March 2025
I must admit I was not initially keen on the proposed visit to Vancouver in January 2025. Hong Kong was already cold enough for me. Why go to a very cold country when temperatures were likely to be at their worst. But sometimes family duties take priority over common sense, so I went for the family Lunar New Year dinner and a great trip it turned out to be.
The choice of Canada instead of Hong Kong was due to the plan by No 2 sister and her husband to see their eldest son and his family, that made six. Their second son and his long time girlfriend resident in Denmark decided to fly in, which made eight. Brother Raymond’s daughter Rachel, studying in Toronto would join (nine) as would California resident Tiffany (ten). Fanny could not resist the chance to catch up with our daughter (eleven) and prevailed upon son Alex to join from England (twelve). A niece and nephew from the Wong tribe in Hong Kong and what was a poor husband/father/great uncle etc to do?
Apart from the pleasure of meeting up with relatives, many of which we had not seen for a long time, and one we had never met before(!), we also had an active programme including whale watching. We were stalked by a friendly humpback. The skipper halted the launch when he spotted her, she came over to look at us, repeatedly diving and surfacing all round the boat. And looking at us as we crowded the rail before rushing to the other side to see where she would come up next. Clearly a sentient being.
And in February to Malang in Indonesia to see my goddaughter on her 7th birthday (Valentine’s Day). Cost of toys more than covered by savings in flowers if you know what I mean.
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