Serpell Primary School

I wrote to no less than 10 primary schools in Eastern Melbourne to take Kristine and Kimberley in on short term basis during their northern summer holidas. Most replied to say their respective classes were full. Two agreed to take K and K but just Serpell with its International school accreditation was allowed by the state to take temporary students.

The principal Ms Culton was a very friendly person. She had two boxes of books and stationery ready for Kristine and Kimberley when we went to meet her. "We have been expecting you!" was her welcoming statement. She last wrote to me in June. She is obviously a very organised person, and a very dedicated educationist. On their first day after school, she led 3 other school staff/teachers to direct traffic outside the main gate. A leader by example as well.

In my opinion, Ms Culton examplifies the level of professionalism towards her job. She saw her role 'to serve', 'to help'. Her actions reflect that. She even was so thoughtful as to suggest to us not to buy Kristine and Kimberley school uniforms for 15 days use. Somehow she found two sets for the kids for temporary use. How many principals would bother to go that far?

Ms Culton was invited to visit China several years ago. She thinks Beijing airport looks like a space station. She told us she visited Beijing Normal University, and #1 Primary School in Suzhou. "Your government was very kind to me". I told her our two kids have to adjust to the rigid discipline in Beijing schools. The conversation went on to Ms Culton relating a discussion she had with a Professor of Education in the US. A China born and raised gentleman who was later educated and settled in Illinois. He told Ms Culton when he was young and asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, most kids would reply what their parents had wanted them to become: doctors, lawyers etc. When he asked his 5yr old US born daughter what she wanted to be when she grew up, her reply was :"I want to be an elephant".

The distinction here is that in the west, kids are allowed and encouraged to dream.

According to Ms Culton, the direction taken maybe very different in the educational systems, but there is no discernable difference in result.


Photos: Their day 1 without uniforms
Fees: $200 per child each school year for Aust residents and citizens
The school can take foreign students at $200 per week per child but must be accompanied by a parent (grandparent does not qualify)

Flight to Melbourne

It has been a long while, almost 30 years, since I last boarded a Cathay pacific flight. It had been SQ, Airchina, Qantas, United and Delta.

Their booking website was very easy to navigate, on par with SQ, much ahead of Airchina which would not permit family booking online. The Airbus Cathay flies has a somewhat unique seat in the economy. Maybe other airlines have the same but this is the first time for me. The seat does not recline backward at all, but it slides forward. I felt that was a more comfortable seat design, on top of obviating the hassle imposed on the passenger behind.

We took the longer flight paths stopping over in Adelaide ("Ade-Lai-De" to Kristine) so the kids got to sleep better after departing HKG. Worked out well. The Melbourne airport was deserted when we arrived. The Australian Customs waved us through. We were first to emerged out of the terminal. The only setback was airport transfer in Melbourne. The early afternoon arrival time made it inconvenient for friends to fecth us from airport, whereas the usual arrival time of 6am would be ideal for those who needs to work during the day. We ended up taking an aairport bus downtown, then a commuter train and then a taxi home.

Melbourne has been greeting us with rain and strong winds...

Photos at Southern Cross station and inside Melb Metro train

QinHuangDao Lertao Amusement Park

We joined Auntie Vivien and 36 of her troops on a weekend stay at Lertao on July 24/25. The place is by the sea in Qinhuangdao city in Hebei Province some 300km ENE of Beijing, about 4.5hrs away by coach bus. The park is a privately operated amusement park capitalising on the lack of Disneys within several thousand kms. Its main attraction is a sealion and dolphine show, doing basic stunts but entertaining nevertheless.

For a hot summer afternoon, the water park was attractive to the kids and many adults in swimsuits. Kristine and Kimberley, together with Scarlet and Xuno spent the most time here. It got chilly towards late afternoon. Much shivering and may purple lips.

By evening, the crowd had dispersed, the beach was empty. The sand is soft, but the water was dirty and beach littered with rubbish. 26,000 people came through the turnstile that day. It was an overly crowded place.

Overnight stay was at a beachside cabin inside the amusement park boundary. Space-wise, each cabin looks more like a hotel toom in Tokyo, except the quality furnishing (in fact very poor furnishing). Erected 10m from the rock embankment, the cabins had panoramic view of the sea littered with cargo ships anchored in front of Qinhuangdao harbour.

We were greeted by a severe thunderstorm that night. While Grace and kids shared a double bed, I had the upper bunk with 0,5m clearance from the ceiling. When the rain pelted the roof, it felt like sleeping under an umbrella, and thunder was just an earshot away. It wasnt until the next morning when we realised the whole cabin compound had no lightning rods. Lucky, but never again! Quality of the park is reflected by the quality of lifesaving boat in the photo!!!

Sunday was a rainy day so the attention all went to those shows under shelter. Kids had great fun. Worth re-visiting? Na!

Kristine's Mileage Plus expired

It has been a while since we last credited any miles into our MP accounts. When Grace received email notifications from United on Kimberley's miles about to expire, we had just a few days to figure out what we could do to save her miles.

A small purchase on the very last day from OldNavy.com was sufficient. The miles were initially treated as expired but when the miles came through a few days later, all miles were re-activated. Didnt know that when we were doing all that, thinking the miles were lost, but the system works.
In the meantime, we somehow got Kristine's account figured out wrongly. First we couldnt remember her account password, then we also forgot which email address her MP account was linked to. It was not later that we realised her MP was linked to an email address she stopped using a while back. At the end, all her miles expired.
A small purchase from a whole host of MP related retailers can keep the miles alive fr another 18 months, but it pays to link your frequent flyer account to an email address that is current and active.