Abe's Babes

To the Alice Smith school, Kuala Lumpur, for Colin to deliver a homily on the merits of journalism as a career option in front of 110 nine-year-olds. These are bright kids and there is no shortage of questions after they have listened with commendable patience to stories of Nixon, Ceaucescu, Biggs, Alex Ferguson and other notable 1970s figures.
One boy put up his hand and asked the immortal question - "Did you cover the assassination of Abraham Lincoln". Colin, having celebrated his 67th birthday the day before, was made to feel very senior as he responded - "I'm old, but not that old!"
This is the school where our daughter Ali teaches. It was an Ofsted week and the inspectors were everywhere, popping in to see how year 4 were getting on with journalism. The Head Teacher was so impressed he has asked Colin to lecture to year 6 - but C is thinking of quitting while he is ahead.
Ali has laid on plenty of tennis and squash as a reward for Colin. And Ealing's finest is managing to beat all comers from the Alice Smith PE department so far. He may meet his Nemesis this afternoon on the squash court. Fitness and stamina could well become an issue against the KL champion.
We have been joined by daughter Kate, over here for a two week holiday sans her partner Jamie who remains in snowbound London. Kate is straight out to the pool to cool and to rectify her winter look.
On Sunday we take a 90 minute car ride to the Taman Alam Kuala Selangor Nature Park, north of KL. The traffic is heavy on a Bank Holiday weekend but we make it by 4pm. Wonderful mangrove forests, hiding the incredible mudskipper fish who can jump out of the swamps, scaling logs ten times their size and holding their breath out of the water by using fliud stored in their gills - truly amazing. Lots of bird life, too, including Brahmini Kites, storks and kingfishers. Cheeky monkeys - not drawn from Year 4 - bare their teeth at us as we traverse the park on a two hour walk.
We find a fantastic chinese restaurant alongside the Sungai Selangor river and eat dinner under a setting sun. Amazing food (snappers, chicken and satay dishes - and plenty of it - with large Tiger beers, sprites and even lemon tea). The whole feast for five of us - Ali's fiance Craig dragged himself away from the Premiership coverage on TV - came to under 40 pounds, including the drinks which are notoriously expensive in this muslim country.
Onto Kampung Kuantan to see the firelies or kelip-kelip (that's the noise they make) who lodge in the berembang trees alongside the river. You take a little rowing boat with no more than four passengers and punt slowly along while admiring these incredible creatures who light up the trees as if it's Christmas. Another glorious experience. Off to Penang and Langkawi tomorrow for a little R and R. As if we've earned it.