Travel Blog Posts
April 29th 2007
Qatar Road Trip Middle East » Qatar By Sal Gav April 29th 2007 Sal & Gav NewnhamThis weekend was a DOOZIE!!! You should SEE what this country has to offer!!! Words simply cannot describe the variety, beauty and excitement of the landscape of Qatar...... read more
April 10th 2007
Back in town after two weeks spent in Melbourne & surrounds... Countless brunches, lunches, dinners, coffees and pre-d's.. Incredible hospitality at the newly built Chateau Maling de Newnham.. The first encounter with GORGEOUS Alice Batt.. Pa Cyril's 94th Birthday Bash.. The first encounter with the ADORABLE Nicholas Leigh.. The stupidly humungous day with the Italy crew & Soph & Elite.. News of Deb & Rod's Big Belly!!.. The first encounter with the BEAUTIFUL Jack Noakes.. A big day out at T'Gallant winery in Red Hill with Mannie, Jane & Jem.. A visit to the Sutherlands (& their 4 month belly!!) at Walkerville.. Cuddles & funny running with the RIDICULOUS Thomas Leigh.. Sister Tan's 30th Birthday lunch and arvo BBQ in the Edinburgh Gardens.. Ange & Barney's wedding at Lorne...STUNNING!.. Zerberts & round and round the ... read more
January 10th 2007
India is indeed an incredible country. It's people are warm, passionately patrotic and immensely curious about foreginers. They're friendly, good-humoured and hugely proud & dignified. It's a country we hope to go back to again and again. Our trip began in Bombay. We were met by Lynsey and Brendan, two friends from Doha and whisked away in a cab to Brendan's family home in the northern suburb of Malad West. We passed the world's largest slum, but were shocked by the general state of cleanliness through the streets. That night we wandered over to 'Kuzzins', a residential building which was hosting a 'Paani'. The Paani is similar to the western tradition of a pre-wedding hens or bucks night, but is celebrated by men and women together. As we entered, there was a 20 piece brass band ... read more
December 25th 2006
Happy New Year!! Christmas came & went & here are some pics of the few days we spent with David, Brenda & Naomi Newnham... We had so much fun, finally being tourists here in Doha. Took the fam to our favourite Indian restaurant, Chingari, ate arabic food at Balhambar on the corniche, headed into the desert for an arabian adventure full of sanddunes, camels & arabic tea and enjoyed Christmas day in style with 9 holes at the Doha Golf Club for the boys and 5 star spa & pampering at the 4 Seasons Hotel for the girls, followed by a delicious meal at the top of the Sheraton, overlooking the gulf... Hope 2007 is a great year...looking forward to catching up with you in Melbourne in March. Luv Sal & Gav xoxoxoxoxox... read more
December 20th 2006
MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!! A few pics from the last 6 months in the Middle East...time has simply flown! Asian Games came and went and were a real treat. We're excitedly awaiting the arrival of Dave, Brennie and Nome Newnham for Chrissy here in the desert! Then we're off to India to see in the New Year, celebrate our wedding anniversary and learn a few Bollywood dancefloor moves! Hope everyone has a festive silly season and all the best for 2007... Loads of Love, Sal & Gav... read more
October 29th 2006
What a country!!!!! Some of the sights of Oman simply have to be seen to be believed...but we'll do our best to convey some of the magic of this country via the blog... First couple of days we lashed out and stayed at the Chedi Hotel. The architecture, ambience, food, service and general experience was just divine. Spent days lying under an umbrella on the beach, evenings playing tennis or grappling with the treadmill and nights eating the most delicious delicious food! We reluctantly checked out of the Chedi to give the credit card a breather and moved into another...'interesting' Omani establishment, the Qurm Beach Hotel. Think 1970's arab kitch design meets bollywood...doozie of a hotel! Spent a few hours wandering around Muscat in the heat of the day and were left wondering why we always ... read more
October 8th 2006
Marhaba from Dubai!! Just spent the weekend accross the Gulf in Dubai, staying with friends from the original BLL days, Wilko & Stef. Stef & Wilko live in an apartment on the Sheikh Zayed Road, the main drag in Dubai stretching from the Dubai Creek all the way to the Dubai Marina. (Well, it actually stretches far beyond this in the directions of Sharja to the east and Abu Dhabi to the west, but this was the exent of our exploration!) Dubai was almost everything people said it would be...it makes Doha look like a little cattle ranch out the back of bourke! The anticipated horiffic horrendous traffic was pleasantly subdued as a result of it being Ramadan. We enjoyed the perfect mix of touristy sightseeing and leisurely weekend chilling at the apartment...checked out the souks ... read more
September 10th 2006
You all know the tune.... Once a jolly party Camped by a Villa-bong Under the shade of a Pool side deck. Revelling soon followed As more chianti was swallowed Look out when the togas Come out to play. Waltzing Toscana Waltzing Toscana Who’ll come a-Waltzing Toscana with me? And they sang the Stutter Rap, I Touch Myself, Limbo Limbo… I’d go a-waltzing in Tuscany again. (courtesy Claire J Adams the First)... read more
August 22nd 2006
It’s been almost three months now and finally…we live in Doha. The apartment is kitted out with all the necessities, plus a few obligatory Arabian delights! We have a Camel and his name is Jamal. Gav has become increasingly attached to his Sphynx….and no, it’s not as a result of the local cuisine. The rug is leopard skin ON tiger skin, a catskin combo that these cheeky Qataris have been keeping all to themselves…and at AUD$88 a piece why wouldn’t they? The dining table has legs as thick as the light towers at the MCG and the dining chairs are hot pink. All in all, the combination has resulted in “Porn Star meets Arabian Boudoire”! Setting up house in Doha is not easy. The little men that come into your house to perform duties for which ... read more
July 25th 2006
Some things you may not have known about Qatar... •The Qataris leave all the plastic wrapping on the seats of their new cars. Maybe it’s to show people their car is a brand spanker and therefore they are perceived to be RICH! (Never mind the diamond cufflinks dripping from their thobes or the prada sunnies peeking out from their abbeyas!) •Qatari people will pay up to AUD$50,000 to purchase the use of a “cool” phone number, such as 555 5551 or 202 0202 etc. •Qataris drive up to the kerb of little juice or coffee shops, toot their horns and the little Indian men run out and serve them on the street. Same thing applies for the pharmacy and some small supermarkets! •If a foreigner gives the finger to an arrogant Qatari driver who cuts you ... read more
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