I kicked off our weekend with some Thermomix buttermilk blueberry pancakes topped with Michelle and Grant’s homemade blackberry jam. We caught the metro to the European Parliament district in Maelbeek valley, and while the sun was out we took a quick stroll through Parc Léopold. The Park contains such treasures as a rare Oriental plane tree, the remains of the fifteenth century Eggevoort castle, as well as the Royal Museum of Natural Science.

Forsaking the Iguanodons this time around, we head over to the Parliamentarium, the new €21 million high-tech EU visitors’ center that opened October 2011. The touch-screen audio devices are available in 23 different languages, and a triggered by placing them within close proximity to your display of interest. For a subject matter that could be quite dry, the curators have managed to bring the history of Europe alive with interactive displays that include a long corridor traversing the history of Europe, a 360 degree film on the parliament, an huge map to explore with trolleys that play short clips about various regions, and an expansive lounge room with interviews of European citizens.

After a lunch of frites and a long afternoon nap, we headed out for Lapin à la gueuz (Rabbit in cherry beer gravy) at Le Forestier, followed by a marionette performance of The Passion at Théâtre de Toone. I had assumed that since I was familliar with the plot, I would be able to follow the story, even though I don’t speak Bruxellois (a dialect mixture of Flemish and French). I was mistaken. The story was told from the perspective of Judas, who was portrayed as a drunk man wandering through the Sablon and the Grand Place, with a cameo by St Michael, the patron saint of Brussels. Hayden loved it, refusing to sleep and staring with wonder at the puppets on the screen. He probably understood more of the Dutch than we did.

We took him back home after intermission and left Grant and Michelle to enjoy the Grand Place.

On Sunday we went to the Midi Markets for a brunch of Moroccan pancakes filled with honey, cheese, and marinated vegetables. Michelle hung out with Hayden and told him a story about a certain caterpillar with a bit of an appetite.

We finished up the weekend with a trip to the Sky Cafe at the Royal Museum of the Army and of Military History. Hayden sat in his first pilot’s seat but looked a little overwhelmed at the responsibility. After a few rounds of bowling, dinner was Ethiopian, which Hayden loved because it meant that everyone was eating with his hands, just like him.

We boarded Hayden’s first vaporetto, and the small boat was buzzing with excitement, full of foreigners so thrilled to be in their dream destination. I could easily spot the honeymooners (the men playing with their wedding rings, and the women still sporting wedding manicures and perfectly waxed eyebrows). There were also older couples, returning to Venice to relive the romantic locations of their courtship. Once we arrived on the main island, I converted the Kelty backpack to a stroller, and the two of us ambled along the edge of the canal as we enjoyed our first taste of sunshine in weeks.

(Sadly I only have mobile phone pictures for this trip, as the DSLR was too big to fit in the backpack)

A few hours later, we were reunited with mum and Josef. They hadn’t seen Hayden since he was four months old, so he was very excited to show off his new skills that included crawling, clapping, and eating solids. We all traipsed off to find dinner, and Hayden sampled a Caprese mozzarella and tomato salad while I caught up on news from Australia. Hayden seemed really happy to see his grandparents again, and even scored some complementary cookies from the waiter.

We spent the next day visiting the quieter islands of Murano and Burano. We admired the delicate stitching of lace in Burano and explored the canals lined with colourful houses. On the glass-blowing island of Murano, we watched three brothers working together to create a beautiful floral chandelier, then visited the showroom for a sampler of all the different pieces from the island. Mum bought me a striking blue and silver glass pendant for my birthday, a unique souvenir of our holiday.

After three nights in our delightful apartment amongst the rooftops of Venice, it was time to say goodbye with one final stroll along the Grand Canal. After their cruise, we will meet up with them again in Spain for a week in the foothills of the Sierra Blanca.

He claps at every opportunity, even using it to self-soothe during a traumatic experience such as having his nappy changed. He will now tolerate having his nose cleaned, simply blowing a raspberry to register his disgust. His new pet peeve is lying on his back, which means that I now have to attempt to dress him while his is clambering around on the floor. This is especially difficult now that the crèche has suggested that he might find it easier to crawl if I stopped dressing him in one-piece rompers and started putting him in pants and a top. Boo.

