Early in the year we made an extended weekend trip to the Gold Coast in Queensland. Main attraction here was for the boys to visit Movieworld and Seaworld.

These photo are from a workshop I did with Kateriina as a model.

It was mainly studio with fixed (hot) lights instead of strobes which I am more used to.

Advantage of the fixed lights in a workshop setting is that it is easier to see what the light is like before taking the photo as well as having multiple photographers shooting at the same time.

Aidens birthday was during the covid lock down.

Fortunately we were still allowed to have a couple of his school friends over for a little celebration (his school was still open anyhow).

We decided to have it in the garden with a fire pit with roasted marshmellows, sparklers followed by cake.

Recently I had the chance to visit the shooting range at Malabar headland with a group of friends.

I used to do a lot of shooting in my younger days, so I was curious to see if I still had it in me.

On this day we were shooting on the 800 meter range (which is a very long distance) with 7.62 NATO rounds.

The distance means that you cannot see where you hit, so they have an electronic readout next to the shooter. The two circles in the middle are about 25cm in diameter at the far end.

Below is the group of shots from my round.

This photo gives a better idea of the distance we were shooting at (It was also a very windy day)

Apparently I shot the best round of the day including the regulars...

Conclusion is that, yes, still got it and I may pick it up as a regular activity some time in the future.

With Kim having a few weeks gap between jobs and badly needing a break she wanted to go somewhere relaxing and where the water and weather would be warm.

After a bit of research we settled on a week to the Phillipines to an island called Boracay.

This is a small island with the most beautiful beach we have seen anywhere outside of Bora Bora (interesting that both have the name 'Bora').

The boys (and adults) managed to get a mighty sunburn already on the first day.

The island also has the most amazing sunsets at the beach.

Also lots of activity on the beach in the evenings whereas during the day is is mostly empty.

We stayed in a large resort built around a golf course. It had seven swimming pools and we spend a lot of time here relaxing with the boys and sipping cocktails.

One day we went on a snorkeling trip around the island. The boys are well accustomed to snorkeling now and love it. Unfortunately I didn't bring an underwater housing on the trip, but I can say that the coral reef looks to be in a good shape although a lot of the larger schools of fish and large predatory fish seems to be scarce.

We also did a day trip to the main island where we went through one of the local caves.

The cave was full of little bats and also had other creatures that were attracted to the bats and insects such as a snake and spiders I've never seen before.

We even spotted a large hermit crab (size of a hand).

The main road however is horrendous. In late 2018 the island was closed for 6 months to any visitors due to them sorting out a lot of issues with the sewage system. This means that they have dug up the entire road to install large pipes along with a road widening. A lot of this was still ongoing with the main road being full of holes, but given that it is such a small place it was alright to still get around.

This year the boys started doing Karate.

It was something that I've always wanted do do with them, so we looked around for a place where initially they could join some kids classes and then along the way I'd join as well.

Initially they got their red and white stripe belts (automatically)

And then later they went up for grading to get their Red belts.

They love training with some of the equipment that we have at home for it.

Late in the year I joined as well once the sensei established some adult classes and I have now after 20 years (I did a bit of karate back in 1998) finally received my Red belt.

Even Kim has taken a couple of classes - maybe she will even grade on of these days.

Aiden as part of his school had to do his holy communion.

He looked very handsome in his little suit.

One weekend we went to the Royal National Park (half an hour south) to go canoeing with the Family.

It was a fun day out and fortunately we can still fit the boys into a single canoe unlike Chong who had to get a rowing boat for his family - they are a lot harder work.

It is not often that Aiden gets an award for good work at school, but when he does, he is very proud.

Earlier in the year at Easter time we went camping up at Barrington Tops 5 hours drive north of Sydney.

It is a very tall mountain range with some excellent walks, rivers etc.

We had a great weekend with friends sitting around the fire roasting marshmellows, walking and canoeing.

