The Joker in the Pack

I finished reading Jostein Gaarder's "The Solitaire Mystery" today. I had read it before, but decided to re-read it as I could only vaguely remember that I had enjoyed it first time around.

It is a lovely story, suitable for a young adult reader, just awakening to the wonders of the world and the eternal philosophical questions, and equally suited to an adult, whether jaded by force of habit and oblivious to the wonder of the world, or one who is a bit of a joker. 

12 year old Hans Thomas and his Dad embark on a quest from Norway to Greece in search of Hans Thomas' mother, who left them some 8 years earlier "to find herself". His Dad is a whimsical man, liking his philosophy and his booze. He has a quirky hobby of collecting the joker from packs of playing cards. He defines a joker as someone who "experiences life as a crazy adventure...every single day", who experiences "life as a fairytale, every single day".  Like a joker in a pack of cards, he feels that he doesn't quite belong anywhere, doesn't quite fit with the rest of the world, and is therefore able to sit outside the world, observe, and comment upon its doings. 

During their journey, Hans Thomas meets a midget and a baker, who put him on the path to learning the great secret of the mysterious island, where a pack of cards sprung to life from the imagination of a ship-wrecked sailor. 

The book contains elements of mystery and fairytale, and seamlessly weaves philosophical questions into the mix. Essentially the author is calling upon all of us to wake up to the magic and mystery of our very existence; forget about seeking mystery and thrills in the unknown of the supernatural and outer space, and awaken to the thrill and beauty of life itself. 

The beautiful imagery and captivating ideas of this grown up fairytale allow the author and his protagonists to challenge the reader's perception of coincidence and destiny, about who we are and where we come from, in such a way that complex philosophical ideas appear simple, and within our grasp. 

Trust me when I say the philosophical musings are part of the fun, and after finishing this book you will look around at the world with fresh eyes and a new delight, hoping that you, too, are a joker in the pack of cards. 

The Big Bang

Not a sound you want to hear when your washing machine is mid way through its wash cycle. It was more of a clunk, really,  and made me jump violently. For a while I thought it was just the machine breaking down - just one of the many things to go wrong in this brand new apartment. But then I realised my computer wasn't charging, and that I was no longer connected to the web. Now it was time to panic. Also realised the fridge wasn't running, and most importantly, I couldn't boil the kettle! Ahhhhhh! 

Checked the mains, and flicked the little blue switch that was down. Nothing happened. There was one other switch that was down, but couldn't tell what it was connected to, and being a bit nervous of all things electrical, decided to ask the boys downstairs to come and have a look.  Of course it took just one flick of that little switch, but better safe than sorry. 

That's the good thing about Dubai - there is someone that you can go to for simple questions like that. Very important when you can't just call your Dad or brother for help! 

Of course, I still don't know what made everything short in the first place...so chances are it will happen again tomorrow. 

How to Catch a Cab in Dubai

There are some things I love about Dubai...and there are things I hate. One of the things I hate is trying to get to church when AL has to work late, and I have to get a cab. For some reason cab drivers do not like to take the shortest route to the church (well ok, there is a reason...more money) and try to argue with me about the amount of traffic they will encounter going the back way. The driver tonight tried to tell me he didn't know the back way. Luckily after a few such attempts in the past, I have rehearsed what I do in these situations. So, here is how to catch a cab in Dubai. 

1. Flag the cab down. This is not difficult, there are cab drivers everywhere in this city (except outside the church when I need to get home, but that is another story). 
2. Do not get into the cab. Open the back door, say hello nicely but firmly, and ask whether they will take you to the place you want to go, and the route you want to go (if applicable). 
3. If they say yes, get in. If they um and ah, suggest that if they don't know how to get there, you will give them directions. At this point they will begrudginly accept - after all a fare is a fare, right, and you have made it clear it is your way or the highway (but the highway without you as a fare ha ha)
4. If they have previously suggested they don't know any back way, you must proceed to give detailed instructions...all the way. Even though it is clear they know how to get there. 
5. Arrive safely at your destination, despite the sighs, tongue clickings and other indicators of annoyance from the driver. 
6. Pay the fare and walk away, feeling satisfied that for once, you got your way!

