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| Teagan makes Lamingtons (including the sponge) |
For the first time ever, I received a call from my husband - courtesy of his "wife tracker" - and he informed me that there was no money left on the credit card considering he had paid it in full only two weeks ago....WHOOPS!
Guilt did not hit, I had been booking HIS Christmas holiday. Okay, so you know, really it is Teagan and my holiday but I can let him know that it is his because he is taking time off work. In short, it took one day for me to book: three return direct airfares Doha to Berlin, three Eurostar seats Brussels to London, and three tickets (including a cabin) on the
Dutch Flyer from London to Amsterdam. To top it off we also have seats to the
Prince and the Pauper play in London and Roald Dahl's,
Matilda (a new West End show) in London.
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| The best birthday cake ever |
Whilst the whole credit card blow out took some four hours, the planning was fairly detailed over some weeks. Ross and I decided last year that we needed to visit Berlin at Christmas time and as we have 2.5 weeks off school, a circuit trip was called for. Unfortunately, we have had to shorten our London component more than we wanted to as we NEED to get through to Mainland Europe before New Year. Circuit trips are a nice way to travel when there is excellent ground transport. Many lines offer heafty discounts if you book from 12 to 6 weeks prior to travel. For example, our Dutch Flyer trip taking the three of us from London's Liverpool train station at 7.32 pm through to Amsterdam via a Stena Line Ferry (in a comfort class full facility cabin including full breakfast) for an arrival in the Hook of Holland at 8.15 am is costing us only GBP 202.50, personally, I think this is great value for train, ferry, hotel and breakfast door to door. My task now, is to sort out accommodation and travel for the remaining connections.
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| Afterschool play: yes it is +40 deg C and they have blankets!) |
Rather concerningly, the kid appears to have put on a bit more weight over the past few weeks. Somehow she is now pushing the 18 kg mark. The significance is such that it is now a push out of "little clothes". Her delightful hand knits perfect for a european winter are three quarter arm length and her new jeans look only barely decent with her snow boots! Thankfully, I over estimated her size when getting bibbed snow overalls in New Zealand this past August and her feet have not decided to increase in length so her "snoots" (snow boots) will manage a third winter (1 x Germany 2011, 1 x NZ July, 1 x Germany 2012). Methinks I had better increase my knitting speed for a new cardigan!
