Phuket Football

This is the 5 shattered teams just after the U11 girls lost in the final. C girl was devestated. A girl from the other team had her in a lock with the referee a few meters away - 3 times - every time our team had a goal kick. They lost 0-1 and she was devestated - with me. How could I let anyone do that to her and not stop it (it wasn't for lack of wanting to - J had hold of the back of my t shirt).

So now KLASS (who definitely have no class) are at the top of my DIRTY list. Harrow were at the top - but the KLASS coach told them to do it (Yes I can prove it (we walked past when he had this one girl off to the side going through the tactics) and they played FOUL (as in EVERYONE on the team played foul). The refereeing was ridiculous - to the point where I thought the kids should catch the ball - there were no "handballs" anywhere and the pushing and pulling (and arm locks) was ridiculous. One of our girls got such a big kick in the back of the leg that she went down and out (but the ball wasn't even near her at the time of this). As usual - our school played cleanly. It only got us two 2nds, one 4th and 2 last (the two youngest teams of their league), but they did it as good sports.

Anyway - I know I sound bitter - but the parents of the girls team were staying in the same hotel- we usually get along alright (and that is after losing in both directions) - but after such a dirty game - I couldn't trust myself to even be in the same bar (we went to the beach instead - which was pretty great at sunset). Luckily the kids get over it pretty quick. They came second after all (from 9 teams). Poor old Bear's team came last - got whipped in every game. But they put up a big fight and were the youngest team. You wait for next year - they will be in the same age group - and they might even win a game or two.

Phuket Beach

This is Nai Tang beach (near Rawai) at the south end of the island.

The school bags say it all. Kids were very well looked after.

Bear's Phuket

The boys had a very special treat at the beach - topless sunbathers. Bear's friend counted 8 (I think he was counting each breast seperately). They weren't shy either - they would walk along the beach, then run back.

We knew at that point - no matter where the boys came in the competetion - going to the beach would be the highlight of the trip.

Phuket

The two big kids, J and I spent the last weekend in Phuket for a football tournament.

This was at the beach on Thursday. How many kids get to say they spent the day at the beach with their friends in Phuket.

Awesome Week

You wouldn't believe the week we are having in the jakartarocks household.


It started last saturday with football (nothing unusual about that) in the morning for the two little ones (Bear won, Munchkin lost).


Followed by rushing to Pondok Indah Mall for a new pair of football boots for C girl (discovered old ones worn out). She had won a pair for best and fairest with ASA soccer camp, but they are still one size away. All the shops didn't have the pair we wanted (the 90 series Nike) in her size, her feet are too small for the adult size, the youth size is sold out (for the last 2 months). No idea when they will come in. Settled on some poor Nike cousins.


Anyway, got home with 10 minutes to spare before heading out for her football match. They won a great game, then we rushed home and went to a halloween party at Executive Paradise (we have friends there). No alcohol, but every type of food you could want - plus lots for the kids to do. Left after 2 hours.


We then went to a halloween party - dress up and everything. I had been sick since Tuesday - so we left at 11pm - we are so dull - but it was a great party.


On Sunday morning I took C girl to football tryouts for the Jakarta All Stars Team. They had selected 50 kids to tryout. She is the only girl, but that is not really a good thing as although she knows 50% of the boys, they don't necessarily want to be her partner for anything - so she gets stuck with the fat kid (you know what I mean). When she is on the team she is accepted - but she has to get on it first.


Left at 12:10 - and was sitting in the Ritz Carlton at 1:10 - how is that for record time? (No kids at this brunch). It's the first time we have been there since the bomb went off, it wasn't too scary. There was a joke made when the door opened and the light fitting swayed due to the wind. But it was fine. We left at our prelunch planned 5 o clock (although J wanted to go out with them to EP (Eastern Promise) - but I sent the driver home (J tried to stay in the car so he could zoom off, but I was onto him)).