I did this tonight, and had a good, albeit silent chuckle every time I issued a direction, as I am positive the guy knew the back way to the church, but he had said he didn't so he had to play along. 

I am now in control of my destination, and the journey too!

Feline Friends & Breaking the Golden Rule

Yesterday, at the relatively early hour of 10.30am (early at least for a Friday morning) AL and I set off for the used book sale in support of the charity Feline Friends. How appropriate - a charity that combines two of my most favourite things! We spent half an hour browsing and came away with the following treasures: 

Hours of good reading. Even though I haven't finished the books I got from the used book sale at our Church.  Luckily for me, the last books that people want to read seem to be the classics - so I always walk away with all of those, and if I am lucky, some of the better modern literature too. There is a lot of pulp fiction to wade through before you find the little bits of literary treasure. It seems like it is going to be much cheaper for me to buy books this way, than to pay to sign up with the library on a yearly basis, and I get to add to my collection for that glorious day when I have my own library inside our very own house. One day...

Guess what, I found a dress for the work dinner we are attending. After only 4 hours of searching through EVERY shop in the biggest mall in Dubai, I found it! My husband is a very patient man. One thing I have learnt on this shopping expedition though - I either have to put on a bit of weight to fill out a size 10, or lose a bit so that I can get the zips done up on an 8! It makes life difficult being between sizes. If it looks alright on the night, I might post a photo of me actually wearing the dress. We'll see. 

To celebrate finding the dress, we thought we would have a cup of tea outside and then watch the Dubai Mall Fountain, which neither of us had seen before. When we got to the restaurant we were told it was the official opening of the Dubai Mall Fountain, so we decided to have dinner there and wait around to see it. It is quite a spectacular sight, with the jets of water from the fountain lit up with different lighting effects, and put to music. People ooohed and aaaahed, and some who were standing close got quite wet. I would love to show you some photos, but I broke the golden rule for photographers- always always always carry your camera with you. I could not believe that I had left it at home, and even condecended to take some (terrible) shots with my phone. Sorry. But if you want to have a look at the action, there is a great video on youtube: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYMCwojoOQM

We were sitting in a restaurant in the building to the left of the screen, and directly in front of us and across the water (out of the shot unfortunately) is the Burj Dubai, the world's tallest building, yet to be completed. I think they say the fountain is also the world's tallest, as in the height that the jets of water reach. It was spectacular watching these jets of water climb higher and higher into the air against the backdrop of the Burj.  

The End of Another Week

This week has gone by so quickly, I had no idea that I had barely posted on here! It is a good sign, because it means that I have been busy, or at least busier!

This week I got out of my comfort zone and met up with a couple of people who I had been in contact with on an online forum.  They are all nice people, and it was good to see some different parts of Dubai. I met up with one group of people at a local club called The Lakes. It is a gorgeous setting, with 2 great swimming pools, a lovely restaurant area, gym and squash courts. Nothing active though - just a coffee catch up! It is good to know we have those kind of facilities in the area. 

I also met up with an aussie girl who has just arrived in Dubai. We found a great place in one of the malls that serves delicious tea in a proper teapot, and then AL joined us for dinner. I am hoping she will be able to get me a job at her company. 

Oh yeah, I have also been busy looking for a dress for the annual dinner at AL's work - we are going shopping tomorrow at the Outlet Mall - cross your paws for me! 

Thankful Thursday 2

What I am thankful for today:

1. For the opportunity to speak to my grandparents on my Grandfather's Birthday, on 5 May!
   
2. For the new friends that I have met this week
   
3. For finding a place close to home that has great coffee (still have to drive there though)
   
4. For things to look forward to - like the used book sale we are going to tomorrow, in support of the charity set up to re-home abandoned cats
   
5.  That my two "boys" are so well looked after by my family, even though I can't have them here - the proof is in the pictures!

1. 
   

Awwwww, so cute. Thanks to Mum and SD for the photos. 

Moley & The Professor

AL and I have just finished reading The Wind in the Willows, or Moley, as we affectionately refer to it, in honour of the gorgeous little character of Mole, created by Kenneth Graham. I now realise I only ever read the abridged pictorial edition of Wind in the Willows, and had no idea just how detailed and wonderful the original was. Reading it of course brought to mind the beautiful illustrations of the children's version, and in particular Rat's little home in the riverbank. I remember wanting to live in Rat's hole, it looked so cosy and sweet! And of course the handsome, the clever, the popular Toad, and his love of fast cars, had us chuckling away. 

