In just a few hours from now Mrs M, JC, PB and myself will be leaving HK to head back to Sydney. Yes, we're joining the expat exodus for the holidays. And it's my brother's wedding.

That does not mean this blog will be left unattended. Remarkably Australia also has broadband internet, allowing posting from the comfort of my in-laws' and my parents' houses. Frequency may decline but that just means quality will increase. It does not mean you can slack off from voting if you have not yet done so.

this is going to be one busy holiday. There's something on almost every single day. It will be one of those ones you come back from only to think how badly you need a holiday. Don't believe me? Here's this weekend for you:

Tonight: 9 hour plane trip with 3 year old and 17 month girls.
Saturday: Synagogue for my brother's call-up (for the non-Jewish, here's a quick primer on the ceremony itself. Tomorrow is more a preparatory thing). Then I need to hot-foot it over to the suit place for a fitting. Next is the big family lunch with both sides of the new family, many of whom we haven't met because we're in HK. Quick afternoon nap (hopefully) because around 5pm the bucks night (bachelor party for non-Australians) starts.
Sunday: arrive home from wherever. Get 2 hours drunken sleep. Awoken by jet-lagged JC and PB. Go to Wiggles concert (3,000 three to five year olds. A great hangover cure). Return home to try and find brain. Bask in warm family glow for the afternoon. Join parents and brother's in-laws to be at a picnic. Return home to bath and put kids to bed. Take Mrs M out to dinner to celebrate 5th wedding anniversary. Discover limits of human endurance.

Lest you think that's where it all ends, that's nothing. There's golf. There's the dentist. The pre-wedding haircut. The Get Pixy Pissed lunch. More golf. Family. Friends. Picnics. Breakfasts. Brunches. Lunches. Dinners. New Year's Eve*. Farewells. Packing. Returning to HK. Going back to work the morning after arriving back.

When I say busy, I mean busy. Regular blogging will continue when opportunities present themselves.

* Sydney thankfully has two sets of New Year's Eve fireworks. One at 9pm, one at midnight. By agreement with our friends (most of whom have little kids too) 2004 officially starts at 9:01pm on December 31st, 2003. That way we can all go to bed and a get a good night's sleep.