Hiro and Jack, Leicester (2026)

26/05/2026

2026 has been a slow and very uncomfortable year for us. It’s been a tough and quiet time. That said, there is still a lot to be grateful for! It is the intentional and slower pace we fought so hard for when we left Singapore in 2022. As spring 2026 comes to and end and the heat wave is upon us, here’s a 12 photo highlight!

1. The golden sunset (Crosby Beach, Liverpool)
Sunsets can be a little scary but we know the sun always rises and light will triumph darkness again.

2. The Kwan trio in a field (Leicestershire)
Sometimes the parents may not know what holds tomorrow but we’ll always walk together

3. Bumblebee and a bluebell (Leicestershire)
The bee doesn’t worry about tomorrow, it searches and it keeps at it.

4. A girl and Raphael (V&A Museum, London)
If we want children to learn, we must create that conducive environment and model the learning.

5. Matt and Gwyn and their Pokémon (Natural History Museum, London)
You gotta catch Em all!

6. Reflections of a tower (The Shard, London)
Humans build tall towers to reflect their power and wealthy. But what do they really reflect?

7. Pizzas in fours (Leicestershire)
May God bless the hands that made these really delicious Gluten-free pizzas

8. The lush garden (Leicestershire)
Finally warm enough to sit in the garden and enjoy a cup of tea.

9. Stick out your hand (Natural History Museum, London)
The squirrel fell for it!

10. Partners in crime (Aberystwyth Beach, Wales)
Not afraid of getting soaked and dirty, the innocence of childhood.

11. Sea meets land (Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth)
You’ll find peace where the land meets the sea and the sea meets the sky.

12. Crashing and cold but refreshing (Aberystwyth Beach, Wales)
Sometimes in the heat and the pressure of the moment, we need to be brave and take the plunge even if the waves and crashing.

27/03/2026

Sunshine in our face to start the day, blown from all sides on the motorway, heavy downpour, hail and sleet while we had lunch, bitterly cold getting to Wembley. You can’t make things like that up. I guess it’s the insanely temperamental British weather that makes journeys a little more exciting.

After the sunshine, wind, rain, hail and sleet, it was time for the ice. Completely fuss free and was seated in no time. It was the First show of the tour in London and all of our very first time watching Disney on ice.

We were stunned by the skill, costumes, props, choreography and performers’ dedication to the art form. Pyrotechnics, fire, smoke, snow and lights made the show even more stunning. It was 90 minutes of intense focus and attention for a family that usually don’t sit still for 9 minutes. Not to mention a few tears were shed.

We were truly brought into the magic. And it’s got my little one asking for ice skating lessons 😱

…and I’ve been singing “let it go” ever since 🤪

11/03/2026

Sunshine and dry weather have been in short supply for the past 5 months. Finally some free time and blue skies today to take the kids out! We visited the Imperial War museum in Duxford near Cambridge to marvel at the vast collection of some of the most important aircraft in aviation history!

Picture 1: I’ve always made it a point to teach my kids about the sacrifices of those who died for our freedom. They’ve heard so much about the Lancaster Bomber and all the galant crew that flew it during WWII.

Picture 2: Mankind took 58 years to go from the first flight to exceeding 3.5 times the speed of sound. If we put our hearts to learning and improving, the sky’s the limit.

Picture 3 & 4: Matt finally got to see the Concorde. We share the same dream now to fly supersonic commercially one day ❤️

Picture 5: Every Avgeek’s dream hanger.

Picture 6: A bomb bay of the nuclear capable Avro Vulcan bomber. We’ve recently started playing a war strategy game and learnt about nuclear weapons. These physical displays and retelling of stories helped him realise the human cost of such weapons. We’ve agreed to go nuclear free in future game skirmishes 😂

Photo 7: 53 years between the C47/Dakota to the Predator drone. Makes me wonder what aviation is going to look like in 50 years?

Photo 8: The playground is mandatory. Happiest running free ✈️

Photo 9: You don’t have to be an aviation enthusiast to enjoy an aircraft/war museum. The ladies enjoyed the design aspect of aircraft and marvelled at how they are made etc.

It was a great day out and it’s a place we are happy to visit again!

30/01/2026

Today’s homeschool classroom was at the home of British Grand Prix! It’s the checkered flag brown sign we pass so often on the M1 motorway but never got down to visiting.

We attended a home education workshop and the kids got to learn about the wonders of race technology. We got to hold Lewis Hamilton’s brake pedal, a red bull engine exhaust manifold and all the different types of F1 tyres. We were just so fascinated by how much thought, innovation and development in technology goes into racing a car faster round a track.

I think it’s so important children can see how their maths and science become something real. It’s so important to inspire them by showing them real life applications of what they learn.

We also visited the museum and it was a feast for our eyes.
I think all of us liked how today’s homeschool day went!

