Sent: 07 February 2008 16:07
To: Rosee
Subject: Clare Blog Update
Hi Rosee, I hope you are well - I don't think I ever updated you on our trip out to Hong Kong and Bali for the blog- but do forgive me if I have, the old memory is not a good as it was these days. I'm also attaching some pictures for you.
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| Clare's Ashes |
Syd , Julie and I flew to Hong Kong on 15th November, with Clare's ashes, albeit Julie was on BA and we were on Cathy Pacific.
Julie phrased it nicely I thought, she wanted to go to Hong Kong and Bali to' be on Clare's last world trip'
Being in Hong Kong without Clare seemed wrong - I have never been there without her before , when she was little and we lived there, she was an appendage to me, and later when she went back as an adult to live alone, I visited her and we explored old haunts and visited new ones. We both adored Hong Kong.
Nearly everywhere we went this time , I saw her, either as a child or an adult.We went to our 'club' for dinner - this is The LRC on Old Peak Road, on Hong Kong Island - Clare used to go there after school somedays to swim and we'd pick her up after work to go home, I still could see her standing there by the pool, a chubby ten year old, hands on hips , protesting as she wanted to stay longer. Syd's bills there, as everything had to be charged a members account, consisted of mainly, on a daily basis for 'chips, mars bar and the occasional swimming goggles' - after she grew more sophisticated (when she was eleven) chicken satay was added along with chips and mars bars!
We took her ashes out to Lantau island where she had lived on the Sunday, after arranging to meet her friend Karen at the Lantau ferry - and again we were met by Tania , Anne and other friends at Mui Wo. We had some very welcome gin and tonics at Karens , then went to Pui O beach at the end of the day to the spot where the water bullalo came down to the sea, to take it in turns to scatter her ashes. Tania had brought some white roses which we floated on the water. We then went to the beach cafe for some welcome food and drink. Syd serenaded us with his melodeon playing, which I'm not sure she'd have been too happy about, but everybody else seemed to enjoy it, and I think she would have been pleased.
We flew down to Bali after five days -and as the plane taxied into the terminal, I felt very close to Clare all of a sudden. I could see why she loved the place, the people are so lovely, it's warm, lots of flowers of every colour, Hindu temples and markets and cafes.
We were not sure which beach she had wanted her ashes scattered on, as she was drifitng in and out of her morphine induced coma when she was telling me, and it was very hard for her to summon up the energy, in fact she got irritated with me at one point as I hadn't heard her properly. Anne and Stuart thought it might be in Seminyak , so we headed there on the Sunday.
Kitty Chapman, who was an Australian friend of Clares in London,, and is now back in Australia, flew in with her Mum, Helen, and as a little group, we went to a nice spot, again as the sun was going down and scattered her ashes.This time, the gods decided to give her a spectacular send off with the best sunset I have ever seen in my life. We adjourned to the Ku de Tar restaurant close by to finish off the day.
So now the terrible year of 2007 is over, and we have carried out my Clare's last wishes to the letter - I hope my darling wherever you are , you are happy.
Take care Rosee
love
Ann & Syd
xxx