Last night I also finished The Professor by Charlotte Bronte. Beautifully written, but the story of course cannot top that masterpiece, Jane Eyre! And silly me, I had forgotten that I had already read it some time ago, and bought it at the second hand book sale. Still, it was worth the re-read. 

I have now started the 19th Wife by David Ebershoff - a bit of a change-up to my usual taste. I am reading it for book club, otherwise wouldn't have bothered with it. Still, I am a fair way through it, and have to say the subject is gripping, although the writing style is jarring after dipping in Bronte's work! The book traces the history of polygamy in the Mormon church through the eyes of the 19th wife of the second "prophet" (set in the 1800's) and a young man brought up within the sect and later expelled, whose mother, also a 19th wife, has been accused of murdering her husband (set in current times). I'm not sure it is the kind of book you can enjoy - the subject matter is horrifying. Nevertheless it is thought-provoking.  

Desert Safari!

Alright, so a little bit later than promised, but things got a bit hectic yesterday, and I didn't get around to posting. Well, I admit, I did sleep in until....a despicable hour, and then went to the gym, and then went to church and by the time we did that and got a few groceries on the way home, well it was too late to be fiddling with my blog. But as promised, details of the desert safari. 

Friday afternoon we were picked up outside our building by our driver, and the rest of our group and headed off for our first desert adventure. It doesn't take long to get out into the desert from here, and before long we were seeing beautiful landscapes such as the following:

I had not anticipated how breathtakingly beautiful the desert would be. Even here, where it is so obviously inhabited, and you can see power lines, and empty bottles etc. 

We were very lucky with the weather - it was hot, around 40 degrees I think, but not humid, so quite bearable, and we were able to stand around and take photos and lap up the scenery. It was quite windy, so of course within 5 minutes we were covered in a fine sand that sticks all over your face and clogs up your hair. But after all, we wanted a real desert experience, and this was it. 

Part of the fun of the safari, and no doubt for some, the best part, is hooning around in 4-wheel drives across the sand dunes. I was a bit worried about hitting my head and getting sick, especially as AL and I were sitting in the back, but it was actually very comfortable, and a lot of fun! The worst thing about the experience is that there are so many others out there as well. You definitely do not get a sense of the peace and space of the desert, as there are any number of 4-wheel drives out there doing the same thing.  Still it is worth doing, and being able to watch the other cars gives you an idea of what you have been doing yourself. This photo shows some of the sand dune action. It was taken from the car window, so there is a bit of reflection from the glass.  

Another activity you can try on the safari is sand boarding! This is AL on his second attempt down the slope! He did pretty well. The kids in the group of course are always the best at these activities. Some of the adults barely made it over the edge of the slope, and ended up sliding down on their backsides! No doubt with trousers full of sand for the rest of the outing!

Our driver next took us to have a look at some camels. This is what I was looking forward to. The are the funniest animals - don't seem to care about anything going on around them, and not happy at all to do anything for their handlers. They look so exotic to me, and it is breathtaking to see them walking about loose in the desert. These "little" guys were quite playful while we were watching them - I do not know how they get so twisted up - all legs:

We were then driven to a camp where we took a short camel ride (just round in a very small circle - still one girl managed to fall off, and no, it wasn't me!) tried on the local costume, browsed some souvenirs and had a delicious BBQ dinner, followed by entertainment by a belly dancer. 

There are more photos of our desert safari to be viewd by taking a peek at my pictures, on the right hand side of this blog! I hope you enjoy them. 

A Quick Update Before Bed - Desert Safari

It is getting late here, and we have had a big day on our first desert safari in the UAE. I can't go to bed however without showing you just 2 of my photos to keep you interested!

This gorgeous guy is one of the local residents of the desert, and I have to say, not very interested in anything that we had to offer him:

And this photo showcases some of the sand duning action: 

More photos and plenty more details to come tomorrow! Suffice to say, we had an awesome desert experience!

