Exploring Dubai...

We had visitors from South Africa! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Rowly and Janet with their 4 boys (yes 4 boys!) visited us for 4 nights on their way back from a holiday in the UK. We had a wonderful but very busy time with them doing all the sightseeing we could do in their full 3 days here! The "Glanville Villa" was stretched to the limit but everyone seemed comfortable when it was time for bed. Quite an interesting thing fitting 10 people into a villa that is meant for 4, maximum 6 people but I think we did really well.

So on the first day that our visitors were here we spent a wonderful day at Dreamland (again!). The boys (including the adult men - Peter and Rowland!) love it as there was so much to do there and they spend 6 hours having races on super tubes and relaxing next to the swimming pool. As you can see by these photos - Rowly and Janet catching up on some much needed sleep!


In the evening we went to the Mall of Emirates. A huge upmarket shopping centre in Dubai where we had dinner. Not a good thing to go on a Friday night because it was extremely busy! One of the advantages about shopping in Dubai on the weekend is that all the malls stay open on a Thursday and Friday until midnight! We didn't stay that late but got home at least around 23h00 after a very long day out!

On Saturday we went around to my family so that Rowly and Janet could say hi and on our way there the adults decided to do an Arabian nights tour. What an absolute wonderful experience. My eldest nephew, Vincent was kind enough to babysit Bryce, Logan and his brothers! Well done, Vince, we really appreciated the break!

So the afternoon started where we got picked up by the tour company at 15h30. What more could we ask for to be chauffeur driven. Unfortunately, the airconditioning the car was not working too well so we did suffer a bit because it was hot! Our first stop was at a place called "The Big Red" a huge sand dune in the desert. This was the meeting point for all the cars and I think we counted around 25 landcruisers once everyone got there. Off we went, one car after the other through the sand dunes. The ride of our life! It is hard to explain but let me tell you, Janet and I were in the back seat and I think our eyes were closed most of the time and I know I screamed out a couple of times, fearing my life! It was like we were on roller coaster ride! Of course, Rowly and Peter were grining from ear to ear with all the antics that the driver was doing! A couple of times we were sliding on one side with sand spraying right over the car where you couldn't see anything and a lot more!

After about a 45 minute ride through the desert, with lovely views and sand dunes for miles! We stopped for a break so that the cars could cool down and we could take in the view. In Janet's case a desparate pee behind a sand dune! We headed off to our destination which was a reeded area with low tables, persian carpets and pillows. Before we sat down to a lovely dinner and a belly dancing show, myself, Janet and Rowland went on a camel ride. Also a very interesting experience with the camel getting up and back down to let us off. We eventually got home around 22h00 to the house still standing and most of the boys in bed. Vince you can come and babysit at anytime!

On Sunday we spent most of the day shopping at a mall called, Ibn Battuta while Peter went back to work. In the evening after supper and getting the boys to bed, myself, Rowly, Janet and Peter went on an evening, informal city tour of Dubai. We visited an area called Al Karama, which is a market but not in the sense of tables and wares but more like shops in an area of this suburb. A lot of "rip offs" of designer stuff ie, perfume, handbags, clothes, watches, etc. As we arrived so late we only had about an hour to shop before the shops started closing at around 22h30. We did some more sightseeing and got home at 00h30. Peter went straight off to bed, I watched Rowly and Janet pack and eventually got to bed at 01h30, Janet at 02h30 only to be woken at 04h45 to leave for the aiport so that they could catch their flight at 08h30! So I think we were all feeling exhausted on Monday, I know I was! I think I am still recovering!

Anyway, it was lovely to have the family around for a while. Missing you guys already! Not sure what I am going to do with myself now - anyone want to come and visit?

I am hoping my resident visa will be issued soon. I went for my blood test on Saturday last week, in amongst all the excursions so lts hope it is a step in the right direction! Holding thumbs it will be this week or sometime next week so that I can get my independency back and become more mobile!

Well thats about it for now but I'll be back!

We went fishing - well Peter went anyway!

