Baby News

This blog really has become our personal journal which includes all our news (travel or otherwise).  So here's the news - we are pregnant!  We will be expecting our first child come December (December 1oth is our due date).  We are super excited!  We want to say thanks to family and friends for all their enthusiasm and support from afar.  

We are on week 21 right now and I have been feeling the little guy kick for weeks.  Kevin felt him kick for the first time last night and cannot figure out how I can concentrate on anything else all day with that all that activity going on inside me.

So as you check out the blog photos, now you know that my increasing tummy size is not just due to the bowls of Vietnamese pho I am enjoying!

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

We finished our holiday off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where we visited the Skybridge of the Petronas Towers (a mere 41 stories above the ground and only halfway up the towers), the KL Aquaria, a mosque and the Batu Caves.  We also got in lots of shopping at Suria KLCC Shopping Mall at the base of the Petronas Towers and the Jalan Petaling Night Market. 

The Petronas Towers Skybridge view.

KL Aquaria and the amazing aquarium tunnel. 

 

Sunset at the top of the Traders Hotel with an incredible view of the Petronas Towers.

See the album links for more photos.

Kelli and Bryce are now enjoying the Venetian in Macau and we are back in Ho Chi Minh City ready to get back to work.  Thank you for a great holiday, Kelli and Bryce!  It was so much fun showing you around Southeast Asia for the first time.  We will never forget all the fun we had eating pad thai, playing the late night card games, snorkeling and enjoying the best view in the world for cocktails! Enjoy the rest of your holiday and come visit us again soon!

Kelli & Bryce, we hope you had a great time!

The Little Mermaid

It was a monumental day yesterday. Kelli got into the big pool at the edge of the sand. Not only did she get in the ocean, she took on snorkeling like a pro. We took a little boat out to Rengis Island where we spent a couple hours snorkeling around the island. The current was a bit strong which made for a good workout. There were lots of fish including some very colourful varieties. Kelli even saw two little Nemos! To our disappointment and Kelli's relief, the black-tip reef sharks that we saw right near shore yesterday were no where in sight on our snorkel trip.

Kelli and Lori checking out the fishes.

Kelli and Bryce doing their best Nemo impressions.

Lori and Kevin getting tossed around by the current.

This morning Kevin did a couple more dives off of Coral Island and saw two turtles. The underwater camera has been an awesome addition to our scuba gear!

Kevin's self portrait.

One of the friendly turtles that Kevin got to dive with.

Tioman Island, Malaysia

We have arrived at beautiful Tioman Island after a short 1 hour plane ride from Kuala Lumpur. The resort is lovely, complete with a beautiful beach and pool. The boys spent the morning scuba diving while Kelli and I sat by the pool and did some snorkeling. I saw three sting rays about 10 metres off the beach.

Kelli and Bryce ready to board Berjaya Air destined to Tioman Island.


Drinks on the beach.



Sunset on Tioman.



Bryce on his first open water dive.



Kevin and Bryce with divemaster, Jai.

Siam Niramit

On our last night in Bangkok, Thailand, we took in an amazing show called Siam Niramit. The costumes and stage setting were incredible! In fact, at one point, the stage turned into a river. Cameras were not allowed in the theatre but we were able to get some pictures with the characters outside and even get up close to one of the main actors, an Indian elephant.

Siam Niramit actors in costume posing outside the theatre with us.


Kelli and Bryce on their first ever elephant ride.

Elephants & Tigers... Oh My, Oh My

Greeting from Bangkok, Thailand! It had been two days of action packed excitement in and around the city that never seems to slows down. After haggling our way for a taxi from the airport to our hotel on Kho San Road, we dropped our bags and started a game of 'how much street pad thai can we eat in 24 hours.' The simple noodle and cabbage stirfry is complete when you add your own sugar, peanuts and chilies. It is great - so great in fact, that Kevin and Bryce are on the street enjoying their fifth pad thai in the last two days as Kelli and I check our email!

Our first day in Bangkok was spent touring the Grand Palace and Wat Po, home of the Reclining Buddha. We walked around until the heat got the best of us and we hopped in a taxi to head back to Kho San Road for beer and yep, you guessed it, pad thai. We took a tuk tuk ride to a few more wats (Buddhist temples) and after the token jewelery store and tailor shop stops (where the drivers try to get their commission off our purchases) we were ready to relax by the pool.

