Derek and Joan

Hi all Just under 5 hrs from our flight to London Heathrow Had a good day passing time visiting Sentosa Island Lots of attractions ie rides and MGM Studios but it's really just a huge theme park with lots of hotels and more being built Not somewhere we will bother with again and not anywhere to particularly recommend as a must do although there are some sandy beaches there and it only costs $S7.40 for the return trip - about £3.70 Well that's a fond goodbye until our next trip and blog Regards to all Derek & joan xx... read more

Hi all Just flown in from Melbourne Plane changed from A380 Airbus to Boeing 777-300 last week when we reserved seats but on arrival at Tullamarine Airport found it was a 747-400 and so seat choices didn't match Will take up with Singapore Airlines on return to Uk as didn't get refund of seat reservation costs! Still it was a good flight but for 1 hour all crew were confined to seats due to turbulence and all cabin services suspended. Better safe though. Arr ived to thunder and lightning and tropical storm and landing delayed due to a previous storm a few minutes earlier. We managed to land in the window between them - wouldn't have fancied coming in through the lightning and torrential rain It's 24'C now and humidity of 94% so it's not easy ... read more

Hello all We are just back in Melbourne after 6 days in Tasmania We have had difficulty with getting phone signals on the east coast and so have been unable to post a diary We arrived in Hobart on Friday 5th and stayed 3 nights at Cornwall Cottages in Cambridge near the airport. great location and facilities and all breakfast provisions provided including freshly baked bread made by Peta the owner. Met up with Sylvia, Joan’s cousin on Saturday and went to Salamanca Market in Hobart then on to meet up with Mia, Sylvia’s grand daughter and afterwards we met up with Sylvia's other daughter Erin and her daughter Connie. A real family get together! Later we went to Sylvia's home and met up with her friend Dianne and then went out for a pub meal. ... read more

Hello again all our friends Joan and I fly to Singapore tomorrow on our way to see Claire in Melbourne We last saw her on 6th January when she flew back after spending Christmas and New year with the family We'll keep posting when we can Best wishes Derek & Joan... read more

Saw the pelican feeding at San Remo and some good views on the Island Called in at Pin Oak Court, Vermont, the street that is used as 'Ramsay street' for the outside scenes in Neighbours... read more

Travelled around city centre and visited National Trust properties. Reciprocal aggreement here so free entry. Melbourne Gaol and Como House are NT Lots of interesting covered lanes in the city centre Derek & Joan... read more

Had a couple of nights in Singapore on the way to Melbourne We flew from London to Singapore on the new A380 Airbus Business Class great seats with lie flat beds fully horizontal rather than at 30' angle. Stayed at Swissotel Merchant Court. Good hotel in great location alongside river at Clarke's quay. Walked from Clarke's Quay to Raffles and around Marina Bay on first day and Chinatown on second morning. Went to 70th floor of Swissotel Stamford to the free viewing area - great views over Singapore. flew on to Melbourne on overnight flight.Derek & Joan... read more