He loves to eat solids, and is happy to be either spoon-fed (opening his mouth up like a baby bird) or feed himself. His favourite foods include strawberries, bread, lettuce, quorn, and cheese. He likes clearing his plate, even if that means deliberately dropping food onto the floor rather than placing it in his mouth. After a serious post-meal clean-up, we often read a book together. Hayden enjoys turning the pages in both directions, which means that often the story progresses in a very non-linear fashion.

Hayden and I have both had constant runny noses and coughs this month, but he still generally slept through the night, after a dreamfeed and bottle around 10pm. Hayden will now only breastfeed when he is asleep, he much prefers a bottle when he is alert.

Adrian continuous to be an amazing father. I swan off to work most mornings leaving Adrian to feed and change the baby, then take him on the train then on bus to the crèche, only to turn around a few hours later to pick him up and take him home again. If Adrian goes off for a few drinks with his colleagues he always takes Hayden with him, which gives me the evening alone to socialise or to relax with a long hot bath. Even on the weekends Adrian is now in charge of most of the feeding, though I must admit he is terrible at getting Hayden to fall asleep as the little bear is usually too excited to calm down and close his eyes.

My two guys make me laugh and smile every day. It is wonderful to see more of Hayden’s happy and chipper personality emerge every day.

Today Adrian celebrated his birthday with TinTin, Dr Seuss, Mint nudges, beer and chocolate cake, phone calls, and kisses.

Adrian has achieved many extraordinary accomplishments this year. A last author paper in Nature Immunology, the recruitment and retention of some fantastic lab members, and numerous grants, all the while being an astonishingly hands-on, involved, and superfun dad and husband.

Some friends came over for a playdate and to share some cake with us – thanks to Michael for snapping this shot.

Happy Birthday Adrian.

During the long weekend, the Hasselt Japanese Gardens celebrated o-hanami, the Cherry Blossom Festival. It is the one day of the year where one is permitted to sit on the grass underneath the sakura trees. Kim and Adrian colluded in order to create a suprise picnic for me that was accompanied by bubbly, green tea, and sake. The sun even came out for a few hours to we could sit in the warmth and watch Hayden enjoy some colourful hard-boiled eggs. (Interestingly, in Belgium, they seem to celebrate Easter by eating actual eggs rather than gorging on chocolate like we do in Australia.) After Adrian had peeled one for him and Hayden had taken a few mouthfuls, Hayden decided it was a lot more fun to just crumble his up and roll around on top of it until both he and the picnic blanket were covered in tiny specs of yolk.

The Hasselt gardens proclaim themselves to be the largest Japanese gardens in Europe, however at 2.5 acres by my research they come in fourth, after the 39 acre Valley of singing stones in Lithuania, the 29 acre Parc Oriental de Maulévrier in France and the 3.3 acre Kaiserslautern in Germany. Still, it was a fun way to mark the time of year in which Spring is supposed to arrive, and I hope that the sun will decide to spend some more time in Belgium sometime soon.

Hayden is a delight. He laughs often, especially when Adrian holds him up like a plane or when I make silly noises with my mouth. He has started taking an interest in books, slapping the pages and trying to eat the spines while we read him Where Is The Green Sheep or Fox in Socks. He loves the songs that we sing which, that range from Adrian Originals (“Velocobear has a fearsome nose/ Velocobear has fungusy toes/ Velocobear is in need of a hose/ ‘Cause Velocobear don’t smell like a rose”) to Play School Favourites (“…but the one little duck with a feather on her back, she led the others with a quack quack quack…”).

He has two little teeth and his hair is starting to get a little longer. He has all of a sudden decided that he likes food, after all. He especially loves bread and fruit and Greek yogurt, and will also eat vegetables and avocado. After a few months of resistance he now likes to be spoon fed, and will open up his mouth wide like a little baby bird. I also give him lots of food to play with while we are having our meal. He will feed himself bread and baby biscuits, but he prefers to squish softer foods in between his fingers than put them in his mouth.

