The Family Reunion

The Family Reunion at the airport!

Yes I had a romantic image of  "The Family Reunion Lunch" in Borneo. Brother Chris flying in at 11 a.m. and brother Ian flying out at 3.30 pm - it would give us at least 2 hours together. I had checked out several restaurants overlooking the beach near the airport to maximise our time and I imagined us all sipping cocktails and enjoying tiger prawns. Alas it wasn't to be! We waited until the last passenger got off the flight we were expecting Chris on and there was no Chris. We did find out that he was on the next flight an hour and a half later so that would still give us enough time. No! His flight was delayed and he had an extra stop at the island of Labuan. He even got to baggage claim thinking he was in Sabah before he found out. Eventually he arrived just in time for an absolute downpour which then was the cause of a long traffic jam getting to Terminal 2 for Ian and Clare! So to cut down on all the details, Clare and Ian checked in and we had 30 minutes eating a quick lunch at the airport cafe! Oh well, there is always next time!

Chris trying to smile 50 metres  high!

Pretending to be Tarzan?!

The last time Chris and I saw each other was at our mother's funeral nearly four years before. We spent a memorable week together which was full of adventures, laughs and just a few tears. However, New Zealand is not such an easy place to visit and during those years he has retired and increased his brood of grandchildren and is now spending more time travelling and going on amazing cycling holidays. It was lovely to see him and he resembles our Uncle Graham more and more as time goes on. My brother Ian on the other hand is very like our father and I think you wouldn't guess that they were from the same family. Anyway Chris had kindly slotted me in on his busy "round the world" trip and his last leg home was interrupted by four days in Sabah to see what his baby sister was up to! We seemed to do most of the things that I'd done the previous week with Ian and Clare i.e. Poring Hot Springs, Sabah Tea Garden, The National Park and a few visits to some schools but most of the time we were catching up with family news and looking at new photos and chatting. It was lovely that Tanya was with us too and I know that Chris enjoyed meeting her as a "grown-up"!So as I close this week's entry, Chris will now on his way back to Singapore and Tanya is on the bus going to Semporna where she is starting her PADI diving certificate tomorrow. The house seems empty without them but I have many things to be doing......

Tanya and Fiona at Sabah Tea Garden