More Tea Vicar

Week 10: 25/06/2012 - 01/07/2012

The big news this week was the amazing house warming gift my colleague Becky gave me. A fire engine red TEAPOT (with built in strainer obviously!). To celebrate the occasion I invited Becky and some friends round for Sunday afternoon tea.

Before that though, I had to negotiate a largely uneventful week, followed by two parties. Firstly Dylan's house party on Friday evening, which was accompanied by some fine home cooked party food. It was one of those events where I only knew the host, and he was obviously busy, so I was forced into accosting other people.... the culmination of which was a highly entertaining conversation between an Englishman, a Frenchman, a Nigerian, a Pole and a German, all talking some version of English and getting very confused if we were talking about Nasi Kang Kang or the Nazi Can Can...... very different topics, but both probably equally taboo in polite society.

Saturday was Lydia's leaving party. After some steamboat dinner, I was dragged kicking a screaming to two hours of karaoke.... TWO HOURS. It was quite frankly absolute torture. But the great news is the pain I was put through means that I will not miss the little blonde Berliner one little bit. Thanks Lydia!!

Campest tea pouring EVER (but I'm blaming the photographer on this one), with Lucy.

So Sunday rolled around and what a joyous afternoon it was. Mita brought her delicious home made scones, Corporal Lucy came with boxes of tasty baked good and Becky "The Teapot Provider" arrived with a brand new hair cut. I provided the finest Cameron Highlands tea, and we spent a sunny afternoon on my balcony being ever so sophisticated.

Ooooh, new hair do for the tea party. Nice one Becky.

Steady hand Becky strikes again... Mita in tea drinking mode.

Escape to Thailand

Week 9: 18/06/2012 - 24/06/2012

I found out just how much I wanted to watch England v Ukraine by setting my alarm for 0230 and heading for the 24 hour MacDonalds in time for the 0245 start on a Tuesday morning. I was rewarded with an England win and a quarterfinal draw against the Italians.

The weekend finally saw me escaping from Malaysia on my first trip outside the country. Despite some half hearted efforts by Dylan and myself avoid the seedy epicentre of Phuket, we ended up staying in Patong. Its a little bit like any Mediterranean holiday destination but with a few more ping pong shows and bit more open prostitution!!

Just what we were trying to avoid.... not hard enough obviously!

Anyway, after a great meal at a place tucked down a back street, we proceeded to drink one or two more beers than was strictly necessary and probably stayed out a bit too late.

Saturday was a bit of a struggle in the morning, but we managed to book ourselves on a island hoping snorkelling trip. Although the snorkelling wasn't great, the islands were pretty idyllic, even if they were slightly spoiled by the array sun loungers laid out.

Dylan and me on an island off Phuket

Saturday night was a bit more low key, with a trip to a night market, some beers on the beech and a gig by a Metallica cover band. Sunday was chilling out on the beach, followed by a full Thai body massage, and then heading home.

My weekend was rounded off by another 0245 start to watch England completely embarrass themselves against Italy. Despite the penalty loss, at least there was no sense of having been robbed!