He shows no interest in crawling, though he will spin on his belly to get something that he wants. He now wants everything, and will get upset if I take something out of his grasp. He has started reaching for the kittens, but they always stay tantalisingly out of reach. The crèche also tells us that he is starting to get upset when Adrian leaves. He also gets very cranky when we clean his nose. Happily no infections or illnesses this month (even with a trip to India).

We rolled up the canvas blinds and stepped inside to find a queen-sized bed and writing desk, with a canvas panel separating a bathroom with spotlessly modern amenities. We were told that hot water was solar powered and would be available only in the morning and the evening. There was even enough room for Adrian to set Hayden up in his travel cot and he seemed to settle in happily to his new surroundings.

We took a stroll around the camp, which includes an open-air dining area, a nature walk, a wellness spa, and a small shop selling hand-made items. In the common room we listened to a presentation by Usha Rathore, the owner of Khem Villas, about the work that Tiger Watch is conducting to reduce poaching by ensuring that the locals can find sustainable living in harmony with the wildlife. For dinner we ate some delicious vegetarian food, sourced from produce that they grow on-site. As the sun set we settled down for an early night so we could wake up at dawn for our first safari.

The air was a little chilly as we set out towards the park, yet it was a magical time of day. As our canter wobbled its way over the bumpy roads, we saw that the inhabitants of the park were already peacefully grazing, and we were surrounded by dozens of spotted deer, Sambar deer, and Indian gazelles, and even a juvenile crocodile enjoying the morning sun. The guides listened for warning calls from the animals to alert them to a presence of a tiger, but all the prey animals seemed very relaxed.

We stopped under a tree while little Green Bee-eaters and Rufous Treepies flitted around us. Our guide told us that the treepies were very friendly. Friendly and indeed a little brash, they swooped down to share the sandwiches that our companions were eating for breakfast.

Hayden seemed very contented as he drank his morning milk while overlooking a deep tranquil waterhole.

As the sun rose in the sky and the temperature began to soar, we were told that the tigers would be retreating into the shade to sleep, and we headed back to the camp for a simple English breakfast of eggs and bread. Some of our breakfast companions shared tiger stories from that morning, and I hoped that we would have more luck in our afternoon safari. I wandered up to the Age Veda Spa for a soothing head and shoulders massage while looking out over the dry wind rippling over the grassy desert plains.

The heat escalated in our tent and the three of us collapsed on the bed together for a sweaty but satisfying nap through the hottest part of the day. Still full from breakfast, we skipped lunch and only awoke for a cold shower before our afternoon safari. We bought a tiger t-shirt and hat for Hayden from the vendors outside the gates, and he quickly returned with a tiger postcard as a gift “for the baby”. This encounter was symbolic of our time here in India, a small gesture filled with kindness and generosity.

Adrian asked the driver to stop so that he could snap a few photos of Grey Langur monkeys and their babies sitting together in the afternoon sun. We were sharing a canter with some locals who mocked us for making such a fuss over such a common animal.

We took another long drive for the park, and the ruminants were now mostly resting in the shade and watching us impassively. As we were nearing the end of our tour, the guide heard a warning call for a tiger, however the other people in the canter told him they had a train to catch, and we had to leave the park without so much of an Indian tiger.

I wish that we could have stayed here for a week. Not only to see a tiger in the wild, but also visit some of the various Tiger Watch initiatives, such as the women’s textiles collective, the school (free for girls from small families), the hospital, and to support camel rides and nature walks run by families of rehabilitated poachers.

At breakfast on our last day, we watched a pigeon industriously trying to set up a nest on top of the roller-blinds that enclose the open-air dining area. It was such a pathetic sight. Firstly, every single one of the dozens of twigs immediately fell off, leaving a pile of twigs on the ground and none up on the ledge. Secondly, the blinds are pulled down every night for dinner, so even a successful nest would not survive until the next morning. I had to eventually ask one of the staff members to come and unfurl the blinds because I couldn’t bear to watch the poor bird wasting so much effort on such a bleak enterprise.

