SAY WHAT ! ! ! ! ! !

THE LITTLE DUDE.

One of my terapins in the bowl, having a "tan" under the light.

Ok so it has been 4 months since my last entry...but I am now as this little dude show's in the photo. Little relaxed and ready to blog again. I went through a rough patch...no not rough, depressed patch. I had the total feeling of "so what now" I know it always happens to me as soon as all the dust settles.....I am very good in tight situations BUT when all goes back to normal I tend to fall apart...What is this?

I survived Christmas and it was so good to have all the bys here.  During that time I got the swine flu....not fun, but made it through....

I did not like to say goodbye to JC and Dian as they went back to SA to go on with their lives. It feels like the whole ocean is a barrier between us. Actualy very silly as I would not have seen them more regurlarly is we still stayed in SA.
I realise that the kids get big and lead their own lives, I have nothing against it either, so why do I take good bye's so badly. I normally pick a fight the few days before any one leaves.....The boys were so used to it when they went back to boarding school on Sundays, I got crabby from the morning.....

THE DUBAI MARINA EARLY MORNING

Dian went for a walk early one morning and took this photo of the marina. The high rises are JBR (Jumeira beach Residence) we stay in one of them. Such a lovely calm and peaceful veiuw. How can I get "down" when living in a place like this??????????? Easy for me to say so now...a month ago I would not even have been able to apreciate this photo. Just goes to show. Time is all one needs. Own time to get all the "filing" done. I needed to sit back and have 'n perfectly fantastic depro..... I could not find the words to put n the blog so decided to ignore the blog for a while. Although I missed writing about our life here in the UAE, and getting feedback from you all, I just ........................ENOUGH

THE VIEUW FROM THE MARINA TO JBR.

I just love this photo that Thelma took when she was visiting here. The yachts are all so clean and neat and well kept. Thema and  went for a walk (10km) around the marina this day. Perfect weather and perfect company. We even had a boat ride with the marina security as I told them she is a travel fotographer...They took us around the marina in a little boat....

SOUK MADINAT FROM THE WATERWAYS

Another of my favourite places in Dubai is Souk Madinat. It has all these waterways around the Souk and hotels. Lots of little coffee shops and restaurants at the water edge.

CHRISTMAS DAY 2009

Fot the frst time in 4 years we were al together. The boys are really clowning around here but it jut gives the atmosphere we had here while they were here. All fun and laughs and so good to be together again. We had a traditional Christmas lunch with too much food (as always). I invited another girl (S. African) as she was new in Dubai and knew nobody. She kindly took this foto for us.

With chistmas presents we did something new this year and it was fun. We put our names in a hat. Each one drew a name form the hat and had to buy a prezzie for only that person, and it had to be only 100 dirhams. In Dubai that is very challenging.

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE AND PREZZIES.

The tree is small and "plastic" (First for us, we aways had a real tree...) but it did the job and had lovely flashing lights. I decorated it a little arabian with the decorations (Purple and cream and gold) Hannes received a book (he loves reading) I got a Zen garden, JC got a pair of shoes, Rossouw got piggy bank and other smal stuff and Dian got architecture books. We all were very thrilled with the challenge of gift buying and receiving. Exat life is pricey when it comes to flying the kids up and down....and then also to get their visa's. I think Christmas form now on will be very small gifts as I think we tend to spend too much money on the gifts in any case.

HATTA POOLS

We went camping between Christmas and new year........Yes my dears CAMPING. We have all the gear and it was interesting and challenging. We took a "off road " manual and went riding in the wadi's (river beds) It is beautiful and that is were most of the veggies and fruit are grown. It is very rural and the people are still very "old school" but very friendly. The Prado took some hammering in the wadi's as some areas you have to drive over rocks...Hannes did a fine job. Myself and the boys had to get out from time to time to guide Hannes through the rocky patches.

Hatta pools  is a collection of springs in the rocks (as seen on the photo) The water is crystal clear, and as it was in our winter, very very cold. We all went for a swim the next morning. Hannes and the boys did a skinny dipping number ( I did not watch...too afraid of what I might see......) After they were done Hannes and I went for a swim. Talk about invigorating....but you have to come clean and it is the only washing water around. Camping in the UAE is great BUT it is in nature totally. You can camp anywhere..........

VISITORS AT OUR CAMP SITE.

