The last leg, Dubai, London, Mallorca, Home

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Dubai and London flu and Mallorca recovery



It was with rather heavy heart I boarded the plane in Melbourne for Dubai, and an uncomfortable long flight it was too. Over 14 hours, much of that in darkness. I watched three movies, and tried to sleep but found it difficult. Eventually we landed, around midnight by their time, and after rather a long winded queue past the white jallabba'd and intricately headressed customs and passport men, (who seemed all to be spending more time on their mobile phones than checking our passports) I found my way via the hotel shuttle bus to the Holiday Express Inn close by.

This was a useful and practical choice, thanks to my Trailfinders travel agent; I could immediately lie down to sleep in a comfy bed after all those hours of discomfort.

Breakfast was provided buffet style and lots to choose from; afterwards I looked out on a delightful warm sunny day, and decided to take a half day private tour of the city.



I had imagined it to be all new, but not so. My chatty Pakistani guide explained that there was an old area, and took me to find the spice market, my favourite place! I had requested a trip on an Abra, the local wooden ferries which ply back and forth across the river so he took us to the landing area, and we were set on the next available boat. I loved watching the river folk at their various work, one of the arteries of the city. The other side we walked to the souk and wandered through narrow alleyways bordered on both sides by little shops filled to the gunnals with spices of all colours, laid out in intricate patterns, some already ground, and some in their original form of root or bark or leaf, or flower. I was tempted to buy turmeric root in two forms, one culinary and the other medicinal; a jar of Garam Marsala spices in a rainbow of colours, some hibiscus flowers, some cinnamon sticks.... I couldn't resist the freshness of them all.



I was given a tour of various parts of this growing city, past several beautiful mosques, and at one stage we heard the call to prayer, and saw many men from building sites amongst other places, all filing over to pray. Dressed in their traditional jalabbas, although apparently there are 90% foreigners living in Dubai now, it seems it is a city of many parts.

Of course we had to ogle at the huge hotels and tallest buildings, not my favourite places!

And popped down to the beach a couple of times, I wished I'd known to take my cozzie.

My guide dropped me off to look at a couple of galleries full of ancient antiques... Carpets inlaid with gold, huge golden urns and samovars, pictures which looked painted but were actually woven. Marvels from other countries, brought in and donated by generous wealthy people.

Returning to the hotel for the remainder of my day, I met up with another travelling woman from the States, who is an International House Sitter, on her way from Melbourne to Cyprus; later I heard the dulcet tones of a couple from Devon, and spent a peaceful few hours chatting with them about sustainability, permaculture etc. I was enthralled by some of the beautiful people in the hotel. There were a group of what looked like Masai warriors, all dressed up in their red tartan cloth, gangly long legs bare to their sandals, accompanied by some blue-bedecked musicians wearing long robes and headdresses, bearing interesting looking shaped instruments.

I spent 24 hours in Dubai, which felt a useful break, then headed out on the final leg of my journey to London, only around 7 hours, a snip I thought, after my previous long haul. All seemed to go well at first; on arrival in London I made my way to Caspar's house and collapsed there for a few days, hoping to avoid any jet lag. My plan seemed to work well to begin with, I stayed awake all day, collected Livy and John from school, felt OK. The second day I found my way by bus to Baldwins herbalists in Walworth Road to pick up some special herbs to take to my sister, and later wandered through Borough Market, with all it's gourmet delights and then took a tour of the Globe Theatre, which I loved. Such a reminder of how it was in Shakespeare's time.

And so fab to see my London Grandlings after 5 months abroad.

However the following morning I came down with such a bang! Couldn't wake up, let alone get up. Stayed in bed all day and felt grim, realised I was coming down with a fluey bug, developed an awful cough, and was glad to have a few days just hanging out there before needing to move on.

Bless them, Caspar and Jen, for administering warm herbal teas and love and sympathy at regular intervals!



5 days later I hobbled off to Gatwick to get my flight to Mallorca; I had looked at delaying, but there were no flights to be found. So I cut my losses and glad I did. It was so much warmer there, I had been so very cold in London after the extreme heat of Melbourne, it was a good move. Gracie met me at the airport, bless her, she now all recovered from her bad dose of bronchitis in hospital. We spent some days doing very little; I just got knitting again as we found a lingerie shop selling lovely Katia wool in Soller. Finished a scarf for each of them before I left.

And sat outside in the sun when the wind allowed, all kitted up in our jackets and hats and scarves.

Sunday we visited my neice Kerien and her family in their new smallholding, such fun to see all their poultry: a turkey, some pigeons and rabbits as well as bantams and regular hens, several are laying, so we ate the most glorious yellow yolked eggs. They have three dogs, including an adorable fluffy puppy, and a small goat kid. They live off the grid, using a solar array, wind power, and a wood fired oven to cook the Sunday roast. They are starting to grow their own veg and herbs, all very exciting.

We took walks in the sunshine down to the port to see the sea, and to drink thick hot chocolate in Bar Roma, yum. Gracie has started a great exercise routine to help her lungs heal from the bronchitis, and has wonderfully stopped smoking. I took her herbs to help with this process, hope they help too. All in all a healing process for the both of us, and I felt much improved for my visit.

Back to London on a windy flight, for one more night at Caspar's; I managed to hit a tube strike, so it took a long time to get there! Then back on the train heading to Cornwall, and my cosy flat with new wood burner and insulated loft. Watching the devastated countryside, floods and tree damage abound, I realised quite what a wild and wet winter I had missed.

Sitting in Exeter station waiting for the bus to Bude, I was surprised by a couple of angels who swooped in, gathered me up and drove me home to Trelay in my little yellow car, what a divine intervention! I felt very loved and returned to my community family. Ahh, the peace of staying still after so much travelling. Drumming and singing and grounding. Mmmmm

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