End of the school year

Well, the first year is now over. The past few weeks were as busy as any end of the year could be, with a seemingly endless amount of report writing, portfolio preparation and presentations, field days, field trips and good-byes. The good-byes have occupied quite a bit of time lately. The school has a typical turnover of 30% of its teachers and students and so we have said or are saying good-bye to some new found friends, hoping that we will stumble into them again at some point along our journey. They are all good people and we hate to see any of them leave.
It has been quite nice taking things easy for the past few days and actually being relaxed in KL for the first time. We've been out to brunch twice and ate way too much both times. Both venues were downtown and I think I am at the point where I can drive to the centre of the city without my GPS, something unfathomable even a few months ago. We've also cranked up the tennis playing and have managed to get a set a day for the past few days.
It has been hot however. We moved our plants over to some friends so that would be watered over the holidays and even that little bit of exercise left me drenched. If sweating gets rid of toxins, Maureen and I have been well cleansed over the past year.
We leave on Thursday for Bali. We are allowed 6 more days out of Malaysia to comply with their tax laws. When I found this out a few months ago I immediately got on the Air Asia web site and managed to nab seats to Bali for about $4 return each for us (taxes and other fees in the total is $70CAD for both of us). There is no better place on earth than Bali to escape for our last reprieve from 'Malaysian tax jail'. After we return we are packing up to move apartments. We found something in the same complex for less $$. We lose our fantastic view but gain in other ways, primarily with a kitchen where Maureen will be actually able to cook in. The packing will be short lived however as we leave a few days after our return for the Perhentians, a group of islands in the South China Sea not far from Thailand. According to all reports these are the gem of Peninsular Malaysia and we will spend a week there relaxing and snorkeling before our flight back to Canada on July 2nd.