All too soon it was time for us to pack our bags and leave the camp, and it was quite hard to say good-bye to this place. In my opinion, Ranthambhore is up there with the mountains of Georgia, Uluru in Australia, and the wilderness of Iceland as truly sublime locations on this fragile planet. These wild and semi-arid plains touched my heart, and I dearly hope to be able to return here when Hayden is older, and perhaps share with him the magic of discovering a tiger in the wild.

When we first arrived at the hotel, we noticed that they had several peacocks and peahens. At first we did not take much notice, as we had assumed that the owners had imported them and clipped their wings, as is common in Australia. It was only when we saw one of the peahens take flight that we recalled that the birds are native to this area and we had just seen our first wild peafowls.

The next morning we gathered at sunrise to take an early cycle rickshaw through the world heritage listed Keoladeo National Park, which contains artificial marshes first installed in 1763 by the Maharajas to improve their duck-hunting experiences. Since 1982 it has been a haven to 364 species of birds, and is an important breeding site for herons, storks and cormorants. We saw dozens of bird species during our hours in the park, along with some ruminants and a pair of Indian grey mongooses (but sadly no fishing cats).

Our naturalist pointed out a male jaçana bird following its baby. He told us that the bronze-winged jaçana birds are a species of waders, and it is the males who take responsibility for the care of the young, even carrying their offspring between their wings and body. He smiled and said to Adrian “just like you”.

We learned about the Intermediate Egret, identifiable by its yellow bill and black legs. I felt a bit sorry for the birds with such a demeaning name, and I thought that they were probably a bit jealous of the cute Little Egret and the impressive Great Egret.

With this adventure under our belt before breakfast, we returned to the hotel feeling quite accomplished. We said farewell to Kim who was flying back to Belgium, and prepared for a long dusty drive to Ranthambore National Park.

The tomb of Mughal Emperor Humayun (one of the many places in India termed the “Baby Taj”) is surrounded by a symmetrical and tranquil Charbagh (quadrilateral) garden, the first of its kind in India. We were lucky enough to be able to stroll past the fountains bubbling away in the reflective ponds, which were restored only 9 years ago after over 300 years of neglect. Instead of a mosque, the only other structure inside the complex is the tomb of the Emperor’s favourite barber.

The next day we drove to Agra and toured the Agra fort, then to the Mehtab Bagh (Moonlight Garden) to see a mausoleum built by Humayun’s great-grandson – the Taj Mahal. I had a little bit of a melt-down as I climbed out of the car while unsuccessfully attempting to juggle all my belongings. I was exhausted after a long hot and dusty day, I had been wearing the same clothes for three days, and I felt hemmed in by the various street vendors who had gathered around the entrance. It was rare in India for me to feel invisible or anonymous, and every time I struggled with something I felt like the whole neighbourhood was silently, curiously, and intensely watching me fail.

We paid the entrance fee and I was slowly able to relax as we ambled past the rows of trees and towards the same Yamuna River that flows past Humayun’s tomb. This garden forms part of the Charbagh gardens that surround the Taj Mahal, and provides a spectacular and calm place to view the structure, especially at sunset. The decline in the water level of the river was immediately evident, and I later learned that it is decreasing at a rate of 1.5 meters per year, potentially destabilising the foundations of the mausoleum. We sat together on the ruins of a brick wall and watched the white marble reflect the soft orange glow of the sunset. It was so peaceful and serene, I felt so lucky to be able to sit and quietly absorb the beauty and majesty of the Taj Mahal in the cool crisp air of the evening.

The next day we arrived at the Taj Mahal before breakfast. There were relatively very few people around, and we were able to pass straight through security and into the first courtyard. The dome really did look perfectly framed as we made our way through the main gate and into the paradise gardens. Passages from the Qur’an surrounded the gates, with an inscription at the base of the interior dome reading “Written by the insignificant being, Amanat Khan Shirazi”. I lined up with the rest of the tourists to sit with Hayden on the same marble seat on which that Princess Diana had posed when she visited in 1992.

The expansive gardens provided us with another venue to sit back and admire the architecture. Unlike most monuments in Europe that are hemmed in by other buildings, these capacious grounds meant that all visitors were able to find their own little bit of secluded space. We laughed as we watched a few locals drinking some Chai tea from a zip-lock bag that they had smuggled through security, and they smiled and offered us a glass. Busy little Indian squirrels darted about, and an amazingly turquoise kingfisher perched above one of the rectangular ponds. As the fiery sun rose higher in the sky, we bid farewell to Agra as we left the cities behind us and began our trek out to the wildlife parks of Bharatpur and Ranthambhore.

