Saturday, August 29, 2009

Our Neighbourhood



See all the 4 wheel drives and fancy cars. Someone has planted a little plot over the road from their place. In the right hand corner is the back of our little shops.







Our local shops. 3 grocery shops, 2 laundries, 1 chicken hut, a pizza place, and a pens and books.










Sunrise to the left of our building. Matthew hugging our street sign, we live on 16th St.










This wicked little plant is full of thorns. The tiny green leaves. A real desert plant. It looks like a nothing weed but...







This is what it grows into.













A house down the road. Notice the boundry of trees. The gardener has built up around the base to create a well.








Fell in love with this little fellow. I guess he is for the Meat Eid later in the year. I must try to remember to take some lettuce leaves for him. I have never seen any water out for him.






Cats. Every bin has a resident cat. Almost - not quite as bad as Doha. You might also be able to notice the dust on the date leaves.









Our building.







Looking left from our driveway towards the sunrise.










Looking right from our driveway. See the Mosque at the end of our street. Also the big green bins, I think they get emptied at least twice a week. Not sure what days yet.
I really need to now do some reading for my course. So it's been fun, and thanks for letting me share my adventure in Al Ain.








Jabel Hafeet - Our Mountain trip

Today is Sunday and a normal working day over here. I came to Matthew's work to try to access my tafe course. It is so difficult not having the internet at home yet. Hopefully this week. I haven't been successful with getting into my course so here I am - updating my blog. Lots of young women have started back today. Matthew looks so handsome in his suit, white shirt and red tie. He is now addressed as Dr Matthew. It sounds good.

We had dinner out last night with one of Matthew's work colleagues. We went Indian. People here are so friendly, and welcoming. I even met the Director this morning as we walked in, he talked to me as if we were old friends.

Wednesday night we will be going to my first Ifta. I think that is how it is spelt. This is the meal that breaks their fast.


Yesterday (Saturday) we set off early to avoid the heat and the traffic. Let me just say half way up the mountain I felt the blood drain from my head, then my legs turned to jelly, and my upper limbs were weak. I don't do heights very well at all. Of course it was somewhat dusty but we have been told that on a clear day (probably Novemberish) you can see for 100miles. There was a gentle breeze and seemed to only be about 30 degrees.


This is the view on the way in.
We came across a little resturant/cafe at the bottom. Of course it was closed because of Ramadan. If you click on the photo to enlarge it you will see the newly planted trees.
There are a number of swimming pools. Today this one was closed but thought this notice worth taking a photo of.
Here you can see how they make the mountainside green. If you enlarge this photos right in the middle is a blue figure setting the huge sprinkler. This is one of the labourers.
Took this photo to show how far up the green goes.
This is where we are going.


At the top. Not many people because of Ramadan and the heat. Three things to point out. 1. The tyre marks. Young men and their big fast cars. It is a looooooong way down - begs to ask - why would you?!! 2. The resturant and 3. what seems like a dirt track going further up the mountain. I was so scared up here.



I was feeling awful so stayed in the car and had to lay the seat back to try to get blood to my head. You can see the street light, at night you can see the lights dotted along the road winding up the mountain. (ps I will never go up at night). The other thing you can notice is how the mountain has be cut and the layers of stone. Matthew thought he was funny taking this photo of me.


Matthew took this photo for me. A private residence right on the edge. If you click to enlarge you might notice there is a part that while it has what appears to be concrete beams supporting under, has nothing else to support them. Then it looks like they are also building a walk to the edge of the cliff. Now you also might notice that there is water irrigation down the side of the mountain. How did they put that there??


Looking back to where we had just come from. Matthew took this photo as well. It is a looong way down and to me it seemed so unstable.


We made it down safely but I never saw a thing on the way down. I couldn't open my eyes.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Random Photos








Money = notes I didn't put all of them up, but I thought the 1000dhs a good one to have.






We were shopping for furniture. This piece caught my eye. Not much good for communication but I liked it.






In the same furniture shop. Bedroom furniture. Gotta love the Middle East.










Can you read what type of milk is in the yellow lid bottle??? I will try that and let you know.










