Wow.
Wow.
Wow.
What a place - don’t know where to start in describing this unique city. Well, to begin with, the weather is very favourable - end of February, when you saps back in UK are praying for no more snow, this place has 25 degree sunshine. However, talking of snow, you can ski or snowboard in Dubai nonetheless, in the world’s 3rd largest indoor snow slope inside their largest shopping mall…
Amazing. Talking of malls, if you like shopping (ladies) then Dubai is also where you should be heading. The place doesn’t charge tax, whether on what you’re buying or what you’re earning. The royal family are also the government and have a enviable reputation for putting the people and Dubai first, and at the moment this place is getting so much investment in the people and the land. Building work everywhere!
Talking of the people, abandon your prejudices - we ONLY experienced pleasant, polite, friendly people everywhere we went. Sociable, easy-going, caring and law-abiding. Adopting some of their family and religious values into British society could go a long way to tackling the problems we all know exist in the UK.
So yes, Dubai is worth a look folks - 6 1/2 hours from London, 4 hours ahead of GMT. We flew Emirates and couldn’t fault them, excellent, despite being in Economy.
Final thought - packet of fags and a lighter cost me 7 Dirhams (about a quid)
Very final thought - gallon of petrol costs 3 Dirhams… work it out.
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label moving. Show all posts
Sunday, February 25
Tuesday, February 20
So long, Northwich
3 days (!) after leaving Northwich I’ve just now found time to write something about it.
To describe last Thursday and Friday as chaotic would be understatement of the highest order! It was nuts! First of all can I just say - don’t leave yourselves 2 days to move unless EVERYTHING is already organised into neat piles for the removal guys to pick up and pack for you. Trying to sort stuff out once these people have arrived and started their work is crazy - you just don’t have enough time to cope.
And having to take the dogs down to Shropshire on Thursday daytime was not only time consuming but emotionally draining. At least I’ve a good feeling about the guys we’ve taken them to (Golden Arrow) and I’ve no doubt they have the experience to deal with whatever possible nonsense the airline or airport may throw in the way of shipping Jake, Molly and Tilly over to NZ.
Of course saying good bye to the hounds is one thing, saying good bye to neighbours (Pete and Em), family, friends is quite another thing: emotionally distressing to say the least…
And so, on the final day in sunny Northwich - yes, it rained all day - after a helluva day moving out of the place I’d planned a night out with Scott, Ian and the lads in Manchester. That was good planning now, wasn’t it!? Already shattered and feeling only partly human, I went out on the beers with the guys for a last time into Manc. At least it wasn’t a really heavy one, thank the Lord.
At least we didn’t go here, though it was suggested at one point :-)
To describe last Thursday and Friday as chaotic would be understatement of the highest order! It was nuts! First of all can I just say - don’t leave yourselves 2 days to move unless EVERYTHING is already organised into neat piles for the removal guys to pick up and pack for you. Trying to sort stuff out once these people have arrived and started their work is crazy - you just don’t have enough time to cope.
And having to take the dogs down to Shropshire on Thursday daytime was not only time consuming but emotionally draining. At least I’ve a good feeling about the guys we’ve taken them to (Golden Arrow) and I’ve no doubt they have the experience to deal with whatever possible nonsense the airline or airport may throw in the way of shipping Jake, Molly and Tilly over to NZ.
Of course saying good bye to the hounds is one thing, saying good bye to neighbours (Pete and Em), family, friends is quite another thing: emotionally distressing to say the least…
And so, on the final day in sunny Northwich - yes, it rained all day - after a helluva day moving out of the place I’d planned a night out with Scott, Ian and the lads in Manchester. That was good planning now, wasn’t it!? Already shattered and feeling only partly human, I went out on the beers with the guys for a last time into Manc. At least it wasn’t a really heavy one, thank the Lord.
At least we didn’t go here, though it was suggested at one point :-)
Wednesday, February 14
Stress
You forget how stressful moving home is.
And it isn’t every day you actually leave the country for 2 years to move to the other side of the world.
The odd thing is, once we get past Friday and moving out of Northwich, I think it’ll be more fun than stress as we spend the four days with family saying goodbye and stuff before heading to Gatwick: then landing in Dubai for 3 nights followed by another 3 nights in Sydney should feel like a proper mini holiday.
Or maybe I’m just guessing, as I’ve no prior experience really of moving away from “ze Fatherland”, apart from a year in Germany as a student which didn’t encompass a girlfriend and 3 dogs! And also wasn’t anywhere near as far away.
I’m sure the breaks in Dubai and Sydney will be good, they’re both interesting places and the weather should be good in both. Be nice to catch up with Rayzer in Sydney, cool to go for tea in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, see its souks, those man-made palm islands etc etc.
