Saturday, 30 September 2017
Long time no see
This weekend we also caught up with the Perkins, who are sadly not our neighbours no more. It had been a year since we last saw them, so it was a joyful reunion. We had them over at ours for pizza last night and also saw them for a yummy Amerigos lunch, and swim, at their hotel today.
Date with the Danes
Lucas' friend Malthe came to Abu Dhabi this weekend with his football team to participate in a big football tournament at the NYU. We met up with them after in the Yas Marina for a quick lunch, before they had to drive back to Dubai. It's not very often we manage to piece together a get-together with everybodys busy schedules, so we take what we can get!
It was great to see them again after the summer!
It was great to see them again after the summer!
Tour guide dinner
I went out for a rather lovely dinner this weekend, with a bunch of my "colleagues", other tour guides. Such a great mix of people, nationalities and languages!
As I'm one of the newer additions to this group, it was really interesting listening to and participating in the many different discussions around the table. It was also great to finally get to put names and faces together, and spend some relaxed time together with these guys. We normally just cross paths and wave to each other in the mosque!
As I'm one of the newer additions to this group, it was really interesting listening to and participating in the many different discussions around the table. It was also great to finally get to put names and faces together, and spend some relaxed time together with these guys. We normally just cross paths and wave to each other in the mosque!
Friday, 29 September 2017
Lucky me
My friend Linda had received a voucher gift for her 40th, for an Afternoon Tea for two at the prominent St Regis Hotel at the Corniche. She very kindly invited me along so yesterday we got the very best start to the weekend enjoying a lovely Afternoon Tea.
The very first St Regis was founded in New York already back in 1904, and more than a century later the brand is renowned for its commitment to impeccable service at the very best addresses around the world.
The St Regis here in Abu Dhabi is supposedly modeled on the very first St Regis hotel, very traditionally decorated:
The Afternoon Tea setup was rather lovely. We even had our own personal "Tea Sommelier", who took great pride in mixing each of us our own personal blend.
Apparently you have to train for eight months to become a "Tea Sommelier". He sure did a great job, we both got lovely tea, Linda a more fruity one, and I choose a zesty/zingy mix.
The sandwiches, scones and cakes were pretty nice too... We took one each of the Classic Afternoon Tea and Berry Afternoon Tea, yum yum!
Thank you Linda for a better Thursday afternoon!
The very first St Regis was founded in New York already back in 1904, and more than a century later the brand is renowned for its commitment to impeccable service at the very best addresses around the world.
The St Regis here in Abu Dhabi is supposedly modeled on the very first St Regis hotel, very traditionally decorated:
The Afternoon Tea setup was rather lovely. We even had our own personal "Tea Sommelier", who took great pride in mixing each of us our own personal blend.
Apparently you have to train for eight months to become a "Tea Sommelier". He sure did a great job, we both got lovely tea, Linda a more fruity one, and I choose a zesty/zingy mix.
The sandwiches, scones and cakes were pretty nice too... We took one each of the Classic Afternoon Tea and Berry Afternoon Tea, yum yum!
Thank you Linda for a better Thursday afternoon!
Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Blue
On Sunday we went back to the hospital with a referral to the orthopedic department. They took the first cast off to have a look at Linnea's foot, but unfortunately it was still very much black and blue, so they decided to put a full cast on, for another 10 days at least...
Poor Missy Moo.
It was all a bit exciting I think for the first few days. She enjoyed the extra attention she got with her crutches at school - and the elevator pass..! But it's a hassle getting around school, even though her friends are superstars in helping her carry her backpack and lunch box; it's a pain getting up and down the stairs at home and it takes much longer to have her showers etc.
She certainly is doing her very, very best and she is keeping her spirits up, but I can see she's had enough even though she's being super brave and just gets on with it.
I so feel for her, our little trooper.
Poor Missy Moo.
It was all a bit exciting I think for the first few days. She enjoyed the extra attention she got with her crutches at school - and the elevator pass..! But it's a hassle getting around school, even though her friends are superstars in helping her carry her backpack and lunch box; it's a pain getting up and down the stairs at home and it takes much longer to have her showers etc.
She certainly is doing her very, very best and she is keeping her spirits up, but I can see she's had enough even though she's being super brave and just gets on with it.
I so feel for her, our little trooper.
