wheelbarrow out and girls aboard with Uncle Marvin driving them to the taxi.

The we rocked up on Monday evening to meet the girls, finally, at Cebu at an hotel I had booked. First night a nothing really as Ollie and I had been traveling and were tired, dusty and dirty. Just one thing - Amy wanted to show me her newly acquired butterfly fairy outfit - very beautiful darling!

Breakfast the next day and Amy is in training for the new Olympic sport of holding the cheese with holes on your tongue for the longest time. I think she's a winner at this one. She is indeed a natural it seems! I can see it now - and representing Japan/England and taking the Gold for Cheese Holding is Amy Kennett. National anthems, salutes, round of applause, quick circuit of stadium and off for some cheese!

The next night we found a MECCA - sod eating at the restaurants in the hotel at MASSIVELY over inflated prices for "average" food. Ollie and I had spotted a place from the taxi en route from airport to hotel in taxi. Let's have a look says we one night.

SO SO glad we did. Here it is - Maribago Grill, Lau Lapu City, Cebu. AMAZING!!!

Want your own private tree house to eat in? You have to come here. You even get a bell to ring when you want service - what a great idea, almost back to "upstairs downstairs".  Food. OMG. 

Doug Peris I will pay for your flight to come back here with me 121 to enjoy!!!

Sissling Sisig - with pig ear, pig cheek, liver, general offal etc. on sissling platter with egg, onioin, garlic, chilli etc... (OMG).

Kilawin - ears again with vinegar, pepper, chili, onion etc... (OMG).

Crispy Pata - boiled and deep fried pork feet (OMG).

Liempo - BBQ pork belly over charcoal with a marinade (OMG).

Grilled Chicken - same as pork above, cooked above charcoals with some "secret" marinade (OMG).

Salad - cucumber, vinegar, ginger, capsicum, pineapple (OMG).

Chicken Adobo - native Kampong chicken - basically one running around before it is cooked  in Sprite and soy sauce - yep Sprite.

Bicol Express - a REAL surprise. Veges cooked down almost to how I would now prep my turnip for popiah. Very strange and completely not now we would have said dish at home.

Corn soup - add some rice, congee for Amy.

Sotanghon - glass noodle soup with chicken and veges, just so simple but 

Grilled Bangus - simply butterflied, deboned, grilled on BBQ with garlic and chill on top.

Sinigang Isda - fish soup, sweet and sour - more focused at the sour.

HOLY CRAP - I think this may be their entire menu.

Yep we ate the lot.

It was a wonderful place, with wonderful food, with wonderful atmosphere, so cheap compared to the hotel as well as added bonus. 

We ate, we enjoyed, we laughed, we rang bells, we drank, oh yeah and we ate! 

GET to Cebu, Lapu Lapu and try this place! 

Belinda Carlisle sang; "Oooooh heaven is a place on earth..." I think she was singing re this place.

Yep Mary is clearly a happy bunny - look no food yet and all smiles still.

Here it comes - oooh and accompanied by one very unassuming local pilsner. God bless you San Miguel. Should be Saint Miguel.

What's that Brad Pitt film "Fight Club".

Clearly here I was on set for the remake "Fat Club".

OK OK can I be excused, I was actually on vacation and on a a work call. What you don't see is the 40+ degree sun just over the balcony that caused me to have melt down and a need to cool by jumping in said jacuzzi. Not exactly James Bond, more James XXXL. Hey it worked though. Thanks "M".

Off to the pool in various guises.

Father-son!

Ollie-slide master!

Amy - slide master!

5-4-3-2-1 GO

And we're under starter's orders...

Come on come on you know me! Slight artsy. But how could you not - just check out this view. Tis beautiful is it not! These "local" boats are pinging back and forth all day long bundled with tourists.

I like a lot.

A wee walk to the sea. 

Let's have a dip and an unsuccessful l Daddy attempt at filming some fish. I think I got one in focus. Very average attempt. Hmmmm!!! Should have just gone to the restaurant next door ad got some close ups! Much easier.

Ollie going crazy in the water park - I think this one is named after the Mel Brooks film "Space Balls". Or is it Space Bomb Ollie?? Basically slide, slide, spin, spin, drop, plop, splash, swim. Space Balls???