On Monday afternoon Peter, the boys and myself went fishing at an area along the Dubai Marina. We drove along a construction site to get there (wherever you go in Dubai at the moment it is a construction sight no wonder there are so many jobs available here in that type of field!). Once we were there it really was a great place - right on the beach. Peter fished along the breakwater rocks and myself, Bryce and Logan decided to take a dip in the sea. Bryce tried to do a little fishing but got a bit bored after a while. It was actually so great to get into a sea where your toes haven't frozen in the first minute! The water was cool enough to swim and not like bath water. It apparently gets like that in the middle of summer. You can also clearly see the bottom as you walk out and it takes a while before it gets deeper and there are no huge waves crashing onto the beach so very safe for the boys to swim in. It might also be because we were there during low tide.

Although the fish were elusive we had a wonderful relaxing hour and a half just being out of the house (myself and Logan anyway!).

I still don't have my resident visa which means still no chance to drive our car but I am hoping the wheels are in motion and that it will be issued soon. One thing we are looking forward to this weekend is the arrival of my brother-in-law, Rowland and sister-in-law, Janet with their 4 boys. They are staying with us for 4 nights so it will be a chance to do more touristy things with them and at least have some more family around for a little while before they get back to SA on Monday.

Here are pics of our new car (a Hyundai -Santa Fe - which I have managed to drive around the block!), some scenery shots of the Dubai Marina along the beach we were at and the boys trying to fish! Logan watching the sun go down.





Me, also watching the sun going down (not my best pose but that's what you look like after a dip in the sea and the salt sticks to you like glue!) Bryce took the picture - not bad for a 7-year old photographer!

Feel free to leave any comments - it will be nice to know that someone is reading my blog!

Until later...

Doing what I do best!

So, I got down to being a bit creative over the last couple of days - have my moments of being inspired as I am so out of routine that I have to get myself motivated to get things done. Let me know what you think...

Still not sure what I am going to be doing with my business. At the moment I am still waiting for my resident visa to be issued (I have been speaking to a few people and it has sometimes taken up to 6 months for their visas to be issued!). Not sure if I am going to survive that long without having a car!
Peter is hoping to go fishing with the boys tomorrow so that will be a lot of fun for them. I will sit on the side, relax and read my book. That is if I can survive the weather. It is getting hotter here - today it supposed to be 33 degrees (feels like 40!) with humidity of 54 %! I heard Cape Town is also having a heat wave! Don't know if I am going to survive the summer! Thank goodness for airconditioning!!

Until later...

So its off to the zoo we go...and some other stuff...

Off to the zoo we go... in a town called Al Ain which is about an hours drive from Dubai. This is what we did last week Thursday! It was lots of fun but extremely hot! The days are getting hotter and hotter here so I am starting to experience what everyone that lives here has been talking about. On our way there the car registered 37 degrees and that was at 10h30 in the morning.







The highlight of the day was seeing the Bengal tigers - beautiful animals and HUGE in real life! I would hate to come across this animal in the wild! Don't think I would stand a chance! So after our stroll around the park seeing lions, pumas, South African gemsbok, rhino, giraffe, an ostrich and many more animals we went off to Rowan and Fiona's for some takeaways of pizza and chinese and we ended up watching the movie Hairspray. Must say Peter and my brother Vaughanweren't very impressed with the movie, I can't say it is the best I have seen but at least I can see I have seen it.

Bryce, Logan and Peter inside the reptile house
Vaughan and Ella Rose
On Saturday our stuff arrived from SA after about a week of red tape nightmare! The company here in Dubai would not release the shipment because we did not have the original bill of loading papers and after back and forthing to the company in SA we eventually got the right papers! (Ever need a shipping company in SA I can highly recommed the one we used) However, Peter spend about 5 hours at customs going from one cue to the other to get it released but it eventually all worked out! The only problem now is to store the stuff! There are no cupboards in the villa so we have had to do a bit more shopping for a cupboards to store all my scrapbooking and cardmaking goodies!
Some of the boxes!

Yesterday I was being creative and made 7 cards which I will post on my blog tomorrow!

Today we have had no water since 11h00 (so all countries have their problems!). It is now around 19h00 and when I phoned a few minutes ago they say it might take about another 8 - 10 hours! Fustration reigns!!! I don't know which is worse - having no electricity or no water!

