Another busy year draws to a conclusion

Another busy year draws to a conclusion. Kiran is now well into her second year at Emmanuel College Cambridge and James has 2 more terms before he takes his A-Levels and says good bye to school for good!

We started the year with a great Millennium party. We started at one neighbour, moved on to another after supper until the early hours, and then finished at a third for breakfast! After breakfast we got in the car and drove to Geneva where we had a mission to make most advantage from Greg’s Geneva base. So we had several weekends Skiing in January driving to various French ski resorts, such as Megève, La Clusaz, and Les Contamines, from our Geneva apartment.


Jill & Greg Skiing en France

In February we spent a few days skiing in Verbier, our 1^st time there, and met up with a few colleagues from the office. No sooner had we finished the season than Reuters had yet another reorganisation, and Greg reverted to a London base. So much for skiing in 2000/2001! Greg started his new job in March and wasn’t at all happy with the commute to London.

In April Jill decided she had definitely had enough of commuting, work and Ernst & Young. With some, little needed encouragement from Greg, she finally gave up work on April 28th. She is now a lady of leisure and busier than ever. She does voluntary work for Breakthrough, a breast cancer charity, and for PYT, the Princes Youth Trust. Jill has also been elected a Parish councillor for Woldingham’s first parish council.

Over Easter James went to Modena, Italy, on an Italian exchange as part of his A-Level. He appeared to have a great time, lots of late nights and alcohol. He tells us that Italian girls are beautiful and his Italian improved considerably as well.

In May we went to New York and to the bar mitzvah of one of our friend’s sons. It was our 1^st, an interesting experience; great fun was had by all. Shortly after Greg went to Geneva for the last time and packed up the flat. We now have a garage of 2^nd hand furniture. Later that month we had a millennium street party in Woldingham, where Greg made a handsome profit in the Pimms tent, despite drinking a goodly amount himself.

Now we come to the surprise of the year. Greg organised a very special party for our 25^th wedding anniversary and many of you came. Although Jill says she suspected something was up she certainly didn’t expect to arrive to meet almost one hundred friends and relations. The party was a great success.

You can see the rest of the photos on our website. The only regret, we didn’t get pictures of the fireworks which were spectacular.

The week after the party we went off to Majorca, where we spent our honeymoon, for a romantic long weekend. However this time we stayed at La Residencia, which has to be one of the best hotels in the world.


La Residencia

James also passed his driving test in the summer on his 1^st attempt. So the days of being a taxi driver have finally finished. However he has just had an encounter with a bus – who got the better of it – enough said.

The summer was the usual hectic time with us on one schedule and Kiran and James on their own! First of all James decided he needed more Italian practice. So, purely for educational purposes, he went off for a week to Rimini beach with his new Italian friends from his exchange trip earlier in the year.

In August we all went to Turkey on a Sunsail beach sailing holiday. This was the first time for three years we had been away together as a family. It was a great success and we all really enjoyed it.

After this James went off to Tenerife with his friends and Kiran to Corfu with her boyfriend. It’s a tough life eh?!?

In September James started his final year at school. He is doing very well and is still persevering with his Maths, Chemistry, Italian, and Business Studies A-Levels. He has applied to Bristol, Leeds, Nottingham, Oxford, Warwick, and UCL for degrees in Business Studies/Management, Economics, or Digital Business (Information Technology). He’s still playing rugby for Whitgift. His team remains undefeated so far this year. We are becoming expert touch line fans.

In October Kiran started her second year reading Natural Sciences at Cambridge, having managed a 1^st in her first year. She has really settled down well and is clearly having a great time as well as working very hard.

In November we went to Egypt on a grown up holiday without Kiran & James. It was a fantastic experience albeit very hard work with 0430 starts and no chance to lie in, and so very many temples and tombs to see.


Towards Queen Hatshepsut's Mortuary Temple	Abu Simbel - Ramses II

Later that month Greg visited Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore, but was able to mix some pleasure with the business by stopping in and seeing friends in Bangkok.

Finally in December Jill is accompanying me on a business trip to New York. She is intending to do some serious shopping! Lets hope it doesn’t break the bank. When she gets back she’s got to do some serious training as she has signed up for a charity trek in Nepal in aid of Breakthrough. The real challenge is she has to raise a minimum of £2,500. All donations gratefully received!

So 2000 has been yet another busy fun filled year. On current plans we don’t expect 2001 to be any different; and long may it continue.