Last Evening at La Ferme des Vallots

It would have to be one of those beautiful evenings after being cold and rainy all week. The swallows were diving around and the farm was bathed in the evening sun. I dug up some potatoes and a few courgettes and looked in horror at the weeds growing in the vegetable garden. The last two weeks have been busy but gardening wasn't top priority! So I think I'm packed - just got to decide how many pairs of shoes to put in and what to wear tomorrow and then that's it. I'm sure there is something I've forgotten but I will be able to buy things over there. Yesterday was exciting as I now know where I'm going to be based - a small town called Ranau, which is set in the mountains and is a gateway for the National Park of Mount Kinabalu. It is a cooler climate where they grow tea and  vegetables so a few pullovers have been added to my case. The photos around it look wonderful so we shall see. I also got my immigration letter written in Malay and English and to my surprise I'm described as a "foreign expert".We will be based in the Hyatt Hotel at Kota Kinabalu for the first week and  the first day we are going to be presented to the Education Minister of Sabah and have been told to be smart and well covered. It looks like I will be having a driver until I feel able to cope with the roads - this is going to be a very surreal experience I think! Anyway the flight is at midday and Andrew, Gen and Tanya are driving me to Paris to see me off -  Patrick is working sadly. Thanks everyone for all your good wishes.  Au revoir.