After three weeks, and three thousand meals, my Malayisan (Chinese) relatives have cleared off back to a sunnier climate. No more for them the frostbitten fingers, the anoraks or the inflated prices - they are off back to proper Chinese food and a life of permanent sweating.

They shall be sorely missed. My cousin's children Elizabeth (11) and Genevieve (6) struck up a great friendship with my nieces Sophie (9) and Ashleigh (13), so hopefully they will keep in touch via e-mail.

I have included some selected photographs for your perusal opposite. See if you can work out which two girls are the two from Malaysia and which two are from a small village just outside Newbury!!