The year 2010 was a good year for me, after settling in my job after two years, I managed to finally save enough money to go back to my homeland Indonesia. It's been four years, the kids and Alan missed Indonesia, especially me.
We also went camping in May for the first time as a family with Nana and Granddad Brocklehurst. It was fun, wet and windy. We went camping with the scout group in Sherbrooke. The kids had so many things to do, they made new friends, and they were all busy for the few days we were there. Rain, wind, camp fire, sing along, a walk in the woods, mosquitoes and ants. It was an adventurous few days. The kids and Alan's legs was covered by mosquitoes and ants bite. We survived, I even surprised my self.... I am not very good with camping.
My very good friend Julie decided to move house closer to her parents, so I spent the whole week helping her decorate her little bungalow. It was lovely, we had all week just us the girls... decorating, wine, good foods and plenty tins of paint.
At the end of July, we flew to Indonesia from Birmingham Airport. I was surprisingly relaxed... (I never like flying, the thought of airports always makes me nervous) But we were ready and excited.
We stopped by at Dubai International Airport, it was a very big airport. We stayed there for about three hours, before getting on the next plane to Jakarta. The kids really enjoyed the airport.
Arrived in Indonesia, picked up by my parents, with their very old Mercedes...
God knows what's going to happens next.
Yep... we went for a meal near the airport, I was feasting with the sayur kangkung (watercress) and rice and sambal (chili). Ready for our journey to get back to my parents house ... only to have the old car break down... it was 7pm at night, we were all tired from the long flights. Taxi and tow truck was on the cards. Alan had his first experience of being pulled in a tow truck sitting in an old Mercedes with my dad, on the Indonesian motorway. According to him ... it was a very fast ride.
While me, the kids and my mother went on a taxi half hour earlier, arrived only a few minute before Alan and my dad arrived... so you can imagine how fast the tow truck was pulling my dad's Mercedes.
My friends came to visit us at my parents house on the 2nd day, it was lovely to see them all again.
We stayed with our parents house to get rid of our jet lag, before travelling to Bali a few days later.
Arrived in Bali to be met by my good friend Widi, of whom I haven't seen for nearly 8 years.
We went by taxi to our hotel in Sanur. It was a great choice to go there, a quite part of Bali, near the fishing beach, and not too far to walk from the hotel to the beach.
Nice little hotel, with air-conditioned, outdoor shower, kitchen area and an outdoor dining area. We were in Bali for four days and three nights.
Widi drove us to Ubud, Goa Gajah and Tanah Lot. We had a lovely dinner watching the sunset in a restaurant over a cliff in Tanah Lot. Spent the last day in Sanur beach, playing on the sand and swimming in the sea... with Adriana overwhelmingly shouting.... "this is the best holiday of my life".... "this is the best day of my life".... "this is the best beach of my life"....this is the best of... everything was the best for her, whilst we were in Bali.
We had our last meal in this little beach hut restaurant, before we went off to the airport to go back to Jakarta.
I had this crazy idea when I was booking my flight ticket to Indonesia, to do a big family and friends reunion. I posted it on facebook, with the hope that my friends will take it seriously and come.
So we had a reunion on the 21st of August 2010.
My auntie, my grandmother, cousins, nieces and nephews came. it was lovely to see everybody again, especially my grandmother.
About 28 of my friend from the junior high school came around at 6pm. We haven't seen each other for nearly 20 years, it was a great success. Plenty of food, and drinks. Plenty of pictures and plenty of laughter. they all stayed until about 11pm that night.
It was an overwhelming experience. Everybody's changed, and got older and wiser, but we are all still friends. We had lots of fun whilst we were in Indonesia, we went to see my uncle, my grandfather and my auntie in Bandung.
We went swimming a few times... Adriana absolutely loves swimming. The kids went fishing with my father, went on a motorcycle ride. Alan and my dad went cycling.
Dylan made friends with a praying mantis.
The kids love spending time with the grandparents and great uncle moustache and uncle Masdoelhak.
All in all they really enjoyed Indonesia. We had few tears when we had to go back to England, but life goes on, we had to go back to the real world.
I took my kids and Alan to see 'Stomp' for the first time, it was a great show. we had fun watching the show.
I grew a great fondness of this band called 'Take That', love all their song and love the voice of Gary Barlow.
Me and Alan have been together for 6 years this year. Hopefully stronger that the year before. We had our differences, but we seem to manage to tolerate each other and understand each other more and more every year.
We had plenty of snow at the end of the year, the school had been closed for few days because of the snow. but we had fun sledging and enjoying the fluffy snow.
My brother, sister and her son came around for the holiday during Christmas and New Year. We had plenty of food and alcohol...(well, I have been cooking plenty of food for everybody)
We went bowling together, and went for a meal out. Julie and the girls came around and stay overnight at our house. The kids had an extensive amount of time with the Nintendo DS... too much for my liking.
And then... there's the new year of 2011... will it be eventful as the last, or more???... I shall wait and see......
Thank you so much to my lovely family and friends.
