Yes, Winifred and Frank, I know how quickly languages disappear when you don't constantly use them.  I could cry when I think how much Japanese I've forgotten since I did one whole year in 2004.  But I had my first Japanese lesson (of the current period) with Manami's parents this morning and was pleasantly surprised at how relatively easy it is to recall the Hiragani characters, especially as Philip has installed them on the computer and all I have to do is type in the Romaji (English letters) and up pop the characters!!!  Unfortunately the words themselves are almost impossible to remember, especially when they are so long, as in hajimemashite or douitashimashite.  I'm never quite sure if I'm saying, 'You're welcome' or 'What a big nose you have!'


It's interesting what you say about coming back as a rich princess, Winifred.  I have a bit of a fixation with the Duchess of Cambridge and the Crown Princess of Denmark and look up all the gossip about them in the British press.  At least Kate had a few years to get used to being with Wills, but imagine what an instantaneous thing it was for our Mary from Tasmania!!!!  Right out of the blue a date with a handsome foreigner to becoming a queen-in-waiting!!!

Sadly, nobody brought out the Royal Train for me when I went to Newcastle on Monday to have a massage, a banana smoothie ($6.50) with several friends, followed by the real reason for the trip, a dental checkup.  I put the price of the banana smoothie because I think it is outrageous, especially now that bananas cost less than $1 per kilo, no longer  $12-$14 after the cyclone in Queensland.  (A cup of coffee is only about $3.)  This photo is of Hamilton station, from where I left to come home.  (I must say the light is bright.)


Michael, you would be horrified at Australian trains - the journey from Hornsby to Newcastle, about 130 km, takes two hours.  The trains, even the new ones, are covered in graffiti and the passengers are mostly filthy, put their feet on the seats, talk loudly on their mobile phones or allow the whole carriage to suffer their music, even with earplugs.  Consequently I rarely travel by train.  Chop their hands - or ears - off, I say!  A bit of Singaporean discipline would go a long way in Australia.