24/01/2026

This video reminds me of a blog post we wrote on the shocking truths of living in Britain when we first moved. (Link at the bottom)

It is so easy to watch a simplistic video like that and come to really simplistic conclusions. Truth is, such videos are meant to stir up emotions but do very little to provide enough to form a coherent perspective. Just thought we'd share a little more...

Singapore looks really good on most statistics and boasts lower income tax, one of the highest GDP per capita and gross household disposable income. It really is attractive if you are a high net worth individual because the rich get richer when they pay little income tax relative to their income and nothing on capital gains. They pass on the wealth to their children tax free. But that also means income inequality in Singapore is one of the highest in the world.

What 1 min 24 seconds of fun content don’t tell you about Singapore is how falling ill means you’ll pay 9% GST on your medical bills (Class B1 and above). You’ll pay out of pocket even after paying for an insurance. If are lucky enough to die, you’ll have the privilege of paying 9% GST on your burial and cremation. 9% tax on everything you buy on your grocery shop. What the video doesn’t show is how GST in Singapore disproportionately burdens regular folk.

Yes, VAT is 20% on many things in the UK. But the video OMITS key facts about UK’s VAT system.
VAT is 5% on your home’s utilities.
VAT is 0% on:
MOST OF HUMAN FOOD ITEMS IN THE SUPERMARKET.
Medical treatment
Medical prescription,
Equipment for blind and disabled
University fees
Sewage and water,
Most printed publications
Baby diaper,
Women’s sanitary products
Baby formula
Children’s clothing and footwear
Burial and cremation
Yes, ZERO PERCENT.

Life has become so devoid of hope that it is actually financially rational not to have children. And that explains why Singapore ranks top 5 for the lowest birthrates on the planet. Lower taxes doesn’t mean lower cost of living.

My British friends are almost incredulous when I tell them about the cost of living in Singapore.A basic 99 year leasehold (you own only the right to live there not the property) 3 bed rooms + 1 living room flat costs £361,000 ($627,000) on average. A similar home in the UK is 1/3 the price.

You want your own garden? 99 year lease hold landed properties start at £1.44 million ($2.5 million). You can get 4-5 freehold landed homes with a garden with that money in the UK.

Want to drive in Singapore? The cheapest car (Suzuki Swift) in Singapore costs £86,300 ($150,000). A Volkswagen Golf costs £114,500 ($198,900). You’ll get 5 or 6 identical cars in the UK.
UK Income tax, inheritance tax, capital gains taxes in the UK takes more from those who have more. Taxes fund free state education, free healthcare through NHS, unemployment benefits (jobseekers allowance), 39 weeks of statutory maternity pay, disability benefits, pension credits and child benefits.

Taxes may be higher but people have a more comprehensive safety net. Taxes may be higher but fairer. Taxes may be higher but cost of living is significantly lower in the UK.

You can read a little bit more about our experience here:
https://www.hirojack.com/blog/the-shocking-truths-about-life-in-britain #/

What are your thoughts?

05/01/2026

We hope this is keeping the little one warm and comfy ❤️
Proud to be designing, sourcing fabrics and hand crafting these in the heart of England! We ship worldwide. Drop us a message and we’ll provide personalised advice and handcraft baby shoes, blankets, and apparel just for you!
🇬🇧

26/12/2025

Incredibly blessed to have had the year we had.

12/12/2025

In this dark December time, we busy ourselves with festivities and feasts. Surrounded by crowds and schedule filled with gatherings. But as Bublé sings, “Maybe surrounded by a million people, I still feel all alone”.
Perhaps for some of us it’s just solitude, silence and darkness.

I think this dark December, it’s time to make a difference.
It’s time to shine our light.
So maybe and perhaps, we could warm someone’s heart, calm someone’s storm, make someone feel at home and truly light up their dark December time.

20/11/2025

People want prices slashed but costs don’t come down for small businesses.

Small businesses can’t race to the bottom and absorb costs for exposure. Small businesses cannot afford to pay the exponential increase in advertising costs where large corporations outbid everyone to get their ads shown.

People want to pay a lot less but our kids don’t eat less. Our rent stays the same. Our heating bill needs paying. Our tax rates remain the same unlike the big fishes that pay little to no tax.

People want prices slashed but we can’t slash our effort when handcrafting to the best of our ability.

If you care about small businesses and the families that run them, shop kindly this festive season. We can’t make you an iPad so if you are looking for one, get it at the lowest price! We can however make your babies and little ones shoes, leggings, blankets and the grown up some tees and hoodies.
#

19/11/2025

Festive shopping is well on the way and we’ve added our tried and tested handmade zip pouches to the store. We will personalise them with your name or initials, put any design we have in store now on the pouch and make them with the finest materials for you. Drop us a message and we will work out all the finer details with you! All our festive designs are in store so head to www.hirojack.com to see them now.

Hiro and Jack

26/05/2026

27/03/2026

11/03/2026

30/01/2026

24/01/2026

05/01/2026

26/12/2025

12/12/2025

20/11/2025

19/11/2025

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