Junk Boat!

Last Sunday we took a trip on a junk boat.  Renting a junk boat is a popular thing to do in Hong Kong.   We have some very good friends who are moving back to the US after a 3 year stay in Hong Kong.  A group of about 50 of us rented the boat for the day as a going away party for them.  It was also Father's Day so it was a great day for a celebration.  There is a wide range in the type of junk boats.  Ours was a very large party boat.  It was perfect for our group which was about half children.  It had 4 different levels with a disco, 2 karaoke areas, a Jacuzzi, a full kitchen (it included a full meal), a large area with tables and seating, and a sun deck for lounging and sunbathing.  It was an amazing boat for our first junk boat trip, but it will be hard to top (or even come close to equaling) on subsequent trips.

Our boat for the day

Karaoke

Tom, Tommy and Charlotte waiting to get in the water

Relaxing in the Jacuzzi

We boarded the boat at 10 AM and it sailed for about an hour until it reached an area with calmer waters for us to dock and swim.  The boat had a double slide off the back and a diving platform at least 10 feet above the water.  It also had an inflatable "trampoline" the kids had a great time playing on.  The trampoline might have been effective with a smaller group, but ours was always full of kids and if you went out onto the trampoline surface you would instantly just sink to the middle.  You couldn't stand up, much less jump.  Tommy had a great time playing on it anyway.  Charlotte was the youngest on the boat and there was only one other kid younger than Tommy so he really had fun trying to keep up with the bigger kids.  We had a lot of fun going down the slide and jumping off the platform (well except Charlotte.  I couldn't blame her for not trying, I found it a bit intimidating myself).  It was the kids first experience really swimming in salt water.  They kept commenting on the salty water.  

Jenneke and Charlotte in the water.

Tommy in midair after going down the slide

Tommy and Charlotte on the trampoline.  

After over an hour of swimming, the kids were ready for a break.  We dried off and relaxed on the boat.  Tommy has had problems with seasickness in the past and was complaining his stomach hurt.  He spent a lot of time cuddling with Tom or I and I was getting quite nervous considering we were scheduled to be on the boat for 6 more hours.  Luckily after a rest and a meal, Tommy was feeling much better.  We got back in the water for more fun.  The boat had some kayaks and we took a few trips around the boat.  

Tom and Tommy

Tom and Charlotte

Jenneke and Charlotte

We also went out on the speedboat to go tubing.  Tommy took the first turn.  He was on the inflatable raft with 2 other boys.  He held on for the first 2 turns (the rule was if you fell off you were finished, if you stayed on you could keep going).  It had started to rain while we were out and was starting to get heavier, so we headed back to the boat for safety.  After a 20 minute wait, the rain had stopped and we went back out.  I had a turn and managed to hang on.  Then Charlotte joined me.  We held onto the handles together and I laid slightly on top of her to keep her from flying off.  We stayed on for our turn and Charlotte had fun, but she didn't want to take another turn.  Tommy got one more turn with Tom and fell off this time.  He hit the water hard and was happy to be finished.

Tommy on the raft with our boat in the background

Tommy in the middle ready to hang on

Overall, it was an amazing day.  We all had a great time.  The weather was perfect.  The previous 10 days had been extremely hot and sunny.  Luckily, Sunday was overcast with a few occasional showers.  Other than the brief break when we were tubing, the rain didn't affect us at all, if anything it helped cool things down.  After we got home that evening, it rained all night long as well as having heavy downpours off and on for the rest of the week as a tropical storm had moved into the area.  We got very lucky we had a good day.

We had a great time and our group is already planning a trip for next year.

Junk boat by Tommy

Tommy decided to do a guest post on going on our junk boat trip last weekend.  Here is his entry.

I liked going on the junk boat.  My favourite part was when we went on the tube.  I also liked swimming out to the trampoline and jumping on it.

Love
Tommy

Dragon Boat Festival

Last Saturday was a public holiday the Tuen Ng Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival.  Being a Saturday, the kids did not a day off school (they do not move holidays unless they fall on Sunday because Saturday is a working day for many people in Hong Kong).  One of the traditional things to do on this holiday is to race dragon boats, or watch the dragon boat races.  We decided to skip the crowds and hours in the sun to get a decent view.  Instead, the kids participated in their own dragon boat race at the country club.  I had signed the kids up previously and they had them divided into age groups.  The kids raced the length of the pool on rafts shaped like dragons using a paddle to propel them.  They both did a great job, finishing 2nd in their respective heats and just missing the finals.
Tommy had 4 kids in his heat and he and another girl were way in front (she was ahead of Tommy).  He was really trying to catch her at the end and lost his balance.  He leaned forward onto the dragon's head and started trying to swim instead of paddling (which was against the rules).  He still couldn't catch her in time, but put in quite an effort.  :)  Tommy's race video

Charlotte on her dragon boat.  Tommy was in the pool to help her in case she needed it.

They also had drums for the kids (and parents) to beat on during the races for encouragement.

