We slept in.....BIG TIME

Woke at 1050 am after going to sleep around 11pm last night. We could not believe how late it was so missed hotel breakfast. So headed off first to Little India this afternoon and then Orchard Road. Shall I say that Vivienne overdosed on "retail therapy today"
These shots are from our first afternoon yesterday at Raffles Hotel:


Plan to watch with 298,998 others the fireworks at Marina Bay
And now today!

In Singapore

Arrived this morning in Singapore from Paris, and have slept for hours. Just grabbed a meal late and too late for the bookshops.

Our hotel room at the Carlton Hotel is in the new Premier wing and on the 17th floor with incredible views of Singapore, good during the day, fantastic at night. We were upgraded to a really nice room with marble bathroom with amazing window

After 30 years caught up with my younger brother Christopher in his adopted city of Nantes.



When we arrived from Manchester he met us at the Kyriard Hotel and we chatted in our room until his friend and colleague Stephan took us to a mutual friend Louisa's apartment for apertifs Lousia lives with her elderly mother Odette in a very old apartment we are told which is over 400 years old.

We then went to a local restaurant for a great meal and chat. Our trip was tempered by the fact that both Vivienne and I have come down with major colds, so much so that I was forced in more ways than one to see a doctor before we caught the train from Nantes to Paris .(Viv had said I should see a doctor in London, Cheshire etc!!!). Now armed with antibiotics etc !!!

Stephan was very kind in organising a doctors appointment for me. And then walking us to the station and even getting us on the train .
Just arrived in Paris lovely Hotel Concorde Montpamasse. Took a trip up to see the view from the top of the Montpamasse Tower

A cold Xmas day

The day started with a yummy cooked English breakfast in our b&b.

We then picked up Viv's Aunty Joyce - a very sprightly if forgetful, 90 year old.

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We took her to Viv's cousin Carol's house for Xmas dinner, where we met Alan and Carol's son Michael and his daughter Casey, and her daughter Jane and her husband John and daughter Jessica and son David. It's been 30 years since Viv has seen this side of the family.

It was a little chilly still before lunch.

We enjoyed a lovely traditional Xmas dinner and catching up with lots of family gossip. John and his family then kindly escorted us home where we are now enjoying a glass of red before packing for the next adventure!!!!
See the video of our drive away from Pickmere on Boxing Day morning

Made it to Cheshire

We left our London Hotel in a cab and made our way to Euston Station. We managed to get stuck in traffic behind a troop of Household Cavalry which we did not mind. A very helpful porter at Euston managed to get us on an earlier train to Chester and we can highly recommend Virgin trains... More room than an aircraft seat and free Wifi. There was some delay due to a broken down train ahead of us. Our real dramas of the day occured when Thrifty Rental cars gave us a car that had no fuel in it which meant we had to back track and they filled the car with 77 pounds of diesel. We also managed to get lost two or three times by lack of signposting that meant something to us!!

Arrived however at Pickmere Country Guest House in Pickmere a village near Vivienne's 90 year old aunt. It's covered with snow.
We took a 2 minute walk to The Elms for our meal which was a good value meal after paying London prices all week

Tourists

Took the tube to the Embankment and became tourists . Viv and I took a 40 minute Thames cruise and then I had a ride on the London Eye.



I met Malcolm Lauder and his wife Susan who was celebrating her 60th birthday. We got chatting and we ended up being escorted by them to the Borough Markets where we had a couple of drinks in a classic old pub and then a good tour of the markets..... Great cheese was acquired.. Hope to see them in Australia late next year

Wednesday's full day

I headed off early to grab our train tickets for our trip to Chester then met Vivienne at Harrods. We visited Covent Garden and then Oxford Street and then a nice Italian meal in the evening in South Kensington.

London Update

Am at the library at the Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine. The park outside is covered in snow. Vivienne is at Harrods and we will meet soon.




Arrived 3 hours late at Heathrow due to snow.


London is white, Hyde Park looks incredible.


Went to the Victoria and Albert Museum yesterday afternoon.



Last night we walked in the snow to the Royal Albert Hall to hear the Kings College Cambridge Choir. Vivienne was approached by a gentleman, Michael (a legal chap from the City) who gave her a spare seat in his box!
I watched the concert from the gallery. Click the link.
I have wanted all my life to go to see something here!!
Walked back in the snow to our hotel, the Regency Hotel in South Kensington

First hiccough of the trip!

Arrived 30 minutes early in Singapore, with six hour lay-over but with an hour or so to go checked boards and discovered flight delayed by 3 hours now leaving Monday morning at 0245!! Feeling a little tired!!

Saturday morning madness!

Vivienne, the incredible coping mother managed to find time this morning during her lunch preparations to construct a leotard for Michael, who is off to a party tonight as a 6'5" ballerina!!
I went out to chase some thermal underwear from Katmandu!

Friday night farewell evening

A great house full of friends at Vivienne 's to toast the compliments of the season and to wish us well for the trip on Sunday.