Here are some various photos from first part of 2022.

Here is one of Aiden in his happy space at the Piano and Guitar.

At Cabramatta we sat down having an asian drink. It looked so much like one of the birds from Angry bird that I just had to get a photo. See the resemblance?

This is a Lego truck that Lucas built.

At karate Aiden is sometimes asked to teach the newbies. It is great to see how it gives him confidence.

Aiden went to a birthday party with a Virtual Reality experience...a bit scary for him.

The local corner shop was refitted for a TV show.

Easter egg loot.

What do the boys get up to in their room sometimes???

Family photo at QVB

Having desserts in the city

A seal resting on the rocks at the opera house.

While at Warilla Beach we one day did a walk at the Macquarie Pass National park. This was an easy walk with the reward of a waterfall at the end of the walk.

One one of our trips down south we visited the Nan Tien temple south of Sydney.

It is a Chinese Buddhist temple that is worth a relaxing visit for anyone with some time.

During the Christmas holidays we rented a place at Warilla Beach a couple of hours south of Sydney.

We discovered that the beach has pipies in the sand, so every day we made sure that we harvested a plate full of them for dinner.

We brought Aidens new guitar, so that he was able to practice his music while enjoying the scenery.

The kids also attended online drawing lessons.

It was a beautiful spot to sit on the balcony, enjoy the view and have some great food (including fresh pipies).

One day we also visited the Jambaroo Water park. This was a disappointment with long queues at every ride and Aiden was too scared to do any rides so it was a bit of a miserable day.

Last weekend it was Ethans 21st Birthday. He had a bit party with the whole family and his friends.

They had arranged for catering with lots of Cambodian, Laotian and other asian foods.

Kims dad passed away 92 years old. He will be greatly missed by his daughters, grandchildren, grandsons and friends.

It was a beautiful funeral following chinese traditions with wearing white clothes to celebrate a long life.

Aiden played a beautiful song on the piano in front of everyone and we had put together slides showing his life.

Day after we did the traditional cleaning of the tomb stone and also the burning of paper clothes and money (theory is that it will then go to the afterlife for him to wear).

I hope that the boys are old enough to remember their time with him.

Even though his old body was failing him, his mind was still sharp enough to play Mahjong and other games with us. These photos are from our last trip with him down to Bowral.

It has been three years since I last spent time with my dad. This is due to Australia closing its borders for two years due to the Covid pandemic.

As soon as they announced opening the borders again in February my dad booked his ticket to come a visit.

It was really nice to have him here and different from when he has been here previously. For starters, he was here by himself which was a different dynamic and also Aiden and Lucas have grown older and really enjoyed bonding with 'Bedstefar'. Especially Aiden and my dad found that they had music in common and Aiden took great prise in being able to play some of the pieces on piano that my dad was able to sing.

I really enjoyed having a few beers (and other good stuff) with him while he was here.

A couple of years ago I bough a machine to transfer my dads and grandads old 8mm film to digital. Because of the pandemic I was never able to try it out. My dad brought one of his films to do a trial transfer. It worked really well and he'd now brought it back to Denmark with him to transfer the rest.

One afternoon dad and I went up to the Barrenjoey lighthouse. My dad is still able to do it although he is a bit slower and not as strong as he used to be.

Lucas is part of the schools chess club.

The other day he was very proud that he'd received this award.

This Christmas was almost normal with the Covid restrictions lifted.

As usual we did our annual Christmas photo.

Kims dad is staying at Kims sisters place over Christmas after haing been in hospital. He is looking the best he has for years.

Lucas has joined the chess club at school, so for fun (and to give him practice) we sometimes play. I was very proud that I one day managed to checkmate him with just two pawns and my king.

Guangzhou was our gateway into China — just the four of us: Rene, Kim, Aiden and Lucas.