Thankful Thursday

Okay, I got this idea from another blog that I have been reading lately. It is based on the idea that we can benefit greatly by acknowledging regularly the wonderful things that happen to us each day, sometimes just the little things, the minutiae that tend to get lost in negativity and despair if we don't consciously seek them out. The general idea is that each day you write down in your journal or your blog 5 things that you are grateful for. 

I know that I will not manage to do this every day, but how about every Thursday, making it Thankful Thursday? I think it is particularly apt, given that Thursday here in the United Arab Emirates is the last day of the working week, so a good time for a recap, and lets face it, who can be negative in the face of the weekend? Let's see, what am I thankful for this Thursday?:

1.  Well, it is Thursday, so the whole weekend with AL is stretching out before me - I am definitely thankful for that!;
   
2. Having things to look forward to. Tomorrow we are going on a desert safari with some friends;
3. I have been in contact with several women today who are keen to meet up for coffee, and who are in the same position as me;
4. Gmail chat - I love it. I have chatted with my Mum and my brother SD (ha ha SD, named but not identified!) in the last couple of days and heard all the family news. 
5. I am especially greatful that the best Australian lamb seems to be exported to the UAE - we love the chops and the roast here, it has now become a Thursday night staple. 

See, Thursday is a good day to do the gratitude thing!

Stay posted, tomorrow we are going on the desert safari, and no doubt there will be lots of pretty pictures added to the collection!

Dangling Man - Saul Bellow

Last night I finished reading Dangling Man by Saul Bellow. For such a small book it has certainly taken me a while to get through it. I find this to be the case with a lot of the "thin" books out there - light to carry around, but lots to think about while you are reading. Not necessarily a lot of plot, more contemplation and observation, not really suited to a skim read.

This story is narrated through the journal of Joseph, a young man who has quit his job to enlist in the army, only to find that his call-up is delayed by a series of incidents. The book deals with his mental and emotional state as he waits around, or "dangles," unable or unwilling to obtain employment as a result of the uncertainty of his call-up.

He writes "I have thought of going to work, but I am unwilling to admit that I do not know how to use my freedom and have to embrace the flunkydom of a job because I have no resources - in a word, no character."

I find this quote very appealing - so many of us when at work or study, dream of the things we could accomplish or the hobbies that we could pick up, if only we had more time. And yet for many, including myself, spare time becomes wasted time. What do we have to show for ourselves at the end of a week of "leisure" time? Do we actually pick up these skills or spend that extra time with loved ones, or, do we spend it watching television? For Joseph, life revolves around the few short excursions taken each day for meals, and the "ritualistic" dissection of the daily paper, from the comics to the news, the gossip pages, recipes and puzzles.

Another quote: "Three o'clock, and nothing has happened to me; three o'clock and the dark is already setting in; three o'clock and the postman has bobbed by for the last time and left nothing in my box. I have read the paper and looked into a book, I have had a few random thoughts..."

Ahhhhhh! This sounds like my day sometimes! Although I do manage to read a lot, and I am looking for jobs and sending applications... When AL comes home and asks what I have been doing with myself, I sometimes find myself scratching to describe how the hours passed...routine chores -half an hour...tv 1 hour...reading...several hours...internet - never mind! Unlike Joseph, I do manage to finish the books that I start, and enjoy them too, and I am taking the opportunity to enjoy this time for reading, because once I have a job...

Booklover's Heaven

I have just discovered a link in my online bookclub to a number of books that you can download for free as copyright has expired! The site has links to over 1,700 books, most of which are classics or quality literature. Yay!! I thought the downside would be a slow download speed, but no, it opens almost immediately. This will definitely save me some money. The first book I have downloaded is Edith Nesbit's "The Magic City".

The Book Club

Just arrived back from our first book club meeting. Glad I ventured out - the girls are all lovely, some of them in situations like mine (ie job-hunting), others who are working, others who are stay-at-home mums.

The taste in books varies, but for the most part not too bad. Sometimes there may be a little chic-lit, but most of it will be bestseller literature. I can live with that. Won't be recommending any of the classics, I don't think a book club is the best forum for discussing the classics. It needs to be light and pithy, with some good issues for discussion.

