Max lately

- Has a thing for The Work and The Glory and told me he'd like to live then 'even though the times were tough'. And what would be the best thing about living then: 'the milk'.

- Had passport photos taken for border crossing and noted that 'my ears look too big for my head.' Jesse and I went into damage control ('cause it's actually true) - 'no, your ears are perfect' 'they are just the right size' and so on. But Max insisted "I look like a monkey.... IIII LLLIKE IT!'

- Was more than a bit bored while I spent a day sealing up food storage and created a circle of life food chain.

- Is a bit nervous about his trip. Jesse asked what was making him most nervous: 'the elephants' (we have a day in an elephant park where you can wash the elephants and go for a long ride through the jungle), and what is he most excited about: 'the elephants'.

- Is wearing a good luck bracelet from Jesse - it's just a bit of red cord from the tag on some new jeans, but Jesse put it on and told him it's a Nepalese tradition and it will bring him safely home. He's very happy.

- Asked me ever so casually 'if a plane goes down over land do you leave your seat belt on and put your head on your knees?' Then a couple of hours later 'if a plane goes down over water do you still leave your seatbelt on -because the father in Dinotopia died when he couldn't get his seatbelt off?' He assured me there was no particular reason he was thinking of these things.

- Sets his bedside table up carefully with Eddie (the teddy), books, pencils, a bit of lego and some potion bottles.

- Is having a terrible time trying to take Malaria tablets.