Tabitha Time again - off to Cambodia

Now for those of you that have been following this wee blog of mine for a while, well you guys will know that this is year 6. What did we achieve? Well my friends we built 36 houses over 2 days and changed a lot of peoples lives - we hope sincerely.

So this year for the blog, instead of giving a load of photos of us up ladders, and getting all smily and happy because we've done good, and nights at the restaurant and Liquid - NO not this year.

I want you to see why we go. 

Why we have been back year after year. 

Why we leave our own families for 5 days to go to help others.

Why we ask you every year to dip your hand in your pocket to help. It's for the amazing people of Cambodia. 

They have nothing like we have. 

They have a shocking history. 

They are poor. 

But fuck me are they proud, and always seem to be forever smiling and laughing.

We'll be back every year.

I have to share my favourite Cambodian poem too - sort of just sums it up.

"Harder to silence now, the cries
of anger and sorrow,
and through them, however indistinct,
the mysterious music of hope and grace."

Here they are people.

Remember these pictures when I ask for donations this and next year.

Please...

Here is the founder of Tabitha - the amazing Janne Ritskes, briefing the teams. 50/50 new and old this trip. You cannot help but be moved by the stories she tells of her employees that lived the atrocities.

Waiting for that all important tuk tuk fare that will give him about $2USD.

Not at school, just sat with Mum, Dad and Gran at the road-side. Hoping someone will buy some petrol, or some fruit...Anything!!!

One thing you truly do not see a lot of in Cambodia - pensioners. Imagine your life with no grandparents. This is the life Cambodians have to date.

On route to visit Janne's new Project - a women's hospital in the middle of nowhere. Up and down the road looks like this. Truly little or no infrastructure. Makes you wonder what would happen if there was an emergency - how would an ambulance get down this road?

The back-garden.

Some of the livestock we acquire for the families - house and some food for the lucky ones.

It is indeed 100% official - Ollie is entering the teen years!!!

As I wrote in his card today;

"You unlock this door with the key of imagination, beyond it is another dimension - a dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind, you're moving in to a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over in to the ....

TEENAGE ZONE!!!!"

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAH.

Thank you to everyone across the world for cards, presents and kind words - he has read them all and loves every single one - so thank you everyone from Oliver Kennett.

Hold on a minute that's not Ollie - although he is acting like it sometimes now...

OK first for this evening was a dancing ensemble from our number one ballet dancer Amy. Sort of more like River Dance in a rainbow tutu, but still very very good. Well done Amy, a great party gift to Ollie for his thirteenth birthday.

Oops she's still going, thought she had finished..

Sort of a clapping River Dance in a rainbow tutu now.

Double whoops - she's still going ha ha.

Now sort of a any old iron, any old iron, any any any old iron River Dance in a rainbow tutu.

What a performance.

Dance finished and she now moves to keyboards for the birthday song recital.

Finally we actually get to see the birthday boy - Happy 13th Ollie Boo.

All together now... "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Ollie Boo, Happy Birthday to you!!!" Accompanied by Amy playing  twinkle twinkle little star - HUH???

Out with the cake we hear you all cry and here it comes from my Mary - and what a beauty it is. Cake is not too bad either ha ha...

Yes you will have noticed no baby Jude - he was sleeping bless him.

Probably dreaming of Ollie and eating Ollie's big marshmallow cake - I went in a minute ago to check on him and there was a pillow missing - weird!!!

Now that does look nice - even despite the completely gratuitous advertising from Bread Talk that I just noticed. Goodness me. Still, and absolute belter of a cake - like that a lot!!! 

My handsome teenage man - happy birthday pal.

All our love.

"I wish for Michelle Pfeiffer, I wish for Michelle Pfeiffer..."

"Whoops did I say that out loud?"

Oh my he's changing already - ha ha.

And last one for tonight and that day that was Ollie's - Obaachan is visiting having arrived VERY early this morning.

Happy Birthday all the way from Japan in person.

