On Thursday we arrived back in Dili after nineteen days away. That is almost three weeks. The last time we took a break that long (other than visiting family) was in 2010 when we took the Sprog to Japan. That was a nineteen day trip too.

(Let’s just take a little side route here. I don’t know what it is with the nineteen day trips. It’s like I can’t commit to three weeks away with kids because that’s just WAY too long… but nineteen days? That’s just two weeks and a bit and totally manageable. In theory.)

All in all we had a good break. One thing we’re learning as the Sprog gets older is how much she loves her home. I have a theory about this – she’s quite the bossy boots, you see, and I think she loves her familiar environments because it helps her feel in control. After the first three days away, she started every day with the question, “Are we going back to Dili today?” Needless to say she was very happy the day we answered yes to that question.

This trip entailed five days in Singapore, one day in Kuala Lumpur (travelling into town), ten days in Hoi An in Vietnam, one night in Kuala Lumpur (at the airport), two more days in Singapore, and then home. Christmas in Singapore with me old mate Mind the Gap and her outlaws (and I mean the ENTIRE outlaw family – brave brave girl!), new year’s in Vietnam with me tenderly embracing a pillow in the throes of slumber.

There were definitely some highlights – the cool weather in Vietnam, visiting the Singapore Zoo and Universal Studios, and checking out the shops (as Timor is devoid of serious shopping. Even more so than Darwin). The real highlight though was Christmas night when the Mr gave me the best present ever – he took the kids back to the hotel and let me get sloshed and talk at me old mate Mind the Gap until almost midnight, totally unhindered by children. (I will point out that I earned the right to do so after I helped her with the washing up. That’s what I tell myself anyway!)

The lowlights were the kid’s tantrums (especially the Sprog – aforementioned devotion to Dili and desire to return stat being the core underlying reason for the tanties, methinks), both children being sick, and sharing rooms with children who are in bed by 7.30pm, which certainly curtailed any noisy or light filled activities such as watching TV or going to and flushing the toilet. The Kindle and booklight came in very handy in these situations.

So that’s the first decant on the recent trip. The next few days will determine whether I have anything else to add on the subject.