We finally made it! After 16 hours of crueling battle with Amelie on the flight from Taipei to Manchester, we arrived in Manchester earlier than expected on a foggy Saturday morning.
What are our first feelings? Well first and foremost, total fatigue. Chien and I were rather tired from all the antics which Amelie try to get up to. Amelie was rather tired too from all the hustle and bustle of the people on the plane. It was quite difficult to look after a toddler on the plane as we always had to keep her entertained, fed and hydrated throughout the long flight. Amelie is quite an active one, so she was always trying to think of ways to get out and walk around. The problem was the little rascal always tried to get out when the air stewards were serving dinner! In addition she hated the child seat belt. It drove her (and ourselves) nuts and she tried to kick and scream her way out of having to wear the seat belt while the plane took-off and landed. I felt sorry for the old gentleman who sat next to us!
We finally got some peace and quiet when Amelie fell asleep for at least 5-6 hours. We tried to get some sleep too, but it was difficult, especially for a pig like me. I needed my comfy sty to get any quality sleep at all. I guess the lack of sleep was making my nerve and patience pretty raw and thin.
Eitherway, the ordeal was over, for at least 2 weeks before we take the return flight back to Taiwan. Saturday in Manchester was really good. The sky was blue, the temperature was warm with a cool breeze. It was good English September sunny day today, and I relished it by taking walks and napping in the afternoon on the floor of the my bedroom, looking up through the opened window towards the sky, watching whisps of white clouds floating by, while breathing in the fresh air. It was great and felt good. Chien was also in a good mood as well as Amelie who got to meet my grandparents and my mother. She was tentative at first, as though her brain is locating a memory file which she has of my mother, as my mother took care of her during the first 8 months of her life.
Luckily Amelie has found the memory and it was a good memory and to my mother's joy, spent a day playing with my mother. It all seems to be working out. So far so good! Amelie even had some fun opening some sweets and feeding everyone in the living by hand. Looks like Amelie is getting to know the people better now.
After a little bit of settling in, we went to a Chinese restuarant Taipan, an old regular haunt which I had my graduation and wedding dinner. Finally, we got to enjoy some old favourite dishes and dim sum. The ones we tried in Taiwan were alright, but for some reason, they never really compared to the stuff I was used back in UK. It was a good welcome party for my stomach (:-p)
There I saw my aunt and two cousins, Erica and William. They both are grown up, and I still can't believe that Erica will be 17 years old next week. William is not longer the little sprog I remember. He's now taller than his older sister Erica and reminds me of my old self by sprouting out a lot of latest news from the gaming world. He knows his stuff, and has become an expert.
I wanted to take a few pictures for this first day back. But after the jet-lag and the running around to get the toddler essentials, I was too tired to focus on what good pictures to take. Perhaps tomorrow, when I have had more sleep.
That's it for now. More news after my brother Jimmy's wedding.
Comments