The Inaugural Australian Ball

A group called Aussies Abroad recently organised the Inaugural Australian Ball at the Hilton Hotel on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. We were very lucky to get tickets as there was a waiting list to buy them and we just happened to know someone who knew someone and ......... well we ended up at table 17.

It was a real celebration of Aussie culture with clips from Sam Peckovitch (hope that's how you spell it) and Bob Brown in person to sing "Home among the gum trees". The only thing that didn't occur was a chook raffle - however there was a raffle and we didn't win any prizes but had a good night all in all. The Australian Ambassador made a very entertaining speech and we danced to Aussie bands which had been jazzed up to be a bit hip hop. (Don't know why they did that - the originals were much better). Only one complaint and that was that the music was too loud to allow anyone to talk!

In true Aussie style the crowd rocked on till the wee hours of the morning. We bailed out about 1 am and went for a coffee. Our plans were to visit the Picasso exhibition at the Emirates Palace the next day. And that was just great too! Another good weekend in Abu Dhabi. All is well with us and we continue to have a ball...........sorry that's an awful pun!

The Princess makes the news!

Well it was really just a matter of time till the Princess made it to the pages of the Arabic newspapers! This is the front page of the Lifestyle section of the local paper.

Rough translation of the headline: My Health First, 3,000 staff at the United Arab Emirates University attend health promotion event.

And, yes, that is me cutting the ribbon to open the event. The Secretary General wasn't available so I was asked to do it!

Yes Mum I have kept a copy and will bring it home for you to see.

The Arabian Fairytale Part Seven: The Central Souq in Sharjah

Holidays in Australia are coming up in just a few weeks so the Princess and the Sheikh decided to visit the northern Emirate of Sharjah where the Princess had heard of an amazing souq where souvenirs of the UAE could be purchased.

Some women of the Al Andalus camp were meeting to travel to the souq so the Princess and the Sheikh joined to follow them through the wilderness of the north western desert – another strange and unfamiliar place.

Once again the MFCs were of the 4WD variety and after a few minutes loading up we were flying off into the desert. The Sheikh had a big night drinking red wine so the Princess was behind the wheel. Now a CRV MFC just doesn’t have the grunt of a Land Cruiser so when the Princess looked down to the speedo and found she was travelling at 150 km/hr she almost fainted. She has never driven an MFC at this speed before and was having trouble keeping apace with the leaders who weaved their way in and out of the traffic. This picture is of the blue souk against the modern buildings of Sharjah

There were 7 women of Al Andalus and their MFCs were on a course to the souq. Nothing was going to get between them and their hours of prowling the souqs for bargains; not the slow moving traffic, not the roadwork, not the trucks and definitely not the desert wind which was blowing fiercely! The Princess put her foot firmly to the floor and powered the MFC forward. At 150 klicks fear set in and she backed off a bit. The leaders slowed for her to catch up and maintained a more sedate 140 klm/hour for the rest of the trip………PHEW! We must have that speed alarm on the MFC attended to – off with it’s head!

Arriving at the souq the Sheikh and the Princess knew they would not be able to keep pace with the shopping of the Al Andalus women! Women on a mission they were! So we parted company and browsed the souq at leisure. There were jewellery, gold and electronic souqs, carpet and cloth souqs, readymade clothing and shoes souqs – all filled to the rafters and everyone claiming to be the cheapest and most authentic! There were trinkets and souvenirs and all the stalls were attended by men of the sub-continent – Indians, Pakistanis and such – the cream of the sales genies of the East. Of course the Sheikh is a great bargainer, trained in the souqs of Bali, Singapore and Kota Kinabalu, so he set to work on getting the right price for everything from pashminas to carpets, bedspeads and carved boxes. The Sheikh gains a huge sense of satisfaction knowing he has made a good purchase at a great price. He feels he has achieved his best today and is satisfied with his purchases for the desert camp and the family at home.

Having travelled so far the Princess and the Sheikh decided it would be good to cruise the city and see what was on offer. Of all the cities in the UAE the Princess says Sharjah is the nicest so far. The city feels like a city on the sea. There are inlets and islands and plenty of water. The main dock is on the Corniche and so it is a busy port city with trading vessels lining the quays and lots of activity on the water. A jet ski park reminds the Princess of the Gold Coast in far off Australia!

After a leisurely look at the city the Princess and the Sheikh head back towards the desert camp. Another adventure in the Arabian Fairytale!

