Our summer holiday
We've just returned from our summer holiday, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
We were lucky enough to go to Thailand, a destination that took some deciding upon. My concern was that the long flights – we had three before we finally arrived in Phuket – might be too much for our boys.
In the event, both Gabriel, 13, and Isaac, 10, were fine and it was me who struggled with the flights and their after-effects. After a week of being home I still feel I'm on Thai time. Perhaps this is just wistful thinking.
Isaac seemed to sleep all the way there and all the way back while Gabriel interspersed his sleeping sessions with watching films shown on the flights.
Having never been to Thailand, I was also worried about the effects the sights and sounds may have on my young(ish) boys.
Again, I needn't have worried.
Whether they fully realised what was going on in Bangkok I'm not entirely sure, but they took the city for what it is on the surface, lively, vibrant and colourful.
It was while we were in Bangkok that we travelled to a Tiger Temple, a compound run by Buddhist monks who rear and care for tigers of all ages. The lads had the opportunity to play with cubs and then meet and stroke fully-grown tigers. This was a truly amazing experience and one which I hope will stay with them for some time to come.
After two days in Bangkok we flew down to Phuket where we stayed in a hotel on a picturesque beach.
Here we had further encounters with local wildlife. First we had an unwelcome visit from a rat, and then the boys met Lucky and Lily, two baby elephants.
These beautiful, playful creatures came to the hotel twice a day and both Gabriel and Isaac made sure they were there to see them. They rode them, helped clean them, kissed them, hugged them and even swam in the sea with them.
On the long way home I asked Isaac what his favourite bits of the holiday were. He didn't hesitate: "The tigers and the baby elephants."
I asked Gabriel the same question. "The lobster and the prawns," came the reply. Food as ever was at the top of his agenda.
Now we're back home, the boys still have plenty of time left before they return to school.
Gabriel spends his days on the computer, talking to friends on MSN or via email, playing games or surfing the web.
Isaac is out and about, playing with an ever-increasing gang of lads from the neighbourhood.
He's never in, Gabriel's never out.
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Weather for Sunderland
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: East