The family watched Aliens in the Attic - good movie - bit too much like ET though. He stopped sulking at 8 (when I told him he could go because the kids were in bed) - he didn't go out then - guess the thought of a taxi was too much for him (he knew they were still out because they were texting about "be the man").


At 4:30 am we were rocked out of our sleep by the garage door opening (the driver had arrived) - oh no - the alarm didn't go off (volume too low) - we raced to get C girl up. Then C girl and I raced off to the airport.


We met her school at 5:22 (early by 8 minutes - thanks Fobissea team with long memories). She has gone to Bali on the best camp I have ever heard of for a Year 6 child. They are getting home today - fingers crossed she had the best time ever. I have been so nervous that she isn't having a great time.

I rushed home from the airport because - Bear boy turned 8. That's right 8 years old. That means that only 4 years ago we returned from Phuket from our very first overseas trip (which confirmed to us that Aus is dull and we needed an adventure - and we have been here almost 3 years now (this month)). He cleaned up with a mobile phone, space police lego and a remote control helicopter. He was very happy.


On wed I went to doctor - I have a chest infection - that is why I haven't felt well since last Tuesday (and why I spent last Thursday in bed and still feel like someone is sitting on my chest).


This weekend - we have::::

7 hour football tournement where the two little ones will play 5 mini games (16 minutes each) and C girl will play 2 normal games (to decide on 1 - 4th place). As I am the coach for my son's team and J is the assistant coach (but tomorrow coach) for Munchkin's team - we will both miss C girls first game and may only get to see a tiny bit of her second game (depending on if they are playing for 1/2 or 3/4 at that stage. Hopefully their coach will play them in their correct position (he has a habit of moving them all over the pitch to give them experience - they still came 3rd out of 12 teams).


With Bear's team, we finished 2nd on the ladder, so I am feeling very confident that we may be able to pull off victory tomorrow (we haven't played the top team - but they are from our school and we know them). There are two party invites for after this tournament - at this stage I am saying that we aren't going anywhere after it. Enough.


On sunday, C girl has final tryouts (they have been cut down to 30 for ultimately 2 teams of 12). Then we have Bear's birthday party with 22 Year 3/4 boys doing - swimming, slip n slide, apple bobbing, chocolate game, treasure hunt, pinata and (drum roll) - we have two bamboo logs strapped together - each player comes from each side with a noodle - then whoever knocks the other off wins - yes - it just has disaster written all over it. Munchkin has even invited a boy as her friend because we know her girl friends will shake with fear and she will spend the whole party being a good friend and not going wild with the boys.


As soon as the party finishes (3pm) - we have to prepare to go to school for the Bonfire night (guy fawkes night late). I'm helping with the alcoholic drinks so I shouldn't be too run off my feet (fingers crossed). Luckily it finishes at 7. No movie night this week (will need to have on Sat instead).


So how is that for a mad week? And next week we are going to Phuket for football from wed - Sun. Bear and C girl are playing for school - I'm going to watch. Most of the parents are staying together (well the social ones are anyway) - fingers crossed I am back to 100% before wednesday.

Did I mention anywhere that I love being a Soccer Mum. That's right - love it. There is no sacrifice here when it comes to watching a game with my child in it - even when they lose every game of the season.

Melbourne

I really am unsure as to why a giant clam purse represents Melbourne, but here are the kids outside the Melbourne post office in Bourke Street Mall.

We spent a lovely afternoon in Melbourne - bookshop mainly (where it is warm and next door to Starbucks (there are only a handful of starbucks in Aus - they shut most of them down in August 2008 because too much competition).

After a dinner of pancake kitchen (we walked past a crepe place earlier in the day - thinking too expensive - we will find another place - only to find no other place and the crepe shop shut when we got back).

Then it was off to the AFL that night. C girl was less than impressed -wanted to go back to the hotel as she was BORED. This is about 20 minutes before the game started - the empty seats are the pre booked seats - most people are at the bar drinking (it is that sort of game). It's an indoor stadium that seats 80,000. Temp inside was only 16 degrees celcius (whereas it would have been 5 outside), so not too bad at all.