A day in the life

So it’s probably time I wrote something again - after all the entries Cheryl has done!

What to write about?

Aaahhh. The first summer’s day in Al Ain.

So I get up as usual at 6. Sun is well and truly up and outside the A/C of the bedroom it feels like about 30deg. I do the S,S,S thing and make that all important first cup of tea and breakfast. By this time Cheryl is up and checking the email and SMH for the daily news from Oz. This morning, there’s nothing to report. Finish breakfast (our usual fruit & cereal – gotta watch those carbs!) and get dressed (yes, until now it’s been nickers only – why bother to dress when it’s so warm). Some polite chit-chat so I can’t be accused of ignoring her and it’s on with the shoes and tie (gotta keep up the professional appearance – my boss says so). A bit more chit-chat and out the door, into the stairwell and down the stairs.

I grasp the door handle to go outside. My it IS warm! As I open the door, a wave of 35degree heat washes over me. Remember – this is 7 o’clock in the morning. “Ahhh what another lovely sunny day in paradise” my soul mumbles as I fold myself into my blue indulgence (the Merc Sports).

As I cruise slowly down our side street I can see the workmen at the construction site nearby already hard at work. They look like they’ve been at work for hours – and probably have. They will carry on through the heat until about 5pm. It’s only a 5 minute drive to work at this time of day, but during that drive the usual things happen. 4 wheel drives (BIG ONES) drift across lane markings almost into my front bumper, a water truck turns right – and across my path - from the left lane, at least 2 taxis stop on roundabouts to pick up fares and despite my speed of 80+kph, I’m overtaken by almost everyone else on the road! Just a normal drive really, and so I arrive at work just after 7 and stop in the car park for a minute or two to let the heart rate slow. I’m first one there as usual, but others in my team are not far behind. We settle in for the day’s work.

Last week was full on into exams mode. All students sat an externally set exam in almost all subjects. The teachers at the school mark the papers and the marking system is so refined that almost every exam is marked the afternoon that students complete it. Another team of teachers then does the checking and data entry into the ministry system. This is the first day after exams have been completed and marked so things are a little laid back. Staff arrive between 7:30 and 8.

I’m busy refining a presentation for tomorrow until 9 and then I go down for my meeting with the principal. He is gradually awakening to my way of organising the school planning thing and we have a lengthy discussion about finance committees, program groups, and such. Back in the staffroom I put the finishing touches to my presentation and then do some planning of my own on selecting the people for the finance committee and managers for the program groups. Democracy’s great when you can rig the results – just ask George (dubbleyaa)!

At 10:00, the English staff drop in and invite us for breakfast. Much as I try and dissuade them (today and most days) that I’ve already eaten breakfast, I must still go and have at least something small. It’s local fare: fried kibbeh in tomato and chilli sauce. “Did you make this yourself Shukri?” I ask. “Yes.” he says. “No he didn’t.” comes a quick retort from his mate Adnan, “It was his wife!” Nevertheless, it’s quite delicious and with a side dish of tabouleh that is also fresh and delightful – but my waistline is increasing ever so steadily.

Michael and I then have a deep discussion about the final PD session of the term (3 weeks away – but preparation starts now). The morning wears on. Discussions here and there about planning, committee managers, exam results, setting up a promotion-retention review committee before results go in to the Zone, the list goes on. Before I know it it’s 1 o’clock and Mohammed Waheeb reminds us all that he has prepared lunch for us all - all that’s left that is. At least his wife prepared it – and he brought it along! Another splendid fare is set. This one has plates of prawns, layers of lamb, (Aussie lamb of course), biryani by the bucket, salads and assorted accompaniments. All eaten Arab style of course, with the right hand, straight off the platter with your mates next to you taking from the same platters. (You get used to it ) Again, we have little choice but to join them. The food is too good to pass, but mindful of the onset of the last remaining belt settings, I minimise my input!

I must go see Etisalat to settle accounts for phone and internet, so I clamber into the blue roadster. The dash temperature reads 52.5deg. The shade screen is so hot it burns my fingers as I fold it away. The steering wheel is too hot to hold for more than a few seconds. Blast on the AC. Wait a few minutes so I can hold the wheel and then I’m off. When I arrive at Etisalat, the thermometer is reading 47deg. Yes folks, summer’s here in the gulf! Thank goodness we only have another 4 weeks of these temps to endure before the respite of our trip back home (to 10deg no doubt!). An hour at Etisalat and it’s time to get home into the AC. – Can’t even get out for a swim yet - too damm hot. Funny thing is though that we rarely get sunburnt. – more ozone up there and certainly more dust!