Just got to get through the next couple of days now!
And it isn’t every day you actually leave the country for 2 years to move to the other side of the world.
The odd thing is, once we get past Friday and moving out of Northwich, I think it’ll be more fun than stress as we spend the four days with family saying goodbye and stuff before heading to Gatwick: then landing in Dubai for 3 nights followed by another 3 nights in Sydney should feel like a proper mini holiday.
Or maybe I’m just guessing, as I’ve no prior experience really of moving away from “ze Fatherland”, apart from a year in Germany as a student which didn’t encompass a girlfriend and 3 dogs! And also wasn’t anywhere near as far away.
I’m sure the breaks in Dubai and Sydney will be good, they’re both interesting places and the weather should be good in both. Be nice to catch up with Rayzer in Sydney, cool to go for tea in the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, see its souks, those man-made palm islands etc etc.
Just got to get through the next couple of days now!
Monday, February 12
Best hotel in the world?
Rang up today and booked afternoon tea at Burj Al Arab which is apparently the best hotel in the world.
But then they would say that wouldn’t they? Granted it IS very impressive and gets rave reviews, so I’m sure my healthy scepticism is not warranted after all :-)
We’re spending 3 nights in Dubai and the tea ‘thing’ is on the last day, so trying to decide and look into what we can do on the 2 days preceding our Jumeirah experience. Anyone with suggestions please don’t be shy about coming forward (assuming anyone sees this of course :-D)
But then they would say that wouldn’t they? Granted it IS very impressive and gets rave reviews, so I’m sure my healthy scepticism is not warranted after all :-)
We’re spending 3 nights in Dubai and the tea ‘thing’ is on the last day, so trying to decide and look into what we can do on the 2 days preceding our Jumeirah experience. Anyone with suggestions please don’t be shy about coming forward (assuming anyone sees this of course :-D)
Adieu dear friends
At last, the weekend!
And with it, the prospect of a top night out with mates at Didsbury’s Casa Tapas, top venue for spanish nosh.
Sat night came around, we got round to Lally’s about 5.30 which gave us time to see their little girl, Izzy, who was a bit hyper from getting so much attention she actually threw up! To be fair, she’d be running back and forth, throwing herself on the sofa for 10 minutes in between coughing fits that made me think she’d been on the woodbines!
:-)
Bless!
Anyway, Casa Tapas didn’t impress 100% - ok we turned up 10 mins late, but you don’t expect the place to change your reservation to 8.30 when you confirmed THAT WEEK that it was 8.00 and then deny that they’ve just changed it. Food was pretty nice, but the service was hit and miss, we had to keep reminding them to bring basic things like water and half the staff couldn’t seem to carry a few plates without dropping one every other time - to top it all, they bring the bill with service included, then got all mediterranean when we didn’t automatically pay up for service! What do you expect, FFS?! We left them some money in change, cos its usually the case that a few idiots ruin the impression and some of the staff are actually trying.
Sunday morning involved a drive over to Greenfield and our first sighting of baby Elsa, recent daughter of Jen and Paul. She’s a little cracker and we recorded some video of her which I’ll forward to Paul by post now its burned to disc.
Sad to be saying goodbye to everyone, in a way it still feels more like just going on holiday and that we’ll be back in a few weeks…
And with it, the prospect of a top night out with mates at Didsbury’s Casa Tapas, top venue for spanish nosh.
Sat night came around, we got round to Lally’s about 5.30 which gave us time to see their little girl, Izzy, who was a bit hyper from getting so much attention she actually threw up! To be fair, she’d be running back and forth, throwing herself on the sofa for 10 minutes in between coughing fits that made me think she’d been on the woodbines!
:-)
Bless!
Anyway, Casa Tapas didn’t impress 100% - ok we turned up 10 mins late, but you don’t expect the place to change your reservation to 8.30 when you confirmed THAT WEEK that it was 8.00 and then deny that they’ve just changed it. Food was pretty nice, but the service was hit and miss, we had to keep reminding them to bring basic things like water and half the staff couldn’t seem to carry a few plates without dropping one every other time - to top it all, they bring the bill with service included, then got all mediterranean when we didn’t automatically pay up for service! What do you expect, FFS?! We left them some money in change, cos its usually the case that a few idiots ruin the impression and some of the staff are actually trying.
Sunday morning involved a drive over to Greenfield and our first sighting of baby Elsa, recent daughter of Jen and Paul. She’s a little cracker and we recorded some video of her which I’ll forward to Paul by post now its burned to disc.
Sad to be saying goodbye to everyone, in a way it still feels more like just going on holiday and that we’ll be back in a few weeks…
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