In the middle of Al Ain.








Our yellow bathroom, we also have blue and pink. :)







Abu Dhabi - 7 star motel behind the picture. Will go inside one day.









A palace in Abu Dhabi and will go inside one day. :) stay tuned



Today I am in the library at Matthew's work. No fridge, washing machine still not connected and no internet at home yet. So came to catch up on emails and to see if I could access my tafe course. Her are some photos. It is Ramadan so no drinking or eating in public. I cleaned all the downstairs walls in the appartment, yesterday. It is more like a townhouse I guess. I have become a fan of tiles, in the bathroom simply turn on the hose and wash the walls and floor. easy. Then just push the water down the drain. easy. Cool as well in this weather.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Setting up home







The 7 star motel in the distance behind the huge picture. One day will get a better photo.






This is open to the public but will have to be another day.
Setting up House 23 August 2009
This past week is a bit of a blur with shopping and more shopping. It sounded so much fun when I was at home, but oh brother was I wrong. More on that later. Al Ain has a population of about 400,000, and their currency is Dherims (pronounced dearums). To calculate to the Aussie dollar I divide by 3, eg. 1Dhs is about .30cents, 30dhs is about $10aus. Petrol is a little dearer here than it was in Qatar at .70/lt. Traffic is much calmer and within a few months I might be able to drive.



Wednesday
I have had a frustrating week trying to log into my TAFE course. With the help of my tutor and the IT fellows hopefully this coming week I will be able to start. Because Friday here is the Sabbath, and nobody works on Sunday back home it only really leaves me 4days to study, contact my tutor and received feedback. I am already a couple of weeks behind. Matthew paid for me to have the internet on in the motel and it seems it may take a week or more to have internet connected at home, it’s Ramadan.
All working hours change during Ramadan. This is my first so will have more experiences I guess in the next month. There is a greeting that is used but I am not sure yet if it is said or just written during Ramadan, the greeting is similar to our greetings at Christmas. The greeting during Ramadan is Ramadan Kareem.
I have been going to the gym and doing 6 laps of the pool while here. Today we check out so not sure if we will join gym here or not. When we were coming here Matthew did say we would, but now we are here logistics and cost may be an issue to gym membership.
At breakfast one morning I was to sit alone as Matthew had already left for the day, he was to go through the ritual all must go through, blood tests, X-rays and eye tests. Anyway, I noticed a lady sitting at a table – just her and her baby. I asked if I could join them. With a smile and inviting hand gesture, I sat with them. Marcus is only 7mths. I choked back the tears as I thought of our little girls in Melbourne we had just recently left. Jackie offered me a lift to the shops after Marcus had had his morning nap. His nap was interrupted by a fire drill. (see video)
I got to see our apartment and was almost shell-shocked. NOTHING – NOT A THING in the unit. Not even a curtain rod. So now I understand that I must buy everything. Oh well there were towel rods and soap dishes in the bathroom. I met a couple of Matthews work colleagues who will be in the same complex. I met a young couple from church with one of their boys. They made the trip to the motel and I was able to ask Wendy lots of questions. Her advice was really good about what to buy, and what to make do with. (They have been absolute angels and will tell you more later.)



Thursday
I did my usual ½ hr in the gym and went to the pool to do my laps. I noticed a strange bird that without my glasses and from a distance it looked like either, 2 pigeons, a falcon, a big pigeon or a bird eating another bird. Anyway, I had to get out of the pool to satisfy my curiosity and go look. It was a big pigeon, grey and white but had feathers around the feet to look like a bantam chook.
The fellow who met us at the airport, and works at the HCT (Higher College of ??? for women) in Al Ain with Matthew is amazing. I did say to VeeJay if he wasn’t Hindu he would be a saint.
It was a huge day out shopping. There were 3 couples. We all needed a fridge, washing machine, and a bed. We all had different requirements so we went from shop to shop to shop. We started at 9.30am and didn’t get home until 9.30pm. BIG DAY OUT. It was Matthew’s and my last shop to see if we could get a mattress to sleep on. We have bought one that should come today, it is cheaper but comfortable and we have ordered a better one that comes with a base but wouldn’t be delivered until the end of August. The little Indian assistant was really rude, yelling and pointing. It was VeeJay that stepped in and with an Indian head wiggle sorted things out for us in a quiet manner. His saying is, “If you are happy I am happy, If you are very happy, I am excited.” He is truly worth his weight in gold, and not paid enough I am sure for all that he does.



