Kindred spirits and Joaquin

When we came here in January, whilst on a tour bus/boat (a converted amphibious landing craft), we briefly met another British family who were also on a visit to check out schools etc and were moving here a week before us. We exchanged email addresses and kept in touch during our respective preparations.

Yesterday we visited them in their new home here (they have already moved in, although with rented furniture as they own stuff arrives on Monday). We had a really ejoyable afternoon and it's great to talk to people going through the same experiences and comparing a few notes on what we've discovered, whether it's shopping, food, kids things doctors etc. We also discovered other things in common and they are tennis players too! There will undoubtedly be some family tennis sessions in the future. They have 3 children aged 8, 6 and 4 and all the kids just got on and played brilliantly. It was wonderful for Adam and Hannah to have other children to play with for change too, having only had each other for the lsat 2 weeks. They went on the climbing frame and in the pool. We had couple of very nice freshly squeezed fruit juices and G&Ts, later whilst the kids had tea.

Today, more socialising. Joaquin Orejas from our St Albans tennis club is here for a few days on business. We met up and after a little sight seeing near the business district area, an extraordinary blend of ultra modern glass towers immediately alongside old, traditional "shop houses", we headed up to Little India.

An excellent curry for lunch served on banana leaves followed by a stroll round the markets, shops and a colourful hindu temple. It was great to see a familiar face here and catch up on some news. He and his wife, Lindsay, are looking after two of our larger house plants and a good health report on them was delivered.

Well, the rumbling thunder doesn't seem to be heading this way, so now we're off to the pool to cool off.