Arriving into Guangzhou, the sheer size hits you first. This isn’t just a big city — it’s a sprawling megacity built on more than 2,000 years of history, now layered with relentless modern growth. Yet it is super clean everywhere and despite all the traffic it is super quiet due to everyone driving electric bikes and cars.

First stop in the morning was Shamian Island. Walking onto Shamian Island feels like stepping into Europe. Tree-lined streets, colonial mansions, quiet cafés — it couldn’t be more different from the rest of the city.

But this place carries a complicated history. After the Opium Wars in the 19th century, this small island was carved out and divided between British and French control, becoming a foreign enclave in China.

What remains today is a fascinating blend of cultures — European architecture, Chinese life, and a sense of calm that feels almost surreal in a city like this.

For us, it was one of those rare travel moments where everything slows down. The boys could wander, Kim could soak in the atmosphere, and I found myself drawn to the history that I have read about in numerous books.

It’s easy to be distracted by Guangzhou’s scale — the towers, the traffic, the constant movement — but the real character of the city reveals itself when you step off the main roads and into the narrow alleyways.

These laneways are where life compresses.

The streets tighten, the noise softens into something more human, and suddenly you’re walking through someone’s everyday world. Open doorways reveal small kitchens in full swing, laundry hangs overhead like a patchwork sky, and scooters squeeze past with barely enough room to spare.

This is where Guangzhou slows down.

We wandered without much of a plan, turning corners simply because they looked interesting. The boys quickly realised this was a different kind of exploring — not landmarks, but observation. Small moments. A nod from a local, a curious glance, someone going about their day completely unfazed by four outsiders passing through.

For me, this was where the camera came alive. Not because of anything grand, but because of the texture — worn walls, layered history, faces that told stories without words.

Not far from the bustle of the city, we found ourselves wandering into the area around the Guangdong Cantonese Opera Museum — and it turned out to be one of the most unexpectedly fascinating parts of Guangzhou.

The museum itself is beautifully designed, built in the style of traditional Lingnan architecture, with ornate roofs, carved woodwork, and peaceful courtyards. But what really drew us in wasn’t just the building — it was what was happening around it.

Locals were gathering, dressed in elaborate Cantonese opera costumes — vibrant silks, intricate embroidery, and dramatic makeup. Some were performers, others simply enthusiasts, but all of them carried a quiet pride in what they were part of.

What made it so compelling was how natural it all felt.

People were chatting, adjusting costumes, helping each other prepare, and taking photos — not for tourists, but for themselves. It wasn’t staged or curated. It was a living tradition, still very much part of everyday culture.

Cantonese opera has deep roots in southern China, blending music, storytelling, martial arts, and symbolism into a highly stylised art form that dates back hundreds of years. And here, in this small pocket of Guangzhou, it wasn’t something preserved behind glass — it was still alive.

Beyond the main roads, the city unfolds through a rhythm of small shops and daily rituals. Narrow storefronts spill out onto the pavement — fruit stacked in careful pyramids, hardware stores packed floor to ceiling, tiny eateries with a handful of stools and a constant flow of regulars. There’s no clear boundary between business and street; everything blends together into one continuous, living space.

And then, almost quietly, you start to notice them — the bronze statues.

They’re scattered throughout the city, often without fanfare. A fisherman hauling in a net. A street vendor mid-sale. Children playing. Scenes from another time, frozen in metal but placed right in the middle of modern Guangzhou.

They’re easy to walk past if you’re not paying attention.

But once you notice them, they change the way you see the city.

These aren’t grand monuments to emperors or victories — they’re tributes to everyday life. They reflect the trading roots of Guangzhou, once one of China’s most important ports and the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. For centuries, this was a city defined by commerce, movement, and connection to the outside world.

And those stories are still here — just told in quieter ways.

One evening in Guangzhou took a different turn.

Kim had arranged to meet an old colleague, and instead of the street-side eateries and small local restaurants we’d been exploring, we were taken somewhere altogether more elaborate.

