Homeward bound

We are waiting in the lounge for our midnight flight home feeling very tried but very excited. Sleep has been interesting the last 2 nights....I've woken at 3am and haven't been able to go back to sleep until 7am...so some weird hours and weird meal schedules! Hopefully we will get a few hours overnight on the flight and then busy, busy cleaning the house as we have an open for inspection Saturday lunchtime (we never do things by halves)...but first will be the extra big hugs from family. Apparently little Beau has been saying "Nana, Papa, Sky" as he points to the sky with his arms out like a plane. I cried when Emily messaged that to me so I think the tears will flow in the morning....the best tears ever! Meanwhile some pictures of our final hours in Singapore.. there are some mighty tall buildings here.....

 and they can have this job........

 the old with the new........

 and the weather is so humid that tree ferns are sprouting from the trees everywhere.......

 This is a haven for fashion and the girls are all stunning...heels and all......

 It was great capturing these photography students on a lesson.........

This is what they were photographing and I reckon mine are okay even without lessons (!!)......and yes that is a little moon in the shot too....perfect as the sun was setting......

We decided to do a river cruise but we waited so long that the sun had started to set. Some images are okay but many buildings were out of the light to capture them..........

So a final farewell from us on this journey. I treasure all your comments and emails and glad you enjoyed the trip. (I didn't get to the quilt shop though Pip - fabric would have meant leaving my special Morris cushion from Helen behind!)
Take care wherever you are and be safe and well xx

Sleeping in Singapore

Flying from Australia to London and back is not an easy journey and many years ago we were able to do it without a stop-over....but not anymore! We landed this morning at 7.15am after a 13 hour flight (a little quicker from London with the westerly winds). We had no sleep to speak of as our bodies were not ready for sleep because we had left London in the morning. We were thrilled that the hotel already had our room ready at 8.30am so we succumbed and had a wonderful 5 hour sleep! So a little wander this afternoon.......

 Looking forward to seeing more of these little markets tomorrow........

 This was just growing on the sidewalk.........

 This was once a convent school but is now being converted to a high end shopping centre Chijmes......seemed a bit weird to me but I guess it is great it is being renovated??

 So many shopping malls........

 and Larry looking pretty happy on the air-conditioned underground.....probably because we will be home in a few sleeps as well............

 I was pretty grumpy when we disembarked......I loathe overnight flights especially long ones! But happy, happy tonight....look what we found! I now have my very own William Morris sneakers! (and such a bargain here - 79 singapore dollars which is about AU$70 - thank-you Larry xx)

A garden oasis

Despite the rain today we headed out as I was intrigued by a nearby garden - Chelsea Physic Garden. Under the umbrellas our guide had us enthralled and I was especially excited to see where many familiar drugs came from. Even after 35 years of nursing you forget the origins of what you are giving thinking they are all synthetic and never start from plants! In the garden website's own words: This walled Garden was founded in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries for its apprentices to study the medicinal qualities of plants. It became one of the most important centres of botany and plant exchange in the world." ........and apparently it still is........

 Apparently this is very hallucinogenic..........

 and the Yew tree. This is the source of the first calcium channel blocker (an antihypertensive) and cancer treatments are also derived from this tree as well...there is more here

 the source of warfarin..........

 digitalis.......

 and atropine........

 many more that I can't recall so I have purchased the garden book....just so fascinating........

Our guide called this "Miss Marple's" patch...full of poisons.........

 and this is how they travelled around the country selling their medicines...........

 and not forgetting the plants we grow for other reasons........

 Yes even this one!!.........

 madder and indigo plants for dyes............

 So we wandered back to the hotel (still in the rain), and came across another famous place.......

 So we are now settled into our hotel and excited to be going home. I can't wait to see family and friends again and I am especially looking forward to hugs with this special little man.............

Next post will be from Singapore. Hope all is well in your part of the world xx