Next stop 14 Ollie, then 18, then 21, then 30, then 40 and then you'll be with me at 46 mate - OUCH!!!!

One for my Sis - Haruko

So it is Sunday.

We chilled all day.

SMS is incoming re a meet at Lagoon Hawker - oooh have not been there a while. Sounds good to me. So Amy on bike and Jude in buggy off we trot.

But this posting is really for my sis, Haruko, which I will get to - but first a few randoms.

We had to stop for Jude - he went all goo goo and ga ga over the water ski park action a happening. True some of the guys today were damn good, so we did indeed have a wee break from our walk and took some time to watch

Come on now this guys is good. Purely using the speed in to the corner to allow him to make a jump. This guy is good. Clearly showing off skills to the lads sat right behind him on the lake side.

Fair play - liking this a lot my friend

Maximum air!

Now to the food court ad fun with Baby Jude. He loves being fed with chopsticks, almost becomes a game for him. He'll laugh every-time when he has finished a mouthful, demanding the next. This was slow cooked pig buckle with white rice. Yeah baby, Baby Jude does hawker food already - GOOD BOY!!!

Purely an update from photos before ha ha - here's my two going spanners at bone marrow in the pig knuckle dish. Suck suck suck - yummy!!!

Off goes Ollie as well - interesting concept right?

And to the reason for the blog. To this family affair. To this food experience event. To this, literal, walk in the park. To this lovely relaxing Sunday afternoon. I wore my new shirt Sis. See I love it. Actually loads of room to move (maybe this shot not my best side), loads of supportive compliments from my mates (yes guys this is ORIGINAL), etc.

I love it.

So thanks so much Sis - great choice, all my love Bri xxx

Ollie's birthday party x2

Bit of a strange one this year as he has a load of mates from previous schools and now his new friends from the new school. What to do. What do you think?

Yep two parties.

First up. Xcape around Bugis Junction.

This time with his mates from his old school Anoushka, Dev and Brendan, and with his friend and neighbour Freya his other friend Asia - both the latter also SOTA now. So a great bunch of mates all together again to go to Xcape and Resident Evil.

Kind of like a 'Big Fish' Game in real life.

You have to split in to two - half become captors and half become rescuers.

Team-work was order of the days as you can't see what they can see and viva versa, and stuff in your room is needed in theirs and viva versa. Actually quite good fun.

Yes I had be there as consenting adult. So literally 6 SHOUTING near and actual teenagers locked in a room with me for an hour - wow!!!

Here is the before the session - filling out disclaimers and the like.

Now I think starting to get a little pumped and excited.

And here is the afterwards, yep they had a blast. We didn't complete the room, as in fact it was pretty damn hard actually. Lateral thinking was the order of the day, which these guys thought meant shouting more ha ha.

Then we get here for party number 2. Not much to say re this. It was very busy, in fact extremely busy as you can see. This is Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights 4 or something like that. Ollie, again with Freya and Asia but with 4 mates from  SOTA that I don't know. Actors dressed in costumes jump out at you type thing, haunted houses and other stuff, perfect for these guys to go mental for a few hours.

Perhaps I'll let Ollie explain how the night unfolded from here - I was at a very nearby restaurant working, awaiting the agreed return time for the kids to get back to their parents on time. Ollie over to you...

So manically busy - must have been many thousands. Never seen anything like it before at Universal. Just crazy.

And the last photo of the night and Ollie's birthday parties - all a little strange as no party per se, more attending some events. But that's cool. Photo above looks more like a night club, and did indeed go on to 0130am, I think when Ollie finally returned actually. Hope he had fun.

We did it again - our next phase of exit and re-entering to Singapore

A little bit further forward now in our ventures to stop having to do this every 30 days nonsense. A little bit though is all I can say. Idiotic husband behaviour in Philippines - but c'est la vie we shall see.

So yes folks we exited again today and luckily got back in. Not so fortunate were the couple next to us, who at Singaporean immigration got carted off to a private room. Yes she was also Filipino. Seriously what do you guys have against Filipinos here? Beyond me.

