November Happenings

This has been a very busy month for us.  I feel like I can hardly get my feet underneath me before I'm off to the next thing.  Busy is good, but busy is exhausting.  I've thought of several things to blog about and the list has gotten so long that the only way for me to get them all done is to do a few quick updates:

Jet Legged...Not the Hartners
Eric and I seem to have the perfect remedy for jet leg.  For the time being, we've mastered the right amount of sleep/food/alcohol/melatonin for our 14 hour long-haul flights so that our sleep isn't crazy for the days and weeks to come 

All Stocked Up
We stocked up on our trip back to Austin.  Our carry on suitcase became a 40lb checked back on the way home.  It was stocked full of cheese, coffee, granola bars and peperoni.  Our other 4 suitcases were filled with clothes, shoes, a few new purses, tequila and port...all the essentials, don't ya know.

Loy Krathong
We participated in the Loy Krathong festival again this year.  This festival took place during our "look-see" trip last year and now it's become a tradition.  This year, Manual, Tania and their girls joined us as we launched our lotus flower lanterns into the ocean off of Gurney Drive.  This festival is celebrated throughout SE Asia but it is primarily a Thai Buddist festival where it is believed that during the full moon, our bad luck from the current year will "float away" and the Goddess of Water will grant our wishes for the upcoming year.  

Dalat's First Swim Meet

This month I also organized Dalat's first ever home swim meet.  It was a large feat.  We had 81 swimmers and 40 events!  In typical Jenn Hartner fashion, I spent tons of time organizing, planning, and utilizing volunteers to help run the event.  It was a huge success!  From my prospective it was AWESOME!  The kids swam hard and had fun.  I worked hard and had fun.  I even got to coach.  I love this part of my life here!  I'm trying to figure out how I can keep coaching after the season ends....  I've got a few tricks up my sleeve! 

Tour de Mainland 
Last weekend a few of Eric's colleagues organized a trip and tour with the expats to the mainland.   We visited a local seafood restaurant for lunch and then made our way in our caravan of Toyotas and minivans to a treetop walk.  The walk was a 1 km track in the canopy of the rainforest.  The views were beautiful and we were able to see several different flowers, butterflies and monkeys. 

 After our hike, we headed back into Butterworth, the large town across the bridge, to visit the historic St. Anne's Catholic Church, one of the largest Catholic Churches in Malaysia.  We had to dodge the rain and hundreds of mosquitos, but nonetheless a good quick visit.  Our last stop before heading home was a fantastic Thai restaurant with hands down, the best Tom Yum we have ever had!  On our way back to our tropical island, we rode the ferry for the first time!  There was a cool breeze and a beautiful thunderstorm in the distance as we sailed back home. 

The NI crew after a fun day on the mainland!

Heading Home on the Ferry