Amy + Boogie Board = LOT's of drawing.

Here she is with her picture of a stripy cat. 

Well cat come giraffe, come rabbit, come chicken - wow hybrid babe!!!!!

Would not be a blog without "FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK!!!" 

Here she is, deep in ocean blue. Tried to get one in shallower water, but I got "I have to hide my tummy". Fair enough, but not fair re the jacuzzi shot babe! At least you could have turned on the bubbles!

Seriously HOT.

We think it must have been 40+ on one or two days. 

Where to hide from the relentless sun?

I know, the kids water park and the kids fountain. I'll go sit in there...

Mr Kennett Jnr looking VERY handsome.

Found this new feature on the camera called "mini" - no fecking idea what that means, but hey the pic is pretty amazing. The boy look good, and I like a LOT! Nice one Ollie!

Pirates of the Caribbean is the them now!

Yes singing and humming the theme song (loud) - they ran on the pirate ship in the kids area, fighting pirates, discovering treasure, fighting off sea monsters, saving the damsel - oh yeah and losing goggles and getting sun burnt. 

Was that in the film? 

Must be in the sequel!

OK now under much pressure from one's partner, one has been told one must post these in the blog. 

One's partner took said photos of one, and therefore one must be blatant and expose oneself in said photo fashion to outside world as requested by said partner.

Here we go!

HUNK (ha ha!)

"MOODY" hunk - (even more ha ha!)

HUNK with monsters having lunch - poolside - nice. In the shade though thank gawd! 

Man a hot hot hot hot day today! 

Amy decides it's too hot and lives under water - "man from Atlantis" stylee.

Amy I hope those bubbles are from your mouth - not "super-natural".

Olive sporting his new anti-sun tan solution - who needs factor 50, when you've got this.

OK, OK a tad difficult to go to the toilet agreed - but very effective. Albeit he did get a sunburnt nose.

Our last day.

Wing Wing and Kurt come to play.

Mary's cousin and her boy come on over to play. Just lovely people. Kids took, oooh 5 minutes to gel and then BOOM off they went as best mates. Another belting hot day so just to hotel room and our mini pool for some fun - and they loved it! Lovely photo guys - lovely!

Hmmmm where shall we take them for dinner???

Hmmm???

Hmmm???

NO brainer - yep back to the usual!

So the girls got their own table and ordered their own food.

Holy crap girls now wonder we needed 4 cabs to get home - you needed one each after this food fest you two went on. Where's ours???

BEST photo of the lot!!!

Unposed but check the faces.

BEST!!!

Ahhhhhh - Wing Wing, Lot Lot and Brian (hmmmm must get myself a Filipino nick-name!)

Good night everyone - day before we depart to home (successfully).

Sleepy.

Even Mary's legs are asleep.

Lovely time away in home No2 - Philippines!

Last weekend before we lose Amy and Mary for a week

Yet another "Great Escape" kicks in to action tomorrow midday Singapore time.

Only Mary and Amy are doing the "digging" this time, and will go back to Philippines to kill about 18 birds with one stone. 

Amy was just desperate to go back with Mary and see Mary's kids and the monkey of course, and her being such a traveller and socialite how can you really say no. Plus we're really hoping it may help with the "Great Escape" return success, well I do at least!

Mary gets to go back for her Son's graduation from school (all growing up) and to see the rest of the family, friends and just spend time home with loved ones, with one of mine now in tow too.

So this weekend we had a packed one on Saturday and a major let down Sunday for a number of reasons - I won't go in to them here. Shame as this was the last day before a week of not seeing each other for my family, but at least we had Saturday.

That started with one of Amy's school mates birthday parties - Mathis. That was a football party at a place called Shaw's Little League just over the road from the condo (we used to take Ollie there when we first moved to Singapore). 

First thing to do of course was to get dressed in appropriate clothing and attire for said event.

OK that's do kids - nice turn out - Chelsea through and through!

(Notice the new canvas photo directly above Ollie's head - that was one from the last "Great Escape" - remember. Well yes got it blown up and on a canvas. Just love it!

Then off we go for football football football.

