January 2005

Sunday 30 January, 2005
Hi Emma,
I hope you are fine. I am writing this on the plane as it is flying into Melbourne (Note: I'm writing on a piece of paper, so I'll need to get this on the computer later!). It was a good week that I had in Suzhou. The first four days were quite busy as the factory made and then tested their first batches of product. The people there were very nice and friendly (even the big boss there), so was good. The plant is very well organised and they are installing modern, high tech equipment there. I can see why China's economy is going so well.
On Friday (28/1/05) my Malaysian colleague, Phoon, and I only had a bit of work to do and then we could have the rest of the day off. We went to buy a new computer keyboard for Phoon (and I bought a Chinese dictionary CD when I was there). Then we went to see a garden called "The Master of the Nets Garden" or Wang Shi Yuan. It was a pretty cold day (around 6C?) but it was really nice to walk around the old Chinese house and garden. See below for some photos that Phoon took with his camera (He is going to e-mail them to me later).
----------Insert Wang Shi Yuan photos here!!!---------
After that we went to the Gong de Lin vegetarian restaurant. We got there a bit late for lunch (around 2.30pm) so we were the only customers. The restaurant was pretty cold but the food was really yummy!
After lunch we went to the Tiger Hill Garden. This is a really special place. Parts of it are really old (>2000 years). You walk up a path through the gardens to an ancient pagoda at the very top of the hill. On the way are beautiful pools, bridges, grottos and also a Buddhist temple. It is a very peaceful and lovely place, Emma. I really like being there and I'm sure you would like it to. See below for some more photos that Phoon took.
----------Insert Tiger Hill photos here!!!---------
After the garden we went back to the shops where Phhon bought some shoes and I bought some CDs, DVDs and snacks for gifts. Then we had dinner at the UCB Coffee shop near the Aster Hotel where we were staying.
It was a nice day but I was thinking about you a lot, Emma, especially when I saw children around your age. I really miss you a lot, Miss Em, but I will be patient!
Love you very, very much and sending you my best positive thoughts.
Lots and lots of love,
Aaron xxx ooo

Friday 21 January, 2005
Hello Emma,
How are you, Miss Em? I really hope you are fine! I have to travel to Suzhou in China for work tomorrow. My company has a factory there and they are going to start making some paint products that already make in Australia. So my boss wants me to go to see that it all goes OK. Suzhou is close to Shanghai so I am flying to Shanghai first. I'll be in Suzhou for one week. It feels funny to be going to China and not being able to see you, Emma. However at the moment I'm not really sure where you are and even whether it would be possible for me to see you. So I guess I have to be patient a while longer!!! :-)
I love you heaps and heaps Emma and you are always in my thoughts.
Lots and lots of love,
Aaron xxx ooo

Monday 17 January, 2005
Hi Emma,
I hope you are well, Miss Em! A lot has happened since the last time I wrote in this diary. Grandma from New Zealand has visited me and I shifted to my new house at 48 Quarry Road, Mitcham now.
Grandma arrived in Melbourne on Saturday morning on 8/1/05. We went back to 4 Ashley street to drop off Grandma's luggage then we went had a relaxing time in the Botanic Gardens in the city. It was really nice there (though I got a bit of sunburn - ouch!). On Sunday(9/1/05) we went to church at Box Hill and then we both worked at tidying up the garden at 4 Ashley Street. It was hot and hard work. If I had had the good sense not to let it get out of hand to start with it would have been a lot easier!
On Monday night Mum, my friend Karen and I had dinner at the Veggie Hut restaurant in Box Hill before going to see the film "The Motorcycle Diaries" at the Knox cinema. It was a good Spanish film about Che Guevera in his youth in South America.
On Thursday 13/1/05 and Friday 14/1/05 I took annual leave from my work becuase I need to get ready for the big move on Friday. Grandma and I spend almost all of Thursday packing up things to get ready for the removal people on the next day. One good thing was that we were able to get into 48 Quarry Road a bit early so we could shift a few things in on Thursday night and give the floors a bit of a clean.
On Friday 14/1/05 Grandma, Karen and three removal men with a big truck helped me to shift all my stuff from Ashley Street to Mitcham. I'm really glad that I had lots of help because it is a big job to shift. I'm glad I don't need to do it very often!
On Saturday 15/1/05 Grandma and I did some cleaning and unpacking. I did the bathroom and Grandma did the kitchen. On Sunday 16/1/05 we went to church in the morning and then in the eveniong we went to see a double feature at the Astor cinema. I hadn't shown Grandma the Astor before and I really wanted to show it to her (I'd really like to show it to you too, Emma - especially the cinema cat who sleeps there!). We saw two old Italian films by Fellini. The fiirst was called "La Strada" and the second was "Fellini's Roma". La Strada is a really amazing film and we both liked it a lot. Roma wasvery good too but I was really tired and had trouble staying awake. I'll have to try to see it again one day!!
Today, 17/1/05 is the day that Grandma went back to New Zealand. She did a lot to help me with my shift so I'm really grateful! Next time she visits I'll definately make sure that she has a proper holiday here (not just mainly work!).
Love you heaps and heaps Emma and I really hope that you are safe and well.
Lots and lots of love,
Aaron xxx ooo

Sunday 2 January, 2005
Hi Emma,
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope you have a really wonderful 2005. You must be getting to be a big girl now. It is awful for me that I haven't seen you for so long. But as I recorded in this diary a couple of months ago, I found out that you are happy and in good health. And that, of course, is what is the most important!!!
Things are fine here, Em. I have had a one week break from work, which has been very nice. I have had lots of things to do preparing for shifting house on the 14th of January. However I have also found time to read a few good books. I have read "The Merlin Conspiracy" by Diana Wynne Jones, "The Dying Earth" series by Jack Vance and "Firewall" and "The Dogs of Riga" by Henning Mankell. They were all really good books. Diana Wynne Jones's books are always great (you would like them, I'm sure). Henning Mankell writes very good detective novels involving a policeman in Sweden called Inspector Wallander. I don't think you would like to read them now but you might when you are grown up :-)
Em, I should tell you some other news - namely that I think I have a girlfriend now! I have known a lady called Karen for about 6 months just casually but we have got a bit closer in the last month or so. Karen is just two years younger than me and is vegetarian so we have a bit in common. We are just taking things very slowly and I don't know how it will turn out but is nice to have a special friend after being by myself for so long. However it certainly doesn't change how much I love you Emma (or make me miss you any less). It isn't possible for me to love anyone more than you Em :-)!!
Ah well, it is a nice summer evening here in Melbourne and I think I will got for a bicycle ride before it gets dark. I'll send you my best positive thoughts when I'm riding Em. I really hope you might get a good feeling from them :-).
Love you heaps and heaps,
Aaron :-)
xxx ooo