Italy here we come

We are so excited. We will be flying out to Italy in less than 2 months.

On the agenda - the first 8 nights will be spent at a ski resort that is on the Italian/France border. We will stay in Italy then have lunch in France - as an Australian that sounds unbelievable. Only occasional ski school for the kids as they are getting to the point where it's more fun to ski with them than without them....but we may need a break for a few hours every few days.

C girls birthday and christmas will be spent skiing or doing other winter fun stuff. Best way to spend christmas, open your present - then get on out their for skiing.

(Please note - we have room for 1 more person on the skiing leg of our journey - visitors most welcome - you know who you are!!!! We can meet / drop off at Milan airport).

Then off to Florence for 2 nights. During the middle day, we will hop on a train and see the leaning tower of Pisa, then get back to Florence for a walk around.

Then off to Rome for 7 nights (including new years eve). Fingers crossed a day trip to Pompeii while we are there (it doesn't look too far in the book, a few 100 kms). Think that will be very cool. Bear is learning all about archeologists at the moment - so that is appropriate.

Then off to Bologna for 2 nights -with the day inbetween going to Venice. Don't want to kill the Venice experience with the kids - but I want to go on a gondola ride and see the piazza etc. We will go back there without kids one day and see all the sights.

Can't wait for the food in Bologna (we are going there because of a book by John Grisham - yes we are easily influenced). Plus I want to see the towers that were built for the rich families and see a little university city.......such a romantic.

Then off to Parma or Emilia Reggie or Milan for the last night - that is dependent on the football match we can get tickets to - whether it's a local game or a bigger game. But it's part of our tradition - to see the local obsession sport (see Melbourne AFL and Vancouver Giants) - okay it's a new tradition - but they have to start somewhere. Plus - I have to see the last supper in Milan.

Not expecting to see any of the artwork or buildings for very long - but would like to see them. I can go through a museum or aquarium in under an hour - as opposed to going to the war museam in Canberra with J - it took 2 days.......but I definitely think the kids should go, see. WE tend to take a photo of the captions that are really interesting and then read them when we get home (J in Germany with Bear in 2006 - but he was 4 and he was there to see the world cup not the berlin wall) - but I don't believe in torturing them - or they will torture me.....later, or the next time I want to see something.

Yes - push over parent, but it works for us. C girl has been to the Louvre (8 hours), british museum, london natural history museum, every museum in Canberra and Sydney, Vancouver planeterium, Dachau (plus munich beer hall to finish), Salzburg underground salt mines, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, London Eye, Madam Touseu, Tower of London, Singapore Science centre..... plus seen Circus de soleil (twice), every disney on ice when we lived in Aus (front row seats), lion king, mama mia, swan lake, we will rock you, billy elliot, kelly clarkson, hilary duff (front row), last but not least - THE WIGGLES....... plus a few more musicals that I can't remember (she has always been my date because they were 3 hours from home and I hate taking someone who doesn't love it (picture J at this point).....oh and Disneyland for 6 days.

C girl will either come back eating a lot of different food - or she will be very skinny. I bought her a phrase book and cd for italian language today - she is studying it (has even put on her ipod so she can learn on the way to school) - she is going to be responsible for ordering her own food (we will eat whatever they want to serve us). But she will be eating everything she is given.

We are planning a lot of day trips I guess - but we aren't ones to sit around and twiddle our thumbs - so hopefully we will come back exhausted - but having seen lots of wonderful things.

Can't wait for the skiing, eating, drinking and the constant walking that we will do in the beautiful cities of Italy. Can't wait to be cold as well......brrrrr.....yippee.

Borneo - 2009 - again.

Well I survived another trip.....actually it wasn't all that bad.

We flew from Banjarmarsin to Maura Tewah, which saved us 10 hours in a car. So - leaving home at 4:30 we were at the minesite at 1pm. Not bad going, since it usually takes us to 10am on the following day.

From a previous trip - but you get the idea of the trip down the river.