My best friend Cheryl is probably in labour as I write this blog in Toronto! She has had to be induced! This is the first grandchild on both sides of the family so I am sure everyone is going to be excited when the new additoin arrives! I will post some pics as soon as the new little person has made its way into this world! Good luck Che, hope that you made it through the experience with very happy memories to follow!

So I think that's it for now...until later...

Okay, I am a bit behind on news...

Last week Friday (which a weekend day here in Dubai for some of you who don't know that), the boys, Peter, myself and my brothers with their wives went to a wonderful waterpark called Dreamland. It is situated about 1 hour's drive from Dubai but really worth the visit! Lots to do, so many supertubes to choose from and swim, swim, swim! The weather was really great - not too hot, no wind and the water park was not so busy which made the experience even more pleasurable!

So here are some pics which will give you some idea what we were up to!

Overview of the park

Bryce

Logan Fiona and cutie-pie Ella-Rose

Nicky and Vaughan

As you can see I am having a bit of difficulty getting onto my tube!

We did get our new car on Monday but haven't had a chance to take pics yet so will tomorrow. I am being also creative today so will try and get some pics up soon. I am off to a craft show tomorrow which will be interesting to see how things are run in Dubai and what sort of crafts are out there.

Chat soon...

Celine Dion was awesome...

I was extremely lucky to see Celine Dion last night in the golden circle (would never afford this luxury in SA) and in Dubai on top of that! It was an awesome concert and well worth the wait. I went with my very pregnant sister-in-law, Fiona (well done Fi for managing to stand so long and endure the wait!). Fiona and I set out at 16h30 by taxi to the Four Seasons Golf Club, near Dubai Festival City where Celine Dion was performing. The concert only started at 20h30 but we thought we would leave a little (a lot!) earlier to avoid the traffic, the queue's and the crowds! Well, there was no traffic, only a small queue and the crowds only arrived later! The advantage was that when they eventually let us through the gates at around 18h00 we got to be about 10 metres from the stage!

Fiona and I waiting patiently!

Albeit a very cold evening where the wind made the chill factor go up - socks and long sleeves where definitely the order of the day - Celine Dion sang her heart out. At least both Fiona and I brought along our jackets otherwise we would have been sitting in the public toilets listening from there! The time just flew by (unlike the last hour we had to wait for her to sing - that seemed to drag on forever!). She sang some news songs ie, "Taking Chances", "Alone", some tributes like the "Show must go on", "We will rock you" by Queen and some classics, "The Power of Love", "My heart will go on" which was her closing song for the evening in a beautiful flowing yellow dress to close the evening!

Hopefully this will be the first of many concerts to come in Dubai and I think next time I might just arrive only a hour before the concert! I suppose each one is different!

If anyone in SA saw the concert please give us your comments on how you experienced it! I heard that the organisation on the first night was attrocious! There were still a few people stuck in traffic still on the highway when the concert started!!

Tomorrow we are off to a water park for the day so I will let you know what we were up to there!

Our first sightseeing day...

While Peter had to unfortunately work yesterday, Saturday, the boys and I took advantage and went sightseeing. Our first stop was at Children's City, a eductional project that offers children their own learning zone, they had lots of fun because there was a lot of interactiveness with different projects that the venue had to offer. Surrounding Children's City are beautiful, well maintained gardens with big trees and areas where you can picnic and the kids can play on the various jungle gyms scattered throughout the park.

After our visit we walked in the park and then went on the cable car which is also situated in the park. It runs along the creek side of the park and stretches about 2.5 km, it took about 35 minutes. Wonderful views of the creek and the park and as far as the eye could see!

After all this fun and excitement we set off for Jumeirah beach, our first trip to the beach since we arrived! Bryce and Logan passed out in the back seat for a catnap along the way but as soon as the car stopped they both perked up to see where we were.

Here is a pic of some lucky person who owns that beautiful boat in the background. Logan was the only one who decided he wanted to swim - I must admit the water was lovely. Not like Cape Town where your toes just about freeze and fall off! It was cool and clear - we will be definitely returning for another visit.

So a busy day all in all - oh yes, we also bought a new car last night. After we picked Peter up from work we decided to go car shopping. We have a hired car at the moment. First time we have a car "out of the box" so to speak so very exciting stuff! Details to follow as soon as the details have them finalised.

I can't believe we are into March already! Until next time...