Airport Bike Track

I cannot believe it took me four years to get here.  How amazing and I did not even get to do the 22.5km loop.   The best part is it is free and for the children even free bikes, scooters and balance bike. I dragged Sebastian there Saturday with Ella and Fraser kicking and screaming.  But we stayed 6 hours and I know he loved it.  There is a smaller loop to do of 1.5km which was great for the children.  Then they had a fabulous pump track and then this amazing bit we found at the end for balance bikes. We did not even get time to do the great obstacle course type playground that they had.  And it was empty and all free.  I think much busier early morning and late afternoon.  I have to go on my own next time to do the proper big loop.  Super great day out.

Year 13 Team Party

I have the best advisory team this year.  Year 13, the dream. Older students which is huge and then the best people. Andrew is the leader, also a good friend, and Friday had the team over for drinks and nibbles. I love them.

And also a special treat, Lucy! Lucy worked with me first two years and has now returned to Bangkok.

Wonder Women Date Night

I love Nadia Manning with all my heart! This week she left me a present at the front gate. And I love it so much.  I was excited to wear out to Wednesday date night.  A yummy mid week Mexican.  

I then went home to make risotto for Sebastian's much loved risotto cheese balls.  I felt like Wonder Women doing this at close to 11 at night.

 

Sunday Race and Training Day

Friday has come so quickly this week. I even forgot my blog entries.  Sunday seems so long ago but worth mentioning.  I had an early morning race which felt hard after the pool party but I made it.  And I was super happy with my time and outcome.  I strangely forgot pictures (well one) which seems very unlike me.  Sebastian and myself then headed over to the Ross's where Lyndsey out the children into training.  We then hung out at the pool well into the evening.  A lovely way to spend a Sunday.

Saturday Pool Party

Saturday we enforced family morning fun day. This is a hard sell as Sebastian largely prefers to hang out with friends rather than us.  But we managed to drag him out for a brief morning at the park followed by a movie.  Really the only way this was possible is he was desperate to have a pool party that afternoon with all his friends and I could hold this over his head!

Tony's Vodka Pasta

This week of school I could not believe how exhausted I was.  How exhausted all of us are.  It was not like I had early nights in Barbados, in fact we had some very late nights where I was still up at 6am with Sebastian.  But I guess there is just something different about work.  It hits harder!  Also, getting use to learning 100 names again and talking all day.  We celebrated the first week back at school with a visit to Sebastian's favourite restaurant, Tony's.  It is shocking how much that boy can eat, me and Luis had a main and Sebastian ate three courses.  Gone are the days of any child meals, that is for sure.  It was a great way to kick off the weekend.

Year 3 Sebastian, Year 5 Amanda, Year 3 Luis

I cannot believe Sebastian is starting Year 3 and his 5th year at NIST.  Time certainly flys by.  He was excited and nervous about the start.  Luis has a new space that is quite amazing and I even have a new classroom that I am quite excited about.   Sebastian and myself came in early, so Luis missed these day 1 photos. 

Avana Run and Busy TImes

I have taken barely any photos in the last week. It is not that I have not been busy but maybe I am all pictured out after a long full summer break.  It was a busy weekend meeting with friends and doing my first 10km run of the school year.  And now I am busy getting ready for the first day of school tomorrow with students.  I always seem to leave it until the lsat minute and then am so busy.   But that is just how I role.  Anyways, I did take a picture of a girlie birthday celebration for Kim Saturday night and then a few pictures of my race.  I was super happy with my result as I was worried I would not be able to finish.  But finished with a decent time, winning me a hotel stay.

Back in Bangkok

Left Barbados Saturday early afternoon and arrived back in Bangkok lunchtime Monday.  About 40 hours door to door, not easy!  But we made it and had two days to try and recover before we were back at school.  Luckily Sebastian has an extra week as the jet lag has been much harder on him.  We were very lucky to get back in time to get an evening with Richard and Sara, very good friends from our time in Phuket.  They were in Thailand on holiday and we caught them for dinner the night before they set off back to the UK.  

Thursday we started back school, which meant I had an evening meeting the new teachers at Charley Browns Mexican as I am a buddy.  It also meant catching up with some of my favs.

Last Night Carib Beach Bar

Our final evening for this trip came far too fast.  As always.  I was so thrilled that Craig had a surprise two days in Barbados and he was able to join us for dinner and drinks.  We met at Carib, along with Nats, the girls, Vicki and Hottie and my forever friends Amy and John.  It was such a lovely evening.  The girls went home early with Sebastian giving us an extra hour or two out.  It was a perfect way to wrap up a perfect holiday.