As normal, after breakfast all regrouped together and split up in our 3 taxis to go and visit the poignant Raffles statue adjacent to the Boat Quay. Got out of the taxi to be met by a black statue of Raffles, Shane said "is this it"? the reply was "No, we need to find the big white one". Thankfully one of the taxi drivers had given Andy the directions. We found some willing passers-by to take a group photograph with the No 2 pose, which is a copy of how Raff...

As this was Graham's last day with us before he returned to Thailand, we as a group wanted to spend the final day altogether and what better way than to visit the infamous Raffles Long Bar for the world famous cocktail a Singapore Sling. What a surprise this time it wasn't Diane first with her hand in the bag of nuts it was Shane. This is the only place in Singapore that litter can be thrown on the floor and the tradition is to eat monkey nuts and throw the shell...

Another early start to the day for our prearranged 1 - 2 hour trip across the border to Malaysia. The previous evening Jackie had asked Sensei Brian Loi from the Malaysian dojo, how long the trip would take, his reply 1 - 2 hours. Diane's question "How long will it take if we go after 10am" REALLY !!! In Car 1, was Shane, Frank, Jackie, Graham, Luba and Paul. On looking at the landscape whilst entering Malaysia which was quite flat, Graham said "It looks like ...

No lay in yet again today, as our hosts have organised a full days' excursion for us all and here's us all thinking that "Night Safari Trip" meant we weren't going out until night time, but how wrong we were. Bus collecting us at 8am, oh joy !! Stop 1 - Bird Garden ….. pretty parrots and other flying things. A flying show which everyone enjoyed apart from Rose, who is scared of birds. Rose wasn't sure if the others actually enjoyed the show or watching her du...

Another early morning breakfast and coach ride back to the polytechnic, a little bit like de ja vu. Excellent training and tuition from Senseis around the globe, especially from Sensei Frank Burlingham (this big !!) and Sensei Shane Riley (our profound leader), Rose was asked to uke for Sensei Shane Riley in front of over 250 people, what a privelidge in such a prestigous place, to say she was a little nervous is an understatement. A full days training and then ...