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
44
Over the weekend we celebrated Nathan's birthday. We were invited to go out with the Irish on their boat, but because of Linnea's foot, her and I ended up staying behind while Nathan and Lucas went water skiing for a bit.
In the evening we had them over for a BBQ at our place, with some great South African meat that Nathan had brought back from Johannesburg; and a birthday pavlova, of course!
Sunday morning on his actual birthday, we managed to celebrate Nathan in the morning before school, as per our family tradition - with singing and presents in bed. Hip hourray!
And while the kids were at school, birthday boy and I went for a yummy breakfast out.
Happy 44th Sweety!
In the evening we had them over for a BBQ at our place, with some great South African meat that Nathan had brought back from Johannesburg; and a birthday pavlova, of course!
Sunday morning on his actual birthday, we managed to celebrate Nathan in the morning before school, as per our family tradition - with singing and presents in bed. Hip hourray!
And while the kids were at school, birthday boy and I went for a yummy breakfast out.
Happy 44th Sweety!
Thursday, 21 September 2017
Oh no...
So yesterday I got, another, phone call from the school nurse. I say another because our dear Linnea is rather accident prone and seem to have a loyalty card with the Nurses Office. Case and point - we didn't even manage to finish two weeks before the first visit this term..!
Unfortunately this time it was more than just a few scratches, well she had those too, but I arrived to find her foot splinted since it was really swollen. So off to hospital we went.
She had taken a rather big tumble down some stairs at school. The x-rays showed she had managed to crack a bone on the outside of her foot, so she ended up getting a back slap on it and was ordered not to support on it for at least a week. Argh!
We did have a pair of crutches at home, but as they were child sized I had to source a bigger pair. Managed to borrow some off a friend, so now she is mobile at least. Just like with Lucas, it really looks a lot worse than it is with that big cast. She is in high spirits, so we hope that she recovers quickly.
Unfortunately this time it was more than just a few scratches, well she had those too, but I arrived to find her foot splinted since it was really swollen. So off to hospital we went.
She had taken a rather big tumble down some stairs at school. The x-rays showed she had managed to crack a bone on the outside of her foot, so she ended up getting a back slap on it and was ordered not to support on it for at least a week. Argh!
We did have a pair of crutches at home, but as they were child sized I had to source a bigger pair. Managed to borrow some off a friend, so now she is mobile at least. Just like with Lucas, it really looks a lot worse than it is with that big cast. She is in high spirits, so we hope that she recovers quickly.
Wednesday, 20 September 2017
Hello garden, didn't see you there!
Normally I have our windows cleaned just before we have visitors, to make a good impression. But our first visitors for the season aren't coming for another month - and I just couldn't wait any longer. We could hardly see out through the windows after the long, dusty summer!
So I booked the window cleaning team to come today. Aahhh! They always do such a great job - a few hours of swosching around and all the windows top and bottom outside of the whole villa are sparkling.
Today I also got them to remove the last dead bushes in the garden, and all the weeds. So now it looks, maybe not so green anymore, but at least clean and tidy out there. Much better!
So I booked the window cleaning team to come today. Aahhh! They always do such a great job - a few hours of swosching around and all the windows top and bottom outside of the whole villa are sparkling.
Today I also got them to remove the last dead bushes in the garden, and all the weeds. So now it looks, maybe not so green anymore, but at least clean and tidy out there. Much better!
Some September thoughts
I've experienced the return after the summer quite differently this year to how it's been previous years - I was feeling positive, and looked forward to coming back!
(Yes, it might have something to do with finally seeing the end of the "being-together-with-my-kids-24/7-for-those-never-ending-nearly-12-week-summer-holidays"; or with the fact that we now already are exactly halfway between the start of the summer holidays and the start of the winter holidays!)
When we lived in Brunei, I would come back after the long holidays with what my friend Nicole used to call "the European hangover". It's that feeling of having been transported from one place on this earth to another, completely different one, so quickly that the soul takes a few days to catch up.
Here in Abu Dhabi, I seem to have come back and gone straight into something more like a depression. Our first return here I was still hopeful, two years ago I wrote this post, and last year this one. September has certainly previously seemed to equal only doom, gloom, dust, boredom, loneliness and beige, beige, beige.
So, why did I feel differently this year?
I think the trip back to Brunei was rather healthy, for all three of us. As per usual when you leave something behind, you tend to look back and only remember the good things. I guess I did too with our life in Brunei.
Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely AWESOME to come back, and the first many days I was thrilled to once again get to live all the things I had really missed; the rain, the jungle, the animals, the hikes, the smells, having a helper, the hash, the tropical temperatures, school, certain foods and not to forget - the friends. Both the kids and I were so excited to meet everyone, and ecstatic to find that we seemed to just slot back in again, like we had never left! Brunei is a very special place, and we got close to people there in a very different way to here. The friends we have there are in many ways like family to us, and it was great to be back to spend time with them.
But, after that first initial crazy happiness over being back, I started to look at Brunei with my Abu Dhabi eyes, and quietly started to wonder if I would move back? I came to the conclusion that no, no I probably wouldn't. (I would make it work if I had to, but if I had a choice, no, probably not.)
Instead I started thinking about and appreciating all the good things we have in our life here, and surprised myself looking forward to getting home..! Say what?!
I have always said - there is no perfect place.
You have to determine, together with your family, what your priorities are and what is most important to you - and then try and find a place that ticks as many of your boxes as possible, or at least the most important ones, to you. Especially when you are in similar situations to ours, a couple from opposites sides of the world and having lived in four countries since we met; none of them our home countries.
At the moment I am just happy that I might have broken the cycle of depressed returns, and have started to see, enjoy and be grateful for the good things here too.
I am still lonely, but hopeful this might be the year when I find a new friend, or two. Until then, I celebrate that we are more than halfway through September - and I'm happy to be exactly where I am!
(Yes, it might have something to do with finally seeing the end of the "being-together-with-my-kids-24/7-for-those-never-ending-nearly-12-week-summer-holidays"; or with the fact that we now already are exactly halfway between the start of the summer holidays and the start of the winter holidays!)
When we lived in Brunei, I would come back after the long holidays with what my friend Nicole used to call "the European hangover". It's that feeling of having been transported from one place on this earth to another, completely different one, so quickly that the soul takes a few days to catch up.
Here in Abu Dhabi, I seem to have come back and gone straight into something more like a depression. Our first return here I was still hopeful, two years ago I wrote this post, and last year this one. September has certainly previously seemed to equal only doom, gloom, dust, boredom, loneliness and beige, beige, beige.
So, why did I feel differently this year?
I think the trip back to Brunei was rather healthy, for all three of us. As per usual when you leave something behind, you tend to look back and only remember the good things. I guess I did too with our life in Brunei.
Don't get me wrong, it was absolutely AWESOME to come back, and the first many days I was thrilled to once again get to live all the things I had really missed; the rain, the jungle, the animals, the hikes, the smells, having a helper, the hash, the tropical temperatures, school, certain foods and not to forget - the friends. Both the kids and I were so excited to meet everyone, and ecstatic to find that we seemed to just slot back in again, like we had never left! Brunei is a very special place, and we got close to people there in a very different way to here. The friends we have there are in many ways like family to us, and it was great to be back to spend time with them.
But, after that first initial crazy happiness over being back, I started to look at Brunei with my Abu Dhabi eyes, and quietly started to wonder if I would move back? I came to the conclusion that no, no I probably wouldn't. (I would make it work if I had to, but if I had a choice, no, probably not.)
Instead I started thinking about and appreciating all the good things we have in our life here, and surprised myself looking forward to getting home..! Say what?!
I have always said - there is no perfect place.
You have to determine, together with your family, what your priorities are and what is most important to you - and then try and find a place that ticks as many of your boxes as possible, or at least the most important ones, to you. Especially when you are in similar situations to ours, a couple from opposites sides of the world and having lived in four countries since we met; none of them our home countries.
At the moment I am just happy that I might have broken the cycle of depressed returns, and have started to see, enjoy and be grateful for the good things here too.
I am still lonely, but hopeful this might be the year when I find a new friend, or two. Until then, I celebrate that we are more than halfway through September - and I'm happy to be exactly where I am!
Wednesday, 13 September 2017
First day of school 2017-2018
So, as of this year we no longer have any children in Junior School! Linnea is now in Grade 6 and Lucas in Grade 8 - both kids in the Middle Years Program. Time flies.
School has certainly grown, apparently they have accepted nearly 450 new students this year, bringing the total amount of students to 2060! There are 84 different nationalities at school and over 20 different mother tongues, what a gift it is for the kids to educate in such a multi-cultural and diverse environment!
