December 2006 Christmas newsletter

So here we are in Phuket and Christmas is fast approaching. Time for a newsletter. As I'm sure you all know we have settled in Phuket for a while as Liz has a Primary teacher's job at the British International School. As part of her package, the girls go to the High School section and we feel that this is an excellent opportunity for them.

Anna started her first year of high school in August (the school follows a UK/USA school calendar). She's settled in well and seems to have grown up both physically and mentally with the change to high school. Her first term report shows her being active in class, doing well academically and controlling her temper very well!

Courtney is in Year 10 and has started a two-year program that culminates with her doing the IGCSE, an international school certificate. She has taken French, Art and Drama which reflects the person Courtney is. The story-writing has taken a step back in favour of lots of drawing lately.  An interest in photography seems to be building as well. She posts her work on this website http://ralindir.deviantart.com/gallery/

Liz has had a very busy year at work. The school is very demanding so her days are long and unrelenting. Still she seems to be enjoying the work and gets great feedback from the parents.   She has joined a local book club and it's pleasing to see her reading her book instead of doing marking each night. 

I (Colin) have kept myself busy by going back to school.   I enrolled full-time in a Graduate Diploma in Information Technology with Charles Sturt University. Studying by distance, it is quite a challenge to keep focused and maintain the discipline of study. I quite enjoyed it and feel I have a fresh outlook on what's happening in the IT world. I finished the eight subjects required with six distinctions and two credits. I may continue into the Masters program (eight more subjects) but not at the same pace as I want to chase some sort of work this year.

This year we have been quite successful at getting value out of Reflections IV. In February we had a week-long break and sailed to the Surin Islands, which are a 100 miles north west of Phuket. This is a beautiful national park and we enjoyed very quiet relaxing days, interspaced with some great snorkelling and memorable diving at Richeleu Rock, where we saw large manta rays.

The term break in April saw us out again, and spent our time around the islands between Phuket and the mainland. Again it was just great to relax aboard. We did quite a few dives around the Phi Phi islands which are the perfect dramatic backdrop for life at anchor. We decided we wanted to use the boat over the July-August break and with the weather around Phuket being very poor that time of year, the decision was made for me to sail the boat to Borneo.

I enlisted a friend, Kelana, whose wife Margi works with Liz, to come with me and we spent four enjoyable weeks sailing the 1200 miles down the Malacca straits to Singapore, and then a long 600 mile run across the South China Sea to Miri in Sarawak. Kelana was an great crew member and kept an excellent watch, which allowed me to continue my studies while we went along.   Reflections was left in the newly built Miri marina.

Liz's father, Gil, came to visit in June and was able to see the girls at school and help Liz out in her classroom. Anna was particularly pleased to have Grandpa at her primary graduation ceremony.   With the school year finished at the June, we flew to Kuching, Sarawak and had a wonderful two weeks, exploring this excellent city. We visited a longhouse, hiked in a national park and went to an amazing world music festival set in the rainforest at Santibong. Kuching is a definite recommendation.   Gil returned home and we went on to Miri and spent the next five weeks having a lazy time aboard Reflections. We made our way from Miri to Brunei and then on Kota Kinabulu. The girls and Liz flew back to start school and I stayed on to get some study done and to sail the boat back down to Miri. I participated in the Borneo Cup yacht race, which was great fun and profitable as I was paid $US500 for entering Reflections in the races.

Reflections is back in Miri marina and in January I plan to take it to Kudat, at the northern tip of Borneo and lift her out of the water at a shipyard there. I will probably leave her out of the water til June, when we plan to return for the 'Summer/Wet' season break to explore the eastern coast of Borneo.
The first term of the new school year has now finished and we are in a three week break over Christmas and the new year. We plan to stay here for the break and maybe have a few day trips in the area.

Love and best wishes to all
 Colin, Elizabeth, Courtney & Anna

There are a few web pages of the year at our web site – www.reflectionsiv.com


 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,
Colin, Elizabeth, Courtney and Anna