Oompa Loompa

After a breakfast of fresh birthday scones we said farewell to Marnie & Samson. Jacky Mac took Jamie, Weisie and me to the airport. We made our goodbyes and took the next plane to Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur was moist, noisy, smelly and tasty: much like every other city we have visited in South-East Asia, really, but a bit more modern. The locals sell fake DVDs, software and perfume by the cart-load and get about town on a monorail. They love the nasty pong of Jackfruit and prefer their meals to come from street side trolleys. They have the largest twin towers in the World - and a shopping centre with an entire theme park (including a roller-coaster)!




We did not buy any pirated wares, you will be pleased to know. We did however ride the monorail many times and visit the awe inspiring Petronas Towers. I am particularly fond of this Escher-esque photo of Weisie and me (below) in the shadow of the Towers. A close-up would have betrayed the fact that we were literally dripping from heat and exertion just walking around town.




We were in need of a rest after our comprehensive tour Down Under and at the end of a handful of days in KL, we achieved a few PBs: eating more meals of chicken noodle soup a day than there are meals in a day; watching four movies on HBO during a couch-potato marathon; and going to the cinema for less than $4AUD each (and I received free popcorn just for smiling). We are pleased to report that we are now well rested indeed and fear the weigh-in before our next appearance.

Vegemite sandwiches

We deplaned in Sydney and the first thing we saw was (you guessed it): Krispy Kremes! We bought up big because we knew Jamie, our host, would REALLY appreciate them, and in the end he did get one. Jamie — my big bro — put us up for a few nights, both times we were in Sydney. We had some nostalgic moments including: watching The Goonies and Gremlins back-to-back, eating home-made Sheppard’s Pie, kicking the footy, and listening to Barbara Streisand on vinyl.

We managed to catch up with our nearest and dearest in Sydney over a few meals: Nes, Sarah & Chris, Gemma, Steve Mac (at the Golden Century Seafood Restaurant - our favourite restaurant), Ghas (at the World’s Best Barbie), and Harold the Hardon (over some fabulous yum cha & dim sim at the Sky Phoenix).

The main reason we came all the way back to Australia for three weeks was, obviously, to see friends and rellies. We were fortunate to be able to spend some time with Weisie’s nanna, Edna, and my Grandfolks, Joan and John & Iris. We were also fortunate enough to fly to Bris Vegas to spend a few days with Weisie’s folks (Tony & Eny were attending the eBay sponsored Nessie Locating Radar Device Convention 2005). After the convention, we met up with Luke & Alix, and Paul & Claire and we all attended a Schipper family reunion in halcyon Tawoomba.




We dropped in on the Gold Coast for a day at Movie World and to have a meal with Uncle Mike and Victoria. No trip here can be made without a brief flirt with Jupiter’s Casino, where we had breakfast on the last day before parting ways. Weisie and I flew back to Sydney leaving the rest of the gang to make their way home on the road (which we would have loved to do also but Weisie had run out of places for Alix to place a bruise).

Have I mentioned that Weisie lurvs Keanu? In Beverly Hills she had to be restrained from jumping out of a moving tour-bus to knock on his door. At the opening of Star Wars III, she grabbed the “Trainman” from the Matrix sequels (who was a guest attending the premier) and screamed at him not “Oh my God, you are the Trainman!”, but “Oh my God, you’ve met Keanu Reeves!”. Anywho, she was very excited to visit the Matrix set installed at Movie World. Below is a picture taken on the “Nebuchadnezzar”.




After Sydney we drove to Canberra where we stayed with Weisie’s folks. Tony, Luke, Alix and I squeezed in a game of golf, and Alix (aka “the Tiger”) turned in a very healthy card. We had a small dinner party that Chantel and her lovely daughters attended, as did Les & Jess. Whilst I am naming close friends, I would be remiss in not mentioning Margo, Clare, Vernetta, Jenny, David and Dean all of who we were also able to catch up with in the Capital.

Our final destination was Melbourne, which we reached after a long drive in a tinny but reliable hire-car. Marnie & John kindly let us use their home as a base for the time we were there. Jamie flew down from Sydney so we could all share some rare sibling time. Tim was absent and very much missed, but we did enjoy a telephone call with him following Marnie’s birthday-eve-dinner-party.

We did manage one lunch and a pub session catching up with our Melbourne buddies: Lisa, Leanne & David, Kylie & Darren, Luke, Sevda & Jez, Myra, Amanda, and Michelle.

What to say about Rupert & Jacky? Firstly, thank you! You guys are fun and we miss you loads. Secondly, move that damned shin-high cabinet near the bathroom! We enjoyed some good times, including a gourmet dinner of fish and delectable chocolate mousse. Mark V-W also attended the dinner and half way through some bright spark thought it would be hilarious to burn a cork and paint a moustache on himself...




It was a neat party trick because for some reason everyone else followed suit. A bizarre and quite serious conversation arose once we were all painted and although no one wanted to say it, everyone was thinking the same thing: that Weisie’s moustache was, to be honest, a little silly.




Samson is Marnie & Johns’ son. Weisie and I have missed watching him grow up but, with our likely return to Melbourne in 2007, we will be able to watch him continue to grow into an intelligent and lovable little footballer!




Samson with his dad, John, and Uncles BJ and Jamie.




Here with mother Marnie.




And here with Weisie.