The first book we will read is The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. Reviews have been good, but lets wait and see.

One more picture to share with you of Dubai at night. This is a building across from AL's work. The whole area looks lovely at night. It is heavily edited though, as the original shot was not very good. Still, I like it - looks more like a canvas than a photo, or am I deluding myself?

Going to a bookclub meeting tonight. It is the first one for this area. Hopefully the other women have similar taste in reading material - will go crazy if I have to read chic-lit. At least it will get me out of the house!

Evening Out

After time spent together at the gym, sauna and pool this morning, AL and I ruined all our good work at dinner. Good company and good food - nothing beats it. We joined AL's workmates and another friend at an Indian restaurant in Karama. The evening wasn't without its glitches. We ordered the food, and then AL and workmate went to pick up the friend, while the 2 girls minded the table. Would have been great except that the food arrived almost immediately, but the boys spent about 40 minutes looking for a park. A not very impressed waiter agreed to reheat the food for us. Nice food and very strong chai! Yummy. People were queuing up at the door to get a table at this restaurant!

It was nice to walk around after dinner and just get a feel for Karama and the people, and the little shops and restaurants. Really miss being able to just walk around the block or down the street for some vicarious consumerism, or just to buy a bottle of milk.

After dinner, and after several wrong turns, we ended up at Um Suquiem beach, where I proceeded to take the long awaited night shots of the Burj Al Arab:

Not a masterpiece, but at least I have the Burj Al Arab in my collection now. No doubt many more shots will follow.

Repairs

The maintenance "boys" turned up today and decided that our rising damp problem is a result of the silicon between the bath and the tiles leaking. They removed all of the old silicon, and replaced it, and scraped all the blistering paint from the walls. Hopefully this prevents the problem recurring. Now we are just waiting for the painter to come and retouch the walls.

I joined an online bookclub - the site itself hosts thousands of groups, including one called book-a-holics. Needless to say, I joined that one! I am in good company there, with lots of people who share my taste in reading.

Yes, I spend way too much time online!

Blue Sky Dubai

The sky above Dubai today was the clearest, most gorgeous hue that I have seen here since arriving. Not a sandstorm in sight! It is amazing that the colour of the sky can have such an impact on mood - everything looks so much fresher and cleaner under a blue sky. I even caught a glimpse of green grass at the golf club, and could see further into the distance than I ever have yet.

Hopefully the weekend is just as clear so we can at last get some quality shots of the Burj Al Arab, without the haze of a sandstorm ruining the clarity of the image.

This is the view from our balcony - look at that colour!

The Biggest Leap!

The biggest leap when moving to a new place is.....trusting your locks to a new and untried hairdresser. Well, I took that big step today, very nervous, despite the glowing recommendations I had read about this particular salon.

Sigh of relief. The stylist is amazing. He barely asked me what I wanted, and yet I walked away with the perfect cut, the right highlights, and cheaper than initially quoted! (Still expensive, but less than I had expected.) AL likes the new style too.

The Cost of Rapid Development, First Hand!

With pressure to construct tower blocks and indeed whole communities quickly, it stands to reason that some corners will be cut along the way. We are starting to experience that first hand in our apartment.

On Saturday for the first time I noticed some blistering on the wall connected to the bathroom, then on Sunday I noticed some on the wall that separates the living room and the bathroom. Today, it looks like this:

Yikes. I think it will be a big job to get this fixed. Suspect that the tiles and grout that went in were not water proof. Bear in mind that we are the first tenants in the property, and have only been here 2 months!

On a positive note, went to the gym today and had a great workout - 20 mins cardio and about 15 mins light weights (very light!). Now if I could just cut back on the junk food....

Sometimes it is hard to be so far from home

Found out today that my brother is in hospital. The doctors suspect meningitis, but he thinks it is a repeat of a bout of cerebral malaria he suffered in PNG. Would be nice to be at home and able to offer support to him and to my parents. At least I got a chance to speak to my Mum and Dad, and offered them a little support over the phone.

My Grandfather is in hospital too - suspected broken ribs. Between the pair of them the family will be busy with hospital visits!!

Oh, and apologies for the dreadful formatting on the previous post. Not sure exactly what went wrong, but will endeavour to avoid it in future posts!