Bryce and Kevin braving a tuktuk ride through Bangkok.



Kelli and Bryce at the Reclining Buddha, Bangkok.

This morning we visited the floating market outside of Bangkok. We enjoyed the boat ride through the market and Kelli and Bryce braved the cobra show. From the market, we headed to the River Kwai and ended the day with an amazing experience at the Tiger Temple.

Kelli amid the chaos at the Floating Market.



On the Bridge over the River Kwai.


An elephant attacking Kelli at the River Kwai... Bryce to the rescue!



Kevin and a friendly beast at the Tiger Temple.



Walking with the tigers at the Tiger Temple.

Holidays!!

We are off to Thailand and Malaysia for two weeks with Kelli and Bryce. We cannot wait! It has been terrific having Kelli and Bryce in Ho Chi Minh City and we do wish we had time to show them more of Vietnam but at the same time, it will be so much fun to check out some other spots in Southeast Asia. We will try to post on the blog as we travel but if not, we apologize now :)

Bonsai River Cruise

It was dinner on the Saigon River tonight!  We boarded the Bonsai boat and enjoyed live Vietnamese entertainment and a buffet dinner.  The food and music were great but the best entertainment was the magician - this guy was good.  He had this cool trick where we held a drinking glass and he could somehow make a coin appear in it.  We got him to this trick over and over again in the hopes we could figure it out.  In between magician tricks and a string of Shania Twain songs done with a Vietnamese accent (I guess Stampede is on so it makes sense), we enjoyed views of cargo ships and fishing boats as we traveled down the river.

Saigon City Tour

We spent Kelli and Bryce's first day in Ho Chi Minh City touring the city. The weather was a bit rainy and cool (by our standards) but it didn't stop us from seeing the sights. After brunch, we checked out Dong Khoi street and some of the shops. With a bit more rain coming down, we jumped in a taxi and headed to the covered Ben Thanh market where Bryce and Kelli were impressed with my bartering skills (Dad, you would have been proud). After a couple purchases, we headed to Saigon Square for some DVD and more clothes shopping. From there, it was time for a Highlands Coffee break and then a stop off at the tailors. Bryce and Kevin got fitted for their clothes while Kelli and I picked out ties and helped design the shirts by answering all the tough questions... buttons covered or uncovered?... curved or straight cut shirt?

By the time we left the tailors, we were surprised it was already time for our scheduled foot massages so we hopped in a taxi to Dong Du Street where we chilled out in the comfy chairs. That was until the end of the massage when the foot massage turned into a full body massage. Bryce's masseuse was riding him like a surfboard! Lucky for him she only weighted about 50 lbs!

After all the massages and nail painting were complete, we headed for dinner where Kelli politely sampled seafood and loaded up on the morning glory and cauliflower. I was rather suprised when I arrived back from the bathroom to discover a Vietnamese mariache band singing Happy Birthday, a cake with "Happy Birthday Lori" on it, confetti the consistency of shaving cream and sparkling Russian wine being uncorked. It was hysterical! What a sight, including the expression on my face, as I wondered what was going on!

The Arrival of Kelli & Bryce

Kelli and Bryce made it to Ho Chi Minh City after a long trip across the Pacific and the South Sea.  They looked great coming off the plane into the mayhem of Ho Chi Minh City.  Kelli was dodging traffic from the backseat and was less than impressed with the stuffed rat I left on her bed!  We are so excited to have you both visiting us.  

We are off to our favourite restaurant for brunch and a day of exploring the city!

Kelli and Bryce looking way too good considering they 

were in transit for 24 hours.

Birthday Surprise

I had a terrific birthday!  Thank you to my wonderful family and friends back home for the emails, ecards and phone calls!  I was given a cake and bouquet of flowers at the TVL office from the wonderful group of people there.  

When we arrived home after my birthday dinner, I discovered that Kevin had filled the house with flowers in my favourite colours!  There were even two cards for me - from our housekeeper and driver.  What a surprise!