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March 6, 2021March 6, 2021 palmtreesandpizzas

A year of online learning

January 1, 2020January 1, 2020 palmtreesandpizzas

The Holiday Book

December 26, 2019March 6, 2021 palmtreesandpizzas

Blog, interrupted

January 4, 2017April 17, 2017 palmtreesandpizzas

Home

December 28, 2016April 17, 2017 palmtreesandpizzas

Muttrah Souq, Muscat

December 27, 2016December 27, 2016 palmtreesandpizzas

The dolphin whisperer

November 17, 2016March 6, 2021 palmtreesandpizzas

The joy of contentment

November 15, 2016April 17, 2017 palmtreesandpizzas

History Lessons

September 5, 2016 palmtreesandpizzas

Where the desert and rainforest meet: The Green Planet, Dubai

September 4, 2016 palmtreesandpizzas

Glorious Gibbons in Phuket

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Ramadan Kareem! How beautiful are these decorations? This was the scene in KLCC’s Suria Mall at the weekend, underneath the iconic Petronas Towers, and this picture doesn’t really do the enormous scale of these lanterns justice. It’s our first Ramadan since leaving Dubai, and the boys are disappointed that their school here doesn’t operate on Ramadan hours, as they did in the UAE, which would give them a shorter school day! I love that so many festivals are celebrated here in Malaysia, home to so many cultures and religions, and the decorations in KL have been equally spectacular for all, from Christmas and CNY, to this celebration of Ramadan and Hari Raya Puasa (Eid al-Fitr as we knew it in the UAE). I wish all of my Muslim friends a blessed Holy month, and hope that the next month brings us all peace and happiness, wherever we are in the world and whatever our beliefs 💜 #expatlife #ramadandecorations #kl #suriaklcc #deco #travel #seetheworld #learn #klexpat #familyadventures #explore #celebration #diversity #expatadventures #lookup #decorationgoals #ramadan #beautyiseverywhere
We may not be able to travel beyond the borders of KL and Selangor at the moment, as interstate borders are still closed here in Malaysia, but we did the next best thing today and visited @minnaturemalaysia! This wonderful mini wonderland opened last year, shortly before lockdown, and reopened last month when restrictions eased. It is an outstanding attraction, with room after room of spectacular displays showcasing Malaysia in miniature. The models are beautiful, intricate and lifelike, and there are interactive sections where you can activate sensors to move individual figures, trains and even a Ferris wheel. Each room has the added bonus of a treasure hunt - you have to find models of tiny superheroes, cartoon characters and more hidden in the displays, which is an ingenious way to get kids to engage with the models. It is a spectacular labour of love which has clearly taken thousands of man hours to create, and there are more features and displays planned for the future now that it’s been able to reopen and welcome visitors again. I would recommend it to anyone as a great way to learn about Malaysia whilst having fun and marveling at truly breathtaking craftsmanship. There’s so much we didn’t see and we can’t wait to go back! #klwithkids #familytravel #explore #learn #kl #cuticutimalaysia #miniatures #travel #dayout #familyadventures #expatlife #seetheworld #explorewithkids #minnaturemalaysia #weekend #expatadventures #outandabout #exploreyourcity #takeyourkidseverywhere
Possibly my favourite mural of all time 🧡 [by Malaysian artist Najib Ahmad Bamadhaj @concubine_kl] #chinatown #concubinekl #aboutlastnight #art #mural #travel #nightout #bardecor #expatlife #urbanart #kl #citylife #explore #streetart #seetheworld #expatadventures #kwaichaihong #klexpat
Today, 5th March, marks exactly one year since the boys’ last day of normal school and our last day of ‘normal life’. As so many did, they came home that day expecting to be back in after two weeks. I don’t think any of us would have believed what lay ahead then if we’d been told, would we? In the last year, we’ve completed 15 weeks of online school in Dubai - which included finishing primary school for little Mr Palmtrees, missing out on so many rites of passage, and with both boys losing the chance to say their goodbyes - we’ve relocated to Malaysia, started a new school and then, after just 5 full weeks, locked down into more online learning, from October last year until today (save for the one-day false start on the first day of term in January). Five weeks of physical school in twelve months. Yes, you read that right. However, I did say until today! This will (hopefully) be our last day of online school as, from Monday, international schools in KL are