The food on site was terrible. Our normal cook was away and so we had what everyone else eats (yes, I stay in VIP with cable television (and now hot water), so I have come to expect different food (like when I was sick I got steak, chips and normal veggies- no kidding (not sure what sort of steak it was though). We had deep fried mashed potato balls, white rice (which I refuse to eat), chicken pieces (which are yum the first 3 times) and green beans with tofu. Same meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner for 6 meals straight.

(This is a floating home, note the dishes being washed)

(this is the boat we went on - it seats 8 comfortably)

Yesterday we had a novel trip, a 7 hour boat ride from the minesite to a secondary area. Previously we have done 2 hours boat, 5 hours car, 1 1/2 hour boat. But this time we went for a change. We had a mini meeting at the secondary area, had a massive lunch (that was also dinner) of super sized prawns and home made coconut cream ice cream (and I was either starving or this may have been the best ice cream I have ever had in my entire life.

Another example of fine plumbing on the river (at least there is no drop into water - trust me, a toilet where it drops a meter before hitting the water is a lot more embarrasing).

(one of the better toilets (I refuse to use one without a roof). This is on floating platform on river)

You may wonder what the obsession is with toilets - well I have never been camping. But I don't think I need to in order to experience the great outdoors - I can do it while I am at work.

NOTE : I forgot to mention the most exciting - I love living in Indonesia moment. During the 6 hour drive (after the 8 hours in the boat) our car kept breaking down. It eventually got to every 5 minutes we were stopping for 5 minutes to clean out the fuel injectors. Our driver was on the phone for a bit (which he normally never does during the normal 10 hour drives).

After not long at all, we were told to grab all our stuff. We were changing cars. Our driver had a friend (in the middle of nowhere) who lent us his car. The friend drove our car back (he hadn't made it when we left at 5am this morning) while our driver and us took his car. It had no seatbelts or back seat windows. We got back without incident.

Where else would someone give you their car while they took yours (yes - cash was exchanged - but still). Where I ask?

Today, in the official Pushing in line to get on the plane, the people in the proper line were all smiles at us......we were pushing in (with about 20 other people), but they didn't care - that's how it works.

I love this place (think I must be deliriously tired). No really - even tomorrow, I'm going to still love it.

Ocean Queen

Sorry - but if they didn't look so gorgeous wearing this colour I wouldn't buy it for them (not to mention they were obscenely cheap at the Rip curl factory outlet - gold coast).

This is where the kids played when they weren't swimming in the ocean. With tonnes of kids from AIS at the place, the kids made some new friends and were kept busy.

Ocean Queen

Can you see the man up in the tree cutting the dead coconuts out? See a harness? No? Welcome to health and safety at work - Indonesian style.

Full kudos to the resort - they had at least 5 full time employees cleaning the beach/grass resort the entire time.

Didn't see anyone clean the pool though - could be why my ear hurts 2 weeks after leaving??????

Palm Oil

Palm oil plantation on the way home. Mountain in the background. This was rainforest many years ago.

Being Green

It's not easy being green. Just ask the kids.

C girl refused to drink hot sweet tea when we stopped. The other two drank it all. It was foul, but we needed to stop or we would have been wearing breakfast.

Coming Home

We had a really quick trip home (compared to jenjenqld who left 3 minutes after us and got home over an hour after us). 4 hours of travelling with a 1/2 hour stop at a local, middle of the hills resturant.

As you can see from this photo, everyone had stopped being green. This was on the way toll coming from Bogor - a good hour after the hills.

As you can see - J sacrificed himself and sat in the back. It is pretty wide, just not big on foot room.

Note - I always sit in the front because I get very car sick otherwise.

Aus Holiday

See those white lines on the ashphalt? Well they are the back wheel being worn down by the brakes. This is coming into the house in QLD - downhill. He got a new scooter after this exploit. We found spare wheels after their Dad came - which meant we had 5 scooters - and YES, we did family scooter rides. Because we are very, very sad people.