Normally I like to travel light and fit everything into a backpack. However, this would not be possible. I bought an embarrassingly large American-style suitcase, and this is what I packed for Hayden:

Checked luggage:

• Electric steam steriliser (with power adaptor)
• Electric kettle (with power adaptor)
• Ibuprofen
• Oral rehydration powder
• Enterol probiotic sachets
• Antibiotic eye drops
• Saline solution
• Light coloured onsies (long-sleeved with enclosed feet to protect from mosquitoes and sunburn)
• Sunscreen
• Aloe vera cream
• Fungicide
• Betadine
• Band-aids
• Burp cloths
• Nappies
• Powdered formula in aliquots suitable for 240mL water
• Ready-to-drink formula
• Breast pump
• Medela quick clean wipes

Checked at the gate:

• Bugaboo Bee Stroller
• Maxi-Cosi Car Seat with adaptor clips for stroller

Cabin baggage:

• paracetamol
• Baby bjorn carrier
• Passport
• Residence card
• 6 Avent baby bottles filled with 240mL sterile water (yes, security is OK with this)
• 4 days’ worth of formula aliquots
• anti-malarials
• anti-biotics
• 1 spare onesie
• Cold-water sterilising kit
• Ethanol hand sanitiser
• Anti-microbial wipes
• 7 nappies
• (I foolishly forgot a pen)

Adrian was already in India, so I made the 8 hour flight solo. It was actually fine – I caught a taxi to the airport and gave myself an extra hour to get through security (water bottles out of bag and onto tray, bag onto tray, baby out of car seat and into baby bjorn, car seat separated from stroller and onto tray, stroller collapsed and onto tray, walk through metal detector, stroller unfolded, car seat snapped back onto stroller, water bottles back into bag, baby back in car seat, baby bjorn packed into bag). Once on the plane, we had the whole four-seat bulkhead row to ourselves, and Hayden was happy to lay in his bassinette while I had my meals. We also met some lovely people across the aisle who wanted to play with him, which gave me another break.

Once we landed at 10:30pm, my headaches began. I waited 15 minutes for the car seat and stroller to be delivered to the gate. Then 20 minutes to get through immigration. Then 30 minutes for my luggage, only to be told that, as is tradition, it had been “delayed”. Somehow, Adrian’s luggage had travelled from Belgium to Portugal to Switzerland to Qatar to India without problem, but my one direct flight had been too much for the airline to handle. It took another hour for a representative to get my details and tell me that it would be at least another two days until I was reunited with my bag. I was somewhat relieved that the car seat had arrived, and my carry-on bag contained all the essentials we needed to keep Hayden fed safely for the next couple of days.

Poor Adrian had been waiting at the airport to meet us, and by the time we all got back to the hotel it was close to 2 AM. Hayden barely slept in his travel cot, and we all started the next day in low spirits. At breakfast I did not greet Kim, our travel companion, with much enthusiasm.

I already felt overwhelmed by India and I had yet to step out of my air-conditioned hotel.

We met our guide in the morning, and the first thing that he suggested was a bicycle rickshaw through the Chandni Chowk markets of Old Delhi.

This was one of the most noisy and chaotic experiences of the whole trip. We started out on the road, and I was suddenly surrounded by a cacophony of auto-rickshaws, motorbikes, cows, trucks, and cars.

The long rows of market stalls smelled of spices and street food, and the windows were filled with everything from marigold garlands to sparkling red wedding saris.

The crowded and narrow alleys of the markets bustled with pedestrians giving us curious looks, as well as monkeys sitting on the tangled cords that made up the electrical system.

By the time the rickshaw ride ended, I was feeling strangly rejuvinated. We had entered the colourful and chaotic world of Old Delhi, and I had actually enjoyed it. Here I was, reunited with Adrian and exploring an exotic and fascinating country with Hayden and Kim. There was plenty to learn here if I was just willing to let it in. I gave a kiss to my two boys, a smile to my other companions, and we all climbed back into the car ready to see more highlights of Delhi.