From the outside, it didn’t immediately give much away. But once inside, the scale revealed itself.

The restaurant unfolded like a maze — long corridors branching into more corridors, each lined with private dining rooms hidden behind heavy doors. It felt less like a restaurant and more like a series of discreet, self-contained worlds. Every group tucked away in their own space, out of sight, out of earshot.

You couldn’t help but wonder what kinds of conversations these rooms had hosted over time. Business deals, family negotiations, celebrations, quiet discussions — the kind of interactions that are never meant to spill into the public space.

There’s a long tradition of private dining in China, especially in cities like Guangzhou where relationships — guanxi — are central to both business and social life. Meals aren’t just about food; they’re about trust, hierarchy, and connection. And spaces like this are designed for exactly that.

For us, it felt like stepping briefly into that world.

The food itself was exceptional — beautifully presented, carefully paced, and clearly designed to impress. But interestingly, it wasn’t the local Cantonese street-style cuisine we’d been expecting. This was something more refined, more international in influence, almost curated to suit a different kind of audience.

For the boys, the novelty was in the setting — their own private room, the formality of it all. For Kim, it was a chance to reconnect. And for me, it was the atmosphere that lingered — the sense that behind every closed door, a different story was unfolding.

It was a completely different side of Guangzhou.

Not the chaotic, open, street-level city we’d come to know — but something quieter, more controlled, and in its own way, just as revealing.

After dinner, we stepped back out into the night and made our way down to the river, drawn by the glow of the Canton Tower rising in the distance.

If the restaurant had felt enclosed and hidden, this was the complete opposite.

The Pearl River opens everything up. Wide promenades, open air, and a steady flow of people out enjoying the evening — families, couples, groups of friends, all moving at a slower, more relaxed pace than the daytime rush.

And then there’s the tower.

Up close, the Canton Tower doesn’t just dominate the skyline — it feels almost unreal. Its twisting structure is lit in shifting colours, constantly changing, reflecting off the river below. Boats drift past, their own lights adding to the scene, and the whole area takes on a slightly surreal, almost cinematic feel.

The boys were immediately drawn to the energy of it — the lights, the movement, the scale. For them, this was Guangzhou at its most exciting.

The Pearl River has been the lifeblood of Guangzhou for centuries — the reason the city became one of China’s most important trading ports, connecting it to the outside world long before the skyscrapers arrived.

Now, instead of trading ships, it’s light shows and river cruises.

Somewhere in the middle of Guangzhou’s busy streets, we stumbled across something completely unexpected — and for Lucas, it may well have been the highlight of the entire city.

A shop where everything looked like it belonged in a museum… but was made entirely of chocolate.

Not just small displays or decorative pieces, but full-scale creations. Life-sized animals stood frozen mid-step — elephants, giraffes, creatures you’d expect to find on the African savannah, not in a shop in southern China. Alongside them were intricate replicas of local architecture, temples and buildings recreated in astonishing detail, all in chocolate.

At first, it didn’t quite register. The level of craftsmanship made it hard to believe it wasn’t carved wood or painted resin. But the closer you looked, the more surreal it became — every surface, every texture, every tiny detail… chocolate.

Lucas was completely in his element.

You could see the internal conflict playing out — admiration versus appetite. Was this something to photograph, or something to eat? (The answer, unfortunately, was mostly the former.)

I also took some photos of the boys at Black Rock Beach.

We went snorkeling in the lagoon

On a rainy afternoon we went in a longboat. The idiot at the back almost got all of us killed by having no idea how to steer (that was his one job) and landed us on the outer reef.

One day we went snorkeling with the turtles in the lagoon.

Other times were spent playing games - Dark, Snooker Fuzball, building cairns and chasing crabs.

This year we decided to travel to Rarotonga in Cook Islands. Some of the immediate family booked at the same time so that we 

had some days together.

The beautiful lagoon surrounds the island, so much of the time was spent in the water.