Anyways off today we trot to LegoLand on the bus. Really cool day out, the bus made it a breeze as no driving needed etc. for your truly. Sadly thunder & lightening caused 'rain stops play' for an hour or so, which also meant we did not get chance to try the water park. But we'll be back again, and may even stay in the hotel for a night.

You'll notice no Ollie. Yep he could not come as he had school, so just the four amigos for this trip.

Off we go for a precise of the day.

"Ha Ha sis, look you're losing your teeth and I am getting all mine. Ha Ha!!!"

"Fanxsh Baby Jude."

"Did I just lishpe?"

Really hot right about now. Bag dropped to locker, let's go have some fun.

Hold on a minute - who's this with my Amy.

I know you like purple hun but that's just crazy he he.

No1 daughter and yours truly on Project X. Quite a cool roller-coster.

Amy loved this one.

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Whoops too much deodorant on this morning it seems.

Put your arms down you fool, you're not 14 any more.

Oh shit it's actually me.

Go on son show those young-uns how it's done - Woo Hoo!!!

"C3PO?"

"No there were 5 of them, and how do you know my name is O?

One very cute little thing.

Oh yeah and R2D2...

No idea why?

Looks a ferocious animal.

Well one that would savagely gum you to death at the moment.

Very cute Amy-Boo.

What's that saying - "Lock up your daughters..."

Oooh my little man - I could eat you mate. So cute.

He and Amy today had about 10, 10 year old school girls following them round, trying to get photos with them wherever they went ha ha!!! 

And they're coming down the back straight. Amy Kennett on Plastic Fantastic is nudging ahead. She's using the whip but it's almost like the horse can't feel a thing...

Baby Jude and his Dad.

"Love you."

"Love you too Baby Jude!"

"Dad I like it up here."

"I can see much better and I can play with your hair - nice!"

"What hair I have left Baby Jude, what hair I have left!!!"

So then Amy Boo goes on this ride called Beetle Drop - it takes you the top of a tower and then pretends to drop you down to the ground at bear-neck speed. Of course it never his the ground, but you get that stomach feeling which you just can't help but laugh along with. Here is Amy Boo.

Going...

Going...

Going...

And, gone...

Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

Nope just some random fat kid sat next to Amy Boo.

Keep off the pies love...

I feel it could be any minute now.

"Dad can I have driving lessons?"

Ladies and gentlemen I give you the World famous - Penny Black, of Boat Quay.

But now very very tiny.

Clearly being this size you would not want to be dining a half!!!

This is the model of some Royalty of Myanmar pagoda thing.

Quite incredible.

And then 2 steps later we're in Thailand to look at this beautiful Royal barge.

Amy was making a Thai speed boat go whizzing round.

Mary Jude also in Thailand sat in front one of there more famous 'Wats" or temples.

Off to Bali now and a temple on the rocks that we have actually visited. Truly amazing, in fact awe inspiring. Even at this size it still looks incredible.

Now to Pirate Cove in the Caribbean. Look at the size of that model, and no I don't mean my Amy in the background, ha ha!

Now Amy Boo goes nuts again.

This is a new line for Lego, called Chima. So here is Amy getting a birds eye view of the land of Chima.

So ICA we just visited about 8 countries, can we get a longer sodding visa than 30 days please.

Hmmm, OK, didn't think so...

Once the rain had finished we decided to circus-naviate the park on their very own choo choo train. 

They loved this. I actually had a quick power nap ha ha.

I LOVE these two photos.

OMG what more to say...

Nothing!!!

Final ride before home was me and the kids in a wee boat, navigating to get home.

We did well we overtook 2 other boats en route.

Come on Hamilton eat your heart out ha ha!!!

More life jacket than there is Baby Jude.

That's it guys.

Time to de suit and get to the bus stop.

Home is beckoning.

What a lovely day of fun, not even thinking of the impending exit issues at the border.