Friday
What a blessed relief to have a day of rest. The Penny family picked us up for church, well actually we followed in our hire car. They picked up another young couple that have arrived in Al Ain. She is a teacher and they have only been married 10mths. After church we had a lovely lunch with the Penny family and got to get to know each other a little better. After lunch they took us all for a drive around Al Ain to get our bearings and a bit of sightseeing. Our Sunday School teacher is a Philipino sister who is so tiny, and I called her a pocket rocket. It was a church I met Jake, a returned Philippino missionary who has left his family (wife and 5 children) to make some money here. He has been here for 2 months of a 2yr contract. He earns 1,700dhs and sends 1,600dhs home. That means he must live on 100dhs/mth, ÷ 3 is less than $30aus/mth. Phew, I tried to hold back the tears but they welled up in my eyes anyway.



Saturday
It is really a blur, Jonathon, Wendy and young Jonah took Matthew and I for a drive to Abu Dhabi to shop at Ikea. With Ramadan hours it was only open from 10am-3pm. The speed limit on the highway is 120kph and let me tell you there were cars flying past us. On our way home we passed a small car like a mini but it was something else, we couldn’t see the driver until we were along side and saw the driver reclined in his seat with both hands folded behind his head and the passenger in the same position. They had their head piece and big sunglasses on. Driving relaxed to the extreme.
We stopped at the unit to drop off our goodies, where I stayed to clean while Matthew and the Pennys raced back to their place to get some food (remember it’s Ramadan and we don’t eat or drink in public and all food outlets shut down). So little Jonah (5yr) hadn’t eaten since breakfast and it was now after 3. Bro Penny returned with drill and ladder and started installing our curtains. I tell you there are some amazing saintly people in the world. Wendy returned with food for me, and helped me clean and unpack in the kitchen while Matthew put together our table and chairs, and Jonathon drilled and now I have curtains in our bedroom.

Friday, August 14, 2009

The Adventure Begins




Really our adventure started last week-end with a trip to Melbourne for lots of cuddle time with our family. Melbourne was cold, but with a couple of clear days, Zoe told me, "It's sunny sometimes Nana."
We left Brisbane at 12 midday yesterday, and arrived in Sydney with enough time to rush to the loo and onto the waiting flight. Thanks to a dear friend our flight was comfortable for Matthew as we got to sit in the exit row. I took my tablet and with many thanks to those who offered prayers for me, I travelled rather comfortably. We were in such a rush, I didn't even get to take photos.
By 10.30pm it was time to take other medication. So I took one of everything I had in my purse. :) I guess I slept for a good 4hrs after that. ;) Then just 3hrs left on the plane. Today every now and then I get a wave of motion/jet lag I guess.
Etihad is really a good airline with such good service. The pilot was super with his takeoff and landing . Our room is comfy and essentially air conditioned. When we arrived last night at midnight it was 35 degrees with expected 45 today. I haven't gone out yet, but there are families at the pool area.
Our breakfast was indeed a feast for the eyes and belly. I am trying to be careful with what I eat and need to increase my exercise, with a Diet area option at the breakfast area, I still left the table full. I will take a photo tomorrow of a delicious traditional food, chick peas with olive oil and lemon. mmmmm There was a variety of jams that contained whole figs and I tried pumpkin jam with almonds and chunks of what was more like candied pumpkin. I also tried an Arabic Carob Molasses, thinking it might be similar to Nutella. Nope, nothing like it. Don't need to try that again. :) Nice, just not sweet like chocolate, a bit more bitter like carob.
The service here is great, and will possibly see our apartment tomorrow. Thanks for letting me share my adventure with you. Love RG