After 3 brilliant days in HK, flew home (for ‘plane geeks it turned out to be a 777 which was a bit of a disappointment. )

Arrived at LHR at 04.45 — on time and were home by 08.10.

Mountain of mail !

Can’t stand the thought of unpacking.

Arrived in Hong Kong yesterday. The previous day – enroute from Manila was the only rough day of the whole trip. Coming into Hong Kong by ship for the first time was an amazing experience. We have visited 14 ports in 9 countries and travelled 8,000 miles by sea. A wonderful trip but now quite glad to be on dry land and visit some old haunts. Last night we went by MTR bus and taxi to the New Territories to visit Tom and Pickle for a drink and supper. I enjoyed navigating the HK public transport system after a break of  15 years. This morning it’s a bit gloomy but we will do the usual touristy things and do the Star Ferry, the Peak etc. Flying back to London tomorrow night with another first – BA’s new A380. We will be home on Friday morning.

Today in Manila.  I will try and get some envelopes!

Photo is of the typical Manila taxi called a Jeepney.

Today we are in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Phillipines. The people are so poor but utterly charming. We hired a Tuk-Tuk ( 3 wheel motorised scooter for the morning – £5.00 !). Delightful driver, Christopher, took us on a tour including a butterfly farm and a seafood lunch on a restaurant on stilts above the sea shore mangroves — brilliant.

Yesterday we were in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah – our last port of call on the beautiful island of Borneo. This is the land of the Orangutangs.

Of mosques and mosquitoes !

Here in Brunei it’s a Moslem country with loads of impressive mosques. The mangrove swamps are full of mosquitoes.

Visited Kuching, capital of Sarawak, a province of Malaysia on the north-west of the island of Borneo.  We went to a rain forest – so it rained. We saw orangutangs  in the trees swinging above our heads.

Next stop is Brunei.

With the New Zealand cousins in Singapore today. Went to the Zoo this morning. Briliant. Photo L to R: Carol, Francis, Freddy, Georgy, Grace (I don’t know what the tortoise is called). There were orangutangs and monkeys literally flying from branch to branch above our heads.

We are now back at their apartment. Going for a chilli crab supper at 5.30 with the children before returning to the ship. We sail at 7.30 pm for Kuching. (Brigette is in Hong Kong for a couple of days, so we won’t be seeing her.)

Malacca today.  A very interesting city, occupied by Dutch, Portuguese, British and (briefly) Japanese.  We caught it on the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations — Kung Hei Fat Choy !

Just entered the northern end of the Straights of Malacca. Sumatra on the starboard side, Thailand on the port side. Sea is mirror calm, blue skies, 28c (sorry folks!). We have been watching dolphins and flying fish.

Flat Calm Seas