The price of petrol...and other things

We have been watching news from around the world and noticing how much people are paying for petrol. I really wonder how some are able to maintain driving a car with the increased costs. And of course it all flows on to everything else that has to be delivered to stores by transport using petrol, or that is delivered to factories for manufacture.

The price increase has just been phenomenal this year with petrol in some places going up nearly 50% according to the news. Not so here in the UAE. Although the prices have gone up and people are having a whinge about it the cost of petrol here is embarrassing when compared to home. We hear you guys in Aus are paying up to $1.60 a litre and sometimes more. We are paying about 40cents a litre here. The impact is of course that many other things are also very cheap as there is little transportation associated with getting goods to market.

We fill the CRV for the equivalent of about $22 and the Merc takes about $15 for a full tank. And then we live in a place that takes 15 minutes to get from one side of town to the other. I can not imagine how much we would be paying out for petrol for Ron to commutte to Ryde and me to go to the city/Parra for work if we were still at home.

The Arabian fairytale: Part Six – Adventure in the desert

The Princess and the Sheikh are really on a roll now with adventures coming thick and fast in the month of May before the heat really hits with a vengeance! In another month it will be impossible to be outdoors, except between the hours of 2 and 3 am, so this adventure was a last chance to enjoy the relatively cooler day (even though it was still 45 degrees C).

One of the ladies of the hareem, the Fair Kate of County Cork, organised a day in the desert for all the people of the royal court of SIP. Some were able to make it while others must have thought it was just getting too hot in the desert to venture out of the air-conditioned oases of Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. Only the intrepid and adventurous signed up for the caravan into the desert.

The caravan left from the Intercontinental Hotel in Al Ain under the watchful eye of Captain Rashed, master of the genies of the magic flying carpets (MFCs to those who have not read the Arabian Fairytale before). The MFCs, four in total, piloted by Emirati genies, clad in impeccable white, cruised out into the desert in the late afternoon. Captain Rashed, Saif, Hamad and Mr Al Shamsi catapulted the cruisers along the highway in search of the camel farms where the entourage would be saddled up.

Young Travis of the Carter Clan was to keen to master the art of mounting of a camel. He did this most ably under the watchful eye of some camel handlers from the far off exotic lands (and Deb and Simon with their hearts in their mouths!) Many of the entourage stepped forward to try their skill as camel handlers and they showed lots of promise as handlers of the ships of the desert. However their contracts with SIP have stopped them from pursuing this fascinating career!

The excitement has only just begun. In the blink of an eye, the magic flying carpets cruised across the desert speeding up and down the dunes and amazing the Princess with their capacity to keep all the people on board! Little did she know that the real daredevil 4 wheelers were about to appear. Ibrahim the Insolent and Tarek the Terrifying capably conned Captain Rashed and his crew into a detour to the land of the broken bones, grazed knees and cracked skulls, otherwise known as the Quad Bike Fun Park. Before we could say “…But what about viewing the Sunset….” we had arrived and our party was crisscrossing the park at breakneck speed.

After a cautious start many of the team were spinning wheels and wheel-y-ing their way all over the tracks, Tarek the Terrifying was only slightly more sedately cruising the dune and Enigmatic Ed was showing all the hallmarks of his misspent youth. Even Nerissa of Victoria braved possible broken bones taking her turn. Though it must be said I’ve seen ride on mowers go faster! Star of the (junior) track though was Travis. At age 3 11/12ths he managed his junior bike like a pro – giving his Mum Debbie lots of exercise, taking tumbles in his stride and before long burning up the sand!

There were some strangers from out of town in the group today. The Princess was bemused. Are they Australians, South Americans or perhaps Mexicans? It is curious – perhaps they are a new breed of Arab, mutants from the town of Shahama? Strange head gear, not before seen in the desert sets them apart from the royal Sheikhs of Al Ain. They must be good men and fair because they escorted the visiting Lady Houda of Morocco from Abu Dhabi – perhaps they are her secret service?


Back to the race track and the sun was setting and we were on our way. Some of the MFC pilots, now emboldened by the obvious bravery on the track, decided to keep the adrenaline pumping, roaring up, down and sideways through the dunes and into the dusk.