Later the evening we saw lights approach us through the wadi. Out of a 4x4 were 4 youngsters. How they manage to drive that terrain at night I do not now. Dian is having such a laugh on the photo as they just "pull in" Sit around the fire, have some eats and drinks and leave. We could not understand each other at all as they only speak arabic. But the gestures were friendly and it is the arabic culture to always give eats and drinks to all when they arrive. They returned in the early hours of the morning but when they saw we were sleeping they apologised and left again. The emirate's are night people. Maybe due to the heat during the day. Shops are open till 11 at night (normally) but they take a siesta from 13hoo to 16hoo.

BARBS COMES TO VISIT

Barbs came to visit us after new year. She spent 10 days with us. very good to see her and do all the catching up.

Barbs is dressed in "snow gear" as she and Dian went to the ice bar. You get all dressed up and enter the ice bar.

ICE BAR

Every thing is  ice. The table's and chairs and even the menu is frozen onto the table. The ice sculptures are changed every few weeks. It is very cold inside. There is also a window from the icebar to the insie ot he mall. People passing by always look in to see what's happening inside....

RAIN DUBAI

This is a very rare sight. It had been raining heavy and this is the after effect. We only have 4 days rain per year BUT it was a little more this year. Thelma took this foto as we were traveling to Sjarjah. I also think that they do not spend too much effort in drainage systems on the roads as it is not really needed. During our rainy times there are many accidents on the road...Not a good time to travel. Rather stay home until the water subsides.

THELMA AND NICO

Nico and Thelma also came for a visit. Nico had to go to New York and Thema stayed behind with us. We had lots and lots of fun and TOO MUCH LAUGHING.

CAMEL RACES IN DUBAI

Thema and myself were having coffee with the race officials. We went to see the camel races (always a favourite) and we strlled around to get nice photo opportunity for Thelma. The oficials saw us and invited us for coffee. You sit on the ground ( do not show the soles of your feet as it is regarded as very rude) and they then pour arabic coffee until yu feel yu have had enough. To indicate that you have had enough you have to "wiggled" the cup fro side to side.....If you do not so this.............You will have more coffee...

These oficials are there to see that all of the race goes by the book. The winning camel is tested for stimulants immeaditely after the race . The winning camel is also painted with safron from the head to the neck.

Thelma and I also got a lick of paint......................

MARIA AND ROSSOUW

Maria is the daughter I alays talk about. She was and exchange student wh stayed with us for a year about 12 years ago. She is one of the family. She used to play rugby with the boys (they were still small). It was so special that she took the effort and time to come and see us again. Sh slotted into the house as if she had never left.

TIM AND MARIA IN THE DESERT

Tim is Maria's other half. The two of them had a ball on the desert safari althogh Tim was still very sore from a sun tan the prevcious day. They put on a brave face and smiled for the camera.

It was good to meet Tim finally.

This blog has been just to pick up the pieces again and get myself into a writing rythym again. So much happens and so many experiences (small and big) happen and it is difficult to think about them and write now as it feels as if I am getting to now this blog again.

I hope the good feeling is here to stay, as I do not want to vegetate for 4 months again.

As I said before expat life is not for sissies....I realise there is much to gain but also so much to loose. I miss my boys, family and friends badly.... My I-POD is the best thing there is (Although I now want an

I-PHONE) Ib the difficult days I put the earphones in and blast the music.....It is then s quick and easy t clean the house....before you know the work is done.

Speaking of house work....I will now be able to train any domestic woker. I have it all down to pat and am doing a great job, AND it does not invlove my whle life.....

I have met friends here and it is good to have people to visit. I also make it a mission to find the cheaper shopping areas in Dubai. For any tourist Dubai is expensive in the malls. I have never been a mall rat and I am having a ball in all the older areas.

The areas look very dodgy BUT you are 100% safe. You can even get a guy to carry all your shopping around. I even found a WIMPY.

I bake and cook alot and enjoy it. Home made Ice-cream (thanks Sonja and girls) is a big hit with Hannes , Rossouw and dinner guests.

The summer has started and the temp. is cimbing. Was 40 C yesterday.

We have had the curtains made for the whole appartment and it just looks lovely. I do not now how we lived without them for 8 months.............

Now I am babling...........

Hopefully next blog will be sooner than later.

L