Hayden is also rolling from front to back to front, and pushing himself up with his arms. He loves his jumperoo, but hates solids. I continue to breastfeed him in the morning and night, with formula during the day. The carers at his creche patiently feed him potatoes and fruit, half-teaspoonfuls at a time. He will happily chew on an antibacterial towelette if given half the chance, but if he puts so much of a grain of rice into his mouth he looks completely disgusted. So at home we are sticking with milk for nourishment, and we offer him food from our plate during meals for fun.

He loves looking at photos of himself and chatting with the other baby in the mirror. Whenever he sees my phone he starts mashing at it until I turn on the forward-facing camera so that he can drown in his reflection. No stranger anxiety yet – he will beam at all kinds of strangers, though I like to think that he saves his biggest smiles for us.

He can sit unassisted for a reasonable time, and at 70 cm long and 9.1 kg is starting to outgrow his 9-12 month old clothing. We continue to be very lucky with his health, with no major illnesses this month. He is full of smiles and laughter, and I am so glad that he is our little piglet.

This is Hayden on the day we brought him home, a ten minute stroll across the park from the hospital:

He loved his little snug cocoon – as a newborn it was one of the only places he would sleep (as long as it was in motion), and while travelling, he much preferred to sleep in it overnight than the travel crib.

However, I finally had to admit to myself that he had outgrown the cocoon, and it was time to switch the buggy into a chair and turn it around to face the world. Adrian was still in denial, telling me that he was still a baby bear, and surely too little for a big bear chair. Hayden seemed a bit apprehensive about the upgrade.

With a foot muff combined with a stroller snug sack from mum, he is still plenty snug on his daily commute, and Hayden soon warmed up to this arrangement.

Last week the three of us took the train up to Oxford. We stayed in the Visiting Fellow’s snug one bedroom apartment at Corpus Christi College, curling up in front of the fireplace during the crisp cold evenings. Early on Thursday morning we had a tour guide from Oxbridge tours take us on a personalised walk through the colleges. It was really fascinating, so different compared to my university experience in Australia, from the climate to the buildings to to the admission procedure to the academic structures.

Our guide Jonathan emphasised that Oxford is more a collection of colleges rather than a single unified entitiy. A student must be accepted into a specific college to take classes. Although the lectures and the final exams are shared between all students, the individual tuition and tutors are each determined by the college of the student. There are large and small colleges, right-wing and left-wing, modern and ancient. As I read through the history book that was left in our apartment, I learnt that Corpus Christi College was founded in 1352. New rules in 1573 required that Latin was spoken at all times, on the pain of being beaten at the buttery hatch. In 1906, in order to bring in more funding, the admittance policy is broadened to include lay students, not just clergy. In 1960 women were allowed into the college to dine, and in 1983 the college admitted its first female matriculates, causing quite a furore.

Jonathan told us of some of the hundreds of academic traditions. Academic dress is worn during dinners, during exams, during chappel, during progress reports, and during formal lectures. Students are often given a white carnation by friends to wear in their buttonhole for their first exam and a red for the final exam of the semester. If one does very well during ones exams, one wears a fancier academic dress the next semester. Interestingly, we were told that when professors attend graduation ceremonies, they wear the academic dress of Oxford, not of their alma mater, a practise that is very different from most everywhere else.

I was scolded by a custodian for entering Christ Church through the exit, and ate at The Bear on Bear Lane. We visited The Eagle and Child pub where J. R. R. “Tollers” Tolkien, C. S. “Jack” Lewis, and other members of the Inklings read their work out loud to each other. We had lunch at the Turf Tavern, where Australian ex-Prime Minister and Rhodes Scholar set the 1953 world record for drinking a yard glass (1.4 litres) of ale in 11 seconds. We finished up of exploration of Oxford by walking through many of the areas used in the filming of Harry Potter, including the grand stair-well, the dining room, and the the cloisters at New College where an ersatz Mad Eye Moody transfigured Draco Malfoy into a ferret.