By now hunger is setting in. Images of 20 people lost in the golden sands begin to flash before our eyes. Stray goats are imagined to be draped in gravy – with salads! Even a camel haunch looks appetising. Beckoning lights in the distance hold the promise of a feast unimaginable. Finally, just before we succumb to starvation we arrive at Captain Rashed’s desert camp and are welcomed by his extended family with drinks, a soft seat, and (much to the relief of many) bathrooms – complete with Jacuzzi! (It doesn’t work but it looks good!)


Soon while the barbecue is sizzling we are guided around the camp. It contains all the necessities of life, a menagerie of pets, and in stark contrast to the modern magic flying carpets of the desert (Toyota Landcruiser, Nissan Armada, Chevy Tahoe etc) a WW2 relic Land Rover is proudly on display under its own museum style shelter.


We sit on cushions and dinner is served, desert style at low tables while knees seize up beneath us! We are treated to salads, barbecued quail, chicken kebabs and rice. Arabic coffee and tea complete the feast and soon we are all replete.


The desert causes strange things to occur. The Princess is reminded of the Lumbricidae of Dune (that’s HUGE worms for the uninitiated!) when Fair Kate of County Cork and Lady Houda of Morocco wriggle and squirm their way through the sands. They emerge clogged and dusty, eyes weeping and sand in their ears to be transformed into beautiful Arabian Princesses right before our eyes.


As the entourage changes into the royal dress of the desert Bettina the Bavarian records the emergence of the royal house. A new Sheikh of the royal family is proclaimed on his first desert outing – Sheikh Leigh Hazza Dry Wit, son of the Lady Nerissa of Victoria. A worthy sheikh seeking adventures and the princess of his dreams in the deserts of Al Ain. Beware princesses of the sands – he has a twinkle in his eye and a wit to match. Many a princess will have to run a long race to catch her prize!

The night must come to an end and the entourage makes it’s way under the watchful eye of Captain Rashed and the genies of the magic flying carpets back to the hotel and home. Another splendid day in Arabia – another adventure for the Princess and the Sheikh.




For photos of the day, visit our albums at: www.picasaweb.google.com/cherylandron

Mother's day visit

I painted this picture on Mother's Day. It is a boy going to visit his mother. I wish I could see mine today! That's one of the down sides to be so far away.

The Spring Ball

On Thursday last week we attended the Spring Ball for the Al Ain Rugby Club. These photos were taken at the ball. In the photo of four from left to right is Sheikh Brian Ibn Playin Gitar, Moraig of Kiwiland, the Princess and the Sheikh – Sheikh ron Bin Drinkin Redwine! (Alias Brian and Moraig Minns and Cheryl and Ron)

The whole ball thing was a disaster really. I had a new outfit made and lost it! Yes I had it in a plastic bag at work and it just disappeared, never to be seen again. So I had to wear a little number that was in the cupboard.

On the way to the ball I remembered I had forgotten the tickets and turned around to go and get them – adding 30 minutes – so we were late!

And at the end of the evening I was forced to go home when a Filipina in stilettos danced on my foot, drawing blood and leaving a huge bruise that has stopped me from wearing shoes all weekend! Bleeding on the carpet of the grandstand at the Equestrian Centre did not go down well.

Despite all the setbacks we had a lovely night and we will go again. I wonder if my outfit will turn up for next time!

Bedouin Woman

I did this painting last night at my art class. It is really my first effort at a portrait - I think I need lots more practice!

An Arabian Fairytale Part Five: The Princess and the Sheik visit the Musandam

The summer is approaching. The Princess and the Sheikh have been working long hours and it has been many days since their last adventure. During the recent months there was a short trip on a dhow and the Princess was reminded of how she loves to be on the water. In fact both the Princess and the Sheikh are water lovers. The opportunity arose when Sheikh Gary Bin Divin Deep and his wife Suzanne of Darwin, who have lived in the desert for 17 years, suggested a short cruise on a dhow.

The tradition is that three times a year a number of desert dwellers gather together at the port in Dibba, load up a dhow with diving and snorkeling gear, food and water, camping equipment and beverages and take a leisurely cruise along the Omani coast to the northern province of Oman known as the Musandam.

The cruise is led by genies of the underwater world with eyes as blue as the seas they dive and a sharp wit to match the twinkle within. The first genie is Jerry, a jolly and rotund spirit who surprises with his agility and skill. Jerry is devoted to the dive. He spends his time checking and adjusting, repairing and tendering the equipment used by all the desert folk to enter the allure of the deep. He hops from one tank to another adjusting valves and siphoning air. His hands are not still and he constantly wields a screwdriver, or a clamp, a nut or a widget that he taps to this or bolts to that. Quick with a crack he laughs out loud at his own jokes and those of his friends.