returning to in-person learning. For the boys, it feels like being new all over again, and those first-day feelings are kicking in, but I know it will be wonderful for all the kids to get back to school, even with masks, distancing, Perspex screens, et al. All of our kids are all absolute heroes for what they’ve been through over the past year, diligently getting on with their education whilst missing friends, family, and activities; feeling isolated; and experiencing all of the same anxiety and uncertainty that we, as adults, have faced. The picture is a #throwback to our trip to Penang in December, but it sums up how we’re feeling today - looking ahead to brighter days. It won’t all be sunshine and rainbows, but it’s a start 🌈 #backtoschool #newnormal #fridayfeeling #kidsareawesome #expatlife #penang #familyadventures #travelwithkids #klexpat #brothers #ilovetheseboys #rainbow #urbanart #travelwithteens #oneyear #beautyiseverywhere #penangwithkids #streetart #brightertimesahead #lookup #sunnyskies #endofonlinelearning #joy #nextchapter #expatadventures #ilovepenang #travel #seetheworld #takeyourkidseverywhere
Lockdown weekends aren’t so bad when the sun shines 💙😎💚 #expatadventures #klexpat #brothers #sunnyday #makeasplash #weekendvibes #familyadventures #expatlife #saturday #pool #poolday #sunnysaturday #outdoors #getoutside #malaysiawithkids #havefun #play #ilovetheseboys #vitamind #offthescreens #takeyourkidseverywhere
It’s a public holiday here in KL today, to celebrate Thaipusam, the second largest Hindu festival in Malaysia. Festivities in the capital centre around the temples at the Batu Caves, home to the largest statue of Lord Murugan in the world, and I took this photo there last year, when we were here on holiday and inadvertently visited the caves on the final day of the Thaipusam celebrations, without realizing how busy they would be - KL rookie error...! Normally there is a huge procession to the caves, where thousands of the faithful gather amidst a cacophony of music and noise and a sensory overload of vibrant colours. Celebrations this year are much more subdued; permission has been granted for a small procession of no more than 10 people to accompany a chariot carrying a statue of Lord Murugan with no music, and with strict SOPs. The procession normally involves around 10,000 people and takes 16 hours to complete. This year, the public are banned and the procession is expected to take just 3 hours, with requests for people to #stayhome and not gather at the caves. Let’s hope that next year will see the resumption of normal festivities 💙💚💛🧡❤️ #thaipusam #covidstrikesagain #klexpat #batucaves #throwback #tbt #festival #travel #explore #seetheworld #travelwithkids #travelwithteens #expatlife #familyadventures #kl #malaysia #learn #expatadventures #familytravel #brightertimesahead #cuticutimalaysia #takeyourkidseverywhere
Under the current MCO conditions here in KL, travel is restricted to within 10km of your home, and within your district. One of the first things I want to do when the restrictions are lifted and it’s safe to do so, is head out of the city again to the cool highland air of the hills, and sit on a tranquil balcony surrounded by the sounds of the jungle 💚 #alittlefarmonthehill #tranquility #malaysia #bentong #pahang #escape #wanderlust #travel #familyadventures #klexpat #expatlife #getmeoutofhere #cantwaittotravel #exploremalaysia #takemeback #balcony #minimalist
How gorgeous is this detail from the magnificent riverside #mural on KL’s River of Life, in the heart of the city? Urban art does so much to regenerate and revive otherwise dull and functional cityscapes, and the talent that goes into creating these works of art is phenomenal 💙🐘💚 #urbanart #kualalumpur #streetart #kl #cuticutimalaysia #ihavethisthingforstreetart #artforall #riverside #klexpat #travel #explore #seetheworld #mycity #malaysia #elephants #riveroflife #familyadventures #travelwithkids #expatlife #exploreonfoot #lookaround #beautyiseverywhere #art #citylife #takeyourkidseverywhere
Throwing it back this #tbt to a blustery winter’s day in Dubai exactly two years ago today - and a lifetime ago. It’s fair to to say it hasn’t been the, ahem, easiest time to relocate and, although we are absolutely loving being in Malaysia so far, a bit of my heart is still back in the #UAE 💙 #feelingblue #dubai #throwback #sea #sky #whitesand #missingdubai #beach #winterindubai #takemeback #expatlife #familyadventures #beachlife #familytravel #kitebeach #blue #thatskytho #expatadventures #explore #seetheworld #travel #ocean #coast #fiftyshadesofblue #vitaminsea #takeyourkidseverywhere
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