Kathryn's entries for Dubai and Singapore

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Getting to Dubai - KJ

All fairly uneventful apart from Heathrow being ridiculously busy and being glad that we had left 3 hours to check in - we needed it. Surprised how much leg room on Virgin economy. Ian had no trouble stretching out and not hitting his legs on the seat in front. We had champagne thanks to Tracy and Steve! I thought I was in trouble when cabin crew called out my name, but no, some bubbly what a nice surprise thank you guys.

We all got a few hours sleep and were met by my uncle Colin and Adel. We had a lovely coffee, pastries and cakes in good old Starbucks and had a drive round Dubai. Apparently a third of the worlds cranes are in Dubai that's an indication of how much building is going on!
Colin lives in RAK about in hour and a quarter away. We had an interesting trip driving up through the mountains with Oman to one side of us. It is so quiet and quite bleak with very little growing at all. There is a real peace though and you can see why Colin likes to bring his dogs for walks out here to lose himself after a hard day's work.

We ate out at a local hotel one night and then to the eat as much as you like buffet at the Hilton in RAK. Everywhere we went went people knew “Mr Colin!” Mark commented teachers are important people here and you get that impression this is so. Everyone was very friendly and polite, we experienced no tension, a real mixture of cultures all seeming to get on. Full employment was an important factor Colin pointed out to us. Like all our little stop overs this was only a small taste but a really great one and so good to see my uncle on his home turf. He has a large house he has spent a good deal of time on. It looks and feels modern yet homely with an amazing garden where his 7 Soluki dogs live. Mark and Colin decided to go into business together setting up kennels!


words to describe UAE after such a short stopover: barren, sand, cars, relaxed, friendly, expanding, cultures.

and so to singapore........

we arrived to be met by yet another relative, my sister-in-law, Rachel. After welcoming hugs she had organised a hire car for the day. We went back to her condo in a great location and went......off to the medical centre for cream for my bites and tablets for Mark's dodgy tummy! We had some lunch, a swim then a nap and after waking Daniel who was in a foul mood off to the midnight zoo!

After eating, we had great fun looking at the animals accompanied with a commentary that had us all in stitches! The zoo had a festive feel with decorations and lights that kind of
didn't feel right in the humid heat. This is the thing I find hardest to take in, Christmas in the warm, it is just too weird!

We all slept in the next day, getting used to the time zone changes was taking it's toll. Apart from Rachel who had to go to work - boo! Today we went off to Sentosa a man-made island with some fun attractions. We took the cable car over the bay and then down the luge ride onto the beach. by mistake, honest, we ended up in a hotel's private beech area but no-one seemed bothered. Mark and Ian took the opportunity to jump in the sea. The boys had another go on the luge and then we headed back on the chair lift and cable car again.

There was time for another swim and then pack again for the next destination. It had been great to see Rae just such a shame it was for such a short time.

Some words to describe Singapore during the brief time we had: humid, clean, organised, efficient, varied, green, colourful.

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