Absolutely brilliant fun was had by about 40 kids in total, plus adults watching. Ollie (even though 11) was also allowed to join in - thanks so much for Tara, really appreciated.

I tell you what, Amy surprised me here today.

She has great eye to hand co-ordination, is a demon on a bike and a scooter and all that. BUT my word check her out in the next few snaps - she's a bloody good football player too. A natural potentially!

She drops a shoulder, and gracefully glides past the last defender (happens to be Ollie) to attack the goal, shoot Amy, shoot!

She's on goal again, and takes a strike at least 100 yards outside the goal, putting dip and curve on it to smash the back of the net. OK OK you know I am joking here, but seriously look where she is and the ball is and that the ball is blurred - she BELTED this thing - As I said very impressive/

Games began. Dribbling, bashing them with padded pads, shooting practice, just running and going crazy,  warm ups. Lots of fun as the kids ranged from 3-11 (excluding the parents of course).

Below is the lead coach splitting them in to teams and allocating coloured bibs, and teaching them the plan. Fair play to the man, they're all very attentive aren't they.

Here come's dribbling and shooting practice.

Can you see my guys over the far side - ball at feet, great work guys - looking real good, and brother and sister in unison too. Love it!

TV commentary goes:

"And number 25 for Chelsea is a new signing, Oliver Kennett. Playing today all over the place with his sister, he will certainly bring a challenge to the opposition (especially as they are all 3 and 5 years old). Known for his speed and dashing good looks, he's sure to be a winner."

Usual obligatory FACEBOOK FACEBOOK FACEBOOK, a must for Mary to keep her clicks up!!!

Aftermath - two bunches of birthdays for the two chaps in the middle - one 5 and one 3. I've never seen so much sweat and dirt on a group of kids. SO hot they were even sweating from their elbows - there's a first!

Happy Birthday kids and thanks so much for the invitation!

Kraftwerx song - "He's a model, and ..."

Oh dear melt down.

She had a pause for about 20 minutes when the food came out. She sat in the ring like being protected in a pentagon from evil spirits. Finally we managed to get some food inside her.

Refuel done and...

BOOM SHE'S BACK.

Now with her very close mate Shin Wei.

As a VERY big treat from Mary we were then all invited out for dinner at a new place for us. A place we have driven past lots but have never yet frequented. So at Mary's very kind offer let's not waste that chance to explore - and bloody hell SO SO SO glad we did.

You have to try this place - Mookata, Traditional Thai BBQ, 103/105 East Coast Road, Singapore - literally right opposite I12.

It's like Korean BBQ with Chinese steamboat all in one - but I have to say I think best I have ever had of either separate or combined. You have to try. But get there early or get it booked as we left about 2030 and the queue was down the street.

Oh yeah also don't plan to leave there and go straight out to some funky night club or anything. You STINK, absolutely REAK of BBQ smoke, garlic and cooked meats - but all in a good way. Just don't wear your dinner jacket and tiara chaps!

Mookata is literal translation from Thai to English of "Pork Skillet". 

We had meat feast platter - enough for 5 easy. 3 lumps of pork fat you whack on tap to melt and greaseproof (we found out after - as we thought it was tofu). But anyways you'll get the idea if you go. Then you have a monster plate of meats - hot dogs, cheesy dogs, marinated beef, shabu shabu, pork fillets, pork belly, chicken thigh, chicken skin, plus stock to go in the tray beneath that then collects all the juices - that soup becomes the best you'll have ever had at the end - add to it cabbage, mushrooms, sweetcorn and the like.

Dear me this one as my great mate Dougy would say is 500%; "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!!"

You have to go - and if you, let me know and we'll come too - OH yes!

It's official. I am mid-life crisis.

Does that involve buying ferraris, doing bunjy jumps etc.

No it involves me going to local pet shop in the CBD and buying the fish - remember, new babies in the Kennett family?

Well here is two more - Snowy and Ariel our two new dwarf hamsters. I have been badgered and badgered - well actually hamstered and hamstered by the kids to let them get these - so today succumbed and here are our new babies.

Add the kids, to the hamsters, to the baby fish we have and we now have a family of 438 living in a rather small condo. Dear me!