Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays

[Strong Eagle]

It's hard to believe that it has been 12 years since I last lived in Singapore... I miss it and I don't miss it... a unique experience in life and one that I am so glad came my way.

Blessings to all for a prosperous and joyful new year.

The Herbert's Christmas cards are always late.

[malcontent]

@Strong Eagle It’s a long flight but we’ve got an Eagles Gathering next week… you should come and join us!

SMS has assured me that despite our political differences, you and I would get along well — and I have zero doubt about that.

This is my second trip back to Singapore since I left for good in January (or is it really for good… who knows).

Today I took my son and 3 nephews bowling, it was US$50 for 1.5h including the shoes, dirt cheap by US standards.

We still have bikes here and we went cycling from Alexandra Linear Park, down the quays through the tunnels to parliament… one of our favorite routes.

After being away for a protracted period, the first thing I always notice is the humidity, it’s a force to be reckoned with. But one nice thing - it’s always warm enough to swim year round — that’s on my list for tomorrow.

[abbby]

@Strong Eagle : Nice photos, looking good!

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. May 2026 treat us kindly and bring peace, joy, and new opportunities.

[Strong Eagle]

@Strong Eagle It’s a long flight but we’ve got an Eagles Gathering next week… you should come and join us!

SMS has assured me that despite our political differences, you and I would get along well — and I have zero doubt about that.

Yes, indeed, malcontent, I think we'd get along just fine. As I see it, you think, and that means we have something in common.

I'm going to be hard pressed to make the Eagles gathering... my loss. I still want to get back to New Zealand and Australia for a 2nd/3rd trip... missed too many things the first time... but the wife and I realized that we've probably seen a lot more of Asia and Asian countries than we have of the USA.

We're thinking upstate New York, the UP in Michigan, Washington State, Appalachians... as Houstonians, we've seen plenty of the south, New Mexico, Colorado and such.

Tip one for me at the next gathering, and blessings to all for a prosperous and joyful new year.

[malcontent]

@Strong Eagle — if you liked NZ, I would strongly recommend the Canadian Rockies. It was our favorite mountain vacation, and we’ve been to New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway and Alaska. The mountains there are just more vast & impressive… the lakes, waterfalls, glaciers… and the amount of wildlife, just randomly by the roadside - rams, bears, moose… it was just awesome. We went in June and it actually snowed a little, which made the mountains picture perfect. We flew into Calgary and drove up to Jasper first, then worked our way back down to Banff. We did it in 5 days which was a little rushed, a week would be perfect.

[PNGMK]

Wayne - I've only met you once in real life but it was a pleasure. We had a small gathering on the 30th but none of us drink at present so it stayed quiet.

Best wishes for 2026.

[Strong Eagle]

Wayne - I've only met you once in real life but it was a pleasure. We had a small gathering on the 30th but none of us drink at present so it stayed quiet.

Best wishes for 2026.

I remember it well... 2018, I think... the wife and I came over for a wedding and our 40th anniversary. I have a picture of us somewhere... if I can find it I will post it.

It has been 4 years since I've touched a drop of alcohol, and my life is better for it. I drank enough alcohol while traveling on business in Asia to last two lifetimes... especially the Korean "dinner parties" thrown for us out-of-towners, with the mandatory refilling of the whisky glasses. I recall 6 of us drinking 2 bottles of Johnny Walker Black each night while riding motorcycles for 14 days down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. My body thanks me daily that I don't do that anymore.

Best to you and yours in '26 and I really do hope to see all again before I get too damn old to travel.

[Strong Eagle]

@Strong Eagle — if you liked NZ, I would strongly recommend the Canadian Rockies. It was our favorite mountain vacation, and we’ve been to New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway and Alaska. The mountains there are just more vast & impressive… the lakes, waterfalls, glaciers… and the amount of wildlife, just randomly by the roadside - rams, bears, moose… it was just awesome. We went in June and it actually snowed a little, which made the mountains picture perfect. We flew into Calgary and drove up to Jasper first, then worked our way back down to Banff. We did it in 5 days which was a little rushed, a week would be perfect.

You are absolutely correct about the Canadian Rockies, malcontent. How would I know? Well, I was born in Vancouver and raised in Calgary. Way, way back when I was a tender youth, the American Youth Hostels used to have hostels up and down the Banff/Jasper highway, about every 20 miles, each with a male dorm, female dorm, common kitchen, and the "den mother's" house.

For 3 years running (my age 11 to 13), each July or August, my mother used to be den mother at one of hostels... once in Spray River near Banff, and twice at Mosquito Creek, north of Lake Louise. We stayed for a full month each year, no running water, no electricity, old wood outhouse, a wood fired stove for heat and cooking.

How my brother and I never died during these months sometimes pops into my mind, because we'd eat breakfast in the morning and be gone... riding bikes up the fire roads, or trekking up mountain streams to see where they went, or following forest trails that might come out anywhere. How we never got eaten or lost is beyond me... the worst was a scare with a bobcat who was as freaked out as I was. My brother and I were the quintessential wild boys each summer, and my mother could have been credibly accused of child neglect for letting us run so wild.

And then, our mother would drive us all sorts of places to view the sights... the spiral tunnels at Field, BC, Peyto Lake, the glaciers at Jasper... can't remember the name, Lake Louise (but we couldn't go into the hotel - my mother said we looked to trashy - probably right), Moraine Lake, swimming in the hot springs, and more that I cannot remember.

Thanks for posting your comments... it brought back fond memories of a far different time in my life.