Some were smilier than others about going back to school!
He is not too happy about the new timings at school, but I'm sure he'll be just fine once he gets into the swing of things. I think this is just the general teenager look actually, because this is all we get at any time at the moment.
School has certainly grown, apparently they have accepted nearly 450 new students this year, bringing the total amount of students to 2060! There are 84 different nationalities at school and over 20 different mother tongues, what a gift it is for the kids to educate in such a multi-cultural and diverse environment!
Some were smilier than others about going back to school!
He is not too happy about the new timings at school, but I'm sure he'll be just fine once he gets into the swing of things. I think this is just the general teenager look actually, because this is all we get at any time at the moment.
Saturday, 9 September 2017
The never ending holidays
We have finally reached the last day of these never ending summer holidays. Yes this year we had 11 1/2 weeks of holidays!! That is EIGHTY days..!
Somewhere along the way I must admit I wondered if we were going to make it all the way. It's not easy to keep everybody happy and entertained all that time. But we did make it, and we have had really great summer holidays with a lot of traveling, friends, adventures, experiences and fun happenings!
I am so grateful for all the lovely memories we have made, but I am also ready for the kids to go back to school and for everyone to get into some normal routines again.
The tour guiding season kicks off properly in October, so until then it is a bit of a soft start for me. I will start teaching a few new Zumba classes in the meantime, so I am looking forward to that.
We are ready! Bring on the new year!
Somewhere along the way I must admit I wondered if we were going to make it all the way. It's not easy to keep everybody happy and entertained all that time. But we did make it, and we have had really great summer holidays with a lot of traveling, friends, adventures, experiences and fun happenings!
I am so grateful for all the lovely memories we have made, but I am also ready for the kids to go back to school and for everyone to get into some normal routines again.
The tour guiding season kicks off properly in October, so until then it is a bit of a soft start for me. I will start teaching a few new Zumba classes in the meantime, so I am looking forward to that.
We are ready! Bring on the new year!
Thursday, 7 September 2017
Thank you Brunei
After our nearly two weeks in Brunei it was time for us to leave again. A little bit sad of course, Brunei and the people there will always be very special to us; but we felt ready to go home. Maybe mostly me... after an 80 (!) day summer holiday I am ready for school, work and routines..!
Brunei International Airport is another thing that certainly has changed since our time in Brunei, and the new mosque just by the airport is really beautiful.
Time to go!
I had booked us a bit of a roundabout way home. Back via KL yes, but then to Singapore again - even though Etihad flies from KL... *Duh*. (I booked the tickets so long ago I can't even remember why I did it this way?? I hope it wasn't a total brain fail on my part but some other reason.)
Anyway, even though we weren't stopping over in Singapore this time we had enough time to catch up again with these ones, who came to the airport to have a Starbucks with us!
And after already having traveled for 12 hours, it felt really good that evening to put my feet up and sink into my BC seat with a glass of champagne - the last leg of the journey was a piece of cake!
Brunei International Airport is another thing that certainly has changed since our time in Brunei, and the new mosque just by the airport is really beautiful.
Time to go!
I had booked us a bit of a roundabout way home. Back via KL yes, but then to Singapore again - even though Etihad flies from KL... *Duh*. (I booked the tickets so long ago I can't even remember why I did it this way?? I hope it wasn't a total brain fail on my part but some other reason.)
Anyway, even though we weren't stopping over in Singapore this time we had enough time to catch up again with these ones, who came to the airport to have a Starbucks with us!
And after already having traveled for 12 hours, it felt really good that evening to put my feet up and sink into my BC seat with a glass of champagne - the last leg of the journey was a piece of cake!
Tuesday, 5 September 2017
The only way
I had planned to return to the H3 hash on the Tuesday night but Lucas really wanted us all to have a last dinner all together at the Yacht Club, so that's what we did. And honestly, there really would have been no better way to finish off a lovely stay. This place ❤️.
The Magnum experience
One thing they do have in Brunei, that we actually don't have in Abu Dhabi (as far as I know?), is a Magnum Café where you can design your own Magnum ice cream. Linnea gave it a try on our last afternoon in Brunei.
Check out the cool lamps, they look like runny chocolate:
Tough choices when it came to deciding on the best toppings:
Finished result!
Check out the cool lamps, they look like runny chocolate:
Tough choices when it came to deciding on the best toppings:
Finished result!
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