Charlotte beating the drum

Tommy and Tom beating the drums

The kids didn't win a praise, but I was proud of them for trying something new and doing their best.  It had been a very hot and sunny morning, so we decided to stop at the store for drumsticks.  It made the walk home a lot more fun.

Charlotte and Tommy with their drumsticks

Overall, it was a great day and we were glad we had participated.  We were ready to go home and spend the rest of the day playing in the air conditioning.

Hot Weather

It has been a long time since I have posted a new entry.  It has been very hot and humid in Hong Kong so instead of exploring, we have been spending most of our time indoors in the "air con" or at the pool.  The temperatures have been in the high 80s and 90s with heat indices often over 100.  Being closer to the equator, the sun is very intense here.  The humidity is also very high.  I often get soaked with sweat just walking back and forth to pick the kids up from school.  

The kids have both improved greatly in their swimming.  They get swimming lessons at school once a week.  Charlotte is learning to swim without any help for short periods of time.  She is not afraid of the water. Some of Charlotte's classmates are timid jumping into the pool, but her teacher often tells me how when it is her turn to jump in the pool, she says, "move back Mrs. Fraser, move back."  She wants to be able to do a big jump with a big splash.  Tommy is also doing well.  He swims around the entire pool without help.  He has gotten good at diving and loves diving deep to get things off the bottom of the pool.  His endurance is much better and he does well with swimming with his head underwater and just turning his head to the side to breathe.

Tommy also started playing football (soccer) after school this term.  He also frequently plays football at recess and has improved greatly.  Toward the end of the year, it was SO hot,  I really felt bad for him running around outside.  He would wear his hat and their coaches gave them lots of water breaks, but I was dripping with sweat just sitting outside watching him, I couldn't imagine running.  Tommy's coach gave out "Match Attax" cards to the 3 best players each week and Tommy often got one.  Match Attax cards are trading cards with soccer players on them.  They are very popular at school.

This last week, we got a break from the heat as a tropical storm was nearby and brought us lots of rainy days.  The kids' last swimming lesson of the year was cancelled and there were a few days we had to walk or from school in the pouring rain, but, for me, the rain was a definite improvement over the extreme heat.

Tommy's 7th birthday

Oma and Pappou were excited they could come back to Hong Kong after their trip to China to help celebrate Tommy's 7th birthday.  Tommy started the day with breakfast in bed.  He gets out of school an hour early on Wednesdays.  He had enough time to go swimming with Tom before dinner.  Tommy requested Pizza Hut for dinner.  I also made a chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting.
After dinner he opened his presents, he got many nice gifts.  Overall, he had a great day!

Pappou and Oma were happy to help celebrate Tommy's birthday

So many presents!

Tommy with his 3D puzzle of Burj Khalifa.  It is taller than he.

Oma and Pappou visit!

When we got back from Japan, we had something to look forward to right away.  Oma and Pappou were coming to visit.  We were excited.  We had a whole itinerary planned with many fun activities.  We had to take them to all of our favorite places as well as try a few new ones.

Pappou, Tommy, Charlotte and Oma at Disneyland

Grizzly Gulch in Disneyland has a St. Louis sign

Big Buddha

 One of the new things we did was go to Lamma Island.  We took a ferry boat.  Then we ate a good meal with fresh seafood.  The restaurant had tanks of fish out front to show you exactly what you were eating.  Then we took a short hike to a nearby beach.  The kids had a lot of fun playing in the sand.  It was a great day.

Our seafood meal included a whole fish, eyes and all

Fun playing in the sand

Oma and Pappou left for a trip to China, but they were coming back for a few more days after their trip.

Back home!

It was time to fly back to Hong Kong from Tokyo.  Our flight didn't leave Tokyo until 6 PM, but with wanting to be at the airport early and having a several hour trip from Kyoto to the airport, we decided not to try to do any sightseeing on our way home.  Instead, we had a leisurely day, without being stressed about getting to the airport on time.  We spent some time getting snacks to eat on the train.  We got sandwiches from a bakery.  I also really wanted to get a Bento box.  Bento boxes are the iconic meal for a Japanese train.  They have many different varieties.  Many contain sushi or rice, veggies, and curry.  I bought one with sashimi and rice.

Charlotte eating her sandwich on the train

Bento box

We got to the airport in plenty of time.  Tom had a pass for the JAL club.  He could take a guest so he took Tommy in with him.  Tommy got a soda to drink and a snack.  He thought he was pretty important.  While the guys were in the club, Charlotte and I had fun spending the last few Yen we had on Japanese snacks.

Tommy at the JAL Club

Ready to go home

 We got on the plane,a few minutes later than scheduled.  They we sat at the gate for almost an hour until we were ready for takeoff.  Charlotte was worn out from the trip and was asleep before the plane left.  After takeoff, they started serving dinner.  Again, they brought the kids' meals before they started general food service.  Charlotte woke up after a little while later so she could eat her food and watch Frozen for the 27th (million) time.

Kid's meal

With our delay, it was after midnight before we got home from the airport.  We were all exhausted, but it had been a great trip.