AFTER LONG SILENCE

It has bees so long since my last blog that you will have to go and make some coffee, stock up on smokes and make yourself comfortable as this might be a long read......We have been really trodding all over the UAE and I have been very sick the last 4 days with flu. I was really man down and in bed feeling very sorry for myself...... Then worst of it all is that washing, ironing, cleaning and cooking wait for no woman.....
So lets continue with the update......

Hannes did his last dive at Fujairah, which is on the east coast of the UAE and borders Oman. That was also the first test camping expidition to be..... Hannes and the boys went out on the boat. The boys had a snorkel and Hannes did his dive. I opted to stay ashore as Rossouw and I had a little tiff and "red tide" was rife at Fujairah. I decided not to be on a boat with a kid I really would like to clobber overboard and why swim and snorkel in Red tide, when I can relax at the hotel pool and have my own tantilising company. I did just that.....
After all the men arrived back later in the afternoon we went to find a camping spot.....
The UAE is free to pitch a tent any where......... The Emirates think we expats are very mad to camp as they go to where ever we go and enjoy the day and return to their aircon and well kept apartments in the evening instead of camping. They do however stay out until very late and babeque "indian lamb" and listen to music and a lot more......
INDIAN LAMB is very disgusting..............will explain later............
We found a good spot and the men pitched the tent. It looked very easy from behind my camera lens.
We left the boys to blow up the matresses and make the fire while Hannes and I went to get meat and drinks and bread.....Remeber this was our first atttempt so we were not very organised.
We found a grocery shoppietjie (very small) language skills did not exsist at all.
We asked for meat at the "butchery" section. Pakistanikanivertani (the burchery attendant) must have only arrived in the UAE an hour before.......We saw a leg of "indian lamb" and asked for him to cut it in chops. Holy hell he only heard chops as he took the clever and chopped this indian lamb in stewing pieces.......We left minus the meat.
Next door was a restaurant and I went in there to ask f they have meat for sale for barbeque. The owner showed us chops and chicken pieces and we bought to take to braai.
Back at the camping site we had a lekker fire going and Dian was the braaier. We made coffee for me and Hannes and the boys had some beers. The first meat was "indian lamb" chops. DISGUSTING............ I them made "braai broodjies" and Dian did the chicken. That was very good.
OK let get you int the secret on Indian lamb which I only discovered a week after this evening. Indian lamb is dirt cheap and looks very long legged and skinny.......IT IS FRICKEN GOAT...
When i heard this I felt like a royal doos............ Never ever again....
We went to bed and had a restless night as Emirates had a late night party next to us on the beach and we never realised small boats on the beach means this is a fishing beach VERY early the next morning.......
We were woken by noisy fisherman the next morning taking their nets to sea by boat. Very interesting to see but bleddie hell at 05h00 in the morning....................
We packed up and explored more of the area before heading home.

THE VIEUW FORM OUR "TENT" FRONT verandah the first morning after camping.


HANNES AND THE BOYS PUTTING UP THE TENT
Our tent is very lani. It has a seperate bedroom compartment which is very cool.


FUJAIRAH BEACH
This is where I spent my day while they were diving and snorkeling. Amazing to think this is in the desert of Arabia. Loo at the mountains in the back ground. They are totally barren mountains bit look majestic and have red desert sand aginst them.

After all that camping practise we were rearing to go and camp some more. The only thing I find disturbing is the lack of toilet and shower facilities................. The best fashion statement you get is a shovel and toilet paper...........Then every one knwos exactly where you are going............

After Christmas we went for 4 days to show the boys and myself all the other Emerates. There are 7 and we had aleady seen Fujairah and Abu Dhabi previously.

The next 4 are Sharjah, Ajman, Um Al Quwain and Ras All Khaima. We live in the other one which is Dubai.

We were packed and ready to camp............ This however never worked. At the first plave we wanted to stay you have to book 2 days in advance...................... It was getting dark so we went and booked into the Palma resort at Um All Quwain. Fantastic. We had a super evening with the boys at the water edged. The boys had a beer fest asi Um All Quwain you do not need a liquor lisence to buy booze. (About an hours drive from Dubai !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
PALMA RESORT AT UMM AL QUWAIN

BEACH AT AJMAN

I JUST FINISHED MY FIRST DUNE ON DUNE BASHING WITH OUR OWN CAR.....

THE DUNE BASHERS............................

SOME SMALL DUNE'S WE WERE TAUGHT ON

SORRY THE FOTO'S SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MIXED UP MY ME WHEN LOADING SO LETS GET THE DUNE BASHING STORY DONE FIRST.

We were invited by old expats to join them to dune bash............We were there in a flash..... It is fricking scary. The foto's do not do the dune's any justice. As you get to the dune you have to go over but have absolutely no idea what is waiting on the other side. I nearly shat myself in the begining.

Hannes handled it very well and later on he forced me to drive too. I did it and came out of the car shaking like a leaf as you have to go full speed when going up the dune and all you can see is the sky as you climb straight up..............

Now we can do it if we want to but we wont be doing it too often as I think it is not good for your car at all.

We all had a braai in the middle of the desert for a lunch break. It was a very nice day out.


ROSSI AT RAS AL KAHAIMA N A JETSKI

DIAN THE SAME

back t the 4 days again. When we got to Ras al Khaima to try and camp again It was so dirty as the Emirates leave all their rubbish just where they had a visit.............. Dubai is very clean and also Abu Dhabi but as soob as you get to the other emirates it is very disturbibg to see the rubbish laying around. I opted not to camp on ther peoples rubbish. We saw it with the dune bashing too. In the desert they leave all their old plastic bags and stuff for ???????????? to pick up. Not nice to see at all......


THE BLUE SOUK AT SJARJAH

This is a good shopping souk and very cose to Dubai. Prices are better than in Dubai as well. There are nice lamps and carpets and turisty stuff.

To see all the emirates was good and you have to ralise that this is a desert. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the jewes in the crown and the others are nice but not as wow as Dubai. Sjarjah has a beautiful city and corniche.

We got back from the road trip (did No camping AT ALL.......................... Every one who has been here longer than us says only to camp in Oman. It is clean and has facilities....) and it was good to see all and be home. We were geared for new year's party at the Irish Village in Dubai.

SURPRISE......................The sheik cancelled all new year parties to show some solordarity to Gaza........................... Rossouw was devastated. It was decided by Oman and the emirates to cancel all parties for new year . We have to realise we live in a country governed by the sheikh.

We had a relative quiet new year.

Three days ago the rule of Umm Al Quwain died so here are 3 more public holidays for mourning in Dubai.

I did not mind as I felt very sick with flu. I have not been so sick for a long time. I was man down for 4 days. Still do not feel very up and bright.

DIANS BIRTHDAY AT BURG AL ARAB
We took Dian for breakfast at Burg Al Arab fr his birthday. It was a wow moment.

The hotel is amazing . We were like real tourists and went up in the lift to the top floor to try an see the veiuw. It was fantastic as you can see the whole palm and arabian gulf all around. I did not really like the hotel interior as it is very brash. It must be amazing to stay there Maybe some day hey...

ossouw nly has 3 more days in Dubai and he seems ready to leave. I think he needs to get back to his own life now.

I am going for my license tomorrow and then I have ti drive Dubai city streets...................

My mind is now buggered..........

Chat later again