The Big 40!

I am 40 now. It feels weird because I feel the same. Not that I thought I'd feel differently suddenly but it does make me realise that growing old doesn't change you. Guess my grandparents in their 80's must have still felt the same person inside too, that they always were. Never really thought about it like that. Of course I might experience health issues at some point,  become less fit, I get a few more wrinkles but from the inside I still feel the same as when I was 16 (or so).
I clearly remember my 21st Birthday (not my 20th, haha). We were in America and my Uncle Zweitze had booked a table in a Mexican restaurant. Becoming 21 is a BIG thing in The States. It was a fun evening. I've always had a good party on my birthday, always love the attention. My 30th I celebrated in The Al Bustan Hotel in Muscat, Oman. Once (or maybe still) one of the best business hotels of the world. Jamie and I stayed the night there on on the day nearly all my friends came for a yummy brunch. It was lovely day.
This time I wanted something special again and that's why we drove all the way up north to Exmouth where we booked a "whale shark experience".
Basically you go out on a boat. Have a snorkel on Ningaloo Reef while the spotter planes find the whale shark and then they take you to them. You get your snorkel and fins on and jump in the ocean and then these big fish swim towards you. The biggest fish on earth (although the Ningaloo whale sharks aren't the biggest, they are around 6-8 meters) . It was just awesome.
Willem and Frank were brave too!

This is me checking if Willem can see the whale shark too.
We were lucky as we could jump in with the fish more than once. First time two even circled round us. It was an amazing experience. The crew knew it was my birthday and baked a cake too. Lovely!

The rest of the trip was good as well. Willem and Frank enjoyed snorkelling and we saw emus on the beach, dolphins at Monkey Mia, Dugongs swimming around and we had a lovely but hot couple of days in Kalbarri National Park with it's red stone cliffs.

The boys are great little campers. Willem spent most of the time working in his year 1 homework book!
Frank enjoyed drawing and writing in his school diary. A couple of times there was a swimming pool on the camp site too which made them very happy. Willem can now do a scary back flip into the water.

Now I need to start thinking about having a party. Not sure if I want it big or small. My dear friend Katja also has her birthday this week and another friend Marjolijn also turned 40. Maybe we'll do something together.

In June/July we'll be coming to Europe so hopefully will get to celebrate again!