Jerry is ably assisted by a nymph with startling blue eyes, Debbie of South Africa. She surveys the sea and supports and guides, picking up a piece here, tidying away a bit there, encouraging here, cajoling there, wiping up this, attending to that and smiling all the while with a sparkle in her eye and a skip in her step. Only when the desert dwellers have descended does she sit back and relax, book in hand to enjoy the sun, the breeze and the peace and await the return of Jerry and the others from the deep.

Sheikh Gary bin Divin Deep had a laid back trip. He didn’t visit the deep this time but spent the trip checking that all the snorkeling spots were still delivering their promised wonders. Swimming around the islands and checking out the nooks and crannies he would arrive back on deck with a grin from ear to ear and announce that the corals were great, or that the fish were schooling. He gave reports on water clarity and temperature and every spot was yet another that could not be missed. I think this Sheikh must have relatives in the district, perhaps in the deep, with whom he communes. His spirit is in this place.

I met Nancy from Florida who had a mischievous smile and darted around the boat chatting and laughing and gathering the strength to face the deep. On one dive she emerged with the statement – ‘the equipment was working fine, but I wasn’t’ – she had one of those moments we all experience when fear takes charge and life looks short. By the time we reached the next dive she had conquered the demons within and spent 25 minutes re-establishing her relationship with the deep. On her next emergence from the deep she can be quoted as saying ‘Now I know why I do it…….the equipment, the fear, the hassle of suiting up……it all becomes meaningless when you are swimming with the fish all around you’

On arrival at the campsite the Princess and the Sheikh assisted all the desert dwellers and the genies to unload the boat and head for the shore. There was much merrymaking and the cove resounded to the popping of corks and the pulling of ringtabs. Sheikh Gary built a fire and the desert dwellers all cooked their food over the coals. On finishing dinner another genie appeared. He was a music genie and had a guitar and a repertoire of songs that the Princess and the Sheikh knew and so we all sang along. This genie was Mike and he was nimble of finger and his memory for melody and verse was supreme! The hours passed quickly with a song in the air and a glass in the hand and soon it was time for sleep.

Some of the desert dwellers had brought along their nylon huts to erect on the beach. The Sheikh and the Princess slept simply under the stars on a mat of air. During the night the ‘djin’ came to visit. According to local legend the djin that lives on this beach is a naked black djin and is 3 metres tall. He has flames coming out of his head and his eyes are a scary red. He only has 3 fingers on each hand so he can’t catch you but he can really give you a fright. Fortunately the Princess was told this in the morning and not before she went to bed. The djin did come though and he picked up the coals from the fire and threw sparks in the air, he breathed hot air over the camp and disturbed the desert dwellers during the night. The Princess felt his presence and hid under a towel. The Sheikh stayed watchful through the night to protect his Princess.

The Princess was once again amazed at how small the world can be when in discussion she discovered a young woman from the Fujairah tribe who had attended the same school as the Princess in the town of Glebe in the far off land of Australia. Debra of Annandale found her French Prince Charming, Christophe, in the sands of the Middle East and they have settled into the life of the desert. A kinship was established and the Princess hopes to meet up with the lovely Debra again one day.

Another thing that deserves a mention in this story is the master and his crew. Mohammed of Dibba was ably assisted by some men of the sub-continent, sailors indeed. Now Mohammed looked more like a genie than all the other genies. His skin the colour of tanned leather he was large and sturdy. His arms and legs were strong and nimble and his smile almost sparkled with the reflection of the water on brilliant white teeth. He told us tales of clashes with pirates and Iranian customs officials (I am not sure that he wasn’t confusing the two!). He dived for oysters the size of small plates and handled a runabout boat with agility and speed. A word from this genie and the boys jumped. They watched his every movement awaiting his direction and respecting his experience. He only had to look and signal and the team had the boat where he wanted it in a few minutes.

On returning to the port the Princess noticed an auction underway. Men of the sea had gathered with their catch and the auctioneer was selling fresh fish (some of it still jumping in the boat) to the highest bidder. It was a busy day in Dibba harbour with men in the various dress of their country of origin vying for the best produce and loading and off loading boats all around.

The Sheikh and the Princess enjoyed all the long hours of cruising and swimming and soon it was time once again to set off for the desert camp. Another adventure to be filed away in the memory of our wonderful Arabian Fairytale.